Chapter 85

Qin Sang only learned after asking that the influence of the Yuanzhao Sect was actually very extensive. After disciples of the Yuanzhao Sect gained the qualifications to establish their own caves, they could freely choose places with dense spiritual energy in this vast mountain range to build their caves.

Yuanzhao Peak is the foundation of the great protective array of the Yuanzhao Sect. The Grandmaster cultivates on the main peak, and important places like the Hall of the Sect Leader are built around the main peak, hence it is called the Inner Sect.

Following Senior Brother Zhu for a while, they eventually reached the edge of the protective array. Senior Brother Zhu landed on the ground, pointed to the valley entrance shrouded in mist, and said to Qin Sang, "Junior Brother Qin, this is the entrance to the Xingyun Valley. There is a great array inside, and you need a Xingyun Valley badge to enter. I won't see you off any further. Your White Cloud magical tool is used for cloud-making and rain-bringing to nourish spiritual plants. The Jiezi Bag contains Nine Spirit Sand and other items, all of which are needed for cultivating spiritual plants... This is a month's supply, and someone will bring new ones when the time comes."

As he spoke, Senior Brother Zhu raised his hand and shot a stream of spiritual energy into the valley. After a moment, the mist in the valley parted, and an even older-looking person flew out, but he only had the cultivation of the thirteenth level of the Qi Condensation stage.

This person landed in front of the two, glanced at Qin Sang, and said sarcastically, "Senior Brother Zhu doesn't visit unless there's something important, what a rare guest... This junior brother looks unfamiliar, may I ask your name?"

Qin Sang hurriedly bowed, "Junior Brother Qin Sang, greetings to Senior Brother."

Senior Brother Zhu smiled bitterly, not getting angry, and said in a resentful tone, "Senior Brother Meng, this is Junior Brother Qin Sang, who has just joined the sect and has been assigned to help in your Xingyun Valley. I personally brought him here, yet you treat me like this."

Senior Brother Meng's eyes lit up, "Old Du finally let someone go? Oh, I almost forgot it's the Ascension Conference today."

Senior Brother Zhu seemed to deliberately provoke him, shaking his head and saying, "I heard that Senior Uncle Du has something to do today, so he entrusted Senior Uncle Yu to arrange the miscellaneous tasks. Otherwise, several senior uncles would be waiting to replenish their manpower, and it wouldn't be your turn."

Senior Brother Meng snorted, suddenly pausing, "Senior Uncle Yu? Which Senior Uncle Yu?"

Senior Brother Zhu said coolly, "It's precisely Junior Brother Yu Hua, who recently broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage after closing his retreat. From now on, you should call him Senior Uncle Yu."

The two looked at each other speechlessly, suddenly both looking desolate and dispirited.

...

After Senior Brother Zhu left, Qin Sang followed Senior Brother Meng into the Xingyun Valley.

After a few exchanges and getting to know each other, Qin Sang learned that this Senior Brother Meng was named Meng Ruhui, who was already eighty-eight years old. He had long given up hope of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage and, thirty years ago, completely abandoned the idea of cultivation, bidding farewell to the sect and returning home.

But his parents had already passed away, and his hometown was full of strangers. Feeling dispirited, Meng Ruhui returned to the mountain to take over mundane affairs, planning to spend his remaining years in the sect.

Over the past thirty years, his cultivation had slowly reached the peak of the thirteenth level of the Qi Condensation stage, but it was impossible for him to reach the Foundation Establishment stage. The sect, recognizing his diligence, assigned him to manage the Xingyun Valley.

The Xingyun Valley was a series of connected valleys, each with many spiritual fields planted with countless spiritual trees, bamboo, and grains, and of course, spiritual herbs.

Meng Ruhui led Qin Sang deep into the valley. They encountered a few senior brothers and sisters along the way, who were all in a hurry, exchanged greetings, and then went their separate ways.

Seeing this busy scene, Qin Sang couldn't help but feel a heavy heart.

Finally, they arrived at the innermost valley. Compared to other places, this valley was not very large. Both sides of the slopes were planted with purple bamboo, and in the middle was a large medicinal garden.

"Junior Brother Qin, from now on, you will be responsible for taking care of this spiritual medicinal garden. You need to submit a certain amount of spiritual herbs at regular intervals, and the sect will send someone to collect them. The characteristics of each type of spiritual herb and the methods for their care are all written in this jade slip. Some spiritual herbs are very delicate, so you must not be negligent. If you fail to submit the spiritual herbs, not only will your monthly salary be deducted, but you might even be expelled from the sect. You can choose any place in this valley to establish your cave..."

Meng Ruhui gave Qin Sang a long speech and then hurriedly left. Qin Sang flew to the medicinal garden in the valley, looking at the various spiritual herbs, some in full bloom and others lush and green, all of which he had never seen before.

After probing the jade slip with his divine sense and reading it carefully, Qin Sang's face turned completely dark.

His cloud was called the Five Elements Cloud. When activated, it could infuse the five elements of spiritual energy from the heavens and earth into the rain, nourishing the spiritual plants.

Since each type of spiritual herb had different characteristics, the frequency and timing of the rain, as well as the types and amounts of the five elements of spiritual energy infused into the rain, all required careful control.

If a mistake was made, it would not only fail to help the herbs grow but could also damage them, and in severe cases, cause them to wither and die.

The Nine Spirit Sand was made from the droppings of nine types of demon bats. Ordinary spiritual plants only needed to be sprinkled with it every ten days, and no further attention was required. However, spiritual herbs were different, with extremely complex requirements, making Qin Sang's head spin the more he read.

If he strictly followed the instructions in the jade slip, he would have to spend more than half of his day tending to the medicinal garden, leaving very little time for cultivation.

No wonder Meng Ruhui left so quickly, not giving him a chance to protest.

Qin Sang flew to a high place to observe and saw a bamboo pavilion deep in the bamboo forest. Flying over, he found that the bamboo pavilion was in disrepair and swayed in the wind. He decided to find a cliff behind the bamboo forest and used the Green Wave Sword to carve out a simple cave, then sat down to think.

Senior Uncle Yu had assigned him to the Xingyun Valley but never explicitly told him what to do. It was possible that Du Siyan's sudden appearance had disrupted his plans.

This made Qin Sang uneasy.

Qin Sang had considered reporting, but how many spies of the Kuiyin Sect were there in the Yuanzhao Sect besides Yu Hua? Could Meng Ruhui be one of them?

Apart from the two Golden Core elders and the Sect Leader of the Yuanzhao Sect, Qin Sang really didn't dare to trust anyone.

Moreover, given the Yuanzhao Sect's method of luring and killing itinerant cultivators with the Ascension Conference, would he really be able to atone for his sins by reporting?

This was a matter of risking his life!

If he reported, to prove that what he said was true, the secret of the Jade Buddha would inevitably be exposed.

Qin Sang's understanding of the Jade Buddha was growing.

The soul was the foundation of a cultivator, and the Jade Buddha not only protected his soul from external evil influences but also helped him resist the soul-confusing effects of the Soul-Bewitching Mirror.

Qin Sang analyzed that this ability only affected the soul, ensuring that his soul would not be confused and that he would maintain his Daoist heart no matter where he was. However, for arrays like the mist array in the Xingyun Valley or outside the Youshan Market, he could not see through them with his naked eyes.

Although he couldn't yet determine the limits of the Jade Buddha, he could imagine that under its protection, he would have the ability to resist soul-damaging, mind-confusing magical tools, spells, evil influences, and arrays.

The Jade Buddha was definitely a supreme treasure and must not be revealed under any circumstances.