"I never expected that I would have a Low-grade Spirit Root."
Tianmu Mountain Range.
Azure Heng Mountain.
Qingheng Sect.
In a medicinal garden, an Attendant who looked about thirteen or fourteen years old had a look of melancholy on his face that did not match his age.
Zhang Yan, a newly recruited Manual Labor Disciple of the Qingheng Sect.
Having just entered the Qingheng Sect and not yet begun cultivation, he was sent to the Spirit Plant Garden because his Metal, Water, and Wood element Spiritual Roots were all Low-grade Spirit Roots.
"Cultivation is truly difficult!" Looking at the Spirit Plant Garden, which consisted of nothing but a patch of medicinal plants and two Thatched Cottages, Zhang Yan could not help but feel a headache. In his past life, he had studied desperately to avoid farming, yet he accidentally applied to an agricultural university. After twenty years of hard work, just when he thought he would no longer have to face the wind and sun in the fields every day, he woke up to find he had transmigrated and was once again destined to farm.
Farming before struggling, and still farming after struggling.
Farming before transmigrating, and still farming after transmigrating!
Did that not mean his struggles were in vain? Did that not mean his transmigration was for nothing?
"Creak~"
Just as Zhang Yan was deep in thought, he suddenly heard the sound of a door opening, and shortly after, an old man with a hunched back walked out of a wooden house.
The old man looked decrepit, about sixty or seventy years old, wearing a tattered Daoist Robe that had been washed until it was somewhat faded. Tied to his waist were three or five bulging pouches, though it was unclear what was inside.
He walked out the door, looked up to size up Zhang Yan, and then spoke.
"Are you the new Disciple?"
"This junior is Zhang Yan. May I ask how to address you?" Although he was just an unknown Old Daoist Priest, Zhang Yan was a newcomer after all, so he immediately put on an obedient appearance.
"You can call me Elder Lin."
"Yes, Elder Lin."
"We are both Manual Labor Disciples, so there is no need to be so polite. Just make sure you complete your tasks on time in the future." Perhaps because of his good nature, or perhaps because he saw that Zhang Yan was well-behaved, Elder Lin's attitude was quite good.
"May I ask what our tasks are?"
"We are Spirit Planters responsible for Spirit Plants. This Spirit Plant Garden is responsible for the sowing and harvesting of 100 acres of Low-grade Spirit Field. We split the produce from the Spirit Field in a seven-to-three ratio."
"Why is it only thirty percent?"
"Seventy percent belongs to the Sect; we only get thirty percent!" Elder Lin glared at Zhang Yan and then said, "Do not think thirty percent is little. Many people would beg for this and still not get it. It is only because we are Sect Cultivators that we can enjoy such good treatment."
"According to the regulations, the Spirit Field managed by the Spirit Plant Garden is based on the number of Spirit Planters. Since you have not started cultivation yet, you will assist me. When it comes time to harvest, I will give you half a percent." Elder Lin stroked his snow-white beard and looked at Zhang Yan with a smile.
"Very well, thank you, Elder Lin."
Half a percent.
This quantity was pitifully small.
But there was no other way; he was not yet a Spirit Plant Master and had no dedicated Spirit Field, so he could only follow Elder Lin as an apprentice.
"Good, a child worth teaching!" Seeing Zhang Yan agree, Elder Lin nodded in satisfaction, then casually took a Jade Slip from his pouch and handed it over.
"This is the Cultivation Method we practice in our Spirit Plant Garden. Since you were sent to the Spirit Plant Garden, you must possess a Wood element Spiritual Root," Elder Lin said to Zhang Yan.
"Thank you, Elder Lin." Upon hearing it was a cultivation technique, Zhang Yan quickly took the Jade Slip.
But who would have thought.
The moment he touched the Jade Slip.
A prompt appeared before his eyes.
【Name】: Skill Transmission Jade Slip
【Quality】: Gray
【Equipment Effect】: Evergreen Technique Minor Accomplishment.
【Equip?】
"This is..."
"A cheat!"
Confirming that Elder Lin could not see this prompt, Zhang Yan could not help but swallow hard.
A Golden Finger!
His Golden Finger had finally arrived!
"Alright, seeing how excited you are, you should go back to your room and study the Cultivation Method properly!" Seeing Zhang Yan like this, Elder Lin only assumed it was excitement from obtaining a Cultivation Method.
In fact, this was normal.
Thinking back decades ago, he had been just as excited when he first obtained a Cultivation Method.
It was only when the excitement faded and he faced reality that he understood that a Manual Labor Disciple would always find it hard to get ahead, and he had spent decades in this small Spirit Plant Garden.
"Very well, thank you, Elder Lin." Zhang Yan bowed deeply, then took the Jade Slip and quickly entered the smaller wooden house in the Spirit Plant Garden.
Opening the wooden house, the items inside were quite complete, including not only bedding but even pots, pans, tables, and chairs.
However, he did not care about these and looked at the Jade Slip in his hand.
"Equip!"
Zhang Yan was so excited that his voice trembled.
In an instant.
The Jade Slip in his hand disappeared.
And various insights appeared in his mind.
"So that is how it is."
Zhang Yan murmured. He now fully understood what was going on.
For some unknown reason.
After transmigrating to this world, an equipment slot had appeared on him.
This equipment slot allowed him to see the quality and characteristics of equipment, and as long as he equipped these items, he could gain the bonuses of their characteristics.
Take this Jade Slip, for example.
After equipping it, he immediately gained the effect of Evergreen Technique at Minor Accomplishment.
Although the effect would disappear after removing the equipment, it allowed him to comprehend the Cultivation Method and reach Entry-level quickly.
"I just do not know what counts as equipment." Zhang Yan frowned. This Jade Slip was considered a Magic Tool. If all so-called equipment were Magic Tools, he would likely find it hard to find a second piece of equipment in the short term.
"Forget it, I should start cultivating first.
Cultivate, earn Spirit Stones, and worry about equipment later." Thinking of this, Zhang Yan tidied up the room, sat cross-legged on the Meditation Cushion, and began to cultivate with a calm heart.
Just as he began, he immediately fell into silence; with every breath, Spiritual Energy faintly gathered.
This was the effect of the Evergreen Technique at Minor Accomplishment.
His Aptitude was relatively poor; his Metal, Water, and Wood element Spiritual Roots all had Low-grade Spiritual Energy sensitivity. Theoretically, his Cultivation speed should not be fast. However, even a Genius would have to start from scratch when practicing a Cultivation Method, while his Evergreen Technique was already at Minor Accomplishment.
It could accelerate his Spiritual Energy refinement speed.
However, this acceleration effect was only temporary; it would vanish once he removed the equipment. Even when those Geniuses reached Entry-level or Minor Accomplishment in their techniques, his Cultivation speed would be left far behind.
But regardless, at least for now, Zhang Yan held an advantage. If nothing else, his current Cultivation speed was likely not weaker than that of a Mid-grade Spiritual Root.
After all, among his three Spiritual Roots, the Wood element Spiritual Root had the highest sensitivity to Spiritual Energy, only a hair's breadth away from a Mid-grade Spiritual Root. Now with the addition of the Cultivation Method, he would certainly not fall behind in the short term.
As for the future, it would depend on his own destiny.
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