Ash arrived at the Green Reed Garden with a basket, a blank look, and a sprig of wild garlic between his teeth.
The garlic was for courage.
The blank look was his face.
Green Reed Garden
It wasn't much of a "garden" in the traditional sense.
More like a sprawling collection of overgrown beds, crooked trellises, stone pots, and confused spiritual plants that didn't know whether they were medicinal herbs or aggressive weeds.
There was one tree that grew rice.
A melon vine that whistled when it was thirsty.
A corner plot labeled "DO NOT BURY ANYTHING HERE" in five different languages.
Ash felt oddly at home.
[System Notification]– New Zone Registered: Green Reed Garden– Passive Environment Affinity: 1% Boost to Culinary-based Skills– Potential Ingredient Nodes Detected: 42– Energy Density: Low to Moderate– Danger Level: Mild (Ghost Rabbit Incident Pending)
Wait. Ghost what?
The Other Gardeners
Ash was not alone.
There were three other disciples assigned to the garden.
Each of them had their own brand of quiet insanity:
Mei, a girl who only spoke in recipe metaphors and claimed her soul beast was a walking onion.
Guang, an older man who kept trying to pickle everything, including weapons.
Bao, a sleepy-eyed boy who might have been a spirit himself, judging by how he drifted through bamboo groves like fog in slippers.
"Don't touch the ground by the red roots," Mei warned on his first day. "Last guy did that. Now he can only taste cinnamon."
Ash made a note of that.
[New Ingredient Flagged: "Cinnamon Curse Root"]– Caution Advised– Status: Mildly Cursed, Great in Tea
First Assignment: Mulching
Ash's first job was to prepare compost mulch for a batch of growing lotus stems.
Normal task.
Completely harmless.
Except this was cultivation land, and the mulch was made from spirit beast droppings, volcanic ash, and a substance labeled "fermented golden trout vinegar."
Ash put on gloves.
Two pairs.
He layered it carefully, using a ladle instead of his hands, while his system gave occasional pings of recognition:
[Skill Suggestion: "Spiritual Soil Harmony" – Tier 0]– Effect: Improves nutrient absorption of nearby plants– Method: Mix compost evenly while thinking of warmth and sustenance– Activation: Manual, requires focused intent
Ash blinked.
"So… I have to emotionally believe in my compost?"
The system didn't respond. It never did.
Still, he tried it.
Stirring slowly. Focusing on the idea of warmth. Health. Taste. Nourishment.
A faint hum passed through the ground. The lotus leaves rustled.
[Skill Acquired: "Spiritual Soil Harmony" – Tier 0]– Passive Growth Boost to Edible Flora within Range– Bonus: You now mildly smell like spring rain
Nice.
He could work with that.
Lunch Break & New Discoveries
During lunch, Mei handed him something that looked like a dumpling but smelled like regret.
"Try it," she said. "It might awaken your taste path."
Ash took a bite.
Then coughed and saw stars.
[Warning: Consumed "Bitter Lotus Bomb"]– Effects: Temporary hallucinations, random flavor knowledge unlocked– Duration: 7 minutes
In that window, Ash learned seven new spices by name, understood how to balance heat in a chili dish using moonlight, and accidentally triggered a new skill.
[Skill Created: "Flavor Weaving – Experimental"]– Tier: ???– Type: Culinary Enhancement / Energy Weaving– Effect: Weave spiritual energy into flavor to induce minor physical boosts (depending on dish type)– Limitation: Must be consumed willingly. Poor taste reduces effect.
Ash blinked again.
His mouth still burned, but he grinned.
An Unexpected Visitor
That evening, while stirring soup at the garden shed, he noticed someone watching him.
Not from the sect path.
From under the bushes.
A small creature with translucent fur, round eyes, and a very aggressive set of buck teeth.
[Unknown Entity Detected: "Ghost Rabbit"]– Energy Signature: Hidden– Threat Level: Moderate if hungry– Status: Curious
Ash offered a piece of spirit carrot from his pouch.
The rabbit sniffed it, then hopped closer.
Then closer.
Then—
CHOMP.
Ash's sleeve was now 20% shorter.
"Rude."
He handed it a spoonful of soup.
The rabbit blinked. Licked it.
And calmed.
[Taming Bonus: +5 Affinity with Spiritual Beasts (Minor Culinary Bond)]– You may have unintentionally adopted a ghost rabbit
Late-Night Thoughts
That night, Ash sat alone by the reed pond, the ghost rabbit asleep in his hood, and his pot bubbling quietly beside him.
The system flickered again:
[Status Update: Skill System Stable]– You are cleared to create up to 2 custom skills– Tier Cap: Undefined– Note: Created skills may evolve if fed experience, ingredients, or special environments– Reminder: The only limit is concept, not category. Proceed wisely.
Ash tapped the panel.
He didn't know what to make yet.
But he'd figured something out already: this wasn't just a cheat.
It was a canvas.
He could cook up power in any form — if he could imagine it, and refine it right.
But for now?
He let the soup simmer.
And listened to the garden grow.
End of Chapter 6