Chương 20

Elara hadn't expected this trip to earn her both an entire cage of black-shelled insects and Garrick's full support, complete with a recommendation for the Moonwatch Sect's assessment. The Flamewyrm Fruit infestation had played directly into her strengths.

"Now that the problem has been resolved, I may still be able to establish that connection with the inner disciple." Garrick had visibly relaxed, and his usual hearty smile had returned.

"With your skill as a Spirit Gardener, you already have an excellent chance of passing the Rank One Spirit Gardener certification exam. Once you have that qualification, the Moonwatch Sect's assessment shouldn't pose much difficulty. Giving you the recommendation certainly won't be a waste." After dealing with the infestation, Garrick led Elara out of the Flamewyrm Fruit grove. Along the way, Elara deliberately asked him several questions about the Moonwatch Sect.

Back when Seed of Ascension had merely been a game, even the most ordinary player could choose one of the six great Divine Sects of the Central Lands and begin as an outer disciple. The game offered plenty of stranger starting options as well. A player could lower their family background and Fortune to the minimum, then spawn as an impoverished child in some remote frontier city. Very few people actually chose that kind of beginning.

Most were either masochists looking for an extreme challenge or players convinced they possessed the destiny of a story's chosen hero. Seed of Ascension had offered an extraordinary amount of freedom, which had led players to develop countless different approaches to the game. Unfortunately, Elara knew very little about the Moonwatch Sect itself. Her character in her previous life had been born into House Lin, one of the great clans in a Divine Sect's capital, as the eldest daughter of its main family line.

"Cedric never explained any of this to you?" Garrick asked.

"Then I'll give you the basics."

"Valehaven is only a second-tier city within the Moonwatch Sect's territory. Its primary purpose is to supply the sect with spirit plants and a limited amount of strategic reserves. Every quarter, an outer elder visits the second-tier cities to select new disciples, but only a small number of recommendations are available."

"Above the second-tier cities are the first-tier cities and the regional capital. Moonwatch City was built at the foot of the sect's mountain and is by far the strongest city in its territory. The resources and strength hidden within the sect itself are even more impressive."

"If you successfully become an outer disciple, every major family in Valehaven will regard you as someone with real potential. And if you're fortunate enough to become an inner disciple, you'll stand on equal footing with Dawnmere's managers. No, they may even have to treat you with greater respect." Garrick's amusement returned as he continued.

"If that happens, even if the Spirit Gardener from House Wang learns that you took his insects, he may have to come running over with gifts and beg you to forgive him." He broke into another round of laughter. After spending the morning afraid he might lose both his career and everything he had built for his family, Garrick had recovered it all in the span of a few minutes.

Once they emerged from the maze formation and returned to the raised paths between the fields, Garrick stopped and addressed Elara more seriously.

"I'll only discuss the insects with Cedric. As far as everyone else is concerned, he was the one who solved the infestation. You won't have to worry about the Rank One Spirit Gardener from House Wang targeting you for taking the swarm." The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. He paused.

"And I won't forget what you did for me. The Moonwatch Sect recommendation is only part of my thanks. If you ever need my help in the future, come to me." Garrick and Elara returned to the other apprentices together. They gave everyone the same explanation: the infestation had been extremely difficult to treat, but Elara had a way to ask Cedric for help. Cedric, Dawnmere Trading House's second manager, had once been a genuine Rank One Spirit Gardener.

He had practiced the profession for many years but had never managed to qualify as Rank Two. His cultivation was probably the reason. Cedric was already old, and most of his remaining potential had been exhausted. He had remained at Qi Refining Tier 6 for years without managing to break through to Tier 7. After leaving the spirit fields, Garrick brought Elara back to Dawnmere Trading House. As usual, Cedric was overseeing the store. He looked mildly surprised when he saw them enter together.

"Well, if it isn't Garrick. You never visit without a reason, and now you've brought my apprentice with you. Has she caused trouble?"

"Quite the opposite. You've found yourself a real treasure." Garrick shook his head and laughed.

"She may be even more capable than you were at her age." His tone soon turned serious.

"But I did encounter a problem, and I need to tell you about it before anything else happens."

"You need to discuss it with me personally?" Cedric studied him.

"Then it must be serious."

"It was extremely serious, but the immediate problem has already been resolved. What happens next concerns your apprentice." At Garrick's request, Cedric led them to an empty reception room inside the trading house. Once the door was closed, Garrick recounted almost everything that had happened that morning. He left out only one detail. Rather than reveal that Elara had captured the black insects and kept them for her own use, he vaguely claimed that she had disposed of them.

After considering the story, Cedric asked, "You're certain the Spirit Gardener from House Wang planted those insects before the assessment?"

"I have no doubt. That kind of strange technique has only appeared along the southern frontier. House Wang happens to have a disciple who recently returned from a sect in that region. He likely lent the insects—or the means of controlling them—to their Spirit Gardener."

"It seems House Wang still wants to seize a few more assessment recommendations. Their appetite is growing." Cedric gave a quiet laugh before turning the situation into a joke at his own expense.

"I've spent so long sitting inside this shop that I never expected an achievement to come walking through my door. Very well. As far as anyone outside this room is concerned, I was the one who resolved the infestation. House Wang will have no choice but to accept the loss." Cedric then turned his attention to Elara.

"I knew your Talent was unusual, but you continue to surprise me. You've broken through again, haven't you? Qi Refining Tier 3, combined with your skill as a Spirit Gardener... Yes, you deserve one of the Moonwatch Sect's assessment recommendations." His tone became more instructive.

"You still need to cultivate diligently. The sect's selection will be held only one day after Valehaven's monthly assessment, when an outer elder arrives to preside over it."

"For resolving the infestation, I'll arrange a reward for you. I'll have it issued in the form of cultivation pills." Cedric was as generous as ever. He gave Elara an entire bottle containing ten Low Basic-grade Qi Gathering Pills. Their effects were twice as powerful as those of ordinary Qi Gathering Pills. If measured in Contribution Points, the entire bottle would have cost two points—and Elara had only two Contribution Points to her name.

In other words, Cedric had just given her another twenty spirit stones' worth of resources for free. At her current cultivation of Qi Refining Tier 3, consuming a single Qi Gathering Pill could increase her cultivation speed by more than thirty percent while its effects lasted. Their value was obvious.... After returning to her courtyard, Elara waited for the Ember Sanctum's cooldown to end and entered once again.

"According to Cedric, there's less than a week left before the Moonwatch Sect's selection. Even for me, that doesn't leave much time." Elara had no idea whether her current cultivation at Qi Refining Tier 3 would be enough to pass the assessment. Whatever the answer, gaining more strength could only improve her chances.

"Even if I spend all three days cultivating inside the Ember Sanctum and use the Qi Gathering Pills, I probably won't break through to Tier 4 this time. I may as well use the opportunity to challenge the next trial." She had already spent some time stabilizing and refining the benefits of the high-grade pills she had consumed earlier. More importantly, only the Ember Sanctum's trial rewards could give her another enormous increase in strength within such a short period.

"I can also use the trial to test how powerful my new insects are." Elara retrieved the insect cage from her storage ring and lifted its lid. Using Metal Gathering Art, she guided a single black insect out of the darkness and allowed it to settle on her fingertip. She pressed down gently on its shell. The tiny insect was at least as hard as ordinary metal or stone. A closer examination also revealed a pair of sharp mouthparts at the front of its head.

"Then it's time to begin the third trial."