“Xiao She, come here. Massage my legs and later I’ll ask sister for some magical water for you,” said He Yu to his new friend. Ah, perhaps it’s better to call it a new pet. But this "pet" is the very creature Zhenzhu wanted to keep the farthest distance from—a brazen giant snake that had imposed itself as the He family’s pet in exchange for the spiritual power-laden water that He Yu was tasked with feeding it once a day. This made it stick to He Yu all the time except when it went off to feed. In the first few days, little He Yu was somewhat afraid of it, but look at him now, comfortably using it to massage his legs. This leg massage involved letting it wrap around his short legs, gently squeezing, and slithering with just the right amount of pressure. He Yu liked to brag about how easy and useful his pet was, even letting it massage his father’s legs sometimes. However, Zhenzhu never got close to it. Sometimes, when she accidentally ran into it, she would get so scared that her legs gave out, and she would collapse right there. Xiao She is the name He Yu gave it, a name that hardly honors its size. It seemed content to follow the He family around. Xiao She refused to leave for five days straight. Two days ago, Miss Wang tried to put it in a sack and take it up the mountain to release it back into the wild, but by the time she walked back home, it had slithered its way back not long after. They didn’t know how to get rid of it and had to accept the reality that it was now their pet. What was somewhat comforting was that it never harmed anyone in the He family, and it acted as if it could understand human language. But who could guarantee that one day, if it got hungry, it wouldn’t consider them as its next meal? Dıscover more novels at 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✦𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮✦𝓷𝓮𝓽 Zhenzhu had no choice but to live with it, always on edge. On day when Miss Zhou and her husband went to sell vegetables in town, she would seize the opportunity to follow, simply because she didn’t want to be at home and feel her skin crawl around the massive Xiao She. Now, she knew almost every alley in Fengfu City as she wandered around it. Well, at least it could guard the house. Other families use dogs to guard their homes, the He family might as well use a snake. “Sister, why don’t you try? Xiao She gives such comfortable massages.” “No! Yu’er, take it away. I’m going to water the vegetables, don’t let it follow me to the garden.” “Bring me a cup of that magical water. I’ll make sure it doesn’t follow sister.” The little boy said this while gently stroking Xiao She’s head, feeling like a hero with a formidable pet by his side. Zhenzhu, watching this, couldn’t help but get goosebumps. She dipped a golden fish scale into a cup filled with water to make spiritual power water and placed it beside the jar before hurrying off to the vegetable garden. She really couldn’t get used to it. Now in the morning, today Miss Wang went up the mountain early to gather herbs, leaving the task of watering the vegetables to her. He Ming went to collect firewood at the foot of the mountain. Zhenzhu walked into the vegetable garden, shimmering with pure spirit energy. The woven bamboo fence was completed, enclosing the area securely. My beloved plants have grown! The bok choy had grown enough to be harvested, and a patch of experimental herbs was now fully grown, emitting pure blue spirit energy, seeming even purer than the three herbs Wang had accidentally gathered. “Maybe I should sell them in town tomorrow.” These hundred or so herbs could fetch a good price. Last time, just three of these herbs were sold for one tael. If she sold these at the same rate, three for one tael, her family could earn up to 33 taels! That amount could enable the He family to buy seeds, repair their dilapidated house, and purchase thick blankets without any financial strain. Zhenzhu thought excitedly. She quickly watered all the vegetables and then went to discuss this matter with her father. Zhenzhu walked into the house, which was divided into two rooms by wooden panels – one for her father and the other where she and her siblings slept. As soon as she entered, she was startled to see Xiao She giving her father a massage, with He Yu supervising nearby. “Yu’er, take it outside. I have something to discuss with father.” “Yes,” he complied before taking his beloved pet away. “Father, how are you feeling today?” She sat down at the edge of the old bamboo bed, massaging her father’s legs in place of Xiao She. “Much better, Zhu’er.” He raised his arm to show his daughter, proving