"Disciple is inept, having only accumulated over eight thousand small merits over the years."

Lin Lan felt slightly embarrassed. She had planted spirit wood throughout the Dao field, and now there were only six Tier Two Lower Grade spirit fruits.

The accumulated small merits largely relied on completing sect tasks.

"I understand, you may return to your work."

Ji An knew that because of his requirements, the two disciples only specialized in planting. It would be very difficult to obtain small merits if they couldn’t cultivate Tier Two spirit plants on a large scale.

Before leaving, he would exchange Nourishing Yuan Pills for the disciples. The small merits could be repaid slowly.

...

Upon reaching the Cold Pool, Feng Xing, ensuring no one else was around, cautiously said:

"Senior Brother, my aptitude is poor, and my level in the planting technique is mediocre. I don’t know why the ancestor took interest in me. I always feel uneasy, and I hope you can guide me generously in the future."

As he spoke, he cupped his hands and bowed.

"You don’t need to do that."

Wei Songtao hastily helped him up, gave him a deep look, and sighed:

"It’s exactly because your aptitude is poor. If your aptitude were good, in the environment of Red Flame Peak, you might be able to establish a foundation in just over ten years.

At that time, the sect would naturally assign tasks. The ancestor wants someone long-term and stable to help handle miscellaneous affairs."

Pointing to his spotted white hair, he continued, "I’ve been here over fifty years. As long as you diligently work, the ancestor definitely won’t drive you away."

He looked up at the sky, his gaze distant.

Wei Clan’s offspring couldn’t take his place. In the future, the liaison between Little Bamboo Mountain and Red Flame Peak would be this new junior brother.

He must build a good relationship with him and convince his brother upon returning to the family to quickly send a direct lineage member to apprentice under the ancestor, to strengthen ties.

Otherwise, the relationship would gradually fade. Now, it was Wei Clan that needed Red Flame Peak; the relationship couldn’t be allowed to grow distant.

...

Liang Hill arrived on the Flying Shuttle, landing by the Cold Pool, and Zhang Xueling hurried to greet him and his companions into the living room.

Ji An stood up, smiling, "Fellow Daoist Liang, please have a seat!"

"Sorry to have kept you waiting."

Liang Hill pulled a disciple to the front and said:

"This is Liu Ruhai, my recommended candidate. He has some expertise in breeding spirit fish and meets Fellow Daoist’s requirements."

He was quite fond of this disciple, believing him to have a spiritual knack for breeding spirit fish. If the disciple’s aptitude were slightly better, he would have taken him as a disciple already.

"Disciple pays respects to Ancestor!"

Liu Ruhai cupped his hands, his tone slightly reserved.

"No need for formalities."

Ji An glanced at him a few times and smiled:

"Since you have received such high praise from Fellow Daoist Liang, there must be something extraordinary about you."

He then repeated what he had said to Feng Xing and subsequently ordered Zhang Xueling to take him away.

...

Ji An and his companions chatted leisurely. Upon learning that he planned to travel again, a glimmer of sadness flashed in Liang Hill’s eyes.

"Fellow Daoist, your cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds, making one envious. I’ve been cultivating for over a hundred and thirty years, and only just broke through to the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment.

If I can break through to the late-stage Foundation Establishment in the future, I would ask for nothing more. I plan to find a few disciples as concubines and, after some years, leave the sect and start anew."

Liang Hill had long harbored this thought but had hesitated to decide. Today’s conversation shattered his confidence.

Fellow Daoist Ji is a Chao Origin Stage Cultivator. His cultivation speed far exceeded his own, making him feel powerless.

The room fell silent in the face of Liang Hill’s decision. Ji An knew it was not appropriate for him to offer comfort as he was the one in a favorable situation.

Liang Hill let out a deep breath, feeling the burden that had weighed on his chest for years lift somewhat. He smiled and changed the subject:

"Fellow Daoist Huang has been doing well in recent years and is now seeking to break through to the late-stage Foundation Establishment. It might be possible for him to glimpse the Chao Origin Realm in the future.

Old Huang has a good grandson, enough to comfort him in the next life. His descendants have inherited his bloodline. Isn’t this another form of life’s continuation?"

He seemed to be convincing himself, with a touch of inexplicable lament in his voice.

Back then, he broke through the Foundation Establishment Stage in one go, while Huang Feihu succeeded after two attempts. Yet, now the tides had turned.

Ji An smiled and said:

"Old Huang can indeed rest easy in the next life."

