Qing Nü

As a rare Fourth Tier High-grade spirit wood in the Immortal Sect, the Jade Wutong, converted into cultivation realms, was equivalent to Nascent Soul.

Only, it was hardest of all for spirit woods to attain the Dao. Even though it possessed vast spiritual energy comparable to the Nascent Soul level, the Jade Wutong still had not given birth to spirituality. Ever since it had been elevated to Fourth Tier a thousand years ago, although it had raised the grade of Crimson Cloud Academy's Fire Vein and expanded its range, there had never been any sign that it would transform into a spirit.

This spirit wood perfectly met the conditions of being powerful, yet not shocking.

Chen Mobai began entering meditation and visualization with a perfectly clear conscience.

Only, the very first step, "entering meditation," stumped him.

Perhaps too much had happened recently. The tangled thoughts in his heart had clearly increased, and trying to press them all down and keep his mind Kongming was truly somewhat difficult.

Fortunately, the seniors of the Immortal Sect had long since considered situations like Chen Mobai's. At the beginning of the "Nurturing Thought God Forging Technique," there was a matching "Heart-Calming Incantation." After memorizing it, he silently recited it several times, and only after roughly two hours did he finally sense that Trance State where the heart became clear and all sounds fell still.

And within this silent Trance State, Chen Mobai visualized the towering tree he had seen today.

He did not know how much time had passed, but he felt as if his mind and spirit had become a seed. After a long slumber, its dormant vitality began to bloom, and a single green sprout slowly broke through the soil along the cracks in the earth.

This process was very interesting. All of Chen Mobai's senses seemed to have transformed into that single green sprout. While absorbing nourishment from the earth, it also yearned for the sunlight outside. That tactile feeling of exhaustion, yet still advancing bit by bit and breaking through the soil, let him feel at every moment that his mind and spirit were growing.

He had a feeling that when this single green sprout completely broke free of the earth's restraints, that would be the day his Spiritual Sense was successfully cultivated.

This process might require quite a bit of time, but the satisfaction of being able to see himself progress and improve at every moment filled Chen Mobai's heart with joy.

After a night of visualization and forging the spirit, when Chen Mobai woke up, although he was mentally exhausted, his mind was clearer than it had ever been before, as if all the dust in his heart had been brushed away.

"This Nurturing Thought God Forging Technique really does deserve to be called an upright and proper path. All I need to do is enter meditation every day, and once enough time passes, Spiritual Sense will naturally be cultivated."

Chen Mobai's face was full of excitement, but he did not know that many ordinary Qi Cultivation Level 6 cultivators would get stuck at the first step, "entering meditation." They usually needed to cultivate the Heart-Calming Incantation for a period of time—at best, ten-some days, at worst, several months—before they could cut away the distracting thoughts in their hearts and sense the revival of their mind and spirit.

At this moment, he happened to still be under the effects of the Startling Dream Melody, and his mind and spirit had already been awakened, which was why he had been able to enter the door in a single night.

Chen Mobai did not know these key details, but Chen Baolan did. That was why he had reminded him not to cultivate spiritual power over the next few days and to properly feel his Spiritual Sense. However, the latter also had not expected that this nephew of his would have such deep fortune, actually succeeding in entering meditation by visualizing the "Jade Wutong."

In the morning, he casually ate a little something. During the entire morning at school, he kept his eyes narrowed and rested.

By the time school ended at noon, Chen Mobai had already recovered his energy, and he also felt that his learning efficiency on the Auxiliary Cultivation Software had become even faster.

"No wonder cultivators have always advocated realm above all. I've only just initially sensed Spiritual Sense, and my progress in learning and comprehension is already twice as fast as before. If it were those Foundation Establishment Cultivators whose Spiritual Sense had reached Great Accomplishment and could leave the body, wouldn't their efficiency be several times greater!"

Once one's realm rose, in the same amount of time, the efficiency and progress of learning knowledge far surpassed the time before having Spiritual Sense.

It was precisely because of this that Immortal Sect cultivators would only divide their attention toward the Hundred Arts of Cultivation when they were caught in a bottleneck, hoping to draw parallels by analogy.

If one could wholeheartedly cultivate in seclusion, who would go work a job?

