Blazing Fire Spell, Thick Earth Art

"If weeds aren't pulled out by the roots, they'll keep growing back and compete with the Spirit Grain for spiritual energy.

"If you learn the Blazing Fire Spell and reach the second Proficient level in the spell, you won't need to pull weeds by hand."

As Old Huang spoke, the hand seals changed. Orange-red spiritual light, like the halo of a setting sun, spread across a vast stretch of Spirit Field.

Ji An watched wisps of green smoke rise as the weeds turned to ash.

He picked up a shovel and dug around, only to find that even the roots had been burned to ashes.

Damn, this was what cultivation should look like. Someday, I could be this badass too!

"Senior Brother's spell is profound. I admire you, I truly admire you."

There should have been applause here. Ji An set down his hoe and clapped with all his might, playing the perfect straight man.

"I've cultivated for over a decade, yet my Blazing Fire Spell still hasn't reached Great Accomplishment. Shameful, truly shameful."

Though he spoke of shame, Old Huang wore a faintly proud expression.

"The Blazing Fire Spell not only burns away weed roots, but also kills the insects in the Spirit Field and turns them into fertilizer, killing several birds with one stone.

"Of course, the Blazing Fire Spell has other uses as well. You'll learn them slowly in the future."

"Once the weeds are dealt with, you'll face another problem.

"The spiritual energy in a Spirit Field isn't evenly distributed. In some places, it accumulates excessively and congeals into clumps, while other places become barren.

"Neither situation is good for Spirit Grain or medicinal herbs absorbing spiritual energy.

"That is when you need the Spirit-Shaking Hoe and Spirit-Combing Rake, to agitate the spiritual energy and comb the spiritual power evenly."

"The Thick Earth Art can solve this predicament. If you can cultivate the Thick Earth Art to Great Accomplishment, you can even improve the soil's fertility.

"Given time, you can cultivate an ungraded Spirit Field into a First-tier Spiritual Field.

"Of my ten mu of Spirit Fields, one mu has been cultivated into a First-tier Spiritual Field. The sect rewarded me with two minor merits for it."

Old Huang cast another spell. Earth-yellow light gleamed across the Spirit Field, as though invisible tools had plowed and harrowed it all over again.

He took grain seeds from a cloth bag and gave them a gentle scatter. The seeds fell neatly and evenly across the soil.

Old Huang chuckled smugly and said:

"A little trick—the Object Control Art. It's perfect for sowing large areas, but you need to reach Mid Qi Condensation before you can learn it. You still need to sow your seeds properly by hand.

"After scattering the seeds, just cast the Thick Earth Art once more."

Old Huang casually patted his hands, speaking as if he did not care at all:

"There, this one mu of Spirit Field has been planted."

Ji An watched the exposed grain seeds slowly sink into the soil. It was truly astonishing.

"Senior Brother is exceptionally talented, truly a model for our generation. I have no idea how long it will take me to reach even half your level."

Now this was what cultivation should be!

"Little An, to be honest, although I'm only at the Seventh Layer of Qi Condensation, among all the Spirit Farmers in the sect's Qi Condensation Stage who have reached my level, there are no more than could be counted on one hand."

"What a pity."

A look of sorrow suddenly appeared on Old Huang's face. "I am fifty-six this year. I can remain in the sect for at most another four years before I have no choice but to leave."

The lifespan of Qi Condensation Stage cultivators was not much longer than that of ordinary mortals. Generally speaking, reaching a hundred years was already the limit.

If one could advance to the Foundation Establishment Realm, one's lifespan could reach two hundred years. Thus, in the sect's eyes, those who failed to achieve Foundation Establishment were ultimately of little great use.

After sixty, the human body began to decline. Trying to advance to Foundation Establishment then was harder than climbing to the heavens.

Even if one had the conditions to advance, one could very likely perish in the process.

"With skills like yours, Senior Brother, the sect should want to keep you."

