Li Shuidao carried the chamber pot into the Spirit Field, holding a ladle in his other hand.
The Spirit Field was planted with deadly poisonous herbs. Wang Tianjiao knew how dangerous they were and only dared to stand outside it.
"This chamber pot needs more than just emptying. You have to scrub it clean with water, then scatter incense over it. The madam should be able to smell its fragrance the next time she uses it. After you finish fertilizing, carry the empty pot to the woodshed and rinse it at least three times. Scrub it inside and out." Wang Tianjiao gave these instructions anxiously.
Li Shuidao, head bent as he spread the fertilizer, changed the subject. "Senior Brother Wang, why don't you wear a loose black robe like the rest of us?"
His question hit Wang Tianjiao right where it hurt.
His face reddened slightly. He gave a quiet cough and explained, "I'm used to wearing hemp clothes. They're easier to wash."
"Senior Brother Wang, you must have lost your Spirit Companion." Li Shuidao stopped fertilizing, raised his head, and asked with a gaze sharp as a blade.
Wang Tianjiao was shocked. "You! How did you know? Did Lu Qi'er tell you?"
Li Shuidao had only guessed. He continued, "How did you lose it?"
"I let it out at night to eat mosquitoes, but it never came back."
"Weren't you watching it?" Li Shuidao asked.
"Of course I was. It's the lifeblood of my cultivation. I just don't know how, but I passed out. Someone attacked me from behind. I don't know who did it."
Li Shuidao smiled and pressed on. "It won't be hard to find out who did it. What was your Spirit Companion, Senior Brother Wang?"
"A toad."
A toad?!
Li Shuidao's expression turned grave. He was a toad too.
Water nourished wood in the Five Elements.
Wood Poison corresponded to centipedes, while Water Poison corresponded to toads.
The attacker's Spirit Companion must have been a centipede.
Was it Senior Disciple Brother Ren Jichuan or their master's wife, Qin Yue'e?
"That's a shame. How long ago did it happen?" Li Shuidao continued.
"Two years ago."
"Oh... Did any of Master's disciples suddenly break through around then?" Li Shuidao asked.
"I don't know." Wang Tianjiao shook his head.
"Oh... Senior Brother Wang, I've finished pouring the golden juice. Here's the bucket." Li Shuidao handed him the wooden bucket.
Wang Tianjiao: "..."
"Uh... Aren't you going to scrub it?"
"I never said I'd scrub the chamber pot. I only said I'd fertilize the field."
Wang Tianjiao: "..."
When Li Shuidao returned to their quarters, he found Li Shuilang crouched in front of a large stone vat, picking away at something with his fingers.
Moss covered the vat. It had been dry before, but now water had been added.
A vat of water would naturally breed mosquitoes and flies, which could be used to feed a Spirit Companion.
Li Shuidao stepped closer and saw the fool was catching snails. Each time a little snail reached his sleeve, a tiny pair of iron tongs snatched it away.
"What are you doing?"
"My Spirit Companion hasn't eaten in days, so I'm finding it something to eat," Li Shuilang explained.
"A Spirit Companion is a first-rank demonic insect. It can go for months without food or water and still survive. Ordinary snails have no nutritional value. If you feed it so many, aren't you worried it'll shit all over your sleeve?" Li Shuidao whispered.
"Still better than letting it starve to death."
"Suit yourself. But you're right to be cautious about feeding it. Did you know Wang Tianjiao let his toad out to eat mosquitoes, then got knocked out and lost his Spirit Companion?" Li Shuidao said in a low voice.
"A toad? Doesn't that mean you're in danger too?" Li Shuilang exclaimed.
"That's right. My gecko is in danger too," Li Shuidao said gravely.
"Gecko?"
"Mm, a gecko... We're kin, but you can't let anyone know this secret." Li Shuidao emphasized once more.
Li Shuilang's eyes shifted, and he immediately caught on. He nodded emphatically. "I understand."
Li Shuidao nodded. Everything was understood without another word.
