Chapter 21 (continued)

Shan Heyuan glanced at Qi Yuanbai.

That explained why he often saw strange hollows in the soil, as though some small animal had lain there for a long time.

He had originally thought they were left by deer or tigers and leopards. He hadn't expected them to be the seniors of the Supreme Harmony Sect.

Qi Yuanbai didn't know what Shan Heyuan was thinking. He leaned closer and lowered his voice, saying mysteriously, "Everyone says the Spirit Plant garden you manage has the most abundant spiritual power. Especially when you're on the verge of a breakthrough, cultivating here gets twice the result with half the effort."

Shan Heyuan pointed out the recording Law Artifact in the middle of the Spirit Plant garden. "It's an illusion. Look, the spiritual power readings on the recording Law Artifact haven't changed."

Qi Yuanbai said, "A recording Law Artifact can't record the medicinal properties unique to Spirit Plants. I can feel it myself. Every time I come here, the spiritual power in my body becomes much livelier, and I've gradually started to grasp the sword intent that had eluded me for so long. I should be able to break through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage in the spring."

Shan Heyuan looked at him closely. Sure enough, he could sense that his spiritual power was more active than an ordinary cultivator's. "That really hasn't been easy. Congratulations."

Qi Yuanbai said, "Congratulations to you too. You're cultivating so fast that I reckon you'll surpass me before long. It's a pity you're not interested in our Supreme Harmony Sect. Otherwise, you'd definitely become a core disciple, and our sect might even rise to a new level."

He was lively and guileless, and he always spoke his mind.

Shan Heyuan, however, sensed something unusual in his words and joked, "Who's trying to praise me to death?"

Qi Yuanbai said, "No, no, everyone's just impressed by how capable you are. You saved so many sick plants and even refined Fertilizer Pills. The growers are all saying that Jingzhishan Town hasn't seen a grower with this much spiritual talent in hundreds of years."

Shan Heyuan said, "Then I'd better work hard at cultivating, or people will say, 'A bright child doesn't necessarily make an outstanding adult.'"

Qi Yuanbai burst out laughing.

Shan Heyuan pulled weeds around the Spirit Plants as he asked, "Once you've developed your sword intent, what are your plans for the next step?"

Qi Yuanbai answered at once, "Does that even need asking? I'm joining a hunting team, of course! I haven't been out in ages, and my bones are itching."

Shan Heyuan occasionally went gathering with Zhong Shuran and the others. "Where do you go hunting? The mountains under the Supreme Harmony Sect?"

"Of course not," Qi Yuanbai said. "The interesting spirit beasts and Spirit Plants in the mountains near the sect have mostly been cleared out. Going in there is like playing house: you won't get hurt, but you won't gain much either. We usually go to Xinglan Mountain. You know Xinglan Mountain, right?"

Shan Heyuan said, "I've been nearby. There's a Yunfeng Cliff there too, isn't there?"

Qi Yuanbai slapped his thigh. "That's the place! There are loads of spirit beasts and Spirit Plants there, but plenty of dangers too. If you're lucky when you go in, you can get your hands on some rare things. Senior Brother once caught a Foundation Establishment-grade Wind-Chasing Deer in there."

Shan Heyuan said, "I remember the Black She Temple is nearby?"

"Not all that close, but not far away either," Qi Yuanbai said. "You know that Illusionless Tree at the Black She Temple, right? The Core Formation Stage spirit tree."

Shan Heyuan had been about to ask him about it. He hadn't expected Qi Yuanbai to bring it up himself, and he immediately nodded.

Qi Yuanbai said, "That spirit tree went mad a long time ago. It's still steeped in the Black She Temple's former glory and refuses to accept how things have changed. It lashes out at anyone who dares approach. Ordinary cultivators don't go near the temple, and actually, spirit beasts with a little more intelligence don't go near it either."

Shan Heyuan said, "It sounds dangerous. Haven't the seniors thought about subduing it?"

Qi Yuanbai curled his lip. "Even in its madness, it's still determined to defend the Black She Temple, and it can easily trigger people's inner demons. It wouldn't be much use even if someone subdued it, so who'd want to spend the effort?"

Shan Heyuan was very interested in the Illusionless Tree.

The spirit tree wasn't a confidential matter, so when he asked, Qi Yuanbai told him everything he was allowed to say.

After hearing all those secrets, he still had the Core Formation-grade spirit tree on his mind when he got home, and he remained absentminded all evening.

Shen Duheng glanced at him several times but said nothing.

