"Zhuo Feiyang came to the East Garden and immediately went back to isolated cultivation. When he came out, he passed the third floor. Is that your contribution?" Su Ru's eyes sparkled like stars as she stared at Chu Li.
Chu Li nodded.
"You challenged Zhuo Feiyang?" Su Ru laughed. "How brave of you. Zhuo Feiyang is quite powerful."
"I had no other choice. I was forced to fight like a cornered beast."
"Did he lose?" Su Ru was even more excited. "He kept saying that he wanted you to work under him. Now he's silent."
Li Yue was excited. "Chief, you don't know. Zhuo Feiyang lost cleanly. He lost without a word!"
"I thought you couldn't cultivate inner energy?"
"Yes."
"Then how did he defeat Zhuo Feiyang?"
"Chief, Chu Li's swordsmanship is amazing!"
"Hmm …" Su Ru nodded. "It seems like you have a talent for swordsmanship. What a pity!"
"Chief, what's a pity?" Li Yue asked.
"Without inner energy …" Su Ru shook her head. "It's fine against an acquired master, but it's useless against an innate master."
Chu Li nodded slowly. He had read many books and learned many things about martial arts. An acquired master's inner energy would only circulate within their body. An innate master's inner energy could be transferred through objects.
Su Ru said, "Chu Li, you should focus on being a Scribe. A Scribe has a better future than a Protector!"
Chu Li smiled.
Su Ru tilted her head and looked at him. "You don't believe me?"
"A Scribe is better." Chu Li nodded. "You have power."
"You're a smart man." Su Ru smiled. "A Scribe has to earn rewards. But for a truly talented person, that's not a problem."
Chu Li nodded.
Su Ru thought that he was smart. He understood everything with just a few words. He was mature to be able to understand this at his age. She smiled. "Take a look at the Moonlight Orchid. I've never seen it before!"
Li Yue smiled. "The East Garden doesn't buy the Moonlight Orchid. I heard that the West Garden has bought it many times!"
"We just need to take care of ourselves." Su Ru shook her head. Lady Xiao did not allow them to buy the Moonlight Orchid, but the beauty of the Moonlight Orchid was irresistible.
The three arrived at the Moonlight Orchid Garden.
Looking at the two Moonlight Orchids, Suru nodded in satisfaction. "No wonder so many people are obsessed with it. Chu Li, did he really succeed?"
Chu Li said, "It will mature in a month, and it will sprout in another month."
"The new ones are ready. Send one to the West Garden first," Su Ru said.
Li Yue was puzzled. "Why?"
Su Ru rolled her eyes at him. "Master Xiao Tieying is Lady Xiao's brother after all. If there's something good, of course, you can't forget about him!"
"… Yes." Li Yue reluctantly agreed.
"There won't be any delays, right?" Suru looked at Chu Li.
Chu Li shook his head. "I won't."
"Let's go and take a look elsewhere," Su Ru said. "The Lady will come over to take a look in a few days."
"Alright!" Li Yue exclaimed excitedly, "Chief, please!"
Suru walked around the East Garden, giving a few pointers at every spot she passed. Every spot had its flaws. Li Yue took a pen and jotted them down seriously. Suru walked around the East Garden, giving a few pointers at every spot.
Su Ru walked and stopped for half the morning. She returned to the Moonlight Orchid parterre.
"Alright, that's all." Su Ru smiled. "Don't let anything go wrong and ruin the Lady's mood!"
"Of course not!" Li Yue patted his chest and promised.
"It doesn't matter how nice you say it. The most important thing is to do it well!" Su Ru rolled her eyes at him. "Don't be so impatient. Let's go!"
She waved her hand and walked away. She was as graceful as a willow branch, and her gentle demeanor could make anyone's heart beat faster.
Chu Li sighed. He did not know which man such a beautiful woman would end up with. He had to work harder!
— —
For the next two days, Chu Li could only cultivate at night. He and Li Yue were so busy during the day that they did not even have time to take a sip of tea.
They corrected the places that Su Ru pointed out. They were afraid that if the Lady suddenly came, they would not be able to finish their work.
There was no news from Meng Qinlin. It was quiet, which surprised Chu Li.
Gu Litong was famous for being competitive and unscrupulous. He knew that Chu Li had successfully cultivated the Moonlight Orchid, so he would not give up. He would definitely stir up a storm.
Chu Li guessed that the Herb Garden was in the midst of a fierce battle. He did not know if he could enter the Herb Garden or not.
On the morning of the third day, Chu Li was cultivating in the Moonlight Orchid parterre. After two days of cultivation, the new Moonlight Orchid had grown a lot.
Suddenly, the sound of a jade chime rang. Li Yue ran out impatiently and returned with six men. Their eyes were sharp and their spirits were strong.
Chu Li raised his eyebrows and activated the Omniscient Mirror. He could see the six men's bodies clearly. Their meridians were emitting a white light that merged with the milky white inner energy.
This was the interior of an Innate Master!
Li Yue said excitedly, "Brother, these seniors are the Lady's Protectors. The Lady will be coming over later!"
Chu Li stood up and closed fist saluted.
The six middle-aged men returned the salute. They formed groups of two and walked around the island. In the end, the six of them stood guard at a key position.
Chu Li and Li Yue went to the shore and waited under the willow tree.
"Brother, you're unlucky. The Lady doesn't really like the Moonlight Orchid." Li Yue looked at the vast lake and sighed. "Or else, the Lady would definitely value you."
"The Lady doesn't like it?"
"Yes, the Lady said that the Moonlight Orchid is too luxurious. She said that it's best not to touch it!"
"I see …" Chu Li nodded. It seemed that the Lady did not like luxurious things. She was not tempted by them.
