bookbashuk Chapter 52: The selection is finalized, and another storm begins.
Chapter 52: The selection is finalized, and another storm begins.
Before going to Lingzhi Peak, Liu He was still guarding the forest area in Waishan Forest Farm.
The most talked-about topic lately is the selection process for the Spirit Plant Peak, with all sorts of rumors circulating.
Before the selection was even announced, everyone knew about Liu He's situation.
Everyone knows that he is an earth elemental spirit and has a deep understanding of the art of exorcising insects.
Meanwhile, another piece of news shocked everyone.
The original plan was to select twelve menial disciples for Lingzhi Peak, but two more have been added.
A few days later, the selection was announced, and Liu He, Wang Yarong, and Meng Kaizhou all entered Lingzhi Peak.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
Waishan Forest Farm.
Wu Shao summoned his men to a gathering and held a simple farewell ceremony for the three men.
"Congratulations to Wang Yarong, Meng Kaizhou, and Liu He on joining Lingzhi Peak! Their future paths to immortality are boundless!"
His face was full of fawning smiles.
Lingzhi Peak only selects fourteen menial disciples in total, and three of them came from his subordinates.
Given Meng Kaizhou's status, he was not worthy of her attention, and her attempts to curry favor with him were ignored.
Wang Yarong's talent isn't just at the intermediate level of spiritual root, but also at the level of plant and tree spirit body. It's estimated that within a few years, Wang Yarong's cultivation will surpass his.
He thought that with this "mentorship" between him and his subordinate, he might be able to curry favor with Wang Yarong in the future.
As for Liu He, he was completely unexpected.
He outwardly offered flattering congratulations to the three, but inwardly he couldn't help feeling a bit jealous and bitter.
He participated in the selection for outer disciples at the same Spirit Plant Peak but failed.
Years later, when he sees Wang Yarong, Meng Kaizhou, or Liu He, he will have to call them "senior brother/sister".
The taste is hard to describe.
Congratulations!
"Congratulations, Senior Sister Wang, Senior Brother Meng, and Senior Brother Liu."
"When you come to Lingzhi Peak in the future, don't forget about us in the outer mountain forest farm."
Come back and visit often when you have time.
"..."
Currently, they are at the second and third levels of Qi Refining, but as the three of them reach the Spirit Plant Peak, the gap will only widen.
Although they were both from the Qian Yuan Holy Sect, they went their separate ways and took different paths to immortality.
Amidst the crowd, Song Qian's eyes held a hidden bitterness as she congratulated the three as well.
They all participated in the selection process at the Spirit Plant Peak. Other miscellaneous disciples failed the screening process from the beginning and were unable to participate in the practical examination.
They were at the second level of Qi Refining, so their hopes were low and their disappointment was not great either.
Song Qian was at the third level of Qi Refining, but she was not as good as others in the practical test, which made her feel bad.
Moreover, how will he face Wu Shao in the future if he fails to leave the outer mountain forest farm?
She had already anticipated that Wu Shao would make things difficult for her.
Several months ago, her relationship with Wu Shao ended.
Not long after, she found a new Daoist partner, an inner disciple at the ninth level of Qi Refining in the Lingzhi Peak Grain Garden.
Only with the Sea Expansion Pill that her new Daoist partner bought her was she able to break through to the third level of Qi Refining.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
Wu Shao looked at Song Qian in the crowd and was glad that she hadn't entered the Spirit Plant Peak.
He harbored deep resentment towards Song Qian.
In the past two years, he has spent more than 100 spirit stones on Song Qian.
His own cultivation was delayed because of this; otherwise, he would have already broken through to the sixth level and might have been able to pass the selection for outer disciples of the Spirit Plant Peak.
The results of it?
Not long ago, Song Qian broke off her Daoist relationship with him because he couldn't afford the Expansion Pill.
"Hmph, I can't afford to offend that person, but this is the Outer Mountain Forest Farm, not the Spirit Plant Peak."
He thought to himself that as long as Song Qian was under his command, he had plenty of ways to target her.
Just then, a small flying boat flew in from a distance, attracting the attention of everyone present.
Yin Zhi piloted the flying boat down from the sky and casually put it into his storage bag.
