Chapter 11: Growing Spiritual Plants in the Backyard

Chapter 11: Planting Spiritual Plants in the Backyard

Jiang Yingxue indeed hadn't lied to the Divine Bird, but she knew that the growth cycle of a Bifang Bird was extremely long. Growing from a fledgling into an adult Divine Bird would take thousands, even tens of thousands of years—there was indeed a long wait ahead.

With Jiang Yingxue's words, Xiao Zhao was instantly filled with ambition and determination. It was resolved to grow up quickly, produce abundant Divine Fire to help its sister, and prove its worth.

After comforting Xiao Zhao, Jiang Yingxue began dividing the land.

She split the land into three sections. According to her plan, two sections would be planted with Spiritual Plants used for seasoning, while the remaining section would be for Spiritual Plants that fortify the body and cleanse the marrow.

Jiang Yingxue had returned to Blue Water Star, but she hadn't given up on cultivation or her path to immortal ascension. Previously, her wish was to have a stable job that could support herself and provide her grandparents with a happy old age. Now, her goal was to give her grandparents a happy and joyful life while also guiding them into cultivation, enjoying long, happy times together as a family.

For mortals to embark on cultivation, the first step is to improve their physique. This was precisely why Jiang Yingxue planted the corresponding, most basic Spiritual Plants in the backyard.

Her grandparents were older and had long passed the optimal age for starting cultivation. They were more suited to begin cultivation by taking elixirs. In the cultivation world, children at 5 or 6 years old would have their spiritual roots tested and begin cultivation. During cultivation, fighting demon beasts, Human Cultivators, Monster Cultivators, and others was unavoidable. However, for elderly people from a peaceful society, a cultivation path filled with struggle and slaughter was no longer suitable for them.

In the cultivation world, using pills to force a breakthrough in cultivation was the most looked-down-upon method. But on Blue Water Star, where spiritual energy was sparse, this was actually a good method.

Cleansing the marrow required thousand-year-old ginseng, thousand-year-old He Shou Wu, and Blood Essence Grass. Jiang Yingxue had all these materials in her space, so she wouldn't plant them in the backyard soil. She took out seeds of Coiling Dragon Vine and Spirit-Bone Tallow from her storage bag. Coiling Dragon Vine could be boiled for baths, and Spirit-Bone Tallow could be ingested—both were Spiritual Plants that could strengthen the body.

She planted three Coiling Dragon Vines in the soil near the wall and scattered Spirit-Bone Tallow seeds in the plot.

Looking at the remaining half of the plot, Jiang Yingxue stroked her chin. "What should I plant?"

Xiao Zhao, who had been happily munching on a grape it had found somewhere, looked up upon hearing her words. "Plant fruits, delicious fruits."

Fruits? Jiang Yingxue immediately thought of Dragon Scale Fruit.

"Alright, fruits it is."

She returned to her room, entered her space to fetch Dragon Scale Tree seeds, was back in the backyard in under a minute, and planted the seeds she brought out next to the Spirit-Bone Tallow.

The blossoms of the Dragon Scale Tree are called Dragon Scale Flowers, whose patterns closely resemble dragon scales. The Dragon Scale Flower blooms for five years. After five years, the flowers wither and fruit forms. One year later, the Dragon Scale Fruit ripens. Consuming Dragon Scale Flowers can nourish the body. Consuming one Dragon Scale Fruit can increase lifespan by 100 years. A mortal can only consume it once in their lifetime; additional consumption is ineffective.

In the other two plots of land, she planted Fragrant Spirit Seed, Fresh Whisker Grass, Drunken Immortal Beans, Spirit Chili, and Qiong Peach.

These were all Spiritual Plants used for seasoning. Fragrant Spirit Seeds could be ground into powder and sprinkled on food; Fresh Whisker Grass could be used as a side dish, being fresh and flavorful; Drunken Immortal Beans could be ground into bean paste; Spirit Chili was mildly spicy but gentle in nature, not harming the body even with frequent consumption; Qiong Peach could be made into Qiong Peach Juice, which was sweet but not cloying, with a pleasant taste.

