Torsten Hewson
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v6c2: The Forest and the Trees Part 1
🕑 Added 2025-02-11 00:07:39 +0000 UTCAh, how wonderfully unpredictable the world was, Ge mused as he finally managed to get his laughter under control. Shen Yu was clearly not lying—he would not lie about something like this.
A chicken, Shen Yu’s disciple. Utterly absurd, yet here it was. The Heavens were clearly having their amusement this day. Yukong looked intrigued, and Shou was clearly restraining himself from an annoyed outburst at what he thought was another of Shen Yu’s pranks, while Minyan had recovered herself from the shock, her eyes sharp as she examined the creature before her.
He shook his head and refocused on the Spirit Beast.
He saw in the rooster’s form—in his stance and his bearing—the mark of Shen Yu’s instruction. But Ge had received the initial report from Lu Ri about the rooster’s strength. Back then it had been in the Profound Realm; now, it was in the Spiritual Realm. That made it one of the strongest Awakened Spirit Beasts Ge had ever encountered.
It seemed that the disciple in question also did not find his introduction entirely amusing. The Spirit Beast actually seemed a bit uncomfortable and embarrassed to be stared at by such powerful cultivators, shuffling awkwardly.
“You are right, he truly is a proud, erect fellow,” Ge agreed.
“You are truly Shen Yu’s disciple?” Minyan asked, her voice cold, but curious. The rooster turned to her.
“This one has the honour of serving as Master Shen Yu’s Disciple,” the rooster replied, his voice formal and polite as he bowed to her again.
His voice was strong, and his tone polite without being overly differential. His eyes were wise and noble.
“He sounds too polite to be one of yours,” Shou grumped, annoyed at being thrown off balance.
“Indeed, I am not the cause of his manners. My grandson taught him well!” Shen Yu agreed.
“You must be quite old to be so powerful,” Yukong said, her eyes focused completely on the oddity before them. She turned to young Jin curiously. “How did such an arrangement come about? Most Spirit Beasts are hardly willing to be taught.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Shen Yu’s grin got even bigger.
The rooster blinked.
“I had the good fortune of my Great Master’s instruction, yes, but I am not particularly old for a chicken. This shall be my third year cultivating.”
Xiao Ge paused. Shou’s calm face twisted into one of shock. Yukong’s mouth opened. Even Minyan showed some emotion.
Three years? It had taken Ge… it had taken everyone here much longer than that. One of the most legendary, transcendent talents of this generation… was a chicken?!
And Rou Jin had raised that chicken to this level?
“He's only slightly ahead of me! I’ll catch up soon!” the tanned, orange-haired girl in the group exclaimed, her hands on her hips. Her power, at the Fifth Stage of the Profound Realm, was clear.
“How long have you been cultivating, young one?” Ge asked, curious.
“Three years!” she replied proudly.
The boar, the pink-haired woman, another young woman with freckles and a green strand of hair, and the dragon all nodded. Their gazes held a competitive spirit… but no edge of resentment.
…it was as Ge remembered from his own youth. Competitive, yet still aligned as one. And those bonds had been forged here, far, far away from the Sect. Somehow, Rou Jin had raised them up high, both with swiftness… and with a sublime foundation.
That was the most unique part. There were methods to advance one’s cultivation quickly, but most were poison pills, riddled with instability and impurity. The Qi before him was all solid, comfortable, and unwavering.
“You’ve accomplished many great things since leaving our Sect, Rou Jin,” Ge said after a moment. “It brings me great pride to see the grandson of my friend accomplish such things… and great shame to know our Sect could not nurture such a talent. We have spoken over letters and through intermediaries, but some things must be spoken in person.” Ge raised his hands in a martial salute and bowed his head. Beside him, Yukong and Shou copied his movements. “What happened at the Cloudy Sword Sect was anathema to all of the ideals of our Honoured Founders. We must ask your forgiveness, for letting such rot fester.”
Rou Jin smiled slightly—a smile that was slightly sad, but slightly relieved.
“Time and complacency can make fools of us all,” the young man offered. “The only true failing is not acting when enlightened.”
Ge’s eyes widened. “The wisdom of Honoured Founder Zixin.”
Young Jin scratched the back of his head. “Lu Ri left some scrolls. They have some good ideas in them.” He cleared his throat and stood straighter. “Now, would you prefer to have the tour first, or refreshments?”
Ge felt Shou’s eyes immediately bore into the back of his head.
“I do believe we are quite excited to be allowed to view your home,” Ge decided.
The young man nodded. “Well then, this way please! First, is the General that Commands the Winter!” Young Jin had an amused grin as he pointed at the giant snow-person. It had quite a bit of Qi in it, and had the feeling of an ice crystal, but… deeper. Something to examine more thoroughly at a different time.
Young Jin continued to give them the tour of his home. It was an interesting place, a blend of mortal and immortal—of rugged rustic farming and the power of cultivation. It was an honest, humble place…
At first glance.
