Daoist Duobao's gaze was like two invisible swords, piercing Xuanwei's immortal qi body until it nearly became unstable. There was none of Ma Sui's curiosity or warmth in his eyes, only unfathomable scrutiny and a trace of... barely perceptible rejection?
"E-Eldest Senior Brother." Xuanwei hurriedly copied Ma Sui's manner and bowed respectfully. Inside, his heart was pounding wildly. This man was effectively the chief steward of the Interception Sect, second only to Sect Master Tongtian in authority! If he took a dislike to him, life in the Interception Sect would be difficult from then on.
Ma Sui chuckled foolishly from the side and tried to smooth things over. "Eldest Senior Brother, Junior Brother Xuanwei just joined the sect and was worrying about cultivation expenses, so I showed him the abandoned medicine garden behind the mountain. Who would've thought Junior Brother had quite a talent for nurturing spiritual plants? Just look at this technique of his..."
Daoist Duobao swept his gaze over the flourishing little grass that had been stimulated into growth a second time. His eyes flickered slightly, but the severity on his face did not lessen in the slightest. "Nurturing spiritual plants is indeed a worthy deed. Yet cultivators like us should take comprehending the Great Dao and diligently cultivating divine abilities as our foundation. If one indulges blindly in such peripheral pursuits, scrambling after resources and worldly objects, would that not be forsaking the root for the branch and delaying one's path?"
His voice was not loud, yet it carried an unquestionable majesty, as if he were proclaiming some doctrine.
Xuanwei curled his lip inwardly. The well-fed don't understand the hunger of the starving. You're the chief disciple of a Saint, with no shortage of resources. Of course you can stand there and talk without knowing hardship. If this little body of mine doesn't first solve its food-and-shelter problem, where will I find the strength to comprehend your lofty Great Dao?
But he did not dare say that aloud. He could only assume an attitude of humble instruction. "Eldest Senior Brother's reprimand is correct. This disciple will surely remember it and place cultivation first. Yet this disciple has only just arrived and possesses shallow cultivation. To travel a thousand miles, one must first accumulate small steps. To this disciple, this method of stimulating growth is also a form of cultivation; it can temper my control over spiritual power and vitality."
His words were neither servile nor overbearing. He acknowledged the importance of cultivation while also pointing out his current predicament and the practical value of this "craft."
Upon hearing this, Daoist Duobao gave him a deep look, seemingly not expecting this newly arrived junior brother to be so eloquent and quick-witted.
"Clever words and a pleasing manner." Daoist Duobao's tone remained cold. "Since you insist on this, I shall give you an opportunity."
With a sweep of his sleeve, a beam of spiritual light shot toward Xuanwei and became a token neither metal nor jade, engraved with an ancient character: "Medicine."
"This is the Restriction Token for the medicine garden behind the mountain. That garden has lain abandoned for many years. Not only is it overgrown with weeds, but changes in the earth veins have also bred spiritual energy-devouring rocks, poisonous fungi, and perhaps even drawn in minor demons and monsters. If, within one month, you can clear ten mu of spirit field from the garden and successfully cultivate any low-grade spiritual herb, you will have passed my test. Then you may truly use that medicine garden, and I will no longer interfere with your cultivation in this pursuit."
"If you cannot..." Daoist Duobao's tone turned cold, "then it will prove that your will is weak and that you are easily led astray by external things. At that time, you will sit peacefully in Biyou Palace and recite scriptures. For a hundred years, you may not involve yourself with such chores again!"
One month? Clear ten mu of wasteland? And successfully grow a spiritual herb? On top of that, the place sounded like it had no shortage of problems!
Xuanwei inwardly exclaimed, Damn, that's something else. This was not a test at all. It was clearly a show of force combined with extreme pressure! As expected of someone who could become a Buddha in the future—his methods were truly formidable!
Ma Sui clicked his tongue from the side. He clearly thought these demands far too harsh for a minor Earth Immortal, but he did not dare argue with Duobao.
