After circulating his Spiritual Qi for several cycles and replenishing it, he stood up, ready to return.
Emerging from the mine, the sky had already darkened; a whole day had passed just like that!
Upon returning to his dwelling, he ate some flatbreads, activated the warning formation at his door, and fell into a deep sleep. He had no Spirit Stones, his Cultivation efficiency was poor, and having been sick again, his body was very weak!
The next day, Si Qinghe rose early, spread the spiritual soil in the spiritual rice field, and cast the Spirit Rain Spell again, giving the spiritual rice a little rain to help the rice absorb Spiritual Qi better.
“Is that your Spirit Rain Spell?” The voice, which had been silent for a day, reappeared!
“Oh, by the way, do you have a name? How should I address you?”
Yesterday, he was busy digging spiritual soil and didn't pay him any mind!
“My name is Xuanji. You can call me whatever you like!”
The voice in his head was ancient and weary, not like that of a young person. Si Qinghe thought for a moment: “How about I call you Elder Xuan?”
“Anything is fine! What you just cast was merely a spell for making rain, right? The true Spirit Rain Spell gathers the Spiritual Qi from the air as well. Only rain with Spiritual Qi can be called Spirit Rain, and its effect on Spiritual Plants is maximized!”
Si Qinghe's heart stirred. If the rainwater also contained Spiritual Qi, it would certainly be better for the growth of crops, especially his spiritual rice field, which had a depleted Spiritual Vein below and was even more lacking in Spiritual Qi!
However, the Spirit Rain Spell he had learned could only condense water vapor and not Spiritual Qi! Elder Xuan sounded like an old relic; he must know many spells!
“Elder Xuan, do you know this kind of Spirit Rain Spell?” Si Qinghe's eyes sparkled.
“It's the most basic Five Elements Technique. This page of the Spiritual Plant Heavenly Book has it. I'll give you the content; you can learn it yourself!”
Elder Xuan seemed to lack strength, and his voice was somewhat weak, appearing very frail. Si Qinghe was a little worried about him.
“Is he too old? Could he be on the verge of dying?!”
Having an old person at home is like having a treasure. The journey of Cultivation has just begun; he can't die so early. He needs to find a way to nourish him!
“Elder Xuan, do you need anything to replenish yourself? I see your body is a bit weak!”
“Heh heh, it's rare for you, kid, to care about me. I need Spiritual Veins, or a large amount of Top-Grade Spirit Stones would also work!”
Si Qinghe felt a dizzy spell. He still owed someone two Low-Grade Spirit Stones and couldn't pay them back! You open your mouth and ask for a Spiritual Vein! And a large amount of Top-Grade Spirit Stones!
Are Top-Grade Spirit Stones something someone like me can even dream of? And a Spiritual Vein? Mountain ranges are everywhere, though!
Si Qinghe really wanted to kick him in the face!
“Your request is a bit high; it might be difficult!” Si Qinghe said weakly.
“If you master the Five Elements Spiritual Plant Technique, you won't have to worry about not earning Spirit Stones. Look at you, so unpromising!”
Elder Xuan was frustrated by his lack of ambition!
“Really? I can earn Spirit Stones?” Si Qinghe's interest was instantly piqued. What he lacked most right now were Spirit Stones!
“If you master the Five Elements Spiritual Plant Technique, you can plant Grade Six or Grade Seven Spiritual Plants at will. Don't tell me Grade Six or Grade Seven are everywhere. If that's the case, then consider that I never said this!”
“Grade Six or Grade Seven? You're joking! Grade Five Spiritual Plants are fought over at auctions!!!” Si Qinghe's vision blurred in waves. This was from excitement, his brain momentarily over-perfused with blood!
He quickly reached out his finger and firmly pinched his philtrum. After a sharp pain, his mind cleared a little!
“Is Spiritual Plant Cultivation so backward now? Do even Grade Five Spiritual Plants have to be fought over? Is the status of a Spiritual Plant Master high?”
“Status? Look at me; do I look like someone with status? Those who farm are only slightly better than Cultivation slaves!”
Si Qinghe's mouth was full of bitterness. A Spiritual Plant Master is someone who Cultivates spiritual rice and Spiritual Plants. Those who Cultivate Spirit Medicine are called Spirit Medicine Masters. Although there's only a one-word difference, their statuses are worlds apart!
