The voice coming from the room was Li Ning's.
As soon as Li Ning finished speaking, a slightly hoarse voice echoed in the room:
“Recently, I received a message from the Sect saying that a Spirit Monster was roaming nearby and asked me to return to stand guard… Eh? Is that a new Disciple outside?”
As soon as the words fell, the door of the room opened, and an old man in a straw cloak walked out.
Seeing this, Chu Feng immediately understood that this person should be Jiang Mei, the Gardener of this medicine garden.
“Disciple Chu Feng, greets Master.”
Chu Feng bowed and simultaneously used his detection on Jiang Mei and Li Ning.
【Jiang Mei (Foundation Establishment First Level): 106 / 120 / 170】
【Li Ning (Lianqi Seventh Level): 36 / 110 / 150】
Chu Feng was not too surprised by Li Ning's data; if Li Ning had good Aptitude, he would have gone to the Outer Sect long ago, so why would he still be in the medicine garden in his thirties?
However, Chu Feng felt like complaining about this convenient Master, Jiang Mei.
“Only fourteen years of lifespan left?”
Chu Feng straightened up while quietly observing Jiang Mei's expression.
Jiang Mei glanced at Chu Feng, then looked at Li Ning and said:
“Call everyone over. It’s the first time Master and Disciples meet, so I should give them some small gifts.”
Li Ning nodded and told Chu Feng to call everyone.
A moment later, the four of them, Chu Feng included, gathered in Jiang Mei’s room.
This room was the largest among the several rooms in the medicine garden.
“I generally understand your situations. I have four items here: the Body Refining Cultivation Technique Nourishing Yuan Skill, the Spell Control Fire Spell, a blade technique, and the Cultivation Technique Qi Sea Sutra, which can be Cultivated to the Lianqi Ninth Level.”
“Each of you choose one.”
Jiang Mei looked at the four of them, Chu Feng included, and said.
As soon as he finished speaking, Ren Huanhuan immediately said:
“I choose Control Fire Spell!”
Chu Feng and Zhou Yang found Ren Huanhuan’s choice normal.
For Zhou Yang and Ren Huanhuan, among these three items, the Qi Sea Sutra was actually the least valuable.
However, for Chu Feng, the Qi Sea Sutra was the most valuable.
Thinking of this, Chu Feng was no longer in a hurry. Anyway, they were all his; they couldn't run away.
At this moment, Zhou Yang stepped forward and said:
“Master, I want the Qi Sea Sutra.”
Upon hearing this, Chu Feng was instantly dumbfounded.
No, buddy, you already have such an impressive background and such exaggerated talent, and you're still fixated on a Qi Refinement Stage Cultivation Technique?
Chu Feng felt a wave of speechlessness in his heart.
But there was no choice; that was the rule.
Jiang Mei glanced at Zhou Yang, then nodded, and with a wave of his hand, the four books on the table flew towards the four of them, Chu Feng included.
“Go back.”
Jiang Mei waved his hand, shooing them out.
After receiving the Cultivation Techniques, the three of them, Chu Feng included, left directly.
After Chu Feng and the others left, Jiang Mei told Li Ning to close the door, then said:
“That Zhou Yang comes from the Cang Yue Royal Family; he’s not an ordinary person. Moreover, he seems to have hidden his cultivation, so don’t be too harsh on him on a daily basis.”
“And that Ren Huanhuan, her elders also have some abilities. As long as it’s not a matter of principle, just turn a blind eye.”
“Tian Cai’s Aptitude is decent; he will go to the Outer Sect sooner or later, so there’s no need to bother too much.”
Jiang Mei sighed at this point. Places like the medicine garden had the least strenuous work and plenty of benefits. Logically speaking, Disciples like Zhou Yang who failed the test shouldn't be assigned here.
Li Ning didn't understand these intricacies. He was adopted by Jiang Mei and had always lived here. Now, hearing Jiang Mei say this, Li Ning thought for a moment and asked:
“What about Chu Feng?”
“Him?”
Jiang Mei picked up the tea beside him, took a sip, and then said:
“Although he comes from the Liu family, he is ultimately just a house servant. It’s only because Young Miss Liu is kind-hearted that she is willing to look after him and arrange him here.”
“But when people are separated for a long time, feelings will fade. It’s hard to say whether the Liu family or Young Miss Liu will still be willing to bother with Chu Feng in the future.”
“However, there’s no need to be too harsh on him either. As your Master, I have no hope of Breakthrough in this life and probably don't have many years left to live.”
“I also know your thoughts. That girl has been waiting for you down the mountain for many years. You probably won't stay here your whole life, and the medicine garden still needs someone to guard it.”
Hearing his Master’s analysis, Li Ning, whose thoughts were exposed, blushed, but he still nodded and said:
“In that case, Chu Feng is indeed the best candidate to guard the medicine garden. In the future, teach him more about Spirit Medicine cultivation, and appropriately favor the other three in terms of Cultivation.”
