21: Chapter 21 Shearing the Wool from the Herb Garden, Obtaining New Seeds, and Encountering Increasingly Dangerous Scenes

Having planned the spatial layout and planted the seeds of hope, Ye Qing's mindset became even more composed.

Outside, the atmosphere was tense, with the Sect's environment growing tighter by the day, yet he remained firmly perched on his "fishing platform"—if sweeping floors, reading, and farming could be considered fishing.

The short-term work at the Herb Garden had become his most important "resource supply line" at present.

Uncle-Master Zhao Ming was becoming increasingly elusive, leaving the Herb Garden frequently in a state of "self-governance."

Ye Qing was happy for this; every time he went, he would more carefully observe the condition of those Spirit Medicine plants, especially those at the end of their growth cycle that might bear seeds, or those needing pruning due to pest damage or injury.

Under the enhancement of the space and repeated practice, the effect of his "Spirit Nurturing Technique" was steadily improving.

Although still weak, he could now nourish specific parts of the Spirit Medicine with greater precision, promoting their growth or recovery.

This day, he was tending to a patch of iron wire vine that was growing somewhat messily.

This type of vine-like Grade 1 Spirit Medicine was as tough as iron; it was the main material for refining the low-grade Magical Artifact Binding Immortal Rope (imitation) and could also be used in medicine for its effects of clearing meridians and promoting blood circulation.

Due to the wind and rain a few days ago, several old vines had broken branches, and their leaves had withered and turned yellow.

Ye Qing carefully pruned away those withered branches, as well as several thin side vines that clearly lacked vitality.

According to the requirements in the Jade Slip, this pruned "waste" needed to be taken out of the Herb Garden for disposal.

Ye Qing did as instructed, and while packing, his fingertips brushed over those broken ends.

The vitality was nearly exhausted, but as a Spirit Medicine plant itself, its material still retained a faint wood-attribute Spiritual Qi and the characteristic of "toughness."

A clear, though not intense, suction came from the space within his body.

"It can be absorbed, but the energy quality and total amount are far inferior to mature moonlight flowers, and even inferior to those weeds that have been stained with the aura of Spirit Medicine."

Ye Qing assessed, his hands not stopping, as he sorted these iron wire vine scraps into the "trash" bag.

Just as he was about to process the last, thicker piece of broken vine, his gaze suddenly sharpened.

In the gap of the bark near the main stem of this broken vine, there seemed to be a few extremely tiny, grayish-brown, angular hard seeds stuck.

They were seeds of the iron wire vine!

iron wire vines mainly propagated through cuttings; their seed setting rate was low, and they often only produced a small amount under specific conditions after growing for many years, mixing into the cracks of the old bark, making them extremely difficult to discover.

These few seeds were likely shaken down from the higher old vines during the previous wind and rain, and just happened to get stuck here.

Ye Qing's heartbeat accelerated slightly.

iron wire vine, a Grade 1 Spirit Medicine, had wider uses than moonlight flower and a slightly higher value.

If he could obtain its seeds and successfully plant them in the space...

He held his breath and focused, pretending to inspect the damage to the broken vine, and extremely carefully removed those few grayish-brown hard seeds, gathering them into a hidden pocket in his sleeve.

The movement was natural and smooth, without any trace of clumsiness.

After finishing this, he placed the broken vine into the trash bag and continued his work with a normal expression.

Today's luck seemed quite good.

While clearing the weeds on the edge of the ninglu grass ridge, he discovered a few shriveled, nearly black grass seeds at the roots of a cluster of dead "night firefly grass" (a type of non-grade weed that had a weak calming effect) that grew in association with the ninglu grass.

The night firefly grass had a very low value, but even a mosquito's leg is meat, and since it grew with the ninglu grass, perhaps it had some reference value for studying the symbiotic relationship of Spirit Medicine?

Ye Qing "graciously accepted" these as well.

Finishing the work and taking away the bulging "trash" bag, Ye Qing felt quite satisfied.

In one short-term job, he had harvested several iron wire vine seeds, several night firefly grass seeds, and a pile of absorbable Spirit Medicine waste.

This "wool-gathering" was covert and efficient.

Returning to his old spot, he first absorbed the residual energy of those iron wire vine and night firefly grass scraps.

The space transmitted a wave of satisfaction, and the gray fog at the edges expanded slightly.

