A Promise (Please Bookmark, Please Vote)

"You handled this matter well. Faced with such enormous benefits, you knew how to distinguish what mattered and shared the mine's benefits with the lineage. Having you is truly the Ling Clan's good fortune. No matter what, you deserve great merit for this. We cultivators seek nothing more than one thing: longevity. The first step in seeking longevity is entering Foundation Establishment. I presume you also yearn for a Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object?" Ling Yunhong said at length.

"You should know that I achieved Foundation Establishment alone and did not consume too many clan resources. In the more than two hundred years since the lineage was founded, coupled with the many demon beast materials obtained and sold when we opened up territory in An Yang County four years ago, the clan has accumulated quite a number of Spirit Stones. Now, with the Mystic Water Iron Mine aiding us, within twenty years, the clan will certainly purchase a Foundation Establishment Pill and give it to a clansman to take!"

"If you had not discovered this Mystic Water Iron Mine, that Foundation Establishment Pill would certainly have belonged to Peng Xing, the most gifted of the current generation. But now that your contribution is so great, I can promise you this: if you can reach Qi Training Completion before Peng Xing, I can decide to give you the Foundation Establishment Pill the clan purchases in the future!"

"Even if it is difficult for your cultivation to surpass Peng Xing and you lose that Foundation Establishment Pill, I can still promise you this: the clan will provide half the Spirit Stones, and you will provide the other half. Within forty years, we will find you a lesser Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object to aid your attempt at Foundation Establishment."

"Even if you do not dare attempt Foundation Establishment, I can ensure that you will succeed Eleventh Uncle and become the next generation's Grand Elder of the lineage, in recognition of the favor you have done the clan by reporting this small Mystic Water Iron Mine!"

Ling Yunhong was a legendary figure of the Ling Clan. With a Dual Water-Wood Spirit Root, he had broken through to Qi Training Completion at the age of forty-two. Three years later, at the age of forty-five, he had relied on his own strength to successfully break through to Foundation Establishment on the Ling Clan's former Clan Mountain in Cloudwater County, becoming the first Foundation Establishment powerhouse since the Ling Clan's founding.

Because he had broken through to Foundation Establishment alone, his strength far surpassed cultivators of the same realm. When he followed the Hundred Spirits Sect in opening up Huai River County, he had once slain three Foundation Establishment demon beasts in succession. He had even, at the Foundation Establishment Third Layer, killed the middle-stage Foundation Establishment wolf demon occupying Lingxiao Mountain, opening up a Second Rank Spirit Vein for the Ling Clan.

What was more, by his strength alone, he had carried the Ling Clan—a minor Qi Refining family that could once only cling beneath a Foundation Establishment Family and struggle for breath in the Cultivation World—into a great Foundation Establishment lineage occupying an entire county.

Ling Pengyun admired Ling Yunhong from the bottom of his heart. Such a person was not one ordinary people could compare with.

Just speaking of his solitary Foundation Establishment attempt, one where death was almost certain and life nearly impossible, there were probably not many people in the Cultivation World who dared try it.

But when Ling Pengyun heard the words "Foundation Establishment Pill," his eyes became extraordinarily fiery. A Foundation Establishment Pill was a powerful spiritual object that could raise one's chance of breaking through to Foundation Establishment by thirty percent. With one aiding him during his breakthrough, perhaps he might truly succeed in entering Foundation Establishment.

Yet when he thought of his "Third Brother," Ling Pengxing, and his formidable talent—having already reached the Qi Training Sixth Layer before even turning twenty, his cultivation far beyond Ling Pengyun's—perhaps that gifted Third Brother had already entered the Qi Training Late Stage.

With such a gap, how could he possibly compete?

A sense of defeat rose within him.

Ever since Ling Pengxing had been tested as possessing dual Metal-Wood Spirit Roots, he had been the Ling Clan's most dazzling rising star.

He had overshadowed everyone in the Peng Generation. Even the strange matter of Ling Pengyun possessing a Five Spirit Root yet cultivating at the speed of someone with Three Spirit Roots had drawn no amazement among the Peng Generation.

It seems there is no hope for the Foundation Establishment Pill. Still, a lesser Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object would not be bad! Though unwilling, Ling Pengyun could only console himself in silence.

Ling Pengyun clasped his hands and sincerely thanked him. "Many thanks for your promise, Third Grandfather!"

