Chapter Four: The Spiritual Herb Gardener

The Spirit Rain Technique draws the spiritual energy from the air and infuses it into the falling rain. When the rain touches the earth, it is then absorbed by the spiritual plants. As He Song performed the Spirit Rain Technique, Meng Guan, standing nearby, nodded slightly in approval. The execution was flawless, clearly the result of diligent practice. The Spirit Rain Technique—passed.

"Alright, that's enough. Don’t disturb the others," Meng Guan’s voice, tinged with age, sounded in He Song’s ear. "Now, show me the Spirit Arrow Technique." He Song immediately ceased his spellcasting.

While the Spirit Rain Technique was useful, it mattered where it was used. The Spirit Medicine Pavilion was located within Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market, a place where violence was strictly forbidden. Spellcasting was allowed, but any excessive fluctuations in spiritual power might attract the enforcement squad, who could mistake him for a demonic cultivator.

Fortunately, many applied for the role of Spiritual Planter at the Spirit Medicine Pavilion. Both the Spirit Rain and Spirit Arrow Techniques caused only mild ripples of spiritual energy, so there was no need to fear the enforcement squad.

With Meng Guan’s instructions received again, He Song changed the hand seal. "Spirit Arrow Technique!" He silently recited the spell, channeling his internal spiritual power, and soon a Spirit Arrow, condensed from spiritual energy, appeared between his fingers. Its cold gleam resembled the brilliance of a sword; He Song had fully unleashed the power of the Spirit Arrow Technique. With a thought, the arrow could be released at any moment.

"Excellent, excellent," Meng Guan exclaimed. "You’re a diligent one. In this past month, you haven’t wasted a single day, and you’ve mastered both techniques admirably." Seeing He Song had trained the two spells to the point where their power was undiminished and could be cast smoothly, Meng Guan’s gaze grew even more satisfied.

A month ago, while searching for a new Spiritual Planter, he had casually selected a newly arrived first-stage Qi Refining cultivator and gifted him a book, ‘Techniques for Cultivating Spirit Plants.’ It had been a spur-of-the-moment act, done without expectation of any return. He’d done this many times over the years.

But unexpectedly, one month later, that idle gesture had brought him considerable surprise. He Song’s diligence was unexpected and made Meng Guan feel a genuine fondness for him.

He Song had not neglected the opportunity that Meng Guan had so casually bestowed. This attitude was something Meng Guan appreciated deeply.

"There is guidance from a senior; I must do my utmost," He Song replied, unable to say much more in the face of Meng Guan's praise. What else could he say? Should he reveal that he’d learned both spells in just twenty days, spent three more days practicing, and the remaining seven days hadn’t even been his, since he hadn't crossed over yet? Such things were best left unsaid.

Meng Guan, however, was in high spirits. Even with He Song’s modest reply, his mood remained cheerful.

"Good, you’re neither arrogant nor impatient—just the right temperament for a Spiritual Planter." Meng Guan stroked his meticulously groomed beard, his gaze toward He Song growing even kinder. "Come, since you’re so diligent and your nature so pure, from now on you’ll be the Spiritual Planter of my Spirit Medicine Pavilion." With that, Meng Guan rose and walked toward the backyard.

He Song hurried after him.

In the backyard, Meng Guan first prepared two sets of clothing specifically for Spiritual Planters. Then he filled a small pouch with spirit rice seeds for He Song. After all was ready, Meng Guan led He Song out and pointed to five acres of spiritual farmland, telling him that these would henceforth be his responsibility.

If he advanced in cultivation, he could apply for more spiritual fields. Upon becoming a Spiritual Planter under the Spirit Medicine Pavilion, every breakthrough in cultivation allowed him to apply for more farmland.

As cultivation deepened and spiritual power increased, the acreage one could tend naturally expanded. This meant greater income in spirit stones—a reason why so many sought the position of Spiritual Planter.

The income was not fixed; the more fields one managed and the higher the grade of spirit plants grown, the greater the earnings. If done well, it was a smooth path to the Foundation Establishment stage—though it required patience.

The annual harvest was still too little spirit stones. But He Song, now immortal, had no concerns about the passing of time. The path of a Spiritual Planter suited him well.

A short while later.

After bidding farewell to Meng Guan, He Song followed the map given to him and soon arrived at the location of his five acres of spiritual farmland. It was not far from Bamboo Mountain Market, practically adjacent.

Spiritual fields needed spiritual energy to nourish them. Only the concentration of spiritual energy around the market was sufficient to cultivate spiritual farmland. Further out, the energy was too sparse to form spiritual fields at all. Wherever there was spiritual farmland, the density of spiritual energy would never be low, and thus the fields would never be too far from the market.

"This place isn’t far from where I live, and there’s a main road connecting it. Safety shouldn’t be an issue," He Song thought, glancing at the stream of people passing along the road behind him, which calmed his heart.

"The surrounding fields all seem to have been planted with spirit rice seeds. It’s spring now—the perfect time to begin farming." Observing the area, He Song raised his brows, as if something had dawned on him.

"It seems Senior Meng Guan gave me the ‘Techniques for Cultivating Spirit Plants’ precisely because spring plowing was near," he mused. Thoughts flashed through his mind, and He Song realized his predecessor had been fortunate. Having just drawn spiritual energy into his body and entered the Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market, he encountered Meng Guan searching for Spiritual Planters before spring plowing, which set him on this path.

Had he not met Meng Guan, upon crossing over, he would have been left watching helplessly.

But He Song quickly set aside such musings. Now, the most important thing was to farm!

With a gentle wave of his hand, spiritual energy scattered the spirit rice seeds across the five acres of farmland. Having sown the seeds, he cast the Spirit Rain Technique, enveloping all his fields.

Spirit rain fell, irrigating the fields. Threads of spiritual energy gathered into the rain, nourishing the spirit rice seeds below. Stimulated by the spiritual energy, the seeds began to undergo miraculous changes.

Half an hour later.

He Song, drenched in sweat, stopped the Spirit Rain Technique. Though it consumed little spiritual power, his cultivation was low—only at the first stage of Qi Refining. Maintaining the Spirit Rain Technique for half an hour had nearly depleted his spiritual energy.

Even so, He Song’s expression showed no discouragement. This was the life of a Spiritual Planter.

Spirit rice required daily application of the Spirit Rain Technique for half an hour, along with vigilant care against pests. Only after a year’s effort could spirit rice be harvested.

Such painstaking cultivation was what made spirit rice so valuable.