Chronicles of the Green Vine: A Mortal’s Path to Immortality

"Spirit Gathering Grass"

On the table, inside a rosewood box, lay a vibrant green little grass.

This grass was peculiar in its growth, with purplish-brown roots and several emerald green leaves. Strangely, the tiny veins on the leaves emitted a faint white glow, like fireflies.

"This is the sacred medicine of the Medicine Gang, the Spirit Gathering Grass. This herb is different from ordinary medicinal materials, so I have come to present it to the Immortal Master," Li Changfeng said with a smile.

"Oh, you're not going to use this precious herb for your own breakthrough and instead give it to me? You don't regret it?"

Casting a glance at the ingratiating Li Changfeng, Zhang Ling thought of the Illustrated Compendium of Spiritual Herbs.

"Spirit Gathering Grass, a Rank Two spiritual herb, has mild medicinal properties. After ten years of growth, it can be used in medicine to refine Qi Gathering Powder, Light Spirit Pills, and other elixirs."

The Illustrated Compendium of Spiritual Herbs recorded many illustrations of Rank One and Two spiritual plants.

Cultivators referred to plants containing spiritual power as spiritual plants, dividing them into ranks. Rank One spiritual herbs are mostly common spiritual plants.

In the eyes of cultivators, the Spirit Gathering Grass is an ordinary Rank Two spiritual herb, but in the Medicine Gang, it is a sacred medicine.

"Immortal Master, you have saved my life. Now that I have found this sacred medicine, I naturally dare not keep it for myself," Li Changfeng replied extremely respectfully.

Zhang Ling smiled noncommittally, not saying much.

Since reorganizing the Medicine Gang, Li Changfeng could be said to have taken control of the entire gang. Although the Medicine Gang still had a top-tier expert, that person seemed uninterested in participating in the gang's affairs.

After taking control of the Medicine Gang, Li Changfeng began searching for Spirit Gathering Grass, as it was a sacred medicine that could help him break through to become a congenital martial artist.

As a result, he actually found several Spirit Gathering Grass plants in a hidden medicine field.

He and the other elder divided up the several Spirit Gathering Grass plants, with him getting three.

However, after careful appraisal, these Spirit Gathering Grass plants were only twenty to thirty years old, and none of them were over fifty years old.

The sacred medicine he had been longing for to break through to become a congenital martial artist required Spirit Gathering Grass with at least fifty years of growth as the main ingredient for refining.

Li Changfeng was already in his sixties, and he feared he had no hope in this lifetime.

Zhang Ling used his Spirit Eye Technique to observe the Spirit Gathering Grass, and it had faint spiritual power fluctuations, indicating it was indeed a spiritual herb.

Although he couldn't use it now, he had already embarked on the path of cultivation, so being able to collect it was a happy thing.

Zhang Ling turned to look at Li Changfeng and frowned. This person must have a request for bringing the spiritual herb.

"Just say what you want."

"Haha, I can't hide it from the Immortal Master after all." Li Changfeng was overjoyed and suddenly knelt on the ground. "I implore the Immortal Master to bestow upon me immortal techniques."

"You also want to become a cultivator?"

Zhang Ling was stunned. He didn't expect this person to say this. He had thought he wanted him to join the Medicine Gang.

"Ever since I saw that there were Immortal Masters in this world, I have yearned for it and have been searching for cultivators," Li Changfeng said excitedly while kneeling on the ground.

"Do you know that ordinary people cannot cultivate? You now control the Medicine Gang and have power and influence in the mortal world. Why not enjoy a carefree and happy life?"

"Mortals gain power and influence and can enjoy the prosperity of the mortal world. But in the end, they cannot escape birth, old age, sickness, and death, and cannot see the vastness of the world. I am fortunate to have seen the methods of the Immortal Masters and am determined to seek immortality."

