Chu Li said, "Zhuo Feiyang, are you still not going to surrender?"
Zhao Ying hurriedly said, "Brother Zhuo!"
Zhuo Feiyang glared at Chu Li. His breathing was getting heavier and heavier. Disbelief, indignation, and anger were all tangled together in his heart.
Chu Li shook his head and smiled.
Zhao Ying called out softly, "Brother Zhuo!"
Zhuo Feiyang turned his head to look at her. Finally, he spat out three words, "I surrender!"
"Slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap!" He slapped himself six times in one breath, and dense red marks appeared on his handsome face.
Chu Li shook his head and could not help but laugh. "Victory and defeat are common for a soldier. What's the point?"
"You …" Zhuo Feiyang's eyes were spitting fire.
"Brother Chu, don't talk so much!" Zhao Ying rebuked.
"Forget it, there's no point in saying it!" Chu Li waved his hand. "Go back and focus on your cultivation. Don't take the praise seriously and foolishly think that you're a genius!"
"I will repay you generously for what you have done for me today!" Zhuo Feiyang said through gritted teeth. He then turned around and left.
Zhao Ying pouted coquettishly, "Brother Chu, you're too much!"
Chu Li shook his head and smiled. "Junior Sister Zhao, he's very thick-skinned. He's not that fragile!"
"I'll bring the Moonlight Orchid over immediately!" Zhao Ying snorted, stomped her feet, and left.
Li Yue let out a hearty laugh as he watched the three of them sail away. Chu Li, on the other hand, was swaying unsteadily. He quickly used his sword to support himself as his face grew paler.
"Brother?" Li Yue wanted to help him but was stopped by Chu Li.
"It's not that serious. I just overexerted myself."
"Then sit down quickly," Li Yue hurriedly said.
Chu Li slowly returned to the Green Mulberry Parterre. He reached out his hand and touched a Green Mulberry Flower. A surge of spiritual energy immediately rushed into his body. His spirit was lifted, and he circulated the Eternal Spring Technique twice. He felt even more energized, and all his fatigue disappeared.
The Eternal Spring Technique was a new mental cultivation method that he had cultivated. It was a Daoist technique that refined one's nature and extended one's lifespan. Activating the essence of the five grains, one could get rid of diseases and extend one's life.
"Ding …" The sound of the jade chime rang. Li Yue ran out and quickly returned with the Moonlight Orchid, "Miss Zhao is truly trustworthy, to have delivered it so quickly!"
Chu Li looked at the Moonlight Orchid happily and waved at it.
Li Yue walked closer to him. "Do you want to move it out?"
Chu Li shook his head.
His right hand touched the Moonlight Orchid. Cool and refreshing spiritual energy surged into it and circulated along the Minute Pulse Cleansing Technique.
For the next few days, he sat next to the Moonlight Orchid almost all the time. He sensed the Moonlight Orchid and inquired about its habits and patterns.
It was averse to water, and the dew was enough, so it could not be watered.
It consumed a lot of fertilizer, especially when it glowed at night. The soil in the basin quickly became barren.
In the end, Chu Li dried the mud at the bottom of the lake and mixed it with rotten soil to replace the soil in the basin.
The Moonlight Orchid was not used to mud and rotten soil. Like a willful child, it would rather starve to death than eat the food it hated.
Chu Li used the spiritual energy of the Green Mulberry Flower to keep it alive. After a week, it slowly adapted and began to absorb the fertilizer.
Chu Li sighed again. Without the Life and Death Scripture, the Moonlight Orchid would not be able to survive!
For the past month, Chu Li had been staying by the side of the Moonlight Orchid, not paying attention to the outside world. A new sprout had grown from the original root of the Moonlight Orchid, growing to half its height.
Under the infusion of spiritual energy, the new Moonlight Orchid grew extremely quickly. This was also the wondrous effect he had discovered — accelerated growth.
The Life and Death Tree was like the king of flowers and plants. It could wither and flourish, and its life and death could be taken away.
In an instant, countless thoughts came to him. If the Moonlight Orchid was like this, what would happen if it was replaced with other spirit herbs? What about those legendary exotic plants?
If he could find their seeds, the Life and Death Scripture could make them grow, shortening the growth cycle. The benefits were unimaginable.
If he could open a Floral Pavilion, he could earn money like water.
Li Yue kept urging him to report to the higher-ups, lest Gu Litong beat him to it. Chu Li had been suppressing the matter, so he could not cultivate a new Moonlight Orchid. It would be difficult for him to deal with those who doubted him.
Moreover, the Life and Death Scripture gave him confidence.
— —
In the evening, the sun was setting. Chu Li sat beside the two Moonlight Orchids, cultivating. Li Yue returned from outside and sat on the ground.
"Brother, I have news …"
"Gu Litong succeeded?"
"It's not Gu Litong, it's Zhuo Feiyang!"
"He …?"
"Zhuo Feiyang came out of isolation yesterday and challenged the Ranking Tower … He's now a Rank Seven Protector!"
"He's brave and determined," Chu Li nodded casually. "It's not that surprising. He's quite talented."
Li Yue looked at him in surprise. "Aren't you worried?"
"Worried that he'll take revenge on me?"
"If he comes looking for me again, I might not be his match!"
"Then just reject him." Chu Li smiled.
The Public House's rules were to protect the weak, unlike outside the Public House where the strong preyed on the weak. Of course, if you really wanted to live a comfortable life, you still had to work hard.
Li Yue's eyes widened. "Reject? This … "
Chu Li shrugged. "We're Scribes after all. How can we compete with Protectors in martial arts? If they have the guts, they'll compete with us in gardening!"
