Watch Me in Three Years

The music ended, and the people dispersed.

Downstairs at Hundred Flavors Tower, Zhang Yuanshan saw everyone off and sighed leisurely.

"When we gather again, who knows how many will remain."

Among this batch of disciples from Green Pine Dao Academy, Zhao Mengyao and he possessed high-grade aptitude, while everyone else had mid-grade aptitude.

Yet in just half a year, clear gaps had already emerged in their cultivation.

He had the highest cultivation, having reached Qi Condensation Layer 5. Another seven were at Qi Condensation Layer 4, while the rest were all at the Third Layer of Qi Condensation.

As time accumulated, this gap would only grow wider, and many would gradually fall behind.

When they met again, perhaps they would no longer be able to gather so many people.

Chu He called out, "Senior Brother, you worry too much! Those who can still walk the same path years from now are the true Dao companions."

Zhang Yuanshan laughed.

"Junior Brother sees things clearly."

He turned around, took out a Talisman Bird, and held it in his palm.

"Junior Brother Ji, while settling the bill earlier, I bought a few bottles of spiritual wine as well. Shall we set out now?"

Ji An's expression stiffened slightly. "Uh, Senior Brother, I don't have a Talisman Bird for travel. All the Spirit Stones I borrowed went toward cultivation and practicing spells."

"I still have an old paper crane. It can probably last another sixty or eighty hours. If Junior Brother doesn't mind, take it."

Zhao Mengyao took out a Talisman Bird and handed it over. Ji An reached out to accept it.

"Thank you, Senior Sister."

No reason to refuse something free. Besides, he couldn't exactly make his guests fly over first and wait for him!

The Talisman Bird was of slightly better quality than the one Wei Songnian had given him, and carried a faint fragrance.

After he poured spiritual power into it, a delicate immortal crane appeared before him. He swung himself onto its back.

Mm, it was not as comfortable as riding a broad paper goose.

The four of them mounted their Talisman Birds, crossed Azure Water Lake, and headed east with their backs to the sun.

"Junior Brother truly hasn't wasted an inch of land in his courtyard."

Zhao Mengyao pointed at the lush fruits and vegetables filling the yard within the fence, her smile radiant.

"Waste is shameful. Since I lack the means to enjoy spiritual fruits and spiritual vegetables, I might as well grow some ordinary vegetables myself. Watered with the Minor Cloud and Rain Art and nourished with the Thick Earth Art, these vegetables contain far more spiritual power than wild greens."

"Senior Brothers, Senior Sister, please come in!"

Ji An pushed open the fence gate and led the way to the front door. Secretly forming a hand seal, he opened the Dharma Restriction on the bamboo house.

The moment everyone entered the small building, they smelled the faint fragrance of Yellow Bud Rice.

Seeing three sacks of spiritual rice leaning against the wall, Chu He walked over with a grin.

"I was born with divine strength. My family once intended for me to cultivate as a body cultivator. Let me show you how strong I am."

As he spoke, he stretched out both arms, grabbed a cloth sack in each hand, and lifted them easily. Then he straightened his arms and held them level, looking utterly relaxed, as though the sacks contained nothing but foam.

"Senior Brother truly possesses godlike strength, haha." Ji An laughed. "Please have a seat, the three of you. I'll steam the spiritual rice and prepare a few light dishes."

After such a rich meal at Hundred Flavors Tower at noon, they needed something lighter.

He found a wooden basin, filled it halfway with Yellow Bud Rice, then left the room and went to the kitchen beside it to get busy.

Chu He set down the sacks, then hefted another one. He nodded at Zhang Yuanshan and lowered his voice.

"Even if it isn't 580 pounds, it can't be far off."

Zhao Mengyao said softly, "When we leave, have Junior Brother Ji cast his spells. We'll be able to see the level of his techniques."

Zhang Yuanshan pondered for a moment.

"There's no need to rush into mentioning it. Junior Brother Ji is a smart man. I think he'll take the initiative to demonstrate his spells for us."

Since he had invited them here, he must have intended to prove himself.

Chu He said, "What about that beast-taming method?"

