Chapter 35 (Continued)

Another scholar said, "It seems unlikely. I just checked this morning, and not only has the Verdant Dwelling Grass not sprouted, but its vitality has also decreased. I estimate it won't be long before it dies."

As he spoke, the scholar picked up his teacup and took a sip of tea with great melancholy.

Another teacher nearby sneered, "You guys are alright, at most yours just won't sprout. I kept it warm with Heat Preservation Talisman, and when I pried it open today, good heavens, it's already moldy inside, and it's about to rot."

Everyone asked me questions, and in the end, not a single one grew.

Jiang Zhi sighed, "It seems I won't be getting these contribution points."

"If we can't get them, fine. But hopefully we won't end up with none at all, and everyone suffering the consequences."

"What's there to worry about? What are our cultivation levels and ranks? Even the top-tier cultivators at the Core Formation Stage and Nascent Soul Realm stages haven't been able to grow it successfully, have they?"

"Keep your voice down!"

"Don't worry, don't worry, the elders aren't here."

The young teacher and his teaching assistants huddled together, none of them holding out any hope.

Shan He sat in the crowd and sighed, feeling that it was indeed very difficult to grow it successfully.

As a top-tier academy, Sword Reverence Academy has a lot going on every day.

After a few days, people stopped paying attention to the Verdant Dwelling Grass.

When Shan Heyuan had some free time, he inquired about the two disciples and learned that they were still alive. The academy was using precious treasures to keep them alive, so they wouldn't die anytime soon, but they also wouldn't wake up.

That day, Shan Heyuan got up early and finished his cultivation, then tended to the Spirit Plant in the courtyard as usual.

It was cold, so he covered many of the Spirit Plant with straw to keep them warm.

The Spirit Plant under the grass are growing well, but they don't get enough sunlight, and their leaves are turning a bit yellow.

He examined each Spirit Plant one by one, and when he encountered Spirit Plant that was not growing well, he used "Gentle Breeze" to regulate the Spiritual Power of the Spirit Plant and enhance its vitality.

When the sun comes out, the grass clippings need to be taken down so that the Spirit Plant can bask in the sun. They should be put back down when the sun sets in the evening.

Looking at each plant one by one, when he saw the Verdant Dwelling Grass, he found that the seeds had not sprouted. Not only had they not sprouted, but their vitality had also decreased further, and it seemed that they only had five-tenths of their vitality left.

Moreover, the endosperm inside the seed began to mold and showed signs of rotting.

Perhaps the temperature was too high, or perhaps the nutrients were too abundant; the Verdant Dwelling Grass failed to grow, but other bacteria and the like thrived.

Shan Heyuan dug up the seeds and examined them in his palm.

This seed is on the verge of death; if it's not dealt with today, it will definitely die tomorrow.

Shan Heyuan held the seed in his hand, frowning as he desperately tried to recall.

He had read so many ancient books and knew so many recipes for spiritual elixirs, yet he had no way to deal with the situation before him.

What should we do? Should we just give up?

After thinking for Shan Heyuan decided to go all in and simply pry open the outer seed coat with his hands to see what was inside.

This seed is useless, but he can still learn from it and gain some experience.

After removing the thick seed coat, the curled-up cotyledons inside were revealed.

The cotyledons were yellowing and wrinkled, looking somewhat shrunken, and the endosperm was indeed covered with white mold spots, beginning to rot and ooze water.

Shan Heyuan broke off a portion of the endosperm and infused Spiritual Power into the cotyledons.

The cotyledon's vitality was extremely fragile. He held the tiny sprout in his hands and gently nurtured it. Under the stimulation of Spiritual Power, the cotyledon slowly grew.

The life force of this newly sprouted bud was like a candle flame in the wind; Shan Heyuan's careful protection, it was still on the verge of death.

The harsh outdoor cold will wither and destroy the newly sprouted buds.

Shan Heyuan quickly picked it up and ran into the house.

The room was warmer than outside thanks to the Heat Preservation Talisman, which slowed the wilting of the buds, but the wilting trend was still irreversible.

Shan Heyuan stared at it, not knowing what to think for a moment. His mind went blank, and he immediately activated his inner energy cultivation technique, stuffing the Verdant Dwelling Grass into his Dantian.

Illusionless Tree in his Dantian, but he had never tried to stuff two Spirit Plant into it at the same time.

