Over at mangaupates, an user called macoo left behind this great description of the novel:
“Xiuzhen Shijie (World of Cultivation) is the tale of a disgruntled young man and his quest to be the best farmer he can be, at least if it wasn’t for those annoying people keep getting in the way of his pursuit of agricultural excellence.
Will conspiring forces turn him into a sword cultivator, or will he manage to throw off the shackles of fate and grow he best darn crops in the sect? Those airheaded cultivators dream of too much nonsense and don’t know how to live properly, they need to get a real job to earn some jingshi for a living like a normal person!”
I think this is a better synopsis than both of my attempts.
Chapter Thirty Three The Spring Sprout Jade Medal
Dong Fu.
As one of the thirteen primary towns of Tian Yue Jie, all kinds of authorities were very developed. Even though Tian Yue Jie was governed by Kun Lun Jing, and it was primarily made up of sword sects, but the requirements of sword xiu to need all kinds of resources wasn’t small. So while the core disciples of all the sects cultivated the sword, they would still try very hard to attract other kinds of xiuzhe.
Different xiuzhe received different treatment. The same types of xiuzhe would also receive different treatment based on their cultivation. Due to this, the evaluations of all kinds of professions were extremely important. It would be a very difficult thing to get a sword xiu to determine the skill level of a ling plant farmer. For each xiuzhe, after being professionally licensed, they could quickly find a satisfactory job in every location.
All kinds of cultivators had their own authorities. The ling plant farmers had the Institute of Ling Plants, the beast speakers had the Institute of Beast Language.
“Congratulations, it’s very rare to see such a young ling plants farmer in Dong Fu. And you have comprehended the fourth level of [Little Art of Cloud and Rain], your future is limitless!” The ling plant farmer responsible for the exam smiled as he gave Zuo Mo a jade medal. Barely visible inside the medal was a small and tender sprout, five elements energy revolving around it.
The jade medals of a ling plant farmer were sorted into four levels. Spring sprout, summer flower, autumn fruit and winter hibernation. There were even finer distinctions at each level but those exams were extremely complicated. Many ling plant farmers only ever did the licensing for the four levels.
Zuo Mo joyfully took the jade medal. To get this jade medal, he really hadn’t wasted all his effort!
The ling plants farmer in Dong Fu only had the authority to give out spring sprout jade medals. To get a higher level jade medal, he needed to go to a more prosperous place. However, in the short term, Zuo Mo completely didn’t have to consider that problem. The levelling up of ling plants farmers was extremely hard. The summer flower jade medal required all five kinds of spells to reach the fifth level. Other than that, they needed to know how to create ling fields above the fourth grade.
After giving thanks to the elder, Zuo Mo decided to leave the institute. Just as he came out of the Institute of Ling Plants, numerous people instantly circled around.
“Mister Zuo, our sect desperately needs a ling plant farmer, is Mister Zuo willing … …”
“Don’t listen to him, he’s only a small sect, can’t give good benefits. Our sect is much more prosperous, you can ask for all the benefits you … …”
“If you are willing to come to our sect… …”
……
The explosions of sound caused Zuo Mo’s head to turn to a mess.
Just at this time, a deep voice suddenly interrupted: “Sorry, excuse me. Everyone, don’t block my shizhi [1]. Sorry, please make way.” The voice wasn’t loud but everyone heard it clearly. A hidden presence spread and the crowd naturally made way. Just this cultivation was enough to make everyone stop talking.
Seeing the smiling fat person not far away, Zuo Mo’s heart jumped and he hurriedly went up to bow: “Third Shishu!” And then bowed to Li Ying Feng behind Yan Le: “Shijie!”
The smile on Yan Le’s face was harmonious and affable. He patted Zuo Mo’s shoulder: “Not bad, not bad. Didn’t think a ling plant farmer could come out of our sect. The sect leader will be ecstatic. If it wasn’t that I had something to do in Dong Fu, I’m afraid I wouldn’t even know.”