Xuanwei knew he had no way back. This concerned not merely the right to use the medicine garden, but also a crucial battle to prove his worth before Duobao, this powerful eldest senior brother! If he backed down, he could forget about ever holding his head high in the Interception Sect again!
He drew a deep breath, straightened his immortal qi body as much as he could, accepted the token, and solemnly said, "This disciple Xuanwei accepts the token! I will not disappoint Eldest Senior Brother!"
Daoist Duobao nodded faintly. Without another word, he flashed and vanished from the great hall.
"Junior Brother, this..." Ma Sui leaned in, concern on his round face. "I've passed by that place before. It's terribly overgrown, and there are several Spirit-Devouring Rocks that are quite troublesome. One month... I'm afraid..."
"Don't worry, Senior Brother. Where there's a will, there's a way!" Xuanwei interrupted him, an expression mixing nervousness and excitement appearing on his face—or rather, in his thought fluctuations. "Isn't it just reclaiming land and farming? We may not have much else, but we've got plenty of strength—immortal qi—and... a little bit of skill!"
After bidding Ma Sui farewell, Xuanwei tucked the token away—or rather, merged it into his body—and followed its guidance as he drifted toward the mountain behind Biyou Palace.
After passing through a bamboo forest shrouded in immortal mist, the sight before him made him suck in a sharp breath.
"Damn... is this a medicine garden? This is clearly the Primordial World's version of a landfill, isn't it?!"
In a vast mountain valley, weeds grew taller than trees. All kinds of thorny vines, giving off strange odors, tangled together. Patches of dark gray stone lay exposed across the ground, their surfaces covered in holes. These rocks seemed alive, pulsing faintly as they greedily drew in the thin spiritual energy from the air—these must have been the "Spirit-Devouring Rocks" Ma Sui had mentioned. Brightly colored, bizarrely shaped mushrooms—poisonous fungi—were scattered throughout, releasing ominous fluctuations. The entire valley was thin in spiritual energy and heavy with the aura of death.
[Environmental scan: Severe loss of spiritual energy from the soil. Soil is compacted and rich in impurities. Detected: "Low-Grade Spirit-Devouring Rock" x37, "Paralysis Poison Fungus" x15, "Spirit-Hungry Vine" x8. Overall cleanup difficulty: High.] [Suggestion: Prioritize removing Spirit-Devouring Rocks and poisonous fungi, improve earth vein nodes, and draw spiritual energy back into circulation.]
"A long road and a heavy burden..." Xuanwei sighed, but his gaze grew firmer. He was a man who intended to change the fate of the Interception Sect. How could he be frightened off by such a minor obstacle?
"Let's get to work!"
He first tried turning his immortal qi into sharp blades to cut through the weeds and vines. The results were mediocre. These plants were extraordinarily tough, and after being cut down, their roots continued frantically draining the earth's strength.
He then tried using the power of the Wutu Source to influence the Spirit-Devouring Rocks, but the rocks behaved like gluttons that had starved for centuries and tried to absorb his source power instead!
"You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!" Xuanwei's temper flared as well. He recalled a basic Object-Dispelling Incantation from the Supreme Pure Immortal Method. Its power was not great, but it should have been enough to move these inanimate objects.
He attempted the incantation. Immortal qi surged and formed an invisible giant hand that gripped a millstone-sized Spirit-Devouring Rock and pulled hard—
It did not budge! Not only did this rock devour spiritual energy, it was fucking heavy!
"I refuse to believe this!" Xuanwei gritted his teeth and began circulating the Qi-Guiding Chapter of the Chaos Heaven-Opening Art as well. Though it was only the Qi-Guiding Chapter, it contained a trace of the intent to open chaos and evolve all things, carrying an inherently tyrannical force!
He cast the Object-Dispelling Incantation once more. This time, an exceedingly faint layer of chaos-colored radiance appeared over the immortal qi hand, as though it could break down everything!
