Chapter 23

The Illusionless Tree grew impatient. "Have you made up your mind? Are we trading or not?"

Shan Heyuan looked at Shen Duheng.

Shen Duheng nodded slightly.

Shan Heyuan closed his eyes for a moment, then gritted his teeth. "We'll trade!"

The Illusionless Tree said, "The fertilizer in one hand, the branch in the other."

Shan Heyuan took out the fertilizer packed in a wooden chest and handed it to Shen Duheng.

Without hesitation, Shen Duheng flew on his sword above the Illusionless Tree and exchanged the fertilizer for a branch.

Shan Heyuan watched them with his breath held the whole time, afraid something might go wrong.

To his surprise, however, the entire exchange went smoothly. The Illusionless Tree neither ambushed them nor went back on its word.

After getting the branch, Shen Duheng retreated swiftly on his sword.

The Illusionless Tree smashed the wooden chest with its densely packed roots, scattering the fertilizer pills in all directions. It was just like a shower of fertilizer.

A moment later, the Illusionless Tree let out a strange laugh. "I didn't think you'd dare lie to me."

After checking the condition of the Illusionless Tree's branch, Shen Duheng handed it to Shan Heyuan.

Holding the short, vibrant branch, Shan Heyuan was just as excited. "Thank you for granting my request, senior."

Now that they had the branch, there was no need for them to stay.

Shen Duheng took Shan Heyuan back on his sword.

After several days away, the feeling at home was as familiar as ever.

As soon as he got home, Shan Heyuan took out the Illusionless Tree's branch and examined it again, not even stopping to wash his hands.

Shen Duheng said, "There's no mark from it, but its Qi is there."

Shan Heyuan couldn't keep the smile off his face. "That fellow was really sly. Luckily, he didn't know that what I do best is regulate the spiritual power inside Spirit Plants. A little Qi is nothing to me."

Shen Duheng said, "If it had known that, it wouldn't have traded with you."

"I had the advantage because we didn't have the same information." Shan Heyuan held up the branch and turned to Shen Duheng. "Brother Shen," he said solemnly, "I'll work hard toward Foundation Establishment next. Once I've reached it, I'll deal with this branch."

Chapter 23

Before long, Shan Heyuan reached the Qi Refining Tenth Stage.

The friends who knew him were all astonished.

Qi Yuanbai was especially puzzled. While Shan Heyuan was planting spirit herbs, he trailed behind him, muttering, "I haven't even developed my sword intent yet. How did you reach the Qi Refining Tenth Stage so quickly?"

Shan Heyuan said, "Aren't you almost there too?"

"I'm still a ways off from that." Qi Yuanbai followed behind Shan Heyuan. "Brother Shan, I've never seen anyone cultivate faster than you."

Shan Heyuan found his muttering a little funny. "I have a whole courtyard full of spirit herbs. Naturally, I cultivate a little faster."

Qi Yuanbai assumed he was taking spirit pills to cultivate and thought no more of it. He sighed. "I should have learned a skill like you did back then."

Shan Heyuan said, "You're younger than me, and your cultivation is so much higher. Why would you want to learn from me?"

Qi Yuanbai wasn't comforted at all. "I'm only ahead of you for now. At the rate you're cultivating, you'll probably overtake me soon."

As the two chatted, Qi Yuanbai suddenly looked up at the sky.

Sensing something, Shan Heyuan followed his gaze and saw a woman in pink approaching on a flying sword.

Her robes fluttered, and her complexion remained unchanged in the cold wind.

At a glance, she was clearly a high-level cultivator.

Shan Heyuan was fairly familiar with the disciples of the Supreme Harmony Sect by now, and he had a guess as to who she was.

Qi Yuanbai looked up and waved happily. "Eldest senior sister!"

The newcomer was indeed He Mingqing, the eldest senior sister of Thousand Cries Peak.

He Mingqing landed, and Shan Heyuan offered a polite bow. Qi Yuanbai rushed right up and took her hand, saying excitedly, "Eldest senior sister, you're back?!"

He Mingqing ruffled Qi Yuanbai's hair and returned Shan Heyuan's greeting. After looking him up and down, she smiled. "Fellow Daoist Shan, you're a fine-looking man. Seeing you once truly is better than hearing about you a hundred times."

Qi Yuanbai said, "Haha! Didn't I say Brother Shan was handsome? You couldn't find many people in all of Jingzhishan Town who are more handsome than him."

