A Willing Withdrawal, Two Blessings at Once

Xiong Yinxiu's death caused little stir in the sect.

Only some of the spirit farmer disciples discussed it among themselves by word of mouth, and they all tacitly refrained from spreading it further.

After all, which spirit farmer disciple hadn't thought of tending Spirit Plants in the spirit fields at a sect elder's cave abode?

Just having a chance to compete was a rare fortuitous opportunity.

But Xiong Yinxiu's death-courting behavior had tarnished their reputations!

If word got out and everyone learned of it,

then, if another Foundation Establishment elder wanted to select someone from among the spirit farmer disciples, wouldn't the elder hesitate and reconsider upon recalling this incident?

As it was, Xiong Yinxiu had died on the spot from a Foundation Establishment elder's strike.

If she hadn't died, someone would probably have been unable to resist making trouble for her!

As for Li Ye, the true beneficiary of this farce...

He had been busy these past few days!

"Gu Techniques are devious and vicious, with extraordinary effects of their own. They really are useful..."

Li Ye studied the book in his hands, absorbed as he praised it from the heart.

It was one of the more valuable things he had found in Xiong Yinxiu's Storage Bag.

Though it wasn't even recorded on a Jade Slip, but in a book made from some kind of tanned beast hide, it was an incomplete Gu Technique inheritance.

Compared with the booklet on the masked man that contained only a few introductions to Gu worms, this was undoubtedly much more comprehensive.

It recorded not only some introductory material on Gu Techniques, but also methods for refining several kinds of Gu worms, as well as ways to control and guard against them.

As long as he had enough resources on hand and was willing to invest them, refining some of the Gu worms would be enough to give his combat strength a considerable boost!

Judging by this inheritance and the other books in her Storage Bag, Xiong Yinxiu had actually been quite a fortunate person herself.

If she had truly secured the position this time and obtained enough contributions and resources to nurture and refine Gu worms and master Gu Techniques,

she might really have had a chance to reach Foundation Establishment in one leap and become an elder someday!

"It's just a shame you insisted on making an enemy of me..."

Li Ye murmured, looking somewhat regretful.

"As for refining Gu, I don't have much time or money to invest in it right now..."

For him, whether he wanted to improve his cultivation or make money, the first thing he needed to focus on was the Dao of Alchemy.

Not only was he accumulating experience to raise its level, he was also firing up the furnace every day.

Although his first-tier, low-grade skill didn't produce a very good success rate, and Grain Avoidance Pills made with spirit rice as the main ingredient didn't fetch a high price,

considering that he had invested virtually nothing to get started, he could be said to have recouped his costs as soon as he fired up the furnace!

After some thought, he glanced at his panel.

[Gu Technique: not yet initiated (1/1800)]

"Hmm... Gu Techniques seem quite profound too..."

"I'd better study them on my own for now, then try refining and mastering some of the Gu worms I already have to expand my arsenal..."

"As for refining Gu myself, that can wait until I've made something of the Dao of Alchemy!"

"So this was what that bitch was relying on..."

Yao Shaohui and Gu Daojin studied a book together with great interest, not forgetting to curse as they read.

After witnessing Xiong Yinxiu die at Elder Ji's hands that day, they had been shocked and had even felt a little like foxes mourning a dead rabbit.

But after Li Ye told them what she had done, their attitude toward her had turned to outright hatred.

Colluding with outsiders to ambush and kill Li Ye amounted to betraying the sect!

And using malicious Gu worms in an attempt to damage the Spirit Plants had directly threatened both their interests.

That was completely intolerable!

If Elder Ji had not merely disliked social obligations but otherwise had a fairly good temperament, the three of them probably wouldn't have come out of the matter unscathed, even though they had stopped her in time.

Now that Li Ye had found this book containing information on many spirit flowers among her belongings, they understood why Xiong Yinxiu had been particularly skilled at tending flowering Spirit Plants.