===============================
Qin Shou, Elder of the Cloudy Sword Sect and Master of its Medical Pavilion, was still mildly annoyed at Shen Yu.
It had been a while since Shou had had to deal with Shen Yu’s particular brand of… Shen Yu-ness. They were comrades, and Shen Yu had helped out the Sect a lot, but dealing with the man was exhausting at the best of times. In all ways. It had been a bitter pill to swallow, long ago, that the reckless, boisterous fool was just… better than him. Better at cultivation, better at finding hidden gems… comrades came to Shen Yu like moths to a flame, drawn in by whatever spark lurked in his eyes, that was still there even now.
He would have been so easy to hate, too, if he didn’t have that damnable noble streak, if he hadn’t been a man who was good to his comrades.
When Yukong had first accepted Shou’s courtship, Shou thought he would have to fight Shen Yu—the man had made no secret of his interest in her. Instead, Shen Yu instantly dropped the matter and congratulated them, and then went on a quest to find the sapling of a Seal-Scroll Pillar Tree as their wedding gift—a stunningly rare Spiritual Herb whose bark produced the finest reagents for healing formations. It had been a thoughtful gift that took into account both of their specialities. The tree still resided in their shared pavilion, growing between their two workshops.
So Shou… could never really hate the man, but he could be annoyed by his antics.
But right now, right at this moment, he would gladly suffer Shen Yu’s presence for the next ten years. He would listen to his japes and vulgar jokes every day.
Because Shou was speaking with a man who understood.
The humble appearance outside of the glass house had revealed a great bounty within. The terraforming of the landscape and the temperature control were both a bit primitive compared to the temperature control formations Shou had access to, but the thought and diligence put into each and every plant in the ecosystem, Spiritual or otherwise, was enough to make a man weep.
His compost was a masterwork. His soil drainage was perfection. His light rotation and Qi infusion made Shou want to kill the little rat bastard who had harmed him a thousand more times!
“You’ve induced cultivars in the Seven Fragrance Jewel Herbs,” Shou breathed, his eyes on the different variations of the herbs. Domesticated Seven Fragrance Jewel Herbs were one of the crowning achievements of the Sect. They were the perfect Spiritual Herb for early cultivation—both aiding cultivation speed and able to heal most physical injuries. They were forgiving to one’s dantian and had little to no impurities when refined into pills.
They were, in Shou’s expert opinion, one of the greatest Spiritual Herbs in existence, despite the fact that he had mostly outgrown them. His personal cultivar of the herbs could, of course, still aid him, but they needed a lot of resources to reach that level—no longer were they Seven Fragrance, but Fourteen Fragrance.
But the best part? The best part… was that Rou Jin simply started sharing. He was eager to talk about his accomplishments.
It had been so, so long since Shou had spoken with one who shared his passion so much. It had been since his own Master’s passing. Nobody else could speak so authoritatively on Spiritual Herbs. Those who could were rivals who would not reveal their secrets.
“Yes, the ones with the fatter leaves take a bit longer, and need more drainage in the soil, but they also produce more liquid when crushed—helps us make these,” Rou Jin said. He pulled out a vial of sparking medicine, filled with Draconic Qi.
“You made this?” Shou asked, impressed, as he examined the offered vial.
“No, the idea was my wife’s,” Rou Jin said proudly, pointing to the short, freckled woman.
She had been walking with them, her face a mask of impassive politeness. Shou got the feeling that the young woman didn’t much like them. She was quite powerful, that much he could sense, but her power was as diffuse as her husband’s. He knew she was a Spiritual Doctor of some form, but she had been content to stay quiet. “I’m not much of a medicine maker myself, but she's brilliant!”
The young man spoke in a familiar tone. A tone that Shou often used when speaking of his own wife’s sublime formations.
Shou decided right then and there that he liked Rou Jin, in spite of who had adopted him. He truly was a good lad.
“We shall have to discuss these, if you are amenable,” Shou stated to the young Spiritual Doctor. Her eyes widened, and some of her mask cracked into interest.
“Of course, Elder Shou,” she said politely.
Shou smiled and turned back to the Seven Fragrance Jewel Herbs, his eyes roving over them.
“Those ones there, what about them?” he asked. They were thin and looked to be fast growing.
“Oh, those are the ones we use for seasoning,” Rou Jin said.
Shou paused. “Seasoning?”
“Yes, they’re spicier than the normal kind.”
For a brief moment, Shou wanted to decry that the Seven Fragrance Jewel Herbs had been reduced to being used as a seasoning—but he paused, considering. If one constantly ate them, would that not be beneficial? The overall effect would be less potent, but a sprig a day healing minor injuries and aiding cultivation growth…
Thinking further on it, the idea was actually rather brilliant. Could cooking also change their effects? He would have to ask for volunteers among the disciples later.
He made a mental note to follow up on the idea as Jin began to walk deeper into the greenhouse. It was a place of peace and tranquility, much like Shou’s own gardens. The smell of growth, life, and earth was most pleasing, and the gentle sound of flowing water capped it all off.
