Chapter 74: Dragon Wander Sovereign Is Pleased, Who Can Control That? [2-in-1]
Ge Bai smiled and didn’t insist.
They three chatted idly for a couple more sentences, then Liu Hao and Wu Da Mi went back first.
“Don’t push yourself too hard, head back early.”
Before leaving, Liu Hao couldn’t help but remind her once more.
“Got it, you guys head back quick.” Ge Bai waved at them.
By now the sky had darkened, and while Ge Bai was chatting, Big Willow over there had already switched its practice skill from Willow Whip to Wind Blade.
Little Peach was still playing with Qian Dai over there. Ge Bai had sharp eyes and saw Qian Dai coaxing Little Peach by condensing several Spirit Recovery Peaches for her. She wasn’t short on Spiritual Power; she was just greedy for the taste.
Ge Bai had tasted Spirit Recovery Peaches before too. They were sweet, refreshing, and very nice.
If Qian Dai really craved peaches that much, maybe in a bit she could let her try a Spirit Stealing Peach too, to see if the two peaches tasted the same and also check the Spirit Stealing Peach’s effect.
Ge Bai pondered it and found it more and more feasible.
Besides tricking Little Peach with fruit, Qian Dai’s practice was going fairly smoothly. There was noticeable progress. Although the Pseudo Qian Dai Sword still couldn’t reach a frequency of two shots per second right now, if she kept practicing like this, it probably wouldn’t take two days to hit the set goal.
Ge Bai walked toward Qian Dai and them.
“Practicing well, huh, Qian Dai, Little Peach. I’m planning to take Big Willow to Plum Garden. The Spiritual Power is denser there, suitable for Big Willow to meditate. It’ll take about two hours.”
“What about you? Continue practicing here, or go back to Spiritual Consciousness Space to rest?”
Qian Dai stopped its movements. “Plum Garden? I want to go too.”
Ge Bai didn’t refuse and just reminded.
“Sure, but don’t practice skills in Plum Garden. It’ll disturb others.”
Little Peach let out a big yawn. “Bai Bai, I want to go back to sleep.”
Ge Bai patted Little Peach’s little head, sent her back to Spiritual Consciousness Space, then said to Qian Dai.
“Right, I haven’t asked you yet. Qian Dai, do you grow your Spiritual Power through meditation?”
Qian Dai looked puzzled. “Meditation? No, doesn’t Spiritual Power get stronger just by growing up slowly?”
Speechless.
Ge Bai felt like she had asked a particularly stupid question.
This Little Orchid over two years old had Spiritual Power Value at Mortal Spirit Realm level 8, and it stayed in the Spiritual Power-rich Secret Realm Space every day. No need to think; it was obvious it had muddled through. What was there to ask?
Ge Bai picked up Qian Dai and walked straight to Big Willow, waving her hand. “Big Willow, come on, let’s go to Plum Garden.”
Big Willow very nimbly shifted back to mini form, scurried over with its two little legs formed from bundled roots, and directly jumped onto Ge Bai’s shoulder.
Ge Bai suddenly noticed that Big Willow was getting more and more agile. She didn’t know if it was due to Spiritual Power growth or the Time Soil’s properties boosting it, but Big Willow’s jumping ability had improved a lot too.
Before, Big Willow had to jump to Ge Bai’s arm first, then use Willow Threads to grab her clothes and climb up to the shoulder, which always left Ge Bai’s clothes wrinkled during that time.
Now it could directly jump straight onto the shoulder from the ground.
Ge Bai thought about it, took out her Spiritual Power Badge, used her thumb and index finger to flick the badge into the air, mobilized Spiritual Power, and communicated with the badge.
The passage to Plum Garden appeared smoothly. This was Ge Bai’s first time communicating with Plum Garden on her own, and she let out a long breath of relief. It was simpler than imagined.
She strode into the passage and once again saw the majestic vast starry sky. The shock was no less than the previous time.