Reflecting on the four of them drinking merrily at Jade Water Lake in the past, Wei Songnian and Liang Hill had already given up. He wondered how long Huang Feihu could hold on.

If there was hope for the latter to break through to the Chao Origin Stage, he would help without hesitation.

Thinking of this, he recalled Zhang Yuanshan and Zhao Mengyao. It had been a long time since the few who walked out from the Cyan Pine Daoist School at Little Cang Mountain had contacted each other.

He remembered that after the death of Chu River, he didn’t agree to return to pay respects, which caused Zhang Yuanshan and Zhao Mengyao to distance themselves from him.

Ji An exhaled softly and once again let a smile bloom on his lips:

"Since it’s rare for you to visit, let’s enjoy a drink together at lunch. Who knows when we’ll meet again next time?"

Liang Hill, having released his inner conflict, laughed aloud and replied:

"Ha ha, it’s better to accept than to decline. The delicacies of Red Flame Peak are truly mouth-watering."

...

After lunch, having seen Liang Hill off, Ji An rode the Earth-Departing Flame Banner to the Inheritance Hall at Lingxiao Mountain.

Sunlight slanted through the lattice, revealing floating dust in the air. Under the brightness, Moo Feiyu dozed off in the Master’s Chair.

Upon hearing footsteps, he opened his cloudy eyes, and his smile spread across the wrinkles of his face.

"I haven’t seen Junior Brother Ji for many years; what brings you to the Inheritance Hall today?"

Ji An walked up slowly and took out a bag containing two taels of top-grade fried pine nuts, saying:

"I came today hoping to exchange for some jade slips related to arrays."

Moo Feiyu’s expression turned solemn as he said earnestly:

"Junior Brother, your future is bright. Striving to break through to the Golden Core Stage should be your priority. Now isn’t the time to delve into arrays."

The array dao is vast and profound, and it takes at least decades of dedicated research to achieve something meaningful.

As the sect’s Golden Core seed, one should not squander precious time on array dao, at least not now.

Ji An shook his head with a smile and explained:

"I’m not planning to study arrays right now. I just want to find out how to refine the Spirit-Binding Stake used to enhance spirit fields for future use."

Here, there were various Spirit-Binding Array inheritances for upgrading spirit field grades, which he urgently needed.

Enhancing the spirit vein grade of the Gourd World in the future can’t solely rely on the Stone Turtle and Gathering Essence Tree; array power must also be harnessed.

As the Gourd World was involved, he didn’t trust others with it, so he needed to refine it himself.

"I see. Junior Brother can find related jade slips in the array area.

The Agricultural Hall is becoming increasingly significant to the sect. The ancestor has already ordered the Array Hall to train disciples who have mastered the Spirit-Binding Arrays for cultivating spirit fields."

Ji An found the jade slips, spending five hundred small merits to exchange for them. With these arrays, he could accelerate cultivating the spirit fields to Tier Two top-grade.

After chatting for a while, he took his leave. Moo Feiyu sighed and soon fell back into a slumber. In another twenty to thirty years, the sect would have to send someone else to replace him.

...

A month later.

In the Quiet Chamber of the Grotto Mansion, Ji An sat cross-legged on the pudun, connecting his mind to the Upper Stone Turtle.

’Enter the Gourd World.’

In the next moment, his figure vanished from the original spot, leaving only the gourd pendant floating in the air, exuding a soft glow.

The flowers, birds, insects, fish, sun, moon, and stars on its surface seemed to come alive, casting changing shadows on the stone wall.

Ji An stood with his feet planted on the yellow earth, feeling a sense of peace in his heart.

This was his exclusive place of hope. When he went to the Central Continent, he couldn’t take everything from Red Flame Peak with him; the future depended on this world to accumulate resources for cultivation.

He looked around, nodded contentedly, and then crouched down, extending his Divine Sense deep into the earth.

His eyebrows suddenly twitched as he clenched his fist and struck the ground hard.

"They’ve finally sprouted, truly living up to being Heaven and Earth Spirit Roots, making me wait for over a month!"

He sensed the Gathering Essence Tree seed breaking open, revealing a sprout about an inch long, along with over ten fragile roots.

This was half a month later than he was initially willing to wait. If he hadn’t felt the seed’s life force growing increasingly active, he would’ve dug it out earlier.

It was better not to plant if there was any risk to the seed. After all, it was a Heaven and Earth Spirit Root.