Chen Jinshu wandered through the evergreen pine grove for a long while, until the sun dipped below the horizon. Only then did she discover a fifty-year-old young pine tree near the edge of the formation at the medicine garden.
It stood about one zhang tall—roughly twice her height—though its trunk was only as thick as her wrist. However, it had a good number of branches, and its pine needles were lush and vibrant.
Clearly, being in a corner had granted it excellent protection.
"To grow so tall and yet have such a thin trunk… the evergreen pine really is a peculiar type of spiritual tree."
Most spiritual trees grew both in height and trunk thickness over time, but this one had grown tall without bulking up much.
"Well, that makes it easier to transplant. If it were any thicker, I couldn't fit it into a pot."
She began inspecting the pine's soil and its general health—it all seemed fine. After a while, she had a clear idea of what she needed to do. In a few days, once all her tools and spells were ready, she would begin the transplant.
After all, this transplant test was a trial set by Gu Zhēnrén. If she wanted to advance to the Inner Sect or become a personal disciple in the future, she at least had to show the right attitude in front of this elder.
"The soil here in the Green Pine Garden is somewhat yellowish, suitable for planting earth-type spiritual herbs. The nutrient level is decent too."
"Let's see if there's any spare spiritual farmland nearby."
She was already considering acquiring a few more plots in the Pine Garden to start cultivating anew.
Overall, the quality of the Green Pine Garden was satisfactory and met her standards. After walking a full circle, she made her way to the entrance of the garden and approached the steward on duty.
"Elder, may I ask if there are any spiritual fields in the Green Pine Garden that will soon be available for lease?"
In gardens like this, the stewards generally had insider knowledge—about field availability, the disciples who rented them, and more. Instead of wasting time searching, it was more efficient to ask the one who knew the most.
"Afraid you'll be disappointed. The Green Pine Garden is one of the top three gardens under the Medicine King Peak. Its location and climate are excellent—rarely will any disciple willingly give up their plots. The only time it happens is when plots get corrupted by demonic energy and need to be restored by Golden Core cultivators."
"Just recently, a batch of such corrupted fields was purified, but it's only been half a month. If you want to rent one, you'll have to wait at least another half-month to see how things develop."
Chen Jinshu felt a tinge of disappointment upon hearing that. As expected, these prime spiritual farmlands were already being watched by other disciples—it wouldn't be easy to secure one. Still, perhaps she could ask Senior Brother Qian for help. It was just a matter of trading some spiritual items.
"I understand."
With a polite nod, Chen Jinshu took her leave from the Green Pine Garden. There were many things she needed to prepare: transplant tools, learning the right spells, and special fertilizers to preserve vitality.
Five days later, at Ink Plum Courtyard
A clear and crisp zither melody echoed through the courtyard. A gust of wind blew in from who-knows-where, knocking loose more petals from the plum trees.
Chen Jinshu had just finished playing "The Cry of Cranes Among the Pines". Her mood had improved considerably, and the spiritual energy she'd expended during her recent alchemy task had mostly recovered.
"My zither skills have improved again. Playing really is addictive!"
She gave a sigh of admiration and then swung a few wind blades across the ground, clearing the newly grown mundane weeds and flowers with swift precision.
At that moment, her Shadowpeak Finch flew out of its nest, collecting the cuttings to decorate its perch atop the plum tree.
"This little guy's already reached the fifth level of Qi Refining—quite uncommon for spiritual birds."
Most avian spiritual beasts peaked at the fourth level unless they had exceptionally pure bloodlines, like the Fire Sparrow. With the right nourishment, some rare ones might even reach the Foundation Establishment stage.
But even then, achieving that level required great luck.
The Shadowpeak Finch was a mutated species of the Fire Sparrow. The fact that it had advanced to the fifth level in such a short time suggested it had an unusual bloodline. Most cultivators overlooked it, preferring the vibrant colors of Fire Sparrows.
Yet her Shadowpeak Finch had also, by chance, consumed a rare Luck Fruit, possibly enhancing its physique and bloodline further.
"There's not much written about the Shadowpeak Finch in the library. I should look for books at the market when I get the chance."
They'd been bonded for several years now—she owed it to her spiritual companion to consider its future. But for now, she needed to focus on her own matters.
"It's time to transplant the pine."
Today, she planned to move the tree into its pot and start nurturing it—so that two months from now, her trial wouldn't end in failure. Moments later, Chen Jinshu appeared once more in the Green Pine Garden.
As she approached, a sea of green greeted her eyes. With her disciple token and prior communication with the steward, she passed through without issue.
She soon arrived at the pine she planned to transplant. Taking a water bottle from her storage pouch, she carefully poured water at the tree's base. This step was to soften the soil, making it easier to dig.
After waiting a few minutes, the pine absorbed the moisture and appeared even more vibrant. She immediately struck her first shovel three inches from the base.
Crunch!
The sharp sound echoed through the pine grove, drawing the attention of nearby disciples. Some even reported it to the steward. But the steward knew exactly what was happening and quickly explained it to the nearby spiritual farmers.
Once they understood, they stopped paying attention.
Half an hour later, Chen Jinshu used the Root-Nurturing Technique at the base of the pine whose roots had mostly been severed. A cluster of white spiritual energy enveloped the root system.
The leaking water and spiritual energy instantly stopped.
"Transplanting really isn't easy."
The evergreen pine had an expansive and very tough root system. She had spent significant effort to dig it up. Then she retrieved the pot she had prepared, placed the pine inside, filled it partially with soil, and applied a special root-repairing salve.
By the time she left the Pine Garden, it was already You hour (between 5–7 PM).
Shortly after, she appeared outside the Ju'an Hall. Upon spotting Senior Brother Qian, she immediately approached with a wide smile.
"Senior Brother Qian! It's been too long!" she greeted with great politeness.
Qian Yifan's background was anything but ordinary. She had learned from her Inner Sect Senior Sister that he had a Nascent Soul cultivator for a master—which was how he had landed the cushy job of managing the Ju'an Hall.
Moreover, Qian Yifan was the legitimate son of the Qian family, a vassal family of the Xuanming Sect, with a Nascent Soul ancestor in the clan—a formidable backing indeed.
Last time, he had handled her issue with the problematic three acres of spiritual land seriously, even though he could've ignored it.
That spoke volumes about his upbringing.
"Junior Sister, your smile today is quite… difficult to read."
"I just need a little favor from you, Senior Brother."
Qian Yifan let out a sigh. He should've known better than to give her that land last time. Karmic entanglements, his master had warned—now he finally understood what that meant.
"You look like you're constipated, Senior Brother. It's just a tiny favor," she teased.