After binding with a genius, I became an immortal by exploiting loopholes.

The next day, Lu Qingchen went to Shen Yao's spirit field.

Shen Yao's fields are on the north side of Cuiping Peak. He had been there once before and remembered the way.

Cuiping Peak is shorter than Panlong Peak, and the mountain is also covered with spiritual plants, appearing lush and green from afar.

When they arrived at the edge of the field, Shen Yao was squatting down, loosening the soil around the spiritual herbs.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up and saw Lu Qingchen. She stood up and patted the mud off her hands.

"Junior Brother Lu? What brings you here?"

"Let's say goodbye to my senior sister."

Lu Qingchen stood on the edge of the field. "I'm going to Qingmu Village in a few days. It's an assignment."

Shen Yao was taken aback: "Qingmu Manor? You passed that selection?"

"Passed."

Shen Yao was silent for a moment, then nodded: "You're doing well. You've only just become a spirit plant grower and you're already being sent abroad. You're much better than me back then."

"I worked odd jobs at the Spirit Plant Hall for two years before I finally got a decent piece of spirit field."

Lu Qingchen smiled and said, "It's all thanks to Elder Sun, and also because we're lucky."

"Luck is also a part of strength."

Shen Yao wiped the sweat from her forehead, a mud streak sliding down her cheek, making her fair face stand out even more.

She suddenly changed the subject: "By the way, has the matter of your report been investigated?"

"The investigation has been completed, the test results are fine, and I have been cleared of any wrongdoing," Lu Qingchen said.

Shen Yao nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then lowered her voice: "I heard that the person who reported you was Zhang Hongyi."

Lu Qingchen was stunned for a moment.

Zhang Hongyi—that's the senior brother Zhang who always had a smile on his face and even brought him tea to comfort him after the incident.

"Are you sure it's him?" he asked.

"Sure."

Shen Yao said, "Zhou Ping told me that he had inquired about it. When Zhang Hongyi went to see the elder, he insisted that you had used illegal elixirs, and he made it sound very convincing."

Lu Qingchen remained silent for a while, unable to describe the feeling in his heart.

Was it unexpected? Actually, it wasn't that unexpected.

There are only a few people in total, and the most suspicious ones are just a few of them.

What he didn't expect was that this person could stab him in the back while still serving him tea and water without batting an eye.

"He reported me, and then he acted like nothing happened and comforted me."

Lu Qingchen said calmly, "You've got quite the thick skin."

Shen Yao snorted: "I've seen plenty of people like him. They're two-faced. You should stay away from him in the future."

"I know."

Ending the topic, Shen Yao took out a jade slip from her sleeve and handed it to Lu Qingchen: "These are some insights I've accumulated over the years about spiritual plants. They're not anything profound, but there are some little tricks that you can't learn from books. Take a look, use them if you need them, and throw them away if you don't."

"Take a look at it. Use it if you need it, and throw it away if you don't."

Lu Qingchen accepted the jade slip and bowed solemnly: "Thank you, Senior Sister."

Shen Yao waved her hand: "Don't thank me. I still have the spirit rice plant you gave me. By the time you come back, it might have multiplied into a large patch."

Lu Qingchen smiled, bowed again, and turned to leave.

After walking quite a distance, he looked back and saw that Shen Yao had already squatted down again and continued to loosen the soil around the spirit herbs.

The sunlight shone on her, casting a long shadow. She didn't look up, but simply waved her hand, as if to say, "Let's go, let's go."

Lu Qingchen turned and left Cuiping Peak, then went to the Spirit Plant Hall to find Zhou Ping.

Zhou Ping was organizing booklets behind the counter to facilitate the handover. Seeing him come in, he looked up and asked, "You're here? Is everything packed?"

"That's about it."

Lu Qingchen walked over. "Senior Brother Zhou, which manor did you go to?"

"Cuiping Manor".

Zhou Ping said, "It's not too far from your Qingmu Village. You can visit me when you have time."

Lu Qingchen smiled and said, "That's good, it's good to have an acquaintance nearby."

Zhou Ping sighed: "I've been farming for years and finally managed to get an overseas assignment, but you got one in less than a month."

Lu Qingchen smiled and said, "With Elder Sun's help, I wouldn't have had this opportunity."

Zhou Ping nodded: "Old Sun is indeed good to you, but then again, if you don't have real skills, Old Sun won't help you. Work hard and don't let him down."

"Mm," Lu Qingchen replied.

Zhou Ping suddenly lowered his voice: "By the way, do you know who reported you?"

Lu Qingchen shook his head: "Senior Sister Shen already said it was Zhang Hongyi."

"Yes, that's him! I never expected this. You must stay away from him in the future, and don't be fooled by his harmless appearance."

"Don't worry, I understand all of this."

Lu Qingchen nodded.

After chatting for a few more minutes, Lu Qingchen took his leave.

......

That evening, Lu Qingchen reorganized his things.

A few changes of clothes, the book "Basic Theory of Spiritual Plants", the manual given by Elder Sun, the jade slip given by Shen Yao, the seeds left over from the previous season's spiritual rice, as well as the newly received spiritual plant cultivation token and the token of the deputy hall master's registered disciple.

He packed the items one by one into the cloth bag, then weighed the bag in his hand. It wasn't heavy; it was just right to carry on his shoulder.

He took one last look at the little house where he had lived for several months.

The bed has been made clean, the table has been wiped, and the potted seven-star grass on the windowsill is still there, its leaves lush and green, and the new shoots at the tips have grown into small leaves.

This was a gift from Old Sun to him, who said, "Since you're the one who raised him, keep it."

Lu Qingchen thought for a moment and decided not to take it with him, but to leave it on the windowsill.

When I come back later, it might have grown into a whole pot.

Tomorrow, he will be going to Qingmu Village.

I closed my eyes, my mind replaying the events at Aoki-sou.

Is the estate owner easy to get along with? How are the spirit fields? Are the tenant farmers obedient? Is there enough spiritual energy over there for cultivation?

After thinking for a while, he simply stopped thinking about it.

There's always a way out; we'll figure it out when we get there.

He turned over and gradually became sleepy.

......

The next morning, Lu Qingchen was awakened by a knock on the door.

"Junior Brother Lu, are you up yet? It's time to go."

It was Zhou Ping's voice.

Lu Qingchen quickly got up, dressed in a few quick movements, slung the cloth bag he had packed the night before over his shoulder, and pushed open the door.

Five people were standing outside the door, four of whom were spirit plant growers who had passed the assessment and were being sent out.

Standing beside him was a middle-aged cultivator, dressed in the gray robes of a deacon of the Spirit Plant Hall, with an expressionless face.

"This is Steward Liu, who is responsible for taking us to the spirit manor."

Zhou Ping explained.

Lu Qingchen cupped his hands in greeting: "Steward Liu."

Deacon Liu nodded, glanced at the five people, said nothing, and turned to leave.

The five people followed behind, crossed the stone bridge over Mingfa Peak, and headed south towards the carriage and horse yard.

The carriage and horse yard is located at the foot of Yuxin Peak. It is an open space with several carriages made of spirit wood parked on the side.

The cart was not pulled by ordinary horses, but by a low-ranking spirit beast called "Blue Mule," which was larger than a regular horse, with a bluish-gray coat and powerful hooves. It was said to be able to travel a thousand miles a day without getting tired.