Chapter 13

Zhong Shuran said, "How could they get out of the mountains that quickly? There's no rush to go back. You can eat at my place first. Oh, right, I have a favor to ask."

Shan Heyuan gestured for him to speak plainly. "Why stand on ceremony with me?"

Zhong Shuran said, "That tree in your courtyard—it must take up almost half the yard by now, right? Don't you mind it blocking the light?"

Lately, Shan Heyuan had been practicing the moves from the Spring Transformation Art on the old tree in his courtyard every day. It really had grown a little fast, and he figured he would have to find time to cut off some of its branches.

Shan Heyuan asked, "Do you want the tree?"

Zhong Shuran nodded repeatedly. "I don't need the whole tree. Just give me two branches. I'll use them to make talisman slips."

Shan Heyuan agreed. "When do you need them?"

Zhong Shuran said, "I've had my eye on your tree for ages. The sooner, the better. If you can bear to part with them, there's no time like the present. We could cut them today."

Shan Heyuan thought it over and decided that would work.

Seeing him agree, Zhong Shuran immediately pushed him along, urging him to go home and cut the tree.

After returning home, Shan Heyuan took his first careful look at the tree.

It was autumn, and the leaves had withered and yellowed. Many had fallen, leaving the branches somewhat bare and making the trunk look especially thick and sturdy.

Shan Heyuan looked up, considering which branches to cut.

Zhong Shuran stood beside him, looking up as well, his eyes full of longing. "I noticed this tree of yours a long time ago. Any two branches will do."

Shan Heyuan asked in surprise, "Didn't you move here before I did? Why didn't you choose this courtyard back then?"

Zhong Shuran said, "Who in the village doesn't have a tree? Whose tree is as good as yours? I don't have your knack for growing trees, so what use would choosing this one have been?"

Zhong Shuran urged him on. "See which two branches you can cut for me. How about five thousand spirit beads each?"

Shan Heyuan was studying the tree and jumped in surprise at his words. "You don't need to pay that much."

Zhong Shuran said, "I do. A tree of this quality is something you can only come across by chance. It's a pity that when it was first planted, it was probably just an ordinary ornamental tree, with a mediocre grade. Otherwise, it could sell for even more now."

Shan Heyuan kept his head tilted back. "If its grade had been high, the previous occupant might have dug it up and taken it along when they moved."

Zhong Shuran sighed. "I don't see things as clearly as you do."

Shan Heyuan smiled and pointed out two branches. "How about those two?"

Zhong Shuran looked at the two sturdy branches and said readily, "Then I'm the one getting the better end of the deal."

Shan Heyuan went back inside to look for an axe.

Before he found it, Shen Duheng returned.

When he heard they were going to cut the tree, Shen Duheng asked which two branches they wanted, then drew his sword and gave it two light swings. The branches fell.

The heavy branches crashed to the ground, kicking up dust.

Zhong Shuran's mouth fell open in surprise. He exchanged a look with Shan Heyuan, as if to say, Your sword spirit is amazing.

Shan Heyuan nodded lightly. He also thought Shen Duheng was impressive. Using only the most ordinary beginner's spirit sword, he had delivered two such imposing strokes, truly making the heavy look light.

Shen Duheng looked at the cut branches and asked Zhong Shuran, "Do you need help carrying them back?"

Zhong Shuran quickly shook his head. "I can just put them in my storage bracelet. Thank you, Fellow Daoist Shen."

With that, Zhong Shuran hurriedly stuffed the branches into his storage bracelet, took out the spirit beads he had counted beforehand and pressed them into Shan Heyuan's hands, then hastily ran off.

After Zhong Shuran left, Shen Duheng asked, "What made you decide to sell the branches?"

Shan Heyuan explained how birds and beasts had been ravaging the Earth Spirit Ginseng and how he had wanted to buy defensive talismans from Zhong Shuran. "Shuran suggested it. I'd never thought branches could be sold before."

Shen Duheng said, "Spirit Plants aren't limited to spirit herbs."

Shan Heyuan agreed wholeheartedly. "I was thinking too narrowly."

Chapter 13

Under Shan Heyuan's careful tending, the Earth Spirit Ginseng began to mature over the next few days, giving off a rich ginseng fragrance that attracted even more birds and beasts.

When Shan Heyuan stood guard alone, he could barely keep them away.

Leaving the ginseng growing would hardly bring a greater return, so he decisively chose to dig up and sell the mature batch first, leaving the rest to grow a while longer.

