Spiritual Rice Matures

"Low-grade Spirit Stones!"

"Five of them!"

"Zhao Kuangfeng is actually this generous!"

Liao Cao exclaimed repeatedly, more surprised than if he had seen a Martial Arts Manual.

Yang Shi took out a spirit stone and held it between his index finger and thumb. Under the sunlight, white spiritual energy dispersed within the crystal, swirling enchantingly, possessing an ethereal charm.

"Transparent rhombic crystals with flowing gas inside. This appearance... if sold directly at a jade auction, one would earn a fortune."

Yang Genshuo clicked his tongue twice, highly approving of the spirit stone's appearance.

"Are these the spirit stones that can buy 20 catties of spirit rice?"

"Precisely! These five pieces can be exchanged for 100,000 taels of silver in my Pinnacle Pavilion. They are priceless."

"Heh, Zhao Kuangfeng actually did something good. I'll accept these spirit stones as compensation for your offense against my Yang family."

If Zhao Kuangfeng could speak, he would have definitely opened his eyes and cursed him, "Compensation? His life is already lost, and it's not enough? You presumptuous fellow!"

These five Low-grade Spirit Stones were more valuable than all of Yang Shi's possessions combined.

"Shopkeeper Liao, let this matter end here. Remember, no Blademaster came to Qingshi County today, and you never saw anyone from the Ge family. Everything... is as usual."

"I will definitely keep my mouth shut. From now on, the Yang family will be my Liao family's eternal friend!"

Liao Cao had now boarded Yang Shi's ship and could not get off.

Everything that happened today was planned by Yang Shi in advance. Starting from the city gate, he gradually led them into the basement of Shopkeeper Liao's private residence, and hardly any passersby even saw Zhao Kuangfeng.

"Huzi, go order a few tables of delicacies from Fragrant Garden later and give them to the Brothers of the Beggar Gang to eat."

"You got it~"

Shopkeeper Liao sighed upon hearing this.

"Liu Zi was killed by Zhao Kuangfeng."

"Why?"

"He went to my place to demand a reward and was kicked to death."

"...Make a Large Coffin for Liu Zi. Have Zhao Kuangfeng kneel inside and repent to Liu Zi properly in the afterlife."

Returning to the Yang Family Manor.

"Brother!"

Jiang Xiaobai, who had been waiting at the door, rushed over with a tearful nose and clung to Yang Shi, sobbing softly.

Even though Yang Shi had told her he had found powerful external help, Jiang Xiaobai still felt immense helplessness and worry while waiting in the manor.

She couldn't do anything, only pray that Brother Yang would return safely.

She hated this feeling of powerlessness.

"Heh heh, Xiaobai, don't cry. I have the protection of my Yang family ancestors, so nothing will happen."

"I-I didn't mean to cry, but I just can't stop."

Jiang Xiaobai wiped her red eyes. Tear streaks ran down her cute little face. The girl's astonishing beauty had begun to bloom, like a lotus emerging from water.

Yang Shi couldn't help but pinch Jiang Xiaobai's pitiful little cheek.

"Alright, the matter is over, and we've gained quite a bit. It's a blessing in disguise."

He raised the spirit stone bag in his hand and shook it, producing a crisp clinking sound, a smile on his face.

Jiang Xiaobai's eyes lit up.

Seeing this, Yang Genshuo's eyes were already heavy with sleep.

"I can't stay up any longer. I'm really going to die of sleepiness. Sleep, sleep."

After watering the spirit fields with spirit rain one last time, Yang Genshuo typed "Retreat" and lay down on the single bed in the study, falling asleep.

Time accelerated in the game.

[2 years and 20 days, Yang Shi became a disciple of the Innate Grandmaster Liu Wuhen. Liu Wuhen taught him the "Traceless Sword Technique" and "Clear Heart Art." Yang Shi trained diligently.]

[Huzi learned the "Gale Blade Technique" and "Dominating Aura Art."]

[2 years and 58 days, Yang Shi smoothly executed the entire Traceless Sword Technique, reaching the 'Novice' proficiency level.]

[2 years and 65 days, Liu Zihan's consumption sickness was cured. Liu Wuhen was extremely pleased and gave Yang Shi a bottle of "Bronze Tendon Iron Bone Pill." After consuming it, it could strengthen tendons and bones, making it the best pill for Body Forging Stage 5.]

[2 years and 100 days, the spirit rice ripened.]

"What a bountiful year!"

In the Green Bamboo Forest, the Ge Family Members were busy harvesting spirit rice. This was the most important time of the year for the family.

Ge Xiangshu, who managed the Ge Family Treasury, made a round and was quite pleased.

But his gaze shifted to the tall King Kong Fruit Tree, where the patriarch, Ge Xiangying, sat cross-legged, frowning as he gazed into the distance.

