Creating a paradise in an ant nest

Chapter 100 Old Friends Reunited, Times Have Changed

A few days later, the selection of miscellaneous disciples for Lingzhi Peak was completed.

early morning.

Next to the Centennial Spruce, is the place where Commander Fu's men usually hold their morning meetings.

Because of the many things that have happened at Lingmu Garden recently, first the Pang Qing incident, and then the Lingzhi Peak selection, no new inner disciples have been sent to manage everyone yet.

Liu He heard that Steward Qi Wei would be sending an inner disciple today.

Qi Wei, a Foundation Establishment stage steward of Lingmu Garden, replaced Pang Qing in his previous position and took charge of the inner and outer disciples under him.

When Liu He arrived, he saw a crowd surrounding Huang Shideng, offering their congratulations.

Congratulations, Senior Brother Huang!

"Senior Brother Huang has successfully broken through to the late stage of Qi Refining, and he's not far from Foundation Establishment."

"What are Senior Brother Huang's plans? Will he stay at the Spirit Wood Garden?"

Just two days ago, Huang Shideng successfully broke through the bottleneck and advanced to the seventh level of Qi Refining.

In fact, he was stuck at the bottleneck of the sixth level of Qi Refining for three months, and only managed to break through with the help of a "Mist-Transforming Pill".

"I plan to rent three acres of spiritual land in the flower and grass garden, and I will no longer stay in the spiritual wood garden."

Huang Shideng already had somewhere to go; he had come to say goodbye to everyone.

Should I rent a burial plot at a flower and plant garden?

Everyone looked on with envy: "I heard that renting spiritual land in the flower and herb garden is extremely profitable, with one acre of spiritual land earning three to five hundred spirit stones a year."

"Senior Brother Huang, how many spirit stones does it cost to rent one acre of spiritual land in the flower and herb garden?"

Someone asked out of curiosity.

Huang Shideng truthfully said, "The price for renting one mu of spirit land per year has now risen to 220 spirit stones, and the returns are not as high as you imagine."

The advantage is that the more you work, the more you earn; if you're diligent, you can earn quite a few spirit stones.

Liu He had heard about the "renting of spiritual land" model for flower gardens before.

Among the four gardens of Lingzhi Peak, the Flower and Grass Garden is recognized as the number one garden precisely because it is "rented spiritual land".

The sacred ground of the flower garden is divided into two parts.

Like the Spirit Wood Garden, some of them are managed by the sect, which dispatches inner and outer disciples as well as miscellaneous disciples to care for and cultivate them, and provides the disciples with a monthly stipend of spirit stones.

The other part is rented to disciples, who then pay a fee in spirit stones.

The spiritual plants harvested from the sacred land are the disciples' benefit.

It's actually quite easy to understand. One is working for the sect, and the other is working for oneself, similar to "contracting" or "being a sole proprietor".

The reason for this distinction is to stimulate the disciples' autonomy and initiative.

For example, Liu He, when he is guarding the forest area in the Spirit Tree Garden, will only ensure that the spirit trees will not suffer from pest damage. He certainly will not go to great lengths to use the "Green Soil Root Cultivation Technique" that consumes his own spiritual energy to benefit the spirit trees in the forest area.

A cultivator's spells greatly benefit spiritual plants, and this is especially true for those with higher cultivation levels.

The Green Soil Root Cultivation Technique is a mid-stage Qi Refining spell; casting it once can accelerate the growth of spiritual plants by one day.

In the later stages of Qi Refining, there is a spell called "Green Grass Growth Promotion Technique," which can help spiritual plants grow for ten days with a single cast!

In other words, if a cultivator in the late stage of Qi Refining takes good care of spiritual plants, their growth rate can be increased tenfold.

The same acre of spiritual land planted with spiritual flowers and herbs can yield vastly different returns depending on the cultivator's level of dedication.

In this way, renting the spiritual land to the disciples is the best business model, which increases the gains of both the sect and the disciples, resulting in a win-win situation.

A normal acre of spiritual land, relying on the natural growth of spiritual plants without the application of magic, can yield at most seventy or eighty spirit stones per year, definitely less than one hundred spirit stones.

The rent per acre is as high as 220 spirit stones!

