From Celestial Official to Great Celestial Venerable

Chapter 37 Specializing in
Upon hearing Huo Yuanjue say that Qin Chuan had mastered the "Yi Mu Qing Tian Jue" in just half a month, the high-ranking members of Nongling Temple were as if struck by lightning.

"Absolutely impossible!"

Liu Shichang blurted it out almost immediately.

Even though he knew it was very likely true, he was even less willing to believe it—it meant that the situation would be completely reversed because of this little fireman.

"The Yi Wood Azure Sky Technique?" Sun Qinghan raised her eyebrows slightly.

She visited that day precisely because she admired Huo Yuanjue's reputation for cultivating spiritual plants using this technique, believing that the Liuxiang Orange would surely survive if given to Nongling Temple. Little did she expect...

"Give me a demonstration." Her gaze fell on Qin Chuan.

All eyes instantly focused on the young pyrotechnician.

"Yes."

Qin Chuan took a deep breath, knowing that this was a crucial moment in his life.

He circulated his spiritual power and followed the incantation. In just a moment, a verdant stream of true energy, resembling a swimming dragon, condensed at his fingertips, brimming with vitality.

As soon as the true energy of Yi Wood appeared, the spiritual plants within several feet swayed and trembled, as if bathed in sweet rain, yearning for nourishment.

"This...this is truly the true energy of Yi Wood!" a high-ranking member of Nongling Temple exclaimed in surprise.

Those present were all veteran cultivators who had been deeply involved in the cultivation of the spiritual path for decades. Who did not know that this technique was extremely difficult to master?

When Huo Yuanjue created this method, he did have his friends and colleagues try it, but most of them only tried it briefly and were discouraged by its difficulty.

Even if a talented individual manages to enter the path, they often give up because the subsequent training is time-consuming and laborious, and they fear it will hinder their own cultivation and advancement.

After all, no matter how well one masters the art of cultivating spiritual plants, in the eyes of many, one is merely a "high-level gardener," which is of no benefit to advancement in one's cultivation path and may even hinder one's progress due to an obsession with "strange skills."

There is an unspoken rule in the cultivation world: if one enters the Dao at the age of eighteen, and fails to be ordained and receive the ordination within three years, or fails to advance to the Foundation Establishment stage within thirty years, then achieving the Golden Elixir will be difficult.

For this reason, few people are willing to delve into this art.

Even the current abbot, Guo Shanshan, chose to focus his energy on improving his cultivation and cultivating interpersonal relationships in order to wield power, thus widening the gap between him and Huo Yuanjue, who devoted himself to studying skills.

At that moment, as Guo Shanshan gazed at the pure Yi Wood True Qi flowing from the fingertips of the little firework, he felt a sudden darkness before his eyes and silently closed them.
—With this method, it becomes self-evident who will take care of the spirit orange and to whom the credit will go.

"Excellent skill!" Sun Qinghan praised without reservation. "It seems the situation is quite clear now."

She had long recognized the boy's extraordinary talent, but she hadn't expected him to master such techniques in such a short time.

In the blink of an eye, he realized that this young fire worker perfectly fit the current Heavenly Court's policy of "Taoists need to be young and promising," and was a promising talent.

She completely ignored the group of high-ranking officials from Nongling Temple and asked Qin Chuan:

"Since you've taken care of these two acres of oranges all by yourself, do you have any tips or tricks?"

Qin Chuan's heart tightened.

Knowing how to answer questions from superiors is also an art.

He knew that Sun Qinghan, who had just been deceived by the temple's higher-ups, would not want to listen to empty platitudes at this moment, and the opportunity would be fleeting.

He hesitated for a moment, then spoke cautiously:
"Your Majesty, I do have some limited insights. There are many difficulties in cultivating Liuxiang oranges, mainly due to their incompatibility with the soil and water. Although the soil in Jiuchuan is suitable for citrus, this fruit is rich in spiritual energy and has extremely high requirements for rain, dew, and soil fertility. In the past two months, even with spiritual rain irrigation and the nourishment of Yi Wood True Qi day and night, more than a dozen trees have still been damaged. Ultimately, the problem lies in the insufficient spiritual energy of the field."

Sun Qinghan listened to his honest words, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes, but he pressed for more details:
"In your opinion, if the conditions are ultimately insufficient, is it impossible for this tree to survive in Jiuchuan?"

Huo Yuanjue couldn't help but feel worried for Qin Chuan.

The answer that the animals could not survive directly points to the county magistrate's flawed decision.

If the answer is that the animal can survive, then you are essentially taking full responsibility; the rest is up to you.

Success brings a bright future, while failure leads to utter ruin.

Qin Chuan's mind raced, grasping the key point, and he resolutely said, "Reporting to the County God, this humble servant believes there is hope for survival. Not only that, this humble servant already has a plan in mind to increase the survival rate, and I wish to report it to the County God." Sun Qinghan's eyes flickered slightly: "Speak."

Qin Chuan composed himself and clearly articulated his well-thought-out plan: "In my opinion, we should focus on both 'strengthening the foundation' and 'nurturing the vitality'."

