Chapter 38: Mastering the Sprouting Gestation Technique

Time flew by. Since the establishment of the Spiritual Field Mutual Aid Society, Lin Donglai had dedicated himself every day to the great cause of farming.

Aside from farming, he spent his time practicing the Sprouting Gestation Technique.

The Sprouting Gestation Technique was called a single spell, but it was actually two: the Sprouting Technique and the Gestation Technique.

Activating life force was the "positive" use, known as the Sprouting Technique.

Withdrawing life force was the "inverse" use, known as the Gestation Technique.

It was precisely because of the profound mystery of this positive and inverse application that he could make spiritual plants sprout or even gestate seeds.

Lin Donglai mastered it quickly. Once proficient, he used a Dao Seed Spiritual Leaf to carry the spell.

A rune, resembling the image of a sprouting seed, landed upon the Jianmu spiritual leaf, merging with its veins and transforming into cyan-gold patterns.

Whenever Lin Donglai focused his mind in internal observation, he would sink into these vein patterns, and various insights would surge forth like a spring.

In just a few short days, Lin Donglai's Sprouting Gestation Technique progressed rapidly from mere entry-level to a state of minor mastery.

Furthermore, Lin Donglai specifically utilized the "Gestation Technique" through the help of the Jianmu Dao Seed the moment a Kidney Essence Grass reached maturity.

With a flick of his finger, a highly noble cyan-gold radiance descended upon the Kidney Essence Grass.

The plant reacted as if stimulated, growing frantically; having already reached maturity, it shot up several more feet.

The surrounding spiritual qi poured madly into the Kidney Essence Grass, while the twenty or so adjacent Kidney Essence Grass plants withered instantly, as if they had been sucked dry.

In a moment, the Kidney Essence Grass bloomed, only for the flowers to wither rapidly and produce a seed sac the size of an egg. Once the sac formed, all the life force of the entire plant rushed toward it.

A moment later, the seed sac matured, and the parent plant completely decayed and withered.

Lin Donglai plucked the sac and cracked it open. Inside, he found it densely packed with seeds—seventy or eighty of them, each one plump and full. They looked like an entirely different species compared to the Kidney Essence Grass seeds he had previously obtained from Xiao Yi.

Lin Donglai fell into thought, murmuring to himself, "It seems I shouldn't use a Dao Seed to perform this spell for ordinary matters. I didn't expect it to possess such power to plunder the very essence of heaven and earth."

He pinched the soil of the spiritual field, which had completely lost its moisture, fertility, and spiritual qi, rendering it a total "wasteland."

Lin Donglai silently dug up some soil from elsewhere to cover the area, then used the Sweet Dew Gourd to sprinkle several rounds of sweet dew rain.

Afterward, he planted the remaining Kidney Essence Grass and picked up his outer disciple token to send a message to Xiao Yi.

"Senior Brother Xiao, one hundred and eighteen Kidney Essence Grass plants have matured. I have also planted the other remaining types of spiritual herbs. Since I have no method for storage, I need you to come in person. Otherwise, once spring passes, the Kidney Essence Grass will rot in the ground."

After a while, Xiao Yi replied with two words: "Coming."

About half an hour later, Xiao Yi indeed appeared in the Spiritual Field Valley. Looking at the patch of Kidney Essence Grass and the other spiritual herb seeds Lin Donglai had sown, he smiled. "Junior Brother, you are truly impressive. You managed to grow sixty percent success on your first try. The quality of these Kidney Essence Grass plants is excellent; it's clear you put in the effort."

He immediately produced a jade talisman called a "Storage Talisman," which contained a space of about two square feet.

After taking out a spiritual herb box from the talisman, Xiao Yi began harvesting personally. After placing the harvested Kidney Essence Grass into the box, he inserted a spirit stone into a groove on the box.

This was called a Spirit-Storing Herb Box; it consumed the spiritual qi from the spirit stone to maintain the freshness and spiritual energy of the herbs.

"Junior Brother, Kidney Essence Grass sells for ten plants per spirit stone on the market. Here are twelve spirit stones; consider it paid."

Lin Donglai was startled. "Senior Brother, didn't we agree that after the pills are refined and sold, we would split the profits from the spirit stones? Besides, you didn't even charge me for the seeds!"

"I said that back then because I doubted your abilities. But now, I feel our relationship can change."

"To tell you the truth, Senior Brother, I am actually one grade ahead of you. I've been an initiate for seven years, but I've just been wasting time."

"In the Alchemy Hall, I am nothing. I can only refine insignificant pills and powders, and I have yet to be granted true knowledge by the Elders."

"I believe I have some talent in alchemy, but without a family background to support me, I am treated poorly by the Alchemy Hall Elders—judged by my status, treated like a servant, and worked harder than an ox or a horse."

"Now, I want to take a gamble on myself. I believe your farming skills are reliable. This time, I am going all in. I must become a low-grade First-Tier Alchemist!"

"To be honest with you, the recipe for the Multitude Pill didn't come from the sect; I obtained it through a stroke of luck."

Lin Donglai was astonished. "But, Senior Brother, didn't you sell Yellow Sprout Pills when you were street vending? Aren't those low-grade First-Tier spiritual pills?"

"Those all had more than ten percent pill toxin. I collected what others didn't want; those handyman disciples don't care about toxin levels."

Hearing this, Lin Donglai hurriedly asked, "What about the previous Muscle-Changing Pills and Marrow-Cleansing Pills?"

"I refined those myself. There are absolutely no issues!" Although Xiao Yi said this, his confidence didn't seem particularly high.

Lin Donglai could only take his word for it. After thinking it over, he returned half of the spirit stones, keeping only six. "Senior Brother, I'll take only half this time. If your alchemy is successful later, we can follow the fifty-fifty split then, and you can just pay me the difference."

"No, no, no. Keep the stones. I can't be short on this. I, Old Xiao, might be muddled about small things, but I am not muddled about important matters."

"The low-grade First-Tier herb you're growing over there is Summer-Born Flower, right? It's growing beautifully!"

"Junior Brother, your spiritual planting skills have already surpassed mine. At the very least, I can't refine low-grade First-Tier pills."

"In a few days, I will find seeds for the Multitude Flower. I'll have to trouble you to plant those as well."

"Ah? This...!"

"Is it a problem?"

"It's not a problem, it's just... I'm moved that you trust me so much, Senior Brother. I'm flattered!"

"Moreover, there are only seven months left until the Immortal Sprout Assessment. After seven months, I won't be able to stay in the Immortal Sprout Valley to farm; I'll have to go take on spiritual plant missions for the sect."

"It's fine. The Multitude Flower only takes four months to mature. I will provide all the fertilizer, spirit stones, and everything else. As long as there are eighty—no, as long as there are sixty Multitude Flowers, I will refine this specific pill frantically. I can definitely achieve a success rate of over eighty percent!"

"Junior Brother, the Multitude Pill is very profitable. Even if I attempt to refine it fifty times and fail forty, as long as I succeed ten times, my investment will be paid off!"

"Alright!" Lin Donglai nodded. "However, I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it alone, especially since the Summer-Born Flowers are already planted. But, my colleagues and I in the Spiritual Field Valley have formed a Mutual Aid Society. If you trust us, how about the Society takes on this job together?"

"Deal! I trust you!" Xiao Yi nodded, left the spirit stones, and hurried away, likely to collect the seeds.