Even with such high rent, the disciples can still make a profit, and the returns are much higher than in the Spirit Wood Garden.

When Huang Shideng broke through to the seventh level of Qi Refining, Qi Wei discussed with him and asked him to take over Fu Shuai's job and manage these outer sect and miscellaneous disciples.

As an inner disciple, the monthly salary is thirty spirit stones, and with the occasional welfare and rewards, the annual income can reach four hundred spirit stones.

However, he rented three acres of spiritual land in the flower and grass garden, and his annual income was much higher than four hundred spirit stones.

Of course, both options have their advantages and disadvantages.

In the Spirit Tree Garden, he wouldn't need to painstakingly care for the spirit plants, making his life much easier and giving him ample time for cultivation. Furthermore, he would enjoy some hidden benefits that come with power.

In the flower garden, his income depends entirely on the harvest from the spiritual land. He has to spend a lot of time every day casting spells to nourish the spiritual plants and restore their spiritual energy, which inevitably delays his cultivation progress.

He chose to go to the flower garden because he remembered how he had lived in constant fear and unease while following Commander Fu. Earning spirit stones on his own in the flower garden would give him peace of mind.

Liu He knew that renting a sacred site in the flower garden was very profitable, but he couldn't go there now.

Because renting a spiritual plot in the flower garden requires that the person be at least an inner disciple in the late stage of Qi Refining.

Most of the inner disciples of the entire Spirit Plant Peak rent spiritual land in the Flower and Herb Garden.

Many Foundation Establishment deacons even rented spiritual land in the Flower and Grass Garden.

"Senior Brother Huang, if you're going to the flower and herb garden, what about the forest area of ​​your spirit wood garden?"

"I don't know the specifics, but the sect will probably send a newcomer who just passed the selection at the Spirit Plant Peak."

Huang Shideng said.

Just then, Qi Wei flew in from a distance with one person.

The two landed in front of the crowd.

The crowd immediately fell silent and bowed.

"Greetings, Steward Qi~"

Qi Wei nodded slightly in response, then introduced the person behind him: "This is Jiao Yuechuan, a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator. I specially brought him from the flower garden..."

They invited him.

This Jiao Yuechuan looked to be about fifty or sixty years old, with gray hair, a slightly plump body, a kind and amiable face, and eyes that were narrowed into slits with a smile.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Jiao."

Everyone bowed to the new boss.

Jiao Yuechuan smiled and waved his hand: "Everyone, please don't stand on ceremony."

I am new here and unfamiliar with everything at your Spiritwood Garden. If I make any mistakes, please feel free to speak up and point them out.

Everyone should work together to protect the forest area.

After listening to him finish speaking, Qi Wei added, "Brother Yuechuan is a senior member of our sect, and he is over 110 years old this year. You should treat him with the utmost respect and not overstep your bounds."

You will remember all his guidance and benefit greatly from it.

Over 110 years old?

Everyone was surprised.

Although cultivators often appear young, Jiao Yuechuan looked to be in his fifties or sixties, so everyone estimated he was at most eighty.

To think that he was 110 years old.

What's even more surprising is that Qi Wei addresses him as "Brother Yuechuan".

Jiao Yuechuan quickly replied, "No, no, Steward Qi, just call me Yuechuan."

"Brother Yuechuan, this is a personal relationship between us, not a matter of seniority based on cultivation level within a sect."

Qi Wei is younger than Jiao Yuechuan.

When Qi Wei first arrived at the Flower Garden after advancing to the seventh level of Qi Refining, Jiao Yuechuan, who was at the eighth level of Qi Refining, took good care of him and helped him a great deal on several occasions, thus incurring his gratitude.

Later, Qi Wei reached the eighth level of Qi Refining, while Jiao Yuechuan remained at the eighth level of Qi Refining.

Qi Wei is at the ninth level of Qi Refining, while Jiao Yuechuan is still at the eighth level.

Just as Jiao Yuechuan finally reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, Qi Wei established his foundation.

Qi Wei, mindful of the kindness Jiao Yuechuan had shown him and the familiarity they shared, felt embarrassed to treat Jiao Yuechuan as a junior and instead addressed him as "Brother Yuechuan" according to his age, treating him like a brother.