"Firstly, strengthen the foundation. Currently, the spiritual energy in the spiritual fields is scarce, making it difficult to cultivate spiritual oranges. We earnestly request the County God's permission to set up a small spiritual gathering array around the fields to draw in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and then use 'fertilizing beads' to continuously nourish the soil, thereby fundamentally improving the growing environment."

"Secondly, it nourishes the vital energy. The spiritual rain and the true energy of the Yi wood can only maintain the vitality, but it is difficult to help it grow strong or even bear fruit."

"After consulting the temple's scriptures, I believe that if one could use the 'Spirit Gathering Technique' in conjunction with pure wood spirit energy, regularly channeling it into the root meridians, and further supplementing it with the 'Azure Heaven Technique of Wood' to guide it, it would greatly increase its vitality and resistance. However…"

His words carried just the right amount of regret:

"The Spirit Gathering Technique requires the fourth level of Qi Refining to be used. Although I was fortunate enough to break through, I can only use it superficially and cannot fully appreciate its wonders. If we could obtain the assistance of the Spirit Gathering Array Plate in the temple and set up a grand array... the results would be far better than they are now."

This statement includes an analysis of the current situation, specific countermeasures, and also subtly reveals the helplessness of not having enough authority to fully mobilize the temple's resources.

The high-ranking officials of Nongling Temple were terrified upon hearing this.

This kid is not only truly knowledgeable, but his thoughts and plans are far bolder than theirs!

The number of Spirit Gathering Array Plates and Fertilizer Pearl Temples is limited, and once they are used, it means that a large amount of resources must be devoted to this project.

How dare a mere pyre worker ask for it to my face?

Moreover, pointing at a monk and calling him a bald donkey!
This isn't a proposal at all; it's clearly an attempt to leverage the influence of County God Sun and stake the entire temple's resources on their own future!
Huo Yuanjue was also secretly sweating, but he felt that Qin Chuan was bold and meticulous, and might really be able to forge a bright future.

After all, in the spiritual practice arena, opportunities are always reserved for those who are prepared and those who are bold.

Some people are too cautious about their lives when it comes to great things, but are willing to risk their lives for small gains. They don't step up when they should, but they step up when they shouldn't. They can't grasp this balance and end up losing many opportunities.

In the realm of spiritual practice, one either progresses or regresses!

If there are no opportunities, then create them for yourself!
After listening attentively, Sun Qinghan remained calm: "Spirit Gathering Array? Fertilizer Bead?? Do you know that these are all crucial resources of the Agricultural Spirit Temple, related to the overall coordination of agricultural affairs throughout the entire Jiuchuan region?"

Her gaze swept over the pale-faced Guo Shanshan and the others, then returned to Qin Chuan with a smile:

"You are just a fire worker. Although you have extremely high talent, you are only at the fourth level of Qi Refining. You dare to think and speak."

All the pressure was directed at Qin Chuan.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he took a deep breath, met Sun Qinghan's gaze, and spoke earnestly and firmly:
"Your Excellency, I am well aware that all requests and requests require resources. However, I am even more convinced that Your Excellency's vigorous promotion of the Lingcheng Orange Project is for the well-being of the people of Jiuchuan and the economic development of this county. If this plan is successful, the Liuxiang orange can take root and bear fruit in this county, and the long-term benefits will far outweigh today's investment!"

"I am but a humble servant, though my words carry little weight, I am willing to pledge my life's work! If I receive the support of the county magistrate and the temple and are able to allocate the aforementioned funds, I will do my utmost, devoting all my knowledge to this endeavor! If I fail to stabilize the vitality of the spirit oranges within a year, or even to the point of seeing them begin to bear fruit, I am willing to accept any punishment!"

Qin Chuan is really going all out!

Such opportunities to directly confront the county magistrate are rare.

A pledge!
Everyone was shocked!

Huo Yuanjue suddenly looked at Qin Chuan, his eyes filled with shock and worry.

This child has staked his entire path to immortality on this!
Guo Shanshan, Liu Shichang, and the others had fluctuating expressions. Although they already had some idea of ​​their fate, they were still moved by what they saw.

To everyone's surprise, this young craftsman possessed such courage, and his words, though seemingly unrelated, left him somewhat bewildered and at a loss.
"Is it really true that the older we get, the more timid we become?"

Sun Qinghan gazed at Qin Chuan for a long time, a faint hint of appreciation finally flashing across her cool eyes.

She, the Daoist ruler of Jiuchuan, wanted to implement new regulations and develop the county. What she needed most under her command were young Daoists like Qin Chuan, who dared to think and act!

"Okay," she said slowly.

"This county will grant you this opportunity."

Her tone left no room for argument:
"I saw through the whole drama at Nongling Temple today. Entrusting such matters to some old fogies is simply not going to work. Therefore, I intend to establish a special team to handle matters related to Nongling regarding Lingcheng oranges. You will be a key member of that team, giving you a stage to showcase your talents."

(End of this chapter)