NABC Chapter 2: The potting soil wasn't made entirely using my recipe.
Chapter 2: The potting soil wasn't made entirely using my recipe.
Jiang Qiu believes in fate, but she believes even more in herself.
In his past life, he was an ordinary college graduate who studied hard for sixteen years but couldn't find a job that matched his skills. He ended up working in a factory and was killed when a truck ran a red light while he was delivering food.
Now that I'm in this world, born in the southwest, I've managed to live peacefully for fifteen years before becoming an orphan who lost both parents. Even though I'm still at the bottom of society, I can still finish high school with government pensions and continue to live a hard life in a brick house in a shantytown instead of being left to wander in the wild.
He was not the destined protagonist; he could only silently accumulate experience and seize any opportunity to change his fate. Just like today, eighteen years later, he finally got the optimized and upgraded panel that could assist in planting.
The moment Jiang Qiu saw the options, his gaze was drawn to the third option like a magnet. He saw through it all. "Interns from wealthy families never lack ways to increase growth rate and yield. Choosing option one or two might not narrow the gap by much, but the mutation rate is invaluable!"
The garden has cultivated mutated spiritual plants by spiritual plant masters. Even though the mother plant came from a greenhouse, it was later specially placed in a separate courtyard and cared for by experienced senior staff. Interns and visitors were not easily allowed to come into contact with it.
It should be noted that the only spiritual plant capable of blocking out the eternal night was originally just a mutated dandelion that could be seen everywhere by the roadside. When the wind blew, it sowed the seeds of fire in the darkness, becoming a miracle that people talked about.
For this reason, many high-level spiritual plant masters, after becoming famous in their region, also personally cultivate low-level spiritual plants to explore rare and valuable mutation paths.
Besides, a third-tier university is a rare option!
Jiang Qiu chose option three without hesitation. A white halo suddenly flowed through the potted plant, and a faint earthy fragrance spread. Upon closer inspection, the originally rough and fragmented raw materials, "Big Pot Stew," were now perfectly integrated, and the spirit stone powder on the surface emitted specks of fluorescence, indicating extreme purity.
His eyes shone with an even more intense light.
[Level 1 Nutrient Soil: The soil quality is optimized for rarity. Any Level 1 spirit seed gains a 5% mutation rate. If you choose to plant a Level 1 wood spirit seed, you will receive an additional bonus.]
......
As the night passed, the streetlights went out and the sky brightened. Jiang Qiu arrived at the Ninth Plantation early and silently wiped her worn-out potted plants.
Soon, other interns arrived one after another, carrying all sorts of bowls, pots, pans and ladles.
Gather at the entrance of the greenhouse.
All eyes were drawn to a two-meter-tall middle-aged man. He had a tall, straight back and a imposing figure. Even though he walked with his left shoulder higher than his right and his right leg limping, it only added to his menacing appearance.
It was Wu Shan, the in-service plant expert and training director of the Ninth Plantation, who was fully responsible for the planting training work in the park.
Since entering the park nine months ago, Jiang Qiu has never seen him teach her any real skills. He has only assigned her basic tasks, such as managing the level 1 spiritual plants grown on a large scale in the greenhouse. During this time, she has only seen him a handful of times.
However, he was, after all, a spirit plant master who had been to the front lines to reclaim wasteland, and he also practiced martial arts. His murderous aura remained, so everyone harbored resentment but kept quiet.
"You should have understood the message I sent yesterday. In three months, you will be assessed on your internship. Whether you can meet the standards will depend on the normal development of the Level 1 spirit seeds you cultivate."
With a snap, Wu Shan took out five Level 1 spirit seed bags of different colors from his pocket, threw them on the table, and said in a deep voice, "As for whether you have the qualifications to be trained as an apprentice spirit plant master, that depends on your ability."
"As you all know, the park has a rule that provides interns without background qualifications but who aspire to become spiritual plant masters with an opportunity to cross class boundaries, namely, an internship assessment."
"Today I will officially distribute the Level 1 Spirit Seeds and teach you the Breathing and Nurturing Method. You will have three months to complete the final evaluation of your nurturing results."
"The three individuals with the best output will receive special attention within the park and enjoy the resources of trainee spiritual plant masters."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Qiu clenched her fists, her eyes gleaming.
When I was in high school, my family had no money, power, or influence, and I was just an average student. I couldn't get into one of the few universities, so I signed a special program with the county government, gave up the college entrance exam, and got this internship opportunity at the plantation.
If you can gain the park's attention and become a trainee plant caretaker, you will no longer need to collect discarded rubber pots or piece together potting soil. You will also have a free electricity allowance and will not need to borrow streetlights for illumination.
Even students with exceptional performance can enjoy the cultivation resources stored within the garden, treasures that ordinary people can never even smell in their entire lives, and which largely determine whether they can achieve success in future pioneering endeavors.
Jiang Qiu secretly resolved to seize the opportunity, rank among the top three in the internship assessment, become a trainee spiritual plant master, and take the first step on the path of cultivation!
Unlike the interns who entered the previous plantations and had the best connections in the county, becoming apprentice plant masters upon arrival, I must work even harder to accumulate experience in this resource-poor plantation!
Seeing everyone's high spirits, Wu Shan shouted, "Stop whining! Now start checking the nutrient soil you prepared last night. Those that pass the quality test will be selected for Level 1 spirit seeds. Wang Baisheng, the class monitor of the internship class, come up first!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a robust young man strode out of the line, raised his head and raised his eyebrows, and slammed a bronze basin onto the table with a thud, stirring up dust. A chorus of frog-like exclamations filled the air, and everyone gasped in amazement.
