Chapter 633: Chapter 546: Destroying One’s Own Foundation

Xiao Man asked in surprise, "Last time, didn’t Bai Junfan get Liu Fengying to obtain a batch of herbs from the small hill plantation through Wu Qin? The Bai Family recruited the Gongsun Family to help them snatch the herbs and refine elixirs. Since the two sides are in cahoots, would the Gongsun Family have agreed if the benefits weren’t split evenly? They must have gotten some of the herbs, too. Don’t tell me Gongsun Li isn’t letting Gongsun Hanshan use them?"

"Even though Gongsun Hanshan was punished for his mistake, he’s still an important figure in the Gongsun Clan, and his father, Gongsun Xiang, is one of the clan elders. How could they possibly exclude him from good resources? It’s just that there wasn’t enough to go around. They also had to set some aside for careful cultivation, fantasizing about creating their own ’Spirit Plant’ plantation. So, the amount that ended up in each person’s hands wasn’t much, and the portion Gongsun Hanshan received was nowhere near enough! It would be a different story if they had actually managed to grow those herbs, but they were ultimately disappointed—the herbs stolen from Gongdao Village failed to take root or sprout after being planted and soon withered away completely! Babe, did you already know this would happen? Or did you do something special to the herbs from that plantation? Because I couldn’t tell."

Gu Shaojun looked amusingly at his young fiancée. The herbs had been stolen by Liu Fengying, and there was a chance the Gongsun Family could cultivate them into another Spirit Plant garden, yet she acted completely nonchalant, as if it was no big deal. In contrast, the elders in their families were worried sick, even using their covert influence, desperate to launch an all-out search for the Gongsun Clan’s main stronghold. But the Gongsun Clan was low-key and as cunning as a fox. Just as a rabbit has three burrows, they had over ten settlements across the country. Each Gongsun settlement had at least a hundred households, but the key members were all in the main branch; finding the collateral branches was useless. It took a great deal of manpower and resources to finally locate where the Gongsun Family’s main branch was truly based. Only after learning and confirming that the herbs had failed to grow did everyone finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Xiao Man said, "When the herb seedlings were first moved out of the space, they really qualified as ’Immortal Plants’ or ’Spirit Plants.’ They grew like crazy in the first year and nearly gave Grandpa a heart attack. After discussing it, Grandpa and Dad Tang told everyone they had sprayed the herbs with a special, newly researched fertilizer that wasn’t for sale—you couldn’t buy it even if you had the money! The truth is, I was too impatient. Before planting the herbs, I drenched that plot of land with water from the Spiritual Spring more than once. After they sprouted, I watered them a few more times with it... The herbs growing in the space are normally just nourished by the fine mist from the Spiritual Spring’s waterfall; they don’t get to drink the water directly. The ones outside that I tended to almost became sentient. However, the space’s records state that even if transplanted herbs survive, they will be assimilated into ordinary plants within one to six months and lose their Spirit Plant effects. That’s why I wasn’t worried about the herbs they stole. Consuming them directly is still highly beneficial, but trying to plant them is just plain stupid. Plants breathe, too. In the process of growing again, the herbs absorb the air, which replaces the Spiritual Energy inside them, making them no different from native herbs."

Gu Shaojun’s large hand had been resting on Xiao Man’s head. Now, his fingers tightened slightly, giving the top of her head a couple of punitive squeezes. It was a warning: she couldn’t be so willful anymore. The Treasure Pearl Space was unique in all the world, and Xiao Man wasn’t cautious enough. Their family members had already noticed things. Although they were all trustworthy, people’s hearts were ultimately hard to predict. This generation of parents, elders, and siblings might be kind, loving, and protective, but they would all eventually have spouses. Who knew what kind of people they would be? How could anyone guarantee that the next generation, or the one after that, wouldn’t have ulterior motives? Therefore, an extraordinary secret like this had to be hidden deep and must not be casually revealed!

"Fortunately, the Gongsun Family produced two rings, and our grandfathers each have one now. So at home, aside from the women and children who are a little out of the loop, almost everyone knows what Qiankun Bags and Storage Rings are. They probably assume your secret is a similar type of object. We don’t have to say a word; we’ll just let that be the default assumption. From now on, unless you can disguise the food from the space, don’t bring it out! What’s most important is that you don’t reveal that the Treasure Pearl Space contains priceless treasures, can be used for planting, and can be entered and exited at will... Understand?"