The feedback energy carried a distinct "wood-attribute" and "toughness" connotation, giving his Spiritual Qi a hint of added resilience.

Next, he carefully took out the seeds he had obtained today.

Three iron wire vine seeds, grayish-brown, hard, with fine ridges on the surface.

Seven or eight night firefly grass seeds, shriveled and black, completely unremarkable.

"iron wire vine... according to the records in the classics, it likes sun, is drought-tolerant, has low requirements for soil, but grows slowly. The night firefly grass likes shade and moisture, with habits similar to the ninglu grass."

Ye Qing recalled the relevant descriptions, and combining them with the characteristics of the different areas within the space, he quickly had a planting plan.

His consciousness sank into the space.

The ten-zhang world was as quiet as before. Half of the moonlight flowers planted earliest had already germinated, revealing silvery-white shoots, growing evenly. The parent flower still shimmered with silver light, and the cuttings had also survived.

He came to the area reserved in the plan, located near the "center" of the space towards the west side, where the sunlight was relatively better.

Here, he had already used his consciousness to prepare three small planting ridges in advance.

With a slight movement of his mind, the black soil parted to form shallow pits.

Ye Qing planted the three iron wire vine seeds, one in each of the three spots.

This time, the spatial energy he injected deliberately simulated the concepts of "sunlight," "dryness," and "toughness," guiding the seeds to develop toward these characteristics.

Next, he came to the area near the edge of the gray fog, which was relatively shady and damp, and cultivated a small piece of land next to the moonlight flower ridge to sow the night firefly grass seeds.

The injected energy was inclined towards "coolness," "moisture," and "calming the mind."

After doing this, he carefully sensed the subtle reactions of the different seeds under the nourishment of the energy, silently noting down their initial states.

"Two more test subjects. Including the moonlight flower, there are now three types of Spirit Medicine growing in the space. Although they are all low-grade, the richer the variety, the better he could explore the laws of the space's influence on Spirit Medicine of different attributes, and it could also lay the most basic material reserve for possible future 'Spirit Medicine compatibility' and 'synthetic Alchemy'."

Ye Qing was very satisfied with this.

Knowledge reserves, combat skills, resource accumulation (even if it was just seeds), and space development...

Everything was progressing in an orderly manner.

Exiting the space and on the way back to the Servant Quarters, the atmosphere grew increasingly heavy.

The light curtain of the Mountain Protection Array seemed brighter than usual, and occasionally, streaks of light from those flying on Magical Artifacts flashed across the sky, mostly heading outside the mountain gate.

Several patrolling Outer Sect Disciples had solemn expressions, their eyes vigilantly scanning every passerby.

Ye Qing kept his head down and walked quickly by; the weak Qi of his Qi Refining Stage 2 made him completely unremarkable.

Returning to his residence, there were two fewer servants in the same room.

"Wang Laosan and Li the Lame have been drafted to the front mountain to reinforce the array base. I heard they have to work for ten full days, and the Spirit Stones are doubled, but..." an older servant whispered, shaking his head, and did not continue.

But a trace of worry flashed in everyone's eyes.

Working at the front array base, although still within the Sect, obviously carried much greater risks than working in the rear.

Ye Qing silently spread out his bedding and lay down.

It seemed the Sect was truly preparing for war with all its might.

The peaceful days left to him were probably few.

He closed his eyes and reconnected his consciousness to the space.

Within the ten-zhang space, the seeds of the three types of Spirit Medicine were waiting to break through the soil under the nourishment of the black soil and the spatial energy.

The moonlight flower seedlings stretched their silver leaves, and the parent flower quietly exhaled moonlight.

Here, it was peaceful, harmonious, and full of vitality.

It formed a sharp contrast with the increasingly thick smell of gunpowder outside.

"Speed up the progress."

Ye Qing said to himself.

"Before the storm truly arrives, at the very least, I must harvest the first batch of moonlight flowers and optimize the 'Pseudo-Fireball Technique' and 'Triangular Spirit Shield' to the limit of my current Realm."

"Then... whether to go or to stay, I need to make a decision early."

Steady development is not just about blindly shrinking back.

Rather, it is about making the calm and decisive choice that is most beneficial to one's own long-term development after seeing the situation clearly.

The night grew deeper.

In the distance, there seemed to be a faint, muffled rumbling, like thunder, or perhaps something else.

Ye Qing turned over, his breathing steady.

The space within his body operated silently, endlessly.