The tune ends and the people disperse.
Below the Hundred Flavors Pavilion, Zhang Yuanshan saw off everyone and sighed leisurely:
"I wonder how many will gather again next time."
Among this batch of disciples from the Cyan Pine Daoist School, he and Zhao Mengyao had top-grade talents, while everyone else had middle-grade talents.
Yet, in just half a year, their cultivation levels had shown a significant disparity.
His cultivation was the highest, reaching the Fifth-Layer Qi Refining, with seven others at the Qi Refining Fourth Level, and the rest at the Third-Layer Qi Refining.
As time goes by, this gap will only widen, and many will gradually fall behind.
When they gather again, they might not be able to assemble as many people.
Chu River exclaimed, "Senior Brother, you worry too much. Only those who can walk together after many years are true fellow Daoists."
Zhang Yuanshan chuckled:
"Junior Brother, you indeed have a clear perspective."
He turned his head, took out a Talisman Bird in his palm:
"Junior Brother Ji, I bought a few bottles of Spirit Wine while paying the bill earlier. Shall we depart now?"
Ji An's expression stiffened slightly: "Uh, Senior Brother, I don't have a Talisman Bird for transportation.
The Spirit Stones I borrowed were all used for cultivation and practicing magic techniques."
"I still have an old Paper Crane, probably usable for only thirty or forty double hours. If you don't mind, take it."
Zhao Mengyao handed out a Talisman Bird, which Ji An reached out to accept:
"Thank you, Senior Sister."
Don't refuse what is freely given, and besides, you can't have the guests fly ahead and wait for you!
The Talisman Bird was of better quality than the one given by Wei Songnian, with a faint scent.
After inputting spiritual power, a graceful Immortal Crane appeared before him, and he mounted it.
Hmm, it's not as comfortable as a spacious paper goose.
All four boarded the Talisman Birds, traversed Jade Water Lake, and headed east with the sun at their backs.
...
"Junior Brother's courtyard is truly being fully utilized."
Zhao Mengyao pointed at the lush, green fruits and vegetables inside the fence, smiling brightly.
"Waste is shameful.
If you don't have the means to enjoy Spirit Fruits and Spiritual Vegetables, then plant some ordinary vegetables yourself.
Water them using the Small Cloud Rain Technique, nourish the Earth Qi with the Thick Earth Technique; these vegetables contain much more spiritual power than wild ones."
"Please, Senior Brother and Senior Sister!"
Ji An pushed open the gate and led the way in, quietly activating a control technique to deactivate the Dharma Prohibition of the bamboo house.
Upon entering the small building, a faint aroma of Yellow Sprout Rice wafted immediately through the air.
Chu River saw three bags of Spirit Rice leaning against the wall and went forward with a smile:
"I was born with great strength; my family even considered training me in body refining. Let me show you my strength."
As he spoke, he stretched out his arms, grabbed a bag in each hand effortlessly, and then extended his arms to maintain a horizontal hold easily, as if the two bags only contained foam.
"Indeed, Senior Brother, you were born with great strength, hahaha," Ji An laughed and said:
"The three of you, please sit comfortably, while I steam the Spirit Rice and prepare some light vegetables."
After having an oily meal at the Hundred Flavors Pavilion at noon, lighter food is surely necessary.
He found a wooden basin and filled it halfway with Yellow Sprout Rice, then left the room to get busy in the kitchen next door.
Chu River put down the bags, weighed another bag, nodded to Zhang Yuanshan, and lowered his voice:
"Even if it doesn't weigh 580 jins, it's not far off."
Zhao Mengyao softly said:
"When we leave, I will have Junior Brother Ji cast spells to show his level of magic techniques."
Zhang Yuanshan pondered and said:
"There's no need to rush. Junior Brother Ji is a smart person; I believe he will take the initiative to show us his spellcasting."
Inviting them here probably had the intention of proving himself.
Chu River said, "What about the Beast Taming Method?"