his improved condition. Before, even lifting his arm was difficult, but now he could move it and had regained some strength in his legs. His condition was gradually improving. “Father, the plot of herbs we’ve been growing is ready to be sold.” “Is that so? Good, tomorrow your mother can sell them to Old Man You. Then we won’t have to worry about money anymore,” He Lei said excitedly. “That won’t work, father. If we sell them to Grandfather Yao, I’m afraid the villagers will wonder where we got so many spirit herbs from. Spirit herbs aren’t something you can just pick up anytime.” She pointed out the problem. “That’s true, I hadn’t thought about that,” He Lei murmured. He had been too excited and forgot to consider this aspect. “How about this, father? I’ll take these herbs to a pharmacy in town. Aunt Zhou is going to sell vegetables tomorrow. I’ll go with her. We’ll sell about 20 of the spirit herbs first. The rest we can sell gradually, so we don’t attract too much attention,” Zhenzhu suggested. “That sounds good,” He Lei looked at his daughter admiringly. Lately, she seemed to have grown up, becoming more rational than before. She used to be a shy little girl, afraid to voice her opinions. Now, she had grown into an adult, proving the saying true that farmer’s children grow up faster than nobles’ children. “But, you’re still too young to sell herbs in the city. You might get cheated by those merchants; they’re not always honest,” He Lei expressed his concern, forgetting to consider this point. His daughter was still young and might be easily deceived by cunning merchants. “Don’t worry, father. Aunt Zhou will be with me,” she reassured him. The next morning, Zhenzhu, wearing a wide-brimmed woven hat, cheerfully left the house with a small basket. She had managed to convince the He family to let her sell the herbs. Today, she was in charge of selling the produce her family had cultivated. The basket contained various herbs Wang had gathered, with spirit herbs hidden underneath and ordinary herbs on top to avoid drawing attention. “Oh, Zhu’er, you’re here already? And what have you brought today?” Miss Zhou greeted her as she saw the young girl approaching, humming a tune. “Today, I brought the herbs my mother has collected to sell at a pharmacy in town,” she replied. “Oh, that’s good. Selling them by yourself will get you a better price,” “Let’s set off then,” Miss Zhou’s husband joined them, ready with his load of vegetables as usual. The three set off for Fengfu City, a journey they made regularly. The more Zhenzhu traveled this path, the less daunting the distance from Dongshan village to Fengfu City seemed. She happily sang along the way, occasionally greeted by farmers across the fields. Frequent trips had made her a familiar face to them. “Zhu’er, do you want me to accompany you to sell the herbs?” Miss Zhou asked. The girl often visited with her but had never brought goods to sell. This time, bringing herbs to sell, Miss Zhou worried the young girl might be taken advantage of by unscrupulous merchants. “It’s okay, Aunt Zhou. I know the price of these herbs well. I’ve secretly checked out a few pharmacies before,” she assured her. “Then, let’s meet at our usual vegetable stall,” After parting with the couple, Zhenzhu headed towards the pharmacy area. Fengfu City, nestled by the Longshan Mountain, was rich in a variety of medicinal plants. It was renowned for producing herbs and pill medicines, making these products the city’s staple export. Many pharmacies dotted the city, with the three largest ones dominating the market. Every day, pharmacies would set up stalls outside to buy herbs from locals. Those wanting pill medicines had to go inside the shops. The area where Zhenzhu was walking was filled with many medicine shops. In front of these shops were stalls for purchasing herbs, with the shop employees busy buying herbs from the locals. Villagers who had gathered herbs to sell stood in line, creating a lively scene. Zhenzhu walked towards the shop with the longest queue. A long queue usually indicates that they offer better prices than other shops, right?