Chapter 17: The Life-Giving Art

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Lingyun Peak is more gentle in terrain compared to the other peaks, with a vast area of the Medicine Valley and fields of spirit herbs stretching across the land. To improve utilization, the sect divided the Medicine Valley into two zones, designated separately for the labor disciples and the outer disciples to cultivate.

This arrangement simultaneously resolved the dilemma where labor disciples could not fully cultivate the fields, leading to wasted spirit fields, while outer disciples feared a lack of land and became embroiled in vicious competition.

Compared to the labor disciples’ monthly wage-based system with immediate inspection and harvesting, the outer disciples operated under a lease system.

Disciples rented spirit fields and, upon harvest, could choose to exchange their produce with the sect for cultivation resources or handle it themselves, enjoying greater freedom.

As the sun tilted towards the west, its scorching rays filtered through the gaps in the trees, casting countless tiny golden spots on the ground. Beneath the flourishing shade, a suspicious figure hid behind a sturdy ancient tree, only peeking out her head. Her round, bright eyes stared fixedly without blinking at the movement of a figure in the nearby spirit field.

That spirit field was managed by the outer disciples. Why was Senior Sister Liu here? She could not understand.

Since it was the hottest time around noon, there were few busy figures in the fields. She saw Senior Sister Liu observing each plot of spirit field, approaching and conversing when she encountered someone. Occasionally, a tall and burly female cultivator would grab the collar of a shorter male disciple before her with one hand, glaring fiercely with knitted brows, lifting him roughly, her face contorted with a terrifying scowl.

Most outer disciples farming on Lingyun Peak were newly inducted, inexperienced in cultivation and relatively weak.

From a distance, she couldn’t hear what was being said, but just thinking about it sent a chill through her heart. Senior Sister Liu was indeed as brutal as the rumors suggested.

After a cup of tea’s time, Senior Sister Liu’s hand held a cloth bag. She rolled up her sleeves to wipe the sweat from her brow and hurried back like a swift wind, while the silent observer followed closely behind.

The person quietly felt relieved—if Senior Sister Liu truly went to summon the master uncle, the one detaining her would probably lose half his life first...

They returned almost simultaneously and were both shocked by the scene before them. The once lifeless spirit field was revived, vibrant and full of life, the wood spirit energy surrounding the spirit plants emanating clearly from Ji Ning, who was seated cross-legged in a corner.

Suppressing their surprise, the little follower hurried to the side of Ye Yueqing, who was trembling with anger, fists clenched and eyes blazing, and nervously relayed Senior Sister Liu’s whereabouts and actions.

Harvesting spirit herbs?

“What kind of spirit herb?” Ye Yueqing felt uneasy.

“Too far away to see clearly…” Even though she had seen it with her own eyes, she didn’t recognize it and hastily made up a lie.

“Useless…”

At this moment, nearly all eyes present were fixed on Ji Ning. Ye Yueqing dared not interfere or sabotage and could only curse silently.

Meanwhile, Senior Sister Liu, disregarding others’ doubts, hastened to Ji Ning’s side. She squatted down and untied the cloth bag. Before she could speak, Ji Ning lifted her eyelids and looked at her with a somewhat plaintive gaze.

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She scratched the back of her head and smiled awkwardly, well aware that she had wasted time and mentally cursed the outer disciple who had hiked up the price.

“Ran into a bit of trouble on the way, but it’s all sorted now. Look, I brought back this whole bag for you—enough, right?”

“More than enough. Please lend me a hand, Senior Sister Liu.” Ji Ning glanced into the bag, which contained a full twenty stalks of Returning Spirit Grass. She suspected Senior Sister Liu had stolen them.

And the truth was not far off.

After giving Liu a few instructions, Ji Ning closed her eyes again. Her remaining spiritual energy was insufficient to support prolonged use of divine sense, so she only used a meager amount to stabilize the spirit plants’ condensation, waiting for the Returning Spirit Grass to fill her dantian, which would then help solidify the essence.

