Chapter 112: A Third-Grade Spirit Plant, the Hundred-Year-Old Spirit Tea Tree
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The Thunder Spirit Rice Tree had already been harvested by him months ago, and now the Gathering Spirit Grass was well tended, ready to be sold at any moment.
At this moment, Zhou Changwang felt exceptionally at ease.
He stood before the Red Leaf Spirit Tea Tree.
First, he used the Life-Severing Finger technique to draw the vitality elixir from the medicinal vial, then poured it all into the spirit tea tree, followed by casting successive Ring of Years spells.
Under the influence of the Ring of Years spell, the Red Leaf Spirit Tea Tree grew rapidly.
A single casting took only dozens of breaths, increasing the tree’s age by over a month; seven or eight castings equated to a full year.
Zhou Changwang repeatedly infused the vitality elixir and continuously cast the spells.
When fatigued or low on spiritual power, he would sit cross-legged nearby to recover.
Time passed from dawn till dusk.
By the end of the day, the tree’s age had increased by fifteen years, reaching eighty-four years.
The next day, it grew by nine years.
The third day added five years.
By the fourth day, Zhou Changwang looked at the three vials of vitality elixir in his hand with some reluctance.
Ninety-nine years old.
The Red Leaf Spirit Tea Tree was only one year shy of reaching a century.
He had spent a total of 120 vials of vitality elixir to cultivate the tree from seventy-eight to ninety-nine years old.
But he was unsure if the remaining three vials would suffice to bring it fully to a hundred years.
Because as the tree aged, the amount of vitality elixir required to nurture it increased significantly.
“No matter, I’ll give it a try!”
Zhou Changwang gritted his teeth and once more extracted the vitality elixir with Life-Severing Finger, injecting it into the tea tree.
One vial, two, three, then he cast the Ring of Years spell again and again.
One after another, the Red Leaf Spirit Tea Tree’s age crept closer to a century.
However, after casting the fifth Ring of Years spell, the spiritual soil cracked, and a large amount of spiritual energy dissipated.
“Just as I thought, not enough.”
Zhou Changwang immediately stopped.
Without sufficient spiritual energy to support it, forcibly accelerating growth could cause the spirit plant to wither.
At this point, he must not continue casting.
But it was just one final push away—only two or three more castings would complete the cultivation. Naturally, he was unwilling to give up.
Looking around, he immediately spotted a small bamboo grove in the corner.
“Can’t worry about that now. Worst case, I’ll replant it later!”
Zhou Changwang clenched his teeth and hurried to the grove, using Life-Severing Finger to extract vitality elixir directly.
As a result, a large portion of the spirit bamboo withered and became hollow shells.
Soon, he had obtained four additional vials of vitality elixir, which he poured all at once into the Red Leaf Spirit Tea Tree.
A ninety-nine-year-old tree could absorb a great deal of vitality elixir without harm.
Then, Zhou Changwang rapidly cast the Ring of Years spell.
One casting, two, three...
Ring of Years +1
Ring of Years +1
Ring of Years +1
...
Up to Ring of Years +6.
With the final casting, a humming sound arose—
The entire Red Leaf Spirit Tea Tree underwent a transformation.
The tree thickened noticeably, and on the once lush branches sprouted tiny fresh buds.
The buds were bright red, with distinct veins, exuding a special charm and luster.
A strong fragrance of tea wafted faintly from them.
“A third-grade spirit plant.
A century-old Red Leaf Spirit Tea Tree!”
Zhou Changwang’s eyes sparkled with brilliance.
The Red Leaf Spirit Tea Tree, nurtured by him, had finally reached a hundred years of age.
Its quality also transformed, rising to third grade.
At the moment of transformation, a phenomenon erupted, and a trace of destiny manifested.
Supported by this destiny, Zhou Changwang felt his spiritual power surge; his mind rapidly rejuvenated and his consciousness expanded swiftly.
The range of his spiritual perception extended—thirty feet, thirty-one feet, thirty-two feet, thirty-three feet...
His internal spiritual energy boiled, and the ever-active Five Elements Technique operated wildly like a runaway stallion—one cycle, two cycles, three cycles...
Cultivation +1
Cultivation +1
Until the force of destiny completely dissipated.
Only then did Zhou Changwang slowly open his eyes.
“Unexpectedly, the improvement of the spirit plant’s quality brought such tremendous benefits.”
After a while, he calmed down, surprised yet deeply pleased.
This time, his gains were enormous.
First, his cultivation level rose by ten points.
