Chapter 112 - 111: Celestial Platform Spirit Field
Around four in the afternoon, Yang Shen had bought everything he needed.
The Qi Gathering Vine was a tricky plant. As a vining High-Source plant, it required a trellis and was both delicate and fussy.
Even in the wild, it was the type of plant that would die on you at the drop of a hat. Few survived under artificial cultivation.
Yang Shen went to great lengths to talk a shop owner into selling him a pot. The owner was growing it as a decorative plant; according to Lin Yuebai, older specimens weren’t particularly valuable, so the owner placing it by the entrance was purely to show off his skills.
Anyone with a discerning eye who passed by and took a look would know that the shop’s owner had incredible skills.
Thanks to its ability to propagate from cuttings, Yang Shen spent 3,000 yuan to buy six severed "stems."
Each was only about ten centimeters long, crooked, and as thick as a chopstick.
If he hadn’t known they were from a Spirit Plant, there was no way Yang Shen would have been willing to spend 3,000 yuan on six wooden sticks.
He was afraid people would think he was an idiot.
He didn’t just stick to one type of plant, either. He also picked up the other two main ingredients for the Peiyuan Pill: High-Source Yellow Essence and Nascent Source Grass.
Both were herbaceous plants. However, for one, the tuberous rhizome was used, while for the other, similar to Jade Marrow Grass, the medicinal value was in its leaves.
He didn’t buy large quantities—just enough to test the feasibility of growing them in bulk and to have some variety when he sold them, avoiding having a single, monotonous product.
Finally, he spent a bit more money on a few dozen flower pots, several burlap sacks of potting soil, fertilizer, and some gardening tools.
He hailed an electric tricycle and paid 50 yuan to have everything delivered home.
After hauling everything up to the Celestial Platform, Yang Shen got right to work.
First, he laid down a layer of waterproof plastic sheeting. Then, he arranged the dozens of flower pots across the Celestial Platform and filled each one with the potting soil he’d hauled up.
He mixed in a bit of fertilizer for good measure, his small trowel a blur of motion as he securely transplanted all the Spirit Plants, including the Jade Pendant from before.
He placed some on the raised platform of the stairwell landing, to allow the vining plants to hang down later, and arranged the rest on the flat surface of the roof.
From a distance, the arrangement was staggered and pleasing, like terraced fields, making it easy to imagine the beautiful, lush scenery of the future.
A few of the pots even had stickers on them, placed there by Yang Mo and Yang Man. Yang Shen had also brought up the grimy old doll, propping it against a pot to sunbathe.
The doll had only a few strands of "hair" left, making it look ugly-cute.
Yang Shen also used the Gathering Spirit Technique to modify four stones, creating Spirit Gathering Eyes. He distributed them around the perimeter to provide a higher concentration of Spiritual Qi.
And just like that, the "Window Spirit Field" received its 2.0 update: the Celestial Platform Spirit Field.
For now, most of the dozens of pots were empty. But by using the Withering and Flourishing Curse magic to accelerate their growth, he would soon be able to start propagating cuttings. This was just the beginning.
Based on the current capacity of his Qi Sea, he could sustain a crop three times this size.
With his stock of Jade Marrow Grass now depleted, the Celestial Platform Spirit Field housed a total of four types of Spirit Plants: Jade Pendant, Qi Gathering Vine, High-Source Yellow Essence, and Nascent Source Grass.
The Qi Gathering Vine was as delicate as advertised. After just two or three hours, the little sticks were already looking a bit wilted... but one cast of the Ganlin Curse from Yang Shen and they were instantly restored to full vitality.
’So much for "not too dry, not too wet," or "needs sun, but not too much sun"...’
’They can take it up with my Ganlin Curse.’
Yang Shen performed a Finger Technique. An overturned flowerpot in the corner trembled slightly, and six Sun Worms flew out. One was dark yellow, while the other five were a bright, vivid yellow.
He had started regularly feeding them the Special Feed left behind by Liu Yuankui. Furthermore, he would no longer sell the Jade Pendant; all of it would be used to feed these little creatures.
As a Spirit Plant specifically for insect-type creatures, there wasn’t much market demand for it. Of the batch he had left with Lin Yuebai on consignment, one plant still remained unsold. He figured he might as well feed it all to the worms.
He snipped off a piece of the Jade Pendant, chopped it up, and placed it on the ground. Once they had his permission, the Sun Worms began to feast heartily.
He couldn’t let the brainless little things chew on the plant however they wanted; they would gnaw out the middle section, leaving it full of pits and eventually killing the entire stalk.
’Eat up, eat up. A little while longer, and once you’ve all turned dark yellow, you’ll be able to reproduce...’
