As the days passed, the winter snow began to melt.
The temperature grew lower and lower.
The little fellow was so cold that it refused to leave its nest.
"Stay home and behave. I'm going to collect the spring seedlings." Whether it understood or not, Xu Changqing opened the door after speaking and headed toward the Core Administration Office.
There were only a few days left until spring, and none of the necessary steps could be skipped.
Normally, it took about half an hour to reach the Core Administration Office.
But with the thaw, the roads had become difficult to traverse.
This time, it took a full hour to arrive.
"If this keeps up, I should buy a Flying Paper Crane first." Standing at the steps, Xu Changqing scraped the mud from the soles of his shoes with a look of distaste before entering the hall.
Since it was still early, there were not many disciples around.
Men and women alike, all of them had Wood Spirit Roots.
"Steward!" Xu Changqing stepped forward and greeted him respectfully.
"You're here." Flower Elder recognized him quickly this time.
Xu Changqing nodded. "I came to collect this year's spring seedlings."
Flower Elder said with considerable approval, "Being diligent is a good thing."
In his view, if one's aptitude was lacking and one's comprehension mediocre,
then the only way was to rely on acquired diligence to narrow the gap created by others' innate advantages.
He greatly admired people like Xu Changqing.
Last winter, knowing full well that the yield would be reduced, Xu Changqing had still insisted on planting.
He had even managed to grow Spirit Rice of supreme-grade quality.
To possess both talent and such diligence was truly rare and precious.
Now, before the new year was even over, he had come early in the morning to collect spring seedlings.
Xu Changqing asked, "May I ask, Steward, what if I want to plant other spirit plants?"
Flower Elder instead asked, "Have you reached Middle Qi Refining?"
Xu Changqing froze for a moment, then answered, "I'm still short by a few strands of spiritual power."
Flower Elder asked again, "What level is your Evergreen Formula at?"
Xu Changqing frowned slightly. Since he could grow Supreme-Grade Spirit Rice, he certainly could not claim to be at the first level. Thus, he answered, "The third level."
Flower Elder could not help shaking his head. "Although your technique level is sufficient, your cultivation realm is too low. I suggest you continue planting Spirit Rice."
As long as one reached Middle Qi Refining,
one could exchange for other spirit plants here.
However, Flower Elder did not know
that the person before him had not only reached Middle Qi Refining long ago,
but was now only one step away from the later stage.
Even his Evergreen Formula was not at the third level, but the fifth level—a height few had ever reached.
"Uh..." Xu Changqing was helpless.
Flower Elder said meaningfully, "Here, I can only follow the rules. Whatever realm you reach determines what spirit plants you can exchange for."
Xu Changqing blinked. "What if I buy seeds from other Spirit Farmers?"
Flower Elder turned his face away. "That is none of my concern, nor can I control it."
Xu Changqing's eyes immediately lit up.
Clearly, Flower Elder had made himself perfectly clear.
On his side, matters could only be handled according to the Dongting Immortal Sect's rules.
But he would not stop Spirit Farmers from trading privately.
In other words, as long as one completed the annual task, that was enough.
As for where the seedlings, seeds, and such came from,
the higher-ups did not actually care at all.
Flower Elder turned back again. "One more reminder: exchanging for spirit seedlings is free, but if you exchange for other spirit plants, points will be deducted."
The rarer and more precious they were, the more points they consumed.
Most spirit plant seeds on the market could be traded privately.
But the higher their quality, the more tightly they were controlled by the Dongting Immortal Sect.
Not only was private trade prohibited,
ordinary disciples were not even permitted to plant them.
For instance, outer disciples could only plant Spirit Rice.
Aside from Spirit Rice, Formal Disciples could gradually unlock more spirit plants as their cultivation realms and technique levels rose.
However, these were almost all relatively common varieties.
Only core disciples could plant exceptionally rare, extremely high-quality spirit plants.
"Understood." Xu Changqing could not help drawing a deep breath.
No wonder the five great powers monopolized resources.
The upper beam was crooked, so the lower beams followed suit.
From the Immortal Sect's management down to its middle and lower ranks,
monopoly upon monopoly, exploitation upon exploitation.
They held nearly all cultivation resources firmly in their own hands.
If one wanted more,
one could only raise one's cultivation realm, technique level,
and even one's social standing.
Very soon, Xu Changqing had collected all of this year's spring seedlings.
Yet after descending the mountain, he did not head toward the remote Spirit Fields where he lived.
Instead, after winding through several turns, he arrived at the door of Formal Disciple Zhang Su.
Xu Changqing called inside, "Is Senior Brother Zhang here?"
Not long afterward, a female disciple with a Water Spirit Root emerged from the house directly opposite.
Xu Changqing cupped his hands. "Fellow Daoist!"
As she sized him up, the Water Spirit Root disciple asked, "What business do you have with Senior Brother Zhang?"
