After leaving Biyi Palace, Chen Jinshu and the others made their way to the administrative hall on Medicine King Peak to register as new sect disciples.
Now that all of them had reached the Golden Core stage, their master's lineage was nothing short of a miracle. After all, how many Nascent Soul cultivators could boast of having eight Golden Core disciples, each with outstanding potential and formidable strength?
Once registration was complete, Chen Jinshu received an additional identity—Elder of the Xuanming Sect.
Her monthly stipend increased substantially, and she was no longer tasked with managing the medicinal gardens. Instead, she was given new duties, such as overseeing examinations at the Pill King Hall or serving as an elder on rotation at one of the main halls.
Before returning to her residence at Ink Plum Garden, Chen Jinshu made a detour to the Frost Pool Medicinal Garden.
It had been years since her last visit. So much time had passed that she now found herself at the Golden Core realm. Time truly flew.
Though her appearance remained that of a girl in her early twenties, she was already over fifty years old. She arrived without alerting anyone and quietly walked to the three-acre plot she once tended herself.
Her purpose today was clear: the strange spiritual vine.
She had once believed she could transplant it after reaching Foundation Establishment, but she had underestimated the vine's complexity and power. Its roots were severely damaged, and her spiritual energy had not been strong enough to move it safely from the soil. So she had put it off, waiting.
Now, after passing her tribulation and forming her core, her cauldron had awakened a new ability—one that allowed her to transplant entire spiritual plants into her spirit field with nothing more than a thought.
This spared her the danger and effort of doing it manually.
Had she tried before, it might have killed the vine.
Reaching the plot, she saw that most of the medicinal herbs were sparse and overgrown. Many had already matured, seeded, and withered. Since she had never allowed others to tend the field—fearing interference with the vine—it was no surprise to see it in this state after all these years.
She picked a few decent herbs and left the rest for whatever fated disciple might inherit the plot next. As she neared the vine, it stirred as if greeting an old friend, its tendrils swaying with surprising liveliness. Ten new leaves had sprouted on its branches.
"This time, I've come to take you with me. Will you come? You'll never grow strong here. There's not enough food, and no way to recover properly," Chen Jinshu said softly.
"Alright!" The voice was faint, awkward, but clear enough.
Chen Jinshu's heart jolted in surprise. The vine could speak.
It could talk, resist demonic corruption, and survive severe damage. Could it be a celestial vine that had fallen into the mortal world?
"You'll be moved to another garden soon. Don't worry, the conditions there will be perfect for healing."
"Thank you."
Chen Jinshu smiled gently, then connected her consciousness to the cauldron within her sea of awareness. She reached out and touched the vine. The moment her hand made contact, the entire plant vanished from the ground. When it reappeared, it was rooted in a new spot within the spirit field. Chen Jinshu stared at the small hole left behind, unable to contain her joy.
"It worked. This ability is incredible."
She filled the hole and carefully dismantled the protective formation she had once placed around the vine. Since the formation tokens had already been returned to the sect, another disciple would soon be assigned here.
Holding back her excitement, she turned and headed for Ink Plum Garden.
…
Inside the Spirit Field
The celestial vine now occupied the central space of the field, and Chen Jinshu observed it with deep satisfaction.
"How's this place? Comfortable enough?"
"Thank you. It feels… familiar," replied the vine, its voice like that of a small child.
"Familiar? Have you been here before?"
"Not this exact place, but somewhere similar. Another space where time flows differently. That one was slightly better than this."
"So you remember something about who you are?" she asked, gently probing.
"Not much. My body's been incomplete for so long. But I do remember falling from the sky… and landing on the spot where I used to grow."
"Then you must have fallen from the Immortal Realm. No wonder you're so extraordinary."
Chen Jinshu didn't press for more. At her current cultivation level, she was still far from understanding the Immortal Realm. She had just stepped into the Golden Core realm, and reaching Nascent Soul might take another century or two.
By then, the vine would likely recover more of its memories.
"I'm sorry. I've forgotten so much. But I can now secrete a spiritual essence that helps wood-element cultivators increase their cultivation by several years."
As it spoke, one of its leaves withered and transformed into a bead of deep green essence.
"From your leaf? No. I won't accept that. It's too harmful for you," Chen Jinshu said, frowning slightly.
The vine had only just begun recovering. Any further damage would only delay the day she could learn more about the Immortal Realm.
"It doesn't hurt. The leaves will grow back. Please, just take it."
"Only this once. I can make up the difference with spirit pills anyway."
"Alright."
With the vine settled, Chen Jinshu turned her attention to harvesting the now fully matured herbs in the field. Two days later, she changed her appearance and suppressed her aura to the mid-Foundation Establishment level. Then she returned to the administrative hall.
"Senior Brother, could you help me calculate the spirit stone value of these herbs? I also need to buy some tier-three medicinal seeds."
"Junior Sister, why are you buying tier-three seeds? Those don't come cheap."
"My master needs them. She's run out of tier-three herbs and wants to grow some herself."
The steward nodded and processed her request. After the transaction, she still received two-thirds of the value in spirit stones. Clearly, her tier-two herbs were highly valued.
Even so, she dared not sell too much at once. That would attract attention from Medicine King Peak—something she definitely wanted to avoid.
"Also, be careful about heading over to Yanlie Peak. A certain Golden Core disciple there has been getting too arrogant. He even came here to ask about the sect's Golden Core elders. I wouldn't be surprised if he makes trouble for us soon," the steward warned.
"What's his cultivation level? And did you give him any information?" Chen Jinshu's tone sharpened slightly.
"Of course not. With that attitude? I threw him out. We all have Golden Core masters. What's there to be afraid of?"
"Do you know who he is?"
"He said his name was Lin Jingxian. From a Foundation Establishment family, the Lin clan."
That caught her attention.
The Lin family of Ningyu Mountain. This must be someone connected to the Chen clan's affairs. But she had already severed ties with the Chen family. There was no reason to help them now. Still, if this Lin Jingxian tried anything with her personally, he would regret it.
"Thanks for the warning. Here, a gift for your help."
She tossed him a tier-two spirit herb before departing. Moments later, she appeared at the Shuiyue Pavilion in the Pingwu marketplace.
Aside from Madicine King Peak, only a place like the marketplace could absorb such a large quantity of herbs. With thousands of cultivators passing through daily, it wouldn't take long to sell them.
She had also considered refining them into tier-two pills, which would fetch an even better price. But the sheer quantity of herbs was too large. For now, she would have to sell a portion as-is.