“In which of these water features are the Silver Yin Lotuses?” Shou asked.
The young man paused. “Those are in the bath house.”
“… the bath house?”
“Yeah, they actually need a steady supply of Yin Qi and hot water. Easiest way to do that is for the girls to take a bath with them.”
Rou Jin smiled guilelessly at him.
“That's it?” Shou had been trying to grow the lotuses for over two hundred years! He had already tried growing them with Yin Qi!
“Well, no, you actually have to have three different nursery tubs filled with different temperatures of hot water, and then they actually need to be dried out in between each stage—very, very tricky to grow. I’ll give you a write-up of what I did after we see them.”
Shou smiled at the kindred spirit across from him.
Today… was a good day.
=====================
=======================
Shen Yu has to be careful, or Shou and Yukong are going to adopt his grandson.
Editors: Aaron “Pastafarian” Sofaer, Massgamer, BargleNawdleZouss
====================
Comments
Mitch McNair
The difference I feel is in the context of the meeting. They ate the herbs with the Lord Magistrate who was serving peerless experts of the empire and an actual representative of the Emperor. That is the kind of meeting you pull out all the stops for and turn your rare spiritual herbs into a meal for. This is Jin growing herbs specifically for eating regularly, which is a surprising notion, considering pill refining as the usual way to consume resources. It’s the difference between pulling out a rare wine for the visiting vice president versus admitting you drink the rare wine every day because it tastes good.
LBNoSc
Maybe it has already been noted somewhere, but it is unclear to me why Shou is surprised by the idea of eating the fragrance herbs. Didn't they get such a meal a couple of chapters back in the previous Volume (in the form of a stir-fry) ? Doesn't make sense. Otherwise, a nice start of the volume.
Chi Kit Wong
And waiting….
Len
well right now only Minyan is there sooooo.....
Sean Ulrich
I think spirit beasts outnumber humans… 10 humans 12 beasts right now by my count
Truedragon5374
That's the beauty of it. It works both ways.
Osvaldo Antonio Carmona Calderón
Still waiting
Rockinalice
It not that he wouldn't approve its that Jin is learning the Arts of the Man that All nature type Cultivators an those like Shou an other of similar Paths likely Worship or greatly Respect. Someone they would give up just about anything to just hear one lesson from Shenlong an Jin is pretty much directly learning from him, see as Shen seems to know that Jin is there even through a Memory
Len
at least it isn't EXTERMINATE!! EXTERMINATE!!! welcome to the club of impatient patient readers...
RBAWintrow
It's usually posted around 03:00 where I am in The Netherlands. So another ~6 hours to wait.
Miles Sumida
He might actually approve. Let's not forget that it explicitly states that his master died rather than ascended so his master might have also followed the path of Shennong. The path is rare but it's not unheard of.
Miles Sumida
Where is the editing department?
Stuffed Duck
In the editing department ...
leopard eye
And she's in the earth realm.
leopard eye
I would have been even more amusing the other way around. Greet everyone's in human form then switch back.
leopard eye
I don't think Ge has mentioned Yin yet. Perhaps she's napping in her hammock? Wait a moment 😱
Cranky Otter
Washi is Unassuming & also the SCS & SIS are not as impressed by dragons as average people are, so they don’t spend a lot of observational effort on him. Shou is there to see the plants & gardeners, anything else is not his priority. Bi De is an exception as there was a commotion around him to kick the chapter off & highlight Jins work & the Shen Yu connection.
Osvaldo Antonio Carmona Calderón
Were is the chapter?
Samantha Kuhn
So, I want to know when someone from SHIS will encounter and recognize that Xiulan is the daughter of an SHIS disciple. The disciples know about Xiulan and that her mother has been trying to get in touch with her. Does Minyan? Also, I have a feeling one of the sect elders will have to recognize there are THREE active bloodlines cultivating at Fa Ram. Maybe Gou will get some advice? And Meiling FINALLY finds out the history of her family and the sign she was born under (poisoner, I assume)??
Kt-x
Thank you for the chapter! 😁
Timothy Dana
And innovating on it
Alex Ingraham
Welcome to BOC post binging it on another website. It's called withdrawal. It doesn't get easier and each chapter is like a drop of ambrosia in your veins that's never enough. 🤣🤣😭
Alex Ingraham
Soooooo many fun/interesting conversations to explore! I'm not gonna mind one bit if CF draws this out for a bit lol
Alex
While it would make for an interesting story, I really don’t want to read something that begins with Fa Ram getting massacred.
fruit dragon
That line is so good. I kind of want it to be in the story
fruit dragon
I just want to pitch the alternate universe from the last book where they lose and there son is sent by dragon to the cloudy sword sect with a bloodline though extinct. That is the most xianxia thing ever and I am down for that
ENK
I'm just waiting for them to come across Gou Ren and go "ANOTHER SPIRIT BEAST?". Only for Jin to correct them and list the humans on the farm. Then they notice that Tigu and Yin are missing on that list.