Jiang Mei nodded in satisfaction and chuckled:
“Precisely.”
At the same time, after the four of them, Chu Feng included, left the room, Tian Cai returned to his room to Cultivate.
Ren Huanhuan’s smile never faded. She wasn't lacking in Cultivation Techniques, but Spells were still very rare to her.
Especially since the Control Fire Spell was of a High Grade; Cultivating it to the Great Perfection Realm could unleash power comparable to a full-strength attack from a Foundation Establishment First Level practitioner.
“Can you even Cultivate all of this?”
Chu Feng said somewhat distractedly.
He still couldn't understand why Zhou Yang wanted the Qi Sea Sutra.
Zhou Yang walked at the very back. He glanced at the depressed Chu Feng, thought for a moment, and explained:
“Nourishing Yuan Skill is actually more suitable for you. Your Aptitude isn't very good. Cultivating Nourishing Yuan Skill can increase your lifespan, strengthen your physique, and if you practice it for a long time, it can even improve your Aptitude a little.”
Chu Feng was somewhat surprised to hear Zhou Yang's words.
“Alright, I’ll Cultivate it first then.”
Chu Feng sighed, bade farewell to Zhou Yang and Ren Huanhuan, and returned to his dwelling.
In the next few days, Chu Feng spent thirty years of his lifespan to improve his Qi Refining Sutra, but the effect was still mediocre, only increasing his cultivation by one level.
“Alas, my Aptitude is still not enough.”
Chu Feng sighed, then continued to Cultivate.
He also needed to practice Nourishing Yuan Skill to see if it was as good as Zhou Yang said.
For the next seven days, Chu Feng either Cultivated or weeded the Spirit Field.
Although his cultivation hadn't improved much, he finally waited for the ripening period of the second-tier Spirit Medicine.
According to what Chu Feng and Li Ning had discussed before, he would be responsible for harvesting.
【Ding! Successfully seized Moonlight Flower (Second Tier) 4 years of lifespan!】
【Ding! Successfully seized Fiery Sun Grass (Second Tier) 4 years of lifespan!】
【Ding! Successfully seized Soul Severing Grass (Second Tier) 4 years of lifespan!】
… … … …
Just like that, Chu Feng was busy until sunset, finally harvesting all the second-tier Spirit Medicine that could be picked from the Spirit Medicine field.
And his lifespan had now skyrocketed to over four hundred years.
After dinner, Chu Feng returned to his dwelling with an excited heart; he was going to start 'cashing in' his life.
“System, invest ten years of lifespan to advance the Nourishing Yuan Skill progress.”
Chu Feng's plan this time was to raise the Nourishing Yuan Skill to the Great Perfection state.
Because Nourishing Yuan Skill could increase lifespan and also improve Aptitude.
This was exactly what Chu Feng needed most at this moment.
【Ding! Ten years of lifespan invested to deduce Nourishing Yuan Skill!】
【Deducing… 】
【Your Aptitude is mediocre. In these ten years, you barely managed to raise Nourishing Yuan Skill to the proficient level. Your Aptitude has slightly improved, and your lifespan has increased by one year.】
The ten-year deduction quickly ended.
Chu Feng frowned when he saw the deduction result. Ten years only to reach proficiency?
This requires a bit too much Aptitude.
However, Chu Feng still decided to continue.
Since it really could increase lifespan and improve Aptitude, then he would continue to 'cash in'.
Moreover, Chu Feng could gain nearly a thousand years of lifespan in one year in this medicine garden. To improve his Aptitude, what's wrong with going all in once?
“System, invest four hundred years of my lifespan to deduce Nourishing Yuan Skill!”
Chu Feng decisively invested four hundred years of lifespan.
The System began deducing again:
【Invest four hundred years of lifespan, starting deduction!】
【First hundred years: Although your Aptitude is mediocre, you relied on astonishing perseverance to Cultivate Nourishing Yuan Skill to the Great Perfection Realm. Your Aptitude improved, and your lifespan increased by ten years.】
【Second hundred years: Your Aptitude is still mediocre, but years of comprehension allowed you to begin discovering the mysteries between heaven and earth. Your understanding of Nourishing Yuan Skill further improved, and your Aptitude was elevated to Yellow Rank High Grade.】
【Third hundred years: Your Aptitude is still mediocre, but after hundreds of years of arduous Cultivation, you finally took the difficult first step. Nourishing Yuan Skill was reformed by you into the True Yuan Sutra, increasing your lifespan by five years.】
【Fourth hundred years: Your Aptitude is still mediocre. After a hundred years of arduous Cultivation, you suddenly had an Epiphany! The True Yuan Sutra upgraded to the Overlord Body Scripture!】