He only realized it after he had done it subconsciously.

Surprisingly, the Verdant Dwelling Grass actually got stuffed inside.

The Verdant Dwelling Grass and the Illusionless Tree coexist!

It turns out that the Dantian can hold two stalks of grain at the same time!

Shan Heyuan stood there dumbfounded. After a while, he checked the situation in his Dantian and found that the Illusionless Tree and the Verdant Dwelling Grass were indeed living in peace.

Within his Dantian, the pure and abundant Spiritual Power emanating from the Illusionless Tree gently enveloped the Verdant Dwelling Grass.

The withering of the Verdant Dwelling Grass stopped, and the shrunken cotyledons unfurled again, actually beginning to grow under the soothing power of the Spiritual Power!

Its fragile, flickering vitality has vanished, replaced by a renewed sense of life.

Shan Heyuan was filled with shock as he carefully sensed the condition within his body.

Who knew the Illusionless Tree could heal other Spirit Plant?

Or could placing any powerful Spirit Plant in the Dantian stabilize the life force of another Spirit Plant?

He speculated while observing.

After the Verdant Dwelling Grass was placed in the Dantian, it gained a stable environment.

Its cotyledons slowly grew into leaves, and white roots also grew.

Fearing something might happen, Shan Heyuan dared not move it and sat down to meditate, waiting for the situation to become clearer.

Shen Duheng wasn't home; he was alone.

He sat on the floor, observing the condition of the Verdant Dwelling Grass while circulating his inner energy.

Under normal circumstances, the Spirit Plant within the Dantian grow very slowly, or almost not at all.

Not only do they not grow, but they also release their accumulated Spiritual Power under the stimulation of the Dantian environment.

Once the accumulated Spiritual Power is released to a certain extent, the Spirit Plant's condition will deteriorate rapidly, its vitality will be severely damaged, and it will enter the withering stage.

Shan Heyuan's usual cultivation method involves taking out the Spirit Plant just before its spiritual Spiritual Power reaches a critical point.

Today, perhaps because the Illusionless Tree is of a much higher grade and in much better condition than the Verdant Dwelling Grass, the Spiritual Power released by the Verdant Dwelling Grass is far less than the Spiritual Power it is being nourished, so its condition has been steadily improving.

Before long, the Verdant Dwelling Grass began to sprout and grow a second leaf.

The Illusionless Tree and the Verdant Dwelling Grass were tightly packed together in the Dantian, inseparable.

Shan Heyuan watched the two Spirit Plant closely, ready to take out the Verdant Dwelling Grass at any moment, while also hoping that the Verdant Dwelling Grass would grow stronger and stronger in his Dantian, so that it wouldn't die as soon as he took it out.

Time passed little by little.

The sun gradually rose outside, and sunlight shone in through the window, falling on Shan Heyuan.

After an unknown amount of time, a bright yellow communication talisman slipped in through the window, flew to Shan Heyuan's side, and opened automatically.

Jiang Zhi's voice came through. "Brother Shan, why didn't you come to the academy today? The leaders were just making an inspection, and I told them you went out to buy materials for the spirit-making elixir, and I got away with it for you. Don't let it slip when you come back!"

Shan Heyuan was suddenly jolted awake from his meditation, only to find that the sun was high in the sky, and it was already time for him to go to work.

The Verdant Dwelling Grass within the Dantian is still growing, but it looks like it's nearing its limit, with its leaves appearing thin and weak, as if malnourished.

It has to be taken out.

Otherwise, it will inevitably weaken after a short while.

Shan Heyuan took out the Verdant Dwelling Grass.

The leaves and stems of the Verdant Dwelling Grass are a pale yellow color, somewhat resembling yellow chives.

He couldn't help but glance at the herb several times. Grandmaster Jiulu's notes clearly stated that the Verdant Dwelling Grass was entirely emerald green, like a precious gem, and that placing it indoors would fill the room with a green glow.

The Verdant Dwelling Grass that grows within the Dantian clearly does not meet this standard.

It seems we need to move it outside and plant another one, at least to let it accumulate some medicinal power. Otherwise, even if it grows successfully, it won't be usable for those two disciples.

After planting the Verdant Dwelling Grass, Shan Heyuan opened all the restrictions in the courtyard and hurried off to work.

As a lowly teaching assistant, not many people paid attention to what he was actually doing, and he successfully got through the day's work.