Peach Seeds, Apricot Seeds

Seeing Wei Songnian join the haggling, Li Lingyu was slightly surprised.

She had dealt with him before, and he had always merely acted as a broker.

After all, if the transaction involved enough crystal stones, she would give him a higher commission.

The person on the other side had clearly only just broken through to Late Qi Condensation, their aura still somewhat unsteady. She had originally thought she might take advantage of a newcomer who did not know better and sell a few more crystal stones.

Now, however, it seemed he was siding with the newcomer. That meant she no longer needed to pay him a commission.

"I'm not in a hurry to sell the peach seeds. How about this? I'll use a secret method to nurture the seeds and enhance their spirituality. This is a secret method the sect uses to cultivate high-quality Spiritual Grain seeds.

"On top of that, I'll give you a jade slip containing my personal insights on how to properly grow Spiritual Peach Trees."

With Wei Songnian stepping in, she had no chance to jack up the price.

Wei Songnian shook his head and held up two fingers.

"Senior Sister, it's still too expensive! Insights and knowledge can be copied into countless versions.

"Two spirit stones. What do you think?"

When haggling, naturally, the more you could cut off, the better.

At that moment, the woman in green standing beside Li Lingyu spoke up.

"Secret methods and knowledge are the most precious things. Is it not the sect's various inherited cultivation arts and spells that matter most?

"Junior Sister-in-law's insights are being sold for less than two spirit stones. What else are you dissatisfied with?"

The woman's features were cool and distant, and her words carried an icy chill that kept others a thousand miles away.

As she spoke, the woman took out a finger-sized crimson seed.

"I once happened upon a Mid-grade First-tier Fire Cloud Apricot. I'll include its seed as a bonus.

"For three spirit stones, you get two spirit seeds nurtured with a secret method, plus an insights jade slip. You definitely won't be losing out."

With matters having reached this point, Wei Songnian knew there was no room left to bargain. His brows furrowed tightly as he looked at Ji An, giving an almost imperceptible nod before shaking his head.

Ji An understood what he meant. It was a little expensive; if they were not in a hurry, they could wait longer.

He was not in much of a hurry, but if he waited, who knew when he would encounter something suitable again?

He cupped his hands and said, "We'll buy them. If I encounter any problems in the future, may I seek Senior Sister's guidance?

"Of course, I won't ask Senior Sister to answer my questions for free. I'm willing to pay crystal stones."

He would inevitably be cultivating fruit trees in the future. He had no connections in that area, and now that he had found one, he could not let her slip away.

"No problem. If you need anything, Junior Brother can come find me at Condensing Emerald Cliff."

Li Lingyu readily agreed. Her eyes curved into crescent moons. Trading a spirit seed she had no use for in exchange for three spirit stones was quite worthwhile.

The few insights she offered were also rather basic knowledge of spirit-fruit cultivation, worth little in the eyes of experienced spirit farmers.

She took the apricot seed from Senior Sister's hand and formed a hand seal. Crimson spiritual light enveloped the two spirit seeds.

Wasn't that the Blazing Fire Spell? Judging from the fluctuations of spiritual power, Ji An was certain it was the Blazing Fire Spell, though its activation technique differed from what he had learned.

Once the spiritual light on the seeds faded, Li Lingyu formed another hand seal, and a vigorous green spiritual light sank into the spirit seeds.

Ji An did not recognize the second spell.

"Done. The spirit seeds have been nurtured. They'll sprout within a few days after being watered."

Li Lingyu took out a jade slip and handed the peach seeds and apricot seed to Ji An.

Wei Songnian took out three spirit stones and passed them over.

"How strange. Junior Brother Ji buys the spirit seeds, yet Junior Brother Wei pays the spirit stones."

Wei Songnian replied with a beaming smile.

"Junior Brother Ji is one of my major clients, so naturally I have to serve him well.

"Senior Sister, does Martial Uncle Ge's private medicinal garden need any spirit farmers to stand guard? Junior Brother Ji is quite capable."

Li Lingyu's willow-like eyebrows drew together slightly as she shook her head.

"My master's medicinal garden is currently tended by me and several highly experienced spirit farmers. We have no plans to recruit new hands at the moment."

