Starting as a spiritual plant master, may I eventually become the master of all lands.

Four figures were moving about in the quiet woods.

A moment later, at the end of the woods, a clearing appeared.

The place was barren, and the further we went, the hotter it felt.

After walking several dozen more feet, the place was devoid of insects and beasts, and there was no vegetation. Only a few huge rocks, each as tall as a person, were scattered about.

It was a stark contrast to the scenery along the way.

Suddenly, the four figures stopped, staring intently ahead with serious expressions.

About twenty feet away, a crimson spiritual plant stood quietly.

This sacred plant is about five feet tall, with no leaves but a single flower, which is two feet in size.

The flower has dozens of petals, each like a tiny flame, unevenly surrounding the flower's center.

From a distance, it looked as if there was a torch stuck in the ground.

Wisps of fire elemental energy emanated from the land, making it exceptionally dry.

"That's it." Song Chuan's eyes lit up with joy as he pointed.

"What do you mean? Should we go there now?" Zhuang Xiuya asked.

"Heh heh! You three are really careless. I used earth magic to get into your cave and you didn't notice. Now there's someone else here, and you still haven't noticed?"

Song Chuan said in a strange tone.

"Heh! Senior brother, what are you up to? Your Qi Refining Level 8 is no match for your Qi Refining Level 7 spiritual sense!"

Zhuang Xiuya was startled and scolded Zhang Lao'e.

Old Zhang scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "Brother Song must have practiced a technique to enhance his spiritual sense."

"It's alright. Didn't you all affix concealment talismans? There are two people thirty-five feet to the east. Let's hide under this rock and see what they're up to."

The four found a large rock nearby, held their breath, and hid underneath it.

Sure enough, two people appeared from the east side shortly afterward.

One is at level eight of Qi Refining, and the other is at level seven of Qi Refining.

The two first surveyed their surroundings and, finding nothing amiss, began to discuss their plan.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, as a disciple of Teng Hua Valley, you should know how to harvest the Li Yan Flower, right?" said the person at the seventh level of Qi Refining.

The cultivator surnamed Shen shook his head: "Fellow Daoist Jiao, this is a third-tier Flame-Separating Flower. The two of us can't pick it. I have to go back and find other fellow disciples to help me."

Shen Zheng, Jiao Chuncheng!

So it was these two. Song Chuan sneered inwardly, thinking, "What a small world."

Five years later, both of them have advanced one level, but their qualifications don't seem to be very good.

Jiao Chuncheng then asked, "We two late-stage Qi Refining cultivators can't even harvest it? Why is that?" His tone carried a hint of doubt.

Shen Zheng glanced at him: "The flames of the third-tier Flame Flower are extremely powerful; even a trace of them will obliterate you. Unless we can control this flower, the two of us definitely can't manage it."

"Brother Shen asked his fellow disciples for help, and I can't even get a drop of soup. Alas, it seems I'm destined to never have this third-tier spiritual plant," Jiao Chuncheng said disappointedly.

"You stay here and wait for me to bring my fellow disciples. I'll talk to them and give you some compensation. After all, you helped me discover this flower, so you deserve some credit."

"Alright! Brother Shen, go ahead and do as you please. I'll keep watch here," Jiao Chuncheng nodded.

Shen Zheng quickly turned around, took out the Heaven-Pointing Vine, and ran away.

Jiao Chuncheng glanced at his retreating figure, his eyes flickering.

After Shen Zheng had walked for half an incense stick's time, Jiao Chuncheng struggled with his expression for a moment, then made a tough decision and strode towards Li Yanhua.

But just as he lifted his foot, two magical artifacts suddenly appeared from the side and headed straight for him.

He recognized them at a glance: one was the Five Elements Hoe from the Vine Flower Valley, and the other was the Spirit Spoon from the Long Spoon Sect—both were top-tier magical artifacts!

Jiao Chuncheng was terrified and hurriedly summoned a defensive magic artifact, frantically pouring in his magic power.

A ring of bright blue light quickly rose in front of him.

But his eyes were filled with despair, and he kept patting talismans onto his body.

A few breaths later, the Five Elements Hoe and the Long-Handled Spoon struck his defensive magic weapon, easily piercing through it.

"Fellow Daoist Jiao, how have you been? Do you still remember the Spring Sprout Order?"

Song Chuan appeared, smiling at him.

Jiao Chuncheng only had time to glance at Song Chuan before recognizing the man who had slipped away from him that day, the one holding the "Spring Sprout Token".

"It's you! Please... have mercy..."

Song Chuan watched coldly as he was struck by two top-tier magic artifacts, the talismans on them having no effect whatsoever.

His entire body was torn to pieces and exploded into several segments.

Seeing that Shen Zheng was about to go back to find help, and that Jiao Chuncheng was alone there, the four men, driven by greed, began to plot against him.

If he were to trigger the Flame Flower, that would not be a good thing.

Therefore, Song Chuan suggested that they simply kill him swiftly and decisively.

Before Shen Zheng returns with his men, the best course of action for the four of them is to quickly gather the Flame Flower.

Unexpectedly, this time Old Goose really listened to advice. The Spirit Spoon he usually used was a mid-level magic weapon, but he suddenly took out a top-level one.

The Long Spoon School's Spirit Spoon and the Vine Flower Valley's Five Elements Hoe are of different grades and each has its own unique uses.

The top-tier Divine Spoon is no less impressive than Song Chuan's Fire-Cultivating Hoe.

Jiao Chuncheng, a rogue cultivator, had no way of resisting the top-tier magical artifacts of these two major sects.

"Brother Song, are you really that highly regarded in Vine Flower Valley? You might not even have a top-tier Five Elements Hoe, or a Qi Refining Level 9, right? Quack!" Zhuang Xiuya exclaimed in amazement.

"I have a special mission, which is why I obtained such a valuable magical artifact. If I fail to complete the mission, I'll have to return it. Otherwise, would I risk coming to collect this Flame-Splitting Flower?"

Song Chuan shook his head and gave a bitter smile.

"Alright! Understood, Elder's task. Our Changshao Sect also has disciples like this, but luckily the three of us have our master protecting us, so we didn't get this kind of assignment, otherwise our lives would be in danger."

What they didn't know was that Song Chuan had taken on a task from not just one elder, but two elders.

If they knew this, the three of them would probably admire Song Chuan to the point of prostration.

"Isn't Fellow Daoist Zhang's Spirit Spoon also a top-tier magic artifact? You really have a great master!" Song Chuan said enviously.

Then, his expression turned serious: "Alright, we'll distribute the contents of this person's storage bag when we get back. Now, let's hurry up and harvest the Flame Flowers."

……

Dozens of miles away, Shen Zheng and a cultivator from Teng Hua Valley were hurrying along.

"Senior Brother Shen, Senior Brother Gu and Junior Brother Tan should be about 30 or 40 miles away from us. They are picking Blue Calyx Flowers and Green Spirit Grass."

"Go and call them. Put everything else aside for now; that's a third-tier Flame Flower."

If I'm not mistaken, an elder from the sect will surely send someone to search for this rare flower; we mustn't let someone else get there first.

"Those lone wolves are despicable; all they care about is the elders' mission."

"Hmph! Although they each have their strengths, they all risk their lives and don't end up well."

"Well, then again, aren't we risking our lives too?"

"How can that be the same? Don't you think about it? Is the chance of surviving a sect mission greater, or an elder mission?"

"Senior brother is right. I really wish time would pass faster. I've had enough of this Kongsang Mountain Range."

"Stop talking nonsense, just use the flying artifact, take some risks, and find them quickly."