Rare Species?

"Xiao Shan, what are you looking at?"

Yu Ershan was the first to notice Yu Xiaoshan's unusual behavior and walked over to ask.

"Second Brother, I searched the entire Ox Ridge and couldn't find this kind of tree anywhere. It's been more than half a year, and it's only grown this much. I heard that some Rare Species grow exceptionally slowly. Do you think our tree might be a Rare Species?"

Yu Xiaoshan said with hope.

Rare Species was a term for special plants, meaning they were scarce and precious.

More importantly, the probability of a Rare Species evolving into a Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root was far greater than that of ordinary plants.

Some Cultivating Immortality families in Blessed Lands would specifically acquire these types of Rare Species, hoping to cultivate true Heaven and Earth Spiritual Roots.

Even if the chance was only one in ten thousand or one in a hundred thousand, it was worth it.

Because each Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root represented a Blessed Land.

Its value could no longer be measured by Spirit Stones alone.

There were all sorts of legends in this world, such as an ordinary cultivator discovering a Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root, establishing a Blessed Land, and becoming a person of high status, attracting countless people.

Although Yu Xiaoshan was young, he had heard many such stories.

Of course, he didn't dare to hope for a Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root; even just a Rare Species would be enough.

Currently, the price of Blessed Land slots had increased, and his father was willing to sacrifice himself to fulfill their brothers' needs. Unable to change anything, Yu Xiaoshan could only place his hope in a miracle.

If the tree in their yard was a Rare Species, selling it to a Blessed Land or some family would bring immense wealth. Then, not only the annual entry slots to the Blessed Land, but even permanent residency slots, would be possible.

"What good things are you dreaming about?

Our unknown little tree was probably a seed blown here from somewhere else by the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster in previous years, and it happened to land in our yard, slowly taking root and sprouting.

It grows slowly because its foundation was damaged.

Any Rare Species, even just a seedling, would already show some extraordinary qualities.

Look at this tree, it's as sickly as I am. It definitely won't survive this year's Black Annihilation Wind Disaster, so how could it be a Rare Species?"

Yu Ershan shook his head, speaking of the tree but also of himself.

Perhaps it was due to shared misfortune. When Yu Dashan wanted to chop down the tree, he had stopped him and had taken care of it often.

He wasn't without hope that the tree was a Rare Species, but reason told him it was just wishful thinking.

"But what if? Should we invite a Spirit Plant Master to take a look?"

Yu Xiaoshan said, unwilling to give up.

"In any Settlement, Spirit Plant Masters are important figures. If they could be invited to examine every unremarkable little tree, they would be swamped with work.

Moreover, these important figures are often capricious. If he thinks we are deliberately deceiving him, it would be a great disaster."

Yu Ershan stepped forward and rubbed Yu Xiaoshan's head, admonishing him.

At the same time, his gaze also fell on the small tree before him, a hint of struggle in his eyes.

Hearing his second brother's warning, a trace of fear welled up in Yu Xiaoshan's heart, and his faint hope was extinguished. "Yes, how could our sickly little tree be a Rare Species?"

"Father, you take Second Brother and Third Brother into the Blessed Land. I am the strongest and still young, so I'll stay behind to guard the house."

Yu Dashan looked at his two younger brothers and clenched his fists tightly.

"No, your aptitude is better than mine, and you've already completed one Blood Change. You have the chance to reach Qi Condensation in the future. Only by becoming a true cultivator can you better protect your brothers."

Old Man Yu said firmly.

If someone had to be sacrificed in this family, it could only be him.

"Father, Eldest Brother, don't rush. There's still some time before the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster arrives. Perhaps there will be other solutions by then."

Yu Ershan advised.

As if finding the topic too heavy, Old Man Yu nodded and said, "Yes, the Spirit Rice in the Spirit Field hasn't been harvested yet, and the price of Blessed Land slots has skyrocketed this year. To prevent anyone from stealing our Spirit Rice, someone must be assigned to guard the Spirit Field.

Starting tonight, I'll be with Xiao Shan, and Dashan, you'll be with Ershan."

The three Yu brothers had no objections to this.

Even though the Spirit Field was right next to their house, only a few dozen meters away, they might not hear if someone was sneaking around at night.

Only by staying in the Spirit Field could they feel at ease.

Besides, taking turns guarding the night would not interfere with their labor during the day.

The harvest from these ten mu of Spirit Field was the Yu family's last hope, and not a single mistake could be made.

After Old Man Yu's family left, Yu An's heart stirred, and a phantom panel immediately appeared in his consciousness.

[Name: Yu An]
[Race: Elm Tree (Rare Species)]
[Age: 1/108]
[Realm: Early Stage One]
[Spiritual Power: Town Protection]

[An elm tree in the house brings surplus every year, and can slightly improve the fortune of the homestead.]

That's right, what Yu Xiaoshan guessed before wasn't wrong. Even after transmigrating and becoming a tree, he, Yu An, wasn't an ordinary tree, but a Rare Species.

And he even possessed the ability of Town Protection.

It's just that he didn't know if it was true, as Yu Ershan said, that due to some reason, his origin was damaged, leaving him with a mere lifespan of 108 years.

Or was this age the true age of the elm tree in his home from his previous life?

But as a tree, a lifespan of only 108 years was still too short in Yu An's opinion, not quite fitting for his Rare Species status.

He had been startled earlier when he heard about Spirit Plant Masters. Although the Old Man Yu family hadn't discovered 'him' so far, treating him as just an ordinary, unknown sapling.

But he wasn't sure if the Spirit Plant Masters or cultivators mentioned could discover him.

If his soul hidden within the little tree were truly found, the fate awaiting him would definitely not be good.

Imprisonment, or being used for all sorts of experiments – the thought alone was terrifying.

Therefore, before he had enough ability to protect himself, he preferred to continue living with the Old Man Yu family for the time being.

But now, there was a problem he had to face: the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster.

As a tree that couldn't move, what could he do?

Endure it head-on?

Or, like humans, cultivate and become stronger as quickly as possible?

Over the past six months, Yu Ershan had taught Yu Xiaoshan some common knowledge about cultivation in advance, which he had overheard.

For example, ordinary people generally began cultivating after the age of fourteen, when their bodies had basically fully developed.

Starting too early or too late was not suitable.

Concepts like achieving Fetal Movement Major Accomplishment at seven or eight years old and becoming a cultivator were simply impossible.

Of course, some martial arts that trained the physique didn't count as true cultivation; at most, they were considered foundational training.

The very first step of true cultivation was called Fetal Movement.

It involved using one's life origin to sense a rhythm in the world, or perhaps "the world's breath" would be a more fitting description.

Children aged seven or eight had unstable life origins. To cultivate rashly would only damage their origin and severely deplete their vital energy.

Therefore, the most suitable age range for cultivation was after fourteen, when both their mindset and life origin tended towards stability.

However, some immortal cultivation families, especially children whose parents were both cultivators, possessed naturally strong bloodlines and could often start two years earlier, beginning cultivation around the age of twelve.

But ordinary people, especially those like the Old Man Yu family, didn't have such conditions.

Yu Ershan started cultivating at fourteen, but even so, he accidentally injured his foundation, which had been difficult to recover from until now.

Undoubtedly, while cultivation could make one powerful, it was also a rugged path.

The endpoint for an ordinary person's life was Fetal Movement Major Accomplishment. With a bit of luck, completing one or two Blood Changes, or reaching Perfection of Fetal Movement, was basically the limit.

Without Immortal Destiny, they could never break through to the Qi Refining Realm and become a true cultivator in their lifetime.

So, could Yu An, having transformed into a tree, cultivate like humans?