After just a couple steps, Ge Bai brought Big Willow and Qian Dai into Plum Garden.
The moment they stepped into Plum Garden, the previously slumbering Dragon Roaming Green Calyx Plum opened its eyes.
Dragon Roaming Sovereign wouldn’t admit it, but last time when Ge Bai and Professor Luo Wan left Plum Garden, she had left a wisp of her aura on Ge Bai.
Whether Ge Bai stepped into Plum Garden or came near her planet, she could know right away.
Yes, the planet where Dragon Roaming Green Calyx Plum’s true form was located wasn’t one of the five under Alliance control, though in recent years the Interstellar Corps had been consciously expanding troops toward that side.
After arriving in Plum Garden, Ge Bai didn’t rush to have Big Willow start meditating. Instead, she wandered around Plum Garden.
Last time she came, even with Professor Luo Wan leading, they went very smoothly straight to the trial point, but precisely because it was too smooth, she wasn’t too clear on the surrounding scenery and layout.
After searching around, Ge Bai realized she still couldn’t underestimate the wisdom of predecessors. Treehouses spaced fairly far apart were the best places for resting and training.
Just as she was craning her neck searching for an empty treehouse everywhere, a magnetic female voice came to her ear.
“Are you a new Y Division trainee member?”
Ge Bai whipped around. A tall woman in fitted combat attire stood on a tree trunk not far away, looking down at Ge Bai. Seeing her look over, she leaped down effortlessly from the 3-4 meter high trunk and landed steadily.
This athleticism was pretty good.
“Yes.” Ge Bai gave the woman a friendly smile.
“I’m Jiao Jun, hi.” The woman had a straightforward personality. “I saw you circling around here a few times. Looking for an empty treehouse?”
Ge Bai nodded.
“Let me tell you, treehouses that people frequently stay in usually have a sign outside. Easy to spot.”
Jiao Jun pointed to a small sign outside the treehouse she had just jumped from, then saw Big Willow on Ge Bai’s shoulder and continued.
“I see your contract Pet Beast is a Weeping Ancient Willow? Does it have any primitive growth-type skills? If so, have your Pet Beast build a new treehouse itself. It’ll be more comfortable.”
Primitive growth-type skills—Ge Bai had heard of them. They were an Advanced Skill that could probabilistically appear on some high-level tree-type Spirit Plants.
Spirit Plants with this type of skill could rapidly stimulate plant growth at the cost of their own Spiritual Power.
It had to be said, this skill was perfect for building treehouses.
Ge Bai shook her head. “I’m Ge Bai. These are my contract Pet Beasts, Big Willow and Qian Dai.”
“You’re Ge Bai?” Jiao Jun was clearly a bit surprised.
“I recently heard about you from Lu Nan. I’m also considered Professor Luo Wan’s student.”
Jiao Jun’s smile toward Ge Bai became even brighter.
“Senior Sister?”
Ge Bai was cheeky and suddenly recalled Lu Nan’s complaints. She blurted it out without thinking.
Unexpectedly, Jiao Jun burst out laughing. “Looks like that kid Lu Nan talked about me to you too. Probably nothing good.”
“Didn’t say much, just mentioned once.” Ge Bai pursed her lips, holding back a laugh. “I heard you cleared Plum Garden trial long ago.”
Jiao Jun didn’t beat around the bush and said directly.
“Yes, but there’s a few rare Hegemon Spirit Plants in Plum Garden Back Mountain. I fancy one, bugged him for a long time, but he just won’t contract with me.”
At this point, Jiao Jun was a bit annoyed. Suddenly she slapped her forehead.
“Right, I heard you contract wild Spirit Plants. Got any secrets to share?”
Ge Bai hadn’t expected the legendary Senior Sister to ask her for advice. She looked at her puzzled and didn’t speak.
Jiao Jun saw Ge Bai’s confusion. “Hey, don’t look at me being a few years older than you. My contract Spirit Plants have higher Spiritual Power Levels and better cultivation, but wild Spirit Plants still often reject me.”