This kind of person had a strong will. Coupled with her talent and status, it was no wonder that the guards of the Imperial House respected her.
Chu Li was deep in thought. He was very weak now. If he wanted to climb up the ranks, he could only rely on the Lady. The Lady Xiao Qi was one of those thick legs. He needed to see her character first.
The two of them talked for a while. A small boat floated towards them in the blink of an eye.
Chu Li used the Omniscient Mirror to see the four people on the boat. There were two old men with white eyebrows, Su Ru in an apricot gown, and a woman in a snow-white robe.
Chu Li could not care less about the surging power of the two old men. His attention was attracted by the woman.
Her skin was jade white, and she was like a beauty carved from white jade. She emitted a warm luster, and her pair of phoenix-like eyes were glistening and overflowing with color as she looked around.
What was more unique was her cold temperament. It was as if she did not care about anything. She was aloof and looked down on all living things.
It was rare to see such elegance!
"Greetings, Lady!" Li Yue took two steps forward and bowed from afar. Chu Li did the same.
Xiao Qi waved her hand. "It's fine."
She glanced at Chu Li coldly and walked toward the island.
Li Yue and Chu Li were at the back. In front of them were the two old men. Their aura was as strong as the mountains and the sea. Chu Li could barely breathe. He wanted to turn around and run away.
The Lady Xiao Qi was also an Innate Master. What was even more strange was that the Primal Aperture between her eyebrows was glowing like the stars in the night sky.
The Primal Aperture was the Heavenly Chamber. It was where the void of the mind was located. Lighting it up meant that she had opened her third eye and could see through people's hearts!
Chu Li focused his attention. Fortunately, the Omniscient Mirror was better and could see through her heart. However, she would notice when he tried to look into her heart.
"Lady Xiao, let's go see the Moonlight Orchid first." Su Ru said.
"Okay." Xiao Qi nodded.
The group arrived at the Moonlight Orchid parterre and looked at the two Moonlight Orchids. Xiao Qi's cold gaze fell on Chu Li. "Did you really cultivate them yourself?"
"Yes." Chu Li fist saluted and nodded.
Xiao Qi asked, "How did you succeed?"
Chu Li pondered for a while and decided to take a gamble. This was a rare opportunity. Zhuo Feiyang had improved by leaps and bounds. He could not afford to do things step by step.
Xiao Qi's eyes flashed.
Chu Li turned his head and looked around.
Xiao Qi waved her hand. "You two can leave first. Su Ru, stay."
"Yes." The two old men looked at Chu Li and walked out of the parterre. They disappeared.
Xiao Qi quietly looked at Chu Li. She noticed that he was different. His heart was as calm as a lake. His thoughts were pure and focused. He was determined. He was definitely not an ordinary person.
She then thought about his background. He grew up in the temple and was successful in his cultivation of Buddhism. It seemed that he had some skills!
Xiao Qi said, "Tell me."
Chu Li calmly looked at Xiao Qi and met her cold gaze. "Lady Xiao, I can communicate with plants."
"Hmm?" Xiao Qi frowned. She was skeptical.
If someone else said that, she would have laughed it off. However, Chu Li's words could not be ignored. When one's cultivation of Buddhism reached a certain level, divine powers would appear.
Chu Li said, "Plants don't have self-awareness but they have emotions. They affect their growth and death."
"That's why you planted the Moonlight Orchid?"
"Yes."
"To what extent can you do it?"
Chu Li pondered for a while and slowly said, "To live or to die."
"Su Ru, go and get the Winter's Star." Xiao Qi turned her head and said.
Su Ru responded and turned to leave.
Xiao Qi said, "I heard from Elder Meng that you want to enter the Herb Garden?"
Chu Li nodded.
"Is it a waste of talent in the East Garden?"
Chu Li was impressed. He shook his head. "I also want to see my limit. I want to see if I can control those spirit herbs."
Xiao Qi nodded.
It was her first time meeting someone as calm as Chu Li. She felt that it was interesting.
Ever since she cultivated the ancient scripture left behind by her mother, she could see through people's hearts. The world suddenly lost its warmth and beauty. Everything became dull and tasteless.
Su Ru quickly brought a pot of dark blue flowers. The flowers looked like the stars in the night sky.
Most of them had turned yellow as if they had suffered a drought and were dying.
Su Ru put the flowers in front of Chu Li. "Elder Meng and the others have seen this Winter's Star. It's hopeless."
Chu Li touched it and his senses were connected. His breathing was sluggish. He used the Omniscient Mirror to observe. He dug the soil in the pot and found that half of the roots had rotted.
Chu Li removed the rotten roots and replaced it with soil. He watered it and looked up. "It will live tomorrow."
"Can it be saved?" Su Ru looked at him curiously.
Chu Li nodded.
Xiao Qi said, "If you can really do it, don't enter the Herb Garden!"
Chu Li looked at her in surprise.
"Don't tell anyone else about your ability!" Xiao Qi said.
Chu Li happily agreed. "Yes!"
"The next time the Moonlight Orchid sprouts, send one to the West Garden!"
"Yes."
Xiao Qi waved her hand. "Go do what you need to do."
Chu Li and Li Yue excused themselves.
Li Yue let out a long sigh. Chu Li could not help but laugh. "What are you nervous about?"
"Nonsense!" Li Yue said impatiently. "Aren't you nervous standing in front of Lady Xiao?"
Chu Li smiled and shook his head.
Li Yue cursed in his heart. Who could be compared to you? He scoffed. "Can you really cure that pot of flower?"
"No problem."
Li Yue smiled. "Lady Xiao said that you can't go to the Herb Garden. What should I do?"
"Then I won't go."
"Sigh … That's too bad!" Li Yue let out a sigh and smiled.
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