Jade Sprout Spiritual Essence

"Geng Metal Grass-Cutting Sword, go!"

Sharp Sword Qi shot forth, striking a small, earth-yellow snake with pinpoint accuracy. An ear-piercing shriek rang out as it barely broke through the snake's flesh, leaving it half-dead.

"Nice strike!"

Li Ye slowly lowered his hand and looked up toward the voice. Zhang Liangfu stood on the ridge between the fields, an envious look on his face.

He pointed at the small snake, which had been half severed, and laughed.

"If this Earth-Born Snake's gallbladder isn't broken, it'll fetch at least two or three Spirit Crystals. You've struck it lucky, junior brother!"

The burly man sighed with a hint of regret.

"My pest-killing methods aren't bad either, so why won't these things come burrowing into my field...?"

"Lately, I've been spending on tonics to heal my injuries and replenish my vitality. I've had to split every Spirit Crystal in two to make ends meet. This Earth-Born Snake came at just the right time!"

Li Ye complained, but his hands never slowed. He crossed the distance to the snake in a few steps, dealt with it, and put it away. Then he smiled.

"The spirit seedlings in the fields are growing more vigorous and full of Spiritual Qi. Before long, all sorts of low-grade spirit insects will be popping up. Are you worried you won't get a chance, senior brother?"

"That's true. In a while, we'll probably have to guard these little plots with our lives, afraid those little things will ruin them!"

Zhang Liangfu had more experience than Li Ye in this regard.

He nodded in wholehearted agreement and gave the Earth-Born Snake no further thought, turning back to his own work.

Even an Earth-Born Snake worth no more than two or three Spirit Crystals could draw envy.

Such was the miserable lot of a low-level spirit farmer disciple!

And what's even more miserable... I've already fit right in without feeling the least bit out of place!

Li Ye calmly looked away, somewhat saddened by the thought.

More time had passed, and it had been nearly a month since Li Ye transmigrated to this world.

Compared to before, his complexion had improved considerably, with a little more color in his cheeks. He no longer looked like a pale, feeble invalid.

The price was two of the only three low-grade Spirit Stones he had possessed, both exchanged for spirit rice that had ended up in his stomach.

Aside from that, he had only a few stray Spirit Crystals left—not even enough to make up the ten needed to equal one low-grade Spirit Stone!

In return, however, the nourishment from the spirit rice had greatly improved Li Ye's control over his Law Power. He was not far from fully mastering his cultivation.

His injuries had also improved slightly, and his body felt much better.

At least the Spirit Stones hadn't been wasted!

But although the money had been well spent, Li Ye's already meager savings were now close to running dry.

That made him all the more focused on tending his spirit fields.

With his injuries yet to heal, Li Ye had no intention of taking other missions and going out to earn contribution points.

For the time being, his only source of income would be these five fen of spirit fields.

Once the harvest came, he would naturally be able to get by.

Not only could he heal his injuries, he would also have the capital to consider trying his hand at some of the hundred arts of cultivation and broaden his sources of income!

He had to do his utmost to take good care of this first pot of gold!

After carefully tending one patch of seedlings, Li Ye moved on to the next as usual.

There, he saw a seedling that had grown particularly well and was the most vigorous of the lot sway gently, a faint glimmer of spiritual light appearing around it.

Immediately afterward, fresh notifications flashed before his eyes!

[You tended the first-tier Spirit Plant [Jade Sprout Rice] with exquisite skill, helping it flourish. Experience +0.1...]

[...]

[The vitality of the first-tier Spirit Plant [Jade Sprout Rice] has grown stronger. You have obtained [Jade Sprout Spiritual Essence] (1%)...]

Jade Sprout Spiritual Essence!

A flash of delight passed through Li Ye's eyes.

Just as I thought!

It was just as he had guessed-

Spirit Plants did not provide experience only once. When he cultivated them into a better state, they would provide it again!

And [Plant Spiritual Essence] would most likely appear at such a time as well!

Li Ye glanced at the words [Jade Sprout Spiritual Essence] (1%) on the panel, but gained no further information from them.

He wasn't even sure what the thing was actually used for!

Even so, he was quite excited.

"One percent..."

Li Ye studied the words on the panel and pondered for a moment.