Z H
Well after Shen Yu showed them his mighty cock, it's only fair for Jin to show them his fiery root!
Z H
Give the man a minute. Jin is still showing them around the grounds and they haven't even had a chance to sit down and enjoy some dragon spit tea yet!
Z H
It's just that as Wha Shi is such a humble and unassuming dragon it's easy to overlook him. I'm sure he will forgive them of they let him taste those 14 fragrance herbs though...
Z H
But what would spiritual herbs grow in the cheesey loam of the moon taste like? These are the important questions that Wha Shi needs answers to!
Z H
I their defense, a lot of people reaction to meeting Be Di the first time is: Chicken Does Not Compute.
Insertnamehereokokipressedokok
Crap, I just realized sonething... Ge just aired dirty laundry in front of another sect. Allied sect, sure, but still... that's big. Not sure how much is going on behind the scenes but this should prove to all CSS is trying to make amends.
Andrew Carter
The bestest best boi
Harish
Nope
CrazyExplorer
Do you use a VPN?
Laura Hemly
Not a big deal. Look how many people mentioned differential v. deferential!
Rockinalice
Oh god Shou is going to Spit Blood and Pass out if he finds out Jin is Learning the Path of Shenlong
Michael Fannon
I completely forgotten about that! Yes, I want that so much. Been a mystery in the background for a long time.
Timothy Dana
Ah the noble chicken. Child of Dragons and Phoenixes.
Angela Roberts
Fantastic!! Nerding out on plants with Shou, love it!
PaulRovinsky
To expand on what others have said, a cultivar is a plant variety created through selective breeding. They're all the same species, but different physical traits are more pronounced. Probably the most famous example is Brassica Oleracea. Its cultivars include cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, Savoy cabbage, kohlrabi, and gai lan. I think there are others too.
Sivartius .
BOTH! BOTH! BOTH!
Sivartius .
This is great. Thank you. I hope we get to see the elder's reaction to the Mysterious Root. Finding a spiritual herb that Shen Yu doesn't immediately recognize is already amazing. But I really want to see Shou's reaction
Thomas Axtell
The Carolina Reaper is a cultivar, by selective breeding and cross pollination of other pepper plants it was created.
Thomas Axtell
The Fourteen Fragrance herbs are Shou's cultivar that he made. Not what what Jin has.
Old Dog
Don't we all...
WolfKnight22
this is AWESOME
Old Dog
Welcome to the BoC following.
Old Dog
Wish I would have read this before I asked almost the same question :p.
Old Dog
Will Mei Mei get Seal-Scroll Pillar Tree of her own? I take it that Elder Shou was thinking of his own: "...no longer were they Seven Fragrance, but Fourteen Fragrance." If so, when will he mention this to Jin?
Laura Hemly
It sounds like Jin and Meimei need a cutting of the Seal-Scroll Pillar Tree, like Shou and Yukong. I'm not sure Jin is learning formations formally, but he's smart enough to start picking it up. Or perhaps Bi De and Ri Zu -- either couple (or both) could really benefit from it.
Laura Hemly
But he flies, and I believe Tsuu has drawn him with wings.
Trevor Mergen
Thanks!
Havencross3093
Oh Yin would definitely fit in. And Tigu will have to step-up in Jins place to tell Xiabao she's beautiful.
Mark Greenberg
Don't forget, Minyan needs healing too and it's something Meimei can actually DO: draining some of the demonic qi she picked up during the demonic realm invasion. While the CSS has the siphoning formation they haven't yet shared it out. Shen Yu hinted Ge should give it to her in exchange for her assistance in the north, how much better if his granddaughter volunteers to help his 'special lady friend '?
Often Irrelephant
"You can bring the monkey boy with you - just get on the flying bus, quick!"
Megan
Varieties of plants, like different kinds of tomatoes
Harish
Much like how dog species are bred with each other to obtain animals with a particular characteristic, plants have methods by which they can be grown to have select characteristics. They breeds of plants you obtain through these methods are called Cultivars.
Harish
Nope. I have 12 servers only.
Bobtur
What does cultivatar means ?
Shweta Narayan
still reading (with a big grin) but typo: His voice was strong, and his tone polite without being overly [differential]. -- deferential unless he's an equation
Shweta Narayan
relatively new person here, hii, spouse pointed me at BoC and I've binge read most of it four times since & your posts make my day!
dani
oven fire root
Silvris
Wa Shi is an Eastern Dragon, remember. Those don't have wings.
Brian P.
They flew over the fence, so I bet they legitimately didn’t see it.
Demian Buckle
Thank you for the Chapter.
Wumpy
BOOZE MASTER! BOOZE MASTER! BOOZE MASTER!
Angua de Blubb
To be fair, Shu noticed the medicine containing draconic Chi, and with only one dragon around, He probably realized himself that Wa Shi was involved in some manner
Kairo of Sweden
Didn't they kind of already tie close relations to the farm & village? With the protection paper, protection ritual, seeds and herb growing deal?
