In the realm of spiritual botany, anomalies were rare but miraculous.

Whether favored by the fortunes of heaven and earth, or twisted by unique environments, the fundamental essence of a plant could sometimes undergo a metamorphosis. This process birthed potential far surpassing its kin.

Such mutations were known as “Variants.”

Variant spirit herbs often contained inconceivable power, sometimes even bearing traces of the ancient Dao principles governing the world.

The Yin Spirit Vine before Chen Ping was clearly one such anomaly.

It had leached an unknown essence of the Five Elements from the depths of this abandoned mine, or perhaps it had been influenced by a forgotten, ancient legacy. Its root core had fundamentally transformed, sprouting tendrils that contained the true intent of the Five Elements’ cyclical flow.

This was no longer the poisonous “Pseudo Spirit Root Vine.” It was a brand-new spiritual entity possessing boundless potential.

Chen Ping named it in his heart—the Five Elements Yin Spirit Vine.

According to ancient texts, if such a variant spirit herb could avoid the greed of humans and beasts, growing peacefully between heaven and earth, it might achieve greatness.

After absorbing the essence of the sun, the moon, and the Qi of the world for thousands of years, it could birth sentience. It might transform into the legendary “Longevity Medicine,” bestowing vast lifespans upon those who consumed it.

If its fortune was defiant enough, after even longer eons, it might metamorphose into “Immortality Medicine,” taking human form to step onto the true Immortal Path and transcend the cycle of reincarnation.

Unfortunately, this specific Five Elements Yin Spirit Vine had terrible luck.

It was born in the barren, chaotic filth of the Black Stone Mine. Worse, it had been discovered by Scarred Bear, a dying laborer.

Scarred Bear, blind to its true divinity, had consumed its most essential part—the main root tendril that contained the majority of its Five Elements foundational power.

That main root was the core capable of bestowing a “Spirit Root” upon a mortal body.

Scarred Bear had used it to step onto the path of cultivation, but in doing so, he had completely severed the spirit vine’s vital foundation.

Now, the remaining vines and the cluster of five-colored root tendrils were merely the dregs of its vitality, barely hanging on after its essence had been plundered.

The dark purple aura of death emanating from the vines was not a disguise. It was the true sign of a withering life force.

Chen Ping could clearly sense that the interior of the vine was nearly decayed. It was kept alive only by the last trace of pure spiritual essence emitted by the faint cluster of five-colored root tendrils.

It was like an oil lamp running dry. The oil was exhausted, and the wick was turning to ash.

Unless a mighty expert intervened—using supreme magical power or heaven-defying spiritual treasures to reshape its foundation—this Five Elements Yin Spirit Vine had, at most, a year left.

After a year, the radiance of the five-colored root cluster would extinguish. The entire spirit vine would crumble into an inconspicuous handful of dust on the cliff wall.

Its path to immortality, having never truly begun, would be declared over.

Chen Ping looked at the spirit vine, which appeared utterly withered in the gentle breeze. A strange feeling welled up in his heart.

In the unseen workings of fate, it seemed there truly was a guiding will.

He desperately needed to find hope for his parents to step onto the Immortal Path. And now, this dying Five Elements Yin Spirit Vine had appeared right before him.

Even more coincidentally, he possessed the mysterious Jade Pendant space and that patch of Black Earth that seemed capable of turning decay into miracles.

This might be the vine’s only sliver of life.

And it was his parents’ only hope.

Chen Ping hesitated no longer. With extreme care, he retrieved a warm, smooth jade box from the Jade Pendant space.

First, he gently plucked the few dark purple leaves and placed them at the bottom of the box.

Then, taking a small jade knife as thin as a cicada’s wing, he began to cut.

He worked with surgical precision, slicing along the edges of the rock crevice. He dared not be the slightest bit careless. He strove to excavate the entire vine intact, preserving the crucial cluster of five-colored root tendrils and the surrounding soil that still held a faint charge of spiritual power.

Scarred Bear stood to the side, holding his breath. He didn’t dare make a sound.

Although he didn’t understand the significance of the five-colored roots, Chen Ping’s grave, focused expression told him enough. This thing was far more precious than he could imagine.