"Rise!!"
With his low shout—a roar of intent—the incomparably heavy Spirit-Devouring Rock actually rose, swaying unsteadily into the air! It was immensely strenuous and consumed tremendous immortal qi, but it had truly moved!
[Successfully moved "Low-Grade Spirit-Devouring Rock"! Compatibility between Chaos Heaven-Opening Art and Supreme Pure Immortal Method has increased slightly! Control over power improved!]
There was a way!
Xuanwei's spirits soared, and he began laboring away as a "stone hauler." He moved the Spirit-Devouring Rocks one by one out of the spirit field area and threw them into a corner of the valley. The process consumed enormous amounts of mental energy and immortal qi. After moving only a few, he was already dizzy and seeing stars, and even his energy level showed faint signs of declining.
Yet he did not stop. Whenever he could no longer move, he meditated to recover; once recovered, he continued. At the same time, he carefully isolated the poisonous fungi with immortal qi and destroyed them one by one.
Several days passed. He was exhausted like a dead dog—albeit a gaseous one—but the results were obvious. Nearly half of the ten mu spirit field had been cleared. The soil was still barren, but at least those offensive rocks and poisonous mushrooms were gone.
That day, he was struggling with an especially huge Spirit-Devouring Rock. Like a stubborn holdout, it was embedded in a small node of the earth veins and was exceptionally difficult to remove.
Just as he summoned every ounce of strength he had, chaos radiance flashing as he was about to uproot this "holdout"—
An unexpected change occurred!
The instant the massive rock was pulled free, the earth vein node that had been blocked beneath it suddenly opened! A stream of Innate Yi Wood Spirit Qi, not immense but exceptionally pure and gentle, burst forth like a spring that had been suppressed for far too long!
This Wood Element Spiritual Qi and the power of the Wutu Source Core within Xuanwei's body possessed an innate relationship of mutual generation! The moment they touched, they immediately produced a wondrous resonance!
Inspired in that instant, Xuanwei did not stop it. Instead, he guided the surging Wood Element Spiritual Qi, mixed with his own Wutu Source, and scattered it like sweet rain across the barren land he had just cleared!
A miracle occurred!
The compacted, gray soil visibly became loose and dark! The remaining roots of the weeds rapidly withered, decomposed, and turned into nourishment. Thread after thread of vigorous life force burst forth from deep within the earth!
Several spiritual herb seeds that had been buried for who knew how long and had long since lost their vitality even quietly split open under the joint nourishment of the pure Wood Element Spiritual Qi and Wutu Source, sprouting tender, emerald-green shoots!
[Successfully activated and purified an earth vein (Yi Wood branch)! Land quality increased! Reached the standard of "Low-Grade Spirit Field"!] [Successfully stimulated "Withered Spirit-Nourishing Grass Seed" x3! Obtained "Spirit-Nourishing Grass Seedling"!] [Task "Duobao's Test" completion: 40%!]
Xuanwei looked at the few Spirit-Nourishing Grass Seedlings swaying gently in the breeze, radiating faint spiritual light, then at the spirit field beneath him, now brimming with life. A tremendous sense of accomplishment and joy surged through him!
He had done it! He had truly revived this dead land!
At this rate, let alone a month, he could probably complete the test entirely in another ten days or so!
However, just as he was feeling triumphant and preparing to press onward and expand his gains—
[Warning! Multiple unfamiliar energy signatures are rapidly approaching the medicine garden valley!] [Energy signature analysis: Mixed, containing Demonic Qi and Plant Essence... Hostile intent is obvious!] [Risk assessment: Medium! Suspected "locals" drawn here by the revived vitality and spiritual energy... ?]
Xuanwei: "..." Seriously? He had barely finished the infrastructure, and already some thugs wanted to come collect protection money?!
His "gaze" turned toward the valley entrance. Several streaks of escaping light in different colors, billowing with Demonic Qi, were hurtling aggressively toward him!
Before you continue