From Qi Refinement Stage 4 (5/100) to (15/100), saving over ten days of training.
Second, his spiritual power and consciousness strength increased.
His spiritual perception range expanded from thirty feet to thirty-eight feet.
Though seemingly small, this increase truly enhanced his strength and cultivation speed.
Stronger spiritual awareness meant faster operation of techniques, quicker casting of spells and use of magical implements, and greater range.
“Though it cost me greatly to hasten the Red Leaf Spirit Tea Tree’s growth, it was all worth it.
Not to mention, the greatest harvest lies in the tea leaves this century-old tree produces.”
Muttering to himself, Zhou Changwang looked at the clusters of tea leaves on the tree.
There were newly sprouted buds as well as century-old mature leaves preserved from the early years.
The fresh buds naturally held great value—condensed with the century of spiritual power and the immense destiny of a third-grade spirit plant.
Yet, to Zhou Changwang, the preserved old leaves held even greater worth.
They were the supreme spirit tea cultivated over a hundred years.
Without hesitation, Zhou Changwang began plucking them one by one.
In total, he gathered five catties of tender tea leaves and thirty catties of aged leaves.
He did not immediately process them, lacking the skill—ordinary spirit tea could be handled, but these century-old, third-grade leaves were too precious; rough processing might cause waste.
Instead, he directly cast Spirit Rain Technique to gather a pool of spiritual water, then drew it with Water Spirit Technique and heated it with Fireball Technique.
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Then, he poured all the mixture into a wooden bowl, adding a piece of century-old tea leaf.
Instantly, tea infused the water—a rich crimson color with an amber hue, the fragrant aroma intoxicating.
Zhou Changwang couldn’t resist a gentle sip.
His eyes instantly gleamed.
The potent spiritual energy awakened as the tea entered his mouth, releasing two distinct auras: one entering his body, continuously nourishing his mind and body, subtly cleansing impurities within; the other flooding his brain and consciousness, calming his mind and activating sharp thinking.
Suddenly, many previously difficult questions found answers.
His understanding of spells, formations, physical techniques, even cultivation methods deepened remarkably.
“Enlightenment? No, this is mental clarity and awakened nature.”
Zhou Changwang estimated that at this moment, any learning of spells, techniques, or martial arts would be significantly enhanced.
He drank it all at once, then cast Thousand Thunder Flash.
Within the spirit field, aside from the century-old Red Leaf Spirit Tea Tree, the area was already barren.
The power of Thousand Thunder Flash was not extreme, so it would not cause much damage to the field.
Thus, when he unleashed Thousand Thunder Flash, the instant it covered the ground,
countless thunder snakes writhed chaotically, resembling a hellish scene—truly shocking.
Yet Zhou Changwang was unfazed, silently contemplating and then casting spells again.
Thousand Thunder Flash +1
Thousand Thunder Flash +2
Thousand Thunder Flash +1
Thousand Thunder Flash +3
...
Occasionally, inspirations struck, causing his experience points to surge.
“One leaf of Red Leaf Spirit Tea can sustain half an hour of cultivation.
Good tea, excellent spirit tea.
It’s truly worth the month of hard cultivation.”
Zhou Changwang was genuinely excited and moved.
He tested the tender tea leaves again.
As expected, they were not as potent as the century-old leaves but still offered some nourishment to the body, awakened the mind, and enhanced perception.
Overall, their effect was about half as strong, lasting only the time of a single incense stick.
Still, this was remarkable.
On the market, spirit tea from century-old spirit tea trees was priceless and rarely available.
Only influential figures in the trade city could afford it.
Most shops sold ten-year-old spirit tea leaves from first-grade spirit tea trees, priced at about ten low-grade spirit stones per catty; better quality from thirty to fifty years old fetched twenty to thirty spirit stones.
Second-grade spirit tea leaves commanded higher prices—ten-year-old leaves cost seventy to eighty low-grade spirit stones per catty.
Leaves from second-grade trees over fifty years old were treasured, often sold by the tael, fetching hundreds of low-grade spirit stones per catty.
“And mine are genuinely century-old spirit tea leaves.
The spirit tea tree itself has risen to third grade...”
Zhou Changwang estimated he could easily sell a catty of tender tea leaves for a thousand to two thousand low-grade spirit stones.
Then, Zhou Changwang finally stepped out.
This time he was not only selling Gathering Spirit Grass but also going to summon Shen Xinyue to fulfill their agreed spell exchange.
Because now, only one day remained until the agreed trade with the Immortal Lady Luoxia.
