Chapter 121: The Secret Of The Jade Tree

Chapter 121: Chapter 121: The Secret Of The Jade Tree

Since they had already received the basic instructions from Elder Shan Li, Sui Sui didn’t repeat everything in detail. Instead, he focused on helping them decide how to divide the work among themselves.

"The herbs in the garden are all quite delicate, so you can’t simply treat them the same way. They can generally be divided into three main categories, and each requires a different method of care."

Sui Sui pointed toward the first section of the garden.

"The first category consists of plants that require a damp environment. Their roots and leaves need to be kept moist at all times, so they have to be watered regularly. If the soil becomes too dry, they will quickly begin to wither."

He then pointed toward another section where faint spiritual energy could be seen circulating around the plants.

"The second category is more troublesome. These plants need a constant supply of spiritual energy to grow. You can’t simply pour spiritual energy into them either. You have to adjust the amount according to their condition. Too little and they won’t grow properly, but too much can damage their roots and cause them to wither."

Finally, Sui Sui gestured toward the remaining section of the garden.

"The last category is the easiest. These plants don’t have any particularly demanding requirements. As long as you water them when necessary, keep the weeds under control, maintain the soil, and make sure they receive enough spiritual energy, they should be fine, only downside is they take over half of the over all field, much larger than all the other."

He looked at the three disciples before continuing, "You can divide these three tasks among yourselves. From my experience, the plants that require a constant supply of spiritual energy are the most difficult to care for, while the third category is the easiest. Just choose whichever one you think suits your abilities best."

"Then I’ll take the hardest one."

Unexpectedly, it was Chu Ran who spoke.

Sui Sui was slightly surprised, and even Tang and Leng looked at her in surprise. Tang glanced at her cautiously before asking, "Are you sure, Junior Sister?"

Chu Ran smiled confidently.

"What? If even this waste can do it, why can’t I?" She deliberately glanced toward Sui Sui, the corners of her lips lifting smugly. "I think I’ll do a better job than him."

Hearing her words, Sui Sui didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

There was something Chu Ran didn’t know, that was when Sui Sui had first started caring for this plot of land, he had also struggled to handle it using the ordinary method. The constant control required by these plants was far more difficult than he had initially expected. In the beginning, he had repeatedly made mistakes and often had to ask Elder Shan Li for guidance.

His success now was also partly thanks to the new method of purification he had learned last time. Elder Shan Li had taught him that the same technique he used to divide his Soul Force during purification could also be applied to caring for the plants. Instead of allowing his spiritual energy to flow out as one concentrated stream, he could divide it into multiple strands and control each one separately. This greatly reduced unnecessary energy loss while allowing him to precisely adjust the amount of spiritual energy each plant received.

After practicing repeatedly and following Elder Shan Li’s reminders, Sui Sui gradually learned how the plants responded to different amounts of spiritual energy and eventually developed his own routine for caring for them.

Still, seeing how confident Chu Ran was, Sui Sui decided not to remind her. Perhaps she really could do it. Her cultivation was much higher than his, and she was also considered a talented disciple of the sect. Surely she wouldn’t be so stupid and overconfident that she would underestimate the difficulty of the task. With that thought, Sui Sui simply let her be.

In the end, the three disciples divided the tasks among themselves. Chu Ran took responsibility for the plants that required a constant supply of spiritual energy, Disciple Tang took the ones that needed to be kept in a damp environment, while Disciple Leng was left with the remaining one.

After finishing his explanations, Sui Sui was just about to leave when Chu Ran’s disdainful voice came from behind him.

"Hey, hey, hey. Where do you think you’re going? We’ve taken all the jobs, so what are you going to do? Don’t tell me you’re just going to laze around while claiming all the credit. Aren’t you being a little too shameless?" she said, crossing her arms.

Seeing the annoying expression on her face, Sui Sui couldn’t help rolling his eyes.

"Well, unlike you, who had to forcefully insert yourself into the work just to find a job, I actually have things I need to do. And it’s really none of your business. You should worry about yourself first. Maybe you won’t even be able to finish your own task."

With that, Sui Sui turned around and headed toward the back of the garden.

He was going to tend to the Spirit Jade Fruit Tree.

Since Elder Shan Li had deliberately said nothing about the tree when giving the three disciples their instructions, it was obvious that he did not want them meddling with it. Sui Sui naturally had no intention of bringing it up either.

Besides, he was more than capable of handling it himself.

Once he reached the back of the garden, Sui Sui immediately headed toward the Spirit Jade Fruit Tree. The tree had been completely still before, but the moment it sensed his presence, its leaves began to sway despite the absence of wind. The branches gently moved from side to side, and a faint green glow gradually spread across the leaves, giving the entire tree an ethereal appearance.

After tending to it for so long, Sui Sui was already accustomed to this reaction. He had long since realized that the feeling he had noticed before—the tree seeming to grow lusher whenever he was around—had not been his imagination. The Spirit Jade Fruit Tree truly possessed its own consciousness, and for some reason, it seemed particularly fond of him.

Sui Sui walked closer and placed both hands against the trunk. A familiar chill immediately seeped into his palms, allowing him to sense the cold Qi circulating within the tree. After spending so much time caring for it, he had gradually discovered that the Spirit Jade Fruit Tree was different from ordinary spiritual plants. Most trees primarily relied on wood-attribute spiritual energy, but this tree seemed to have a much stronger affinity for cold energy, or more specifically, Yin Qi.

The discovery finally answered a question that had been bothering Sui Sui for quite some time. The Spirit Jade Fruit Tree required a constant supply of spiritual energy, so how had it managed to survive through the night when no one was around to replenish what it consumed?

He had initially assumed that Elder Shan Li must have been secretly maintaining its energy supply somehow, but now he finally understood. At night, the Yin Qi it needed became even more abundant, allowing the tree to replenish itself naturally through the moonlight.

This also explained why the tree seemed to be particularly fond of Sui Sui. His natural physique was exceptionally cold and strongly aligned with Yin, making his spiritual energy especially compatible with the tree. To the Spirit Jade Fruit Tree, being around Sui Sui was probably no different from being surrounded by a particularly comfortable source of nourishment.

With that discovery settled, Sui Sui didn’t dwell on it any further and simply began his usual work. He circulated his spiritual energy and carefully guided it through the tree, helping it absorb and circulate the Yin Qi while ensuring that the energy flowing through its roots and branches remained stable.