Ge Bai tentatively asked, “How do you usually contract wild Spirit Plants?”
“Fight them first, beat them into submission then prepare the contract. If they won’t contract, fight again.”
Jiao Jun said it righteously.
Ge Bai was silent for a moment, then asked: “Have you successfully contracted any wild Spirit Plants that way?”
“Of course I have. My Flame Rose was contracted that way.”
Ge Bai deeply suspected that this Flame Rose had masochistic tendencies, or else its brain wasn’t great.
“Not me. I think wild Spirit Plants are willing to follow a Spirit Planter and leave the place they’ve grown for years because of trust, or maybe they have other reasons to want to leave.”
These words sounded profound, but they were truly Ge Bai’s real thoughts.
After hearing it, Jiao Jun raised an eyebrow. “Makes some sense. Didn’t expect you to be so heartfelt. I’ll try it next time.”
Ge Bai swallowed. Unable to hold back, she asked, “How many times have you beaten—no, defeated—that wild Spirit Plant in Plum Garden Back Mountain?”
Jiao Jun caught Ge Bai’s meaning and fell silent too. After a while, she said, as if comforting herself.
“No big deal. Next time I’ll beat him down again, then have a good chat with him.”
This Senior Sister was pretty interesting.
Ge Bai turned her head away. She was about to burst out laughing.
“This could go on for half a day. I won’t disturb you. I’m heading out. You do your thing.”
Before Jiao Jun walked to the teleport point, she didn’t forget to point out a treehouse to Ge Bai. “That treehouse I built before. No one stays there regularly now. If you don’t want to build your own temporarily, go there.”
Ge Bai hurriedly thanked her. Jiao Jun waved it off and walked off quickly.
Seeing her go far, Ge Bai climbed up to the treehouse too.
This treehouse space wasn’t small, about a dozen square meters. Inside was divided into two rooms. The outer room was a bit larger, with several Grass Cushions on the floor. The inner room was smaller, with a single bed padded with cushions.
Ge Bai sat cross-legged on a Grass Cushion in the outer room, placed Big Willow on the opposite Grass Cushion, pointed Qian Dai to another Grass Cushion, and Qian Dai Spatial Teleported over itself.
“Alright Big Willow, let’s start. I’ll meditate with you.”
“Qian Dai, pay attention to Big Willow’s Spiritual Power Circulation form inside its body. I’ll guide Big Willow twice then come teach you.”
According to Interstellar Alliance general education, the way Spirit Plants increase Spiritual Power is the same as for Spirit Planters.
Both run Meditation Method to mobilize internal Spiritual Power, letting the Spiritual Power in Spiritual Sense Sea travel a full cycle along the body’s meridians.
In this process, they absorb ambient wandering Spiritual Power to replenish themselves, and by mobilizing internal and external at the same time, further expand the body’s meridians and Spiritual Sense Sea, achieving Spiritual Power growth.
Big Willow was already very familiar with this set of Meditation Method, but meditating together with a Spirit Planter benefits both parties’ Spiritual Power growth.
Qian Dai watched Big Willow carefully from the side. Ge Bai and Big Willow’s Spiritual Powers intertwined. Due to Spiritual Power Circulation, Big Willow’s whole body emitted a faint glow.
After watching just a bit, Qian Dai showed surprise. Big Willow’s Spiritual Power growth was indeed fast—much faster than its own growth from sleeping in Secret Realm Space.
Seeing the effect, Qian Dai watched even more attentively.
What Ge Bai and they didn’t know was that Dragon Roaming Sovereign was silently watching them at this time too.
Watching Big Willow and Ge Bai run Meditation Method, Qian Dai was surprised, but Dragon Roaming Sovereign slightly furrowed her brows.
What was going on? Was Ge Bai this little girl still using such beginner Meditation Method to boost her Pet Beast’s Spiritual Power?