"Greetings, Steward Yin."
"Butler Yin~"
Those who recognized Yin Zhi bowed in greeting, and others who did not recognize him followed suit.
Yin Zhi nodded slightly and got straight to the point: "There has been a change in the list of miscellaneous disciples selected for Lingzhi Peak. Sun Chongshan, who was originally selected, has been removed from the list and replaced by Song Qian. I have come to announce this."
He then looked at Song Qian and said, "Congratulations on being selected for Lingzhi Peak Farmland."
Upon hearing this news, people reacted in various ways.
The most excited was Song Qian, who was overjoyed and thanked Yin Zhi repeatedly.
The others offered their congratulations.
While shocked, Wu Shao was also filled with resentment: "Steward Yin, how come Sun Chongshan was removed from the list?"
"Someone accused him of neglecting his duties multiple times while on duty at the outer mountain forest farm, the most serious incident being a fire that destroyed more than a dozen trees. My investigation confirmed the allegations, so I dismissed him. How could someone like that be allowed to join Lingzhi Peak?"
When selecting people for Lingzhi Peak, talent is certainly important, but a sense of responsibility is even more important.
They selected cultivators who would be on duty at the Spirit Plant Peak to look after and care for the spirit plants.
Hearing Yin Zhi's words, Liu He was glad that he had worked diligently and hadn't slacked off while on duty at the Waishan Forest Farm.
"Steward Yin, may I ask which garden I'm going to?"
When Wang Yarong heard that Song Qian had been selected for "Tianliangyuan", she didn't know which garden she had been assigned to.
"Of course you went to the flower garden; the owner personally selected you."
Lingzhi Peak has four gardens: Flower and Grass Garden, Spirit Tree Garden, Spirit Fruit Garden, and Grain Garden.
In terms of treatment and status, the Flower and Herb Garden is the highest, followed by the Spirit Tree Garden and the Spirit Fruit Garden, and the Grain Garden is the lowest.
Because Tianliangyuan is in the worst location on Lingzhi Peak, it grows low-value rice and grain spiritual plants such as spiritual rice, spiritual wheat, and spiritual millet.
After speaking of Wang Yarong, Yin Zhi brought up the other two: "Liu He and Meng Kaizhou have both gone to the Spirit Wood Garden. The four of you can change your identity jade tokens and head to the Spirit Plant Peak immediately."
After giving his instructions, Yin Zhi left without lingering.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
The group was very excited upon hearing the news.
The calmest one was Meng Kaizhou. One of the two extra spots for selecting miscellaneous disciples was his; his father had paid a price to get him to Spirit Plant Peak.
Liu He, Wang Yarong, and Song Qian had no desire to stay in the outer mountain forest farm any longer; they were single-mindedly thinking about quickly changing their identity jade tokens and going to Lingzhi Peak.
They were distracted, and the farewell ceremony ended hastily and quickly.
The crowd dispersed.
Wu Shao was extremely distressed. He had "supported" Song Qian to go to Lingzhi Peak, but he was still staying in the outer mountain forest farm.
If Song Qian becomes his "senior sister" in the future, where will he put his face?
As for the few remaining men under his command who guard the forest area, new trial laborers will arrive.
The selection of handyman disciples at Lingzhi Peak has ended, and the spiritual root test of Qian Yuan Holy Sect has also ended. A large number of trial handyman disciples with spiritual roots have been selected from the mortal society to join the sect.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
That same day, Liu He changed his identity jade token and went to the Spirit Tree Garden on Spirit Plant Peak.
Previously, he needed someone to guide him to Lingzhi Peak; he could not enter on his own.
With his identity jade token, he could freely enter and leave the Spirit Plant Peak.
The Spirit Tree Garden has thousands of acres of forest, all of which are precious spiritual plants and trees.
When Liu He arrived, he learned that he had been assigned to work under an inner disciple.
When he saw the man, he realized that he had seen him before during the selection examination. He was Fu Shuai, who was in charge of the "identifying spiritual plants" examination.
"Junior Brother Liu He, welcome to Lingmu Garden!"
When Fu Shuai met Liu He, he showed him a warm welcome.