Over the next few days, all remained peaceful. The Li brothers behaved themselves, followed the rules, and quietly settled into the Golden-Faced Gentleman's cave abode.
During this time, neither of them saw the Golden-Faced Gentleman or Senior Disciple Brother Ren Jichuan again. In their daily routine, they only saw five people: their master's wife, Qin Yue'e; the personal first maid, Jiang Xue; the second maid, Lu Qi'er; Wang Tianjiao from the woodshed; and Wang Tiankun from the kitchen.
Li Shuidao and Li Shuilang devoted themselves to tending the Spirit Field without neglecting their cultivation.
During their two years at the Cultivation Hall, Li Tianliang had already taught the Li Family members how to cultivate once they acquired a Spirit Companion.
All they had to do was meditate for half an hour each day and use an extremely simple method to sense their Spirit Companion, striving to develop various Divine Abilities as quickly as possible. This was the early stage of the Spirit Channeling Realm. Once Mana formed in their meridians, they would reach the middle stage.
Nearly half a month later...
Li Shuilang stared at the tip of his index finger, his face alight with delight.
"I did it! I finally did it!" he exclaimed, showing Li Shuidao what he had accomplished after half a month of cultivation.
A clear, crystalline drop clung to his fingertip. It wasn't sweat, but venom.
After nearly half a month of cultivation, Li Shuilang had finally acquired his first innate Divine Ability: Scorpion Venom.
From now on, he could poison someone with a touch of his fingertip.
Almost every Five Poisons Sect cultivator could master this venomous Divine Ability soon after acquiring a Spirit Companion.
It was the first Divine Ability mastered by Five Poisons Sect cultivators.
"Now I can train with flying knives. With the Venomous Scorpion Tail Needle and the Flying Knife technique, who'll dare provoke me? I'll just send out a poisoned needle, and no one will bully me again!" Li Shuilang was so excited that he even let slip what his Spirit Companion was.
Those with a scorpion as their Spirit Companion could generally acquire a second Divine Ability: greatly improved accuracy with flying needles, knives, and other hidden weapons. Of course, awakening this ability required a long time spent practicing.
Fortunately, Li Shuilang was a Spirit Plant Master. He only needed to water and fertilize the plants each day, leaving him plenty of time to cultivate.
Once he mastered the Arrow Splitting Technique, Li Shuilang would dare to sign up for the sect's trials.
After joining the Five Poisons Sect, there were only two ways to obtain cultivation resources: first, receive rewards from one's master; second, venture into the trials.
The Five Poisons Sect was a Demonic Sect. It encouraged trials and slaughter.
Without feeding his Spirit Companion Spiritual Objects, it would take Li Shuilang at least five years to reach the middle stage of the Spirit Channeling Realm.
But feeding it Spiritual Objects would drastically shorten that time. Even one or two years might be enough.
"Little brother... I told you to catch snails to feed your Spirit Companion. It's been hungry for over half a month, without a single grain of rice or a drop of water. How can it still be lively? Without any vitality, how will you improve your strength? Look, I've already acquired the venomous Divine Ability. Next I'll train in my second Divine Ability. Flying knives plus venom—that'll make me a force to be reckoned with." Li Shuilang spoke again, brimming with excitement.
Li Shuidao smiled faintly. He had acquired the venomous Divine Ability ten days ago. He just hadn't mentioned it.
He had been used to keeping a low profile since childhood. It had become second nature, and he couldn't change it.
After a moment's thought,
Li Shuidao smiled and said, "Actually, I've acquired the venomous Divine Ability too. I was just about to tell you."
"Oh... That's great!" Li Shuilang exclaimed, his face bright with delight.
"How should you train for your second Divine Ability? According to Doctor Tianliang, you need to soak in water to awaken the Water Breath Technique. There's a big vat in our courtyard, after all. Want to get in?" Li Shuilang patted the stone vat beside him.
Li Shuidao frowned deeply. This fool was far too careless.
Even though they were the only two people in the courtyard, if someone outside was listening in, they might already have guessed that his Spirit Companion was a toad.
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