Shan Heyuan offered a few modest words.

Qi Yuanbai couldn't hold back. "Eldest senior sister, when did you get back? Is Master back too? I'll go see him."

He Mingqing said, "Master sent me here to bring you and Fellow Daoist Shan to see him."

Shan Heyuan hadn't expected to be involved, but on reflection, he had been tending the Spirit Plant garden for so long, and so much had happened in the meantime. It was only natural that He Wu wanted to see him.

He had asked about He Wu before.

The senior was a sword cultivator. Having been taken in by the Supreme Harmony Sect as a child, he had taken the surname He. It was said that his temperament was as harmonious as his name, and that he was very gentle.

But no matter how gentle he was, He Wu was still a Core Formation Stage cultivator, and Shan Heyuan didn't dare let his guard down.

He Mingqing led the two of them up the mountain and then left.

The main hall of Thousand Names Peak stood at the summit.

The cold wind was howling, the sky hung low, and the snow had yet to melt. The black-roofed, red-walled hall felt especially imposing.

Shan Heyuan went in after their arrival was announced.

There might have been warming talismans posted inside, for the whole hall was cozy and warm. The delicate incense mingled with the fragrance of the blooming jingmei flowers on the table, soothing the mind.

He Wu wasn't sitting on a high chair, but behind a long table. On it were pastries, tea, and a piece of calligraphy that had yet to be finished.

When He Wu saw Shan Heyuan and Qi Yuanbai, he smiled and waved them in, then pointed to the seats opposite him and told them to sit. He poured them tea. "It's so cold, and you still have to tend the Spirit Plants. Thank you for your hard work. Come, sit down first."

The two greeted him and sat down. Shan Heyuan received the teacup with both hands. "It hasn't been too hard. Your Spirit Plants are in excellent condition, senior. Taking care of them is very rewarding."

He Wu smiled. "I can tell at a glance that you're the kind of grower who would love to make the Spirit Plant garden your home."

Shan Heyuan was a little embarrassed. "Not really. I go home every day."

He Wu was very amiable.

Qi Yuanbai was especially lively in front of him and asked quite a few questions about what they had done while they were away.

Shan Heyuan couldn't get a word in, so he listened quietly.

He Wu made an effort to include him. After talking for a while, he steered the conversation toward Spirit Plants, speaking of the ones he had seen while away, as well as the remarkable people and strange events he had encountered.

Shan Heyuan was familiar with the subject and liked it very much. After listening for a while, he couldn't help joining in.

He Wu took the opportunity to ask about the Spirit Plants that had fallen ill earlier, and about the fertilizer pills as well.

Shan Heyuan answered everything, then raised some questions about cultivation and sought advice from the senior, who was skilled in growing plants.

He Wu answered the questions he could and spoke very highly of Shan Heyuan for curing the Spirit Plants.

Shan Heyuan was used to being praised, but praise from such a respected elder still made him feel shy. "When I saw so many Spirit Plants fall ill, I didn't really have a particularly good solution. I just used techniques from the Spring Transformation Art to regulate the spiritual power inside them and let them hold on."

He Wu smiled. "That is a solution. It's just that most cultivators aren't as proficient as you in cultivation methods for growing plants. They can't use that method and can only rely on experience and medicines applied from outside."

Shan Heyuan said, "What I lack most right now is experience."

He Wu said, "How long have you been cultivating? There's no need to rush. Once you've seen more, you'll gradually come to understand."

Shan Heyuan nodded in agreement.

He Wu said, "If you're interested in treating diseased plants, you can cultivate a method called the Examination of All Things in the future. Then you'll be able to examine the state of a diseased plant's spiritual power, identify its illness, and prescribe the right remedy."

It was the first time Shan Heyuan had heard of such a cultivation method, and he quickly committed it to memory. "That cultivation method sounds interesting."

He Wu said, "It's just a little trick. Unfortunately, I don't have any books on it here. Otherwise, I could show you right now."

As he spoke, He Wu took two booklets from his storage Law Artifact. "Since you like this subject, take these two books on growing plants home and have a look. They contain quite a few little tricks too."

Shan Heyuan quickly accepted them. "Thank you, senior."

He Wu looked at Shan Heyuan with a smile. "Come to think of it, we've hit it off like old friends. I heard you have no wish to take a master, but I wonder if you'd be willing to become my Registered Disciple?"