Immediately, she seemed to think of it. Right, Intermediate Meditation Art was one of the rewards for trial level 2, and Advanced Spirit Circulation Art was the reward for trial level 4.
By Dragon Roaming Sovereign’s own rules, secret arts and experience obtained from her couldn’t be shared with Spirit Planters who hadn’t passed the trial.
She set that rule out of good intentions. The Meditation Method popularized in Interstellar Alliance general education was average in effect but safe. Even if Spiritual Power Circulation went wrong or suddenly interrupted, there wouldn’t be bad consequences.
But the Intermediate Meditation Art and Advanced Spirit Circulation Art she provided not only had learning thresholds, but if a Spirit Planter’s talent was insufficient or they didn’t master it well, they could easily get injured during meditation.
But what puzzled her most was, why was Shen Nong just watching idly as Ge Bai used the most basic Meditation Method?
In the time Dragon Roaming Sovereign’s thoughts turned, Ge Bai had already guided Big Willow through a full cycle of Spiritual Power with the Meditation Method.
“Shen Nong, don’t you have a more efficient Meditation Method?”
Dragon Roaming Sovereign’s Spiritual Sense stirred slightly, connecting to Shen Nong System 2.7.
The System was silent for a bit, as if not wanting to respond.
“Shen Nong, don’t play dead. You know I’m close with Grotto-Heaven. She told me everything.”
“Sigh.”
When exchanging with Dragon Roaming or Grotto-Heaven, Shen Nong System always inexplicably showed some emotions it couldn’t hide—more anthropomorphic.
“I’ve already made it very clear to Grotto-Heaven. It’s best if we communicate and interact less. It’s good for everyone.”
“Cut the crap. Ge Bai will definitely come to my Secret Realm Space later. I’ve long sided with Interstellar Alliance. What’s there to avoid suspicion? You’re just annoyed by the trouble.”
Shen Nong System couldn’t outtalk Dragon Roaming and chose to skip the topic.
“I do have a more efficient Meditation Method, but the threshold requires the Spirit Planter’s Spiritual Power to control Hegemon Level Spirit Plants. She’s far from it.”
There was no need to hide this from Dragon Roaming. After all, their Advanced Meditation Methods came from similar sources.
“Then what have you been doing these years? Not improved it at all?”
Dragon Roaming’s words poked at the heart. Shen Nong 2.7 System exploded instantly upon hearing.
“You’ve been leisurely passing these years, with time and energy.”
“Me? I’m just a drifting, rootless System.”
“I’m barely surviving, with a pile of deadly troublesome things!”
“Where do I get the energy and computing power to improve something minor like Meditation Method?”
“You’ve just been growing leaves without growing brains all these years!”
“Don’t hang out so much with that thing Grotto-Heaven. She has no brain at all.”
When Shen Nong System first went off, Dragon Roaming was a bit sheepish and didn’t dare speak.
But seeing Shen Nong curse more and more harshly, escalating to attacks on its true form, this couldn’t be tolerated.
“Stop cursing! If you curse more, I’ll call Grotto-Heaven!”
Dragon Roaming Sovereign said discontentedly, “I just said one sentence. Look at you. No need for that.”
The System took a breath and didn’t want to deal with Dragon Roaming.
“Then I’ll teach Ge Bai Intermediate Meditation Art and Advanced Spirit Circulation Art.”
“Do as you like, as long as you have an excuse.” The System didn’t oppose Ge Bai getting Intermediate Meditation Art and Advanced Spirit Circulation Art from Dragon Roaming.
Even if she couldn’t get them now, she’d get them once the trial reached that stage.
Just a matter of earlier timing.
“What excuse do I need? I like Ge Bai, willing to give. Who cares.”
Dragon Roaming Sovereign said indifferently. The System fell silent again.
Can’t spoil the child like this.
Spoiling a child is like killing a child! Do these flowers, grasses, and trees even understand?!
