When the first ray of morning sunlight shone in, Chu Xiaotian stretched, washed up, ate, and then went to find Gu Junshan.
Gu Junshan was a Utility Disciple responsible for managing Spiritual Plants and Spirit Medicine, and Chu Xiaotian wanted to get some Spiritual Plants to try out.
Walking into the Spirit Medicine garden, he found that there were hundreds of acres of spiritual fields here, and dozens of Disciples were busy, some plowing, some watering, some weeding...
When Gu Junshan saw Chu Xiaotian, he immediately greeted him, "Tian Ge, what brings you to the Spirit Medicine garden?"
"Nothing much, just wandering around. By the way, how did your last talk with Senior Sister Tang go?"
Gu Junshan said a little awkwardly, "Senior Sister Tang said she'd guide me when she had time."
"Leave this to me! Next time, I'll arrange a time for Senior Sister Tang to specifically come out and guide you!" Chu Xiaotian said intentionally loudly.
Their conversation attracted many other Utility Disciples, who came over to inquire. Immediately, five people secretly slipped Spirit Stones to Chu Xiaotian, hoping he would help them get Tang Feiyan to guide them as well.
However, most people were still observing, as Inner Sect Disciples rarely willing to guide Utility Disciples.
These Utility Disciples had no one to guide their Cultivation, and their daily work occupied most of their time, so their understanding of Cultivation Technique was not deep.
Although the Cultivation Technique was the same, it depended on the Cultivator's level of understanding. A superficial understanding would certainly prevent one from Cultivating further. It was common among Utility Disciples to be stuck at a certain level for life if they didn't understand a particular part.
After collecting the Spirit Stones, Chu Xiaotian asked about the Spiritual Plants and Spirit Medicine: "What kind of Spiritual Plants are grown here?"
"Most of the Spiritual Plants here are for refining Qi Refinement Stage Medicinal Pills, and over there, they grow feed for Spirit Beasts."
"Then how much can one acre yield?" Chu Xiaotian asked.
"Different herbs are different. For example, this is the Qi Gathering Pill herb used in the Early Stage of Qi Refining, planted two steps apart. That one is for Qi Gathering Pills, five steps apart..."
Chu Xiaotian nodded. So, these herbs were counted, which meant he couldn't just pick them. So he asked again, "What if they're too dense or too sparse?"
"Pull them out! Anyway, there are many seedlings, and there's a special place for cultivating seedlings," a Disciple casually pointed.
Chu Xiaotian looked in the direction and indeed saw a pile of ungrown Spiritual Plants that had been pulled out and thrown aside.
"What are these discarded Spiritual Plants used for?"
"Useless. Even Spirit Beasts don't eat them."
Upon hearing this, Chu Xiaotian's spirits lifted: "Since they're useless, why don't I take them back to study? Is that okay?"
Gu Junshan reminded him, "Tian Ge, these Spiritual Plants will lose all their Spiritual Qi within a few days once they leave the spiritual field and are not properly stored. They're useless!"
Hearing this, Chu Xiaotian quickly called everyone to help him collect them. He ended up with two large bundles, which he carried away on his back.
Back in his room, he closed the door, took out a handful of Spiritual Plants, and put them into the ancient cauldron.
After waiting for a while, he lifted the lid and, sure enough, a Medicinal Pill appeared. It couldn't really be called a Medicinal Pill; it was just a black ball the size of a soybean.
Chu Xiaotian put it into his mouth and circulated the Gale Wind Art once. His Cultivation had improved slightly. He had guessed correctly! As long as the Materials contained spiritual power, they could all be transformed!
So, Chu Xiaotian picked up a knife, chopped the Spiritual Plants, and put them in. However, the ancient cauldron was too small, only able to hold one catty of herbs at a time. He was busy for half a day, only finishing the transformation of the two bundles of discarded Spiritual Plants.
Holding a large handful of black soybeans, Chu Xiaotian's face broke into a satisfied smile. He stuffed all the black soybeans into his mouth and began to circulate the Gale Wind Art.
After several cycles, all the soybean-shaped cultivation pills were absorbed, and his Cultivation increased significantly, estimated to be the equivalent of one Spirit Stone. He was very satisfied, as it was like earning one Spirit Stone in half a day.
He then took out the five Spirit Stones he had received today and transformed them into cultivation pills.
After absorbing them, his Cultivation also reached the second level of Qi Refining.
