10: Chapter 10: The Art of Nurturing Spirits Conceals the Profound Principles of Planting

The success of painting talismans in the Void Realm gave Ye Qing a taste of the benefits.

In the days that followed, he became even more low-key and diligent.

By day, he remained the steady and taciturn cleaning handyman in the Library Pavilion, his Spiritual Power fluctuations maintained exactly at the Early Stage of Qi Refining Stage 2.

Only when the night was deep and quiet, or when he found a secluded corner in the back mountain, would he quietly transform into a "talisman trainee."

Spirit Gathering, Solidifying, Lightness.

These three basic auxiliary talismans were outlined, dissipated, and re-outlined by him over and over again.

The initial success rate was barely thirty or forty percent, and the talismans lasted from as short as one breath to as long as five breaths.

But Ye Qing was neither impatient nor impetuous.

After every practice, he would carefully review his performance using the refreshing sensation of the space, adjusting the rhythm of his Spiritual Power output and the guidance intensity of his Divine Sense.

Gradually, his feel for it became more proficient.

The success rate steadily rose to sixty or seventy percent, the light patterns of the talismans became slightly more solid, and occasionally they could last for seven or eight breaths.

More importantly, his fine control over his own Spiritual Power reached a level unimaginable to Cultivators of the same rank.

With a mere thought, his Spiritual Power could be commanded like an arm, splitting into several strands, each performing subtle operations.

One day, while cleaning, he was "slacking off" and reading as usual.

A book stuffed in the corner, covered in worm-eaten marks, titled 《Notes on Cultivating Low-Grade Spiritual Plants (Fragment)》 caught his attention.

This book was not a Jade Slip but made of paper, with crude illustrations and colloquial language, like the field notes of some old spiritual planter.

The first half was mostly rambling about which soil type suited which plant, when to water, and when to catch pests, making one feel drowsy.

Ye Qing was about to put it down when his gaze swept over a passage in the second half about "nourishing with Spiritual Power."

"... I have grown iron wire vine for fifty years and realized a simple truth. This Spiritual Plant also recognizes people. Every day, you use your Spiritual Power, just a tiny bit, gently following its meridians for a cycle—don't be greedy, don't be impatient—and it will grow spiritedly, more effectively than watering it three times. This method, I call it 'Qi Smoothing,' which is more practical than the 'Spirit Nurturing Technique' those Immortal Masters talk about."

Spirit Nurturing Technique?

Ye Qing's heart stirred, and he immediately searched his memory.

Soon, he found the corresponding record in a Jade Slip about basic Spells for Spiritual Plants.

Spirit Nurturing Technique, a basic Wood-attribute Spell, nourishes Spiritual Plants with gentle Wood-attribute Spiritual Power to promote growth and improve quality. It requires good control over Spiritual Power and is best suited for those with a Wood Spiritual Root.

"Nourishing Spiritual Plants with Spiritual Power to promote growth... This line of thinking is remarkably similar to my Void Realm talisman painting. Both require fine, gentle, and continuous control of Spiritual Power."

Ye Qing became interested.

He had a Five Elements pseudo-Spiritual Root, so Wood-attribute was naturally included, albeit weak.

However, the Spiritual Power purified by the space seemed to naturally carry a "gentle" and "nourishing" characteristic, perhaps it could simulate some effects of Wood-attribute Spiritual Power?

More importantly, if he wanted to try planting in his internal space in the future, this Spirit Nurturing Technique or the old farmer's "Qi Smoothing" folk method would be an unavoidable foundation.

"Learn it! Having an extra skill never hurts. What if it comes in handy later?"

Ye Qing immediately found the Jade Slip recording the Spirit Nurturing Technique and began to study it carefully.

The incantation was not complicated; the core lay in converting Spiritual Power into a gentle, wood-attribute Spiritual Power fluctuation with a sense of vitality, and then slowly guiding it into the Spiritual Plant via a specific frequency and path.

The difficulty lay in the simulation of the Spiritual Power attribute and the comprehension of the "sense of vitality."

Ye Qing tried to circulate his Spiritual Power according to the incantation.

The first time, the Spiritual Power was too "blunt," lacking that sense of gentleness.

The second time, he deliberately slowed down, but it appeared "weak" and lacked vitality.

He was not discouraged. While pondering the "feeling" described in the incantation, he combined it with the earthy description from the old farmer's notes: "follow the meridians for a cycle, don't be greedy, don't be impatient."

At the same time, he used his consciousness to communicate with the internal space.

The space transmitted a warm and peaceful fluctuation, as if demonstrating the original Concept of "nourishing" and "growth" for him.

Gradually, the light cyan Spiritual Power condensed at his fingertips began to emit a faint, vibrant, soft light.

Although it was far from the lush and vibrant green seen when a true Wood-attribute Cultivator performed it, it did indeed have a hint of "gentle nourishment."

