Step by Step Ascend to Immortality

Chapter 130: Chapter 119 Xingde Hand Talk

With lingering trepidation, Liu Suiyun asked, "Shiniang, are you saying there won't be unlimited tea anymore? Please, no! I haven't caused any trouble at Baicao Peak!"

Shen Yaqin smiled mysteriously before answering, "Don't worry, once you're back at Chonghua Peak, the tea will still be unlimited—just no more snacks! But let me tell you, the Linghua Sect is already planning to have Miss Shen Que challenge you, to compete in spirit planting techniques."

Liu Suiyun was stunned. "Little Sparrow? I didn't provoke her! Besides, with my crude methods, isn't it bullying to compare her spirit planting skills to mine? If it were a contest of Daoist magic, I might stand a chance. But I've only been at Chonghua Peak for half a month, and she's been practicing spirit planting for years! No, I can't do it!"

He felt utterly hopeless about the upcoming challenge. Shen Yaqin, however, continued, "The Linghua Sect has been riding high on Shen Que's genius, bullying our Shenxiao Sect for years in spirit planting! Baicao Peak has been suffocating under her reign. Can you believe that nearly a thousand men were defeated by a little sparrow? Now, with the recent triumph regarding the Sanyang Grass, they won't stop boasting to the heavens!"

And boast they did. Baicao Peak, seizing the rare opportunity to finally stand tall, took every chance to trample on Linghua Sect and Shen Que. Articles with titles like "A Hundred-Year Genius Falls in a Day: Shenxiao's Baicao Peak Reclaims the True Legacy of Spirit Planting," "Leading Sales Across the Sky Realm: Only Shenxiao Baicao," and "The Truth Behind the Top-Selling Spirit Plants: Exposing the Secrets of a Certain Sect's Genius" flooded the airwaves.

Not only did they praise Baicao Peak to the skies, but they also dragged Linghua Sect and Shen Que down into the dirt. Countless sensationalist articles appeared, claiming to reveal truths that made the entire Linghua Sect seethe with anger. It was said that Shen Que herself was driven to tears.

Amid all this praise, Liu Suiyun's name naturally came up, blown up in legend. In these stories, Liu Suiyun could barely recognize himself. According to the tales, six generations of his family had mastered the art of spirit planting, making him a veritable old-school spirit planter—no, a venerable doctor.

Patients—no, cultivators—who had been duped by Shen Que and her sect would flock to Liu Suiyun, only to be cured of their ailments on the spot, their unmentionable afflictions vanishing. Liu Suiyun had allegedly even proposed a revolutionary new system of spirit planting, advancing the field by a hundred years. Even if Linghua Sect chased them for the next thirty years, they wouldn't catch up.

There were even stories about planting peach trees that bore fruit in a day and spirit grass flourishing overnight—endless legends. The furious Linghua Sect had made a note of Liu Suiyun's name, and now they were planning for Shen Que to challenge him openly: "Let's see which of your spirit planting skills is superior! Honestly, I don't think my little apprentice stands a chance!"

Liu Suiyun nodded repeatedly. "Shiniang, even if we agree to the duel, can't we delay it for a year or so? I have no confidence right now. After just half a month of learning, I can't even pass your tests, how could I handle this Little Sparrow?"

Shen Yaqin became serious. "Shen Que is only at the tenth level of Qi Refining, while you're already at the eleventh. How can you have no confidence at all? If you were given more time, would you have the confidence to defeat her?"

Suddenly invigorated, Liu Suiyun's eyes sharpened like lightning. "Give me six months—no, a year—and I'm confident I can surpass that Little Sparrow. At the very least, I'll cause her a lot of trouble."

Shen Yaqin, knowing her disciple's potential, smiled. "Now that's the spirit of a Chonghua Peak disciple! Fine, let's return to Chonghua Peak. Not only will there be unlimited tea..."

Liu Suiyun's face lit up with joy. "Snacks, too?"

"No!" Shen Yaqin dashed his hopes. "From now on, your assessments will be even tougher. No leniency from me. Prepare yourself!"

"Ah?" Liu Suiyun groaned. "Shiniang, can't you go easy on me? Just a little, to give me some confidence?"

Hours later, Liu Suiyun, having consumed his fill of tea, left Shen Yaqin's residence with satisfaction. His steady stride made it clear that he had once again failed the assessment spectacularly. Shen Yaqin had asked sixteen questions, and Liu Suiyun hadn't answered a single one correctly. If not for Shen Yaqin's mercy in lowering the standards, he might have faced a punishment.

