Plant VS Cultivation

Chapter 13: Breakthroughs All Around

Back in his small hut, Gu Mo was determined to devote all his energy to cultivation, aiming to reach the Qi Refining stage as soon as possible. Only by achieving this milestone could he proceed with his plans, such as joining the Spiritual Plant Hall or accumulating enough Solar Essence to purchase a new Sunflower.

Time flew by as he cultivated, and during this period, many fellow servant disciples successfully broke through to the Qi Refining stage. Those who managed to do so at this time were undoubtedly among the elite of this batch of servant disciples.

An Unexpected Summons

"Hm?"

One day, just as Gu Mo finished collecting his daily share of Solar Essence for cultivation, he received a paper pigeon message. The sender was Chu Feifei, asking him to visit her.

"Could she have broken through already?" Gu Mo calculated the time—it matched the schedule Chu Feifei had mentioned earlier. But if she had succeeded, why hadn't she called everyone to the private dining room to celebrate? Why summon him to her hut instead?

Though puzzled, Gu Mo still decided to go.

A Peculiar Situation

Knock, knock!

"Who is it?"

Chu Feifei's cautious voice came from inside. After confirming that Gu Mo was alone, she quickly opened the door, pulled him in, and immediately shut it tight.

Just as Gu Mo was about to speak, a thick, exotic fragrance overwhelmed him. His face contorted under the impact of the scent—it had a mix of aromas: one that sharpened the mind, another that stirred the blood, and yet another that induced drowsiness. These different fragrances and their unique effects all surged at him at once.

Unprepared for this, Gu Mo was momentarily stunned. It took several deep breaths before he finally regained his senses. When he looked at Chu Feifei, who now resembled a celestial maiden, and sensed the surging spiritual energy around her, he understood the situation.

Chu Feifei had indeed broken through to the Qi Refining stage. However, the process of marrow cleansing and transformation had further awakened her special physique—this time, even more intensely than before.

As a result, her body had been continuously releasing these scents for three days straight, making it impossible for her to leave her hut. She had tightly sealed the room with various materials to prevent the fragrance from leaking out.

But staying inside indefinitely wasn't a solution. Although she had entered the Qi Refining stage, she had yet to achieve the ability to forgo food entirely. The fasting pills provided by the sect had long been consumed, leaving her no choice but to seek help from the only person aware of her secret—Gu Mo.

Understanding her predicament, Gu Mo handed over his own fasting pills without hesitation. He had only ever taken one to taste it and had no real need for them. With Solar Essence available for cultivation, he could spend as much time as he wanted in the cafeteria eating regular food, which was far tastier than fasting pills. Only those who couldn't afford distractions in their training relied on them.

It was said that mid- and high-grade fasting pills tasted much better, but they were also more expensive. Naturally, the sect wouldn't provide those to mere servant disciples.

After expressing her gratitude, Chu Feifei continued to isolate herself in her hut for a full month. Only when the fragrance completely dissipated did she emerge. Thanks to her special physique granting her a fivefold cultivation speed during this time, she had advanced significantly within the first layer of Qi Refining.

Celebration and Encouragement

By the time Chu Feifei informed Gu Mo of her status, he himself was only one step away from breaking through. However, he chose not to rush the process. The cleansing effects of his perfected-grade Cleansing Technique were still active, and he intended to wait a bit longer to maximize the benefits of his breakthrough.

Meanwhile, news spread that Wu Jinfei had successfully advanced. The four of them gathered in the private dining room to celebrate both Wu Jinfei and Chu Feifei's breakthroughs.

Chu Feifei had kept her achievement private due to her unique condition, so when she officially announced it, Wu Jinfei—unaware of the details—felt relieved. He had broken through just a few hours earlier than her, which meant he was still the second person in their group to reach Qi Refining.

"Hu Hai, Gu Mo, you two need to step up! Don't make us wait too long," Wu Jinfei said confidently.

Gu Mo smiled and nodded. Since joining the Spiritual Plant Hall wasn't highly competitive, the timing of his breakthrough didn't matter much. Hu Hai, on the other hand, had his sights set on the Alchemy Peak, where the competition was fierce, making him the most anxious of the group.

The moment the celebration ended, Hu Hai hurried back to his training.

As Chu Feifei was leaving, she turned to Gu Mo and sincerely said, "Gu Mo, thank you!"

"This was a huge favor. If not for you, I can't imagine how disastrous things might have gotten."

"We're friends, aren't we? Who knows, I might need your help in the future." Gu Mo waved off her gratitude. If Chu Feifei could learn to control her scent, the effects of those fragrances could be incredibly useful.

For instance, the mind-clearing scent could aid in cultivating spiritual techniques, and the other fragrances also had untapped potential. Unfortunately, for now, she had no control over them.

"Of course!" Chu Feifei smiled, waved, and gracefully departed.

The Last One Standing

With that, only Gu Mo and Hu Hai remained in their small circle. Another month later, the two met again in the private dining room—but this time, it wasn't to celebrate Hu Hai's success.

Hu Hai had failed to break through.

While the sect provided sufficient resources to help disciples reach Qi Refining, those with inferior spiritual roots still faced a risk of failure.

"It's just one setback. There's still plenty of time—just try again," Gu Mo reassured him.

Failing to reach Qi Refining didn't have severe consequences; a few days of rest were enough to recover. In fact, those who experienced failure often had a higher success rate on their next attempt. The real problem lay in one's mindset—if Hu Hai lost his confidence, he might remain stuck indefinitely.

"I know…" Hu Hai nodded, but the disappointment was clear on his face. His failure had greatly reduced his chances of being accepted into Alchemy Peak.

Gu Mo smirked. "So, I—a guy who hasn't even attempted to break through yet—am the one comforting you, someone who at least got to try? Where's the fairness in that?"

Hearing this, Hu Hai's face reddened with embarrassment. "Uh… Gu Mo, don't lose heart! I'm sure you'll succeed too."

"Enough talk. Get back to training. Once you make it, share some tips with me so I can increase my chances," Gu Mo said with a wave of his hand.

"Alright!"

Half a month later, Hu Hai made his second attempt—and this time, he succeeded.

Meeting Gu Mo in the dining room once more, he was ecstatic. "Gu Mo, thank you!"

As promised, Hu Hai shared everything he had learned from his breakthrough, hoping it would help Gu Mo in his own attempt. "You've got this, Gu Mo!"

With that, Hu Hai wasted no time and set off for Alchemy Peak. Having already been delayed by half a month, he couldn't afford to linger any longer.

Now, out of their original group of five, only Gu Mo remained.

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