Chapter 72: A Chance to Turn Things Around

Chapter 72: Chapter 72: A Chance to Turn Things Around

Filled with doubt, Li Changsheng went downstairs and stepped into the courtyard. He cupped his hands and asked, "Senior Brother, what can I do for you?"

Wu Sheng looked him up and down before cupping his hands in return. "Junior Brother, my name is Wu Sheng. Under Steward Ma’s orders, I am here to gather all the outer sect disciples of the Zone D Spirit Fields. Everyone is to assemble at the main crossroad by the fields.

"Make sure you don’t dawdle. Head over there immediately."

With that, he turned and left.

There were over a hundred outer sect disciples in Zone D. Once he finished notifying them, he still had to help maintain order.

"Steward Ma?"

Li Changsheng’s confusion deepened. He quickly stepped forward and asked, "Do you know why we are being summoned, Senior Brother?"

Wu Sheng waved his hand dismissively. "Just go, Junior Brother." He paused for a moment before adding, "For all of you, it’s an incredibly good thing!"

Watching Wu Sheng sprint away, Li Changsheng furrowed his brow.

"An incredibly good thing?"

He muttered to himself, "Is it really a good thing? I hope it’s not a massive trap..."

At this thought, he could no longer sit still. He herded Big Flower into the beast pen and vaulted onto Xiaohua’s back.

"Let’s go, Xiaohua."

OINK, OINK.

Xiaohua grunted a couple of times and sauntered out the courtyard gate.

From all around the courtyard, individual Red-winged Blood Bamboos took flight, swarming above Li Changsheng’s head. Led respectively by Big Bro and Little Bro, they split into two squads and hovered restlessly around him.

Before long, Li Changsheng arrived at Dong Xing’s courtyard. Looking at the tightly shut gate, he called out loudly, "Are you home, Senior Brother?"

He waited for a few breaths, but there was no response from inside.

"Not home?"

Li Changsheng patted Xiaohua’s back, urging him to continue down the narrow path.

When they reached the next courtyard, Li Changsheng looked down from his elevated vantage point. Seeing the scene inside, a faint smile graced his lips.

Inside the courtyard’s pavilion, two little girls in traditional ruqun dresses were slumped over the stone table, fast asleep. Their clothes, faces, and hands were covered in ink stains.

"Looks like someone’s going to get a spanking again..."

Li Changsheng chuckled to himself and urged Xiaohua onward.

As he rode along the path and drew closer to the main road leading to the Spirit Field Hall, a dense, dark crowd of people came into view just ahead.

Not wanting to attract too much attention, Li Changsheng stored Xiaohua in his Spirit Beast Bag. Out of the entire swarm of insects, he only kept Big Bro and Little Bro by his side.

As he continued to approach, the noisy din of the crowd filled his ears. People were gathered in twos and threes, chatting away about everything under the sun.

Li Changsheng walked to a slightly elevated slope at the edge of the crowd and surveyed the area.

Several outer sect disciples in Spirit Field Hall uniforms were patrolling the crowd to maintain order, including Wu Sheng, who had notified him earlier.

He also spotted Dong Xing, who was currently laughing and chatting merrily with several men around his age.

The mother of the two little girls was there as well, standing at the edge of the crowd just like him.

He even saw the senior brother who had sold him the Blood Essence Grass, along with various neighbors from around the Spirit Fields...

Amidst this bustling atmosphere, an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

By now, over a hundred people had gathered. The noisy chatter had blended into a collective, buzzing hum that sounded like a swarm of flies.

Suddenly, a bright streak of cyan light shot across the horizon, landing directly onto a crude, elevated platform erected by the Spirit Field Hall disciples. As the cyan light dissipated, Steward Ma’s figure was revealed to the crowd.

His gaze swept over them—so heavy it felt almost tangible—and the crowd’s chatter immediately died down.

Steward Ma nodded in satisfaction. Looking down at the assembly, he spoke in a deep voice, "I have summoned you all today because of an opportunity—one that will greatly benefit you."

"An opportunity?"

"What kind of opportunity?"

Confused, the crowd immediately erupted into a buzzing murmur.