Arin Storm
FIRE ROOT! FIRE ROOT! FIRE ROOT!
Rune Shadow
Are you a member of 100 servers on discord? If you don't pay for nitro it caps you at 100. It's supposed to give you a pop-up telling you that but I've had it fail before and just do what you described
Arin Storm
That would be interesting, but Jin also found the root in the unbroken timeline, and the golden tree was implied to be a ginko tree, since all the golden warriors had ginko leaves on them. The closest thing to a remnant of the tree, that we know of, are the ruins that Rags' sect lives in. Rags learned his cultivation style from the wall art in the ruins, and Tianlan described his qi form as an old soldier with ginko leaves growing out of him.
Anzer'ke
I just love how clearly this lets us see the alternate path. The world where Jin stayed in the sect, became an underling to Ge's granddaughter, and eventually a personal disciple of Elder Shou. Honestly Shen Yu in this timeline got damn lucky. In all the other ones his son gets stolen out from under him. Though at least in SHI AU Minyan is willing to share.
Anzer'ke
Minyan seeing a whole lot of potential East Wind recruits.
Anzer'ke
I think it makes sense in context. We have seen what the sect at full spec looks like and they are explicitly not making any of these mistakes any more. The whole point therefore is that them being so lax was an error born of cascading failures in their organisation.
Will Gossage
I'm waiting on their reactions when they see the fire root and other wonders of Fa Ram, like Bi De and Ri Zu transform into humans
Nyroe
Growing such Herbs in a QI desert such as the Azure Hills?! It may very well be easier to grow plants on the moon! 😤😤
Catherine
“overly differential” should be deferential I think
Catherine
He was mentioned The boar, the pink-haired woman, another young woman with freckles and a green strand of hair, and the dragon all nodded.
Beggar of Freedom
Divines bless your kind heart!
Just A Dude
Steal? Does a man not have four grandparents?
Just A Dude
The Sunny Ploughshare sect.
Duke of Coffee
Shou has found his spiritu- *ahem* fellow herbalist. While Ge is going to have a headache over this. 😜
Emily Gurnavage
That was a comfy chapter. I look forward to this visit lasting a lil bit. Lots of interesting conversations to be had and plans that could be made.
BelligerentGnu
That was just happy.
Truedragon5374
Oops, he still needs credit for the medicine
Truedragon5374
Serial gobsmacking works too I guess.
Truedragon5374
There is another Cultivator series I like: A Thousand Li by Tao Wong. In it, the MC's sect is one the 3 most powerful in the kingdom. They have 5,000 cultivators. The elder in charge of growing spiritual herbs only has 30 people under her. But she is probably the 3rd most politically powerful elder in the sect, BECAUSE ALL IF THEM NEED WHAT SHE GROWS! People have dueled to join her group. Some of her plants have literal temples built around them to focus just the right chi elements for proper growth. She has a sizable budget to maintain her gardens and aquire more seeds. And yet I get the feeling that the only one in the CSS who know anything about plants is Shou, and it's his hobby more than his job.
STORRM
maybe just "landscaping" instead its not like he's growing herbs on the moon.
Mikey The Wolf
Eh Terra - Earth Formation - Arrangement isn't exactly a complicated word like microbionics I can see the word coming to be do to the power possible in the world
BargleNawdleZouss
Washy is indeed referenced: "The boar, the pink-haired woman, another young woman with freckles and a green strand of hair, and the dragon all nodded."
Cristi Palincas
"terraforming" reads very off... There should be some more fantasy word there, not a modern one
MARK MACKNET
Need more. More and much more
Sardeed
Ooooohhh Yeeeaahh that's the good stuff, keep it coming my body is ready. Thanks for the chap captain and good work.
Laura Hemly
A number of people here in the comments have complained that he wasn't even mentioned this episode. Hence my pointing it out.
Harish
Can anyone help me with Discord? I click "Join Server" and the Discord site opens (I am logged in) but that's it. It does not show the new server at all. Repeated this multiple times
Old Dog
As always, thank you for the chapter. Looking forward to rereading it with my coffee in the morning.
Harish
Chun Ke is Best Boi
N U
Because they're so commonplace at the Cloudy Sword Sect that people take it for granted and don't realize how good they have it. The rot ran deeeeeeep there.
Harish
To be fair, this is typical cultivator behavior. The students are given tasks and they are expected to figure out the benefits and disadvantages by themselves. In fact, in Volume One, Xiulan makes the same observation when Meiling teaches her about the Siphoning formation. But yes, I do agree with you. Because Jin and his family are focused on all aspects of life, they are growing faster than usual. Which is funny because cultivation advancement comes about through enlightenment, which requires EXPERIENCING LIFE. It is absolutely hilarious that cultivators miss this and instead rely on reagents like characters in bad mobile RPG(s)
Harish
Well, when you learn that the student who left is not only the grandson of your best friend but a transcendent talent of his generation, with potential to rival or surpass his grandfather... well, in the cultivation world, this would be called "FAFO" of the worst kind.
