Before long, Xu Xuan took advantage of Zhang Jie's travels to quietly send a secret letter back to Hundred Fragrance Valley.
Xu Ziyu was overjoyed when he received the news.
He immediately selected three clever, reliable young disciples from collateral branches who knew how to keep their mouths shut.
All three had attained some proficiency in the Grain Garment Art and were utterly loyal to the lineage.
After Xu Ziyu gave them detailed instructions.
He ordered them to depart at once for the Azure Wood Sect.
The three arrived at the medicinal garden, worked diligently, and kept a low profile.
Several months passed, and the three Xu Household disciples successfully passed the assessment, becoming the medicinal garden's newest menial workers.
Xu Xuan kept his distance from them in public, only finding opportunities to offer them a little guidance in private.
He instructed them to be cautious in word and deed and put their hearts into their work.
The three understood his intentions. With the endurance and diligence customary among Xu Household disciples, along with some grounding in martial arts, they soon gained a firm footing among the menial workers and proved reliable in their duties.
This also quietly raised the steward's regard for Xu Xuan, who had recommended them.
With members of his lineage nearby to support him, Xu Xuan found his work much easier.
He could quietly send surplus talismans he had drawn or resources he had saved back to Hundred Fragrance Valley through them, helping the lineage develop.
At the same time, he could learn more from them about recent developments in Hundred Fragrance Valley and the Xu Household.
These included the further development of that faint spiritual vein and modest progress in refining Grain Abstinence Pills.
This gave him a clear grasp of the situation back home.
Taking advantage of the merit he had earned on this occasion, Xu Xuan also gained slightly greater authority in the medicinal garden.
Manager Zhao's trust in him grew considerably, and he sometimes entrusted a small medicinal plot directly to his care.
In terms of status, he was already equivalent to a first-tier spiritual plant cultivator within the sect.
He was also permitted to read the medicinal garden's treasured spiritual herb illustrations and management notes from past years.
This further solidified his knowledge of spiritual plants and deepened his understanding of the medicinal garden's overall operations.
He was like an exceptionally patient gardener.
Not only did he carefully tend the spiritual fields before him, but he was also quietly nurturing the young sapling that was the Xu Household.
And he deftly entwined his own roots more closely with the towering tree that was the Azure Wood Sect.
Resources, connections, and knowledge all accumulated through his daily cultivation.
He quietly awaited the day when vitality would burst forth.
That day, dusk closed in on all sides.
Xu Xuan stood alone on a relatively high earthen slope in the medicinal garden.
Below him, the vast medicinal fields rippled with waves of green in the evening breeze, while the menial workers packed away their tools, preparing to end their day's labor.
The three Xu Household disciples were among them, sweating like rain.
Their movements were already no different from those of the veteran menial workers.
Xu Xuan swept his calm gaze over them, silently considering his plans.
This first step has finally been taken on firm ground.
Next, I must use the medicinal garden's environment and resources to break through to the middle spiritual treasury stage as quickly as possible.
I must find ways for them to become involved in more sect affairs and let more Xu Household disciples put down roots here.
He raised his head.
His gaze passed over the layer upon layer of medicinal plots toward the mist-wreathed peaks deep within the Azure Wood Sect.
There lay richer spiritual energy, more profound cultivation methods, and a vaster world.
One day, I will see the scenery at those greater heights for myself.
Time slipped by.
Five years had passed in the blink of an eye since the three Xu Household disciples entered the Azure Wood Sect's medicinal garden.
Xu Xuan was now nearing sixty, and his appearance had grown still older.
Yet his eyes had become deeper and brighter, their sharp gleam held within.
The spiritual power inside him, once as thin as cotton thread, had grown severalfold under the guidance of the incomplete Evergreen Art manual and his ceaseless, arduous cultivation.
It flowed through his meridians like a murmuring stream, having reached the peak early spirit treasury stage.
For someone with a false spiritual root, such speed could be called a miracle.
The hardships involved were not something he could tell outsiders.
His increased cultivation allowed him to cast low-tier support spells such as the Spring Breeze Rainmaking Spell and the Yang Metal Weeding Art with greater ease.
His tending and control of the spiritual fields under his supervision also steadily improved.
The medicinal plots he tended bore vigorous plants and brimmed with spiritual energy, having long since become model areas for growing low-tier spiritual herbs within the medicinal garden.
Even some inner disciples who occasionally visited would stop to look, clicking their tongues in wonder.
The three Xu Household disciples-Xu An, Xu Ping, and Xu Shun-had not disappointed him either.