“Next,” “All for 50 brass coins,” “All for 20 brass coins,” “All for 30 brass coins,” The line in front of her gradually shortened. “Next,” finally, it was her turn. The young girl placed her basket of herbs on the counter for the buyer to inspect. The pharmacy employee took out the herbs one by one, weighing them on a scale. “Huh?” After all the ordinary herbs were taken out, he found 20 spirit herbs neatly stacked at the bottom of the basket. He exclaimed, startled by the large quantity of spirit herbs, all 20 of them, and their exceptionally pure spiritual power. “Did you collect them yourself, little girl?” “No, sir, my mother collected them,” She replied smoothly, not specifying where her mother had gathered them from—simply that they were from the backyard, not the mountain, so she wasn’t lying. “Ah, in that case, wait here a moment,” he said before quickly disappearing into the shop. Shortly, he returned with a short, chubby old man. The old man was only slightly taller than her, his eyes squinted to the size of beans, yet they twinkled cunningly. “Master, this little girl brought these to sell. Look, 20 fully grown, pure spirit herbs,” “Little girl, come inside the shop with me,” His narrow eyes glanced over at her, sending shivers down Zhenzhu’s spine, a feeling reminiscent of when Xiao She looked at her. She scooped up the ordinary herbs from the scale back into her basket and followed the old man into the pharmacy. The shopkeeper Man led the little girl into the medicine shop and then had her place the basket on one of the tables. “Let me see your herbs,” He eagerly took out the ordinary herbs before his eyes sparkled upon seeing the 20 neatly arranged spirit herbs in the basket. With over 20 years of experience as a pharmacy owner, he immediately recognized these spirit herbs as some of the purest he had ever seen, even if they were just blue tier. “For the ordinary herbs, I’ll offer 15 brass coins, and for these spirit herbs, 4 for one tael, making it 5 taels and 15 brass coins in total,” he proposed professionally. Judging by her age and appearance, she likely came from a poor family. Earning 5 taels wasn’t easy for a child like her, she would probably be satisfied with his offer. Buying at this price, turning the herbs into pill medicines would allow him to make a significant profit. His small eyes narrowed in satisfaction. “In that case, I cannot sell them to you. I want 2 herbs for a tael,” Did this old man think she was so naive that he could easily underprice? Did he think she was foolish? If her mother hadn’t previously sold three spirit herbs for one tael, she might have been deceived by this grumpy old man. Moreover, these spirit herbs were purer than those collected from the mountain. “Hmph, little girl, how could you expect such a price? These types of herbs are common. They don’t fetch such high prices,” He feigned seriousness convincingly. “In that case, I’ll try selling them at another shop,” she replied. She gathered the herbs into her basket, turning to leave the shop, but found herself blocked by two burly men standing at the entrance. When that master gave them a certain look, the two men immediately started to menace her. How could a small girl like her stand up to two large, intimidating men? Both men were tall and muscular, one with a scar slashing across his face, looking particularly fearsome. This was too much. Did they really think they could bully her just because she was a young girl, barely 8 years old? “You won’t get a better price selling elsewhere than at my shop, little lady. It would be better for you to sell the herbs to me,” the shopkeeper’s tone turned sour. Zhenzhu looked around the shop, a few customers were inside buying some medicines, and outside, a line of people waiting to sell herbs. Since when did that shopkeeper change his profession from pharmacy owner to thug? Alright then, let’s deal with this! “Huk! Huu-huu-huu...master, I really can’t sell at the price you offered. I need the money to treat my sick father. My brother is still young, and my mother is not in good health. Are you going to bully a small child like me?” Tears streamed down her face, her loud crying drawing the attention of everyone in and outside the shop. The sight of the tiny, adorable girl sobbing uncontrollably, clutching her small basket, with that master glaring and the two muscular men looking awkward, sparked whispers among the onlookers. “Is the pharmacy owner bullying this child?” “Look, he even has his two thugs intimidating her.” “Should we report this to the authorities?” “Go ahead, make the report.” The surrounding crowd began to focus their attention on the shop, the sound of her loud crying echoing from within. “No need to report anything! Where did I bully her? Go! Get out of my shop this instant, you wretched child!” His white mustache twitched repeatedly, his anger causing his body to shake. “You wretched child, ruining my shop’s reputation!” Without waiting to be chased out again, the little girl dashed out of the shop and disappeared quickly. Once she was far enough away, Zhenzhu stopped, panting heavily. That was close, she almost got kidnapped or