At this time, Li Ying Feng added: “When Shidi went weeding a short while ago, I knew that our sect would soon have a ling plant farmer. But I didn’t think Shidi would be this fast. Shidi, congratulations!”
“Just a fluke, fluke!” Facing Yan Le Shishu, Zuo Mo was extremely nervous. A great monster was still living in his head.
If Shishu found out … …
He barely kept his composure, his mouth going: “My luck was good recently. Originally, even I thought it would take longer.”
“This clearly says that our sect is soon to rise!” The smile on Yan Le’s face became energetic: “Let’s go, today is a happy occasion. Pick whatever you like, it would be Shishu’s gift to you.”
Li Ying Feng smiled from the side, adding: “Yeah, Shidi made this such an unexpected attack, as a shijie, I didn’t even have time to prepare a present.”
“No, no, Shijie is too polite.” Zuo Mo furiously waved his hand. Standing beside Third Shishu, he was extremely nervous and didn’t dare to even breathe heavily.
But Third Shishu started to talk and pull him at the same time.
Of the wealthiest in the sect, Third Shishu would be the wealthiest. Third Shishu had managed all the assets of the sect for many years and accumulated much wealth. Based on what could be seen now, Yan Le shishu seemed to want to nurture Li Ying Feng shijie into his successor. Zuo Mo felt this was pretty good. Li Ying Feng shijie was straightforward and honest, knew how to conduct herself and had a pretty good relationship with him.
The store that Third Shishu took him to was naturally much higher class than what he normally shopped at. All kinds of talismans dazzled his eyes, a veritable feast.
What he picked most of was jade sticks. For him, the jade sticks that recorded all kinds of scriptures and spells were what he needed the most.
Yan Le also noticed it and his attitude towards Zuo Mo became even more amiable. The fact that Zuo Mo would get the spring sprout jade medal before he entered zhuji was proof of his exceptional talents. After getting the jade medal, he wasn’t greedy and lived it up. What he picked the most were still jade sticks, that meant that he had strong motivations to keep going.
A young disciple that had both of those points, even if they didn’t have good opportunities, they would definitely reach a pretty good height.
There wasn’t an elder that didn’t like this kind of disciples, especially Yan Le who was used to the mediocrity of the disciples in the sect. He knew that there hadn’t been any attention paid to this disciple in the past. If he didn’t rope him in now, then he would be too stupid. Today, he had been coincidentally been at Dong Fu to take care of matters. Hearing that someone had received a jade medal, he had come over to see if he could attract them and hadn’t thought it would be a disciple of his sect.
He couldn’t help picking out a pile of talismans that Zuo Mo could have a use for.
At the side, Li Ying Feng also recognized that even though her zombie shidi hadn’t entered zhuji, but in reality, he had already become one of the core disciples.
Maybe in the Wu Kong Sword Sect of the future, Wei Sheng Shixiong would be in charge of fighting, Zuo Mo Shidi of internal matters, and she would take over her master’s role and be responsible for external matters. Especially since no one could replace her and Zuo Mo in their roles. Looking at it now, Luo Li Shixiong was unable to threaten Wei Sheng Shixiong’s position. Also, Wei Sheng Shixiong’s relationship with Zuo Mo Shidi was extremely good. For the elders, they were naturally happy to see everyone cooperating.
Li Ying Feng, who sorted out her thoughts, was also generous and gave two talismans to Zuo Mo.
Zuo Mo’s mind was completely blown. Holding a pile of talismans and jade sticks, his awareness was dizzy. Any item that he was holding now, in the past, was something he dreamed about. Now he was holding a pile in his hands.
The affable smile on Shishu’s face made him think of a previous life. In the past two years, after the first time he met the sect leader when he woke up, he had never spoken to another shishu after that.
And all of this, it was only because he received a jade medal.
The grey beaked goose flew steadily, it’s back broad and soft. It was very comfortable sitting on the top, nothing that Zuo Mo’s impotent flying paper crane could compare to.
