Chapter 7 – Learning How to Make it Rain

Ren had come up with ideas for his next batch of spirit herbs and vegetables. If spirit plants were planted close together, they would deprive each other of qi. They also had individual requirements of the nature of qi and many other factors.

The sunseeker seed would best grow in areas of yang nature with plenty of sunlight and warmth. That was easy enough to provide. However the ghostvine needed shade, support to grow on and plenty of moisture. The book also had informed him that yin qi of death was particularly good for it. Spirit beasts carcasses were best but how could he afford them just to bury them? He could maybe raise chickens and butcher them in a particular area before cooking them?

Ren shook his head. He may not be an arrogant young master, but even the little pride he had left didn’t allow him to raise and care for chickens. Ren smiled ruefully. He was becoming more and more like a mortal farmer. If his mother could see him now, she’d cry. He decided he would just buy them.

At home he decided to plant two of each. The sunseeker ones were planted at the center of the qi gathering formation where the grass swords had grown. As for the ghostvines, he planted them at the back of the hut near the compound wall, where there was very little sun and the spring that brought water was close. As for the last seed of each type, he decided to experiment. Since even one success out of 4 would help him recuperate his losses and two would make it profitable, he decided to take a chance trying something he had read about.

Qi followed the wuxing cycle of elements, where water nurtured wood, which in turn nurtured fire. Since some of the spirit vegetables he had bought were wood attribute, he would plant them as an intermediary. They would be nurtured by the ghostvine and would themselves nurture the sunseeker. He found an area near the edge of the courtyard and planted them perpendicular to the sunseeker, furthest away from the wall.

Then he got to carving formations all around his new plants to gather qi and protect them. Though Ren liked his fellow disciples for the most part, he didn’t want to tempt anyone into thieving from him. By the end he was covered in dirt and stiff.

One refreshing but cold bath later, he began to cultivate. Since he was so tired, he wondered if he would make it all the way to the end of the large round of stances, but towards the end he thought it was slightly easier and managed to complete it. He sighed in relief as he felt the gathered wisps of qi settling in his dantian. Completing a large round was more effective than stopping just short.

The next morning after cultivating and tending to his new crops, he went to inquire about ways to spend his contribution points. He didn’t want to spend them on items because they could break or be taken away. One’s own strength was most important. He first went to the Hall of Scripture to see if he could find anything useful.

Standing before the numerous shelves with so many scrolls and tablets on them, Ren remembered the problem with having an abundance of choice. This time, however, not being under the pressure of selecting the right cultivation method did make it easier. He first walked the shelves trying to understand how they were sorted. They weren’t sorted by element, use, or technique.

Not being able to read them made it harder; only a brief introduction was available without first purchasing them using contribution points. It seemed to be random. Uncountable disciples coming in, reading the introduction, and then randomly placing them anywhere had completely ruined any organization it once may have had. The elder lazily reading at the entrance might have been to blame for the lack of oversight.

As Ren spent a few more hours there, he noticed that some bookshelves had more of one type or another. That might have been the original system. He started to get a feel for things. Walking another area, he felt he was onto something. They were first sorted by element, as bookshelves close to each other were mostly of the same type.

He walked to the miserly elder at the desk and asked about it.

“Greetings, senior, I was looking for any techniques that help in nurturing plants. How do I find them?”

“Fate and luck. Now don’t bother me and go look for yourself.” He said gruffly, waving him away.

Ren held back his annoyance at the flippant answer and walked away before he got in trouble for being rude. Most of these elders should be in the foundation establishment realm and could flatten him with a thought. He couldn’t wait to be that strong. He promised himself if he was in such a situation, he would treat his juniors better.

After a few more hours, he finally encountered a shelf that had more plant-related scrolls. Many were completely out of his budget, costing over 300-800 contribution points. They had impressive-sounding names like the Empyrean Root Heaven Trunk Scripture or Mystic Rain of Azure Heavens. The brief descriptions were shocking too. Claiming to nurture spirit plants of higher realms than your own, to the highest quality and usable at any realm. It could even be customized to specific attributes?

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Ren was doubtful. ‘Why were such costly scrolls on the first floor? Which qi gathering realm disciple even had that many points? And how could they be usable at higher realms? Shouldn’t they be on the second floor or above? Had someone brought it down by mistake?’ Without being able to read more, there were no answers to his questions. He moved on.