Chapter Ninety-Seven: Are You Qualified to Cultivate Immortality?

"I never imagined that a fellow cultivator as young as you, Friend Zhou, would have rented a courtyard here on South Street. I heard from Xiao Yue that you were merely a wandering spirit-farmer who rented a few acres of spirit-rice fields outside the marketplace. It seems my assessment was somewhat biased."

Standing in Zhou Changwang's courtyard, Shen Xinyue expressed her surprise. She had initially assumed that Zhou was renting land within the Spirit Planting Hall to grow Spirit-Gathering Grass. Given the typical methods of such cultivators, she expected the quality to be mediocre and the quantity minimal, which was why she had previously suggested that Qian Xiaoyue handle the purchase herself. She had only decided to receive him personally to look out for her dear friend, Xiao Yue.

However, the quality of the Spirit-Gathering Grass Zhou showed her was exceptionally high, and the quantity was not the hundred or so stalks she had anticipated, but nearly three thousand. This left her stunned, prompting her immediate decision to visit him in person.

"It is merely good luck, coupled with the assets my father left behind. Otherwise, I would still be struggling in the wild spirit fields," Zhou Changwang replied with a humble smile.

"That is also a testament to your own skill. Spirit-Gathering Grass of this quality is not something just anyone can produce. I suspect your standing as a spirit-planter must be quite high, is it not?" Shen Xinyue praised.

"I wouldn't know. The Spirit Planting Hall uses a different system for evaluating spirit-planters, and I have never attempted the assessment," Zhou shook his head. In the beginning, he had failed the assessment, which was why he was left to his own devices to farm at the foot of Changling Mountain. Those apprentices truly worthy of cultivation were kept within the Hall, receiving constant guidance and instruction from official spirit-planters.

"I believe you should attempt the assessment. Holding the status of an official spirit-planter would be beneficial. Even with poor cultivation aptitude, you could use that identity to join a sect. For example, in our Water Cloud Sect, any ordinary cultivator who possesses the skills of a First-Grade High-Level spirit-planter can join us directly as a disciple."

"An inner sect disciple?" Zhou asked hesitantly. He knew that those with advanced planting skills were often recruited by sects. The previous owner of this small courtyard had been one such person, "specially recruited" by the Qingyuan Sect, and had likely since become a disciple there, enjoying a vastly different status.

"An outer sect disciple. But even as an outer sect disciple, you would enjoy many of the Water Cloud Sect's cultivation resources. Cultivation techniques, spirit pills, and spirit stones—everything would be provided. It is far better than being a wandering cultivator," Shen Xinyue explained.

"I will consider it," Zhou replied, though he said no more. Every wandering cultivator dreamt of entering an immortal sect; he was no exception. He had analyzed the feasibility, only to be blocked by his own spiritual root aptitude. The Qingyuan Sect, for example, required at least a three-element spiritual root to even participate in the entrance assessment. Those without it could only enter if they possessed a unique skill, and even then, only as outer sect disciples. The Water Cloud Sect held similar standards.

He recalled a famous, albeit controversial, remark made by a Golden Core master within the Water Cloud Sect: "Cultivate immortality? What immortality? Are you even qualified to cultivate?" It was widely rumored that this was directed at a relative with four spiritual roots. While it was later clarified that the master was simply scolding his own descendant, the remark had become a de facto standard for many. Ironically, the "grandson" who was scolded successfully reached the Foundation Establishment stage at sixty, while the "gifted" two-element descendant the master favored had failed and died at ninety-eight.

If joining the inner sect meant access to profound techniques and a master's guidance, Zhou would gladly try. But as an outer sect disciple? They were essentially wandering cultivators with a title, forced to fight for every resource and earn their own way.

"Senior Shen, please!" Zhou led them into the courtyard's main hall and gestured toward the baskets. "Including the previous five stalks, there are two thousand nine hundred and seventy-eight in total. Please, have a look and count them."

"Indeed, they are all Spirit-Gathering Grass. And the quality is identical to the samples—many are even better." Shen Xinyue stepped forward, her beautiful eyes fixed on him. She had expected the samples to be his best, with the rest being inferior—a common tactic in the marketplace. But these stalks were all brimming with vitality. Some even had purple leaves and red roots, a sign they were on the verge of advancing to the mid-level. Such treasures were usually kept for seeds, yet Zhou was selling them all. "Are you selling all of these?" she asked, her mind racing.