"I understand that if mortals want to cultivate immortality, they must have spiritual root aptitude. I don't know if I have the aptitude, but now that the Immortal Master is standing in front of me, I am unwilling to miss this opportunity. Please have mercy on my sincere heart."

Zhang Ling stared at Li Changfeng for a while, then said in a deep voice, "The Dharma cannot be easily transmitted. This time, I came down the mountain to experience the various aspects of the mortal world, and meeting you can be considered fate."

"The sect's cultivation techniques cannot be spread, but I have a fragmented cultivation technique that I obtained by chance. Although it is incomplete, I can bestow it upon you if you sincerely want it. As for whether you can cultivate, it depends on your destiny."

"Thank you, Immortal Master, for bestowing upon me immortal techniques."

Li Changfeng was overjoyed when he heard Zhang Ling say this and prostrated himself on the ground.

"From now on, the Medicine Gang will follow the Immortal Master's lead."

An hour later, Li Changfeng left the bamboo house. Zhang Ling sat in the chair for a long time without speaking.

This person has been seeking immortality for half his life, and even in his old age, he still has such thoughts. He couldn't help but admire this person.

Now that he thought about it, this person got him an inner disciple identity in the Medicine Gang, allowed him to freely enter and exit the library, and even sent him the Spirit Gathering Grass today.

He gave him benefits step by step, and then today he dared to ask him for immortal cultivation techniques, which showed this person's temperament.

He wondered if he had been planning this since he suspected that he was a cultivator.

Zhang Ling couldn't help but smile wryly, thinking that these old guys who had been through the mill in the martial world were almost becoming human精 [jīng - spirits, essences, very clever people].

The reason he finally agreed to give this person the immortal cultivation technique, besides admiring him somewhat, was also because he had indeed recognized that there were cultivators in this world because of Li Changfeng, and thus obtained the Thick Earth Art, officially embarking on the path of cultivation.

The cultivation technique he gave this person was also the only immortal cultivation technique he had in his hand, but Zhang Ling also played a little trick.

He only gave the first three levels of the cultivation technique's incantations, which could be considered his selfishness.

In the following time, Li Changfeng became even more respectful to him, and Zhang Ling made some requests without any politeness.

He asked this person for some rare medicinal materials, as well as a large number of medicinal material seeds and seedlings. This person found them all for him without exception.

Because of this, it also caused dissatisfaction among the higher-ups of the Medicine Gang, but with Li Changfeng suppressing it, Zhang Ling had no trouble at all.

He cultivated the Thick Earth Art, researched herbs, and practiced spells every day in an orderly manner, living a fulfilling life.

In the blink of an eye, another two months passed, and he had stayed in the Medicine Gang for half a year.

One night, Zhang Ling quietly left the Medicine Gang.

...

In an unknown valley.

Zhang Ling looked at an earthen wall as tall as a person in front of him, panting, with a smile on his face.

"Earthen Rock Wall"

This Rank One earth attribute spell was finally cast. Touching the earthen wall, it was a wall a foot thick, completely condensed from earth and stone.

Zhang Ling gently tapped the earthen wall, and a wisp of yellow spiritual power dissipated. Immediately, the earthen wall turned into clods of earth and fell to the ground.

As soon as the spiritual power within was withdrawn, the earthen wall collapsed. A real earthen rock wall has a hard texture, and after it is cast, the earth and stone will condense into a whole. Even if the spiritual power is withdrawn, there will be no change at all.

That can be considered a true earthen rock wall spell.

However, being able to condense the shape of an earthen wall was also a small achievement, and Zhang Ling was still very happy.

As long as he practiced more afterward, he believed that he would be able to cast the complete version of the earthen rock wall before long.

After practicing the spell, Zhang Ling came to a small stream.

This was an unnamed valley. Since leaving the Medicine Gang, he had settled here.

There were no people for hundreds of miles around this place, and there were many large and small mountains and forests, with many poisonous insects and beasts, but now, with his strength, he naturally didn't need to be afraid of these ordinary beasts.