"If his spells have reached the major mastery level, then don't bring it up again."

To train spells to major mastery within half a year, his talent for spells was undoubtedly worthy of recognition.

Chu He nodded faintly and kicked a chair.

"This guy only has one chair. How are we supposed to sit?"

After steaming the rice and seasoning the vegetables, Ji An ran to Old Huang's house and borrowed three chairs. He also moved the table out of the bamboo house.

The room was small enough already; seating four people inside would have made it even more cramped.

The four sat beneath the shade of a tree outside the courtyard. Accompanied by spiritual wine, each began sharing their insights into cultivation.

Time filtered through the leaves, stretching the tree's shadow long, while the fragrance of Yellow Bud Rice drifted over.

Ji An smiled. "Senior Brothers, try the spiritual rice I grew."

He brought over the rice basin and served everyone a bowl.

Zhao Mengyao picked up a mouthful with her chopsticks, blew on it, and carefully chewed before swallowing. Then she picked up several slices of cucumber and ate them.

"The texture is a little better than the spiritual rice I usually eat. Mm, the spiritual power in these vegetables cannot compare to spiritual vegetables, but the power stored within them is probably about a quarter of that in spiritual vegetables."

The meal was simple: a bowl of spiritual rice and a few cold dishes. Even though they chatted while eating, they soon finished.

Ji An rose and went to the fence gate with a smile.

"Now, I cast spells on these fruits and vegetables every day. The Thick Earth Art at major mastery can nourish the land. Given enough time, I will certainly cultivate this patch of land into a first-rank Spirit Field."

The hand seals in his hands shifted, and earthy-yellow spiritual light sank into the ground.

Then his hand seals changed again. Clouds and mist rapidly formed, blanketing the sky above the little courtyard.

Pearl-like raindrops came pouring down, spreading a faint watery mist. The bamboo house sank into hazy rain and smoke, making it impossible to see clearly.

Zhao Mengyao stepped forward a few paces and came to his side.

"Eh, Junior Brother, the casting range of a major mastery Minor Cloud and Rain Art should be larger than this, shouldn't it?"

"Yes. If I cast it at full strength, the Minor Cloud and Rain Art can cover an entire mu of Spirit Field. I restricted the spell's range to save spiritual power. Instead, the spiritual rain contains slightly more spiritual power."

Zhao Mengyao turned her head and said, "My Minor Cloud and Rain Art has also reached minor mastery. Judging from the concentration of spiritual qi I can sense, it falls far short of Junior Brother's spell. Junior Brother must be the first among our batch of disciples to train a technique to major mastery. Furthermore, Junior Brother can precisely control the range of his technique, so his divine sense must certainly be stronger than that of most fellow disciples. It truly makes one envious."

Ji An's eyes shone with spirit as he smiled with a trace of wild arrogance.

"Once the land in this courtyard has been cultivated into a first-rank Spirit Field, I'll buy some spiritual peaches and Spiritual Apricots to plant. Heh, once I advance to Foundation Establishment, I'll have spiritual fruits ready to enjoy."

Zhang Yuanshan rose and praised him.

"Junior Brother has great ambition! I'm still thinking about how to advance into Late Qi Condensation, while Junior Brother's gaze has already reached so far ahead. This Senior Brother cannot compare."

Did he want to reach Foundation Establishment? Of course he did. But he did not dare proclaim such thoughts so plainly.

After opening his immortal veins, this Junior Brother had not merely gained sudden enlightenment into the essence of techniques. He seemed to have understood far more besides.

Chu He said coolly, "Foundation Establishment isn't so easy."

It was said that the sect retained more than ten thousand Qi Condensation Stage disciples, yet there were fewer than a thousand great Foundation Establishment cultivators. Moreover, that number had remained without any obvious increase for several centuries.

If Foundation Establishment were so easy, the number of Foundation Establishment Cultivators should have gradually risen.

Ji An did not look at Chu He. His gaze stretched into the distance, capturing the sunset clouds and flying geese in his eyes.

"Just watch. At the three-year assessment, I'll train the Minor Cloud and Rain Art to perfection."