Although Earth Origin Star was already a cultivation civilization, all kinds of social relationships were still shackles that cultivators could not avoid.

For example, Chen Mobai wanted "Qi Replenishing Spirit Water" not only because he could use it to quickly raise his own realm, but also because it could help his father reach perfection at the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer.

So after pondering for a long time, he finally decided to cooperate with Qing Nü.

There were not few alchemists in Vermilion Cloud City, but Second Grade alchemists could be counted on one's fingers. Since Qing Nü had been able to enter the tutelage of Evergreen Pharmacy's manager, presumably her talent in alchemy was also quite good.

Chen Mobai had also looked up the pill formula for Qi Replenishing Spirit Water on the medicine bottle. The materials on it were all First Grade. After checking the prices online, refining one pot of stock solution for spirit water would cost roughly 6,000 Merit Points. And if one pot of stock solution went smoothly, it could be diluted into 50 tubes of Qi Replenishing Spirit Water.

According to the price during the last rush purchase, at 200 Merit Points per tube, the profit was very considerable.

But everyone knew that the early-stage investment in an alchemist was the greatest. Whether they could be cultivated successfully was hard to say, and even if one finally managed to support them until they emerged, they might decide to seek a higher perch elsewhere.

But Chen Mobai himself did not have the time to study it. The teacher in school who taught the Pill Discipline was also merely a First Grade Spirit Planter. Because if a First Grade alchemist went to work at a Medicine Factory, they could earn even more. Fifth High School's teaching resources were limited, so they could only invite a Spirit Planter, mainly to teach the cultivation and preservation of medicinal ingredients.

Even this was only because the principal had personally stepped in that they had managed to invite this Spirit Planter over from Vermillion Cinnabar Academy.

If he did not have the resources of the Sky River Realm, Chen Mobai definitely would not have considered supporting an alchemist at all.

But now, he wanted to give it a try.

Because the pills from the Immortal Sect that could flow into the market were truly too difficult to buy in a rush. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators had to obey this rule. Therefore, many high-level cultivators would cooperate with alchemists, with both sides helping and benefiting each other.

But this kind of trust required long-term cooperation.

Chen Mobai did not know whether Qing Nü could be trusted.

But didn't all trust begin from nothing and slowly get cultivated! After school, he first went home and changed out of his school uniform. Then, seeing that the time was about right, he walked toward Evergreen Pharmacy.

"Hello..."

When he walked in, Qing Nü was already standing behind the counter waiting. She wore a casual white shirt, her long hair slightly curled. When she saw Chen Mobai, she smiled and greeted him.

Because she was not extracting medicinal liquid today, she was not wearing a mask. Chen Mobai finally saw her face clearly. Snow-white skin, a delicate oval face, a jade-like nose and red lips, paired with those bright, crystalline eyes, plus a sweet smile and the tiny dimples by her mouth—her entire aura was pure, yet carried a hint of childishness.

"Sorry, looks like I'm late."

"No, no, no. I only came over after school too. Let's go eat first. My treat."

Qing Nü had gotten tickets to the Jade Phoenix Troupe, and seemed very happy, taking the initiative to invite Chen Mobai to eat.

"If you leave, does the shop have to close?"

Just as Chen Mobai's words fell, Qing Nü picked up her small bag and shouted loudly toward the back door, "Teacher, I have something to do today, so I'm leaving first. Watch the shop yourself."

"Mm. Remember not to spend the night outside."

An aged, resonant voice came from the back door. It should have been Evergreen Pharmacy's manager, but his words made Qing Nü's cheeks turn crimson, and she could not help spitting lightly.

"What are you talking about? We're just going to eat and listen to an opera!"

She walked out from behind the counter, and Chen Mobai finally saw her entire graceful figure. Her waist was slender, and on her lower body she wore blue denim shorts, along with a pair of washed-white canvas shoes, setting off her straight, long legs, yet filling her with vitality.

Sunlight shone down at the doorway, making her entire person as white as Beautiful Jade, without the slightest flaw.

"Right, I still don't know your name."

She asked.

"Chen Mobai!"

"I'm called Qing Nü."

"Your surname?"

"I don't have a surname. I'm just called Qing Nü."