SilasDrekken
sounds like a job for the only main cast member who actually uses a sword. yun ren worked with jin for long enough to learn the tricks of the trade.
Derek Walker
He was also mentioned last chapter. Ge called him a baby dragon
Xavier Harris
Phenox percheing parasol tree I believe is the name of the tree in Chinese mythology that Pheonix nest in (I may have this incorrect)
Joanna
Ah, but this way we get to space out the gobsmacking and have more later!
Laura Hemly
Washi IS mentioned in this chapter! Here: "The boar, the pink-haired woman, another young woman with freckles and a green strand of hair, and the dragon all nodded."
Laura Hemly
Don't forget that Lu Ri brought him a whole selection of spirit herbs seeds and cuttings to try growing for the CSS. It was obviously a brilliant idea!
CUI13
I do love that basically every Cloudy Sword Sect person's reaction to talking with Jin is wishing additional retroactive punishment on the guy that almost killed him
Laura Hemly
It would need wings, too, don't forget.
Often Irrelephant
100% - and then she'll try and steal the other girls
Truedragon5374
Another thing, if the Jewel Herbs are so freaking miraculous, why are they grown by the lowerest of outer sect members without any supervision, many of whom seem to see it as a punishment detail? When Jin left, it took them MONTHS to realize ALL the other gardeners were half-assing it. Seriously, I like Shou, but I think his job as Medical Eldar take up too much of his time. The Cloudy Sword Sect needs a dedicated Spirit Gardener Elder. Maybe they can have Jin train a few candidates for the next decade or so.
Arnon Parenti
Minyan is going to plot Mei Mei's kidnapping, then realize it's what the demons are planning, wreck the demons for plotting against her granddaughter and smack She Yu for not sharing his jewels in a more private less imperial way so she could protect the children better.
Truedragon5374
I loved this chapter. The only thing I'm a bit disappointed with (besides not enough Wa Shi) is I was hoping all the students would be in animal form, then would pop into human form one after another. If I remember right, a spirit beast achieving human form is even more impressive than one reaching thr Spiritual Realm. So having 5 of them pop into human form would have really gobsmacked the elders.
Len
Shou is either going to be uncle or foster father....and minyan is going to blow a gasket soon as Meimei flexes her powers of healing on gramps
Cindermoth
I suspect it is related to the crimson phoenix Emperor's cultivation
Truedragon5374
Maybe sew some legs onto a snake plushie?
Sean Ulrich
There is a 1/2 so maybe next chapter?
Truedragon5374
Yes, you'd think he would ask Elder Shou if he has ever seen one before.
Truedragon5374
Randall Norman Pick
Flower NERRRRRDSSSS. :P
Kasinki
Lmaoooo that yin qi part. Thanks for the chapter CF!
BigBro Bluesman
Hoping CasualFarmer makes that the sapling of a Phoenix! I once read a short story about a Phoenix that would build its nest in a special tree—one of fire and life—surrounded by the beauty of the forest. The grass nearby would burn, not in destruction, but to fertilize the soil. The story then shifts to the perspective of the Phoenix, born in an empty nest with no parents, yet surrounded by the fruit of flame and life. It follows the legendary and beautiful creature’s journey, from birth to its final days. At the end of its long and fulfilled life—for only a life well-lived allows a Phoenix to age—it seeks a place like the one where it was born, surrounded by vibrant life. As the Phoenix catches fire, glowing like the morning sun, all that remains is a sapling—ordinary in appearance. Years pass, and the story describes how the tree absorbs the heat and energy of the sun. Eventually, cracks form in its trunk, shaping a nest with what looks to be the egg of a Fenix. And so, the cycle begins anew."
Chris Hubble
More
Alex
In the Unbroken alt-verse story, Tianlan left a legacy in the form of a massive Golden Tree, which was the source of strength for the Golden Tree Sect (in the Unbroken alt-verse story the Golden Tree Sect is one of the pillars of the Empire along with the Cloudy Sword Sect and Soaring Heavens Isle, and they carry out the Divine Mandate given to them by Tianlan to protect the slumbering Earth Spirits). I will be extremely surprised if the weird root thing isn't a seed for said Golden Tree.
Kaitlyn Crews
I've been waiting for this part of the story so much can't wait for more of it!!! 😍
jord
I really hope we get the answer, this is likely the best opportunity for it to happen. Could go a lot of interesting directions, for example: it could be a normally mundane herb that has been jacked up to 11 since it's been allowed to grow for so long and actively cared for recently. It could be a uber rare herb with miraculous properties that Jin is defiantly going to try to figure out how to cultivate. (double points of hilarity if he figures out if it get's it's power from it's age, to cut plant it like a potato and cut up the root and replant the separate pieces so they grow back. Infinite 10,000 year old ginseng hack since technically they are all that old) and finally we could have the ancient herb masters look at this root and say: "I have no fecking idea what that is" all roads lead to fun.