After a busy day, Master Yang stretched his back, fantasizing about the income a bountiful Spirit Field harvest would bring. ’If this takes off, couldn’t I make over a hundred thousand a month?’
He probably wouldn’t go back to Lin Yuebai, though. After doing some research, he now had a better understanding of the High-Source medicinal herb industry. For safety’s sake, it was time to find a different outlet for his goods.
Of course, it was also possible Lin Yuebai’s business would have gone under by then.
The door to the Celestial Platform swung open. Yang Mo and Yang Man struggled up, carrying something between them. "Brother!" they announced with wide grins. "We found this! We already wiped it clean!"
It was a lounge chair that hadn’t been used in who knows how long.
Xiaolei Yi, as usual, was running wild wherever the older kids went, giggling happily, a gap showing in his smile where he’d lost a tooth.
Lei Lv was more composed, holding a broom and dustpan. He had two rags stuffed in his pocket, the very picture of diligence.
Yang Shen clapped his hands. "Alright, I’ve done all the heavy lifting. I’ll leave the small jobs to you. Just clean up and get everything organized. And be careful."
The cleanup duty was handed over to the four little ones. The children worked slowly and inefficiently, but their intermittent bursts of laughter were therapeutic.
Yang Shen, for his part, regarded the lounge chair with a sense of nostalgia.
A flicker of tenderness softened his eyes.
’I can’t believe this chair is still around...’
He remembered this lounge chair.
From when he was very young—before Yang Mo and Yang Man were born, to be precise—his Uncle would occasionally lie on the lounge chair to sunbathe and take afternoon naps.
....
The bright midday sunlight streamed in, transformed into a golden haze by the dusty window.
A tall, powerfully built man rocked back and forth on the lounge chair. In the distance, his wife bustled about in the kitchen.
The pillar of the family had returned from a trip out to sea, so it was only natural to cook a feast.
A boy of about four or five crowded the lounge chair anxiously. "Uncle! Let me have a turn! You’ve been on it forever!"
Yang Wen pinched Yang Shen’s cheek. "You little rascal. You don’t give a hoot about this old chair when I’m not home, but the second I lie down, you want to fight me for it?"
Little Yang Shen pouted. "I don’t care! We can do five minutes each!"
In the kitchen, Tao Ying had her back to them, but a smile was playing on her lips.
Yang Wen remained unmoved. He raised his voice in a teasing tone and ruffled Yang Shen’s hair. "Nope! This is the exclusive seat for the head of the family! You can’t sit here."
"What’s a ’head of the family’?! Why can’t I be one?!"
Yang Wen chuckled smugly. "Haha, you? You’ve got another twenty years to go!"
"But I suppose I can be merciful and let you have a taste."
Yang Wen lifted Little Yang Shen up and placed him on his broad chest, and the two of them rocked back and forth together.
Little Yang Shen was still unconvinced. "Tch... Some ’head of the family’... I’ll be one someday, too!"
Yang Wen ruffled his nephew’s hair again. "Silly kid. You think it’s some kind of easy job?"
An unknown amount of time passed. When Tao Ying came out carrying the food...
...the two of them, one big and one small, were both fast asleep.
Tao Ying broke into a gentle smile.
...
Later... as the pressures of life mounted, the lounge chair fell into disuse. It was folded up and stuffed into the gap behind a cabinet.
The things meant for relaxation are often the very things the most exhausted have no time to use.
The time for reminiscing is often what those who miss the past most find themselves short on.
The lounge chair hadn’t actually been used very many times, but it was already flecked with rust.
Yang Shen tentatively lay down. The chair creaked loudly, but it was still sturdy.
Just like the Yang Family had once been.
He subconsciously closed his eyes.
He was truly exhausted today... especially after the mentally draining photoshoot that morning.
Under the spotlights, a person’s energy and emotions seemed to be rapidly consumed. It was more draining than a boxing match.
Before he knew it, Yang Shen began to grow drowsy.
In fact, ever since he’d started his Cultivation... he hadn’t truly slept in over a month.
Hmm...
A moment later, Yang Shen crooked a finger on his right hand.
A black substance spread from the Jade on his chest, gathered in his palm, and then continued to extend upward.
It formed a parasol to shield him from the sun.
As much as he liked the sun, he didn’t want it to be too bright while he was trying to sleep.
After a long while, his breathing gradually grew even.
The sounds of playful chatter behind him became the best lullaby.
After so many years, the young man was beginning to understand.
Just like his Uncle, he was now lying at ease in the place that belonged to him.
Savoring the joy he had brought to this family.
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[Monthly Ticket]