Chapter 4: Talent display

Inside the cave dwelling, Wang Nannan sat cross-legged on a prayer mat.

The candlelight flickered, casting shadows on the walls.

The matter of learning to be a spiritual planter had been settled, and all that remained was for him to inadvertently reveal some talent, which would pave the way for providing cultivation resources for the family in the future.

"Consume one year of lifespan to increase the proficiency of 'Germination Technique'."

A stream of clear energy surged into his mind, and the 'Germination Technique' reached 1% at the entry level.

Wang Nannan's face fell. So, after a year of hard practice, he had only just entered the 'Germination Technique'? If he wanted to advance to the proficient stage, it would take a hundred years.

However, Qi Refining cultivators only had a lifespan of about a hundred years. No wonder most first-grade spiritual planters could only hover between the entry and proficient stages. He suddenly understood.

Without the golden finger, Wang Nannan wouldn't even be able to reach the proficient stage.

Grabbing a handful of weeds from outside, Wang Nannan tried out the effect of the 'Germination Technique'. As spiritual energy flowed into the plants, Wang Nannan could clearly feel their vigorous vitality and slight growth.

However, soon, the spiritual energy in Wang Nannan's body was completely exhausted.

"With the golden finger, I only focused on the proficiency of the techniques, but forgot the importance of realm cultivation." Wang Nannan slapped his forehead. The higher the cultivator's realm, the more abundant the spiritual energy contained within, and the more powerful the techniques they could use.

It seemed that the next focus should be on realm cultivation and the 'Germination Technique'.

He began to consume his lifespan, and the spiritual energy within his body surged continuously until he broke through to the second level of Qi Refining.

"Two years of lifespan to reach the second level," Wang Nannan calculated. "It took half a year from detecting the spiritual root to reaching the first level of Qi Refining, but now it has taken four times as long to go from the first level to the second level."

Wang Nannan felt a headache. If this was the case, higher realms would require even more lifespan. Would his little life be enough to consume?

"Alas! It seems I was too naive before! I'll just take it slow!" Wang Nannan decided. There was a reason why some things couldn't be rushed.

However, looking at the panel: "Age 12/50", Wang Nannan decided to push himself further.

Breaking through to the third level of Qi Refining consumed eight years of lifespan, again four times as much.

He decided to save the remaining lifespan for now, just in case.

At midnight, as the new day arrived, his lifespan indeed increased by one year.

Name: Wang Nannan

Age: 12/43

Realm: Qi Refining Third Level+

Technique: 'Five Elements Scripture' (Entry 90%)+

'Turtle Breath Concealment Art' (Perfected)

'Spiritual Rain Technique' (Entry 0%)+

'Golden Metal Swordplay' (Entry 0%)+

'Germination Technique' (Entry 1%)+

Inheritance: First-Grade Spiritual Planter (Entry 0%)+

The morning sunlight shone through the window (the cave dwelling was also designed with windows) onto Wang Nannan's face, waking him up.

After a night of meditation, his spiritual energy had returned to normal.

After quickly finishing his meal, Wang Nannan ran to the doorstep of his uncle Wang Xiangtan's house.

"You're here quite early?" Wang Xiangtan said with some surprise, then led Wang Nannan towards the foot of the mountain.

The lower part of the Changshan Mountain Range was mostly spiritual dry fields, mainly used for planting spiritual beans, spiritual herbs, and spiritual fruits; the foot of the mountain was spiritual paddy fields and fish ponds, mainly used for planting spiritual rice and raising spiritual fish.

The spiritual field that Wang Xiangtan was responsible for was located at the junction of the mountain range and the plain, where many mulberry trees were planted.

These mulberry trees ranged in height from three to ten meters, with large canopies and dense leaves. They were clearly first-grade spiritual plants, and their fruit, mulberries, were a type of spiritual fruit that could restore spiritual energy, making them highly valuable and one of the family's main sources of income.

Especially in the spring, the family would raise silkworms on the mulberry trees. After summer, the silkworms would spin cocoons, and the mulberries would begin to bloom and bear fruit, perfectly staggering the timing to increase income.

Wang Nannan looked at this large area of mulberry trees, his eyes filled with excitement.

"Mulberry trees are relatively easy to manage spiritual plants. You can use them to practice first, while working and learning the knowledge in the 'Comprehensive Guide to Spiritual Planting', combining theory with practice. At the same time, you can also use the three types of techniques on them," Wang Xiangtan said to Wang Nannan.

After Wang Xiangtan finished instructing him, he began to assign Wang Nannan tasks.

The tasks were not many: checking the mulberry trees for pests, plowing the soil, raining and fertilizing, and so on.

Wang Nannan was quick and efficient, completing all the tasks in half a day. Then, he took out the 'Comprehensive Guide to Spiritual Planting' that he carried with him and began to study it bit by bit.

Although he had the golden finger to use, wasn't he currently lacking lifespan? If he could enter the entry level, he could save some lifespan.

Life was so ordinary. In the blink of an eye, seven days had passed.

He had indeed learned a lot of knowledge about spiritual plants, but he still hadn't entered the entry level of spiritual planter. As for the 'Spiritual Rain Technique' and 'Golden Metal Swordplay', Wang Nannan estimated that he could enter the entry level in about a month of hard work without relying on the golden finger.

In the afternoon, just as Wang Nannan was sitting in the shade of a tree studying, Wang Xiangtan walked over and said, "Nannan, how is your cultivation going?"

Wang Nannan immediately stood up and replied, "Uncle, my 'Germination Technique' seemed to have entered the entry level last night when I was practicing."

Wang Xiangtan's eyes glazed over. Entered the entry level? Seriously?