Spirit Farming was a technical trade. Although Senior Brother Huang had lost the possibility of advancing to Foundation Establishment, he could still shine in Spirit Grain Farming. At the very least, his skill surpassed that of the vast majority of Spirit Farmers.

"The sect has considered this issue. There is a special rule: if a disciple is over sixty but possesses a skill worth displaying, he can indeed remain in the sect.

"For Spirit Farmers, three Farming Spells must reach Great Accomplishment. Only my Minor Cloud and Rain Art and Thick Earth Art have reached that level."

Ji An said sincerely:

"There are still four years. If Senior Brother persists, there may yet be a glimmer of hope."

"Little An, some things simply cannot be learned if they cannot be learned. It took me seven or eight years to finally understand that truth."

Loss filled Old Huang's eyes, but he quickly composed himself, his brows lifting slightly.

"A few years ago, I completely gave up cultivating. I understand that my immortal path has already come to an end, but my grandson, Huang Feihu, will certainly surpass me.

"He has just turned twelve this year and entered Yellow Sprout Dao Academy to study. With me, his grandfather, supporting him, his path of cultivation will surely be far smoother.

"I do not ask for him to achieve any great success. As long as he can successfully establish his foundation, the Huang Family can branch out and establish a cultivation lineage."

Huang Feihu?

Ji An's lips curled upward as he smiled.

"A good name. Your grandson will surely gallop smoothly down the path of cultivation and fulfill Senior Brother's long-cherished wish."

"May your auspicious words come true, Junior Brother. If Feihu enters the sect, I will have to ask Junior Brother to look after him."

"Senior Brother, you flatter me. If you ever have need of me, just speak."

Ji An agreed readily. No matter what happened in the future, he had to speak boldly now!

"Senior Brother, I see quite a few abandoned Spirit Fields here. Since you have now given up cultivation to earn Spirit Crystals, why not plant a few more mu of Spirit Fields?

"With your current skills, it would be easy!"

He had planted one mu of Spirit Field in less than a minute. If Ji An had that efficiency, he would be betraying his own skill if he did not plant a hundred or more mu.

"Little An, you see how relaxed I look now, so you're taking it for granted?"

Old Huang laughed and explained:

"Take Spirit Grain, for example. It matures once every three months. During the first month, it truly does not require much care, but as the rice stalks grow, their need for Spirit Rain gradually increases.

"To rain upon ten mu of Spirit Fields once every day consumes nearly half the spiritual power of someone at the Seventh Layer of Qi Condensation.

"If you want a good harvest, you need to use the Wither and Flourish Art to seize Wood Element Spiritual Power from other plants and nourish your own Spirit Fields.

"As the Spirit Grain gradually ripens, all kinds of insects and birds fly over to peck at it. Every day, you must cast other spells to kill or drive them away. Only then can you preserve the harvest.

"I have confirmed it again and again: ten mu of Spirit Fields is the limit of my ability."

Did he not want to plant more Spirit Fields?

Of course he did, but if the harvest was poor after planting them, he would lose money.

To secure a good harvest, the Spirit Grain seeds had to be purchased from seeds cultivated by the sect's Spirit Farmer Pavilion. That expense could not be spared.

Were the sect's Spirit Fields free to plant? He had to submit enough Spirit Grain to the General Affairs Hall on time as rent.

Furthermore, disciples above Qi Condensation Layer 4 had to complete a certain number of sect missions every year.

All sorts of matters, taken together, limited the number of mu of Spirit Fields he could plant.

Ji An nodded thoughtfully.

He understood that no matter what kind of world it was, there would always be situations like, "The Way of Heaven takes from the surplus to make up for the deficient; the way of man takes from the deficient to enrich the surplus."

Only when there were enough oxen and horses could they continuously provide sufficient support for cultivators of higher realms, allowing those great cultivators to devote themselves wholeheartedly to cultivation.