Chapter 007: The Innate Spirit Peach (Part One)

However, with the establishment of the Hundred Clans Dynasty, conflicts between the court and the sects have continued to erupt. Although cultivators are the foundation of the dynasty's military strength, those cultivators bound by sect affiliations always make the dynasty feel somewhat uneasy

The little beggar looked at him with some distrust, and Chen Yi angrily said: "Could my young master possibly covet this worthless grass of yours?"

Chen Zhining was taken aback and chuckled, "Interesting, you little rascal have quite a few thoughts, could it be a honey trap?"

He spent several hundred taels of silver to clear out all the spiritual herbs that he found acceptable. However, he felt little joy in his heart, as these spiritual herbs were indeed far inferior to those he had previously discarded into the ring space.

The academy system, having evolved from its initial weakness over a span of seven thousand years, is now fully capable of standing on equal footing with the sect system

Sigh, after all, it is still a small place he couldn't help but lament. In fact, most of those ancient texts and spiritual herbs were collected by his mother in the prefectural city; the treasures accessible in this small county town are still too few.

Because I stumbled upon this rare herb in a very secluded valley, where I witnessed two ferocious beasts fighting to the death over it! If it weren't for my good fortune, this herb would certainly not have fallen into my hands. However, the attendant at the herb shop took advantage of my youth and offered me only one hundred copper coins for such a precious herb, which is utterly outrageous! That is why I am guarding the entrance, hoping to find someone who recognizes its value.

Fortunately, Chen Zhining had other means. He opened his ring space and buried this book, "Dao Art," beneath the golden bamboo

After a cup of tea, Chen Zhining, who was working hard yet only felt dizzy from just watching, resigned himself to the situation: "This is truly a waste of time"

... ...

The dynasty was in a state of fervor, as they had finally found what they desired. Consequently, the academy system under the dynasty's influence was established to counterbalance the sect system

The spiritual energy and the wild energy have also become the two major schools of cultivation in the mortal realm

However, that little beggar returned the coin, saying: "I am not a beggar; I possess a precious herb. Let us see if you can afford to buy it."

Chen Zhining waved his hand and said, "Alright, let's take a look at it."

However, this process is extremely arduous, as nearly every cultivation scripture has been passed down from within the sects. Even though these sects may have perished throughout the long course of history, these scriptures still remain as sect scriptures

Chen Zhining excitedly performed several somersaults in place! He naturally overlooked the qualifier "small scale" and only focused on the enhancement of qualifications

The two lackeys immediately glared at each other, their imposing presence quite intimidating. However, the little beggar showed no fear: "The item is on me; if you are interested, I can let you see it right away."

Those truly high-grade spiritual medicines must be traded with spiritual jade, however, such high-grade spiritual medicines are rarely encountered even within the city of Qidong.

Thus, the major dynasties in the mortal realm have been striving to find substitutes for the sect cultivators

After repeated examinations, it has been ultimately confirmed that raw energy is by no means inferior to spiritual energy. These two types of power each excel in different aspects, yet they can never coexist. Once they encounter each other, it will inevitably result in a cataclysmic explosion

The little beggar cautiously took out a tattered cloth bag, and upon opening it, there was a seemingly ordinary wildflower inside

However, without the Lingyu in hand, it is likely difficult to induce growth in a short period. Yet, as he turned his head, he was pleasantly surprised to find that a peach on the peach tree had already ripened, exuding a fragrant aroma that made one's fingers itch with desire.

His qualifications are lacking, and his comprehension is also quite limited; he is unable to grasp the highest texts. At this moment, he couldn't help but sigh: "No wonder both the academy and the sect emphasize qualifications..."

Moreover, the numerous "strange" events throughout history have also proven that the vast majority of cultivators remain devoted to their sects and are unable to fulfill the duty of "serving the ruler while enjoying the ruler's bounty"

Surprisingly, although to this day only one relic of the Mangqi civilization has been discovered in the mortal realm, five thousand years ago, the immortals had already come forward to prove the reliability of Mangqi cultivation—immortals who ascended through Mangqi appeared and guided the cultivation of the academy system

Chen Zhining suddenly had the thought of cultivating both spiritual energy and brute force simultaneously. This was not only due to his boldness but also because he did not truly understand the immense destructive power that would be unleashed when these two forces collided. After all, he was merely a thirteen-year-old boy

The other party looked at him with a cold smile: "Indeed, a group of blind fools. Very well, I shall not conduct business with you any longer"

Recalling how he was looked down upon by those geniuses for his lack of talent, he felt an increased sense of frustration within himself

The little beggar candidly said: "I do not know either. My home is in Juyan Village, over one hundred miles outside the city. Usually, I make a living by gathering herbs. Although I do not know the name or efficacy of this spiritual herb, it must be extraordinary."

