"You don't need to envy others. As long as you show potential, there's still a chance for the elders of Medicine King Peak to take you in as disciples," Gu Zhēnrén said loudly, seeing the envious gazes of the surrounding disciples.
His gaze even paused briefly on Chen Jinshu. Seeing her composed expression and calm eyes, he was inwardly satisfied. Since ancient times, the strong have triumphed over the weak. Even if one falls short, one must maintain their dignity.
At this moment, many disciples also looked toward Chen Jinshu.
After all, last time it was only her and that other disciple who were given special spiritual seedlings by Gu Zhēnrén. There was a chance he might take her in as well. Seeing her composed demeanor seemed to strengthen their belief.
After about forty-five minutes, Gu Zhēnrén finally made his way to Chen Jinshu.
"About sixty to seventy percent success in cultivation—not bad. Meets all the basic standards. Still a bit below my expectations. Above average, keep working hard."
"Thank you for your guidance, Zhēnrén," Chen Jinshu nodded slightly in gratitude.
The surrounding disciples now looked at her differently again, some even with mocking eyes. It was known that Gu Zhēnrén had already accepted five disciples. Including this newly accepted one, that made six.
One more or one less wouldn't make a difference.
To Chen Jinshu, Gu Zhēnrén had never been her ideal mentor, so she wasn't disappointed. After he walked away, she calmly packed up her potted plant.
Soon, Gu Zhēnrén finished inspecting all the disciples' assessments. Three more had cultivated excellent results. Along with the previous two, they were all rewarded on the spot—a bottle of Qi Refining Pill each. Although it was only one bottle, many disciples still looked on with envy.
"You all did quite well this time. Some even improved after heeding advice. I hope you continue to work hard. Those who didn't achieve excellence—don't be discouraged. There's still the third assessment."
At these words, many were dumbfounded. The first two assessments were about cultivation and growth acceleration. What could be next?
Their eyes were filled with confusion.
"You'll understand after today's lecture."
"Today, we're talking about Spiritual Plant Transplantation. When cultivators venture outside for training, it's not uncommon to find valuable herbs that are yet to mature. That's when you need to transplant the spiritual plant into a pot and bring it back for cultivation. Or, during planting, if the seedling's growth goes off course, you'll also need transplanting skills…"
Chen Jinshu's heart grew more focused.
As she'd expected, the topic today was indeed about transplanting.
Spiritual plant transplantation involved many techniques. The methods described in the library scrolls were far from enough. Real understanding came from hands-on instruction from experienced practitioners.
Gu Zhēnrén then pulled a large pot from his storage bag. Inside bloomed a yellow plum tree in full flower.
"This yellow plum is in full bloom. To ensure more vigorous flowering next year, during transplantation…"
This was the first time Chen Jinshu saw a cultivator demonstrate during a lecture—and it was enlightening.
The process was clean and precise. First, assess the plant's current condition and attributes, then evaluate the soil in the pot. Next came trimming the branches…
Three hours passed quickly. Gu Zhēnrén demonstrated transplanting for over twenty different spiritual plants, leaving the audience wide-eyed.
Chen Jinshu's plant journal also grew by an inch in thickness.
"Looks like I'll be doing more research again."
Gu Zhēnrén also discussed transplanting damaged plants. Normally, transplanting a damaged plant is discouraged. But in dire situations, when one cannot afford to injure it further, one must use an auxiliary technique called Root-Nurturing Art. This method helps protect already-injured roots or stems during transplantation.
However, in the case of the spirit vine she'd been monitoring, the roots were completely ruined. Transplanting it would be nearly impossible without damaging it further.
Still, today's lecture was a great gain.
"The next assessment will be transplanting a spiritual plant. Come draw lots—the slips will detail which plant you'll need to transplant."
Gu Zhēnrén took out a familiar cloth bag. The disciple closest to him stepped forward to draw first. A moment later, Chen Jinshu also drew her assessment slip.
"Go to the Green Pine Herb Garden. Transplant a pine tree over fifty years old into a pot. Ensure lush branches and leaves, and absolutely no visible root damage."
"That's a bit unreasonable… how could you transplant without damaging the roots?"
Especially for pine trees, which had extensive root systems—tens of thousands of roots spreading several meters. Even worse, in the herb garden, roots could've spread into neighboring plots.
"Root damage is inevitable. Gu Zhēnrén probably wants us to repair the root system and revive the foliage," Chen Jinshu thought after reading the contents.
She glanced at nearby disciples' slips—they were similar, involving transplanting spiritually complex plants. The only difference was the type of plant.
"Don't think about cheating like last time. I have plenty of eyes within the sect, especially in the herb garden. If anyone dares to ask for help or cheat… well, imagine your fate yourselves."
Gu Zhēnrén snorted and put away the bag, his face once again stern.
"That's all for today's lecture. The next will be in three months."
Chen Jinshu silently took note of the timing.
But she had already decided to go to the herb garden as soon as possible. Plants with damaged roots need time to recover. If she waited until a month before the next lecture, it wouldn't be enough time for the roots to heal.
As soon as the Medicine King Hall's doors opened, she left with the other disciples. Gu Zhēnrén seemed like he wanted to say something more, but seeing her already gone, he gave up.
A short while later, Chen Jinshu arrived at the Green Pine Herb Garden.
She intended to first understand the growth conditions of the pine trees and identify which one to transplant. After explaining her purpose to the herb garden steward, she was granted entry. After asking around, she arrived at a small pine grove.
Pine trees were commonly used for building high-end structures in the cultivation world. They grew quickly, but even so, it took fifty years to grow just one zhang (approx. 3.3 meters). The tallest pine in the garden was over ten zhang tall. The shortest was barely half a zhang.
At the same time, just as Gu Zhēnrén was about to leave the Medicine King Hall, he received a transmission. After checking his token, a smile crept onto his lips.
"This child is quite diligent. Went straight to the herb garden after the lecture. Unfortunately, I can only take one disciple this time… Let's see who proves themselves most worthy in the end."