A full incense stick’s worth of time burned away before Chen Ping finished.

Finally, the Five Elements Yin Spirit Vine was successfully transplanted into the jade box. He sealed the lid tight, preventing any remaining spiritual essence or vitality from dissipating into the dry mine air.

Task accomplished, Chen Ping straightened up.

His gaze returned to the anxiously waiting Scarred Bear.

The wind atop the cliff blew past, carrying the dry, dusty scent of rot unique to the mine pit.

“Scarred Bear.”

Chen Ping’s voice was calm again.

Scarred Bear jolted, his back bending even lower. “G-Great one! This humble one is here!”

“You said you would trade your ‘Immortal Fortune’ for your life,” Chen Ping said, his eyes cold. “This vine, I have accepted. Your life… you may keep.”

Joy surged onto Scarred Bear’s face. He was about to kowtow in gratitude when Chen Ping’s next words frozen him in place.

“However, while the death penalty is exempted, you must still earn your future. I will give you two paths.”

Scarred Bear’s heart tightened. He looked at Chen Ping nervously.

“The first path.”

Chen Ping pointed toward the distant inn across the mine pit.

“Come with me back to the Qingyun Sect. Your task will be to protect my parents. Ensure they are safe and suffer no harassment within the sect. In return, I will provide you with the pills you need for cultivation. With your Qi Condensation sixth-layer cultivation, you are sufficient for this task.”

Scarred Bear was stunned.

Go to the Qingyun Sect? To protect two mortals?

This… this seemed a bit menial.

Before he could overthink it, Chen Ping stated the second option.

“The second path: You remain here in the Black Stone Mine. With your familiarity with this place and your cultivation base, obtaining Spirit Gold Ore shouldn’t be difficult. You cultivate on your own; I won’t interfere.”

Chen Ping paused, his tone sharpening.

“However, every year, you must hand over fifty percent of the value of the Spirit Gold Ore you obtain to me as tribute.”

Scarred Bear’s mind raced furiously.

Stay at the mine?

It sounded like freedom. He could continue being a local tyrant, mining and cultivating.

But a fifty percent tribute!

That was no small amount. Obtaining Spirit Gold Ore was dangerous work. Handing over half was essentially becoming this lord’s indentured slave.

Moreover, in these wild mountains, cultivation resources were scarce. Relying on his own trial and error, when would he ever make a breakthrough?

Go with him to the Qingyun Sect?

Although he’d have to serve two mortals… this lord was a late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator under twenty years old!

Having survived in the mine’s brutal hierarchy for so many years, Scarred Bear knew exactly what reaching that realm at such a young age signified. That was definitely not something an ordinary Outer Disciple could achieve.

This person undoubtedly possessed great fortune or backing beyond imagination.

Serving others might be humiliating, but following such a person… even the crumbs of pills that dropped from his fingers would be a hundred times better than fighting desperately in the mud of the mine.

Opportunity!

This was a heaven-sent opportunity!

Almost the instant Chen Ping’s words fell, Scarred Bear made his decision.

Thud.

He dropped to his knees, his forehead slamming into the dirt.

“Great one! This humble one chooses the first path!” he shouted without hesitation. “This humble one wishes to follow by your side! I am willing to go through fire and water without complaint! I will spare no effort to protect the two elders’ safety!”

The scar on his face flushed red with excitement, and his beady eyes gleamed with fervor.

What freedom? What prestige as a mine tyrant?

In the face of the true path of Immortal Fortune, those things were dust in the wind.

Clinging to the powerful patron before him was the only way for him, Scarred Bear, to defy heaven and change his wretched fate.

Chen Ping wasn’t surprised by the reaction. This Scarred Bear looked crude, but he was actually quite shrewd.

He nodded slowly.

“Good. Remember your words. If there is any failure…” Chen Ping left the threat hanging. “You know the consequences. Get up.”

“Yes! Yes! Thank you, great one! Thank you!”

Scarred Bear hurriedly scrambled to his feet, his face plastered with an obsequious yet genuinely happy smile.

He knew that the trajectory of his life had completely changed from this moment onward.