Chapter 23: Spirit Plant Hall

Lin Donglai took the advice and chose the Five Elements Qi Gathering Method, though he only transcribed the Jia-Yin Life-Gathering Method.

As for the other four elements, he forced himself to memorize them.

Originally, Lin Donglai did not possess such excellent memory, but after being able to perform internal vision, his divine soul seemed to have been tempered. While he couldn't claim to have a photographic memory or be able to recite things backward, he could at least memorize them after reading them thoroughly four or five times.

The cultivation methods for the early stages of Qi Refinement were not difficult; remembering the circulation routes—which were essentially a few hundred words of essentials—was secondary to the annotations and tips.

However, such explanations should also be taught in the Lecture Hall.

When leaving the Library Pavilion, he used his outer disciple token to note his chosen cultivation method. There wasn't even a formal process of swearing an oath of secrecy; the pavilion guard simply let him pass.

After exiting the Library Pavilion, Lin Donglai went to collect his monthly stipend for the month. At the first level of Qi Refinement, the stipend was two spirit stones per month, which served as a decent source of income.

As for the Hundred Arts of Cultivation, he directly chose the Way of Spiritual Plants. After all, as part of a Land Immortal lineage, he was better suited for farming.

Upon entering the Hall of Spiritual Plants, he saw that the people passing by were all disciples with dark skin, looking like old farmers, dressed in extremely simple attire.

Following the directional signs, Lin Donglai arrived at the registration desk.

The person in charge of registration was a female disciple, likely also an outer disciple. Her attire was equally simple, giving her a friendly appearance.

"Senior Sister, I am a disciple of this year's Immortal Seed batch. I wish to study the Way of Spiritual Plants among the Hundred Arts. I was wondering how the Way of Spiritual Plants is taught?"

Huang Yue glanced at the barefoot youth. His build looked sturdy, suggesting he would be a skilled farmer, so she nodded. "Register first, then take a copy of the Farming Outline back with you."

"In the Lecture Hall, every month on the days ending in three, an outer disciple Elder of Spiritual Plants will give lectures."

"The Way of Spiritual Plants requires no special tricks; it is simply about hands-on practice in the fields. Follow the Farming Manual, find a piece of land to clear, and start by planting one type."

"Once you reach the second level of Qi Refinement and master at least one spiritual plant spell, you can apply for a spiritual field on Tengshe Peak to begin planting spiritual rice."

"If you can grow low-grade spiritual rice with a yield of 300 catties per mu, you will be considered a low-grade Spiritual Planter."

"Senior Sister, I have a Five Elements Spiritual Root and a low-grade Jia Wood Dao Body. I wonder what kind of spiritual plant spells I can learn?"

"A low-grade Jia Wood Body?" Huang Yue's eyes lit up. "As expected, you are talented. Right, I remember Senior Sister Jiang Biling once recommended someone to our Hall of Spiritual Plants; it must be you. Why did you come so late?"

"My aptitude was too poor. I wasted a long time in the Qi Induction stage and only managed to succeed yesterday by luck."

"I thought so!" Huang Yue dug through Lin Donglai's files, then asked for his token. After leaving an imprint, she said, "When the two-year Immortal Seed period ends, come report to the Hall of Spiritual Plants. You are a key-cultivated outer disciple of our Hall, do you understand?"

"A key-cultivated outer disciple?" Lin Donglai asked in confusion.

"There is no other way. Those who only know how to grow spiritual rice are actually just spiritual farmers, and there are quite a few of them. As long as they can farm, they are fine."

"True Spiritual Planters need to know how to grow several different types of spiritual herbs, mastering skills such as seed breeding, seedling grafting, soil mixing, and so on."

"Regarding spiritual plant spells, one must reach the Great Success stage in at least one."

"There are five basic spiritual plant spells: the Sweet Dew Rain Spell, the Sprouting Gestation Technique, the Earth-Shaking Spirit Casting Technique, the Blazing Light Sun-Gathering Technique, and the Golden Sickle Severing Technique."

"Since you have a low-grade Jia Wood Dao Body, the most suitable for you to practice is the Sprouting Gestation Technique to awaken the vitality of seeds. Later, you can practice the Spring Breeze Sprout-Pulling Technique to accelerate growth."

"The second option is the Sweet Dew Rain Spell. The rain spells you cast will contain some plant vitality, making it suitable for tending to seedlings."

"You can learn the remaining three spells when progress in those two becomes difficult; after all, you have a Five Elements Root."