The book contained scattered records of dozens of cultivation methods for first- and second-tier spirit flowers. The Blazing Sun Flower was only one of them.

They were surprised and grateful that Li Ye was willing to share it with them for nothing.

They even felt a faint sense of guilt!

Ever since Xiong Yinxiu had been killed by the elder, their wariness and fear of Li Ye had been rekindled. All sorts of thoughts had run through their minds over the past few days, and many had been dark.

Now they saw that, although Li Ye was ruthless and cruel to his enemies and decisive in killing, he was truly very generous to them!

After recording the contents of the book in Jade Slips,

Yao Shaohui and Gu Daojin assumed solemn expressions and bowed directly to Li Ye.

"What are you two senior brothers doing...?"

Li Ye stepped aside, refusing to accept the bow, though he understood their intentions to some extent.

And this was precisely the result he had wanted from acting as he had!

"Junior Brother Li, though we haven't known each other long, I, Old Gu, have benefited greatly from your guidance and kindness. This bow is simply to thank you!"

Gu Daojin looked solemnly at Yao Shaohui.

"The two of us have already discussed it. Your skill with Spirit Plants is far beyond ours, Junior Brother..."

"Although the competition hasn't been decided yet, our Spirit Plant skills aren't going to suddenly advance by leaps and bounds... Whether in skill or kindness, the two of us admit defeat wholeheartedly!"

Yao Shaohui chuckled and picked up the conversation.

"Since that shrew Xiong Yinxiu sought her own death and made a clean exit... the two of us would only be an eyesore if we stayed. We might as well report our withdrawal to the elder and leave the way clear for you, Junior Brother!"

Neither of them could match Li Ye's skill with Spirit Plants, and in truth, they had never had much hope to begin with. They had also received plenty of guidance from him during this time, so they might as well withdraw gracefully and form a good relationship with him.

"Senior brothers, you're truly magnanimous!"

Li Ye bowed solemnly, then smiled.

"But Spiritual Qi is rare here. Even if you're both willing to step aside for me, can you really bear to leave such an excellent place to cultivate?"

"Of course we can't bear to leave..."

Yao Shaohui and Gu Daojin looked utterly sincere as they spoke with regret.

"But if we don't accept our assignments and report there soon, the spirit fields reserved for us in the spirit medicine garden will be given to someone else!"

"Since we no longer have a chance here, we can't very well lose what we already have too, can we?"

"So that's how it is!"

Realization dawned on Li Ye, and he teased them in turn. "I was wondering how you two senior brothers could bear to give up the excellent Spiritual Qi here... In that case, I can only gladly accept your kindness!"

"Once you return to the spirit medicine garden, if you meet a disciple named Zhang Liangfu, he's a good friend of mine from my time in the sect's spirit fields. Please look after him for me. I'd be deeply grateful!"

"Of course, of course!"

Yao Shaohui and Gu Daojin readily agreed.

"From now on, these spirit fields are mine to tend..."

On the hillside, Li Ye looked down with an excited expression.

Elder Ji had readily agreed to Yao Shaohui and Gu Daojin's voluntary withdrawal. He was even so pleased that he gave them some rewards.

From then on, Li Ye became the disciple in charge of tending the spirit fields on Elder Ji's back mountain.

"Then I'll celebrate by tending a mu of spirit field first!"

Good fortune lifted his spirits. Li Ye headed straight for the field he had tended from the beginning and eagerly set to work.

Before he knew it, the seedlings grew healthier, shooting up and taking on a deeper blood-red hue.

At last, a faint glimmer of spiritual light flashed over one of them.

[You tended a first-tier Spirit Plant [Blood Li Rice] with an exquisite technique, helping it flourish. Experience +0.1...]

[The Vitality of a first-tier Spirit Plant [Blood Li Rice] has grown stronger. You obtained [Blood Li Spiritual Essence] (1%)...]

[...]

Now that was two blessings at once!