worse. Was this a pharmacy or a den of thugs? But she didn’t realize that most pharmacies in Fengfu City wielded significant influence, thanks to Fengfu City being a major exporter of medicines and herbs. Many shops had to pay local nobles for protection and smooth operations. That shopkeeper’s pharmacy was among the influential ones in the city, she had unwittingly stepped on a tiger’s tail. Once far enough away, the tears that had been a ruse to deceive the crowd miraculously dried up, showcasing the advantage of being a child. Thinking of bullying a child like her? That old man was centuries too early. “Eh, sister, what are you doing here?” A voice called from behind her. Turning, Zhenzhu saw a ragged-looking beggar boy. Thin but with bright eyes, he appeared to be around 6-7 years old, perhaps her age. He wore tattered clothes. “I got lost, I guess. Are you from around here?” “No, I’m just passing through. And where are you heading?” “I’m going to sell herbs, but I can’t seem to find a shop that would buy them,” she lied. “You want to sell herbs? Shall I take you there? I know this area the best,” he boasted proudly. “That would be great. If I get a good price, I’ll give you a commission,” she replied, thinking it couldn’t hurt to have a local guide. “Thank you, big sister!” His eyes sparkled with gratitude. “You can trust me. Shopkeeper Tiao’s pharmacy might not be the biggest, but he offers fair prices. It’s a pity most people prefer to go to the bigger pharmacies,” the little beggar led her to a shop at the end of the street. It was neither too small nor too big, with a moderate flow of customers. She noticed villagers bringing herbs to sell there. “Just go in, big sister. I’ll wait here,” he invited her into the shop as if he owned it. Zhenzhu entered the pharmacy, refreshed by the aromatic scent of medicines mixing in the air. “Little lady, are you here to buy or to sell?” The shop assistant greeted her as she walked in. “I’m here to sell herbs,” she responded. “What do you have?” he leaned in to inspect the herbs in her basket. After seeing the common varieties usually brought in for sale, which could be used to make various tonic medicines, he swiftly picked them up to weigh and price them efficiently. “Eh, spirit herbs! This many!” His exclamation startled Zhenzhu, he was quite loud. “Why are you shouting, Mi Fan?” His voice caused the shop owner to come out and see what was happening. “Shopkeeper, this kid has spirit herbs to sell. Look,” he pointed out. “Oh, spirit herbs,” shopkeeper Tiao Pi was a middle-aged man, robust and straightforward, with honest eyes. “Are you interested in buying them, sir?” “Of course, spirit herbs like these aren’t easy to come by. It’s rare to see more than two or three at a time,” he examined a plump herb that radiates pure energy. “Good! These are very pure. For the ordinary herbs, I’ll give 17 brass coins. For the spirit herbs, 2 for a tael, totaling 10 taels and 17 brass coins. What do you think, little lady?” “Thank you, sir,” Zhenzhu smiled. Shopkeeper Tiao Pi was, as recommended by the beggar boy, fair and proper for doing business. “Will you buy more spirit herbs in the future? I will bring you more.” “You have more!” Tiao Pi was astonished. “To be honest, without hiding anything from you, my father grows these herbs himself. He has some ability to cultivate plants with spiritual energy,” she fabricated with innocent eyes. If her instinct in reading people wasn’t wrong, shopkeeper Tiao Pi seemed genuinely honest. If she could build a relationship with him, she could bring more spirit herbs to sell to him in the future. “Really!” Tiao Pi asked excitedly. Spirit cultivators who took up farming were rare, mostly acquired by large noble families. But this little girl was saying her father is a spiritual cultivator who grew plants for sale, how could he not be thrilled? Considering these spirit herbs, it seemed they were homegrown, both pure and potent. Even the gardeners of noble families couldn’t grow spiritual plants of such high quality. He had truly found a white elephant in the vast forest. It was as if heaven was rewarding a good, honest, and patient person like him. Finally, Tiao family’s Ruyi Pharmacy was on its way to flourishing under his generation. His ancestors would be proud. When meeting his ancestors in the afterlife, he could proudly say how much the Ruyi Pharmacy had prospered in his time. “Geez, you startled me. What is it, little lady?” “I’ve been calling you for a while, shopkeeper. You didn’t hear me,” she said, still seeing him in a daze. “Oh, sorry about that. Go ahead, have some tea inside to relax. Mi Fan, why are