Chen Zhining stepped forward to pick the peach, and immediately a thought merged into his mind from the peach: the innate spirit peach, capable of slightly enhancing one's aptitude

However, he was still very pleased in his heart, as he could confirm that the little beggar had not lied; it was indeed a precious spiritual herb. Nevertheless, on the surface, he remained impassive and asked, "Is everything you said true? Can you take my people to see if there are indeed ferocious beasts?"

He extended his hand, and Chen Zhining smiled wryly

He spoke with great certainty, and Chen Zhining did not interrupt him

The city of Qidong is not large, and there are only two apothecaries within the entire city. Chen Zhining quickly conducted a sweep of the area.

"Young Master? Is there something the matter?" Outside, Chen Zhong and Chen Yi could not help but ask upon hearing the whistle. Chen Zhi Ning thought for a moment, then got up to open the door: "I will accompany the Young Master for a trip outside."

He quickly consumed the innate spiritual peach, and a mysterious sensation began to spread within him after the peach entered his stomach. Chen Zhining felt as if something within him had been "unlocked".

This peach tree has evidently absorbed the spiritual herbs he placed within the ring space, which is why it bore fruit, and then it was hastened to maturity by the spiritual jade

Thus, Chen Zhining first opened "Dao Yi" to ponder it carefully

The cultivation texts found within the ruins are significantly different from those of the sect. The cultivation of the sect relies on spiritual energy, whereas the texts within the ruins focus on cultivating "raw energy".

The spiritual medicine is the money of the spiritual medicine, and the fierce beast is the money of the fierce beast

After coming out of the second apothecary, not having walked far, a little beggar suddenly approached. Chen Yi casually tossed out a few copper coins—this was customary. Chen Zhining, a young man of extravagant and reckless nature, also adhered to this practice; he only bullied those who were of the same status as himself, while for beggars like this, he would often give a small donation without a second thought

If the other party is also a dandy, or a scion of a prominent family in the county, Chen Zhining would inevitably command his subordinates to secretly take action and seize everything he has set his sights on

The little beggar hesitated as he handed the spiritual medicine to Chen Zhining. Holding it in his hand, he gently rubbed the mustard seed Sumeru ring, opening a minuscule passage that was hidden beneath the spiritual medicine and would not be discovered by anyone.

Unexpectedly, as soon as a slight gap was opened, the peach tree within the ring space began to shake its branches wildly, as if it were eager to burst out. Chen Zhining quickly closed that small gap, feeling a cold sweat in his heart: At least show a little restraint!

The dynasty remained undeterred, mobilizing vast resources in a relentless search, and finally, seven thousand years ago, unearthed an ancient relic from the wilderness beyond civilization. Judging by the scale of this relic, the civilization it represents is not at all inferior to that of the mortal realm at the time, and may even surpass it.

In the mortal realm, there were originally only sects and no academies. As the various clans of the mortal realm began to emerge from the Great Wilderness, each sect, under the guidance of immortals, continuously developed new techniques, refined various magical artifacts and elixirs, and gradually pushed back the numerous dangers within the Great Wilderness, establishing a brilliant civilization

Chen Zhining's first reaction was that this kid was trying to deceive him, but seeing his confidence and knowing that he indeed needed a high-level spiritual medicine, he reached out to stop Chen Yi and asked in a deep voice: "Since you say this is a spiritual medicine, what exactly is it?"

He recalled the "Daoist Arts" he had just watched, faintly sensing some understanding.

These elixirs can only be considered a slight improvement at best

However, it is not appropriate to take action against such a "weakling". If this is truly done, he will lose face and will no longer be able to navigate the circles of the local elite in the county.

Yes

This is an idea conceived by Chen Zhining: he cannot identify the spiritual medicine himself, and if this little beggar is not lying, the two ferocious beasts must be fighting over extremely precious spiritual medicine. Therefore, he intends to ask the peach tree for assistance in examining it

His greatest distress at present is his qualification issue. Since it is possible to enhance one's qualifications, regardless of how much improvement can be made at one time, by diligently preparing spiritual jade, he will eventually reach a level that is satisfactory.

However, this did not diminish his confidence. Chen Zhining took out these classics and pondered over them carefully: there was no choice in the academy, only "Dao Yi". However, among the three sect classics, comparing the attributes of power, it was still the "Qingyun Zhi" of the Outcloud Sect that suited his taste the most, being profound and extensive, with each attribute of power being perfectly balanced.

Chen Zhining looked at the little beggar and then realized that although he was dressed in rags, he was not dirty: "Can you show me?"

"You little rascal! Do you think your grandfather is a fool? How dare you use such wild vegetables to deceive and swindle?" Chen Yi, furious, rolled up his sleeves and was ready to teach this little beggar a lesson

Indeed, it is extraordinary!" he thought to himself. He then exited the ring space and picked up the piece of divine stone bestowed by heaven once again, and a strong yellow light filled the entire room

Chen Zhining raised his eyebrows and let out a long howl towards the sky, feeling a sense of exhilaration in his chest

In his hands, he holds the "Dao Yi" of the county school, as well as the three classic texts of the sect, all of which are the highest scriptures, but unfortunately, only the introductory chapters are available