Cultivation is just so scientific!

Chapter 314: Chapter 203: Cave Mansion_2

“Yes, Master!” Li Shiming now understood why Golden Core disciples could each possess a mountain peak.

To become a disciple of a Golden Core Elder, each one was the hope of Shushan Sect, and what Shushan Sect demanded was not just powerful combat strength but also future management talent.

Starting with a single mountain peak, the sect cultivated the management skills of these Golden Core Elders’ disciples, making it easier for future sect management talents to emerge from among them.

After Elder Su gave his instructions, his figure flashed, and he left Sword Holding Peak.

“Junior brother, this is my gift!” The eldest martial sister took out a jade box and handed it over.

“Thank you, elder martial sister!” Li Shiming took the jade box.

...
He didn’t stand on ceremony and opened the box, inside was a spirit tea tree with quality reaching the Second Grade.

A slight change came over his face; this gift was no small matter.

Spiritual tea was an extremely important item for cultivators when hosting guests; good spiritual tea could enable easier exchanges between cultivators.

Therefore, the value of a spirit tea tree was usually higher than spiritual objects of the same grade; a Second Grade spirit tea tree could almost save Li Shiming from worrying about hosting tea for guests throughout his Foundation Establishment Stage.

“Junior brother, this is Second Brother Wan Zheng’s gift!” The second senior brother also took out a jade box.

Inside the box was a Second Grade spiritual flower. Although spirit flowers had neither the efficacy of spiritual medicine nor could they be used as spirit food, they could add a hint of fragrance to a cave abode, refreshing and invigorating the mind.

The third senior brother, Lu Shi, also presented a Second Grade spiritual flower; when he brought it out, he glared annoyedly at second senior brother Wan Zheng.

Due to time constraints, they had not been able to coordinate with each other, resulting in the similarity of the gifts from both.

“You two have gifted something that could let junior brother adorn both sides of his entrance!” The gifts from the second and third senior brothers were treated with disdain by the eldest martial sister.

“I really like flowers and plants. Thank you Second Brother and Third Brother!” Li Shiming hurriedly said with a smile.

Seemingly used to being teased by their elder martial sister, neither the second nor the third senior brother showed any signs of anger and smiled as they placed the gifts in Li Shiming’s hands.

“Junior brother, this is for you!” Xu Chuan took something out from his storage bracelet and put it on the ground.

“Brother Xu, did you actually lift a spirit pond from your cave abode?” Ye Jingxian said in astonishment, looking at the object on the ground.

On the ground was a jade basin with a diameter of five meters; if in a normal 50-square-meter hall of a cave abode, it would already be quite large.

Within the jade basin, there were several spirit fish, the bottom was lined with spirit stones and Spirit Water Grass, and the surface was engraved with spiritual patterns, making the whole basin brim with spiritual essence.

Not to mention the rest, just the value of this five-meter-wide Spiritual Jade Spring Eye was incalculable, not because of a high grade, but because it was exceedingly rare.

“Ever since I got this thing, I put some spirit fish in it. Right now, the spirit fish are still juveniles, and seeing them didn’t sit well with me; I’d rather give it to junior brother!” Xu Chuan said with an indifferent smile.

Li Shiming knew well that a jade basin that could preserve spiritual energy without loss and could raise spirit fish was no simple object.

Looking at the expression of their eldest martial sister, it was possible to discern that it was an extremely precious gift.

“Junior brother, you must not refuse this modest gift of mine!” Xu Chuan looked at Li Shiming again and gave him a hearty slap on the shoulder.

Li Shiming felt the strength in Xu Chuan’s hand, which was a sincere gesture from him.

“Then I’d like to thank Brother Xu. I do have some spiritual objects I need to plant!” Li Shiming gratefully accepted.

He carefully took out a jade box, removed the entire lotus plant inside, and planted it in the jade basin.

While the jade box could preserve the vitality of spirit plants, the longer it was kept inside, the greater the damage to the lotus.

“Junior Brother, did you rob a Golden Core Expert’s cave dwelling to obtain this Second Grade Golden Lotus?” Ye Jingxian, after carefully observing the lotus flower, asked Li Shiming in surprise, looking up.

“This is a Golden Lotus? Where is the gold color?” Li Shiming had naturally heard about the Golden Lotus, but he had never considered the Second Grade lotus flower he obtained to be a Golden Lotus.

