...

Ever since Lu Qing began researching the grand undertaking of spirit planting, after completing a round of cultivation every day, he simply stopped cultivation in the cultivation room on the upper floor of the pavilion.

Anyway, he had already mastered the Spirit Gathering Array; this was indeed something Lu Qing had not expected beforehand.

However, this was also a good thing.

Inside and outside the surroundings of the spirit field, he simply used the Formation Plate to carve several small-scale Spirit Gathering Arrays here.

If the range of the first successful Formation prepared by Lu Qing was only the size of a meditation cushion.

Then now it was already the size of several large ponds.

While cultivating the Moon Sword Spirit Rice, he sat cross-legged and practiced right here in the backyard spirit field.

Every day was filled with substantial effort, and practicing under a good mental state improved by leaps and bounds.

Just like that, after the first successful harvest of spirit plants.

Lu Qing's leisurely and abundant life was also interrupted by this sudden hexagram reading in his mind.

Moreover, this hexagram reading was not like the past where choosing a Neutral Divination and quietly waiting at the Mountain Gate would ensure peace.

At the very top, a directive also appeared.

【Demonic Path is in decline, launching a dying counterattack. Furthermore, due to ties with a certain Small Realm, Xuantian Dao Academy has decided to dispatch disciples to the Old Demonic Thief's lair, kill their disciples, and search for the Small Realm.】

【Ominous Divination: Pulling chestnuts from the fire, courting self-destruction. Accepting the Demon Subduing Mission, leaving the mountain will result in death and destruction of the Dao, major calamity.】

【Minor Ominous Divination: Shutting the Mountain Gate tightly and ignoring external affairs. However, the demon subduing is a secret assessment by the Dao Academy's higher-ups. Those seen hiding behind closed doors are evaluated as having a mental state unfit for great tasks, leaving lingering future troubles, minor calamity.】

【Neutral Divination: Remaining in the rear, accepting the mission—specifically accepting the supply mission of the Lingzhi Institute, planting spirit plants at the Mountain Gate, with slight ripples, neutral.】

Lu Qing's expression was quite a sight; previously, he had always escaped calamity by hiding inside the Mountain Gate and not coming out.

But now it was very obvious that this approach would not work.

Furthermore, what on earth was this Demon Subduing Mission about?

He associated it with that Old Demonic Thief.

The Profound Heaven Domain was an overlord on one side, and it was only natural that the Demonic Path forces within its inner domain were not powerful.

But clearly, the Small Realm hinted at within the hexagram reading was the key to the Dao Academy issuing this mission.

Resources, it was all about resources.

The Dao Academy had a vast estate and similarly massive consumption; a Small Realm was by no means just a fragment of a small heaven and earth.

Moreover, the hexagram reading mentioned that this was a secret assessment. Although it was unclear what the lingering future troubles hinted at by the minor Ominous Divination actually were, Lu Qing acted with caution and would not test this possibility.

The minor Ominous Divination itself posed no mortal danger in this round, but with the existence of such lingering future troubles, situations where calamity hexes appeared back-to-back in the future would definitely be numerous.

"Originally, I thought I could quietly cultivation in the Mountain Gate, but it seems that is impossible."

Lu Qing glanced at the Jade Slip and found not a single speck of anything related to the Demon Subduing Mission on it.

"So is this currently ongoing? Or has it not happened yet, or is it not something I can know right now."

Lu Qing withdrew his Qi and then looked at the spirit plants he had just harvested today.

"Since I just finished harvesting today, I can also make a trip to the Lingzhi Institute."

"I wonder where the slight ripples will be reflected; judging from the preceding and following sentences, it should be after accepting the mission and returning to the Dao Peak, right?" Lu Qing speculated.

Shutting the doors and not going out will not do; leaving the Mountain Gate is even more courting death.

Then going to the Lingzhi Institute to register as an introductory Spirit Planter was extremely necessary.

This suddenly appearing accident disrupted Lu Qing's arrangements.

Fortunately, Lu Qing was able to endure the loneliness of cultivation after all, and would not have any troubles.

"A Small Realm... if it can be successfully captured, surely many disciples will also spontaneously head there."

fated opportunity, resources, and benefits—these were the core things that stirred people's hearts.