Yet, from his expression, there was no hint of discouragement or despair. On the contrary, his eyes were filled with confidence, even carrying a slight smile—a smile that came from knowing he had improved.

Indeed, Liu Suiyun knew he had made great strides, but it was only during this assessment that he truly realized it. The last time, he hadn't even understood Shen Yaqin's questions, let alone how to answer them. Today, at least, he grasped the meaning behind them and even tried to answer a few simpler ones, though he got them wrong. Still, this marked immense progress.

In practice, Liu Suiyun lacked experience, but over the past few days, he had read numerous Daoist texts on spirit planting and pieced together his own system. "Little Sparrow, if you challenge me again, I won't be afraid! Just give me another half-month, and I'll make sure to frustrate her enough to bring her to tears!"

He had already come to view Shen Que, whom he had only met once, as his greatest rival on the path of spirit planting. Despite her being a mere girl, Liu Suiyun was determined. "No matter how cute she is, she's destined to be squeezed like a little bird. If she won't let me pinch her, then I'll make her cry!"

The endless sweat and effort he had poured into spirit planting were finally paying off. Each day, he made progress, with a clear direction ahead. Today was truly a good day!

Liu Suiyun patted his tea-filled stomach and confidently headed towards his bamboo grove. However, the day wasn't entirely without regret—Shiniang hadn't used her scabbard to smack his palms, leaving Liu Suiyun slightly disappointed in his otherwise triumphant mood.

Quickly dismissing the absurd thought, Liu Suiyun reminded himself, "Sixteen questions wrong, and you feel proud instead of ashamed? That's unacceptable! Absolutely unacceptable!"

He had memorized the sixteen questions and was determined to have answers ready for the next assessment. No matter what, he wouldn't get a zero again!

The countdown to the next assessment loomed, yet Liu Suiyun felt increasingly confident. Though he had slightly eased up on practicing the Extreme Yuan Radiance Thunder Refinement Divine Record, this period of balance suited the philosophy of tension and relaxation. After all, he had advanced from the first to the eleventh level of Qi Refining within this short time—a speed that few in the Shenxiao Sect could match.

The faster the progress, the more things one misses. Particularly after the seventh level of Qi Refining, Liu Suiyun was breaking new ground. Though he had consolidated his breakthrough, there was still much to ponder. Thus, while continuing to stabilize his foundation, he sought guidance from his senior brothers, gaining valuable insights into the later stages of Qi Refining and preparing for his next push towards the twelfth level.

Still, most of his energy remained focused on spirit planting. Whether it was the fundamental techniques of planting spirit grass or the Daoist texts on spirit tea cultivation gifted by Shiniang, or even the three volumes of Star Virtue Hand Talks he had recently acquired, Liu Suiyun had skimmed through them all, reaping great rewards.

This time, he should be able to answer a few questions, right? The repeated failures had slightly shaken his confidence, but remembering his recent efforts and progress reignited his motivation.

No longer an outsider, Liu Suiyun had now become a genuine spirit planter, well-versed in both tea and vegetable cultivation, capable of talking about spirit planting for hours on end.

He had even perused the three volumes of Star Virtue Hand Talks left behind by the great demonic cultivator of the Wushang Sect, Star Virtue. Although much of it remained beyond his comprehension, Liu Suiyun had at least begun to understand why the Shenxiao Sect renamed Tianhe Sect to Wushang Sect after conquering Xuankong Mountain. Even in the art of tea planting, Star Virtue had infused a degree of demonic fierceness that surpassed even the Extreme Yuan Radiance Thunder Refinement Divine Record.

According to Star Virtue, Tianwu Peak was a unique part of the Shenxiao Mountain Range. Though it spanned several dozen miles and stood over a thousand feet tall, it was perpetually shrouded in mist, making it nearly invisible to the outside world—even sunlight struggled to break through.

This misty atmosphere provided natural advantages for cultivating spirit tea, yet it also posed many challenges. The temperature was too low, the yin energy too dense, and, most critically, the abundant spirit energy within the peak was shockingly unstable, creating an aura of immense danger. It was no wonder the sect had prohibited cultivators from entering, save for special occasions or when specially approved by the elders.

And today was one such day.