Sean Ulrich
Fire root thing please and thank you
Maria Klein
Nice!!
CringeWorthyStudios
I *know.* I’m just that bad at growing plants. I’ve also had a cactus die under my care and I’m pretty sure the only reason my current house plant is still alive is because I haven’t even looked at it in months and it gets water from the humidity in the bathroom.
Kourtney Viles
I wonder if in the future their might be a washi doll?
Namorat
His voice was strong, and his tone polite without being overly differential. - deferential more likely
Alex
You killed bamboo? How? Any attempt I've made to kill bamboo failed miserably, and there have been many.
Kourtney Viles
I look forward to washi interacting with them and talking about his passion of math and food. Washi is my favorite character
John D Jones
They probably saw it and just thought it was a joke - until they met Bi De.
Katharine Gould
I am in ecstacy now to ride this high till Thursday! Thanks for the chapter CF!
Alex
Jin knows how valuable his herbs are, but he doesn’t really care about their monetary value because he’s insanely rich already, and he actively despises cultivation, so he doesn’t really care about their value as cultivation aids either. To him they’re just tasty plants that are fun to grow because of the unique challenges the present.
Al
Brother Chunky
John D Jones
I doubt that any of the visitors will be meeting Tainlan right now. She's busy hibernating - especially after she had to wake up to help deal with the demonic assault. Minyan might try to snag Yin or Tigu to bring back to her sect.
Stark Trist
Can't wait for boozemaster and the hive to put on a show for the guests. Turn fa ram into a literal fairy tail stage. Would probably look best after sundown and give each bee a little glowing dust. Like a drone show but with bees. Also cant wait for the boozemaster to get a human form. Might take a few more books, but I am patient.
The butler did it
It is the great conflict of instant gratification versus playing the long game in novel form
CringeWorthyStudios
Casual actually told us on discord. In the “The World of BoC” channel if you search “The root is” you’ll find it. And yes, it’s super rare and important but Jin doesn’t care, lol.
Rake1810
I forgot about the mysterious herb! I also hope he doesn’t know and we get the farmer team up to figure it out.
CringeWorthyStudios
As Xiulan said in book 2 “the heavens were not the goal, they were the consequence of her path. Of her dao.” They’re just so chill that they accidentally ascend. “Oh, don’t worry honey. I’ll make sure to come back down every Sunday for lunch!”
Travis Holley
But what about the strange root that makes Mei sneeze so much????
Gray Code
Bi De: "I've been cultivating for three years." Tigu: "Also three years." Meiling: "Nearing the end of year two."
Maria Klein
Goes with his philosophy. We give to the land and the land gives back. He treats most people the same way. He gives freely of himself and his knowledge to any that don’t choose to harm those he cares for or knows
Maria Klein
This comment made me snort laugh!
Maria Klein
Oh!! I forgot about that! Hopefully it’s something so rare it was thought to be a myth!
James Faulkner
So good lol, Tftc! Hope we see Shou’s reaction to the weird hot root lol
Geoffrey Sullivan
You and me *both.* :)
Maria Klein
I’m pretty sure he knows they are super useful but it only matters to him because they aid his wife in healing. Otherwise I’m sure he would have just grown them for their seasoning potential lol
Maria Klein
Gotta be one of my favorite chapters!
Synova Vitale
Awww… Shou is never going to want to leave
Andrew Carter
😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁 ahhhhhh pure bliss! Been waiting for over two months for this and it was just as good as I imagined it would be. I think I need a cigarette
Joel Davis
So, what happens when a critical mass of cultivators get more focused on cool, happy things in front of them than defying the heavens?
Guber
I love this! And as always, I wonder if the masters will see....the root
Justin
Awesome
Geoffrey Sullivan
The scene with Shou was everything I *HOPED* it would be! Thank you *ever* so much for making the payoff worth the wait - I *realise* that it's *NOT* easy. :)
bob50000
I could read 100 chapters of this, I hope we’ve got a good few more of people seeing all the joys around
Benji
Okay, by this point Jin has to know that the plants he took with him are actually super useful high grade cultivation plants, right? Or does he still think they're basically weeds and doesn't get what the fuss is about his favorite condiment?
Insertnamehereokokipressedokok
...is it Thursday yet?
Cindermoth
Hah! Wait until they find out most of them are in fact spirit beasts capable of tranforming at will. Also, elder Shou might be the one to recognise that weird root Jin found way back. Or at least get the ball rolling on discovering what it is. That Chekhov's gun has to be fired someday...
Palmer Evans
I’m really looking forward to a Minyan POV chapter! Curious to see if she develops any kind of relationship with Jin or Tianlan. I feel like her mothering instincts could connect with Tianlan’s situation
Daniel Gesualdi
Meeting a family member of a long suffered freind and finding out you like them better is always a fun experience.