The nutrient soil shimmered under the sun, emitting a faint fragrance, as if sandalwood shavings had been sprinkled on it, exuding an air of nobility.
Jiang Qiu raised an eyebrow and observed silently.
Wang Baisheng's father was a martial arts practitioner with close ties to the park and a solid family background, so it was natural that he could be provided with excellent resources. It wouldn't be surprising if a spirit seed had already been planted inside.
Wu Shan nodded in approval of Wang Baisheng's meticulous preparations. "A top-grade level 1 pot is not cheap. It can enhance most level 1 spirit seeds, shorten their growth cycle, and increase their yield. The nutrient soil has also been replenished to its maximum capacity. It's very thoughtful."
The other person selected a level 1 wood-attribute spirit seed and planted it. He looked at the next intern who was about to enter the arena, crossed his arms, and sneered, "What kind of junk did you bring?"
"Put a plastic bag in the bamboo basket, fill it with some roadside rotten soil, and you're ready to take the assessment. There's no need to take this Level 1 spirit seed; it's a waste of the garden's resources. Throw these things away and go into the greenhouse to tend to the potted plants. You didn't meet the standards for this year's internship assessment, so you'll have to spend another year learning."
"Next!"
The cold words pierced his heart, like a steel knife severing the intern's future. His face turned ashen, and carrying a cold basket of soil, he walked head down toward the trash can, tears streaming down his face. His whole body convulsed, like a stray dog.
Jiang Qiu saw all of this. He understood that the world was never fair. There were differences in talent and birth. He had nothing, so he could only accumulate experience and seize opportunities.
One by one, more than forty interns brought bowls and dishes to the table. Apart from a girl he rarely saw, Wu Shan didn't nod to anyone else, but instead frequently cursed.
Soon, Jiang Qiu stepped forward, and with a thud, the old rubber basin landed on the table. Wu Shan glanced down at it, then spread his large hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight. In the shadow, the nutrient soil glowed with tiny fluorescent lights, creating a unique scene.
Many interns were drawn to it.
They whispered among themselves, discussing the matter animatedly.
Wu Shan nodded expressionlessly. "The nutrient soil wasn't made entirely with my formula; it's a bit spoiled. But it looks decent enough. Select a Spirit Seed, next."
"Thank you, Director." Jiang Qiu took out a seed from the Level 1 spirit seed bag labeled "Wood Genus," held it tightly, and stepped back with the pot in her arms.
In less than ten minutes, all the interns had given their presentations, and half of the hundreds of interns were eliminated, leaving 51 who chose the Spirit Seed.
Wu Shan didn't care that the space was becoming increasingly empty. He told Wang Baisheng to put down the pots and took out a spirit seed. "Cultivating a level 1 spirit seed is the only way to become a spirit plant master. During the growth of spirit plants, they will generate the five elements of spiritual energy. By breathing in and absorbing this spiritual energy, they will promote their metabolism, and you will also benefit from it. This is the cultivation method of a spirit plant master."
As he spoke, a level 1 spirit seed was flicked from Wu Shan's fingertip into the bronze basin, splashing up some dirt. He made a fist with his large hand, his sleeves moved without wind, and his hair stood on end. "Watch carefully, see how to breathe and absorb it."
As soon as he finished speaking, a buzzing sound rang out, and the soil in the center of the bronze basin arched up, with a bean sprout-like seedling emerging from the soil.
In the blink of an eye.
With a whoosh, the branches and leaves sprouted, the foliage branched out, and the green leaves grew, accompanied by a stream of clear green energy that flowed out and turned into streams that flowed into Wu Shan's palm. His aura revealed a vibrant vitality.
At this moment, everyone's eyes widened to the size of goose eggs.
"For easier observation, I used my wood-attribute spiritual energy to stimulate the growth of the spiritual seed, allowing it to develop in a very short time. This is the most basic application of the wood-attribute spiritual energy characteristic of [Growth]."
The green shoots in the pot grew to a meter tall, resembling maple seedlings, turning from emerald green to yellowish-green, before gradually ceasing to grow.
Wu Shan slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air and withdrew his large hand. "This spiritual plant is the most common level 1 wood-type spiritual plant, the Wood Edge Flower. That green aura is its spiritual energy. Its yield ranks first among the five types of spiritual plants I just posted, and its color is quite distinctive."
"When you plant a Level 1 Spirit Seed with your own hands, it will establish a connection with you. During the cultivation process, it will grow as before, periodically releasing its own spiritual energy. If you can sense it, you can absorb it. If you cannot sense it or it is intermittent, you will have no chance to embark on the path of a Spirit Plant Master."
"Now, I have taught you the basic principles of cultivating spiritual plants. Next, you will plant and experience them on your own. In a week, I will teach you the most basic uses of spiritual energy!"
His shout stirred everyone's enthusiasm, and they couldn't wait to dig a hole in their respective pots, bury the spirit seed inside, their eyes burning with fervor.
At this moment, Jiang Qiu inadvertently noticed that several middle-aged men dressed in black Zhongshan suits had appeared not far away. They paused for a moment, put their hands behind their backs, and left silently, without making a sound.
Clutching the seed in his palm, Jiang Qiu's eyes were resolute. He was not in a hurry to plant it. This spiritual seed was hard-won and should be cherished. The optimized functions of the panel should not be easily exposed to others. The key is to accumulate strength and unleash it later!