Chapter 213: No Need to Test Anyone Else

Chapter 213: Chapter 213: No Need to Test Anyone Else

"Let your grandpa try first," Zhang Wei Qiang said, having long noticed Zhang Dazhuang’s eagerness.

"Give it to me, I’ll try too." As expected, Zhang Dazhuang couldn’t wait.

"Cao Cao, can you tell if Grandpa and Uncle have Spirit Roots?" Gu Nuan Nuan asked Cao Cao in her mind as she handed the Spirit Testing Stone to her grandfather.

"I can’t. Only when they have a Wood Spirit Root can I also sense their other Spirit Roots. I can’t sense a Wood Spirit Root in any of Master’s other family members." Before Cao Cao’s voice had faded, Zhang Dazhuang’s disappointed voice rang out. "Why isn’t it working? There’s no reaction at all. It’s not broken, is it?"

Gu Nuan Nuan looked over and saw her grandfather, unwilling to give up, clutching the Spirit Testing Stone. He held it tightly with both hands, then let go; he turned it upside down, then flipped it over; he held it with one hand... He tried every possible position, refusing to believe that he didn’t have a Spirit Root. She couldn’t help but chuckle, and had to tell him a truth that might sting. "Grandpa, even in the Cultivation World where Spiritual Energy is abundant, not everyone has a Spirit Root. The percentage is actually very small."

"...Then you try." After staring blankly for a moment, Zhang Dazhuang finally gave up and shoved the Spirit Testing Stone into Zhang Wei Qiang’s hands. When he saw that there was still no reaction, he stubbornly decided the stone must be broken. He insisted Gu Nuan Nuan hold it again, and only after the green glow reappeared did he finally accept the truth with a sigh. "No wonder you can understand those Jade Scrolls while your uncle and I can’t. I guess it’s also because of your Wood Spirit Root that you feel so close to all the flowers and plants."

Zhang Dazhuang’s disappointment didn’t last long. He soon became excited again. "Nuannuan, since you have a good Spirit Root and you’re still young, you have to keep searching. Who knows? Maybe among all those Jade Scrolls, there’s a Cultivation Technique suitable for you." The excitement in his voice was palpable. "If there really is a technique, you should try it! Then, maybe you’ll be able to use those Magic Treasures and things, right? You can show us something amazing then."

"Okay, Grandpa, I’ll look carefully. But I feel like since our Blue Water Star has no Spiritual Energy, having a Spirit Root and a Cultivation Technique is useless anyway," Gu Nuan Nuan said, deliberately wrinkling her nose.

"Nonsense," Zhang Dazhuang gently chided, a look of disapproval on his face. "Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Nothing in this world is ever set in stone, is it?"

"Alright," Gu Nuan Nuan finally nodded. "When we get back, we should have the others try it too. We can’t forget my two cousins."

"Let’s not. There’s no need to test anyone else," Zhang Dazhuang said, shaking his head. His initial excitement had cooled, and his calm had returned. "There’s too little in this bag. Since you’re the one who can cultivate, it’s doubtful there’s even enough for you alone. How could it possibly be enough if we divide it further? This is a fateful opportunity. You were the one who stumbled upon that place, and of the three of us, you’re the only one with a Spirit Root. It’s clear that Heaven intends for this opportunity to be yours alone. We should be content just to bask in your good fortune. Asking for too much more wouldn’t be right. Also, let’s not go announcing that you have a Spirit Root when we get back. If you find a suitable Cultivation Technique, just cultivate in secret. Keep it hidden for as long as you can."

"Nuannuan, I feel the same way," Zhang Wei Qiang said, taking out the Flying Sword and handing it directly to her. "It’s hard to say if what we have now is even enough for you... You should keep this Flying Sword. It’s useless for your uncle to hold onto it, but in your hands, it might actually prove useful someday."

"Uncle, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. You should keep it for now," Gu Nuan Nuan said, quickly pushing it back. "When I can actually use it, I’ll come find you. I won’t be shy." ’She had several other Flying Swords in her storage ring, and every single one was of better quality than this.’

"Alright, then. You can take it when you’re able to use it." Zhang Wei Qiang thought for a moment and took the Flying Sword back. Then he started shooing Gu Nuan Nuan away. "You go off to the side and look for a Cultivation Technique. Your grandpa and I will handle things here." He then turned to Zhang Dazhuang with a suggestion. "Dad, since this is an underground river that only has fish from April to September, we should try to catch all of them every day. Even though we have this container for the fish, it looks like it can only hold a day or two’s worth. I think we’ll have to dig a holding pond and put the majority of the fish in the storage bags."

"Makes sense," Zhang Dazhuang immediately nodded in agreement. "I’ll find some time to make a couple of fishing nets. We’ll use this pond to raise fish, and when we get back, we can dig two more fish ponds. One of them will be openly dedicated to raising this kind of fish. That should do it."

"Uncle, you can use the Flying Sword to dig the pond! It’ll be fast and efficient. And I think it’s better to dig two ponds," Gu Nuan Nuan, who had been listening from the side, couldn’t help but interject, gesturing as she spoke. "Look, you can dig a big pond over here first, and then connect it to the main fish pool. When water from the underground river flows in, it’ll bring the fish with it. You won’t need to use nets at all. Then, dig another pond right next to it. You can scoop the fish and water into that second pond, and then use this gourd to drain the water and pour it back into the underground river."

As Gu Nuan Nuan spoke, two more gourds appeared in her hand. "This one has a small mouth. It can only take in water, not fish."

"That is a much better idea." Zhang Wei Qiang and Zhang Dazhuang exchanged a look and took the gourd. "But," they asked worriedly in unison, "won’t digging a pond with the Flying Sword damage it?"

"Grandpa, Uncle, does a knife break from cutting too much tofu?" Gu Nuan Nuan asked rhetorically. Before her uncle could answer, she continued, "Don’t worry. The Flying Sword is a real Magic Treasure. Forget two ponds; you could dig hundreds without a problem. Rock is nothing to it. Even things much harder than rock are a piece of cake. The only thing that could damage it is a High Level Magic Treasure."

"Well, that’s just great! Qiangzi, let’s use it," Zhang Dazhuang chuckled. "No reason to let a perfectly handy tool sit idle." Zhang Wei Qiang nodded in eager agreement.

No sooner said than done. The two men quickly chose a spot and threw themselves into digging the fish pond. Gu Nuan Nuan rummaged through a storage bag and took out a miniature shovel for Zhang Dazhuang. Now that both of them had suitable tools, they began to dig, placing the excavated rocks into a storage bag. Whenever the bag was full, they would stop, go outside to find a place to empty it, and then come back to continue.

Digging the fish pond went so smoothly that Zhang Dazhuang and Zhang Wei Qiang treated the labor like a game. They felt like they couldn’t possibly stop. They were reluctant to waste time cooking and eating. If it hadn’t been for their fear of Gu Nuan Nuan going hungry, the two of them probably would have just grabbed a quick bite instead of wasting precious time on a proper meal.