Chapter 14

When you first visualize, don’t make the object too complex—start simple.

Though you can simplify the visualization object, what you visualize must carry a trace of its essential spirit.

What exactly this spirit is—you must discover it yourself.

Su Jin thought: Master Liu, you might as well not have said anything.

What does “discover it yourself” even mean?

How am I supposed to discover it?

Even for the same visualization object, each person perceives its spirit differently, and the resulting [object] forged from their spiritual energy will differ accordingly.

The more Master Liu spoke, the more confused Su Jin became.

Then Master Liu carefully explained the Great Expansion Divine Cultivation Scripture to Su Jin, focusing especially on its difficult points and ambiguities.

By the time Master Liu finished, Su Jin had fully understood every doubt she’d had about the opening passages.

Master Liu was truly impressive.

In teaching, he surpassed even her elder brother!

Moreover, Master Liu also pointed out common misconceptions beginners often make when starting the Great Expansion Divine Cultivation Scripture, warning Su Jin to avoid them.

After listening, Su Jin was deeply impressed.

Hearing Master Liu’s explanation, she truly felt this was an excellent scripture—but she had no idea when she’d ever master it!

Time flew by; when Su Jin returned to the reserve classroom, class was nearly over.

Damn, she’d wasted another day of cultivation—she’d have to make it up at home.

“Su Jin, what did Master Liu call you over for?”

“He explained some doubts I had about the cultivation scripture,” Su Jin said.

“Our Green Wood Eternal Spring Scripture is so simple—why do you need her to explain anything?” Su Wuji exclaimed.

“It’s not the Green Wood Eternal Spring Scripture. I’m cultivating another scripture—it’s quite difficult. I haven’t even entered the basics yet,” Su Jin said.

Su Wuji was stunned again. “You’re already cultivating another scripture? I asked Grandpa if I could too—he said to wait until someone else starts dual-cultivating and the clan school stops objecting, then he’ll prepare one for me.”

Su Jin: If you say that out loud, won’t Master Liu really beat your ass?

“Master Liu knows I’m cultivating another scripture,” Su Jin quickly explained.

Su Wuji thought: So that’s how it works—you need to consult Master Liu first if you want to dual-cultivate. She must be able to recommend suitable scriptures for you.

“I’ve always wanted to dual-cultivate a sword scripture. I’ll ask her later.”

“I want to dual-cultivate a body refinement scripture too. My aunt says dual-cultivating body refinement increases survival rates on missions by two or three tenths,” Su Cheng said—he’d clearly been thinking about it for a while, but had just entered the clan school and begun cultivation, so he was still observing, not acting yet.

“What? You both want to dual-cultivate?” Su Yunhu looked utterly stunned. “But dual-cultivating takes up so much time—what if you can’t break through to Qi Refining Second Layer within the normal timeframe?”

“I heard if we don’t break through to Qi Refining Second Layer within half a year, the instructors will think our talent is too low to be worth nurturing.”

“How could anyone fail to break through to Qi Refining Second Layer in half a year? I’ll do it in just over a month,” Su Wuji said.

“I’ll need about fifty days,” Su Cheng added.

Su Jin nodded in agreement. “Same for me.”

Su Yunhu fell silent. So the future “breakthrough difficulty household” is me?

I don’t even know how long it’ll take me to break through to Qi Refining Second Layer.

“I’ll focus on breaking through to Qi Refining Second Layer first. Right now, dual-cultivating worries me—I’m afraid I won’t manage it,” he said plainly.

“Then just focus on one scripture. We already had the idea, so we’re going ahead with it,” Su Wuji said. “We still have plenty of free time each day—I’ve been reading so much I’m sick of it.

Better to cultivate another scripture and switch things up.”

Su Yunhu: “...”

As soon as Su Jin got home, she ran to check on the red ginseng seedlings she’d planted in the backyard.

The seedlings had just sprouted.

Some had grown one small leaf; others had one leaf and a tiny bud.

Though the seedlings were still tender, they looked vigorous.

The moment they saw her, they waved their tiny leaves back and forth—she worried they’d tip themselves over into the soil.

Su Jin gently touched each seedling to assess their growth.

Then she pulled out a thin silver needle and drove it sharply into the soil at certain spots.

Soon she extracted three thin, white, worm-like creatures.

The worms writhed desperately on the needle, trying to escape and gain freedom—but Su Jin gave them no chance, skewering them and tossing them straight into the hearth.

Sister-in-law Liu Yunniang saw her throw the three white worm-like creatures into the hearth and hurriedly asked, “Did your red ginseng attract pests?”

“Yes. White Thread Hookworms.”

“They’ve only just sprouted leaves,” Liu Yunniang said, relieved. “No wonder everyone says red ginseng attracts pests.”

“It’s not bad—I’ve seen my father grow several other spirit plants even more prone to pests. Back then, our house had more bugs than usual. Sister-in-law, why don’t we raise a few spirit chickens? I remember Dad used to raise them to deal with pests,” Su Jin said.

“Spirit chickens? That’s a good idea. I’ll have your brother bring back a clutch of chicks,” Liu Yunniang agreed immediately. Spirit chickens eat bugs when young and improve the family diet when grown.

Everyone—adults and children—needs them.

“Meat, meat. Eat meat,” Su Xiaohe, her brother’s little daughter, perked up at the mention of spirit chickens. She loved meat. Su Xiaohe was two years old and had just begun speaking clearly.

Su Jin smiled at her words.

Su Jin turned and saw her perched on the threshold.

One leg was already over the threshold, but the other wouldn’t swing across.

She sat there grinning foolishly.

The child looked ordinary—just like any common mortal child.

She loved to play, loved to laugh, loved meat.

Her brother and sister-in-law worried she had no spiritual root.

Not every child of cultivators has a spiritual root.

Like her brother’s father—he had no spiritual root. But his younger brother, Su Jin’s father, did.

Her brother had tested for a spiritual root at age three.

So as a child, he mostly lived with his younger uncle, who raised him with medicinal baths. Su Jin’s niece Su Hua also had a spiritual root—though it was a five-element root.

Okay, lately Su Jin couldn’t even look at the phrase “five-element root” straight on.