What is a Golden Lotus? Whether it’s Buddhist or Taoist, both hold the Golden Lotus in extremely high regard. The Buddha sits upon a Golden Lotus, and Taoists equate the lotus with themselves, wearing lotus crowns and embroidering their Daoist robes with the Golden Lotus.

In the Cultivation World, the spirit plant known as Golden Lotus is a treasure that can purify Spiritual Energy.

Because the Golden Lotus advances in grade very slowly, taking a thousand years to rise by one grade, don’t underestimate the Second Grade Golden Lotus before you; it is a treasure that has been cultivated for a full two thousand years.

“If you observe carefully, you will see gold spots at the edges of the lotus petals. With each advancing grade, more of these spots appear until, upon reaching Ninth Grade, the lotus becomes entirely golden!” Elder Sister confidently instructed.

Li Shiming scanned it with his Spiritual Thought and indeed noticed the gold spots on the lotus.

“Is this Second Grade Golden Lotus very precious?” he asked with some concern.

To be honest, he had no idea that the lotus flower he casually took out would be the legendary Second Grade Golden Lotus, making him worry for himself.

“Junior Brother, you’re not some Loose Cultivator or a disciple without a small sect. The Shushan Sect in the Beishu Continent has never been afraid of any force. Who would dare to rob us within our sect? If anyone dares to entertain such thoughts, tell your Elder Sister, and I’ll help you explode their dog head. Besides, no matter how precious the Second Grade Golden Lotus is, it is still just Second Grade!” Elder Sister laughed.

Li Shiming was reassured. He was being overly cautious, afraid someone might scheme against him just because he had something valuable.

“Junior Brother, you should also consider the matter of followers. Since you’re not yet a True Inheritor, you can have three followers!” Xu Chuan reminded at this time.

“Where do I recruit followers?” Li Shiming asked, confused.

He had heard his master mention followers just a moment ago, but the master did not elaborate.

“Followers are not disciples of the sect but may live within it. The cultivation techniques they practice, you need to exchange for with contribution points, and you must provide the resources. Followers must recognize you as their master and serve you. All the spirit fields and spirit fruit trees on this mountain need care, so among your followers, it would be best to have a spirit plant cultivator!” Xu Chuan explained carefully.

Li Shiming finally understood what followers were. Weren’t they just servants?

Perhaps ‘servants’ sounded unpleasant, so the term ‘followers’ was coined.

“I don’t know any familiar cultivators here; where would I find followers?” Li Shiming said, shaking his head.

He planned to issue a task within the sect, asking the sect’s spirit plant cultivators to manage the spirit fields and spirit fruit trees at Sword Holding Peak.

“If you trust me, Junior Brother, you can choose three followers from my family,” Wan Zheng, the second senior brother, suggested on the side.

“What do I have to distrust? It’s just that your family’s cultivators won’t have any objections, right?” Li Shiming asked doubtfully.

In his view, it wouldn’t be something cultivators would be willing to do, to become his servants, and he didn’t want to press the second senior brother, Wan Zheng, to enforce this.

“Second Senior Brother, you’re really ruthless, planning to take all three spots for yourself!” Third Senior Brother Lu Shi exclaimed discontentedly.

“What way is this to speak to me? Let’s see if you’ve grown stronger recently!” Second Senior Brother Wan Zheng, who was at the Late-stage Foundation Establishment, grabbed Lu Shi, who was in Mid-stage Foundation Establishment, and manhandled him mercilessly.

“Enough!” Elder Sister Ye Jingxian stretched out her hands, grabbing both the second and third senior brothers and restraining them before saying to Li Shiming, “This is one of the rare instances where cultivators can join the sect without meeting certain conditions. After all, serving us as followers can hardly be considered a loss for them.”

Li Shiming was underestimating his current status. Being the disciple of a Golden Core Elder, while not a True Inheritor, merely having this status already afforded him considerable standing within the sect.

“Junior Brother, if you truly need followers, our three families will each provide one. You need not worry about their loyalty; they will all sign a contract with you and cannot betray you!” Elder Sister said after tossing the two senior brothers aside.

“Then thank you, Elder Sister, Second Senior Brother, and Third Senior Brother!” Li Shiming replied with a smile.

He had arrays to conceal his true secrets from the followers. The followers would be responsible only for managing the spirit fields and spirit fruit trees of Sword Peak and some external affairs.