“Bamboo rice? That’s the seed of the bamboo, right?”

Xu Taiping had heard of bamboo rice before.

“That’s right. Peel it open and see how many seeds are inside?”

Fairy Lingyue nodded and then urged him on.

Xu Taiping nodded, peeled open the husk, and extracted two long, rice-shaped seeds.

“Only two, huh? Not the best luck.”

Fairy Lingyue expressed her disappointment upon seeing this.

“How many are there usually?”

Xu Taiping inquired.

“If you’re lucky, there could be three; if not, just one.”

Fairy Lingyue answered.

“Well, that’s not too bad then.”

Xu Taiping smiled.

“What’s good about it? Bamboo rice excels in nurturing weapons. One extra seed means one more weapon.”

Fairy Lingyue’s face still showed regret.

Hearing this, Xu Taiping also felt a twinge of loss.

“Otherwise, I’ll give you my seed this time. With one more weapon, you’ll have an extra means of protecting yourself.”

Fairy Lingyue suddenly suggested.

Normally, she would need to take a fruit from the Earth Fruit to nourish her divine essence, but she felt that the bamboo rice was too precious and not worth it.

“No, that won’t do.”

Xu Taiping flatly refused.

“The first time we planted the Earth Fruit, I agreed with Sister Lingyue that the fruits it bore must include a share for you. It was a fair trade we agreed upon from the start.”

He spoke very earnestly.

Seeing Xu Taiping so earnestly abide by their original agreement, Fairy Lingyue found it both amusing and touching.

“Taiping, are you sure? This opportunity is really rare. The chances of the Burning Seed producing bamboo rice again are very slim.”

Fairy Lingyue reminded him once more.

“Of course.”

Xu Taiping nodded without hesitation.

“In that case, we don’t need to look for other nutrients. Let’s go to the yard and plant it.”

Fairy Lingyue didn’t insist any further.

…

After some consideration, Xu Taiping and Fairy Lingyue decided to plant the two bamboo rice seeds in the central courtyard of Qi Yue Pavilion.

The courtyard already had a bamboo grove, which served as a perfect cover.

“Although this is a floating mountain, its vital energy is connected to the main peak of the Seventh Peak. So even if we plant it here, the Earth Fruit will still be able to draw upon the spiritual essence of the entire Seventh Peak and the treasures buried within the mountain for thousands of years.”

Fairy Lingyue explained to Xu Taiping the reason for planting the Earth Fruit directly here.

“It’s better to plant it here; no need for constant care.”

Xu Taiping, who had already dug the holes, nodded.

As for the nutrients needed by the Earth Fruit this time, he had prepared them long ago.

The Suchan sword scabbard obtained from the Sixth Princess, the Ice Spirit Moonstone gifted by the father of the little Peaceful Mountain Ape, and the gold and jewels from the palace of the Black Vulture Nation.

“With Suchan’s scabbard and the Ice Spirit Moonstone, even if we don’t get an immortal weapon, we should at least get a high-quality spirit weapon. And that batch of gold and jewels should help me repair one of the three souls.”

Fairy Lingyue muttered to herself as she looked at the two large pits Xu Taiping had dug in the bamboo grove.

“To be honest, I still prefer sabers.”

Xu Taiping gave a sheepish smile.

If it weren’t for Fairy Lingyue’s disapproval, he would have liked to throw his Spring Tiger saber into the mix.

“Flying swords are not just for fighting. For example, with a flying sword and the art of sword flying, you can travel thousands of miles in an instant, unfettered by the forces of heaven and earth.”

“As for sabers, the Spring Tiger is more than enough for you at the moment.”

Fairy Lingyue shook her head.

Hearing this, Xu Taiping realized his understanding of swords was indeed superficial and nodded with a look of learning.

“Speaking of which, shouldn’t you be learning the art of sword flying by now? Why hasn’t the Peak Master of the Seventh Peak arranged for you to take a master?”

After planting the Earth Fruit, Fairy Lingyue suddenly asked with some curiosity.

“Senior Brother Qingxiao did mention it before, saying that after some time, an Elder would come to teach me swordsmanship, and there would be no need for a formal apprenticeship.”

Xu Taiping replied.

“Ah, that’s good.”

Fairy Lingyue nodded.

“These two bamboo plants will need at least three years to mature. In two or three months, when the bamboo shoots emerge, I should enter the Earth Fruit to sleep. If anything happens after that, you’ll have to rely on yourself.”

She suddenly looked at Xu Taiping with a serious expression.

“Sister Lingyue, don’t worry about me. I’ll handle what I can, and for what I can’t, I have Peaceful Baiyu and the Senior Brothers of the Seventh Peak.”

Xu Taiping smiled.

“I forgot, you’re no longer alone.”

Fairy Lingyue smiled with relief upon hearing this.

“However, if you’re planning to deal with Lu Chen before or after the Seven Peaks competition, I should be able to make it in time.”

She then murmured as if talking to herself.

“No matter whether Sister Lingyue is there or not, don’t get involved in this. If I can’t kill him with such planning, wouldn’t I be unworthy of your nurturing?”

Xu Taiping smiled at Fairy Lingyue.

Hearing this, Fairy Lingyue also laughed heartily.

“But come to think of it, although I can’t leave the Earth Fruit, I should be able to awaken once every three months. If I really can’t make it in time, I should still be able to hear your good news.”

She said with anticipation.

“Good!”

Xu Taiping nodded firmly.

“Qi Yue Pavilion, Xu Taiping, you have a letter!”

Just as Xu Taiping was about to return to the stone tower to continue his cultivation, a shrill voice suddenly came from the entrance of Qi Yue Pavilion.

Without asking, it was definitely a Spirit Bird delivering a message.

“A letter for me this late?”

As Xu Taiping said this, he walked towards the entrance of Qi Yue Pavilion.

“Your Peak Master’s letter. He instructed that you open it immediately upon receipt to avoid any mishaps.”

After receiving the merit points Xu Taiping tossed out, the delivering Immortal Crane left these words and soared into the sky.

“The Peak Master’s letter?”

Fairy Lingyue was also curious at this point.

“It’s indeed our Peak Master’s handwriting.”

Xu Taiping nodded.

Fairy Lingyue glanced at it and then nodded:

“Indeed.”

The handwriting on the envelope was as if it had been scratched out by chicken claws; apart from Zhao Qian, there weren’t many in the Seventh Peak who could write like that.

Opening the envelope and pulling out the letter, Xu Taiping spent a good while deciphering the words—

“Tomorrow at dawn, head to the Moon Scooping Lake of the Seventh Peak. An Elder from the sect will come to teach you swordsmanship. Just call him Elder San San. Elder San San has a bad temper, so train as he instructs without questioning.”

“Xu Taiping, Elder San San may have a peculiar temper, but his swordsmanship is exceptional, second only to Uncle Nine. Don’t let down the painstaking efforts of your Peak Master.”

After reading it again, Xu Taiping furrowed his brow, puzzled:

“Who is this Elder San San? His swordsmanship is said to be on par with Uncle Nine, yet why have I never heard of him?”