Rake1810
Gramps was worried about Minyan stealing his granddaughter but he missed the real threat of Shou stealing his grandson!
Voror
Really enjoyed this and I'm glad Shou is enjoying his time speaking with Jin as a peer on these matters. I'm curious to see his reaction to that mysterious herb. Still betting he has no idea but that may just intrigue him further. I wonder if any of them would be impressed by the beehives. It would also be neat if maybe they could get a live demonstration of Meiling using the formation to help with Shen Yu's injuries. Shen Yu seemed to think Minyan would want to steal her. I do find the idea that there's a very real danger of Shou and Yukong wanting to adopt him away from Shen Yu hilarious as well as a bit sweet.
ENK
" polite without being overly differential" should be "... overly deferential" I'd assume? Anyway, nice chapter. Good to see Shou finally getting rewarded for coming along, and it'll be funny when elder Ge hears about just how much of a genious they let go yet again. At this point they might even consider necromancy just to punish the turd who drove him out again.
Palmer Evans
I love this story so much - if only I wasn’t caught up 😭
WarStrider72
Shou has found a kindred spirit! I wonder if he knows what's the name of the fiery root Jin has?
Rick Partridge
It’s a damn shame they missed the sign at the front entrance. But they’ll appreciate it more now I guess.
Raraki Kraken
Sometimes I think of just waiting for at least a few weeks so I can binge this, of course I don't have patience for this
Nemoboi
ok i am adopting Shou, he is adorable
Alex Ingraham
Thanks for the chapter! You did a fantastic job giving us a glimpse into Shou's relationship with Shen Yu and letting us see his joy at Jin's accomplishments. I do hope we get a seen where Shou turns the tables on Shen Yu and threatens to adopt Jin lol
Raraki Kraken
MOOOOOAAAAR
Zero Wrath
Loved the chapter!
Alex Ingraham
It is the bitter pill we all must swallow... we got our hit, now for withdrawal lol
Bunny Waffles
Shen Yu is too late. I predict the adoption papers will be drafted and ready to sign before the end of the tour at this rate!
Javier van der westhuizen
FINALLY!!!!!!
James Squibb
Loved the relaxed pace of the chapter!
Slasher12 .Slasher
Hell yeah a full chapter of Jin Boasting about the farm to baffled people!
The GrandMage
"He's mine!" "Does not a man have four grandparents?"
Anime Problem
Cloudy Sword Sect Elders wondering wether or not to start a subsidiary sect called some grand variation of the farming sect.
Timothy Dana
So the Yin lotuses need to be thirsty to get Thirsty!
nogare321
Thank you. It is so good to read about these characters. You have a a subtle way of breathing life into them all. Your hard work is appreciated!
William Matysik
I have been waiting on this chapter! Can't wait for the next. Thank you.
Artur Vogt
I love exposition within a story, aimed at other characters of the story.
Chakfor
Chapters like this are why I like the story so much. Just...wholesome.
CringeWorthyStudios
Man, I can’t grow things for shit—I’ve literally managed to kill a bamboo pot plant before—but it’s always nice to see Jin’s enthusiasm. Also, I can’t wait for more of this! Thanks for the chapter!
taukid
This is the chapter I've been waiting for!!!
Modesty Goose
I kowtow to Casual Farmer for the chapter. You're the daddy.
John D Jones
Addendum: Shou and Yukong are going to steal his grandson AND grand-daughter. And possibly his great-grandson as well to keep the family together. Waiting for this was utterly aggravating but still so very worth it.
Aki_Iokua18
That feeling when you meet people who understand. I’ve described BoC to others as a comfy feel-good series; sort of like sitting on a well used leather armchair with a mug of your preferred beverage and a warm fire, all while rain is pattering on the window. That’s the kind of feeling I get from this chapter. Looking forward to Minyan’s discoveries.
Julia
Jin might be the most humble genius character I've seen. Not even other characters seem to notice most of the time. He just does stuff.
Orims
Awwww shuch short chapter. But I did like that Shou is willing to learn and share his own knowledge with people as a true scholar should.
Xander Williams
Wonderful chapter, thank you!
Cyrus McEnnis
Shen Yu and "careful". Might as well start planning the adoption ceremony already >.>
Seiden Kyoukai
TFTC!! Only thing I hate about getting a new chapter is that it means I have to wait for another one :(
Leos Void
Oh this one was CUTE cute! Aaaah, this story is always so gentle and meaningful, and it always feels refreshing seeing these old masters enjoy and be enjoyed as friends and kindred spirits!
Simon Andriessen
the forest and the trees... might this be about missing the forest for the trees, something like missing Tianlan between all the effects of her presence?
Gopard
Thanks for the chapter!
Lizard Wizard
This is exactly the sort of chapter I love. Traditional cultivators being introduced to the Farm and being super impressed.
BargleNawdleZouss
Green thumbs, unite!
WarStrider72
thanks for the chapter boss!
WarStrider72
1st
