After eating and drinking his fill, Yang Chen headed to the month-end review site.
Just like last time, Supervisor Lin Chuan was still there. As usual, he praised the disciples and encouraged them to keep up their efforts.
Unlike last time, Yang Chen had made the Rankings Board, so he rightfully received five spirit crystals.
After handing out the spirit crystals, Lin Chuan called Yang Chen and the other twelve aside. "I have seen how quickly you have progressed this month, and I am very gratified. It is because of your efforts that Area 8 can stand among the best in Nineteen Peaks."
"Compared to last month, all of your rankings have improved to some extent. What is even more gratifying is that another person from Area 8 has made the board."
Lin Chuan looked at Yang Chen with a gentle expression. "Yang Chen, I hope you will continue your efforts and work together with everyone to raise Area 8's ranking."
"This disciple will certainly give his all and bring glory to Area 8!"
"Ambitious! I believe you have the drive to improve." Lin Chuan smiled in praise before sweeping his gaze across the crowd. "With Yang Chen making the board, the gap between Area 8 and Area 5 has narrowed further. When I come here again next month, I hope Area 8 will have squeezed into second place."
"Willing to bring glory to Area 8!"
Huang Tianyu spoke solemnly. With him taking the lead, Wei Xiao and the others immediately voiced their stance.
"I believe in you." Lin Chuan wore a satisfied smile. "I will make a promise as well. If you can reach second place next month, each of you will receive ten spirit crystals."
Hearing there was an additional reward, Yang Chen and the others were overjoyed.
Ten spirit crystals might not seem like much, but they amounted to more than a month's worth of their benefits, even counting the Qi Strength Pills.
Being able to gain over a month's extra resources would make anyone happy.
Even Huang Tianyu was no exception. His cultivation speed was astonishing, but so was his consumption. Even with the rewards from the cultivation Rankings Board these past few months, his expenses still exceeded his income.
If he wanted to maintain this pace, he still needed a great many spirit crystals. Thus, every source of income was worth celebrating.
"I look forward to your performance."
Leaving those words behind, Lin Chuan leapt into the air and vanished.
Huang Tianyu and the others left first. Before departing, Xu Qingqing gave Yang Chen an extra glance, but he did not notice it, because someone had appeared before him.
"I will not lose to you."
Meng Shijun left behind those somewhat indignant words, then drifted away.
Next came the usual lecture from Wang Kui and the other supervisors. Afterward came the eagerly anticipated distribution of resources. Once Yang Chen collected his share, he left together with Zhu Xi.
Naturally, there was another round of nagging along the way. After returning to his residence, Yang Chen played with the spirit crystals in his hand for a moment before sending Wang Feng a message.
"Senior Brother Wang, get me two sticks of Spirit Calming Incense, two Muscle Relaxing and Vitality Pills, and two bottles of Qi Strength Pills."
He had twelve spirit crystals on hand, and he spent them all at once on cultivation resources.
Others might have needed to consider how to maximize their value and plan for cultivation resources after breaking through to the Blood Martial Realm. He was different. He only needed to raise his strength as quickly as possible.
His cultivation speed was not slow now, but quite a few people could still keep pace with him. Once he broke through to the Blood Martial Realm, however, there would not be many who could follow in his footsteps.
This had nothing to do with talent. It was simply the crushing power of wealth.
The night passed without incident. Yang Chen hurried to the spirit fields early in the morning. More than two months had passed since the Spirit Rice harvest, and the Spirit Rice in the fields was growing splendidly. As far as the eye could see, everything was brimming with life.
After making a round and confirming there were no problems, he returned to the wooden hut to cultivate.
Two days later, Yang Chen's aura abruptly changed:
[Realm: Qi Martial Sixth Level, Punching Force: 7511 kilograms]
Without considering the cost of spirit crystal investment, Yang Chen's cultivation speed was extremely fast. Less than a month after his last breakthrough, he had broken through another realm.
He clenched his fist and could feel the astonishing power contained within it. With such tremendous strength in hand, he could smash even an elephant to death with one punch.