A Cultivator's displayed Cultivation is based on their highest Spiritual Root. Even if their other seven systems are at the first level, if one is at Great Perfection, then their displayed Cultivation is Qi Refining Great Perfection.
In this regard, Heavenly Spiritual Root and miscellaneous Spiritual Roots were no different. Everyone Cultivated one Spiritual Root, and the speed depended only on the Aptitude of the Spiritual Root they were Cultivating.
However, next, once a Heavenly Spiritual Root Cultivator reached Perfection, they could attempt Foundation Establishment, while Chu Xiaotian would have to spend seven times the time to Cultivate his other Spiritual Roots.
Even if he Cultivated quickly and had no shortage of resources, it would take him five years to reach Great Perfection, which would still mean forty years. Plus, he was already eighteen when he joined the School, so he would be fifty-eight, nearing his sixties.
Chu Xiaotian didn't care about these things. At the second level, he could learn the Wind Control Technique, and he couldn't wait to practice it.
This Wind element Spell emphasized speed, which perfectly matched his martial arts style; he always relied on speed to win battles.
However, with only a second-level Cultivation, after using the Wind Control Technique a few times, his magical power ran out, and he could only slowly recover.
The next day, as soon as it was light, he ran to the Spirit Wood workshop to wander around. By noon, he returned with two Spirit Stones in his arms and a load of chopped wood on his shoulder.
This time, he worked until dark, and Chu Xiaotian was extremely depressed. The spiritual power in the spirit wood was too little. A load of almost a hundred catties was not as much spiritual power as a handful of Spiritual Plants. He wouldn't go there again!
After a few days, he had visited all the places where the Utility Disciples worked. Only the Spirit Medicine garden, the dining hall, and the Artifact Refining workshop were relatively profitable. From now on, he would only go to these three places to pick up trash.
However, he had also collected more than ten Spirit Stones, all of which Chu Xiaotian had converted into Cultivation.
This day, Chu Xiaotian brought Tang Feiyan to a large hall in the dining hall. Inside, more than twenty Utility Disciples sat neatly, all of whom had paid Spirit Stones to Chu Xiaotian.
He gathered these people and had Tang Feiyan spend a day guiding them. This way, she would only waste one day a month, and it wouldn't delay Tang Feiyan's daily Cultivation.
Tang Feiyan looked at Chu Xiaotian, who was sitting beside her. She suspected she had been sold, but she couldn't find any evidence.
After a day, these Utility Disciples left satisfied. This Spirit Stone was well spent, and they could come for guidance once every month from now on.
After everyone left, Tang Feiyan said to Chu Xiaotian, "I have a mission in half a year, and I can bring five helpers. The Tang Family only has Tang Yingjiang who can help. I asked you to help me find some capable helpers, but among these people, there are hardly any in the Middle Stage."
Chu Xiaotian said, "Aren't there many Inner Sect Disciples? It shouldn't be difficult to find four more, right? Your popularity, Senior Sister, can't be that bad, can it?"
"This School training mission is for every Inner Sect Disciple, and Inner Sect Disciples are not allowed to form teams. If they qualify, they can participate in the Langhuan Secret Realm a year later. If they achieve good results in the Secret Realm, the School will reward them with Foundation Establishment Pills. Do you understand how important this is to me now!" Tang Feiyan said solemnly.
Chu Xiaotian smiled without speaking. What did her Foundation Establishment have to do with him, unless she gave him benefits.
Tang Feiyan knew what he was thinking and said, "If I fail the mission, I'll sacrifice you when I return. If I succeed, I'll give you a hundred Spirit Stones."
Chu Xiaotian immediately guaranteed, "Young Miss, don't worry. Even if I have to poach them, I'll find you four helpers!"
"Go back to Tang Family Fortress now, find my grandfather, and help me get a hundred Spirit Stones. I want to reach Qi Refining Great Perfection as soon as possible!" Tang Feiyan ordered before leaving.
Ten days later, Chu Xiaotian handed a Storage Pouch to Tang Feiyan.
Tang Feiyan nodded and, seeing that Chu Xiaotian had no intention of leaving, asked, "Didn't Tang Family Fortress compensate you for your horse?"
Chu Xiaotian smiled, "They did. Young Miss, can you give me this Storage Pouch?" Although it was the lowest grade Storage Pouch, it was still worth five Spirit Stones.
Tang Feiyan asked in confusion, "This requires Divine Sense to use. You only have Divine Sense at the fourth level of Qi Refining."
Then she exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, you're already at the second level of Qi Refining!"