People were always trying to use her to curry favor with her master, which irritated her greatly. Her impression of the two men opposite her dropped a few notches.

Seeing her expression change slightly, Wei Songnian hurriedly said, "What a pity. During Junior Brother Ji's assessment after three years in the sect, he failed to break through to the Seventh Layer of Qi Condensation in time. Otherwise, he could have submitted his name to the General Affairs Hall for the sect's great cultivators to select.

"Junior Brother Ji is exceptionally gifted in Farming Spells. Both his Minor Cloud and Rain Art and Thick Earth Art have reached the perfected level. Tending an ordinary medicinal garden would be effortless for him."

"Junior Brother Ji truly has such skill?"

Li Lingyu exchanged glances with Senior Sister and saw surprise flash through the other woman's eyes as well.

She gave a light cough and said, "It's not that I don't believe you. It's simply that I've never seen a Minor Cloud and Rain Art at the perfected level, and I especially want to broaden my horizons."

She had naturally seen the Minor Cloud and Rain Art and Thick Earth Art at the perfected level before. Of the spirit farmers who usually tended her master's medicinal garden, two possessed that level of skill.

But one of those spirit farmers was over sixty, while the other was over seventy.

A disciple who had entered the sect three years ago could be no older than eighteen.

Wei Songnian blinked, then smiled.

"Junior Brother, let's go outside and show the senior sisters a little of what we can do."

"Excuse my poor showing."

Ji An nodded and walked out of the main hall, with the other three following him to a patch of grass.

The bright moon hung high, and the night air was faintly cool.

Distant lights flickered here and there, lending the scene an added touch of loneliness.

Though the light was dim, their vision still extended for dozens of meters.

Ji An formed a hand seal, and gentle spirit light gilded the weeds with a layer of golden yellow.

A dense, all-embracing spiritual aura spread outward, swiftly sinking into the earth.

The blades of grass stirred without wind and gently unfurled, as though conveying a joyful mood.

That's exactly the Mana Fluctuation. Only the perfected Thick Earth Art can produce it.

Li Lingyu thought to herself and gave a slight nod.

The hand seals in Ji An's hands changed again, and a cloud of mist radiating faint spirit light rapidly spread outward.

A light, moist aura filled the air. Spirit Rain fell like silver threads, landing on the grass with what seemed like soft tinkling notes.

A quarter of an hour later, the clouds and mist dispersed, leaving behind a thin veil of vapor over the grassy patch.

"Junior Brother, you truly are capable. My master accepted a junior brother this year, and his quota for taking disciples is already full. Otherwise, I would certainly have recommended you to him."

Li Lingyu let out a long sigh. She had long wanted a junior brother who understood cultivation.

If she had one, she could cast off the duty of guarding the medicinal garden and devote herself wholeheartedly to opening up her immortal veins in preparation for Foundation Establishment.

Her master's newly accepted disciple was at the Ninth Layer of Qi Condensation, and his family was a major cultivation clan as well, yet he did not know any Farming Spells. The medicinal garden still required her to lead others in watching over it.

Ji An was slightly taken aback. Only now did he understand Wei Songnian's painstaking intentions, and he cast the other man a grateful look.

Wei Songnian sighed softly.

"Alas, Junior Brother Ji's luck is poor. Wait another three years."

"Junior Brother, if you encounter any problems growing spirit peaches in the future, feel free to come to Condensing Emerald Cliff and find me."

Li Lingyu spoke, her tone far more sincere now.

Ji An smiled. "I only hope Senior Sister won't find me bothersome when the time comes."

They chatted for a while before the two women bid farewell and left.

Ji An watched the two fly away, then gave Wei Songnian a deep bow.

"Thank you, Senior Brother. I will remember this kindness in my heart."

He had not expected this senior brother to go so far for him.

"Junior Brother, please rise. We're brothers of the same family."

Wei Songnian hurriedly helped him up.

"The matter wasn't accomplished, so I cannot accept such a bow from you.

"I know that many Martial Uncles in the sect who are qualified to take disciples do not use up all their spots. They leave them open in case they discover a promising seedling and can take them into their fold.

"If you can become a disciple of a master sooner, the road ahead will certainly be easier for you.

"I have no craft and am not skilled in combat arts. Most likely, no elder will take a fancy to me."