you standing there like a statue? Go make some tea for the young lady.” Master, you really need to control yourself better. Others might get scared of you, Mi Fan thought despondently. Thus, Zhenzhu was honored with a seat in the Ruyi Pharmacy’s guest room after reaching an agreement with Shopkeeper Tiao. She also received 12 taels as payment for her herbs today, a generous tip from Shopkeeper Tiao. When she stepped outside, the little beggar boy was still waiting for her and stood up immediately as she emerged. “How did it go, sister? Did you get a good price?” “Yes, I did. Here, this is for your help,” she handed him 1 tael as a finder’s fee for leading her to Shopkeeper Tiao. Without his help, she might not have thought to sell there, perhaps opting for another major pharmacy instead. “That’s...that’s too much,” the little beggar was shocked at the sight of 1 tael, his eyes wide in panic. Such a large amount of money, how could he accept it? Was the sale of herbs really that profitable? In his life, he had never touched 1 tael of money, the most he had ever held was 5 brass coins. “It’s not too much. You helped me get a good price. Take it. Next time, I might need your help again. By the way, what’s your name?” It wasn’t that she was frivolous with money now that she had more, but she saw value in befriending this little beggar. He knew the city well, and if she wanted to do business here, she needed an ally. The little beggar seemed like a good choice. “Take it, or I won’t ask for your help again,” she said, half-joking but also serious, valuing his honesty. “Thank you, sister. My name is Xin Si. I’ll help you with anything. You can trust me,” he said, patting his chest sincerely, tears welling up as he clutched the tael. “And what’s your name, sister?” “I’m He Zhenzhu. I’ll seek your help when I need it.” “Understood, Sister Zhu.” When Zhenzhu returned home, the He family was excitedly looking at the 11 taels of money. It wasn’t a small sum for them, enough to last the entire year without financial worries. “You got so much for just 20 herbs?” “11 taels for 20 herbs. With the remaining 80 herbs in the garden, if we sell them, we could make another 44 taels! That’s so much money!” He Ming said, thrilled. “Yay! Does that mean I can eat lots of sweets?” He Yu exclaimed excitedly. “You’ll definitely get more sweets, but you have to promise me first not to tell anyone about this, not even a single person,” “I promise I won’t tell anyone. If someone asks, I’ll say I don’t know and tell them to ask Mother, right, sister?” “That’s good, Yu’er. If you keep being such a good boy, I’ll buy you sweets more often.” "And before that, did the owner of the pharmacy not wonder where you got so many spirit herbs from, Zhu’er?" He Liao asked worriedly. Earning a large sum of money so easily always comes with its downsides, not just its benefits. It could cost the life of a family member; if you have money but can’t use it, what’s the point? "I told him that our father is a spiritual cultivator and that he planted those spirit herbs," she replied. "Really? And he won’t come looking for our home, Zhu’er?" Miss Wang asked worriedly. "Don’t worry too much, mother. If he comes, we can just let father hide somewhere else first and say that father has business elsewhere. I told the shopkeeper so because next time we can continue to sell herbs as usual, isn’t that good?" And she didn’t think shopkeeper Tiao would come to their home as long as she continued to bring him herbs. "That’s good then, Zhu’er. Now that my health is improving steadily, I hope I will fully recover. If I do, I will resume my spiritual cultivation. I have some knowledge about cultivating spirit energy," he said. "Father, can I learn to cultivate spirit energy too?" He Ming’s ears perked up when the topic of spirit cultivators was brought up. Every boy in the village, or even the entire region, dreams of becoming a spirit cultivator. If he could cultivate spirit energy, he would be the only boy in the village to be a spirit cultivator. As he grew up, it would not be difficult for him to marry a good wife. "Of course, we can plant spiritual plants. By eating food that contains spirit energy every day, you can cultivate without difficulties. The only thing missing is the pills for cultivation. But if we have enough money, we can also buy the pills," He Lei explained upon seeing his determined gaze. "I want to practice cultivation too!" "I want to practice cultivation too!" Seeing that their elder brother could practice cultivation, they believed they could do it too. "That’s settled then! We will become great spirit cultivators!" He Ming declared with shining eyes full of determination. Zhenzhu, seeing his radiant gaze, could only smile. This boy was promising. "So, you all have to help plant more herbs so we can have plenty of money to buy spirit-enhancing pills and plant vegetables for food that contains spirit energy," He Lei told his children. "Alright! I will work very hard. We need to have more vegetable plots!" It was a pity that they only had the land in size of two mu. If they had a bit more land, they could plant more vegetables and herbs. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Chop! Chop! Chop! Chop! The chopping sounds awoke Zhenzhu from her sweet dream. With the cool weather of late autumn, who could be making such noise outside? Reluctantly, Zhenzhu had to leave her warm bed. A few days ago, they used the 11 taels of silver they earned to buy thick blankets and replace almost all the worn-out household items. He Yu was overjoyed, singing loudly enough to be heard three houses away, for he got new clothes after a long time without any. "What’s that chopping sound outside since morning, mother?" Zhenzhu asked Miss Wang, who was cooking in the kitchen. The spirit energy spread out from the vegetables Miss Wang brought for cooking. "It’s He Ming. He’s digging up more plots, saying he wanted to plant more herbs so we can get money to buy spirit-enhancing pills for cultivation." The day before yesterday, she had sold another 30 spirit herbs, leaving 50 more in the plot yet to be harvested. He Ming probably worried that once these were sold, there would be no more spirit herbs to sell. Her brother was obsessed with spiritual cultivation. He even begged their father to write down basic cultivation techniques for him and insisted that his father teach him to read so he could understand the basic cultivation texts. Whenever he was free from tending the vegetables, he would immerse himself in learning to read. Apart from farming and studying, he seemed uninterested in anything else. The income from selling the herbs was partly used to buy him papers and brushes, taking up two-tenths of their earnings. Papers was expensive these days, which is why scholars often came from wealthy, noble families. But everyone in the family supported him wholeheartedly. Zhenzhu would sometimes join him in calligraphy practice because, since arriving in this world, she surprisingly could read and write the official language perfectly well. However, she regretted not being able to decipher the ancient characters in that red-covered book. "Big brother, can I help?" "No need, Zhu’er. You’re still young and a girl at that. How could you handle digging and chopping? Go help mother in the kitchen instead." As if he’s so much older than me. Only two years older, but if counting my past life, I’m older by two and a half rounds. Zhenzhu thought resentfully. "What will you plant in this plot?" "The plot where the spirit herbs were harvested and sold, I’ll dig up young shoots to replant. This plot will be for Zhen Jiang, and that plot for Yin Yi Cao." "Wow, big brother is really diligent. Am I going to have a brother who’s a great cultivator in Yan Region?" Zhenzhu teased in a playful voice, making the boy blush a soft pink, looking even more adorable. "Go on, don’t bother me. I’m going to dig the vegetable plot." Look at him, acting all grown-up. Zhenzhu turned around to see her father using a crutch that Miss Wang had carved, wrapped with linen to prevent friction. He uses his thin legs to practice walking slowly, though his legs still trembled noticeably. Seeing this, Zhenzhu hurried to assist him. It would be great if her father could walk freely again, making life less difficult for their family. And if he could do the spiritual cultivation ever again, the problem of the source of their plants and herbs would be solved. "Father, you will be able to walk again soon," she encouraged. He was trying to walk more to speed up his recovery. Now, he could manage to take seven or eight steps with the support of a crutch. Hoping for a quick recovery, He Lei felt content. "If you’re tired, take a rest first, Father. Don’t push yourself too hard." "I want to recover quickly so I can protect you, your mother, and everyone in the family." Once, he was a cowardly husband and a worthless father, causing the family to drift and struggle for many years. Every time he thought he might never recover from his illness, it felt like sharp thorns piercing his heart. He prayed to heaven every morning and evening for another chance to better protect his wife and children. Lately, Miss Wang hadn’t gone up the mountain to collect herbs for sell. They