Li Yue sighed worriedly. "Brother, I feel like something's not right."
Chu Li smiled. "Alright, don't worry. Let's report to the Herb Garden tomorrow."
He was on his guard. Zhuo Feiyang was not the kind of person who would take revenge.
"That's right!" Li Yue was excited. "We should've reported it a long time ago. Let's go after dinner tomorrow … No, let's go right now!"
He stood up and left.
Chu Li's face darkened. He was deep in thought. Zhuo Feiyang was a tough guy. Although it looked like he had won easily, he had given it his all.
There were still five months before he could build his foundation, but Zhuo Feiyang would be even stronger after that!
Meng Qinlin and Li Yue rushed over. They were overjoyed when they saw the new Moonlight Orchid. They patted Chu Li's shoulder and laughed.
"Good boy, you're really something!" Meng Qinlin laughed. "You really did it!"
Chu Li smiled. "It was a fluke."
Meng Qinlin waved his hand and sat on the ground. "Young Chu, you're not faking it, are you? Don't play tricks just to beat Gu Litong! "
Li Yue shouted, "Elder Meng!"
Meng Qinlin rolled his eyes. "Why are you so excited? I was just asking. This is related to Lady Xiao's reputation. It's fine if you don't succeed, but it'll be more embarrassing if you fake it!"
Chu Li sat down and touched the Moonlight Orchid. He channeled his spiritual energy. "Elder Meng, this one is a new bud. I bought that one from the Herb Garden a month ago."
"You got it just by buying one?" Meng Qinlin asked with a smile.
Chu Li smiled and nodded.
Meng Qinlin was full of smiles. Gu Litong had bought more than ten Moonlight Orchids and spent a lot of money, but none of them grew. Chu Li, on the other hand, grew it with just one. What luck!
Li Yue said, "Elder Meng, the Herb Garden said there's only one this year. There's a problem at Moonlight Island. Even if we wanted to buy another one, we wouldn't be able to!"
"Sigh, how can you take a businessman's words seriously? It's a rare commodity. I'm forcing you to buy it." Meng Qinlin laughed. "You really believe me?"
"Elder Meng," Chu Li smiled. "From today onwards, the Moonlight Orchid will no longer be exclusive to the Herb Garden."
Meng Qinlin looked at the half-grown Moonlight Orchid and rubbed his hands. "It's almost night. I want to admire the beauty of the Moonlight Orchid!"
He did not doubt Chu Li's words. Chu Li was a smart guy. He would not sacrifice his future for the sake of immediate benefits.
There was no room for falsehood in this matter. If the Moonlight Orchid was successfully cultivated, it would have to be planted in all the gardens in the Public House. They could buy one, two, or ten, but not hundreds of them. The Herb Garden did not have that many Moonlight Orchids!
He asked this to remind them that the West Garden would not be satisfied. They would find a way to deny it and not let Chu Li show his face.
Li Yue showed off his culinary skills and made eight dishes and two soups. The three of them ate until their stomachs were full.
Night fell and the moon rose. Chu Li and the others saw two crescent moons and two Moonlight Orchids. It was unbelievably beautiful.
"Sigh …" Meng Qinlin was mesmerized. He sighed. "It's so beautiful!"
Chu Li smiled. "I've seen it many times."
"What a killjoy!" Meng Qinlin glared at him. "I won't get tired of it even if I look at it for a hundred years!"
Chu Li shook his head and smiled. The moon was beautiful, but how many people admired it every night?
"Young Chu, are you ready?" Meng Qinlin looked at the Moonlight Orchid.
Chu Li smiled. "Ready for what?"
"You're going to be famous." Meng Qinlin patted his shoulder. "Even more famous than Gu Litong!"
Chu Li smiled.
"About entering the Herb Garden, you'll have to be patient. The West Garden will try to stop you, but they won't be able to stop you!"
"Yes, I'll leave it to you, Sir Meng."
"Sigh … Thanks to you, the East Garden can finally hold its head up high!"
Gu Litong alone had pressured the East Garden to the point of suffocation. A genius like Gu Litong was rare.
Gardeners were like doctors. They learned the same medical books, but their medical skills differed. The key was still talent.
Meng Qinlin shouted, "Bring me the wine!"
Li Yue ran over and brought two jars of wine. Meng Qinlin happily drank half of the jar and was soon drunk. He lay on the ground and slept until the next morning.
Not long after Meng Qinlin left, a small boat floated over. A young lady in an apricot gown was standing on the boat. She was exceptionally beautiful, with almond eyes, a sharp nose, and a small mouth.
She floated down to the shore and knocked on the jade bell.
Chu Li and Li Yue appeared. Li Yue shouted, "Chief Su, I'm sorry for not welcoming you earlier!"
Chu Li fist saluted. Hearing Li Yue's enthusiasm, he immediately knew who she was. She was Lady Xiao Qi's personal maid, Su Ru.
She had been by Lady Xiao Qi's side since young. They were like sisters, master and servant. She held a high position in the Public House. She was the Chief of the Jade Guardian Island. To a Scribe, she could decide their fate with a single word.
Su Ru pursed her lips and smiled. She waved her hand. "Alright, enough with the pleasantries. I heard from Elder Meng that you guys made the Moonlight Orchid?"
"Yes!" Li Yue nodded proudly. "Brother Chu made it!"
Su Ru's watery eyes fell on Chu Li's face.
Chu Li smiled and fist saluted. "Chu Li greets Chief Su."
Su Ru smiled. "The one who doesn't get along with Zhuo Feiyang?"
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