"Show me!" Wang Xiangtan said, trying to keep his tone calm, hoping that this kid hadn't lied to him.

Wang Nannan operated the technique, and a novice spiritual energy surged into the mulberry tree trunk. Before long, Wang Nannan was panting heavily from exhaustion.

At this time, Wang Xiangtan's eyes were filled with astonishment. He had entered the entry level of the 'Germination Technique' in seven days. This talent was a bit abnormal!

How long did it take him to enter the entry level back then? A month, yes, it was a month.

Wang Xiangtan nervously swallowed his saliva. In fact, outsiders didn't know that Wang Xiangtan's apparent third level of Qi Refining and five spiritual roots were fake. His true cultivation level was the ninth level of Qi Refining and dual earth-wood spiritual roots. If the family hadn't lacked Foundation Establishment Pills, he might have been a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Even a genius as strong as himself had taken a month. Looking at his five-spiritual-root cousin, he had actually entered the entry level in seven days…

"Either Nannan hid his spiritual roots like me, or he had too much affinity for the 'Germination Technique', greatly increasing his entry speed."

"If this nephew hid his spiritual roots and had such a fast entry speed, could he be a heavenly spiritual root? It has been unknown how many years since I last heard of a heavenly spiritual root!"

Moreover, the family head was solely responsible for the spiritual root detection of the children in the family, and the information that others knew came from what they said, making it impossible to distinguish between truth and falsehood.

"I remember it took you half a year to reach the first level of Qi Refining, right?" Wang Xiangtan asked, feeling confused. Wang Nannan also nodded subconsciously.

This made Wang Xiangtan even more confused. It took half a year to break through to the first level of Qi Refining, so it was obviously impossible for him to have a heavenly spiritual root. Even if a heavenly spiritual root didn't cultivate and stayed in the family land to absorb spiritual energy every day, it wouldn't take so long to reach the first level of Qi Refining. Moreover, a little kid like Wang Nannan couldn't hide himself in front of others, so Wang Nannan couldn't be a heavenly spiritual root.

That only left one explanation: Wang Nannan had a very high affinity for the 'Germination Technique', making his cultivation efficiency extremely high.

Wang Xiangtan convinced himself with a series of mental gymnastics and looked at Wang Nannan with fondness.

"Nannan! Come with your uncle to a place."

Without Wang Nannan's consent, he picked Wang Nannan up under his arm and ran towards the top of the mountain.

The wind brought up by the running messed up Wang Nannan's hair, making it look like a chicken coop.

"Grandpa Patriarch, Grandpa Patriarch!" Wang Xiangtan hurriedly ran into the patriarch's cave dwelling and closed the door tightly.

The composed patriarch opened his eyes and glanced at the two of them, saying, "You're so rash. How did I teach you usually?"

Wang Xiangtan continued as if he hadn't heard the reprimand, "Grandpa Patriarch, tell me the truth, are Wang Nannan's spiritual roots really five spiritual roots?"

For safety's sake, Wang Xiangtan still asked.

The patriarch naturally understood what Wang Xiangtan meant and nodded, "Wang Nannan's spiritual roots are not fake, they are five spiritual roots."

Hearing the patriarch's confirmation, Wang Xiangtan tremblingly said, "He, the 'Germination Technique' entered the entry level, seven days, affinity…"

The patriarch paused and shifted his gaze to Wang Nannan, who was still being held under his arm.

"Hello, Great-Grandfather Patriarch," Wang Nannan greeted.

The patriarch ignored Wang Nannan and smiled instead.

"Good! Good! Good!" Three "goods" expressed the joy in his heart.

What was the concept of entering the entry level of the 'Germination Technique' in seven days? As long as Wang Nannan was given time, it was possible for him to reach the great success stage, and even the perfected stage could be glimpsed.

As a divine skill of spiritual planters, even the great success stage of the 'Germination Technique' was extremely useful to the family.

Imagine, if a hundred-year-old spiritual herb was germinated several times, it could save forty to fifty years of growth time. Then what about ten plants? What about a hundred plants…

He thought about finding some pills and natural treasures to increase Wang Nannan's lifespan, and it made him feel good!

However, as the patriarch, Wang Ming'ai still asked Wang Nannan to demonstrate it. Although his methods were still very unskilled, he had indeed entered the entry level.

After checking Wang Nannan's experience during this period, Patriarch Wang Ming'ai was convinced.

"How many people know about this?" Wang Ming'ai asked. Wang Xiangtan also looked at Wang Nannan.

"Only the three of us. I haven't had time to tell my parents yet!" Wang Nannan replied.

Patriarch Wang Ming'ai breathed a sigh of relief, took out a yellow talisman, and handed it to Wang Xiangtan, saying, "Drip blood on it."

Wang Xiangtan did as he was told. This was a second-grade oath talisman. Making an oath with blood could protect some secrets, otherwise he would suffer the backlash of heaven and earth.

"Nannan, this matter must be kept secret, otherwise you will invite disaster," Patriarch Wang Ming'ai reminded him.

"Can't I even tell my parents?" Wang Nannan pretended to be innocent.

Wang Ming'ai said seriously, "You can't even tell your parents. You will follow your uncle Wang Xiangtan to study during this period. When you can skillfully use the 'Germination Technique', Great-Grandfather will allocate a separate spiritual herb field to you, okay?"

Wang Ming'ai looked loving, this was the hope for the family's development!

After Wang Nannan nodded heavily, he left with Wang Xiangtan.

Watching the two of them leave his cave dwelling, Patriarch Wang Ming'ai smiled and scolded, "This kid is hiding quite a few things."