[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-above-the-mage":3,"chapter-above-the-mage-above-the-mage-chapter-522":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Above the Mage!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2257526,4404,"Chapter 522: All Goes Well","above-the-mage-chapter-522",522,"\u003Cp>Elder Gai En carefully placed the bonded Spirit Spring Dew Tree seed back into the vial, cradling it against his chest as if it were a priceless treasure, then followed Gao De out the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two arrived at Flora’s workplace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De stepped carefully over the freshly dug planting hole and softly asked the towering, fully grown tree before him: “Has Lady Flora finished?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment, a rustling sound emerged from the emerald leaves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leaves parted as if pushed by an invisible hand, scattering fine snowflakes as they spread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tiny figure emerged, shaking her wings, then turned to the forestry office staff waiting nearby: “No major issues—just that the tree sits at the edge of the spiritual land, and the freeze-thaw stress in the soil has transmitted to the trunk, causing minor internal damage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When working, Flora was utterly professional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A stream of technical terms and solutions tumbled from her lips; the staff beside her nodded repeatedly, memorizing every word she spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When done, she lightly fluttered down onto Gao De’s shoulder, counting off her fingers with her legs swinging as she whispered her report to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flora was extremely efficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In less than an hour, over forty new tree species had been planted in their optimal locations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Additionally, she had used her own abilities to compile detailed cultivation notes for the forestry office staff on each species.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lady Flora is truly capable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De signaled with his eyes to Elder Gai En, who waited nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Gai En immediately understood, stepping forward quickly, his rough leather boots leaving deep imprints on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He bowed slightly, deliberately lowering his gaze to just below Flora’s level, and spoke respectfully: “We humbly beg your assistance, Minister Flora, to plant this Spirit Spring Dew Tree seed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tone was reverent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, Flora’s immense contributions to the Northern Frontier and the Zhenbing Tribe warranted such respect: their ability to eat well and live lives of happiness once unimaginable came entirely from her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, as Minister of the Nongye Force, her official rank far surpassed his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, throughout Phoenix, only Gao De and War Mother Su Nai held higher positions than Flora.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Gai En held the crystal vial with both hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Spirit Spring Dew Tree seed floated within the liquid inside, swaying gently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flora, having just finished her work, her eyes brightened, her thin, cicada-wing-like wings trembling with excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She immediately sensed the rank of the Spirit Spring Dew Tree seed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Leave it to Lady Flora!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When doing what one loves, one never feels tired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially since Flora was not even a being capable of fatigue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She thought for a moment, then lightly rose from Gao De’s shoulder, leading the two to a patch of land near Yujia Tixila’s eastern edge, where magical energy was exceptionally dense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Plant it here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flora shared an extremely close bond with Yujia Tixila.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For any spiritual land Yujia Tixila had opened, she instinctively understood every detail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She knew which areas remained vacant, their magical energy levels—no map or external aid needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Flora selected the plot, Gao De personally cast the spell [Earth Shaping].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soil immediately churned as if alive, and soon a perfect planting hole appeared before them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as a fourth-rank demonic tree seed, the Spirit Spring Dew Tree required a more complex planting process—not merely digging a hole and burying it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De then took out another vial; the soil inside glowed an unusual emerald green, dotted with tiny blue specks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is the native soil of the Spirit Spring Dew Tree seed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When exchanging for the Spirit Spring Dew Tree seed, a vial of native soil and a cultivation manual were included.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Spirit Spring Dew Tree had extremely high soil requirements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either it must be planted in its original native location,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>or, per the manual, mixed with moss inhabited by water sprites, lake-bottom silt, and thousand-year glacial ice shards to create a special nutrient soil as a substitute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most people would naturally choose the latter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because whether demonic plants or demonic trees, their native habitats were always remote, uninhabited places far from human settlements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for Flora, such rules did not apply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was a \"terrifying entity\" with a built-in cheat mod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De understood Flora’s abilities well; without her needing to speak, he used his Mage Hand to extract the Spirit Spring Dew Tree seed from the vial and place it into the hole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he poured the vial of native soil into the hole; the emerald-green soil instantly covered the seed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A strange energy ripple spread outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now came Flora’s moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flora’s expression turned serious, her gaze sharpening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She extended her right hand; a yellow-brown energy stream shot from her fingertip, like a nimble serpent, rapidly extending into the planting hole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The yellow-brown stream continued to flow in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Visible to the naked eye, as the stream poured in, the surrounding soil—once gray-white and hard—began to transform miraculously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soil first rippled slightly, like a stone dropped into a still lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gray-white faded, replaced by a soft emerald green.