'What kind of plant am I?' John contemplates as he regains his strength. While the plant instincts taught him how to grow, they did not explain any details about who he was now. John didn't know how long he sat gathering energy from his roots. He estimates he had gathered energy for about a month, based on the change of temperature he felt from his roots. He couldn't be sure without sight though.

Now, however, it was time for him to start to sprout. He knew from his experience, as a gardener, that this was the most dangerous time for a plant. This is especially true for spirit medicine and other powerful plants. Many new gardeners in sects would face this hurdle, losing many expensive medicines before gaining the knack for it. Each sect would keep the data on how much and what kind of fertilizer to use. Still, it isn't easy for new disciples to replicate these sometimes cryptic instructions. Leaving many in debt becoming indentured servants, instead of great masters.

Thus he wants to wait for his energy stores to be filled. However, if he waits too long, he might miss the best season to grow. Causing him to wither in the fall, before gaining enough strength to survive. Also to his alarm the energy in the ground, is slowly disappearing. He can vaguely feel other roots around him, competing for the limited energy. 'I may never be anyone great. But I will live a full life this time!' With this goal stated his resolve is set.

The stored energy flows to the center where the roots converged. First, he needs to build a spirit core. This was the foundation for all spiritual medicine. Every plant has the potential and will strive to create this basic foundation. This core will function much like a human dantian. A normal plant that succeeds in such a heaven defying feat, maybe one in a million. The number that survived being eaten by animals before fully maturing were, in fact so small, it could be said that it was an impossible barrier.

Of course, this is just for your average plant. There are many divine medicines, like the ones sects cultivate that will produce cores 90% of the time when treated properly. Perhaps a great master would never fail to induce core creation. John had never met such a great gardening master, but he had heard of the miracles they could create.

Now, however, he was alone. With no help and it is unlikely, for him to be one of those rare divine medicines. John didn't feel he had much hope for forming a spirit core. Failing would cut off his path of cultivation in this life. While he isn't overly attached to cultivation, he still has to make the attempt. The danger is that he might accidentally use too much energy and cut off his path of survival. It was important to keep significant reserves to grow and take energy from the sun.

'Might as well give it a shot!' he thinks. John begins to focus his all on the core that is currently just a speck of gold. He guides the energy to the core. The energy flows into the tiny core without issue, causing John to want jump for joy. Of course, as a plant, he's chained to the ground.

Yet as the precious energy coalesced, the tiny speck of gold didn't seem to be growing at all. Frowning, he tries to sense what is wrong. 'How much energy does a plant core need? Is this the difference between a normal plant and a divine medicine?' He would soon use up all the energy he had prepared for this attempt. Sighing, he prepares to give up. There was no reason to waste his strength on a failed core.

However, his instincts are as calm as ever, giving the feeling that everything is going as planned. John began to wonder if this is why plants often die at this stage? Listening to the calm instincts until everything dried up. There is no time left he had to stop.

John starts refocusing the energy into growth abandoning the core. When a mental explosion happens! 'Someone is fighting nearby. Will I be squashed in this life, before it can even begin?' With that, he loses consciousness, as the battle wreaks havoc all around.