Xiao Man bobbed her head up and down like a pecking chick.

"And if I find out you’ve been giving fresh peaches, pears, and black grapes to Zheng Shaolian, I’ll spank your butt!" Gu Shaojun leaned in, pressing down on Xiao Man as he added the supplement through clenched teeth, the air thick with undiluted jealousy.

’So *that* was the most important part,’ Xiao Man thought, rolling her eyes. She playfully butted her head against his chest. Gu Shaojun chuckled, patting her soothingly before returning to the topic of the herbs. "Based on what you said, the Spirit Plants at the plantation in Gongdao Village are no longer being watered with the Spiritual Spring, so in three to five years, they’ll just become ordinary plants. But they’re still growing vigorously for now. Is that because of the Spirit Gathering Array? If so, doesn’t the Gongsun Clan have one of those? Why wouldn’t the Spirit Plants survive at their place?"

"I-I don’t know, either! Maybe the herbs just aren’t suited to their soil. Oh, right, where is the Gongsun Clan’s main branch located?"

"Western Shu. It’s a small city nestled among mountains and rivers. A place of beautiful mountains, pristine water, and air so fresh it’s like a paradise. The Gongsun Clan’s settlement is also set up with a Protective Array and a Spirit Gathering Array. The surrounding forests are lush and the crops flourish. How could an environment like that fail to grow a few herbs, babe?"

Xiao Man knew this guy wasn’t easy to fool. She blinked. "If I tell you the truth... there won’t be any trouble, will there?"

Gu Shaojun’s hand moved to her ear, and he gave her soft earlobe a little squeeze. "Go on. What did you do this time?"

"Um, well, I think it’s probably for two reasons. First, the herbs were out of the ground for too long and dried out. Second, since they were transplanted from the space, they only recognize soil that contains water from the Space Spirit Spring. I tossed a few colorful stones into the irrigation pond on the small hilltop, and also into Grandpa’s well at home. I fished them out from the bottom of the spring-fed lake in the space. I’m guessing... those things can store and release Spiritual Energy..."

"Tang Xiaoman!" Gu Shaojun’s face fell, and he looked genuinely angry. "You can mess around with other things, but how can you just take the stones and soil from the Treasure Pearl Space? You should know better! That’s equivalent to destroying your own foundation!"

"I only took less than ten. It should be fine, right?"

"And what if it’s not? I just said the Treasure Pearl Space is the only one of its kind in the world. It’s your safeguard. I can only rest easy knowing it’s there to protect you. Otherwise, how could I let you come and go as you please, confronting Liu Fengying and Wu Qin and playing your cat-and-mouse games to mess with Wu Xiaowen and Tang Qingyun? Of course, if the Treasure Pearl Space were to disappear, we could, at worst, just pretend it never existed. But you would definitely be unhappy, and my greatest wish is to see you happy and joyful! Do you remember the Gu family’s Protective Array? The Gu Family Mansion has existed for hundreds of years. The buildings inside have been rebuilt countless times, but the basic layout has never changed. And there’s one more critical point: the rockery in the courtyard is never moved. When the courtyard is being renovated, not a single pebble or a dustpan of soil can be dumped outside the foundation! I think the Treasure Pearl Space must have its own rules. Grains, vegetables, fruits, and herbs are meant to be eaten and used, so it’s fine to take them as you please. But you shouldn’t be so quick to remove the stones from under the water or the soil from beneath the ground!"

"I won’t take any more, okay? I wasn’t thinking that far ahead back then. I just thought that since I was running off to Beijing and couldn’t take care of Grandpa and Grandma, I should at least let them drink good water so their health would improve." Having been lectured and unable to find fault with a single word he said, all Xiao Man could do was act cute.

Gu Shaojun stroked the little head snuggled into his chest, then said after a moment of silence, "When I have a free moment, I’ll make a trip back to Gongdao Village and retrieve the colorful stones. We’ll leave just one in Grandpa’s well and one in the pond on the small hill."

"Okay, I agree. That should be fine."

Gu Shaojun gave her a light pat. "When you’re in the space, don’t just spend all your time playing. Go to the study and read more often. Try to see if you can find any books about the space’s situation."

"Alright. I’ll go take a look at the previous owner’s residence one of these days."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.