Xu Changqing smiled lightly. "I came to offer New Year's greetings."
The Water Spirit Root disciple nodded slightly. "Wait here."
"Hahaha... Junior Brother Xu!" After roughly two or three minutes, Zhang Su came out of the house laughing heartily.
"Senior Brother Zhang!" Xu Changqing hurriedly cupped his hands and bowed.
Zhang Su asked with a smile, "It is not yet harvest season. Why has Junior Brother come to see me?"
Xu Changqing naturally understood the meaning behind his words, so he explained, "There were too many people a few days ago, and I did not dare disturb you. I could only wait until there were fewer people before specially coming to offer New Year's greetings to Senior Brother."
The smile on Zhang Su's face became even brighter. "It is enough that you have such thoughtfulness. Come in!"
Only then did he open the wicker gate.
The two then walked into the house step by step.
After sitting down, Zhang Su called out, "Come—serve tea to my Junior Brother Xu!"
Xu Changqing curiously examined the interior and found it rather luxurious.
The walls were covered with all kinds of valuable calligraphy and paintings.
Even the meditation cushions used for cultivation were actually made from spirit stones.
Very soon, the Water Spirit Root disciple from earlier brought over two cups of hot tea.
This tea was no ordinary tea either.
A faint spiritual aura wafted from it.
Zhang Su asked with narrowed eyes, "Junior Brother Xu, how is this tea?"
"Fine tea." Xu Changqing took a shallow sip. "Its aftertaste is sweet, its fragrance lingers on the lips and teeth, and the spiritual aura within even stirs my spiritual power."
Zhang Su said rather proudly, "Of course. This is Centennial Flowerwood Tea."
Xu Changqing said with considerable envy, "Senior Brother truly knows how to enjoy life."
Zhang Su set down his teacup and leaned his bloated body back, looking utterly lazy. "Cultivation is no different from living. Eat when you should eat, drink when you should drink, and enjoy yourself when you should enjoy yourself."
Xu Changqing deeply agreed. "Senior Brother sees life clearly."
Zhang Su narrowed his eyes and stared at Xu Changqing. Only after a long while did he ask, "Junior Brother Xu, you have offered your New Year's greetings. Is there anything else?"
As the saying went, one did not visit the Three Treasures Hall without cause.
Especially not a Formal Disciple like this, who had only recently joined the core.
He had already prepared himself to lend rice or spirit stones.
Xu Changqing hesitated before saying, "This junior brother wishes to buy some seeds, but I have no channels at all. Thus, I could only trouble Senior Brother."
Zhang Su was somewhat surprised. "So you want to buy seeds!"
"Precisely." Xu Changqing shrugged as though it were only natural.
"It's nothing." Zhang Su waved his hand somewhat awkwardly, then asked, "What kind of seeds or spirit seedlings does Junior Brother wish to buy?"
Xu Changqing shook his head. "I am not quite sure what seeds or spirit seedlings I should choose."
Zhang Su asked again, "What is Junior Brother's cultivation realm? What level has your cultivation technique reached?"
"Close to Middle Qi Refining." Xu Changqing paused, then continued, "The Evergreen Formula is currently at the third level."
"The third level of the Evergreen Formula?" Zhang Su was quite surprised.
After all, once one became a Formal Disciple, one could learn the more advanced Wood-Spirit Cultivation Art.
Few people still raised the Evergreen Formula to such a level.
This junior brother before him truly had perseverance.
Thus, Zhang Su thoughtfully stroked the stubble on his chin. "Your cultivation realm is a little lacking, so there are not many seeds or spirit seedlings you can choose from.
Considering that it is spring now, this senior brother recommends Four-Leaf Clover."
"Four-Leaf Clover?" Xu Changqing had never heard of it and was thoroughly bewildered.
Zhang Su explained, "This Four-Leaf Clover is slightly more advanced than Spirit Rice. It barely suits your current cultivation realm and technique level.
Of course, the main thing is that it is not expensive."
Xu Changqing hurriedly asked, "How much?"
"This senior brother happens to have a batch here. It only costs ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones." Zhang Su took out a large storage pouch and quickly retrieved the Four-Leaf Clover seeds.
Xu Changqing examined them closely and found that the seeds were all exceedingly tiny.
Some of them were even extremely shriveled.
Zhang Su curled his lips. "Let me make this clear beforehand: this batch of Four-Leaf Clover seeds has been stored for many years. How much you can grow depends entirely on your own skill and luck."
Xu Changqing put on an act of thinking it over.
Zhang Su did not urge him.
He drank tea as he waited.
Only after quite a while did Xu Changqing nod. "This junior brother wants to give it a try!"
"Very good." Zhang Su said with great satisfaction, "If you can truly grow them, this senior brother is willing to purchase all of them at the current market price."
Before you continue