Shennong Dao Master
Chapter 653 - 8: Xiao Tian Dog and Inverted Sheep, Winter Preliminaries (Da Zhang)

Chapter 653: Chapter 8: Xiao Tian Dog and Inverted Sheep, Winter Preliminaries (Da Zhang)

Qin Hongying asked Zhai Zhong and Wen Ji to set out from Bishui Daoist School to discuss further cooperation.

Zhao Xing’s original self, however, was preparing to leave Twin Islands.

After being busy for so long, Mr. Zhao also planned to return to Bixian County for a visit.

First, to see how Zhao Ruide and Mrs. Cai were doing, and second, to check on Zhao Zheng’s situation at Bishui Daoist School.

Besides, he had to make a trip to the Prince Mansion as well.

It was already mid-November this year, and he hadn’t seen the old witch yet; how could that be okay?

Feelings are fostered by interactions; how could they not meet for a whole year?

Moreover, the old witch promised him the shell of the ten-thousand-year-old Mystic Turtle, and the spots for the preliminary contest hadn’t been finalized yet.

He heard that she had already returned to Bixian County, so Zhao Xing had got to go while she was still there.

He could understand why Sun Shizhao was so excited back then.

Seeing Princess You Ruo was not that easy.

But before he left, Zhao Xing still had to make preparations; he couldn’t go empty-handed.

"Giving something to the old witch is more about the thought. I’ll pick some fruits from the planting area."

Zhao Xing ran to a plantation on Land Island, which was his private plot.

All around were tightly guarded by an array, prohibiting anyone from approaching.

Whoosh~

Zhao Xing held a token, passed through the barrier, and descended into the plantation.

Initially, he had brought a lot of seeds and saplings from the Military Realm to Twin Islands, and planted them all here.

Counting the time, it had been almost a year.

Actually, with Princess You Ruo’s status, she lacked for nothing; sending her a gift wouldn’t really offer anything novel.

Zhao Xing first transplanted several Golden Jade Bamboo in a bamboo grove.

Golden Jade Bamboo was a fifth-rank ornamental plant, with a crystal-clear green bamboo body, and golden leaves and branches.

It could also be used to make the Minister of Agriculture’s weapon—a spell scepter.

Normally, the practical use was ordinary, but it was striking and could add a layer of golden gloss to the spells.

Zhao Xing didn’t like such flashy and impractical things, but those high-ranking officials liked them.

With eye-catching effects, casting spells made them appear more prestigious.

He had planted this Golden Jade Bamboo originally for gifting.

"Rise!"

Zhao Xing transplanted eighty-eight stalks onto the Taicang Flying Boat, which was a flying boat that the Literary Minister of Agriculture specifically used for transplanting crops.

Swoosh~

Zhao Xing made the flying boat hover, then flew a distance to reach a cave.

The cave connected to an underworld lava lake.

Zhao Xing picked a tree, entirely dark red, and five meters tall.

"A fifth-rank Red Curtain Willow with flames flowing through its twigs, cascading like a red curtain made of fire; the willow catkins fluttered, appearing like fireworks."

Zhao Xing used the Bending spell to prune seven willows, making them more beautiful, then transplanted them onto the Taicang Flying Boat.

Finally, he came to the center of the estate, where twelve big trees were planted.

Only one had bloomed and bore fruit, yielding just nine.

"The sixth-rank Purple Wisteria Fruit had matured; I’ll give the old witch some first." Zhao Xing picked the nine Purple Wisteria Fruits.

Even though he had spent a lot to build the Ksitigarbha Returning Origin Array, making this place a "second-class treasure land," the Purple Wisteria Fruit Tree had barely matured, and what it yielded was only a lower sixth-rank.

With utmost care and adjustment of heavenly time and Earth advantage, in a year, only one Purple Wisteria Fruit Tree had matured.

Due to the growth cycle, woody plants took a long time, especially those of the sixth-rank; this was Zhao Xing’s cultivating limit.

Previously at the Extreme Night Sea, the sixth-rank plants, Fish-eating Grass, and Azure Sea Cloud Vine, were all vine species, herbaceous plants.

In terms of growth cycles, woody plants were longer than vine plants, which were longer than herbaceous plants.

The growth cycle of woody plants was usually a hundred or a thousand times longer than that of vine and herbaceous plants.

Take the example of Floating; if Liu Tianning had given him a seventh-rank woody plant instead of Floating.

Zhao Xing wouldn’t take it.

Why? Because it took too long.

Even if he would reach the fifth-rank in the future and cultivate Pure Essence Soil, he wouldn’t plant trees right away, too taxing on the body.

In the Self Sect, what were the conditions of Ministers of Agriculture planting trees? They were trees passed down from generation to generation!

Grandfather cultivated the saplings, after passing away, passed on to the father, who cultivated the growing period; the grandson took over and cultivated to maturity, passed on to the great-grandson, it might not even fruit, needing to keep on passing.

The Grand Ancestor’s Grand Minister of Agriculture Wu Cheng had planted an unparalleled treasure (that is, a superior plant beyond the ninth-rank), and it was said that this Divine Tree had lived for over two thousand five hundred years.

It had passed through seven generations of Grand Ministers of Agriculture but still hadn’t reached maturity.

Until the Emperor Wu Period, it finally matured, but only bore fruit once, and then retreated to the growing phase again.

Shangluo College had passed down a [rare treasure] level sacred tree fairy branch through the generations, which was a level below unparalleled treasures but still very powerful.

However, it was only passed to the leader of the Self Sect, who usually also served as the dean of Shangluo College.

"Almost ready."

Zhao Xing finished preparing the gifts, then drove the flying boat, leaving Twin Islands.

After returning to Bixian County, he first went to Dongyang County to visit his godfather.

Upon his return, he found the mansion decked out in lanterns and streamers, filled with joy.

A group of women surrounded Mrs. Cai, constantly offering congratulations, while Mrs. Cai held her head high, looking very pleased.

Swoosh~

Zhao Xing stepped through the clouds to the side courtyard, finding Zhao Ruide dispensing rewards.

"Godfather, what’s the good news? How come I didn’t know?" Zhao Xing asked.

"Xing’er, your timing is perfect." Zhao Ruide said cheerfully, "Madam just got diagnosed with pregnancy. You’re going to be a big brother again."

"Congratulations, Godfather." Zhao Xing also smiled.