"This year's spirit rice yield is quite abundant. After deducting the tribute to the Xuan Shi Sect, there are still 20,000 catties of spirit rice and spirit wheat remaining. Why are you still worried, Elder Brother?"

Ge Xiangshu floated up, stepping on the tree trunk.

"My retainer might have met with trouble."

"Zhao Kuangfeng? Perhaps the journey was long, and he encountered some issues that caused a delay. Escorting mortal craftsmen is also quite troublesome."

"I calculated it. As long as he didn't leave Jade Dragon County, he would return in at most 3 months, or as little as 1 month. Now, 4 months have passed, and there's still no news. He's likely met with misfortune."

"Ah, this. Zhao Kuangfeng is Half-step Innate Realm. It's rare for anyone among mortals to be able to stop him, right?"

"If something happened to him, the attacker must have been an Innate Grandmaster."

"What if it was another cultivator?"

"Unlikely. If it were a cultivator like you or me, we could afford Spirit Wheat Flour. He could have made his own Spirit Food Grain-abstinence Biscuits and sold them at the Rogue Cultivator Market for spirit stones. Which cultivator would care about mortal gold and silver?"

"I heard the Alchemists of Xuan Shi Sect are quite in need of gold. They sell some pills to the Royal Family every year in exchange for gold."

"Are you trying to find an exception to refute me? I'm saying that in most cases, cultivators don't need gold and silver."

"That statement is much more rigorous, Elder Brother."

"That's what I meant!"

"Then why didn't you say so earlier? If you had said so earlier, wouldn't there be no doubt?"

Ge Xiangying's forehead twitched. He felt that the reason his younger brother hadn't broken through to the Qi Refinement stage yet was likely because he always thought of strange questions while cultivating.

"So, what's our next step?"

"We abandon this recipe and continue being our Spirit Plant Family!"

Ge Xiangying kicked Ge Xiangshu off.

"Go get your spirit rice! Don't come up here again!"

"I think farming every day is pretty good. Why bother scheming all the time? Don't look at your Qi Refinement stage, you're already losing hair. You might not even live as long as me."

Ge Xiangshu mumbled as he left, leaving Ge Xiangying trembling with anger on the spirit tree.

"The immortal path is long. Without careful planning at every step, how can one achieve great things?"

"My life has been like walking on thin ice."

Calming himself down, Ge Xiangying looked out for a while longer.

"The offerings to Xuan Shi Sect cannot be delayed. I need to ripen this King Kong Fruit Tree before the envoy comes to collect offerings from the immortal clans."

"After Ge Tan refines a wisp of Azure Wood Spiritual Qi and achieves the Qi Refinement stage, I will then slay this Innate Grandmaster and reclaim the recipe."

He sat cross-legged on the tall spiritual fruit tree, forming hand seals. Wisps of green spiritual energy floated from the surrounding forest, nourishing this King Kong Fruit Tree.

Yang Genshuo only slept for 8 hours this time and woke up naturally, feeling great, full of energy, and vigorous.

He first reviewed what had happened in the game over the past half-year. There was nothing that required his intervention. The spiritual rice had ripened and had been harvested and was drying outside.

Once the moisture dried, it could be stored or shelled and eaten.

Yang Genshuo went to the courtyard. Lin Yue's lunchbox was on the wooden table. She probably left because she thought Yang Genshuo was still sleeping.

The heartwarming home-cooked meal smelled delicious as he ate.

Yang Genshuo felt his body. He had almost completely absorbed the Gu Jing Hui Yuan Pill, and there was no feeling of medicinal power accumulating in his body.

"Today, I'll try the Qi and Blood Supplement Powder."

After this medicine was brewed, the medicinal soup emitted a faint fragrance of grass and wood, and the taste was quite potent.

After drinking it, Yang Genshuo's body began to heat up, and dense beads of sweat broke out on his skin.

He felt like he was in a steam room, hot and sweating from the inside out, making Yang Genshuo's body feel itchy.

"Still need to train!"

He trained intensely for 3 hours before the heat subsided.

He took a shower and looked at himself in the mirror. Yang Genshuo couldn't help but stroke his chin.

"It's slightly more angular."

He felt his fat was quietly leaving him. The handsome guy he used to be seemed to be making a comeback.

"Once I've taken all the body-tempering medicines, my physical fitness will definitely be amazing."

He sat in front of the computer.

Yang Genshuo prepared to chat with Yang Shi.

At this moment, an anomaly occurred.

A spiritual rain condensed above the Yang Family Manor, pouring down onto the spiritual field where the spiritual rice seeds had just been planted.

Yang Genshuo was stunned.

"Huh? I didn't do anything either?"