Returning Spirit Grass was the primary ingredient for refining Returning Spirit Pills, a treasure in itself. Cultivators who chewed on its leaves could slowly recover spiritual energy. The sect considered Returning Spirit Pills a routine cultivation resource, prepared by the Spirit Pill Peak and Pill Pavilion. Because of the steady demand, the cultivation volume was never small.

Although Senior Sister Liu was rough and reckless, her strength was not to be underestimated.

She summoned fire attribute spiritual energy to her palm. Five stalks of Returning Spirit Grass floated neatly in the air. Under the tempering of fire energy, impurities were gradually expelled. Once purified, Liu increased the heat, gradually refining the essence, and strands of spiritual energy flowed into Ji Ning’s body.

Without a pill furnace, even with skilled technique, about forty percent of the medicinal power of the Returning Spirit Grass would be lost.

But with such quantity, even saving half was sufficient.

The spiritual energy entered Ji Ning’s body, coursing through her meridians and lungs, finally converging in her dantian to condense into gaseous spiritual energy. It lingered only a moment before flowing out again, controlled by Ji Ning to nourish the spirit plants.

This cycle repeated four times, consuming more than half an incense stick.

As the sparse spiritual energy accumulated, the Wood Spirit Art was also in operation. The dantian overflowed, and immense spiritual power poured out, accelerating the solidification of the essence.

This scene was fully witnessed by the crowd that had gathered, growing steadily in number. The murmuring of the onlookers increased.

The master uncle in charge of the Spirit Plant Hall showed a look of surprise. He narrowed his eyes and stood quietly to one side, expression impassive as always. Yet beneath the wide sleeves of his silk robe, his palm trembled slightly, sweat beading on his hand.

His knowledge was shallow; he had never seen a great immortal cultivator perform a living creature technique himself, only glimpsed it in books.

The records were sparse but captivating.

All Wood Spirit Root cultivators who studied planting techniques within the inner sect had attempted this but none succeeded.

Over time, this ancient secret technique had degraded to a low-level method and was distributed in copybooks across the various peak libraries. From elders of the inner sect to laborers of the outer sect, all could read it.

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Thinking of the reason the person beside him had come, he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

He laughed aloud: “Hahaha, Chief Cui, this child is so young yet masters this method. She should indeed be a disciple of the Spirit Plant Hall. Your visit this time seems wasted.”

Chief Cui, the outer sect master uncle overseeing the Ten Thousand Array Hall, was of the same rank as Chief Ji, head of the Spirit Plant Hall. Both were Golden Core cultivators.

“Chief Ji, why the rush? We haven’t even asked her opinion yet. How can you be so certain she would choose a cultivation path without even an independent domain?” Chief Cui smiled kindly but his words cut deeply.

“Hmph!” Chief Ji threw off his sleeve, turning his face away, ignoring Chief Cui.

Chief Cui paid no mind, fanning himself as he scrutinized Ji Ning several times, his eyes gleaming and a slight smile lifting his lips.

The elder’s remark about her being a genius in array techniques was no lie.

Behind them, Master Wang bowed repeatedly, wiping cold sweat, fearing trouble would fall upon him.

Poor Master Wang on little Lingyun Peak!

Half an incense stick later.

Ji Ning sat cross-legged in the field, her face creased with pain, sweat pouring down her forehead like rain. Though her divine sense throbbed painfully, she did not cease. Her hands rested on her abdomen, still forming hand seals, albeit more slowly.

After completing the last hand seal, all the remaining wood spiritual energy in the field flowed back into Ji Ning’s dantian.

The four spirit fields flourished with life: branches upright, leaves emerald green, veins clearly visible under the bright sun. Running a finger along the fine hairs on the stems sent a sharp tickle.

Calming the swelling pain in her divine sense, Ji Ning opened her eyes. Unsurprisingly, Ye Yueqing was furious, but where had all these extra people come from?

She looked at Senior Sister Liu with a puzzled expression, blinking.

Senior Sister Liu’s eyes widened in astonishment as she exclaimed, “My heavens! This is top-grade… Junior Sister, you are incredible!”

Eyes are the window to the soul—except for Senior Sister Liu.