Qian Xiaoyue looked at Zhou with amazement. She had known he was growing the grass, but hadn't realized the quality. She had suggested the purchase to help her friend and to give Zhou a leg up, but now it seemed she owed him a favor instead.

"Of course. I don't know how to refine alchemy," Zhou replied.

"Very well. At fifty fragmented spirit stones per stalk as previously discussed, that makes four thousand four hundred and sixty-seven low-grade spirit stones. I shall round it up to four thousand five hundred. Does that suit you?"

"That is perfectly fine," Zhou said, his heart filled with satisfaction. It was far more than he had expected.

Shen Xinyue waved her hand, and four thousand five hundred low-grade spirit stones appeared in the hall, stacked neatly. After verifying the count, she stored the baskets in her storage bag. As an inner-sect disciple of the Water Cloud Sect, her bag was spacious enough to hold them all.

Seeing the mountain of spirit stones, Zhou felt a thrill far greater than when he had seen boxes of gold and jewelry. He had once dreamt of being wealthy enough to live comfortably in the world of cultivation, and now, he had achieved it through his own labor.

"Senior, you are generous!" Zhou bowed and gathered the stones. With his previous thousand, he now had five thousand five hundred. He was truly wealthy.

"Congratulations, Friend Zhou! You've made a fortune. Aren't you going to treat me to something good?" Qian Xiaoyue teased.

"Of course, at the Immortal Pavilion!" Zhou replied grandly. The Immortal Pavilion was the highest-end restaurant in the Phoenix Cry Marketplace, famous for its "Immortal Drunk" wine, which not only tasted divine but helped nourish the heart and meridians.

"The Immortal Pavilion is unnecessary; a smaller restaurant will do," Qian Xiaoyue said, feeling embarrassed.

"I insist. How could I entertain Senior Shen at a common establishment?" Zhou said, glancing at Shen Xinyue, who wore a satisfied smile.

Half an hour later, in a private room at the Immortal Pavilion, Zhou served the wine. "I am truly flattered that you agreed to come, Senior Shen."

"It is nothing. I admire your planting skills. If you have more materials in the future, please consider the Water Cloud Pavilion first. I will always offer you a satisfactory price," Shen Xinyue said.

"Given my friendship with Xiao Yue, the Water Cloud Pavilion will always be my first choice," Zhou promised.

Shen Xinyue smiled and looked at the blushing Qian Xiaoyue. "I hope so. Also, regarding the spirit-planter assessment, here is a Water Cloud Token. If you achieve the status of a First-Grade Mid-Level spirit-planter, you can use this to participate in our sect's assessment in nine months. I believe you have a high chance of passing."

"Hurry and take it!" Qian Xiaoyue urged, taking the token and placing it in Zhou's hand.

"Thank you, Senior," Zhou said, though he remained cautious about his future path. Still, having the token was a good backup.

After the meal, Zhou took a breath and asked, "Senior, I hear there will be chaos in the marketplace in a few months. Could you offer some guidance?"

"The Bai and Chen families will surely clash. We, at the Water Cloud Pavilion, plan to withdraw to avoid the center of the storm. Xiao Yue asked me to allow her to bring a friend or two along, and I assume you are one of them. I have agreed. If you are interested, Xiao Yue will inform you when it is time to leave."

"Thank you, Senior," Zhou said, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders. He then hesitated, but asked, "As a cultivator with five-element spiritual roots, do you have any advice?"

"Five-element roots are indeed difficult," Shen Xinyue said, though she quickly added, "But in the world of cultivation, aptitude is not everything. Even those with five-element roots have successfully reached Foundation Establishment. However, cultivation speed is the barrier. You asked how they do it—have you heard of the distinction between 'Cultivation Methods' and 'Combat Methods'?"

She explained that "Cultivation Methods" were designed solely for rapid spiritual growth, often used by elite sect geniuses who focused only on reaching the ninth level of Qi Refining before switching to more powerful methods after Foundation Establishment. "Combat Methods," which most cultivators used, balanced cultivation with the practice of spells and the tempering of artifacts, sacrificing speed for survival.

"So," Zhou realized, "we are all practicing Combat Methods?"

"Indeed," Shen Xinyue smiled coldly. "The true geniuses do not care about the Qi Refining stage; it is merely a transition. Once they reach Foundation Establishment, they adopt the profound techniques of their sects to truly soar."