...
Water Cloud Pavilion!
This time, Zhou Changwang did not invite Shen Xinyue through Qian Xiaoyue but directly requested the pavilion’s steward to arrange a meeting.
Fortunately, after multiple visits, people inside and outside the pavilion were familiar with him.
Soon, someone reported from the courtyard, and he was invited inside.
In the same parlor as before.
After waiting briefly, a graceful woman in a light green robe entered—Shen Xinyue.
“Greetings, Senior Shen!”
Zhou Changwang quickly greeted her.
At this moment, he externally appeared as having cultivation at Qi Refinement Stage 4.
A perfected Concealment Technique completely suppressed his aura, making it impossible even for an eighth-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator to detect him.
This was Zhou Changwang’s first time hiding his cultivation level before others.
Previously, his cultivation was too low to matter.
“Are you here about the spell trade you mentioned last time?”
Upon seeing Zhou Changwang, Shen Xinyue waved her hand and asked.
She remembered agreeing to oversee the trade for him previously.
“Tomorrow is the official trade day.
Recently, my second batch of Gathering Spirit Grass has matured.
I wonder if Water Cloud Pavilion still accepts it?”
Zhou Changwang explained, flipping his hand to reveal a box.
“I recall you liked tea last time, so I found some leaves as a token of thanks for your help tomorrow.”
He handed over the box.
Inside were the freshly processed tender spirit tea leaves.
Though not the century-old aged tea, these were the first batch from the newly cultivated third-grade, century-old spirit tea tree.
Five catties of tender leaves yielded only one catty of dry tea, but its value was not insignificant.
The tea farmer who processed it recognized its quality and offered a thousand low-grade spirit stones for half a catty, but Zhou Changwang declined.
“We naturally accept the Gathering Spirit Grass.
As much as you have, we will take.
Last time, it was your grass that opened opportunities for Water Cloud Pavilion to cooperate with many cultivation families.
I didn’t expect you to have a second batch so soon.
As for this tea…”
Shen Xinyue smiled, appreciative of business.
Especially since Zhou Changwang’s grass was high quality and yielded many elixirs, from which they profited greatly.
But she shook her head regarding the gift.
“I agreed to help you mainly because of Xiaoyue and gratitude for your previous batch of grass.
No need for gifts.
It’s just a small matter within the trade city, especially with the city still stable—Immortal Lady Luoxia wouldn’t dare cause trouble.”
“Please accept it, Senior.
This spirit tea is just a small token, not anything particularly precious.”
Zhou Changwang urged again.
Hearing this, Shen Xinyue did not hesitate and accepted the box, thinking she would put it away discreetly and help him tomorrow.
“This is the batch of Gathering Spirit Grass.
I happened to have an empty storage bag, so I brought it all with me.”
Zhou Changwang quickly pulled the grass from his bag.
Baskets of Gathering Spirit Grass neatly filled almost the entire parlor.
“As expected, the Gathering Spirit Grass is of no lesser quality than last time.
Some batches are even better.”
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Seeing this, Shen Xinyue swept her gaze, spreading her spiritual perception to thoroughly inspect all the grass, nodding in approval.
“Three thousand eight hundred ninety stalks in total.
We’ll keep the same price as last time—one and a half low-grade spirit stones per stalk.
That totals five thousand eight hundred thirty-five low-grade spirit stones.
How does that sound?”
Shen Xinyue quickly calculated the price.
“Of course, no problem.
Thank you, Senior!”
Zhou Changwang cupped his hands, smiling.
“It’s just mutual benefit.
I already saw your remarkable spirit planting skills.
I didn’t expect your techniques to surpass my imagination.
Nearly three thousand nine hundred stalks of Gathering Spirit Grass isn’t something just anyone can cultivate in just over a month.”
Shen Xinyue said as she produced a pink jade pendant and softly chanted an incantation.
A message jade slip?
Zhou Changwang was momentarily stunned.
He knew this artifact—a device for short-range communication, allowing one-way messages within about a thousand meters.
Beyond that, it was almost useless.
Still, this artifact was expensive, priced at five hundred low-grade spirit stones, and rarely available.
Of course, there were long-range communication tools like the Parent-Child Jade Slip, capable of over a hundred miles, and the Communication Mirror, which reached thousands, but their prices were exorbitant, far beyond ordinary reach.
Soon, the steward of Water Cloud Pavilion approached.
With a wave, several piles of spirit stones were arranged neatly on the ground.
