Those people were both men and women, but their strength could not compare to the Lingcaifeng Master, and they didn’t have much influence in the current Lingcaifeng.
“Speaking of which, are you interested in spiritual items, Sister Hua Jian?”
“You’ve come to the right place. When it comes to planting spiritual items, if our Lingcaifeng claims to be second, no one in the world would dare claim to be first!” Luo Yingying said proudly.
Large-scale cultivation of spiritual items was impossible, but Lingcaifeng had managed to achieve small-scale cultivation.
Although it required a massive amount of time and energy, they had finally mastered a way to ensure stable production.
Lingcaifeng’s daily income came from this. They were the world’s largest exporters of spiritual items, earning a handsome sum every year by selling them.
The entire Wanling Sect operated similarly. After all, if there was one thing the Wanling Sect had in abundance, it was Spirit Beasts and spiritual items.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll find a few Senior Sisters who are good at this and have them teach you some introductory basics,” Luo Yingying said with a smile.
She had originally wanted to teach Hua Jian herself, but on second thought, she felt that might be too rushed and might make Hua Jian feel too embarrassed to accept.
So, she had already picked out a Senior Sister with a good temper and even better knowledge. She had already done the ideological work to get her to be Hua Jian’s little teacher.
What she needed to do now, before her Master arrived, was to spark Hua Jian’s passion for planting spiritual items and let her truly experience the sense of accomplishment that came from growing one with her own hands!
“Really? Won’t that bother them?” Hua Jian was indeed tempted, but she felt a bit shy.
If she accepted too happily, wouldn’t she be seen as shameless? So, she felt she should decline at least once.
When facing strangers, she could be thick-skinned and cause trouble, but facing Luo Yingying, who had a fifty percent chance of becoming her Senior Sister, Hua Jian couldn’t be completely shameless.
“If you’re worried, I’ll take you to meet them. You can ask for their opinion yourself.”
Luo Yingying chuckled. She had already settled everything with everyone from top to bottom.
Currently, everyone in the Lingcaifeng base was an actor!
No matter who Hua Jian asked, she would receive an incredibly warm response, ensuring she felt right at home.
“Don’t be shy, Sister Hua Jian. Even the Jade Pool used their Saintess to entice you. Our Wanling Sect can’t just do nothing, can we?”
Hearing this, Hua Jian nearly choked on her own saliva.
What did she mean by the Jade Pool using their Saintess to entice her? Her relationship with Linglong wasn’t like that!
“No! Linglong and I are innocent!” Hua Jian quickly defended herself.
“Mm-hmm, innocent, innocent. Even if you really like her, it doesn’t matter. Our Lingcaifeng doesn’t mind if disciples become Dao partners with girls from other sects. You can rest easy.”
‘Senior Sister Luo, you don’t believe me at all!’ Hua Jian screamed inwardly.
‘And how did you interpret the relationship between Linglong and me like that! Is our way of interacting really that easy to misunderstand?’
Hua Jian asked herself. Her relationship with Linglong was just that of ordinary good friends.
They hadn’t done anything excessive. The only time they had “crossed the line” was out of necessity.
Yet Luo Yingying had understood it this way, which was truly a headache.
“I remember a few people who seem quite free lately. I’ll take you to see them.” Luo Yingying didn’t dwell on the subject.
Matters of the heart took time; who knew how things would end up?
She was just joking. For a Cultivator, falling in love was a very difficult thing.
Even if they did fall in love, whether they would become Dao partners was another matter.
Walking toward their destination, Hua Jian also observed the daily work of the Lingcaifeng disciples.
Almost all were cultivating various flowers. The entire base was filled with a mixed floral fragrance that wasn’t exactly pleasant but wasn’t unpleasant either.
“Is everyone usually this busy?” she asked curiously.
To her surprise, Luo Yingying shook her head, indicating this wasn’t the normal state.
“This is a temporary job handed down. The flowers we are preparing now are to be used as decorations for the upcoming Ascension Gathering.”
Normally, Lingcaifeng disciples weren’t much different from other Saint Sect disciples.
At most, they would study flowers and plants in their spare time after training, just as sword cultivators would practice their swordsmanship or Penglai disciples would go for a drink.
A scene like this, where the entire base was busy cultivating flowers, was a spectacle that occurred only once a year.
“I see. Are the decorations for the Ascension Gathering prepared by the Saint Sects themselves?” Hua Jian had thought such small things would just be purchased.
“It’s more reassuring to prepare them ourselves. Besides, these flowers have other uses.”
