The journey to Elder Lin Ming's Garden took about 20 minutes. Zhao Ping and Chen Hao led Hun Yan through a hidden stone path that wound behind the Medicine Gathering Pavilion, through a quiet bamboo forest, until they finally reached a tightly closed wooden gate, covered in thick moss.
"Behind this gate is Elder Lin Ming's domain," Zhao Ping whispered, his voice carrying a hint of tension. "Don't try to mess around here. Even the air here is thicker with spiritual Qi."
The moment the gate opened, Hun Yan immediately fell silent.
He had seen many herb fields, but this wasn't a field; this was a Spiritual Garden.
Elder Lin Ming's garden was much larger than all the outer disciples' plots combined, stretching as far as the eye could see across a small, protected hillside. The entire area was enclosed by an invisible spiritual barrier, which caused the spiritual Qi within to be sealed and condensed until it almost resembled a thin, emerald-green mist.
Hun Yan could smell the aromas of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of different herbs blending together: sweet, spicy, cool, warm, all in perfect harmony. He saw the Spirit Fruit Tree emitting a soft glow, the Snow Lotus Pond guarded by a miniature water formation, and the plots where high-grade herbs grew in meticulous arrangements. Some of the herbs even rustled and moved slightly, as if possessing a consciousness of their own.
"This... this is extraordinary," Hun Yan murmured, his eyes widening in amazement. The contrast with his own simple plot of Pure Jade Plants was stark.
"Indeed, extraordinary," Chen Hao replied. "Elder Lin Ming is a great alchemist. Just by breathing the air here, your cultivation will benefit. Take good care of it! The Elder has left a jade slip in the small house over there. It contains a guide to caring for each herb."
After giving some final instructions and warnings regarding the importance of secrecy and meticulousness, Zhao Ping and Chen Hao quickly departed, as if they didn't want to linger under the pressure of the powerful spiritual Qi formation.
Hun Yan was left alone. He spent the rest of the morning simply strolling around, admiring the beauty and complexity of the garden. After finding the small wooden house that served as the Elder's resting place, he found the jade slip in question.
Hun Yan breathed a sigh of relief. He knew this was his cultivation paradise.
Hun Yan quickly settled into his new routine. He worked from dawn to dusk, tirelessly, and now, he did so with genuine joy.
Interestingly, because the Elder Garden was filled with such rich Qi, Hun Yan didn't need to strain to draw in Qi from outside. The abundant five-elemental Qi—enriched by the thousands of herbs around him—constantly flowed into him.
Every touch of a high-grade herb, such as the Dragon Breath Grass or the Ice Heart Flower, allowed him to absorb purer essence. In a short time, his solid foundation of the Five Elemental Cultivation Technique began to show its power. The five-colored Qi in his dantian slowly but surely strengthened.
He wasn't just working; he was cultivating around the clock. In the eyes of others, he was simply a hardworking student. In his own eyes, he was a genius who had found the perfect way to combine work and cultivation.
In just a few weeks, he felt a powerful boost, indicating he was approaching the peak of the First Level of the Qi Refinement Realm.
One sunny afternoon, Hun Yan was working in the most secluded herb plot, where Elder Lin Ming had planted some very strange and irregular spiritual plants. This plot was located near an ancient stone wall, which seemed to mark the back boundary of the garden.
He was pruning several White Jade Flower Sprout—a particularly sensitive herb—with the utmost care. Suddenly, as he was pruning a shoot that had grown too close to the stone wall, his hand touched the rock surface.
Clang.
Not the sound of stone, but a hidden metallic sound.
Hun Yan frowned. He pushed the White Jade Flower Sprout aside and began to brush away the moss and dirt on the rock surface. As it turned out, it wasn't just a stone wall. Beneath the layer of moss and dirt, there was a rectangular stone slab smoother than the surrounding stone.
The slab was decorated with barely discernible carvings. Hun Yan knew this was a formation, but not a defensive formation; it looked more like a seal.
Curious, Hun Yan directed a bit of his Qi and tried to touch one of the more prominent carvings. Using his basic understanding of Metal Qi gained from the Five Elements Cultivation Technique, he channeled extremely pure Qi into the indentation.
VUUUM!
The stone didn't tremble. Instead, the Qi he had infused was completely sucked in. In the next instant, a thin scroll of parchment made from ancient beast hide, which had been hidden in a narrow crevice behind the slab, suddenly appeared before him, as if pushed out by an invisible energy.
Hun Yan quickly snatched it. The scroll felt cold and ancient in his hands.
He carefully unfurled it. At the top of the scroll, it was written in aged characters:
"Earth Concealment Technique" — A secret technique for concealing one's cultivation foundation and spiritual aura. Perfect for those who wish to develop discreetly.
Hun Yan's breath caught.
A Cloaking Technique?
This was a treasure far more valuable than the Five Elements Cultivation Technique he had obtained. In a cultivation world filled with competition, jealousy, and oppression from more powerful seniors, concealing one's cultivation level was key to surviving and thriving without attracting unnecessary attention.
If he continued cultivating at this incredible speed in the Elders' Garden, it wouldn't be long before he surpassed Murong Xuan and Ren Yan, perhaps even some of the core disciples. Without the Cloaking Technique, he would become an obvious target, be suspected, or be forced to hand over his method.
Hun Yan suppressed his excitement. He immediately examined the scroll further.
[Ding!]
[Supplementary Technique Manual Detected. Would you like to consume 5 Evolution Points to integrate and obtain "Heavenly Qi Cloaking Technique" (Complete)?]
[Yes / No]
Hun Yan didn't think twice. He had been lucky, but luck had to be maintained.
"Yes," he replied.
[Processing... Evolution Points deducted 5.]
[Current Evolution Points: 28]
[Integration successful! You have obtained the Heavenly Qi Cloaking Technique (Complete).]
Immediately, knowledge of how to control the thin layer of energy around his dantian, how to lock his Qi aura, and how to project a weaker, fake aura or even a Mortal aura flooded his mind.
With a calm expression, Hun Yan closed his eyes. He circulated his Qi according to his newly acquired Cloaking Technique. It was easier than he had expected, especially given his incredibly solid and flexible Five Elements foundation.
Within minutes, he was done.
Hun Yan opened his eyes and immediately checked his own aura. It felt... empty.
He now looked exactly like he had two months ago—an exceptional disciple who had yet to reach the Qi Refinement Realm. All the Qi he had newly cultivated in his dantian was now tightly locked and secure.
A mysterious smile of satisfaction appeared on his face. Hun Yan tucked the blank scroll back into the secret crack in the stone wall, then carefully sealed it. He even replanted the Eight Treasures Sprout on top of it, obliterating all traces of his discovery.
Now, with the Five Elements Cultivation Technique as his foundation and the Heavenly Qi Cloaking Technique as his shield, Hun Yan could cultivate his strength in secret within this Spiritual Garden, waiting for the right moment to shock the world.
He returned to work, but his routine felt lighter, and his steps more sure. He was a dragon sleeping among the fish.