The whole afternoon passed while she planted Spiritual Plants.

At night, the sky was dotted with stars, and a warm yellow lamp was lit in the room on the second floor.

"Xiao Zhao, I have some things to take care of in my space. If Grandma or others look for me, just shake the bell on the bed; I'll be able to hear it even inside the space." The bell was yellow, about the size of a baby's fist. There were two bells in total: one placed by the bedside and the other in the wooden house within the space. The two bells were connected; whenever one made a sound, the other would emit the same sound.

"Okay!" Xiao Zhao flew onto the cage, its eyes on the bell by the bedside, its tone cheerful.

Inside the space, Jiang Yingxue took out the thousand-year-old ginseng, thousand-year-old He Shou Wu, and Blood Essence Grass needed for refining Marrow Cleansing Pills from the stone house.

The Marrow Cleansing Pill was her first step on the path of cultivation in Blue Water Star with this mortal body. Only through cultivation could she unlock the seals on her body and pursue her Great Dao.

"Go!" With a wave of her slender hand, a palm-sized alchemy furnace appeared in her palm.

With a wave, the alchemy furnace flew from her palm into the air, its size increasing. It traced a smooth arc through the air before steadily hovering 30 centimeters above the ground.

With a sizzling sound, a scorching red flame rose beneath the alchemy furnace. Then, Jiang Yingxue placed the thousand-year-old ginseng, thousand-year-old He Shou Wu, and Blood Essence Grass into the furnace and closed the lid.

Facing the alchemy furnace, her hands swiftly performed intricate gestures—she was executing alchemy hand seals.

Under the influence of the alchemy hand seals, the temperature inside the furnace changed constantly, sometimes subtly, sometimes dramatically.

Finally, the pills were refined. The fire was extinguished, and the lid was opened.

This furnace yielded five Marrow Cleansing Pills, each a top-grade yellow-tier pill. The pills were round, smooth, flawless, and free of impurities. Even in the cultivation world, Marrow Cleansing Pills were highly sought after, especially top-grade ones, which were rare and hard to come by. Consuming a Marrow Cleansing Pill before Foundation Establishment could increase the success rate. Who wouldn't want themselves or their cherished family members or lovers to take one before Foundation Establishment?

After consuming one Marrow Cleansing Pill, Jiang Yingxue sat in meditation inside the wooden house. She closed her eyes and circulated her cultivation technique. Under the influence of her energy circulation, the medicinal efficacy traveled throughout her body. Soon, her entire body turned burning red, her blood boiled, and intense pain caused her to furrow her brows tightly. Yet, she never uttered a cry of agony.

Around 3 a.m., she opened her eyes, a flash of green light passing through them.

Marrow Cleansing was successful!

"Hmm... what a strong smell." As she stood up, she cast a cleansing spell on herself.

After the cleansing spell, she was indeed cleaner, and the sour, foul odor in the air was gone. But without washing with water, she still felt uncomfortable, as if grime remained on her body.

"Better wash up properly." Jiang Yingxue walked from the wooden house to the pond's edge. She removed her dirty clothes and, with a "plop," jumped in.

She reached out her hand, and a bottle containing a white liquid—body wash—flew out from the stone house into her hand. She unscrewed the cap, poured the liquid onto her hand, and with a gentle rub, abundant white foam appeared on her palms, neck, body...

After washing twice with the body wash, she submerged herself in the water, letting it cover her head.

"Gurgle." Jiang Yingxue emerged from the water—a picture of a beauty emerging from her bath.

After bathing, her skin was like creamy jade, her face like a lotus flower yet also resembling an ice mountain snow lotus. Wet strands of hair clung to her cheeks and collarbone. Glittering, crystalline water droplets adorned her snow-white skin. She exuded a mix of sensuality and pure, holy innocence, breathtakingly beautiful, yet sacred and untouchable.