This Small Realm must be extremely important; otherwise, disciples who avoided this mission would not be evaluated as unfit for great tasks, nor would lingering troubles be left behind.

Perhaps it was also because Lu Qing's current strength was insufficient to resolve this risk.

"Going to the Lingzhi Institute first is the right thing to do."

He put all these round, plump, snow-white rice grains into the Storage Pouch.

After successful maturation, each stalk of the Moon Sword Spirit Rice grew only a single leaf resembling a blade, glistening like snow and as smooth as paper.

"This is something that can be used to make talisman paper."

Lu Qing was not greedy for more either.

He knew nothing about the Dao of talismans and would not divide his attention and spread himself too thin to study other things for now.

For these things, he already had a good destination.

The Lingzhi Institute, with its beautiful scenery, was nestled atop a rolling, verdant mountain.

Wind rose beneath Lu Qing's feet, and his movement technique had greatly improved compared to before.

After arriving at a flat area and gazing into the distance, his expression could not help but show surprise.

In the distance, beneath drifting white clouds, pavilions and towers exuded a misty aura, while several floating islands in the high altitude connected together, arching around a city at the very center, with emerald-green vines climbing the outer walls.

Verdant and clear, the scenery was surpassing.

As soon as he landed here, a wave of refreshing air hitting his face made Lu Qing's mind feel as if it had been cleansed.

This feeling became even more pronounced when he presented his Token and entered this city arched at the center by the floating islands.

The scenery of the Lingzhi Institute was different from other Dao Peaks he had seen.

Inside, most of them were disciples wearing robes of various colors, rather than uniform disciple robes.

The clear and spiritual aura emanating from their bodies—as Lu Qing looked all around the street, he found that basically all of them were related to being a Spirit Planter.

At this moment, a young disciple greeted him with a smiling face.

"This Senior Brother, are you new to the Lingzhi Institute? I am very familiar with everywhere inside this Lingzhi Institute. Does Senior Brother want me to lead the way for you? Just one Spirit Stone, preferential price."

There were several other disciples behind him who all showed annoyed expressions, as if they had been beaten to the punch by him.

The others successively went to look for other targets.

Lu Qing understood that this was a guide. He was not stingy either; he was indeed unfamiliar with this place, and having someone lead the way would be much better.

Immediately, he pulled out a Spirit Stone, "Alright, Junior Brother, please trouble yourself to introduce the Lingzhi Institute to me."

"Hehe, Senior Brother is generous." Xu Qing took the Spirit Stone and beamed with joy, another Spirit Stone credited to his account.

He was not a genuine Outer Court disciple, but rather promoted from the Servants' Courtyard many years ago. His future path was dim, and practicing until now he was only around the first layer of Qi Nourishment. Facing many disciples, he addressed them as Senior Brother.

As for the time of entry, that did not count for much.

"The Lingzhi Institute, along with the Danqing Institute, Artifact Refining Institute, Alchemy Institute, Formation Institute, and some other Ten Arts of Cultivation, are parallel to our Dao Academy's courtyard veins. This city is the outer city of the Lingzhi Institute. Here in the outer city, there are four major areas: the market district, cultivation area, living area, and spirit planting area. The place under Senior Brother's feet right now is the market district."

All kinds of cultivation treasures in the market district were dazzling to the eyes.

Some vendors' stalls were filled with spirit rice items, some displayed treasures that could not be figured out, and some were selling spirit plant seeds...

Walking along both sides, Lu Qing found that many of the vendors on both sides had items related to Spirit Planters—seeds, treasure manuals, Jade Slips, and so on.

"Take me to the place where Spirit Planters register."

Xu Qing spoke lucidly and logically. When Lu Qing stated that he wanted to register as a Spirit Planter, he suddenly understood.

"The registration place in the spirit planting area, I have been there many times and am very familiar with it. Senior Brother, please come over here with me."

Because the area inside the city was vast.

There was more than one registration place in the spirit planting area.

"The person on duty today is Elder Luo, who is very easy to talk to. Senior Brother arriving today is quite a coincidence. Right, Senior Brother, if anyone asks when we get there, it is best to reveal a spirit plant aura, that would be even better."

Clearly, Xu Qing saying he was very familiar with this place was not a lie.

...