Retreat
Zhou Zhenguo thought for a moment and nodded. "Well done. Remember to keep this attitude in mind."
"I understand," Qiao Jianmin assured.
…
Zhong Ling was reading ancient books on winemaking in the yard. When she sensed Qiao Jianmin's arrival, she waved her hand and opened the gate.
Qiao Jianmin didn't expect the door to open automatically. He raised his eyebrows but was not too surprised.
After all, I have been with Zhong Ling for quite some time and am no longer surprised by it.
But the old man following behind was startled.
The two pushed the door open and entered the yard.
"Director Qiao, is there something wrong?" Zhong Ling asked without raising her head.
Qiao Jianmin was already used to her directness. He sat down on the stone bench with the old man and explained their purpose.
"Comrade Zhong Ling, you are planning to plant medicinal herbs. We thought we might be able to provide you with some assistance."
As he spoke, he gestured to the old man next to him.
The old man was about seventy years old, wearing cloth clothes and cloth shoes, with gray hair, but he was in good spirits.
He was wearing a pair of white gloves and carefully holding a metal box.
"This is Professor Sun Zhiping, our country's top botanist," Qiao Jianmin introduced.
Professor Sun was obviously a little nervous. He looked at the young woman in front of him with curiosity and awe in his eyes.
He walked forward, placed the box on the stone table, and gently opened it.
The box was covered with red velvet, on which were neatly arranged dozens of transparent small bottles with labels, each containing only one or two seeds.
“Ms. Zhong,” Professor Sun said solemnly, “Herein lies the most precious native species of medicinal herbs in existence in our country.
For example, this one is a wild ginseng seed discovered deep in Yushan Mountain in the 1950s. Its mother plant is more than 500 years old, and this is the only active seed left.
And this is the seed of the dragon's blood jellyfish, which we thought was extinct. It was discovered by a scientific expedition team in an uninhabited area three years ago..."
Zhong Ling's eyes swept over the seeds.
These treasures have thin spiritual energy, but they are enough to serve as an introduction to low-level spiritual medicines.
She reached out, picked up a small bottle at random, poured out a seed that was completely black and exuded a faint fragrance, and twisted it between her fingertips.
Professor Sun’s heart almost jumped out of his chest. That was the seed of the Nine-Lives Resurrection Grass!
"Not bad." Zhong Ling commented and put the seeds back into the bottle.
Professor Sun almost suffocated.
Qiao Jianmin cleared his throat and brought the topic back to the topic in time: "In addition to these seeds, we have also prepared a new cultivation base for you in Xishan, which we named Longqi Valley.
The environment there is excellent and isolated from the outside world, ensuring that your research and planting will not be disturbed by anyone or anything."
"Oh?" Zhong Ling showed some interest. "Take me to see it."
Half an hour later, an off-road vehicle drove deep into the West Mountain and stopped at the entrance of a valley surrounded on three sides.
There are no modern buildings here, only lush vegetation and the air is very fresh.
If it weren't for the infrared sensors hidden among the trees and rocks at the entrance, anyone would think this was an undeveloped paradise.
"It's a nice place." Zhong Ling got out of the car and said with satisfaction.
The spiritual energy here is richer than that in the planting base. Although it is still very thin, it is enough for cultivating these seeds.
Professor Sun followed behind, holding his treasure box, with a serious expression.
He looked at this perfect valley and was already thinking about the planting plan in his mind: soil acidity, sunlight duration, slope, water source...
The three of them entered the valley.
Professor Sun was just about to explain the seed cultivation plan to Zhong Ling in detail, but he saw that Zhong Ling had already walked to an open area in the center of the valley.
"Seeds." She held out her hand.
Qiao Jianmin immediately understood, took the box from Professor Sun and handed it over.
Zhong Ling took the box. She held it in one hand and gently raised the other hand with her five fingers slightly open.
The next second, under the shocked gazes of Qiao Jianmin and Professor Sun, a light green halo appeared from her palm, as if it had life, enveloping the entire metal box.
“Click.”
The lid opens automatically.
Inside the box, the seeds in the bottles seemed to have received some kind of call, and all broke out of the bottles and floated into the air.
"Go." Zhong Ling said softly.
As soon as the words fell, the suspended seeds seemed to understand what he said and turned into streams of light, flying all over the valley.
Some burrowed into the soil, some attached themselves to the wet rock walls, and some fell beside the stream...
The whole process takes only a dozen seconds.
When everything was over, the valley was still the same valley, as if nothing had happened.
But Professor Sun knew that everything was different.
He stood there blankly, his mouth big enough to fit an egg.
These national treasure seeds were planted right before his eyes.
Professor Sun reached out a trembling hand and adjusted his glasses, which had slipped down his nose. He felt the worldview he had built up his entire life crumble. He squatted down, gently stroking the spot where a wild ginseng seed had disappeared, muttering to himself, "Taoism... nature? So that's what it means..."
Zhong Ling drew out spiritual spring water from the space, used the Spiritual Rain Technique, and brought down spiritual rain in the valley.
The rain fell out of nowhere, and Sun Zhiping's worldview was crushed again.
Qiao Jianmin stood aside, his Adam's apple rolling up and down.
He looked at Zhong Ling. Although he was mentally prepared, witnessing this scene with his own eyes was still a huge shock.
"Okay, I've done my job." Zhong Ling looked around the valley and nodded with satisfaction.
"It's a nice place, I like it very much. Next, don't let anyone come in and disturb their growth, especially those experts. Don't come here to take samples and analyze them, otherwise it will force the growth of seedlings."
Her eyes swept over Sun Zhiping, who shuddered and nodded quickly to show that he understood.
"Understood!" Qiao Jianmin solemnly promised, "Comrade Zhong Ling, please rest assured. From now on, Longqi Valley will be designated a restricted area. No one except you is allowed to enter!"
"Yeah." Zhong Ling responded, and added, "I might be very busy recently and need some quiet time. If it's nothing earth-shattering, don't come to me."
Qiao Jianmin's heart trembled, and he immediately replied, "Don't worry, Comrade Zhong Ling, we promise not to disturb you."
Zhong Ling nodded, said no more, turned around and walked out of the valley.
Qiao Jianmin watched her back, then looked at Professor Sun who was still squatting on the ground next to him and sighed helplessly.
…
After returning to her residence and closing the door, Zhong Ling's demeanor changed instantly.
She could clearly feel that the spiritual power in her body had reached its limit, like a rising river, constantly hitting the dam.
The bottleneck of the foundation-building great perfection has been loosened, it's time to break through.
Her figure disappeared in the living room, and the next second, she appeared in the space.
The spiritual energy in the space is rich. In the distance, fairy mountain pavilions are looming, and nearby is an endless spiritual field with various spiritual plants growing in it.
By the lake, the hill-like Jiuhun raised his head lazily, glanced at Zhong Ling, let out a low roar as a greeting, then lay down again and continued to take a nap.
Zhong Ling did not disturb it, but walked straight to the jade platform in the space and began to meditate.
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