His breakthrough in cultivation brought more than just changes in strength. His senses had become sharper, and his eyesight had improved as well. It was an all-around enhancement.
Yang Chen did not become complacent. He was still a bottom-tier martial artist. The Qi Martial Realm might count as strength in a town, but in a county or a prefecture, it was not worth mentioning.
Not to mention that this was the Sun Moon Sword Sect, where there were far too many people stronger than him. The road ahead was long, and he still had to place one foot before the other.
This world was dangerous, but fortunately, the Sun Moon Sword Sect was safe. Even a disaster that shook the heavens could not threaten a lowly Labor Disciple like him.
Time slowly passed amid exhausting yet fulfilling cultivation. Before he knew it, another half month had gone by.
[Realm: Qi Martial Sixth Level, Punching Force: 8451 kilograms]
After half a month, Yang Chen's strength had improved greatly again. He guessed that his ranking could rise quite a bit now, but he had not gone to the Testing Stele during those past two weeks, so his ranking had fallen to ninety-first.
This sparked plenty of discussion. Among them, Meng Shijun was undoubtedly the happiest, because rather than falling, his ranking had risen. He was now eighty-second on the board.
Yang Chen heard some of the remarks, but he did not care. All he needed to do was display his strength during the month-end settlement.
"My winemaking is getting better and better."
Inside the wooden hut, Yang Chen poured himself a cup of wine with some self-satisfaction.
This was not rice wine, but genuine watered liquor with real alcohol content.
Drinking wine he had brewed himself while eating beast meat braised rice he had cooked himself truly had a unique flavor.
After eating and drinking his fill, Yang Chen cultivated as usual. Only then did he lie down on his bed and fall into a heavy sleep.
Early the next morning, he came to the ridge between the fields and began his inspection.
Just when he thought everything was normal, he unexpectedly discovered that several stalks of Spirit Rice in one corner of the spirit field had begun to yellow. He did not dare be careless and hurried closer to examine them carefully.
The moment he looked, his heart sank. Those few stalks of Spirit Rice were somewhat wilted, as though they were malnourished.
This was inconceivable. The spirit field had a Spirit Gathering Formation, so the Spirit Rice could not possibly lack spiritual energy. How could it be malnourished?
Moreover, the Spirit Rice had been lush and flourishing just a few days ago. There was no reason for a problem to suddenly arise.
He furrowed his brows. If only these few stalks had problems, it was still within what he could bear. What he feared was that this was no accident.
If a large-scale problem truly occurred, his path in the Sun Moon Sword Sect would be cut off. That was something he absolutely would not allow.
After pondering for a moment, he decided to report the matter that afternoon and ask someone to come inspect what was causing these symptoms.
That day, Yang Chen was somewhat absent-minded even while cultivating. He endured until the afternoon before hurrying back to the residential area. Without even having time to eat, he rushed straight to Wang Kui.
Wang Kui was the supervisor of the spirit field area, though he rarely went there. Most of the time, he cultivated at his residence.
"Yang Chen, why are you here?"
Seeing Yang Chen rush over in such a hurry, Wang Kui found it rather strange.
The two had not interacted much, but ever since Yang Chen had made the Rankings Board, Wang Kui had paid him far more attention.
He had once been a newcomer himself, and he knew what it meant to make the board.
The people from his cohort in Area 8 who had made the board back then had all advanced to the Outer Sect by now.
"Senior Brother Supervisor, something has happened to the spirit field I am responsible for..."
Yang Chen quickly explained the matter, especially describing the symptoms of those few stalks of Spirit Rice in detail.
Wang Kui had served as a spirit field supervisor for more than a year and was thoroughly familiar with every kind of condition affecting Spirit Rice. He immediately gave his advice. "Those symptoms mean the Spirit Rice has been infested with insects. Go to Nineteen Peaks Town and buy a bottle of Insect Luring Powder. It should be resolved within two days."
Yang Chen breathed a sigh of relief. As long as there was a solution, it was fine. After thanking him, he hurried away.
Watching Yang Chen's departing back, Wang Kui frowned. "With the Spirit Gathering Formation in place, how did Rice Devouring Worms get in?"
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