Six piles in total—five piles of exactly one thousand low-grade spirit stones each, and the last pile with eight hundred thirty-five stones.
After arranging them, she said:
“This is five thousand eight hundred thirty-five low-grade spirit stones. Please keep it safe!”
Zhou Changwang nodded repeatedly, no need to count.
With his eyesight, he could easily verify the stones were accurate.
He stored them all in his bag.
With this sum, plus the ten thousand low-grade spirit stones he already had, he now had the fifteen thousand stones needed for the spell exchange.
He was pleased.
Afterwards, Zhou Changwang did not linger at Water Cloud Pavilion.
After reminding Shen Xinyue not to forget tomorrow’s appointment, he strode out.
Instead of returning home immediately, he took advantage of the rare free time to stroll through the trade city.
Occasionally, he overheard news, giving him new insight into the city’s current state.
He also sold a small batch of spirit talismans.
Because of previous warnings about abnormal talisman outputs, he sold only thirty or forty in small batches, earning over a thousand low-grade spirit stones.
As night approached, he returned to his courtyard.
Early the next morning, Zhou Changwang left again.
Without detours, he went straight to Water Cloud Pavilion.
He soon met Shen Xinyue.
Seeing him, she looked complex and quietly asked:
“Where did the spirit tea you gave yesterday come from?”
She had noticed the tea wasn’t ordinary but third-grade spirit tea from a century-old tree.
Such a gift was precious.
Especially for someone like her, who was beginning to consolidate her body and spirit in preparation for Foundation Establishment.
A catty of third-grade spirit tea was valuable not just for the tea itself but as a great aid for strengthening the mind to safely pass the consciousness trial in Foundation Establishment.
It was well known that spirit tea nourished the spirit, gathered the soul, and elevated mental realm.
The higher the quality, the better the effect.
Though she was still at Qi Refinement Stage 8, she could break through to Stage 9 at any time.
But to lay a more solid foundation for the three Foundation Establishment trials—body, spiritual power, and consciousness—she deliberately slowed down to strengthen the base.
She was confident in the body and spiritual power trials.
Water Cloud Immortal Sect had countless senior masters’ experience and techniques for these.
But the consciousness trial was the hardest.
In cultivation circles, only spirit tea of third grade or higher was known to aid in the consciousness trial.
Previously, she didn’t particularly like tea but drank spirit tea to slowly build hope of passing the consciousness trial.
Last night, returning to her meditation chamber, she recalled the tea from Zhou Changwang and couldn’t help but open it.
That single glance stirred her usually calm heart, filling her with astonishment.
Third-grade spirit tea.
Such tea was priceless and rarely available in Fengming Dock trade city.
She had bought only a few taels at high price six months ago and had found none since.
Hence, she was shocked to receive a whole catty of third-grade spirit tea from Zhou Changwang.
“Got it by luck.
I thought you liked spirit tea, so I specially brought some,” Zhou Changwang said calmly.
“Got it by luck?”
Shen Xinyue glanced at him sideways.
Was such a treasure ever a matter of luck?
Still, she needed the tea, so solemnly said:
“Consider this spirit tea as you owing me a favor.”
“You are too polite, Senior.
I only hope this trade goes smoothly.”
Zhou Changwang hurried to say this, then headed toward Immortal Lady Luoxia’s residence.
Shen Xinyue was straightforward and did not pry—if he didn’t want to say, she wouldn’t ask.
She made a mental note to repay him in the future.
As for helping oversee the trade, she considered it incidental, not a personal favor.
Soon, Zhou Changwang arrived at Immortal Lady Luoxia’s courtyard.
This time, no one else spoke to her.
Zhou Changwang greeted from afar:
“Immortal Lady Luoxia, I have come as promised.
Is the spell ready?”
However, Immortal Lady Luoxia did not reply.
Instead, her eyes fixed tightly on the woman following Zhou Changwang—not far behind.
“Shen Xinyue, one of the Phoenix Twin Swords of Water Cloud Immortal Sect?”
“Why have you invited Shen Daoist here?”
Then, Luoxia turned to Zhou Changwang and asked.
“I just wanted to be safe.
Since this concerns over ten thousand low-grade spirit stones, I naturally need someone to help watch over it.
I hope Immortal Lady will understand.”
Zhou Changwang said calmly.
“I’m only here as a witness.
If the trade goes well, all is well.
If there are problems, I must ensure my brother’s safety.”
At this moment, Shen Xinyue also spoke calmly, but a faint, inexplicable gleam flashed in her eyes.
(The End of this chapter)