Chapter 44: The Race to Sprout

You don’t hit a smiling man. With Li Jing being so humble and polite, Qin Haoxuan couldn’t be rude in return. He put on a smile and said, “Senior Brother Li is too kind. I appreciate the sentiment, but it’s just the Rooting Stage. It’s not worthy of such repeated congratulations, let alone a grand gift from you.”

“Nonsense, Junior Brother Qin! This is just a small token of my sincerity. You must accept it, or it means you look down on me as a senior brother,” Li Jing said with a smile, placing the exquisitely wrapped gift on Xu Yu’s table. “I heard that you have been using the task of carrying water to temper your will and forge your Dao Heart. Such perseverance and effort are beyond my reach.”

Qin Haoxuan just smiled faintly at his praise, sensing an underlying meaning in his words. “Senior Brother Li is too modest.”

As they were exchanging pleasantries, a knock came from the door. A voice said in a low tone, “Senior Sister Xu, I would like to join your faction and offer my humble services.”

Hearing no reply, the voice quickly added, “Senior Sister, I was previously in Senior Brother Li Jing’s faction and got along well with Senior Brother Murong. After he came to your side, I thought about it for a long time and decided today to follow him. I hope you can accept me.”

His words made the three people in the room freeze. Although Murong Chao’s departure from Li Jing’s faction to form a trio with Qin Haoxuan and Xu Yu was a known fact, Li Jing had deliberately ignored it, never mentioning it in their presence to avoid jeopardizing his plan to win over Xu Yu.

But this man’s words not only made Li Jing look awkward but also embarrassed Xu Yu. Many people had knocked on her door to pledge loyalty, but for one of Li Jing’s own followers to do so in front of him made it seem as if they were poaching his members.

Seeing no response, the man outside said, “Then this little brother will come to entreat you again tomorrow.”

Hearing him leave, Li Jing suddenly smiled, his tone half-joking. “Junior Sister Xu’s reputation is growing day by day. With Junior Brother Qin’s strong support, it seems I’ll have to step aside.”

Xu Yu just smiled without a word, but Qin Haoxuan understood his meaning perfectly. He instantly realized the true purpose of Li Jing’s visit. There must have been too many rumors swirling outside these past few days, and Li Jing had finally decided to come and probe his attitude.

Although their group only had three people, with Xu Yu, an Unsurpassed Purple Seed, at its core, supplemented by the Gray Seed Murong Chao, and with Qin Haoxuan’s formidable reputation, their small team’s influence in the Spirit Field Valley was growing. Many disciples, drawn by their fame, had tried to join them, but all had been turned away.

Originally, Zhang Kuang and Li Jing had not taken them seriously, but now they were both worried. Li Jing’s followers had repeatedly warned him that morale was unstable and that many in their faction were wavering, secretly contacting Qin Haoxuan. If not for his refusals, many would have already followed Murong Chao and defected.

This was what had prompted Li Jing’s visit, and he had happened to walk right into one of his own followers trying to defect.

It had to be said, Li Jing’s composure was impressive. Even after this incident, his expression only faltered for a moment before he recovered his confident smile.

Qin Haoxuan couldn’t find a single trace of insincerity on his face. He organized his thoughts and said, “I’m sure Senior Brother Li knows that this kind of opportunist will sway with the wind.”

Li Jing smiled and nodded, his confident eyes fixed politely on Qin Haoxuan.

Qin Haoxuan paused, then continued, “Let me put it this way. None of us—not me, not Xu Yu, not Murong Chao—have any interest in the position of Sect Master. We have no intention of raising a banner and recruiting followers. If we did, we would have done so long ago.”

“Since Junior Brother Qin has spoken so frankly, I am relieved,” Li Jing said with a slight smile, clasping his hands. But the doubt flickering in his eyes showed that he didn’t believe him.

Even Xu Yu could see his skepticism. Qin Haoxuan, of course, saw it too. He just smiled faintly and said, “Xu Yu, Murong Chao, and I are together because our personalities are compatible. And Murong Chao grew tired of all the conflict. I’m sure you also know that I have a long-standing feud with Zhang Kuang and Zhang Yang. If your factions were to clash, I would absolutely not help them. On the other hand, you have helped us quite a bit lately, Senior Brother. If you ever need anything, please just ask, and we will do what we can.”

This statement finally put Li Jing somewhat at ease. Although he was still suspicious, since Qin Haoxuan had been so direct, there was no point in pressing further. It was better to form a temporary alliance, to at least ensure that they wouldn’t be won over by Zhang Kuang or Zhang Yang.

Though their group was small, their influence was in no way inferior to his own.

“In that case, I thank you, Junior Brother Qin and Junior Sister Xu,” Li Jing said, clasping his hands. “It is getting late. I will take my leave.”

“Take care, Senior Brother Li,” Qin Haoxuan said with a slight bow.

As Li Jing walked out of Xu Yu’s room, he caught sight of a dark figure in a corner quickly departing in the direction of Zhang Kuang’s room. It was undoubtedly one of Zhang Kuang’s spies.

The spy, realizing he had been spotted, ran frantically to Zhang Kuang’s room and reported breathlessly, “Boss, I did as you instructed. Xu Yu, Li Jing, and Qin Haoxuan didn’t say anything. Li Jing has just left her room. Judging by his expression, he must have reached some kind of agreement with them.”