"No need. This is what you deserve. Only by devoting oneself wholeheartedly to the lineage can one obtain better development. A lineage differs from a sect; everything clansmen do for the lineage will certainly be returned to the clansmen!" Ling Yunhong said meaningfully.

"This grandson understands!" Ling Pengyun replied.

"This matter of the mine must not be spoken of. Even in this small Huai River County, it is not only the Ling Clan that needs this mine. The other four great Foundation Establishment families that have only recently established themselves in Huai River County are the same. Especially the Cloud Mist Wen Clan, that Weapon Refinement Clan in Peaceful An County beside our An Yang County—if they learn that there is a Mystic Water Iron Mine here, they will certainly make a move and covet it!" Ling Yunhong's expression changed as he spoke sternly.

"Please rest assured, Third Grandfather. As a member of the Ling Clan, I will certainly not speak carelessly and bring disaster upon the lineage!" Ling Pengyun said solemnly.

Ling Yunhong nodded lightly. "I will first return to the clan and discuss with the elders how to handle this mine. You should return to Azure Stone Mountain first. Within two days, I will come again!"

"Third Grandfather, if no one is stationed here, then wouldn't that be...?" Ling Pengyun asked worriedly.

"This mine is so well hidden, and the Ling Clan has not released any Mystic Water Iron Ore. Aside from you, me, and Eleventh Uncle, no one knows of it. How could anyone else learn of it in such a short time? Besides, I will return within two days. With my strength, I am enough to deter petty scoundrels!" Ling Yunhong declared domineeringly.

Ling Pengyun's expression stirred, and he could not help sighing inwardly at the imposing aura brought by strength.

The two left the mine together, exited the demon serpent's nest, emerged from the Underground River, and left Azure Stone Lake before parting ways. Since it was already late at night, their movements went unnoticed by the villagers of Azure Stone Village.

Ling Pengyun watched Ling Yunhong ride the Immortal Spirit Crane King until he vanished beyond the range of the naked eye. Only after calming himself for quite some time did he return to Azure Stone Mountain.

As soon as he entered Azure Stone Mountain, Ling Pengyun headed straight for the six mu of Spirit Fields atop the mountain.

Because of the Mystic Water Iron Mine, he had gone nearly three full days without using Spirit Rain to water the spirit plants in those six mu of Spirit Fields.

As a result, the leaves of the two mu of Yellow Jade Spirit Rice, which loved water, had begun to yellow slightly and curl. This was a sign of water shortage.

The Qi Training Grass and Sword Star Grass in the other four mu did not particularly require much water. Their leaves had also yellowed somewhat, but not as severely as the Yellow Jade Spirit Rice.

"These Spirit Fields really cannot be left unattended!" Ling Pengyun looked at the water-starved spirit plants in the six mu of Spirit Fields, his brows tightly furrowed as he sighed inwardly.

He then calculated carefully. "The severely dehydrated Yellow Jade Spirit Rice will likely need three days of Spirit Rain before it can recover and continue growing, nurturing its rice ears!"

"As for the Qi Training Grass and Sword Star Grass, they should gradually recover and resume normal growth after no more than one day and another watering of Spirit Rain!"

"If growing spirit plants were as easy as tending to the plants of the mortal world, where one could simply pour water into these six mu of Spirit Fields, that would be wonderful!"

"We Spirit Plant Farmers truly have it too hard!"

Ling Pengyun sighed inwardly.

Spirit Fields could not be directly flooded as rice paddies were in the mortal world.

In the mortal world, rice was generally planted by letting water into the fields during the day, then draining the water dry at night.

If such a method were used on Spirit Fields, draining the water would inevitably wash away the Spirit Soil within them.

For Spirit Fields, that would be an enormous loss.

If one flooded the Spirit Fields under the banner of preventing Spirit Soil from washing away, filling them with water during the day but not draining them at night, it would instead leave the spirit plants' roots soaked in water for too long, causing root rot and affecting their growth.

And if one only used enough water to moisten the Spirit Fields, it would be easier just to use the Cloud Rain Technique.

Moreover, the Cloud Rain Technique could not only nourish spirit plants but also accelerate their growth.

If one could not settle it once and for all, making the spirit plants grow faster was the hard truth.

Farming was too difficult!!!!

Thanks to Rain Wolf God-King for the monthly vote.