"It seems your choice was correct."
A voice pulled Muyu out of his reverie. His vision returned to normal, and he turned around, seeing his grandfather standing behind him and observing the plant he had just assisted.
"It was?" he asked confused. He thought it was, but why did his grandfather think it was worth it?
"Mhm," his grandfather nodded, "Planting Masters have a different approach than what you did. We first learn how to change the environment to make it optimal for the plant’s growth, while we subtly influence the plant towards better growth.
When we see branches that have poor attitude, we trim them and focus on others. It can be said that we follow the rule of ’Survival of the Fittest’ when planting, meaning that instead of trying to gain the best out of one plant, we plant a forest and choose the best plant.
On the other hand, because you learned talismans, you follow the idea of interpreting, summarising and creating new inscriptions. Just now, while you did indeed use the Wood Nourishing Spell, you focused it on one spot, using its power extremely strongly to temporarily create inscription lines that would strengthen the weak branch.
I can tell you already that this approach is definitely less effective than that of ours; after all, starting with a stronger plant has its benefits. But, it’s not a wrong approach. Rather, for those cultivating innate plants, this approach allows one to strengthen the plant even after contracting, while it’s requirement for an initial plant isn’t high.
Though in return it also means that your strength lies in balancing and strengthening a given plant, and not cultivating entirely new plants. Various methods of plating—whether it’s grafting, cutting, mutating—are quite unsuitable. Instead, it’s closer to a ’small but positive evolution’. It’s more like a minor path of planting, but specialising isn’t bad.
Muyu, you’ve done something very good. You achieved what should have been very difficult in such a way. I believe that if you can further study this path, you might improve both of your planting and talisman method at the same time—although using this method will inevitably mean that you lean more towards talismans and use planting as a secondary method, it’s not wrong to establish primary and secondary methods. As long as you have entered the Dao of Planting, you can become a True Member of my Fu Clan."
Chunfeng explained the situation for a long while, hoping for his grandson to comprehend it deeply. He didn’t need his grandson to become an all-rounder plant master like him and his daughter—as long as he could enter the Dao and learn one branch, he’d be happy. This was his own selfishness, and his grandson fulfilling it was more than he could ask for.
Muyu, hearing this, also breathed a sigh of relief. What he worried about wasn’t what his grandfather mentioned—primary and secondary were things he couldn’t decide now. He knew talismans would remain primary, but whether planting would become secondary was a different matter. Somehow, he felt that he could achieve making both of them primary methods, just with different approaches.
But for now, he was happy that his grandfather told him that he could enter the Dao in this way.
Having a path meant that you could pursue it—people fear the unknown the most, and he was no longer lost, unsure of how to enter the Dao of Plants.
Now that he was relieved, another question arose, "Grandfather, the True Members are...?" he asked curiously.
He halted shortly because he thought it might be too secretive, but it seemed his grandfather didn’t mind.
"True Members, although there’s the main and side branch, in fact, these are all just branches of common clans members," Chunfeng explained, clearly having decided that his grandson was now worthy of learning of their existence.
"The Clan Meetings held with all clan members have a different meaning, but in fact, most matters are first decided in the True Members Meeting, because True Members are all elder-level cultivators of the clan who had contributed deeply, and who have proven themselves to be worthy of the clan’s trust. We hold the true inheritance of the clan, including innate plants, but also other matters which can’t be spoken openly about.
"Thank you, grandpa, for telling me!" Muyu cupped his hands, knowing his grandfather was training him in family matters. The more he knew, the better he would be able to plan his future.
"By the way, grandpa," he said, "I’ve learned the Innate Plant Cultivation Method, and it’s very suitable for me, even if I study talismans, learning the revolution of the world is extremely beneficial! Wood is also the main element of talismans, so there really isn’t any conflicting factor.
My cultivation has steadily progressed, and I think I can perfect the third stage in another half year. By then, my mastery over the art will also be high enough that I can try to break through. Should I do so directly?" laying open your situation was the best way to allow others to help you. Muyu had full trust in his grandpa, so he didn’t hide anything.
"Mhm, that’s good." Chunfeng nodded, internally praising his grandson. At his age, he was so diligent and wasn’t distracted by things, constantly entering seclusion and still balancing it with pleasure and other matters. Although he wished for him to be a bit more childish, seeing him so mature only filled him with pride and a sense of having future reliance.
"You can continue your cultivation normally, but—," he halted, "I’ll give you a test:
Pick any mid-stage plant here and use your method of fixing all short-comings of the plant to the fullest. I don’t mean for you to create temporary inscription lines, but to manifest them so long until they’ve become permanent natural lines. If you can achieve this, and ’perfect’ a mid-stage plant, then I will directly give you the sigil of a low-grade spiritual planting master, and I will also reward you according to the clan’s rewards: a fitting high-grade fruit that allows for better natural breakthrough without any harmful side effects!"
Muyu didn’t hesitate at all and agreed on the spot—he was just about to look around and make his choice when he saw his grandfather smile wryly, so he asked, "Grandpa, what’s the issue?"
"Alas, I know you know, but I still want to explain. The clan is ultimately a planting immortal clan, so we favour planting masters. Even if you reach the low-grade first-stage talisman master rank, we can’t certify you and you won’t be rewarded. The clan—"
"Grandpa, there is no need to say more!" Muyu stopped him, "The clan naturally needs to push talent, not receiving additional support is natural, and receiving any support is the clan’s generosity. Even if the clan doesn’t give me anything now, the clan has allowed me to gain the inheritance, which is more than I can ask for. I just hope that in the future, if I really become a Foundation Building cultivator, I’ll be able to create a Talisman Hall!"
Muyu uttered his wish, but he didn’t stay to see his grandfather’s reaction. Instead, he walked into the garden, inspecting each plant and contemplating which one he should perfect to be certified.