"this----"

Jiao Yuechuan was slightly embarrassed, since he was already quite old and still only at the ninth level of Qi Refining, while several of his junior brothers and sisters had already reached the Foundation Establishment stage back then.

He appears so young because he possesses a spiritual gift: immortality.

He was overjoyed when he first awakened this spiritual talent, and everyone envied him. This spiritual body had no other effects, except for one: it allowed him to live longer than cultivators of the same realm.

Other Qi Refining cultivators live to be at most 120 years old, but he can live to be 150.

But later, he discovered that this spiritual talent was somewhat useless, offering no benefit to cultivation. His contemporaries, relying on their spiritual talents and average spiritual roots, advanced their cultivation much faster than him.

It took him ten years to advance from a menial disciple to an outer disciple, and another twenty years to advance to an inner disciple, just in time for the deadline set by the sect.

He is now at the ninth level of Qi Refining, completely stuck at the bottleneck, and unable to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Seeing his predicament, Qi Wei also felt that it was inappropriate to address him like that in public.

"I address Brother Yuechuan as that in private, but in front of outsiders, let's follow the sect's rules."

He lowered his voice and whispered.

"That's excellent."

Jiao Yuechuan nodded. He was somewhat moved that Qi Wei, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, could still remember the kindness shown to him back then.

Then, Qi Wei's gaze swept over the crowd and stopped on Liu He.

He had a vivid memory of Liu He. Three years ago, when Liu He participated in the Lingzhi Peak selection, he was one of the on-site examiners for the practical test. He witnessed how Liu He used "insect-repelling magic" to overpower Meng Kaizhou.

"Liu He~~" he suddenly called out.

"Steward Qi, I'm here."

Liu He responded, unaware of what Qi Wei wanted to see him about.

"Is the forest area next to yours the one Huang Shideng is responsible for protecting?"

"Yes."

"Huang Shideng was going to the flower and grass garden, and his forest area was taken over by a handyman disciple who had just passed the selection process."

He's from the Outer Mountain Forest Farm, his name is Li Liangtian, he'll arrive this afternoon. Your Senior Brother Jiao just arrived and isn't familiar with the Spirit Wood Garden yet, so you'll be in charge of welcoming the new handyman junior brother.

Li Liangtian?!

Hearing that familiar name, Liu He was overjoyed. He knew that those people from the outer mountain forest farm, such as Li Liangtian and Zhou Kang, had all participated in the selection for Lingzhi Peak.

However, he didn't pay attention to the list of selected personnel and didn't know that Li Liangtian had passed the selection.

After a slight pause, he quickly replied loudly, "Yes, Deacon Qi. I guarantee I will take good care of this Junior Brother Li."

After explaining the matter, Qi Wei left Jiao Yuechuan and the others to get acquainted before leaving alone.

Huang Shideng saw no need to stay and also took his leave.

Jiao Yuechuan, on the other hand, was familiar with the various situations of his subordinates, including their cultivation levels, spiritual talents, and the forest areas they were responsible for.

in the afternoon.

Li Liangtian arrived at Lingzhi Peak with his brand-new identity jade token.

He had just changed his identity jade token that morning and learned that he had been assigned to Jiao Yuechuan's subordinate in Lingmu Garden.

"Where is it?"

Upon entering the Spirit Plant Peak, he groped his way to the Spirit Wood Garden.

"Isn't anyone going to pick me up?"

Just as he was about to inquire about Jiao Yuechuan, an inner disciple wearing a mid-grade Dharma robe floated towards him.

"Junior Brother Liangtian, it's been a long time! How have you been?"

Liu He greeted him with a big smile.

When he first arrived at Lingzhi Peak, he occasionally kept in touch with Li Liangtian, but since one was at Lingzhi Peak and the other was at an outer forest farm, their contact gradually decreased.

The last time the two met was a year ago. Li Liangtian was researching earth-based magic and had some questions, so he went to Lingzhi Peak to ask Liu He for advice.

Liu He naturally shared everything he knew and provided Li Liangtian with a great deal of help.

"Senior Brother Liu He!"

When Li Liangtian saw Liu He, his face lit up with joy: "When I was assigned to Lingmu Garden, I wondered if I would be assigned to the same place as you. I never expected this—it's fate, this is fate."