On the day they sold the Earth Spirit Ginseng, they rose early and dug it up, reaching town before ten in the morning.

The weather was fine that day, with countless rays of rosy light and layers of clouds piled high.

Shan Heyuan and Shen Duheng crossed the street and entered the Hidden Spirits General Store, one following the other.

The cultivator at the store recognized them and came over with a smile. "Fellow Daoist Shan, Fellow Daoist Shen, it's been a while. Are you here to buy or sell this time?"

"Sell!" Shan Heyuan took three large baskets out of his storage ring and set them down with a clang. "I harvested a batch of Qi Refining Third Stage Earth Spirit Ginseng. Take a look and see how many spirit beads each plant will fetch."

The cultivator stared at the large quantity of Earth Spirit Ginseng, his eyes widening and his expression turning serious. "Qi Refining Third Stage Earth Spirit Ginseng? Please wait a moment, you two. I'll take a look."

The shopkeeper of Hidden Spirits came over when he heard the commotion. He looked at the baskets on the floor, then at Shan Heyuan and Shen Duheng. "Did you two grow all this Earth Spirit Ginseng?"

Shan Heyuan smiled. "Yes. I tended it carefully for quite a while. I hope it'll fetch a good price."

The shopkeeper bent down to examine the Earth Spirit Ginseng. After a moment, he looked up at them and said, "The quality of this Earth Spirit Ginseng is excellent. We can offer three hundred and eighty per plant."

Shan Heyuan didn't hesitate. "Three hundred and eighty is too low. Even if I had someone come to my home to buy it, I'd get more than that. We'll only consider it at four hundred and fifty per plant at minimum."

The shopkeeper shook his head. "Even we would have trouble selling it for four hundred and fifty. We really can't offer that much. You're a regular customer of ours, so how about four hundred?"

Shan Heyuan didn't agree.

He had high hopes for this batch of Earth Spirit Ginseng and refused to give ground easily.

The people at the general store thought highly of the batch as well and were reluctant to turn it down.

After some bargaining, the two sides finally settled on a price of four hundred and twenty per plant.

Shan Heyuan had brought a total of six hundred and thirty-three Earth Spirit Ginseng plants, which sold for two hundred and sixty-five thousand eight hundred and sixty spirit beads.

He had previously owed Shen Duheng five hundred thousand spirit beads, and now he could pay off half of it in one go.

Shan Heyuan carefully counted the spirit beads the shopkeeper gave him with his Divine Sense. Only after confirming that everything was in order did he put them in his storage ring.

With the Earth Spirit Ginseng sold, Shan Heyuan put the baskets on the floor back into his storage ring.

Seeing this, the shopkeeper sighed. "You're far too frugal."

Shan Heyuan looked up and smiled. "It can't be helped. I don't have a great household and enterprise like yours."

After selling the Earth Spirit Ginseng, Shan Heyuan bought a batch of seeds, including both grass and tree seeds.

As a planter, he wanted to try growing more kinds of plants.

Seeing how much he bought, the shopkeeper gave him a special discount and welcomed them to come again.

Once Shan Heyuan had finished his transactions, he pulled Shen Duheng out the door and headed straight for the best restaurant in Jingzhishan Town.

After working so hard for so long, they had finally come into a large sum of money. They had to celebrate properly!

Not long after Shan Heyuan and Shen Duheng left, the bell at the entrance to Hidden Spirits rang again.

The shopkeeper and several cultivators were counting the Earth Spirit Ginseng they had just bought. When he saw a customer enter, he only had time for a brief greeting.

A tall, thin young man entered. Instead of browsing inside, he stood in front of them and asked with a smile, "This Earth Spirit Ginseng is good quality. Which Spirit Plant garden did it come from?"

One of the cultivators counting the Earth Spirit Ginseng spoke before thinking. "Not a Spirit Plant garden. An independent planter grew it."

The shopkeeper looked up from his counting and glared at the cultivator. He hadn't expected his own cultivator to be so thoughtless.

The cultivator who had spoken shrank back and hurriedly lowered his head to continue counting the Earth Spirit Ginseng.

The tall, thin young man didn't seem to mind. He only said, "So Shan Heyuan grew it."

The shopkeeper hadn't expected him to identify the source of the Earth Spirit Ginseng as soon as he spoke. Startled, he tried to deny it. "Who? Never heard of him."

The young man smiled. "How many planters can there be in Jingzhishan Town? Shan Heyuan is the only one growing Earth Spirit Ginseng on a large scale. Whether it was him or not, I'll know once I go out and ask around."