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sand and gravel within fused together, the once-hard texture softening into fine, delicate consistency, like melted chocolate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fine polygonal cracks that had existed slowly healed; the soil surface became smooth and glossy, dotted with scattered blue specks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, a nourishing aroma emanated from the soil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the Ten Thousand Soils Mother Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With just a handful of desired soil buried in a normal spiritual land,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flora could use this as a source, through the Ten Thousand Soils Mother Qi, to slowly improve the surrounding soil, transforming it into the corresponding type.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Gao De had added a touch of personal flair to the name “Ten Thousand Soils Mother Qi,” its function was perfectly apt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Flora’s innate talent and the power of Ten Thousand Soils Mother Qi, almost no plant was impossible to grow in her hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The transformation lasted about three or four minutes; the soil within a ten-square-meter radius around the hole became the emerald-green native soil of the Spirit Spring Dew Tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Flora stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong, Lady Flora?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m out of energy,” Flora declared matter-of-factly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Casting Ten Thousand Soils Mother Qi, like a mage casting a spell, consumed energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flora was still young, her power still weak; the native soil of the Spirit Spring Dew Tree was of high quality, and transforming it drained her completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then rest for now—this much land is enough for now; we’ll transform more later,” Gao De said, naturally concerned for his own Lady Flora.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flora nodded her small head, fully agreeing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned to Elder Gai En again to explain the cultivation details for the Spirit Spring Dew Tree seed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Gao De held a cultivation manual, Flora’s instructions were clearly far more specific and precise than the written text.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smiled as he watched the tiny figure speak solemnly; Elder Gai En, vastly older than her, listened like a student, nodding obediently, finding the scene oddly charming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she finished, Gao De took a dark brown wooden box from his chest, opened it, and displayed it before Flora.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fragrant scent filled the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside lay a peculiar fungus, its surface covered in fine silver patterns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the thirty-year Dragon Bird Blood Fungus, gifted by Duke Drake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lady Flora, can this Dragon Bird Blood Fungus be cultivated in the Northern Frontier?” Gao De asked softly, hope in his voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a priceless treasure—it could enhance magical power, extend lifespan, and improve physical constitution; cultivating it in the Northern Frontier would significantly strengthen their foundation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Observing and analyzing plants was as simple to Flora as breathing, requiring no physical or mental exertion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She pressed her small hand against the Dragon Bird Blood Fungus, which stood as tall as she did; in an instant, she understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s difficult,” Flora answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De was not disappointed—he was delighted, because Flora had said “difficult,” not “impossible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s needed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flora gently poked the edge of the Dragon Bird Blood Fungus; the silver patterns rippled faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It grows on soil formed from fermented dragon silver droppings and shed scales, and requires the breath exhaled by silver dragons to provide special energy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Northern Frontier has no silver dragons,” Gao De said. “What can substitute?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Northern Frontier has no silver dragons, but it has a juvenile Frost Giant Lizard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Flora’s words, Gao De suddenly remembered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last year, Zhenbing Tribe hunters had discovered a juvenile Frost Giant Lizard with trace dragon blood on the snowplain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But while escorting it back to Phoenix, the hunting team was ambushed and slaughtered by agents sent by Ryan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The juvenile lizard was taken, and Ryan used the incident to frame Catherine, leading to her imprisonment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after he seized the North Wind and marched on the Snowguard Headquarters to settle accounts did he retrieve the juvenile lizard—such a potential earth-pulse creature, Ryan would never kill outright; he kept it well cared for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as a juvenile, though it carried trace dragon blood, the blood was extremely diluted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, earth-pulse creatures grew over decades; in Gao De’s view, by the time it matured and became useful, he’d already become a High-Ring Mage and wouldn’t care for its meager power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he’d never paid it much attention—not even visiting it once—just entrusted it to tribe members for care:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, it was a pseudo-dragon; even if raised poorly, it could guard the compound or provide blood for magical ink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet now, this juvenile he’d always overlooked was about to play a vital role.