His voice revealed that he was the same person who had just pretended to be from Li Jing’s faction.

The pensive Zhang Kuang grunted, waved him away, and sneered to himself, “Li Jing, oh Li Jing, so you finally couldn’t hold back either.”

Ever since the news of Qin Haoxuan’s breakthrough, he had been saddled with the title of “the strongest weak seed.” Opportunists, seeing the strength of their trio, had been flocking to join them. Although all had been refused, it still infuriated Zhang Kuang and worried Li Jing.

The moment Li Jing had entered Xu Yu’s room, Zhang Kuang, who had spies posted everywhere, had received the news. To disrupt their relationship, he had sent one of his men to pose as a defector from Li Jing’s camp.

“Qin Haoxuan, don’t think I can’t deal with you just because you’re close to Li Jing,” he muttered with a savage grin. But when his eyes fell on the character for “Endure” that he had carved into his bedpost, his mind cleared, and he silently chided himself for letting his hatred take control again.

Ever since his return from the Hidden Dragon Abbey, he had carved that word to remind himself to be patient, whether it was his hatred for Qin Haoxuan or his future rivalry with Li Jing for the position of Sect Master. Impulsiveness would lead to failure.

“Even Qin Haoxuan has completed the Rooting Stage. I must cultivate diligently and be the first to sprout my seedling!” His fingers traced the character on the wood, and he made a silent vow. He then pushed aside his hatred and picked up a book.

The conclusion that Zhang Kuang had reached, Li Jing also quickly understood. Returning to his room, he thought of Qin Haoxuan’s 20-day record and felt a sense of unease that he hadn’t felt even when Zhang Kuang and Xu Yu had made their breakthroughs.

“I must cultivate harder. If Zhang Kuang beats me to the Sprouting Stage again, I will have no face left.” Li Jing sat cross-legged on his bed, but just as he was about to meditate, a strange thought flashed through his mind: “What if Qin Haoxuan is the first to sprout his seedling?”

The thought passed in an instant, and he let out a self-deprecating laugh. Why would I even think that? That’s completely impossible.

For the next two days, the two Purple Seed disciples returned to their diligent training, the overt hostility between them greatly diminished. This was a huge relief to Elder Chu, who had been worried for days. If they had focused only on fighting and neglected their cultivation, it would have been a disaster.

At that moment, he once again felt a genuine appreciation for Qin Haoxuan. The appearance of this weak seed had actually motivated the Purple Seeds to focus on their cultivation. A good thing, a very good thing.

Without their scheming, Qin Haoxuan’s days were much more peaceful. Every day after class, he would go with Xu Yu and Murong Chao to water their crops. He watched as the corn grew taller day by day. Thanks to their diligent care and the effect of the Spirit Spring, their corn was a third taller than everyone else’s. The water vats were almost full. He felt he was almost ready to cause some trouble and get sent to Confinement Mountain.

But as the saying goes, the tree wishes for calm, but the wind will not cease. Zhang Kuang and Li Jing had temporarily stopped their competition to focus on their studies. But in Zhang Yang’s eyes, this was a sign of fear. He believed they had been stymied by Qin Haoxuan and were temporarily holding back because they had no way to deal with him.

“Heh, and they call themselves Purple Seeds,” he sneered, looking at the two of them studying diligently. “Since you two don’t have the guts, then I’ll be the one to deal with Qin Haoxuan. It’s the perfect chance to knock him down a peg, prove that I’m stronger than you, and make a name for myself!”

With that thought, Zhang Yang, knowing he was not strong enough to deal with Qin Haoxuan himself, immediately went to find Gu Xiaoyun.

He found him directing his followers to water and fertilize his first-rate spirit field. He had just performed a Spirit Rain Technique and was now using the Art of Spirit Infusion on his herbs.

“Senior Brother Gu, working hard, are we?” Zhang Yang called out with a smile. “Is there anything I can help with?”

Gu Xiaoyun glanced at him and rolled his eyes. “Can you perform the Spirit Rain Technique? Can you use the Art of Spirit Infusion on my precious herbs?”

Zhang Yang smiled wryly and shook his head. “My cultivation is still shallow. I cannot use such techniques yet.”

“Then there you have it,” Gu Xiaoyun said, rolling his eyes again and returning to his work.

Zhang Yang sensed that he was being given the cold shoulder today, but he didn’t care. With a look of pity, he sighed, “It’s a shame, Senior Brother, that you weren’t able to trade for Qin Haoxuan’s Spirit Spring land. With your diligence and the effect of the Spirit Spring, you would have a harvest in no time, and the quality of the herbs would be much better.”

This remark hit a sore spot. Gu Xiaoyun, who had been focused on his work, jumped as if his tail had been stepped on and began to curse. “Sooner or later, I’ll make him regret it.”

Zhang Yang shook his head and sighed again. “Senior Brother, you don’t know, but this Qin Haoxuan has become incredibly arrogant. The other day in the lecture hall, he even publicly declared…”

Provoked by his words, the previously cold Gu Xiaoyun immediately interrupted, “What did he declare?”