They always remembered Xu Xuan's teachings, remaining modest, diligent, and willing to endure hardship.
With the solid foundation laid by the Grain Garment Art, they had strong physiques and worked far more efficiently than ordinary menial workers.
Gradually, they earned the recognition of the steward and the other menial workers.
Xu An in particular.
During a small-scale disturbance involving demonic beasts, Xu An gave a timely warning and handled the situation appropriately, earning an exceptional promotion to team leader, responsible for the daily assignments of over a dozen menial workers.
This small measure of authority nevertheless made it considerably easier for the Xu Household disciples to look after one another and pass along information within the garden.
Through this connection, Xu Xuan's contact with the Xu Household in Hundred Fragrance Valley became closer and smoother.
He quietly sent back the low-tier talismans he drew, the Qi-Gathering Pills he saved in his daily life, and the insights he gained from studying the medicinal garden's texts, in the form of jade slips and supplies.
Under Xu Ziyu's leadership, the Xu Household developed rapidly.
The faint spiritual vein by the river had been developed into a secret base for the lineage.
The refining of Grain Abstinence Pills had stabilized, and they had even begun attempting to refine the somewhat more complex Qi-Restoring Powder.
Although their success rate was pitifully low, they had finally taken a crucial step.
Testing the spiritual roots of children of suitable age among them never slackened.
Although no promising talent had yet been discovered, two more people with faint spiritual roots had been found.
Both were brought into the core and carefully nurtured.
The Xu Household was quietly transforming from a prominent mortal clan into a cultivation lineage.
That day, Xu Xuan was tending spiritual plants in the medicinal fields when Manager Zhao suddenly summoned him.
Manager Zhao now held Xu Xuan in considerable regard.
Not only because of his great contribution in resolving the insect infestation.
But also because, over these five years, Xu Xuan had kept the area under his supervision in excellent order and achieved outstanding results.
Manager Zhao had long since come to rely on him as a trusted deputy.
Xu Xuan straightened his clothes and went to the courtyard residence where Manager Zhao handled his affairs.
He found Manager Zhao with his brows slightly furrowed, his fingers unconsciously twirling the few sparse whiskers beneath his chin.
Seeing Xu Xuan enter, he motioned for him to sit, his tone unusually grave.
"Old Wang, sit down and let's talk."
"Recently, friction between our sect and the Profound Sword Gate has grown increasingly frequent."
"I hear blood has been spilled at several important mining sites and medicinal mountains along the outskirts."
"The sect's Mission Hall has already issued successive orders, requisitioning large quantities of all kinds of low-tier spiritual herbs, pills, and talismans."
"For those that heal wounds, stop bleeding, or restore spiritual power in particular, the purchase prices have risen a full thirty percent above normal!"
"Our medicinal garden is under considerable pressure. The higher-ups have explicitly ordered us to try every possible means to increase production as much as we can."
Xu Xuan's heart tightened at these words.
Escalating conflict between sects meant a sudden increase in danger.
Yet opportunities often lay hidden within crises.
Demand for resources was soaring.
The importance of direct producers like them would rise like boats on a swelling tide.
After a moment's thought, he spoke cautiously:
"Manager, increasing production is not something that can be achieved overnight. Spiritual herbs have their own growth cycles."
"However, after observing for many years, I believe our medicinal garden may still have untapped potential in crop rotation and companion planting."
"For example, we could interplant sun-loving, drought-resistant wound-healing grass with mind-calming flowers, which prefer shade and moisture."
"These two have different requirements for sunlight, allowing us to make full use of the space in our fields."
"Moreover, wound-healing grass gives off a faint pungent, sharp scent that can repel certain pests, while the mind-calming flower's clear, soothing scent can also promote the former's growth, strengthening its roots and reducing disease."
"If this method proves viable, it should increase the yield of each area without expanding the spiritual fields."
"This is merely my humble view. You could first set aside a small plot for a trial, observe the results, and then decide whether to adopt it more widely."
Manager Zhao's eyes gradually brightened as he listened, and he clapped his hands.
"An excellent idea!"
"Old Wang, you truly are meticulous. This method is just what I wanted!"
"I will put you in full charge of this matter. Select suitable spiritual fields immediately and begin the trial."
"If it truly works and increases production, I will personally request recognition for your contribution from the Internal Affairs Hall!"
"I will certainly do my utmost."
Xu Xuan bowed and accepted the order.
He had already begun considering the specific choice of land and the implementation plan.