Heading to Alchemy Courtyard One

Heading to Alchemy Courtyard One. "Master Wen, these are all the spiritual plants you needed. I heard you mention them a few times before, and I happened to see them in the secret realm. Thank you for teaching me all this time."

As soon as Jiang Lu returned to the medicinal garden, she held the spiritual plants out before Master Wen and looked at him with a beaming smile.

Master Wen froze for a moment. He looked at the spiritual plants before him, then at Jiang Lu, smiling as he lightly tapped her head, his tone full of affection.

"You silly girl, I don't need these. Keep them for yourself."

"Master Wen, I regard you as an elder. As a junior, isn't it only right for me to show filial respect to my elders?"

Jiang Lu looked at him, her eyes brimming with sincerity.

Master Wen was taken aback by the sight. Then his heart softened. This girl has a conscience.

"Fine, fine, fine. I'll accept them."

He waved a hand and stored the spiritual plants in his storage pouch. Then he noticed the demonic beast behind her.

"What's this?"

Jiang Lu immediately lifted the demonic beast—the Swift-Running Chicken—her eyes shining brightly.

"Master Wen, didn't you say your roasted meat was second to none? I wonder if I might have the good fortune to taste it."

Master Wen burst into hearty laughter.

This girl really knew how to enjoy herself. This Swift-Running Chicken would fetch quite a few spirit stones if sold, yet she was willing to eat it.

Still, at the thought of its delicious meat, he found himself craving it as well.

"Hehe, you girl. Fine. Today, I'll let you have a taste of my skills."

As he spoke, he took the Swift-Running Chicken from Jiang Lu's hands and weighed it a few times. It was quite heavy.

"Then I'm in for a treat."

Jiang Lu grinned as she placed the remaining spiritual plants into Master Wen's basket. With a sweep of spiritual power, the basket followed behind them back to the courtyard.

"Girl Jiang, it seems you gained quite a few fortuitous opportunities this time. Your strength has already reached Qi Refinement, Fourth Level."

"Yes, I did encounter some opportunities this time."

Jiang Lu nodded, wondering what medicine Master Wen was selling in his gourd.

"Mm, not bad. With your strength, if the Alchemy Institute takes notice of you, you may have a chance to go there and become a disciple. I've seen how well you work in the medicinal garden. You're clever. You won't remain here for the rest of your life. Perhaps opportunity will come by such a coincidence. If it truly does, then give it a try."

Jiang Lu was stunned. The Alchemy Institute?

Then she pursed her lips in a smile, her tone carrying a hint of teasing.

"Master Wen, you think too highly of me. My talent is ordinary, and I have a Mixed Spiritual Root. I only reached Qi Refinement, Fourth Level because of a fortunate opportunity. How would I dare reach for the Alchemy Institute?"

Master Wen shook his head at this. This girl had supposedly come from the Mortal Realm, so there were clearly things she did not understand. Those with good talent had opportunities suited to good talent; those with poor talent had their own marvelous uses. Why belittle herself?

He refused to believe that her leap from Qi Refinement First Layer to Qi Refinement, Fourth Level in just a few months had not caught the attention of those elders. It was merely a matter of time.

Even if her strength truly went no further, even if her talent was all it could be, there would still be plenty of people who wanted her based on her skill at sorting spiritual plants.

He said no more afterward. Let nature take its course. Saying too much would put pressure on her, and perhaps achieve the opposite effect. Things were quite good as they were.

"Master Wen, this is so good."

Jiang Lu swallowed the last bite of chicken, tossed the bone in her hand into the fire before her, and let out a satisfied burp.

Chi Li and Cangchen nodded vigorously as well. A large chunk of meat sat before each of them, and they ate with utter satisfaction.

They had not eaten food this fragrant in a long time. Those in the upper realm could drink jade nectar and divine dew and fast all year round—how would they care about such food?

Unless they truly loved it and made it themselves, such spiritual cuisine was difficult to come by.

Now that they had tasted it, their appetites were truly satisfied.

Jiang Lu rubbed her stomach and felt a warm current in her dantian. This was the spiritual power contained within demonic beast meat.

The Immortal Cultivation Realm had spiritual cuisine, made by spiritual chefs. After consuming it, one could increase their spiritual power. The stronger the spiritual chef, the better they retained spiritual power while preparing spiritual cuisine, and the better its effects after consumption.

It was also a type of Dao that food lovers throughout the Immortal Cultivation Realm yearned for.

"Of course. My skills were honed from childhood. It's only that my ingredients are lacking these days. Otherwise, I'd have you swallow even the bones."

Master Wen laughed and teased her. After speaking, he lay contentedly atop a haystack, his left leg crossed over his right, both hands pillowing his head, his eyes calmly watching the round moon in the sky.

He was already over sixty, yet he had only reached the Qi Refinement Middle Stage. Foundation Establishment was hopeless for him in this life. This was how ordinary cultivators were. Some, like him, accepted their fate; others refused to accept it and insisted on venturing out to make their mark.

The Immortal Cultivation Realm's prodigies were as numerous as crucian carp crossing a river. They had neither talent nor connections—what did they have to make their mark? It was only the unwillingness in their hearts that kept them from facing reality.

He looked at Jiang Lu. Though this girl had a Mixed Spiritual Root, he saw things clearly.

Though she had a Mixed Spiritual Root, the purity of her spiritual roots was extraordinary. Even with fortuitous opportunities, it was no simple matter to jump three levels in a single month.

If she had the chance, he could watch and see just how far she could go. In any case, she was different from ordinary people like them.

After consuming demonic beast meat, lying down in the most relaxed posture or meditating would allow one to swiftly absorb the spiritual power within the spiritual cuisine.

The two of them spoke no more. Only the sounds of Chi Li and Cangchen chewing remained.

A few days later, a disciple dressed in red came looking for Jiang Lu. He walked up to Master Wen and asked,

"Master Wen, is Junior Sister Lu here?"

"She is, she is. She's over in that spiritual plant garden. Do you need her for something?"

A spark flashed through Master Wen's mind, and he suddenly asked.

The disciple chuckled. "Master Wen, don't worry. It's a good thing."

Seeing this, Master Wen had a faint premonition. It seemed they had come for Girl Jiang. Perhaps there was nothing wrong with her entering the Alchemy Institute directly.

Then, delighted, he led the way ahead. "Girl Jiang, come over quickly."

Jiang Lu heard Master Wen's voice from far away. She turned around and looked at the two approaching figures.

"Master Wen, Senior Brother."

She rose to her feet and greeted them.

"Girl Jiang, someone's here for you."

After saying that, Master Wen stepped aside and spoke no further.

"Junior Sister Lu, do you still remember me? I'm Chen Qi from Alchemy Institute No. 1. You may call me Senior Brother Chen or Senior Brother Qi."

Jiang Lu nodded. She had some impression of him. A trace of doubt entered her voice as she swiftly recalled whether there had been any issues with the spiritual plants lately. After thinking it over, she could not figure anything out, so she asked,

"Senior Brother Qi, did you need something from me?"

Seeing the doubt on Jiang Lu's face, he chuckled, his tone soothing.

"Junior Sister Lu, don't worry. It's a good thing. People outside have discovered that you possess extraordinary talent for classifying spiritual plants. Before, your strength was insufficient, but now that you have reached the Qi Refinement Middle Stage, would you be willing to come to Alchemy Courtyard One? Disciples who enter the institute have the chance to refine pills. You possess a Fire Spirit Root, so you should be able to give it a try as well."

After speaking, he waited for Jiang Lu's answer. No normal cultivator with aspirations would give up such an opportunity.