Steward Ma pressed both hands downward in a quieting gesture. Once the crowd settled down, he continued, "I am sure some of you already know that the Spirit Field Hall has a new Lord Steward.

"And this opportunity is a gift to you from our newly appointed Steward Lan.

"A Spirit Plant Master legacy!"

The moment those words fell, the crowd was completely silent for a split second. Then, exchanging glances, they erupted into fervent discussion.

"A Spirit Plant Master legacy? Does anyone know what that is?"

"Judging by the name, it should be related to cultivating the Spirit Fields, right?"

"Could becoming this so-called Spirit Plant Master be the opportunity he mentioned?"

The crowd discussed the matter excitedly, and the noise showed every sign of intensifying.

Seeing this, Steward Ma frowned. An oppressive aura erupted from his body as he shouted, "Quiet!"

Under the weight of that aura, Li Changsheng felt as though a thousand-pound boulder had been dropped onto his shoulders. Even his breathing grew ragged.

He couldn’t help but feel terrified. "Is this the Vein Condensation Realm? What a terrifying presence..."

Within just a few breaths, the crowd fell completely dead silent.

Steward Ma reigned in his aura. Without wasting any more time, he carefully explained all the information he had researched and compiled regarding Spirit Plant Masters.

Another hour passed as he spoke.

Glancing over the crowd—who were still digesting the information—Steward Ma shifted his thoughts. A pile of lustrous white jade slips and a bundle of incense sticks materialized in front of him.

"Wu Sheng, take some men and distribute these to everyone."

Wu Sheng respectfully complied. Leading a few other Spirit Field Hall disciples, they carried the jade slips and incense sticks, weaving through the crowd to hand them out one by one.

Once everyone had received their items, Steward Ma looked around the crowd and spoke in a solemn tone, "Remember, only light the incense and begin your cultivation after you have thoroughly studied and comprehended the contents of the slip!

"You must be cautious. Proceed step by step...

"If you cultivate rashly and end up dead, do not blame me."

Pausing for a moment, Steward Ma surveyed the crowd again and asked, "Is there anyone here who does not wish to practice this Spirit Plant Master legacy?"

Hearing this, the crowd instinctively tucked away the incense sticks and jade slips in their hands.

To them, this legacy was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to turn their lives around. Only a fool would refuse.

Steward Ma gave them all a profound look and issued a warning. "Remember, the incense stick is for your personal use only.

"If I find out that anyone has stolen or traded their incense stick..."

He left the sentence hanging, but the implication was self-evident.

"In a year, I will inspect your cultivation progress. Those who have cultivated smoothly will receive a second incense stick from me.

"Alright, you are all dismissed."

With that, Steward Ma brought out a Jade Ruyi. Amidst a burst of cyan light, he soared into the sky, disappearing over the horizon in the blink of an eye.

BOOM...

After he left, the crowd immediately broke into an uproar. The chaotic noise was several times louder than before.

Everyone’s faces were flushed with inexplicable excitement as they shouted loudly. It was as if they could already envision themselves becoming Spirit Plant Masters, experiencing an earth-shattering rise in their status and position.

As for the backlash Steward Ma mentioned—the consequences of failing to cultivate the Spirit Plant Master legacy—they tossed all of that to the back of their minds.

Could that even be called a backlash? It was merely mental lethargy and facial paralysis. It was nothing to worry about.

Besides, they all subconsciously believed that they wouldn’t be the ones to fail.

So, when a few individuals finally came to their senses and questioned the dangers of this practice, they were drowned out by the spit and scorn of the masses before they could even get two words in.

Standing at the edge of the crowd, Yun Wan gripped her lustrous white jade slip, her expression shifting constantly.

Dong Xing was grinning from ear to ear, his wrinkled face scrunching up like a blooming chrysanthemum as he boasted loudly with the others.

The neighbors from around the Spirit Fields also wore expressions of uncontrollable excitement as they eagerly joined the discussion...

Li Changsheng swept his gaze over the crowd, gave a soft chuckle, and turned to walk home.

Well, it was a chance to turn their lives around, after all. Their excitement was fully justified.