"Over the past few days, the spirit seedlings have been growing better and better. Quite a few are as vigorous as that one just now..."

"After I've tended the entire spirit field today, obtaining one complete strand of [Jade Sprout Spiritual Essence] shouldn't be a problem!"

Li Ye had just rested and regulated his condition, so his body and mind were in excellent shape.

Now he had received this encouragement.

With curiosity burning fiercely in his heart, he immediately set to work tending the next patch of spirit seedlings.

[The vitality of the first-tier Spirit Plant [Jade Sprout Rice] has grown stronger. You have obtained [Jade Sprout Spiritual Essence] (1%)...]

"Phew..."

After finishing the last patch of spirit field, Li Ye was so tired he could hardly straighten his back.

He let out a long breath and circulated his Law Power through his body, stirring his Qi and Blood into greater activity. Only then did he feel much better and stand steady.

He formed Hand Seals and cast a Cleaning Technique, sweeping away the half-dried mud caked on his body and leaving himself clean and refreshed.

Once he was done, Li Ye said goodbye to Zhang Liangfu and the others as usual and returned to his residence.

He shut the stone door and activated the restriction, which was better than nothing.

At last, he was alone.

Only then did a hint of excitement rise uncontrollably to Li Ye's face, and he immediately opened the panel.

[Jade Sprout Spiritual Essence] 1 (14%)

The fruits of a day's labor had successfully helped him accumulate his first strand of Jade Sprout Spiritual Essence!

And as he focused his attention on it, Li Ye naturally came to understand what it did.

With a slight movement of his thoughts, he touched the corresponding words on the panel.

Whoosh-

A wisp of emerald-green essence Qi appeared before Li Ye. Specks of spiritual light rippled around it, with tiny runes seemingly flickering in and out of sight.

Within the essence Qi, the indistinct shape of a mature Jade Sprout Rice plant took form.

At the same time, a faint fragrance of rice drifted through the sealed, crude dwelling!

After examining it carefully for a few moments, Li Ye suddenly opened his mouth and inhaled, drawing the strand of Jade Sprout Spiritual Essence inside.

Gentle Spiritual Qi spread through his body, and his Law Power surged toward it.

Li Ye's expression shifted, a little surprised.

The Spiritual Qi in this strand of Jade Sprout Spiritual Essence was exactly the same in nature as that of the Jade Sprout Rice he had purchased before.

But when it came to purity, it was far superior!

With a sweep of his Law Power, he refined and absorbed a portion of the essence Qi with almost no effort.

The refining process was virtually unimpeded, as though it contained no impurities at all!

In less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Li Ye finished refining the entire strand of Jade Sprout Spiritual Essence.

He slowly gathered his Law Power and opened his eyes, which were full of delight.

Li Ye carefully sensed the changes.

The spiritual power contained in one strand of Jade Sprout Spiritual Essence was roughly the same as that in a meal of Jade Sprout Rice unmixed with ordinary rice.

Although a single dose did not provide much nourishment,

it was purer and contained almost no impurities. While advancing his Law Power, he could use it without worrying about affecting its purity.

Compared to taking pills and having to worry about pill toxins, it left no trouble behind at all!

From refining that single strand just now, Li Ye could already feel that the quality of his Law Power had become a little more refined.

The circulation of his Law Power, which was still somewhat sluggish, had become a little smoother.

The effect could only be described as miraculous!

"But the uses of Plant Spiritual Essence shouldn't be limited to refining it directly..."

Li Ye's thoughts wandered, and drawing on his shallow knowledge of pills, he thought of a possibility.

"Since Plant Spiritual Essence has the same properties as the Spirit Plant it comes from and is incomparably pure, could it be used directly as an ingredient for refining medicine?"

"Compared to refining the corresponding medicinal properties from spirit plants and herbs to make medicine, the effect of this Plant Spiritual Essence doesn't seem any different..."

"And considering its purity, it might even work better... perhaps it could even reduce pill toxins originating from the ingredients to a minimum?"

"By the same logic, the same thing could be tried in any similar situation among the other hundred arts of cultivation..."

At that thought, even more ideas came to Li Ye.

He looked at the words [Pills] on the panel, and his heart could not help growing warmer by the moment.