A Spirit Medicine Master needs to be familiar with the habits of hundreds or thousands of common medicinal plants, must have the Aptitude of a medicinal boy, and at least three types of Five Elements Technique must reach the third layer.
Without talent or Opportunity, how many people can learn so much medicinal plant knowledge? Where can one learn at least three layers of the Five Elements Technique?
The Five Elements Technique Si Qinghe had learned before was given by the Sect for free, but these spells only had the first layer. The second and third layers needed to be bought or exchanged with Sect contribution points. As for anything above the third layer, forget it; he couldn't afford it!
Any Cultivation Technique, the first three layers are common and available everywhere; you can buy them with a few Spirit Stones. But once it reaches the fourth layer, it's not something ordinary people can afford to learn!
When the Five Elements Spiritual Plant Technique reaches the fourth layer or above, one is called a Spiritual Plant Master, and their status immediately changes. Within the Sect, Spiritual Plant Masters are treasured existences!
Magic Treasures, Cultivation Techniques, Spiritual Plants, Materials, and Medicinal Pills are all divided into nine grades, with the first three grades being Low Grade and the last three being High Grade, dividing the Cultivation world's Cultivation into three levels.
Resources below Grade Three are the most abundant, and low-level Cultivators are also the most numerous. Among the Cultivators in this realm, ninety percent are low-level Cultivators, and everyone dreams of transforming into a Dragon overnight and advancing to the ranks of Great Cultivators!
“Has Spiritual Plant Cultivation declined to such an extent?” Elder Xuan muttered, “Is it due to the depletion of Spiritual Qi?”
“Spiritual Qi depletion? My spiritual rice field is indeed depleted of Spiritual Qi!”
“With Spiritual Qi depletion, cultivating high-grade Spiritual Plants will be much more difficult. No wonder even Grade Five Spiritual Plants are fought over! Then there shouldn't be many top-tier Great Cultivators in this realm, right?”
Top-tier Great Cultivators? Si Qinghe had not yet reached that level. In his two years at Nine Heavens Talisman Palace, the highest Cultivation he had seen was an Outer Sect Elder in the Foundation Establishment Stage, and this Elder was so old he looked like he was about to die!
“Study hard! Learning it will at least earn you a living!” Elder Xuan ignored him after that.
In Si Qinghe's mind, an old, tattered page of scripture appeared, and it really was just one page!
This page wasn't even the first page; it just happened to be the Five Elements Technique page!
At the top was a general outline of the Five Elements Technique:
“「All forms of plant life, from the myriad of forms to the skeletal structures, are born from Chaos and imbued with spirit.
The Five Elements are not instruments of slaughter, but rather the pivotal mechanism for the rotation of the universe.
Wood governs sprouting, its nature lies in 'Guiding'—guiding the essence of the Earth Veins, connecting to the vital organs of all plants;
Fire governs pure flame, its nature lies in 'Transforming'—transforming decay into fertility, burning away impurities to create new life;
Earth governs nurturing, its nature lies in 'Concealing'—concealing the essences of all heavens, serving as a warm bed for spiritual seeds;
Metal governs sharpness and tenacity, its nature lies in 'Devouring'—devouring the firm barriers of all techniques, nurturing sharp edges in roots and bones;
Water governs flowing moisture, its nature lies in 'Tracing'—tracing the cycle of decay and prosperity, irrigating the circulation of Karma.
The Five Elements rotate like roots embracing the soil, and all Dao merge like branches reaching for the sky.
You must know: every blade of grass, every tree, possesses its own universe; every decay and every prosperity, all are cycles of time.」”
Below that were the Cultivation Techniques for the Five Elements Technique, and finally, a set of finger techniques.
Sharp Metal Skill, Azure Wood Skill, Spirit Rain Spell, Burning Wilderness Art, Earth Qi Skill—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, everything was there. Si Qinghe took a quick look. Several of these spells were very different from those given by the Sect. He wondered if they were truly better?
However, these several spells, at a glance, showed no distinction in levels. Could this be only the lowest layer of spells?
Si Qinghe's heart sank again!
Without subsequent Cultivation Techniques, how could he Cultivate to a high level?
“I'll try practicing this Spirit Rain Spell first to see if it's really better than the current one. I'll see what happens then! I've never heard of special finger techniques to accompany casting spells, but I can practice these finger techniques!”