Chapter 12

Shen Duheng said, "They're different. Disciples in major sects face almost no bottlenecks below Nascent Soul."

Shan Heyuan could hardly imagine it. "Are they that formidable?"

Shen Duheng said, "That's nothing. Some children of high-level cultivators are born at Core Formation and can break through to Nascent Soul when they're only a few years old."

As he said this, Shen Duheng's expression changed subtly, and it didn't look like a pleasant change.

Shan Heyuan caught it and immediately realized that Shen Duheng must have seen an infant born at Core Formation with his own eyes.

It seemed Brother Shen not only came from a major sect, but had also held a fairly high position there.

Was the broken sword's owner a high-level cultivator? At least someone at Nascent Soul or above?

Shan Heyuan used his Divine Sense to check on the broken sword in his Dantian.

The broken sword lay quietly in a corner of his Dantian, showing no reaction whatsoever, as though it had turned to stone.

Shen Duheng had clearly said before that the higher his cultivation, the more the broken sword would recover.

Now that there was no movement at all, did that mean his meager Qi Refining Realm cultivation had no effect on the broken sword?

Shan Heyuan sighed inwardly and changed the subject. "What would you like to eat this morning, Brother Shen? I'll go make breakfast."

Shen Duheng lifted his chin slightly. "I bought breakfast and brought it back. Just help yourself."

Shan Heyuan hadn't expected him to buy breakfast for him too. His heart warmed, and he said, "Having you at home has made my days much easier."

Shen Duheng pointed toward the bathroom. "Go wash up."

Having advanced another stage, Shan Heyuan could draw on more spiritual power.

After finishing his usual cultivation, he stood in the courtyard and tried to practice the second move of the Spring Transformation Art, "Rising Sun Ascends in the East."

He had already practiced the first move, "Spring Breeze Blows Gently," for some time and had become very proficient in it.

His proficiency with "Spring Breeze Blows Gently" had played a major part in how much he had gained on this trip into the mountains.

If he hadn't practiced "Spring Breeze Blows Gently" so well, he wouldn't have been so sensitive to the spiritual power of spirit herbs, and even if he had dug them up, he wouldn't have been able to nurture them so well.

It was precisely because he had used "Spring Breeze Blows Gently" so well that he was full of motivation to practice "Rising Sun Ascends in the East."

"Spring Breeze Blows Gently" was a move for a single spirit herb, whereas "Rising Sun Ascends in the East" targeted a whole patch of them. The two were quite different.

Shan Heyuan had some trouble making the adjustment and stumbled through his practice.

Even so, the fact that he could execute the entire move on his first attempt was enough to show that his comprehension was exceptionally good.

Most inner disciples of those top sects couldn't master one move in just a few dozen days and then quickly teach themselves a second one.

Those who could were all geniuses.

Shen Duheng stood by the window, watching Shan Heyuan.

Shan Heyuan had long since grown used to Shen Duheng watching him and didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable. His movements stumbled just as much as before.

The large tree in the corner of the courtyard served as his practice target. Under the influence of his spiritual power, it turned green at a speed visible to the naked eye, as though it were absorbing sunlight.

This old tree, which had been growing for who knew how many years, had already put out many green buds when he first began practicing "Spring Breeze Blows Gently." Now the buds gradually grew larger, forming clusters that became a dense canopy.

Standing beneath the tree, Shan Heyuan could still feel the morning sun on him at first. Gradually, his whole body was enveloped in the tree's shade, and he grew cool.

It was as though an umbrella had opened above his head.

Shan Heyuan smiled and patted the trunk.

"Rising Sun Ascends in the East" worked extremely well, especially on large plants or groups of Spirit Plants.

He had to master this move as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, the spiritual power in his meridians was limited. Using the move twice practically exhausted it, and he had to wait for it to recover slowly.

He wondered when the spiritual power in his body would become abundant enough to support him through all the moves.

If only he could reach Foundation Establishment soon.

Chapter 12

The weather in Jingzhishan Town had always been clear, so clear that Shan Heyuan thought it rarely rained there.

So when the sound of rain woke him in the middle of the night, he lay in bed listening to the patter of raindrops on the roof tiles, unable to realize what was happening for a moment.

It took him quite a while to remember that it was raining.

He rolled over, got up, and carried a Spirit Artifact lamp into the courtyard to check on the spirit herbs he had planted.

