Chương 40: Chapter 39

Foundation Establishment cultivators formed the backbone of the Moonwatch Sect. Four hundred might sound impressive for a Golden Core sect, but beneath them were five or six thousand Qi Refining cultivators. Even here, fewer than one in ten succeeded in reaching Foundation Establishment. Celia thought Elara's chances were much better. She had a gift for spirit gardening, and she could craft talismans. She could grow her own materials and turn them into finished talismans.

Of the four essentials of cultivation—wealth, companions, teachings, and a suitable place to practice—she would have the financial side largely covered. That alone would give her a considerable advantage.

"It seems I still underestimated you, Elara." Once again, Celia had to revise her opinion of her newest fellow disciple. Martin was equally impressed.

"Your ability to draw Soul-Calming Talismans is good news for the whole sect, Mistress Lin."

"He's right," Celia said.

"If you're willing to contribute the crafting method, the Hall of Teachings would give you a generous reward in Contribution Points." That was news to Elara. She had assumed everyone knew how to make Soul-Calming Talismans. Now she could earn Contribution Points just by sharing the instructions? If so, Foundations of Talisman Craft, her reward from the fourth step of the Stairway of the Great Dao, was far more valuable than she had realized. The book contained instructions for plenty of other talismans.

If she submitted them all… Even the most oblivious person in the sect would realize I'd found something extraordinary. And how would I explain where the book came from? She thought it over and decided to be cautious. Once the Gathering Shadows expansion began, cultivators would stop guarding their teachings quite so closely. After that, the sect's senior cultivators would have little trouble deducing that her copy of Foundations of Talisman Craft had come from the Dao Realm.

But she didn't know whether the expansion had started. Until she knew more, drawing that much attention to herself was too dangerous. Besides, the talisman Elara had just taken out had no markings on the back, so the talisman alone wouldn't reveal her secret. She offered a vague explanation about finding the instructions by chance, then promised to teach Celia and Martin how to draw the talisman. That won them over at once.

Celia took an even keener interest in helping Elara prepare for the Spirit Gardener examination. Martin, meanwhile, eagerly helped arrange her meeting with Benedict. Before long, Celia threw open the study door. Benedict sat behind his desk, an alchemy book in one hand and a teacup at his lips. Wisps of spiritual energy drifted through the room. The Qi-Gathering Formation was clearly active, and the Rank Two spirit tea in his cup gave off an enticing fragrance.

He wore the blue-green cultivation robes common throughout the Moonwatch Sect, his hair coiled up and secured with a jade pin. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. A jade token at his waist radiated power on par with a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Three Storage Rings adorned his fingers. Even his robes bore Rank Two defensive formations. His spiritual sense swept instinctively through the room, carrying a weight Elara could feel.

She had only one thought. Benedict really was rich.

"Celia?" The sudden intrusion had startled him out of his reading. Once he recognized her, he set down his cup with a resigned air and turned to Elara.

"And this must be our newest fellow disciple?"

"I'm Elara Lin. It's an honor to meet you."

"Benedict, what tea is that?" Elara had barely finished her greeting before Celia spoke. She was already eyeing his cup. Benedict rose to welcome them and gestured for them to sit, smiling as he shook his head. One of his Storage Rings flashed. Two tiny wooden boxes appeared in his hands. Each was a cube a little over an inch across, made entirely from Rank Two materials. He placed one before each of them, looking as though parting with them cost him a little effort.

"Rank Two Clarity Tea. It clears the mind and sharpens understanding." Now he had Elara's attention, too. As soon as he named it, information appeared above the box. [Clarity Tea (Low Arcane-grade): Clears the mind and sharpens understanding. Brewing it with spirit liquid further aids cultivation.] Arcane-grade spirit tea was difficult for even ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators to obtain. Yet Benedict had just given each of them a small box. His reputation was well deserved.

"Thank you, Benedict. We're lucky to have you looking after us," Celia said.

"We've only just met, and you're already making me feel like part of the family," Elara added. Benedict's smile deepened the lines around his eyes. He let himself enjoy the flattery before asking what had brought them. Celia had come hoping to secure a few gifts for Elara. She could hardly say so outright. Instead, she explained that they wanted guidance with their techniques and cultivation methods. That gave her an opening to mention that Elara had already learned Stormcalling and the Verdant Moon Method.

Benedict gave Elara his full attention. When Celia added that she could draw Soul-Calming Talismans, his fingers tightened around his teacup. He understood what Celia was doing. She wanted Elara welcomed into their lineage's inner circle. From what he had heard, he was inclined to agree. As their master's first disciple, it fell to him to make a start.

"Elara, if there's anything you don't understand, you're welcome to ask me."

"Thank you, Benedict. And let me apologize in advance for all the questions." He laughed.

"I doubt I'll get much farther with my own cultivation. Foundation Establishment will probably be the end of the road for me. I hope you'll go far enough along the path to immortality to see what I never will."

"With your gifts, I'm sure you'll reach Golden Core one day."

"You little flatterer…" The exchange gave Benedict a better sense of her, and he found himself enjoying her company. He was happy to welcome his fellow disciples, so long as they were pleasant to be around. Elara had considerable talent, but none of the arrogance that made some gifted young cultivators so tiresome. He would be glad to get to know her better. For now, he considered what he could do to help. As a Foundation Establishment cultivator and a mid-level Rank Two alchemist, he had no shortage of options.

His gaze fell on the little tea boxes.

"Elara, are you managing to keep up with your spirit fields?"

"I have about five hundred and sixty square yards. Four hundred are planted with spirit rice, but I'm struggling to keep up with the other hundred and sixty." She simply didn't have enough qi to give the smaller plot all the care it needed. At Tier 4 Qi Refining, her gardening arts were most effective on Glowmist Grass, Mindveil Grass, and Wellspring Grass when she worked on roughly thirty-five to fifty square yards at a time.

She also needed to visit the rice field every day and give it a full-strength casting of Stormcalling. Between the two plots, she couldn't give the smaller, richer field the attention it deserved. Benedict listened, then smiled and took another wooden box from his Storage Ring. He set it before her.

"A Rank One Vitalleaf tea sapling. It should suit your needs nicely." Celia looked at the box with undisguised envy. Elara's pulse quickened. Players of Seed of Ascension had another name for spirit teas: cultivation boosters. She carefully accepted the box and opened it. An emerald-green sapling lay inside. [Vitalleaf Tea Sapling (High Basic-grade): Requires two years of cultivation in a Rank One spirit field to mature. Once mature, yields two harvests per year, with 1 pound of tea leaves per harvest.] Without spirit liquid, it would take two years to mature even in a high-quality Rank One spirit field. Vitalleaf Tea was a High Basic-grade spirit tea that helped the drinker gather and absorb spiritual energy, nourished the body, and balanced their qi. Two pounds a year would be a tremendous help, even after she reached late-stage Qi Refining. Elara could only marvel at his generosity. Benedict really did have money to spare.