The blossoms on the apricot trees bloomed and faded, then faded and bloomed again.
A wisp of tea steam rose from the table. Ye Jingcheng sat there alone, the emerald-green spirit tea rippling slightly in his cup with the movement of his hand, yet never spilling over the rim.
Another three years had slipped by in silence. During those years, Ye Jingcheng seldom cultivated. Instead, he devoted more time to nurturing his heart.
In the courtyard, the spirit apricot trees had increased from a dozen or so to over fifty, each one flourishing. Whenever spring arrived, apricot blossoms filled the air, their fragrance drifting for ten miles. He needed only to lower his head to catch their scent.
Of course, Ye Jingcheng had planted more than spirit apricot trees. He had also planted many spirit herbs and flowers in the Grotto-Heaven, though none were particularly precious.
But he had dried the seeds, sown them, and tended them all himself...
Most Alchemists could only assess spirit herbs. They did not study why their medicinal potency was high, or why they differed in thickness.
Ye Jingcheng had done this because Ye Haiyun, too, had enjoyed growing spirit herbs, drinking spirit tea, and studying pill formulas all those years ago.
To understand the original intentions of the Ye Family elder, Ye Jingcheng naturally had to walk the same road.
In his eyes, this was a journey of the heart that he had to undertake on the path of the Lineage.
After three years of study, Ye Jingcheng's heart had undoubtedly grown calmer. He was now older than Ye Haiyun had been back then, and those additional years had given him greater experience.
Previously, however, he had always been busy cultivating. With his heart set on gains, he had instead grown restless.
Now, when