"By the way, becoming an outer disciple of our Hall has some benefits. For instance, you won't have to waste your second-level Qi Refinement spell exchange opportunity on these; you can learn them directly here in the Hall."

"You can also choose one farming magical tool for free."

"After the two-year Immortal Seed period, you can choose an outer disciple cave dwelling with a spiritual field in advance, and you will have priority in choosing spiritual plant tasks when performing missions, so they won't send you out to hunt demon beasts or anything like that."

"In our Hall of Spiritual Plants, everything revolves around farming. We don't have any of those complicated schemes."

"Furthermore, the sect encourages disciples to farm and clear land. As long as you take a spiritual field mission to farm, you will receive a subsidy of one spirit stone per mu of spiritual field every year."

"I see." Lin Donglai listened to these benefits in stunned silence before asking, "Does Tengshe Peak fall under the jurisdiction of our Hall of Spiritual Plants?"

Huang Yue nodded. "Basically, yes. However, our Hall doesn't have a fixed mountain; we only manage the farming."

"But the Elders of the Hall of Spiritual Plants have the right of recommendation. If you farm well but your cultivation doesn't meet the standard, you can still be recommended by an Elder to become an inner disciple."

"Originally, before our sect's founder, the Azure Wood Ancestor, reached the Foundation Establishment stage, he also farmed for others. The sect's Tier 3 Purple Mansion spiritual wood, the Qiongxiao Azure Astral Treasure Tree, is actually cared for by the Hall Master of our Hall! Our sect's Foundation Establishment cultivation method, the Qionglin Azure Jade Treasure Tree Manual, was created by a Purple Mansion True Person using that tree as a foundation."

Lin Donglai listened to her colorful stories, but he only understood one thing: back in Lin Family Town, farmers held the lowest status. When recruiting disciples previously, Li Yunze had also expressed disdain for farming disciples.

With his spiritual root aptitude, despite having a low-grade Jia Wood Body and being only at the first level of Qi Refinement without having started learning spells, he was directly enrolled as a registered disciple of the Hall of Spiritual Plants.

This felt somewhat "desperate."

Even accounting for Senior Sister Jiang Biling's recommendation, Lin Donglai guessed that this Hall of Spiritual Plants was merely a place for the sect to continuously cultivate old farmers.

In the mortal world, agriculture was also the foundation; it seemed that spiritual rice and spiritual herbs were the very foundation of the immortal sects.

"If I join the Hall of Spiritual Plants and have questions regarding spiritual plants, who should I ask? Books in the Library Pavilion all require merit points."

"Our Hall has its own library, and most of it is free."

"In the Hall of Spiritual Plants, the only things of high value are rare spiritual plant seedlings, superior spiritual plant techniques, and high-grade spiritual field resources. Everything else is cheap."

"This kind of knowledge might not be much of a legacy in those rogue cultivator families outside, but here, we are terrified you won't learn it! Why would we hide it?"

"How about this: if you have any questions, you can ask me directly. Outer disciple tokens can also be used for communication; just leave a spiritual energy imprint. I'll leave one for you now. If you have questions in the future, just leave a message."

"First, I'll give you one spiritual plant tool and one spell jade slip. You are still staying at Immortal Seed Peak, right? Not far from the foot of Immortal Seed Peak, there is a valley. There are spiritual lands there specifically set aside by our Hall for new spiritual plant disciples like you to practice on."

"I'll also give you some spiritual rice seeds. You still have a year and a half of your Immortal Seed period left; hurry up, you have enough time to plant three seasons of spiritual rice."

There were five types of spiritual plant tools, corresponding to the five spells: the Earth-Shaking Spirit Hoe, the Blazing Sun Array Flag, the Sweet Dew Gourd, the Crescent Sickle, and the Life-Gathering Jade Bottle.

Lin Donglai originally wanted to choose the Earth-Shaking Spirit Hoe, the standard equipment for an old farmer.

However, Huang Yue recommended the Sweet Dew Gourd, saying that using it more often would help him better master the Sweet Dew Rain Spell.

As for the Earth-Shaking Spirit Hoe, he could find a way to get a second-hand one for seven or eight spirit stones. If all else failed, he could find a tool-making apprentice to make a hoe; it didn't necessarily have to be a magical tool, as long as it could dig the earth, and Lin Donglai looked like he had plenty of strength.

For the spiritual plant spell, he chose the Sprouting Gestation Technique to make full use of his low-grade Jia Wood Body.

Huang Yue remarked, "If you nurture the seedlings well, half the farming is already a success."