Being inside the pocket dimension was like being inside a smaller version of the real world. Just by standing in place, the lands seemed endless. It had its own sky, its own sun and its own stable system of heaven and earth qi circulation.
It could even be said that if one has enough resources, he or she could wish to live inside a pocket dimension in isolation, there would be no issues at all.
In fact, the heaven and earth qi inside was much, much stronger than outside. An ordinary cultivator was likely to cultivate twice as fast inside, and if he was supported by heavenly cultivation dan and herbs, it could even come close to thrice as fast.
The Ming Yue Sect in Leaf City might be just a branch, but still, they had enough resources to invite a powerful space cultivator to create a pocket dimension for Great Elder Zhu Wei. Just from this, the vast wealth and the authority of Ming Yue Sect could be seen.
"Are you dizzy, my sweet Yingyue?"
Shangguan Ke forced a smile on his face despite the tight grip Yin had on his robe. If he were a mortal man, he would have passed out from being choked.
In response, Yin coughed out several thumb-sized crimson crystals, which immediately made the three old men pale.
"Grandpa, I don't feel so good," she said weakly.
"My poor child."
"We better hurry."
Seeing their arrival, a handful of men approached the entrance and bowed down to their waists.
"Disciple greets Master! Disciple greets Uncle-Master! Disciple greets the Patriarch!"
Zhu Wei gestured at them to stand up and asked for the latest inventory and situation of his medicinal garden. "How many hundred-year-old fire-attributed plants do we have left?"
Yin pouted, her face looking crestfallen. She mumbled a complaint, "Grandpa, why aren't they greeting me? Don't they know I'm the Patriarch's only granddaughter? Are they disrespecting you? Is it because they don't put you in high regard?"
However, Zhu Wei was already at odds with her and was waiting to nitpick at her faults. He immediately picked up the sensitive meaning of her words.
"Nonsense! What are you saying?!" Zhu Wei groused with knitted brows. "You are turning white to black!"
Yin blinked innocently. "I-I'm just asking, Grandpa Farmer. Sorry if it hits you real hard."
"Who's the farmer?! And what —"
"Ehh... is this not a farm?" She casually gestured at the green plants and trees around them. "Are those not pears? That one, is that not kumquat(1)? Are those not crops? Since you planted them, are you not a farmer? Oh, is that not the issue? Is it because you don't want to be called grandpa? Should I call you uncle instead?"
"You're calling Little Shangguan 'grandpa', yet you want to call me, a Great Elder, 'uncle'?! Y-You little—!"
Shangguan did not know how to react. Yan Yu was having a headache so he went to mediate. "Great Elder Zhu, why are you quarreling again with a child? Come, come, let us focus on healing her."
Zhu Wei harrumphed, but spoke no further of the issue. "All right. Come with me. The fire- and yang-attributed plants are all on the west side."
Yin opened her mouth to say something, but Shangguan Ke immediately covered her mouth. "Be quiet for once!" he harshly rebuked.
But Zhu Wei caught him. He suspiciously narrowed his eyes. "What?"
"Nothing, nothing," Shangguan Ke gave him a dull laugh. He then gestured for them to leave. "After you, Great Elder."
"But Grandpa," Yin whined like a wronged little wife. "My papa says I can't come near plants without him by my side."
"Why are you speaking nonsense —"
"I'm not!" she continued, before coughing up more red ice crystals. "I just don't want the farm to be destroyed. If I come near them, the plants will all die of frostbite. It happened before in the Church and everyone became angry at me. Since then, Papa told me again and again to be careful! Niu'er must follow what papa says or he will be mad at me."
"What she says makes sense," Zhu Wei agreed. "The farther she is, the better."
Of course, among everyone here, he had the most authority when it came to plants. Yan Yu was an alchemist specializing in the creation of cultivation dans, while he was among the bests when it comes to taking care of the medicinal herbs and rare ingredients. Each and every plant in this pocket dimension costs hundreds if not thousands of spirit stone outside. Spirit stones, not gold, because each plant here is a heavenly treasure rarely found in the wilds.
"Why don't you two stay here, while I and Great Elder Zhu collect the necessary plants to treat Yue'er?" Yan Yu offered.
"I think that is for the best."
As such, Shangguan Ke, Yin and one of Zhu Wei's disciples, a female called Li'er, stayed at the entrance outpost.
Li'er then decided to let the Shangguan duo rest inside a small wooden cottage nearby, the one Zhu Wei's disciples use as a resting place.
"Should I brew you some tea, Patriarch?" Li'er politely offered. "How about you, little one?"
Yin perked up, her eyes glittering with interest. It was as if she suddenly regained her energy.
"Sister farmer, I've eaten nothing since I woke up. Give me some fruits, okay? The bigger, the better."
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(1) Kumquat, a fruit that resembles an orange, but smaller