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My Lord Flora, how do I operate it?” Gao De asked humbly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flora puffed out her chest and explained the operation method in detail to Gao De.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s simply a mixture of juvenile lizard feces and shed shells, plus some magic plants rich in magic and ice elements, combined with metallic mineral powder, then fermented to serve as a low-grade substitute for native soil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The breath exhaled by the juvenile lizards also provides energy similar to that of a silver dragon’s breath, but during this process, additional ice elements and metallic mineral powder must be supplemented.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, the extraordinary ability of the silver dragon bird is precisely metal and ice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From this perspective, planting Dragon Bird Blood Fungus in the Northern Frontier is perfectly suited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, all these substitutes are merely low-grade versions, so the quality of the Dragon Bird Blood Fungus cultivated may be less than twenty percent of the original.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Twenty percent is enough!” Gao De waved his hand decisively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If quality isn’t enough, just make up for it with time!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What part should I use for sowing?” Gao De asked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He planned to use this Dragon Bird Blood Fungus to break through to the late stage of the First Ring, and he was worried it might affect his own consumption of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flora gently lifted the folds at the base of the Dragon Bird Blood Fungus, revealing a cluster of shimmering silver-white spore sacs: “Use this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dragon Bird Blood Fungus is fundamentally a fungus; the seed of a fungus is its “spore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harvesting the spores does not affect the medicinal efficacy of the Dragon Bird Blood Fungus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under normal circumstances, given the rarity of the Dragon Bird Blood Fungus, any exported specimen would have its spores removed first to prevent unauthorized cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as no one can grow Blood Crystal Wheat, the Dragon Bird Blood Fungus can only grow in the habitat of the silver dragon bird, so the Jin Quehua Dynasty never bothered with such an unnecessary step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was conveniently advantageous for Gao De.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All problems were perfectly resolved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De’s mood was better than ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But matters here were not yet finished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One major task remained unresolved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De waved his hand, instructing the staff behind him to retrieve a cloth sack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Untying the sack, it contained over two hundred deep-brown capsules.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the capsules were the seeds of the Humming Tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?” Flora tilted her head, staring wide-eyed at Gao De.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These seeds are special—they possess unique value and require a dedicated plot for large-scale cultivation, which is why I didn’t hand them over to you earlier, My Lord Flora,” Gao De quickly explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To split a task into two separate assignments instead of handling it all at once—indirectly increasing workload—is something any leader would be disliked for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De dared not let Flora develop any resentment toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Special?” The little one had no objection, but was still curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can’t explain it in detail now; you’ll understand later, My Lord Flora. For now, I just need you to help with planting and cultivating them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De thought for a moment and gave a number: “Ten thousand trees—that’s the goal for the first phase.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even all the trees here combined didn’t reach a thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, it’s not simple at all—only My Lord Flora has the ability to overcome these difficulties,” Gao De pretended not to hear her unspoken doubt, unable to resist adding, “I truly admire you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little one’s eyes curled into a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De’s lips curved upward as he exchanged a knowing glance with Elder Gai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My Lord Flora immediately set to work again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She needed to select suitable terrain according to Gao De’s requirements and the direction of Yujiatexila’s spirit land expansion, extract the Humming Tree seeds hidden within the capsules, and begin planting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De did not waste more time in Valar Bay; he mounted his snow wolf and headed for Phoenix.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Flora, once he reached Phoenix, he could summon her there via magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little one had plenty to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing matters in Valar Bay, in Phoenix, she’d still need to “worry” over the Blood Crystal Wheat!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2303,"2026-06-19T14:28:50.414Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a90b3f3e158214f4554f820b91c18328e18d929ce7be85569c27eac74f82e8be","above-the-mage-chapter-523","above-the-mage-chapter-521",529,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fabove-the-mage-cover.jpg"]