Tao sat cross-legged in his small quarters, the flickering light of a lantern casting shadows on the wooden walls. His satchel lay beside him, its contents of gathered herbs pitiful compared to what he needed. He exhaled slowly, his mind turning to his sect credits.

Sect credits were the currency of the Verdant Dawn Sect, earned through tasks and contributions. Tending the herb gardens, gathering spiritual herbs, assisting in alchemy, and performing missions for the elders all rewarded varying amounts of credits. But for a low-ranked inner disciple like Tao, opportunities were scarce, and the pay was meager.

He’d been saving credits for years, hoping to purchase a Fragrant Meridian Pill, a mid-tier elixir designed to push cultivators at the peak of the first level of Qi Condensation into the second level. It cost 500 sect credits—a fortune by Tao’s standards.

He reached into a small chest and pulled out a wooden token etched with his disciple number. Placing it on a jade slate embedded in the wall, the slate glowed faintly, displaying his balance: 426 sect credits.

“Not enough,” Tao muttered, leaning back against the wall. He had been so close to buying the pill, but the jade mountain’s task had changed everything. Now, he needed to invest in spirit plants and herbs instead.

Grades of Spirit Plants and Herbs

Tao spent the next few hours poring over the Sect Catalogue, a thick manual stored in the Herb Pavilion. It listed all the spiritual plants and herbs the sect cultivated, categorized by grade:

* Mortal Grade– Basic plants with limited spiritual energy. Used in low-grade pills and elixirs, they were easy to grow but had little value.

* Profound Grade– Intermediate plants with moderate energy. Suitable for most inner disciples and useful in crafting pills for early-stage cultivators.

* Earth Grade– Advanced plants with high energy, requiring skilled care and enriched environments. Often used in alchemy for higher-level cultivators.

* Heaven Grade– Rare and legendary plants that required exceptional conditions to grow. Coveted by Foundation Establishment cultivators and beyond.

* Starfire Grade– Mystical plants rumoured to contain the essence of celestial energy. Extremely difficult to nurture, their existence was often debated among cultivators.

* Ethereal Grade– Plants so rare and powerful they were said to blur the line between immortal and divine, used only in the most potent alchemical creations.

Tao skimmed the descriptions of Profound and Earth Grade plants. He had no chance of acquiring Heaven or higher-grade plants—the sect didn’t have them, and even if it did, they would be locked away in the Verdant Hall.

The spirit peak’s energy had felt far beyond what a Mortal Grade plant could endure, but Tao wasn’t certain how high he needed to aim. The safest bet would be to start with Profound Grade plants and work his way up.

He flipped through the catalogue, stopping at entries for Profound Grade herbs. One caught his attention:

Moonlit Fern – A resilient herb with moderate spiritual energy. Known for its adaptability and ability to grow in unstable environments.

It cost 120 sect credits per seedling.

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Tao frowned. He could afford a few seedlings, but if they failed, it would be a costly mistake.

A Shared Garden

The next morning, Tao made his way to the herb gardens. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of earth and dew. The gardens were divided into sections, each tended by small groups of inner disciples. Tao worked alongside two others: Lian, a quiet girl with a sharp mind for cultivation techniques, and Wei, a loud and brash disciple who often boasted of his non-existent talent.

“Tao, you’re finally back,” Wei called out, his tone half-mocking. “I thought the forest swallowed you whole!”

Lian glanced up from her work, her expression neutral. “You’ve been gone a while. Elder Hua wasn’t pleased.”

“I was gathering herbs,” Tao replied, keeping his voice even. He knelt beside a row of Spirit Lotus Saplings, his hands moving automatically to check the soil’s moisture.

Wei smirked. “Must’ve been low-grade ones if you didn’t bring anything impressive back.”

Ignoring him, Tao turned to Lian. “Have you ever worked with Profound Grade plants?”

She paused, brushing dirt from her hands. “A few times. They’re temperamental, especially without proper soil. Why?”

“I’m thinking of planting some Moonlit Ferns,” Tao said carefully. “They might be useful for a project I’m working on.”

Wei snorted. “Moonlit Ferns? Those are expensive, and you’re not exactly swimming in credits.”

Tao resisted the urge to snap back. “I’ll manage.”

Lian tilted her head, studying him. “If you’re serious, make sure you mix powdered Spirit Ash into the soil. It stabilizes the energy flow. I can spare some if you need it.”

“Thanks,” Tao said, genuinely grateful.

A Risky Decision

Later that day, Tao returned to the Herb Pavilion and purchased three Moonlit Fern seedlings, spending 360 sect credits. The transaction left him with just 66 credits, a sobering reminder of how much he had gambled.

Back in the garden, he prepared a small plot of soil away from the others, mixing in the Spirit Ash Lian had given him. The jade mountain within his dantian pulsed faintly, as though approving his efforts.

With painstaking care, Tao planted the seedlings, ensuring they were spaced evenly and covered with just the right amount of soil. As he finished, he sat back on his heels, staring at the small, fragile plants.

Would they thrive in the spirit peak’s energy? Or would he have to start over with a higher grade?

The jade mountain offered no answers, its warmth steady but silent.

Tao sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow. For now, all he could do was wait—and hope.

As he worked, doubts gnawed at him.

Why not plant them directly on the spirit mountain?

The answer was simple, yet it made his chest tighten. He didn’t dare. The jade mountain was too extraordinary. If anyone found out he had it, they would kill him for it without hesitation. Even if he wanted to use it, he had no idea how to summon it from his dantian without drawing attention.

And then there was the risk of failure. The seedlings were delicate, and the spirit peak’s energy was overwhelming. If they died, he’d lose everything. By nurturing them in pots first, he could strengthen their roots and ensure they were ready for such an environment.

What If It Works?

As Tao pressed the final seedling into its pot, he paused to consider the possibilities. If the Moonlit Ferns thrived on the spirit mountain, they could become a valuable resource.

Moonlit Ferns were prized in alchemy for their ability to stabilize volatile pill recipes. A single mature plant could fetch enough sect credits to buy the Fragrant Meridian Pill he had been saving for. Better yet, if he succeeded in growing higher-grade plants later, he might even earn the recognition of the elders—or perhaps even the patriarch himself.

Still, success was far from guaranteed.