also bought blankets, clothes, and many household items, causing the neighbors to wonder where they got the money from. Many villagers started to look towards the He family’s home more frequently. Fortunately, they didn’t intrude; if they had, he wouldn’t have been able to protect his family in his current state. So, he had to try even harder. "Father, look at big brother. He’s very determined to become a cultivator." "It’s a grand dream for every boy," He Lei looked at his eldest son, seeing his own young self in He Ming. Back then, he was just as determined and dreamt of becoming a great cultivator. Unfortunately, he never succeeds. "And you, have you managed to read the manual I wrote?" "Oh, Father, shush, don’t say it so loud. I’m smarter than big brother by far. I’ve already understood the manual you wrote. Just don’t let big brother hear it, or he’ll feel bad." He Lei knew his daughter was intelligent. Sometimes she had ideas beyond her years, but he didn’t realize she was this sharp. How could she learn to read so quickly in just a few days? "If you don’t believe me, I’ll read it to you." She left and quickly returned with a thin book in her hand. "Cultivation is about dedication and feeling the spirit energy, understanding the natural laws, the laws of heaven and earth..." "You’re this brilliant!" He Lei exclaimed in surprise after she read a page. He had encountered geniuses before, but none was like Zhu’er. Had she secretly studied from elsewhere? He regretted neglecting her to this extent. "See? I’m very smart," she boasted, causing her father to laugh affectionately. "Then try practicing as I wrote. the younger you start, the better advantage you have." At her age, children from noble families would have already begun their training. "Can I start now, father?" "Of course, give it a try." Zhenzhu helped her father walk for a while until the sun began to shine brighter, and they returned home. After eating and cleaning up, Zhenzhu took the basic cultivation manual and went to a quiet place by the stream behind the house, sitting on a rock. She read the book again and tried to follow the instructions earnestly. Nothing. Zhenzhu couldn’t feel anything at all. She couldn’t sense the spirit energy within her body. Perhaps she hadn’t consumed enough spiritually enriched food or hadn’t taken any spirit-enhancing pills that aid in cultivation. Yet, Zhenzhu continued to search for the spirit energy from the dantian point[1] and other parts of her body. After more than a two hours of effort, she began to feel something. It was soft like a stream, light as a feather, flowing like the wind. Suddenly, the golden fish scale on Zhenzhu’s wrist sparkled for a moment when it sensed the faint spirit energy from her body. It slowly released spirit energy, as if recognizing that Zhenzhu’s body needed spirit energy for cultivation. The pores on her small body opened up, absorbing the spirit energy continuously like an endless abyss. A faint blue light slowly formed at the dantian point. "Eh, after such a long time of practice, only a single strand of spirit energy has been formed?" she murmured in disappointment. In the manual written by her father, it is stated that spirit energy can be woven into 760 strands per tier. For example, a cultivator of the Blue-tier who successfully weaves 760 complete strands can advance to the next tier, and this applies to every tier, where one can weave 760 strands of spirit energy. Therefore, completing the weaving of spirit energy is challenging, yet not impossible for those who have consumed spirit-enhancing pills or food containing sufficient spirit energy. However, they must also balance the spirit energy within their bodies appropriately. If cultivators across the region were to discover that a novice cultivator could weave spirit energy with their first attempt in just four hours without ever consuming any spirit-enhancing pills, they would likely choke on their envy. This is because, for most people, it takes 3-7 days to weave a single strand of spirit energy on their first try, depending on their talent. But Zhenzhu managed it in only four hours, a feat that owes much to the golden fish scale. [1] The dantian point refers to the center of the body’s internal energy. There are three dantian locations in the body: the upper dantian between the eyebrows, the middle dantian below the heart, and the lower dantian below the navel. Here, it refers to the position on the body located in the lower abdomen, three inches below the navel. Read ‘Rebirth: This Farmgirl Has Spirit Fish Scales’ before anyone else with more Chapters at https://www.jinovel.com/en