"It's starting to take shape. But it lacks a subject for practice."

Ye Qing dissipated his Spiritual Power and swept his gaze across the first floor of the Library Pavilion.

On the windowsill sat a few pots of the most common "green velvet grass" used for decoration; it was a mundane variety, containing no Spiritual Qi, but possessing tenacious vitality.

He walked over, condensed that faint, nourishing Spiritual Power at his fingertips, and gently tapped a blade of grass.

The Spiritual Power slowly seeped in.

In his perception, that stalk of green velvet grass seemed to become imperceptibly more "spirited," and the leaf seemed to stand up a fraction more.

The effect was so weak it was almost negligible, but it did exist.

"It works! Although my Spiritual Power's Wood-attribute is weak and my simulation is impure, it already has a slight effect on ordinary grass. If it were applied to low-grade Spiritual Plants, perhaps it could also have some effect?"

Ye Qing was secretly delighted.

The initial mastery of this Spirit Nurturing Technique was not only the introduction to a practical skill, but it also verified the possibility that he could simulate and learn Spells of other attributes across attributes with the help of the space!

"It seems that my Five Elements pseudo-Spiritual Root, with the space's enhancement, might not be unable to pull off some tricks. Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth—I'm mediocre at everything, but I can touch upon everything? This path of being broad but miscellaneous seems to have potential?"

He seemed to see another unorthodox path suitable for a contestant like himself who was "lacking in resources but decent in comprehension."

Days passed fulfilling in sweeping floors, reading, painting talismans, and practicing the Spirit Nurturing Technique.

Under the continuous feedback from the space, Ye Qing's cultivation steadily advanced toward the Perfection of Qi Refining Stage 3, yet on the outside, he remained that low-key handyman at Qi Refining Stage 2.

One day, the Fat Deacon from the General Affairs Hall suddenly came to the Library Pavilion and whispered to Old Liu for a long time.

Before leaving, the Fat Deacon glanced at Ye Qing, who was wiping the bookshelves, and said casually: "Kid, you've been working here for a few months, and your work is decent. There's a Junior Martial Uncle Zhao in the Outer Sect whose Immortal Cave needs a short-term worker to regularly tend to the Herb Garden. The work isn't heavy—just watering and weeding. You go once every ten days, for half a day each time, and the pay is one Low-Grade Spirit Stone. Will you take it?"

Ye Qing's wiping motion paused, and he calculated rapidly in his mind.

Tending to an Herb Garden? A chance to come into contact with real Spiritual Medicine?

The pay was decent, the frequency was low, and it wouldn't affect his work at the Library Pavilion.

"This Disciple is willing. It's just... this Disciple has limited knowledge of Spiritual Medicine, I'm afraid..."

"It's nothing difficult!" The Fat Deacon waved his hand. "Junior Martial Uncle Zhao has some common first-grade Spiritual Medicine there; it's easy to look after. Old Liu will explain the rules and precautions to you. The main thing is that you have to be honest and have clean hands. I've seen that you've been quite dutiful these past few months, so it'll be you."

"Many thanks, Deacon. Many thanks, Old Liu." Ye Qing quickly saluted.

The Fat Deacon swayed away.

Old Liu, who had been closing his eyes and feigning sleep, spoke slowly at this moment, still without opening his eyes.

"Zhao Ming, Outer Sect Deacon, Sixth Level of Qi Refining, in charge of distributing some low-grade supplies, is a fairly fair person. His Herb Garden is on the east side of Qingxi Valley in the back mountain, where he grows some ninglu grass, moonlight flower, and iron wire vine. This is the entry token and a Jade Slip with precautions."

A wooden token and a Jade Slip flew out from Old Liu's sleeve and landed steadily on the bookshelf in front of Ye Qing.

"When you go, only do your own work. Don't look at what shouldn't be seen, and don't ask what shouldn't be asked. If there is any damage to the Spiritual Medicine, you will pay compensation according to the price. Leave immediately after finishing, do not linger."

"This Disciple will keep it in mind." Ye Qing respectfully took the token and the Jade Slip.

Neither the Fat Deacon nor Old Liu mentioned why such a "cushy job" would fall to him, an inconspicuous handyman.

Perhaps it was because he had indeed been honest, dutiful, and silent in the Library Pavilion for these past few months?

Perhaps it was because that Junior Martial Uncle Zhao didn't have high requirements and just wanted to find an unfamiliar face who wouldn't cause trouble?

Perhaps... it was just pure luck?

Ye Qing couldn't be bothered to delve into it.

Having the opportunity to come into contact with real Spiritual Medicine and having a legitimate reason to earn Spirit Stones was enough.

He carefully put away the token and the Jade Slip and continued to wipe the bookshelves, his expression as calm as usual.

Only he knew that the five-zhang space within his heart seemed to ripple with a hint of joy because of the words "Spiritual Medicine."