Guan Yu poured a spoonful of purple substance into the small pit containing a seed, swiftly packed the loose soil from around it back into the hole, then scooped water from the bucket beside him and sprinkled it over the top. Yue Qianchou watched him complete the series of actions, his gaze fixed on the little pit.
Before long, a crack appeared in the patch of soil dampened by the water, followed by several more. Suddenly, the center where those cracks crossed bulged slightly, broke open, and pushed out a tiny but conspicuous hint of pale green. If one did not look carefully, one might truly miss it.
Very soon, the mung-bean-sized speck swayed faintly and gradually unfolded, revealing the form of a small green sprout.
Yue Qianchou sucked in a cold breath, dumbfounded. "It... it was the seed sprouting? How... how could that be possible?" Then he turned to Guan Yu and cried, "How did you do it?"
Guan Yu smiled and jerked his chin toward the sprout, signaling for him to keep watching.
The little green sprout burst forth with vigorous life. Its branches and leaves curled and spread in every direction, expanding and growing at a speed visible to the naked eye. Tender leaves multiplied without cease, branches flaunted themselves, and once the main stem reached the height of a man's thigh, it began to slow. Its initially half-green, translucent color gradually turned reddish-brown. The entire plant seemed to have taken shape and stood there without further movement.
Had its growth not been so terrifying, no one would have been able to tell what distinguished this plant from any other.
Was that all? Yue Qianchou had just gathered his wits and let out a breath when the plant suddenly moved again. Its branches and leaves trembled, drawing