"Not only were we assigned to the same place, but we're also neighbors."

After several years, they are now back to looking after the neighboring forest area.

"Come on, I'll take you there and tell you all about the benefits and rules of the Spirit Wood Garden. By the way, was there anyone named Ma Guanming among those selected through the menial disciple selection this time?"

Liu He thought of Ma Guanming, who was also participating in the selection.

Ma Guanming?

Li Liangtian carefully reviewed the list of selected menial disciples and shook his head, saying, "There's no such person. Is he your friend?"

"Hmm, it's a pity his talent is lacking. There must have been quite a few people participating in the selection of menial disciples this time. You don't have spiritual roots or spiritual body talent, so it's really not easy for you to pass the selection."

"I was lucky. This time, the Spirit Plant Peak had more spots for outer disciples and miscellaneous disciples than before, which is why I was selected. Otherwise, I definitely wouldn't have had a chance."

What Li Liangtian said is true, but he was not only lucky; he also had excellent aptitude.

He himself guarded the trees in the outer mountain forest farm, majoring in wood-based magic and minoring in earth and water-based magic, all of which were spiritual plant-based spells. He was diligent and down-to-earth, and had a solid foundation.

Having been a member of the sect for six years, and disregarding those with average spiritual roots or spiritual talents, he was already quite outstanding among the menial disciples in the outer mountain forest farm.

Moreover, he possesses a talent that is not considered a natural spiritual body: his absorption efficiency of spiritual pills is much higher than that of other cultivators.

He reached the third level of Qi Refining two years ago, making him one of the best among those with inferior spiritual roots. Apart from "outliers" like Liu He and Meng Kaizhou, he was the fastest to break through to the third level of Qi Refining.

He must be no ordinary person to have passed the selection process at the Spirit Plant Peak.

"Do you still remember Senior Brother Wu? He passed the selection for outer disciples of Spirit Plant Peak and was assigned to the Grain Garden."

The two chatted idly.

"Senior Brother Wu? Our superior from when we were at the outer mountain forest farm, Senior Brother Wu Shao?"

Liu He definitely remembers him.

"Yes, Senior Brother Wu broke through to the sixth level of Qi Refining half a year ago. He was also selected as an outer disciple of Spirit Plant Peak this time."

"When we arrived at the sect, he was at the fifth level of Qi Refining. After all these years, he should be at the sixth level of Qi Refining."

Six years have passed, and everyone else's cultivation has improved, some faster and some slower.

"Any other situations?"

Liu He asked casually.

Li Liangtian thought for a moment, then suddenly thought of someone: "You still remember Senior Brother Liang Jin, who is in charge of all the outer sect and miscellaneous disciples in the outer mountain forest farm, right?"

Liang Jin, an inner disciple at the ninth level of Qi Refining, is Wu Shao's superior.

"Hmm, he's reached the Foundation Establishment stage?"

Liu He thought he had broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

"No, he died more than half a year ago. He died of old age before he could reach the Foundation Establishment stage."

At this point, Li Liangtian added with emotion, "I heard that his family members have long since passed away. After his death, his remains were burned to ashes by a spiritual fire and stored in the sect's memorial hall."

'

Liu He sighed inwardly, realizing how much time had changed.

The two chatted about the people and events of the past, and how everyone had changed.

As they arrived at the forest area, Liu He introduced it to Li Liangtian.

"This is your 20-acre forest area. You must guard it day and night to ensure that nothing goes wrong."

If you need to leave the sect, you must ask for leave. If you are not leaving the sect, just let me know if you are going to the sect market or the cultivation technique pavilion, and I will take care of you.

This wooden cabin in the middle of the forest will be your living quarters. You can decorate it as you like, but you can't change its size.

That wooden house was the one Huang Shideng used to live in.

"There's another perk: as a newly joined disciple of Spirit Plant Peak, you can receive a spirit herb seedling from the flower and herb garden. The True Tiger Red Hemp Grass next to my wooden hut was the one I received back then."

"The rules of Spirit Plant Peak forbid the cultivation of spirit plants without authorization."

Liu He had a lot of things to tell him.