In that short time, water had already pooled in the soil, soaking the spirit herbs, and their delicate stems were being blown every which way by the wind.

Shan Heyuan stood in front of the spirit herbs, dumbfounded.

How could the rain be so heavy?!

The spirit herbs had been planted directly in the ground rather than in pots, so he couldn't dig them up and take them inside for shelter.

Leaving them alone wouldn't do either. More than thirty spirit herbs in the field were vulnerable to waterlogging, and when he circulated his cultivation art, he could clearly sense their discomfort.

Should I hold umbrellas over them?

But there are so many spirit herbs. How much ground could an umbrella cover?

Shan Heyuan was still mulling it over.

The rain grew heavier and heavier. Raindrops the size of peanuts pelted his head and face, striking him so hard he could barely keep his eyes open.

The water pooling on the ground also kept rising, completely submerging the smaller spirit herbs.

He had no time to think any further. He hurriedly picked up a hoe from the side and dug a simple drainage ditch beside the spirit herbs.

The weather had been so good ever since he started growing spirit herbs that it had never occurred to him to dig a drainage ditch.

Now the rain was pouring down, and he couldn't help fumbling as he dug.

Before he had finished the ditch, a light came on in Shen Duheng's room.

Shen Duheng came out holding a cloth umbrella and watched what Shan Heyuan was doing. "Digging a ditch?"

Shan Heyuan reached up to wipe the rain from his face. "Yes! Otherwise, all the spirit herbs will be soaking in water."

Shen Duheng said, "I'll help you dig."

Shan Heyuan waved him back inside and shouted, "The rain's too heavy! Go back to sleep. I can dig it myself; I'll be done in a little while."

Shen Duheng didn't listen. He went straight behind the kitchen, fetched the spare hoe, and came out to dig the drainage ditch with him.

Braving the downpour, the two connected the ditch to the drainage channel beneath the eaves.

Rainwater rushed out along the ditch, and the standing water in the courtyard immediately receded considerably.

Shan Heyuan checked on the spirit herbs and used "Rising Sun Ascends in the East" twice while he was at it, regulating the spiritual power within them.

The spirit herbs' condition finally began to improve.

Rainwater fell from the eaves, joining together into little waterfalls.

Shan Heyuan used the water to give his hands a quick wash, then wiped his face and sighed. "It was clear for so many days. I didn't expect it to suddenly rain this hard. I thought autumn here would be fairly dry."

Shen Duheng stood beside him, staring at the gloomy sky. "It has nothing to do with the weather. Someone is undergoing a tribulation."

Shan Heyuan looked up at the sky with him, but couldn't make anything out. He asked in surprise, "There isn't even any lightning. Can someone still be undergoing a tribulation?"

Shen Duheng said, "Tribulations usually cause strange phenomena: wind, rain, thunder, lightning-all sorts of things. Some cultivators even draw up earth fire when they undergo a tribulation. A downpour is nothing unusual."

Shan Heyuan asked, "With rain this heavy, how high must that cultivator's cultivation be?"

Shen Duheng said, "Spirit Transformation Realm? I'm not sure. It's too far away."

Shan Heyuan instinctively turned to look at him and saw that his expression was indifferent.

What sort of person can casually talk about the Spirit Transformation Realm?

While Shan Heyuan's thoughts were running wild, Shen Duheng said, "Go take a bath and get some sleep."

Shan Heyuan came back to his senses. "There's still Earth Spirit Ginseng on the mountain. I need to go check on it. You go to sleep first."

Shen Duheng glanced outside. "The rain's too heavy. It's dangerous to go up the mountain in the dark."

Shan Heyuan said, "I'll go when the rain lets up a little. I'll take the Spirit Artifact lamp, so there shouldn't be much trouble."

Shen Duheng said, "In rain this heavy, the spirit beasts and spirit insects in the mountains might come out. Running into them would be troublesome."

Shan Heyuan said optimistically, "I'm already at the Qi Refining Fourth Stage. If I run into a spirit beast, I can earn some extra money."

Shen Duheng looked at him. "You have no means of attack. What use is the Qi Refining Fourth Stage? Even a wolf at the Qi Refining Second Stage could catch you for a morsel to pick its teeth with."

Shan Heyuan wanted to argue, but couldn't find an example to back himself up. He could only sigh. "I've been growing that Earth Spirit Ginseng for so long, and it was almost ready to harvest. After this rain, I'm afraid the yield will be lower."