Luo Yingying didn’t explain what those uses were because they had already reached their destination.
It was a two-story building that didn’t look much different from the others in the base.
A young girl who looked about the same age as Hua Jian was watering flowers on the second-floor balcony.
Upon seeing Luo Yingying and Hua Jian approaching, she cheered like a fisherman who had finally caught a fish and dashed back into the house.
Hua Jian could faintly hear the girl’s excited voice from inside: “Senior Sister! Senior Sister Luo brought someone! It’s a very cute girl!”
Seconds later, the front door burst open. The girl Hua Jian had just seen appeared at the doorway with a big smile, inviting them inside.
“Her name is Xiao Qi. She just passed the assessment to become a Neimen Disciple last year,” Luo Yingying introduced the lively girl.
“She is currently training with another Neimen Disciple here…”
As she spoke, she poked her head into the room. “Senior Sister Qiao? Are you here? Are you busy?”
Before her voice could fade, another woman stepped out.
Compared to Xiao Qi and Hua Jian, this Senior Sister looked much more mature, appearing to be around thirty years old.
Of course, a Cultivator’s appearance could be deceiving. For example, Xiao Qi was likely more than a decade older than Hua Jian.
As for the woman Luo Yingying called “Senior Sister Qiao,” her true age was probably old enough to be Hua Jian’s mother.
“I’m naturally not busy. This must be the child you mentioned to me?” Senior Sister Qiao’s gaze fell on Hua Jian as she scrutinized her.
Based purely on appearance, she found the girl quite pleasing to the eye.
Her strength was also at a decent level—sufficient to enter the Waidian, though she would need to work hard to make it into the Neimen.
However, Luo Yingying placed such importance on her.
During their discussion a few days ago, she had even said that if Hua Jian joined the sect, she would definitely become her own Junior Sister.
This piqued Senior Sister Qiao’s curiosity. What exactly gave the seemingly average Hua Jian such an attraction?
“That’s her. She’s very interested in planting spiritual flowers and herbs. Since you’re already teaching Xiao Qi, why not take her along too?”
Luo Yingying nodded, pretending as though she hadn’t discussed this with Senior Sister Qiao at all.
It looked as if she had just brought Hua Jian over on a whim.
“Yes, yes! I was just worrying about having no one to keep me company…” Before Senior Sister Qiao could even agree, Xiao Qi was already clapping her hands in delight.
Then, she was glared at by the two Senior Sisters, and her enthusiasm instantly withered.
“Uh, I’ll go back to watering the flowers now!”
With that, she quickly slipped away, fearing she would be eaten alive if she stayed.
Watching Xiao Qi leave, Luo Yingying pressed her forehead and sighed. “When will that child ever become steady?”
Thinking that she was the only Waimen Disciple who had passed the Neimen assessment last year made her feel despair.
‘Is our Lingcaifeng going to perish?’
“After a few more years of tempering, she’ll know how to be a Senior Sister. Your performance back then wasn’t much better than hers.”
“I think I was still better than her… ahem. So, what do you say? Are you willing to take Hua Jian under your wing?” Luo Yingying steered the conversation back to the main topic.
Senior Sister Qiao continued to ponder. Despite Luo Yingying’s urging gaze, she neither nodded nor shook her head.
“I think, before that, I need to see her talent in this area.” Even in acting, one had to go all the way.
She couldn’t just take her in because Luo Yingying said so. She needed to set a small trial for Hua Jian.
Once Hua Jian passed, she could logically accept this child whom she shouldn’t normally take on.
“Why are you making things so complicated? What if Hua Jian fails?” Luo Yingying quickly signaled with her eyes. ‘Can we not do this extra stuff?’
‘Don’t you trust the little genius you brought back?’ Senior Sister Qiao signaled back.
Luo Yingying certainly believed in Hua Jian’s talent, but Hua Jian had never been exposed to any of this before.
Making her take a test like this seemed a bit too difficult.
Hua Jian, however, didn’t see a problem. This Senior Sister’s status in Lingcaifeng didn’t seem low.
It was a normal process to be tested when trying to join a class.
As the Main Character, she was already mentally prepared for such things.
“Senior Sister, don’t hold back. Test me with everything you’ve got!” Hua Jian said confidently, patting her chest.
She hadn’t brought the little Spiritual Civet with her today.
Her words caused Senior Sister Qiao to take another look at her. That exuberant youthful energy was truly nice.
“Don’t be afraid. It’s just a small test of your talent. Come with me; we’ll go to the flowerbed inside.”
Senior Sister Qiao stood up and led the two toward the back of the house.