"A master's grace is as deep as the sea. Lingyu will never forget it."
Li Lingyu rose to her feet and bowed deeply, her knees touching the ground.
Cultivation was a struggle against the heavens. The sooner one broke through to the next realm, the greater the chance of walking further along the immortal path.
This was why the sect valued younger Foundation Establishment cultivators more highly; they had far greater potential to reach higher achievements.
There were exceptions, of course, with older cultivators rising later in life, but throughout the sect's history, such cases were exceedingly rare.
Li Lingyu had once witnessed her father attempt Foundation Establishment without a pill. His failure was bitter and crushing. She could still remember him silently weeping, saying that if he had only mustered the courage a few years earlier, things might have turned out differently.
After that, he abandoned cultivation entirely, dedicating himself wholly to accumulating resources for her path.
Half a year ago, at the end of his life, he held her hand and said:
*"Yu'er, my life has been like an autumn leaf, withering and helplessly tossed about by the wind.
Your starting point is far higher than mine ever was. Promise me you'll seize every opportunity to move forward. Climb higher, and see the sights I never could."*
She etched those words into her heart. For her father, and for herself, she swore she would step onto a broader immortal road and climb greater peaks.
Ge Ying used a thread of spiritual power to help her disciple rise. A kindly smile flickered in her eyes.
"You are all preparing for Foundation Establishment. That means the medicine garden will need a new caretaker soon."
Just yesterday, an old spirit farmer had requested to retire, sensing his lifespan nearing its end and wishing to return home to live out his remaining years in peace.
Now that Li Lingyu too needed to focus on her breakthrough, the garden required fresh hands as quickly as possible.
Ge Ying sighed inwardly. So many spirit farmers had come to Verdant Cliff in their prime, only to leave bent and frail in old age.
And now, her own lifespan was running short as well, and a faint sorrow stirred in her heart.
"Master, I have someone to recommend."
"Master, I also have someone to recommend."
Ge Ying was surprised. For two disciples to recommend candidates at once was unusual. A faint smile touched her lips.
"Anyone you bring forward must be skilled in planting and well-versed in the properties of various spirit herbs," she reminded them.
The garden contained many rare and precious herbs; its care allowed no margin for error.
She paused, then said,
"Which of you will speak first?"
"Senior Brother should go first," Li Lingyu said.
A flicker of envy crossed her eyes. Her fellow disciple was a direct heir of the Liu clan of Qingping Mountain. Though he had joined later than most of the named disciples, he had already been in the Foundation Establishment for two years.
With such a background, one had great advantages in the early stages of cultivation.
A fast first step meant every step after came easier.
Liu Yu stood, smiling warmly.
"Master, when I first entered the sect, I chose to cultivate near Bihai Lake so I could devote more time to training.
There was a junior brother who joined at the same time as I did; his name is Ji An. He has a remarkable talent for farming.
When he entered the sect, he had barely managed to open his meridians. But by the time of the three-year minor examination, he was already at the sixth layer of Qi Refining. Even more astonishing, he had cultivated the Minor Rain Technique to perfection."
He said no more. His teacher would understand the significance without him needing to explain further.
A glimmer of appreciation flickered across Ge Ying's expression. She smiled.
"Excellent. A promising seedling. Does he have experience in growing spirit herbs?"
"Likely none, or very little. He has no family to rely on, so all his time has gone into farming spirit fields and training spells.
But planting skills can be learned. Such talent in spellcraft, however, is rare."
"Very well," Ge Ying said. "In a few days, bring him to me. I will test him personally.
If his aptitude proves decent, despite his youth, I may accept him as a named disciple."
Ge Ying nodded slightly. She now once again held the authority to take on named disciples.
"Lingyu, tell me about your recommendation."
"Ah… Master, my candidate is the same person Senior Brother mentioned."
Li Lingyu briefly recounted her encounter at the trade fair years ago, then added:
"At that time, Senior Sister Mu was also present. And Senior Brother Liu's information is already outdated when I met Ji An; his Thick Earth Formula had also reached perfection."
Mu Qingwan gave a gentle nod.
"Yes. He left a strong impression on me as well."
Ge Ying's brows rose. She grew even more intrigued by Ji An's talent with spellcraft.
To have perfected the Thick Earth Formula held far greater significance than her disciples realized.
"I very much wish to meet this disciple soon."
Liu Yu volunteered, "Master, I am willing to make a trip to Bihai Lake. I can be back within an hour."
"Go, then."
Ge Ying waved with a smile. After Liu Yu departed, she turned to her three named disciples.
"Let me share with you my own experiences in Foundation Establishment, it may serve as a reference for you."
...
An hour later, Liu Yu returned alone.
"Master, unfortunately, I could not find Ji An. I will bring word to you tomorrow."
At that very moment, Ji An had already disembarked from the flying boat, taken his leave of the steward martial uncle, and was lazily riding his talisman bird away.
With two hours left before nightfall, he still had time to take care of some errands.
Landing outside the Administrative Hall, Ji An entered, bought a batch of talisman grass seeds, and exchanged them for a vein-opening secret art, spending three hundred contribution points.
"Senior Brother, I'd like to participate in this year's disciple-recruitment event. Who do I report to?"
"Junior Brother, head upstairs. First room on the right, look for Senior Uncle Tian."
"Many thanks." Ji An cupped his hands and walked up to the loft.
After announcing himself and receiving permission, he pushed open the door. Inside sat a round-faced middle-aged cultivator sipping tea from a purple clay pot.
A gentle mist of steam drifted through the room, filling it with a rich fragrance.
"Senior Uncle Tian, I'd like to register for the recruitment event." Ji An bowed and presented his jade identity token.
Tian Qingbai entered the details into a jade slip, then smiled with narrowed eyes.
"Ah, a young man at the ninth layer of Qi Refining, your prospects are limitless.
Truth be told, most of the senior brothers and sisters in the sect barely glance at this list. There are simply too many who meet the standard, and they have no time to sort through them carefully."
He chuckled, lowering his voice.
"So I take it upon myself to prepare a smaller, more focused list highlighting the disciples whose talents and skills align with each master's cultivation path.
That way, my seniors save time, and outstanding disciples don't get overlooked. Don't you think that's a fine idea?"
"An excellent idea indeed.
Senior Uncle works tirelessly for the sake of the sect's disciples. Please accept this small token of my respect."
Ji An placed five spirit stones on the table, covering them with a sleeve.
"Haha, selecting talent for the sect is merely my duty," Tian Qingbai replied.
A sensible lad. His smile softened further.
"Please, carry on with your work, Senior Uncle. This disciple takes his leave."
After Ji An left, Tian Qingbai leisurely reviewed the information he had just recorded.
If not for the tribute of a few spirit stones, he would never have bothered to examine the details so carefully.
"Joined the sect six years ago, perfected the Minor Rain Technique and the Thick Earth Formula already… this boy is impressive.
Let me think which senior brother to pass this along to. Hehe, another favor to earn."
Taking a sip of spirit tea, he copied the entry onto a separate blank jade slip. He had accepted the gift, and he would do his part.
...
Meanwhile, walking out of the Administrative Hall, Ji An muttered to himself:
You fat bastard, outright demanding bribes. If I don't bleed a little, I'll be buried and forgotten? Fine, then this debt is written down. One day, you'll cough it all back up.
The talisman bird's speed had its limits; it could not be changed by will alone.
By the time Ji An returned home, the moon was already casting silver light across the still waters of Bihai Lake.
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