Chapter 3: Connections with Outer Sect
Zhao Ling and Feng Liang were walking side by side on the path towards the Manor of the Valley Master.
"I didn't know that you had connections in the outer sect."
"My father once helped a senior brother from the outer sect, which led to this karma." Feng Liang was no longer as arrogant as he was before with his fellow servant colleagues.
"Even that is enough to help you become an outer disciple, a status much higher than being a servant."
"..."
Zhao Ling continued speaking, while Feng Liang was confused about what the senior brother was implying. "Do you know how long I have been a disciple of the Valley Master? Ten years. And now I have only reached the eighth layer of the Energy Refinement Realm."
Zhao Ling was just feeling a little emotional. Although his strength had advanced since he became the disciple of the Valley Master, it should be noted that this Herbs Valley is the most neglected place in the outer sect, and his master was not even eligible to hold a position as an elder in the outer sect, which meant he was still a disciple of the sect.
Today, seeing his master bringing a new servant, he had a feeling that his master might be approaching the end of his lifespan—or he might be wrong.
"Master, I have brought Junior Brother Feng," Zhao Ling said loudly from outside the Manor. This was also taught by his master.
"You can go back and cultivate. Feng Liang, enter." The Valley Master's voice floated out from inside the Manor, calm and composed but still crystal clear in Zhao Ling's and Feng Liang's ears.
Zhao Ling respectfully lowered his head one last time and walked back hurriedly, as the energy in the night was the purest and most abundant.
"Come to the fourth floor." Feng Liang listened to the instructions of the Valley Master and arrived at the fourth floor. There was nothing much on the fourth floor, as it was mostly empty with just a meditation cushion placed at the center, on which the Valley Master was sitting. Behind him was the breathtaking view of the Herbs Valley and its surroundings.
...
"Qing Chen, do you think Feng Liang has connections with the Valley Master?" Bai Zian asked like a busybody.
"Brother Bai, how would I know? I have only just met you both today, and I come from humble origins. Even being able to work as a servant in one of the top sects brings immense joy to me."
"Liar! If you were really content with your current status, you would not have been cultivating for a whole day, trying to grasp the true meaning of the manual."
"Hehe... Brother Bai, it is human nature to not be content with what they already have, always looking at the privileged who have more than them, but never at the less privileged who are killed daily for crimes they haven't committed."
"Brother Qing, you don't look like it, but you are quite the literary person." Bai Zian teased Qing Chen.
Qing Chen was not really irritated as he was just repeating what his parents used to say in his past life. At that time, he used to dismiss their teachings, but now he really missed those little moments of life.
He looked up at the dark sky filled with stars and a bright moon. Such a view was not possible to enjoy without a telescope and with minimal light pollution in the 21st century.
He went back to his hut and looked at the prompt that had suddenly appeared after he had comprehended the basics of the cultivation technique a little.
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Name: Qing Chen
Age: 13/59
Cultivation: None
Skills: Path of Energy: A Beginner's Guide to Cultivation Basics. (1/10)
Harmony Points: 01
Qing Chen had read many web novels but he had never heard about 'Harmony points?!'
The system was also the silent type not interfering with the choices made by him. "Invest all the harmony points in my Path Of Energy Skill."
[Harmony Points: 01 >> 00]
[Path of Energy: A Beginner's Guide to Cultivation Basics. (2/10)]
Qing Chen felt one more strand of Energy entering his dantian, and his vitality seemed to have rejuvenated.
'Such speed would even make geniuses pale in comparision to me, right? But how do I collect Harmony Points?' Qing Chen's main concern was this... As for others cultivation might be a tool to extend lifespan but for him it was Harmony points. He laid on the bed temporarily arranged by him by using Hay. And gently under the moonlight passing through the filters of the window and with sounds of grasshopers he closed his eye-lids.
The next Day.
The soft golden rays of dawn filtered through the thick canopy of the Herbs Valley, casting a serene glow over the lush fields of spiritual herbs. Qing Chen, dressed in a plain but clean cotton robe, knelt in the moist earth, his fingers carefully plucking the dew-laden leaves of a Moonlit Grass plant. Each motion was deliberate, almost reverent. He couldn’t afford mistakes; one bruised leaf could ruin the potency of the herb, and the Valley Master did not tolerate waste.
With the herb placed gently into his wicker basket, a faint chime echoed in Qing Chen’s mind.
> [+1 Harmony Point earned for carefully harvesting a flawless Moonlit Grass!]
'Collecting Herbs earns Harmony Points?'
He tried his luck again, And again the same prompt was sounded and his smile reached his ears. Bai Zian who was a little away from him had just stood up when he saw the expression on Qing Chen's face he nudged at Feng Liang beside him.
"Hey Brother Feng, I think there is Laughing beetle in the field and it has bitten Qing Chen, look it him laughing like a fool."
Feng Liang also looked up to see Qing Chen. Hearing the latter part of Bai Zian's sentence his body shivered. He looked around cautiously and observed every Herb and soil around him to look for any insects. Because these were spiritual herbs it emitted an enticing fragrance that attracted Spiritual Beasts and Insects here.
Hahaha!!
Bai Zian slapped his thigh and laughed out loud when he saw that Feng Liang failed to understand the sarcasm in his voice.
Feng Liang blushed with embarrasment as he also understood that they were supposed to laugh at Qing Chen but instead he ended up as joke.
Qing Chen had already stopped laughing and his speed had increased in harvesting but the points and quality suffered.
> [+0.1 Harmony Point earned for Moonlit Grass!]
He slowed down his pace. And read the prompts carefully, the speed was not the only issue the Moonlit Grass was also not mature yet that caused the points to fall to '0.1'.
He again with love and care harvested a Moonlit Grass that looked mature, it usually takes a few months or years depending on the rank and concentration of spiritual energy for Herbs to mature.
And the Prompt returned to '+01' again.
He straightened his back, exhaling softly as he looked at the vast fields stretching before him. Herbs Valley wasn’t just a farm, it was a sacred place where spiritual energy was concentrated, and the air was fragrant with the aroma of medicinal plants. Each herb here could fetch a fortune in the mortal world, and their essence was vital for the cultivators of the sect. For Qing Chen, however, they were more than just herbs; they were his lifeline.
For now, Qing Chen’s focus was on perfecting his herb harvesting technique.
> [Current Harmony Points: 10.1]
> [Congratulation to Host for collecting First 10 Harmony Points. Reward Harmony Detector.]
[Harmony Detector: Able to see Name, Cultivation and the amount of Harmony Accumulated]
He immediately used it on the Moonlit Grass and information appeared in front of him.
[Moonlit Grass]
Age: 6 months
Harmony: 01
And Qing Chen tested the accuracy by collecting the same Grass and the prompt was exactly as Harmony Detector had stated. Although he did not doubt a product of the system he was still unsure how it would show the information.
He looked up to see on what other things could the Harmony Detector be used upon.
[Bai Zian]
2nd Layer of Energy Refinement
Harmony: 100
[Feng Liang]
Harmony: 20
"What?!" Qing Chen Shouted out loud.
"Brother Qing, What happened. are you alright?" Bai Zian's worried voice came from the direction he had just test Harmony Detector on. Qin Chen felt like he would faint any moment.
This world was really dangerous, a fellow servant who he thought was like him was actually already in the '2nd Layer of Energy Refinement'.
"I am alright brother Bai, Just thought that I had accidently damaged the root of Moonlit Grass." Qing Chen made up an excuse for his loud shout on the spot.