“Little Mo doesn’t have a steed yet.” Yan Le said and turned to order Li Ying Feng: “I remember there are still a few more grey beaked geese, send one to Little Mo. Tell the people below to send over ling grass as necessary.”
“Yes.” Li Ying Feng noted it down.
Zuo Mo thought to himself, their sect does have some wealth.
When the three reached the gates of the mountain, the outer sect disciples had already lined up at the gates to welcome them. It was evident that the sect leader had already known of the news that he had received a jade medal.
Their gazes as they looked at him were extremely complicated. Jealousy, admiration, dissatisfaction……
Just a day ago, everyone was the same outer sect disciples. Today, they needed to come out to welcome him. Not many people had been surprised that Wei Sheng shixiong would become an inner sect disciple since he had been the first among the outer sect disciples and established a powerful image in their hearts.
But among them, Zuo Mo hadn’t been exceptional. Other than his [Little Art of Cloud and Rain] and that face that never had an expression, there were very few places which he had that people would remember.
Some of the people had caution and fear in their eyes as they looked at Zuo Mo. They had once bullied Zuo Mo and was afraid he was going to get back at them now. Even the most stupid knew that it was certain that Zuo Mo was going to become an inner sect disciple.
Seeing the looks of these people, Zuo Mo’s heart wasn’t comfortable either but felt slightly relieved. He had finally left this group, that meant that he had made progress. For him, any kind of progress right now was incredibly valuable and he didn’t care about the looks of the other outer sect disciples.
The grey beaked goose didn’t slow down but followed the mountain path past the outer sect disciples respectfully standing as it climbed.
Wu Kong Hall was the discussion place of Wu Kong Sword Sect. Many of the main matters of the sect were held here. When Zuo Mo and the others arrived, the sect leader and the other shishu were already waiting in Wu Kong Hall, faint expressions of joy on their faces.
The fact that someone from the sect could qualify for a spring sprout jade medal was definitely an unexpected delight. And such a young disciple, his future would be limitless. First there was Wei Sheng who had such outstanding talent and now there was a disciple in lianqi that could receive a medal. They were completely bowled over by joy!
Facing so many of the shishu for the first time, Zuo Mo couldn’t help but be nervous. Xin Yan Shishu’s pair of cold eyes made him feel there was a blade behind his back, his entire body frozen.
Please ……please……Pu Yao don’t make a fuss now!
Just as he was nervous, the sect leader Pei Yuan Ran opened: “At the beginning when I picked you up, I didn’t have too many expectations for you, and didn’t give much care. To be able to achieve all this, it is all your own efforts and extremely rare. To not give up in such a hopeless situation, swimming against the current, very good! In our sect, whatever strength you have determines the level of treatment. You showed your potential and so the sect will treat you better, do not have hate.”
Pei Yuan Ran was very straightforward. The bits of hate in Zuo Mo’s heart had dissipated much upon hearing the sect leader’s words.
“This disciple doesn’t dare.” He said with his head lowered.
Pei Yuan Ran nodded his head and his voice became warmer: “Now that you have a jade medal, you are the only ling plant farmer in our sect. The treatment in the past is naturally not appropriate for you. I heard your Fourth Shigu say that you are responsible for the medicine fields of Cold Mist Valley now. This will depend now on whether you have the interest. From this day onwards, you are formally one of the inner sect disciples of our sect. You will receive the same allowance of jingshi as your other shixiong. Other than that, our sect’s West Wind Valley has a patch of empty third grade ling fields, that will be given to you. The ling energy is thick in the valley, you could move to live inside the valley and try to enter zhuji earlier. If you need anything, you can ask your Third Shishu. As to the ling fields inside the valley, you can plant whatever you want. We will not interfere. You can also use the other empty ling fields in the sect, but at the end you need to give three tenths to the sect.”
Zuo Mo’s eyes widened, his gaze stupified. He felt that he was going to faint—the sect leader was giving an entire mountain valley to him!
[1]师侄: refers to disciple of a younger generation, 侄 means nephew