When he got distracted again and nearly walked into a doorframe, Shen Duheng reached out and put his hand between Shan Heyuan's head and the frame.

Shan Heyuan bumped into Shen Duheng's warm, broad hand and finally came back to his senses a little.

Shen Duheng looked at him. "What have you been thinking about all evening? Is something bothering you?"

Shan Heyuan waved a hand. "Not really. Do you remember that Illusionless Tree?"

Shen Duheng said, "Have you taken issue with that spirit tree?"

Shan Heyuan pulled over a chair from the side and offered it to Shen Duheng, then sat down on another. "A Core Formation Stage spirit tree is practically irresistible to a grower at my cultivation level. I was distracted today because I think I've found a way to negotiate with it."

One turn of Shan Heyuan's eyes was enough for Shen Duheng to know what he was thinking. "You mean the Fertilizer Pills?"

"That's right!" Shan Heyuan said. "The Fertilizer Pills have been buried for more than ten days now, and the results really are excellent. Senior Wen and the others also said they're the best fertilizer they've seen in the past ten years."

Shen Duheng said, "There's a world of difference between sentient Spirit Plants and ordinary ones. You can't judge it by ordinary Spirit Plants."

Shan Heyuan's eyes shone. "No matter what, it's still a Spirit Plant, isn't it? As long as it hasn't ceased to be a living thing, it has to follow the basic laws of survival. I heard the Black She Temple has been in decline for more than two thousand years. Has it stayed in the same place all that time?"

Shen Duheng said, "What of it?"

Shan Heyuan said, "Then it can't have been living very comfortably in the patch of ground where it stays! At the very least, it should be short of fertilizer."

Shen Duheng reminded him, "It's a Core Formation-grade spirit tree. It can absorb Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to cultivate. Even if it's short of fertilizer, that won't stop it from growing lush and leafy."

"Impossible!" Shan Heyuan said. "If it's short of fertilizer, it must have some effect on it! Cultivators can cultivate too, but don't they still need to eat? If they really have no food, they still have to take Grain Avoidance Pills to survive. That's a living thing's instinct, unless it has ceased to be a living thing!"

Shen Duheng thought for a moment. "Your guess may be right, or it may be wrong."

Shan Heyuan said, "So now it's time to put it to the test and discover the truth. Brother Shen, I'm going to find a way to get someone to go take a look."

Shen Duheng hadn't expected him to still be thinking about approaching the Illusionless Tree, and he frowned at once.

Shan Heyuan could tell at a glance that Shen Duheng disagreed and was about to get angry. He hurriedly poured a cup of hot tea and offered it to him with both hands. "I wasn't planning to approach it myself, and there's no need to confront the Illusionless Tree head-on. I just need to hire someone to collect a little soil."

Shen Duheng said, "That's enough?"

Shan Heyuan said, "First, I'll get a little soil to analyze and see whether my guess is right. If I'm wrong, we'll drop the whole thing. If I'm right, then I'll see what to do next."

Shen Duheng's frown didn't ease.

Shan Heyuan raised both hands in surrender. "Whatever step I take, I promise I'll do it under your supervision."

Shen Duheng said, "When do you want to get the soil?"

Shan Heyuan said, "The sooner the better."

Shan Heyuan explained his plan in detail. "I've asked around. The most frightening thing about the Illusionless Tree is that it can trigger inner demons. Confronting it head-on is very dangerous, but it shouldn't be hard to ask a Core Formation Stage senior to steal a little soil. There are several senior sword cultivators in the Supreme Harmony Sect at the Core Formation Stage who are fairly easy to talk to. If I ask Fellow Daoist Jiu to put us in touch, it shouldn't be hard to enlist one of them."

Shen Duheng suddenly said, "The fewer people who know about this plan, the better. I'll steal the soil for you."

Shan Heyuan disagreed. "You've only just entered the Core Formation Stage. It would be too dangerous for you to face the Illusionless Tree."

Shen Duheng lifted his chin slightly. "I'm a sword cultivator."

Only when Shen Duheng offered to steal the soil himself did Shan Heyuan have to admit that it really was a rather dangerous undertaking.

He didn't want Shen Duheng to go.

The single-minded sword cultivator was clearly not so easy to persuade.

Shen Duheng said that if he didn't go himself, Shan Heyuan should abandon the plan to avoid drawing danger.

Neither could persuade the other.

After several days at an impasse, the two finally came to an agreement.

Shen Duheng would steal the soil on the condition that he kept himself safe. He would make only one attempt, and if he failed, he would withdraw promptly.