"If his magic technique has reached the Great Success level, then don't mention it anymore."
Reaching Great Success in magic in just six months indicates a commendable comprehension of magic.
Chu River nodded slightly and kicked the chair:
"This guy, only one chair, how are we supposed to sit?"
Ji An steamed the rice, prepared the vegetables, went to Old Huang's house to borrow three more chairs, and moved a table outside the bamboo building.
The room was small, making it even more cramped for four people to sit inside.
They settled under the shade of a tree outside the courtyard, accompanied by Spirit Wine, each sharing their cultivation insights.
Time passed through the leaves, elongating the shadow of the tree, while the fragrance of Yellow Sprout Rice wafted over.
Ji An smiled and said, "Senior Brothers and Senior Sister, please try the Spirit Rice I cultivated."
He brought over a bowl and served each person a portion.
Zhao Mengyao picked up a bite, blew on it, placed it in her mouth, chewed thoroughly, and swallowed, then ate a few slices of cucumber:
"The taste is better than the Spirit Rice I often have, hmm, the vegetables' spiritual power doesn't match Spirit Vegetables, but it contains about a fourth of their spiritual power."
The meal was simple, a bowl of Spirit Rice and a few cold dishes, and despite the conversations, it was quickly finished.
Ji An stood up, came to the fence gate, and said with a smile:
"I now cast spells on these fruits and vegetables every day.
The Great Success level of the Thick Earth Technique nourishes the land, and given time, it will certainly cultivate this soil into a Tier One Spirit Field."
His hands formed a Dharma Seal, infusing earthy Spirit Light into the ground.
Then he changed the Dharma Seal in his hand again, and clouds quickly formed, covering the small courtyard.
Rain, like beads of jade, pattered down, faint mist spreading, enveloping the bamboo building in a hazy, dreamy rain, making it hard to see clearly.
Zhao Mengyao took a few steps forward, standing beside him:
"Hmm, Junior Brother, the casting range of a Great Success level Small Cloud Rain Technique is larger than this, right?"
"Yes, with full casting effort, the Small Cloud Rain Technique can cover an acre of Spirit Field. I've controlled the range to conserve magical power, and there's actually a slight increase in the spiritual power within the Spirit Rain."
Zhao Mengyao turned and said, "My Small Cloud Rain Technique is only at a Minor Achievement level. Judging by the density of spiritual qi I feel, it's far inferior to Junior Brother's technique.
Mastering a Great Success level spell, Junior Brother must be the first among our batch of disciples to achieve this.
Moreover, Junior Brother can precisely control the cast range of the Spell, indicating a Divine Sense stronger than most peers.
How enviable."
Ji An's eyes gleamed with Divine Intent, with a touch of arrogance, he smiled and said:
"When this small garden's land is cultivated into a Tier One Spirit Field, I will plant Spirit Peaches and Spiritual Apricots.
Heh, when I advance to Foundation Establishment, I'll have Spirit Fruits ready to enjoy."
Zhang Yuanshan stood up and praised:
"Junior Brother has great ambition!
I'm still pondering how to advance to the Late-stage Qi Refining, but Junior Brother's vision is already so long-term, I cannot compare."
Did he want to establish a foundation? Of course, but he didn't dare to declare such a thought so openly.
This Junior Brother, after opening the Immortal Vein, not only had an epiphany of the spell's divine intent but seemed to have comprehended more things.
Chu River said indifferently:
"Establishing a foundation is not so easy."
It's said that there are over ten thousand Qi Refining Stage disciples remaining in the sect, with less than a thousand Foundation Establishment Great Cultivators, and this number has not significantly increased for several centuries.
If establishing a foundation were so easy, the number of Foundation Establishment cultivators should gradually increase.
Ji An didn't look towards Chu River, his eyes tracing the sky where the setting sun stained the horizon red with flying geese:
"See how, during the three-year assessment, I will perfect the Small Cloud Rain Technique."