Farming One Cannot Refuse

"Nephew-disciple Luo, come out quickly! Your Martial Uncle has tremendous good news to tell you!"

After delivering its message, the Sound Transmission Talisman immediately self-ignited and burned to ashes before Luo Hong.

"What good news could make Uncle-master Liu so excited?"

Luo Hong set down his brush and carefully flew over on his artifact. His injuries had not fully healed, so he could only move slowly.

Liu Jing did not mind waiting a little longer. Just as he was about to greet him with a smile, he sensed something unusual about Luo Hong's aura, and his face immediately filled with concern and surprise.

"Nephew-disciple Luo, why are you injured?"

"This junior was somewhat rash while cultivating and damaged his meridians. I'll be healed in a few days."

"That's good. The Qi Harmonizing Pill has potent medicinal effects and is only suitable for Qi Refining Late-stage cultivators. You're still in the Qi Refining Mid-stage, so in the future you should be more care... Hmm? You broke through to Level 9 Qi Refining!"

Liu Jing was astonished by Luo Hong's cultivation speed. A month ago, the boy had only been at Qi Refining Level Seven. Yet he had risen two levels in such a short time—the Qi Harmonizing Pill's effects were truly powerful.

However, after Liu Jing carefully sensed Luo Hong's Mana aura, he could not help feeling regret for him.

"Nephew-disciple Luo, you did not enter the state of Unity of Heaven and Man during your breakthrough, did you? Otherwise, your Magic Power should not merely have just entered Level 9 Qi Refining."

"Uh... perhaps this junior simply wasn't fortunate enough."

Luo Hong had only licked at the surface of Heavenly Dao's sugar-coated shell; he had not even tasted most of its benefits. To Cultivators unaware of the truth, Luo Hong had suffered an utterly ruinous loss.

"Haha, it's no matter. With the good news your Martial Uncle has brought today, making up for this small loss will be effortless!

Nephew-disciple Luo, what do you think of Fanghua Garden's output?"

Liu Jing suddenly shifted the topic to Fanghua Garden. Clearly, the good news concerned this garden.

"Fanghua Garden has over a hundred mu of low-grade Spirit Fields. Each mu produces more than three hundred jin of Spirit Grain, for an annual output of up to thirty thousand jin. It is considered one of the sect's largest Spirit Grain gardens."

These were all basic facts about Fanghua Garden, which Luo Hong had learned when he first took the post.

"Correct. Nephew-disciple Luo, if you were required to hand over thirty-two thousand jin of Spirit Grain each year, would you feel pressured?"

Luo Hong frowned slightly and considered for a moment before saying, "According to past records, Fanghua Garden's actual yearly Spirit Grain yield is around thirty-one thousand jin. To increase it by over a thousand jin, I'm afraid one would have to employ the methods of a Spirit Planter."

"Oh? Nephew-disciple Luo knows about Spirit Planters as well? That saves me the trouble of explaining. Take this Jade Slip."

Liu Jing handed Luo Hong a red Jade Slip, then said:

"This Jade Slip contains ten Spirit Arts in total: five elementary low-grade arts and five elementary mid-grade arts. Moreover, starting next year, the sect will no longer take all the Spirit Grain produced by Fanghua Garden. Instead, it will collect a fixed thirty-two thousand jin.

Nephew-disciple Luo, do you understand?"

Of course I understand. You want to trick me into farming!

Luo Hong forced out a wry smile. "Martial Uncle thinks too highly of this junior. How could a Spirit Planter's Spirit Arts be so easy to learn?"

Spirit Arts were actually Spells, except these Spells could assist the growth of plants and Spiritual Herbs, increase their spirituality, and raise their yields. Their effects were special and immense, so they were specifically classified as a separate category.

Cultivators who practiced Spirit Arts were Spirit Planters. Every one of them was high-level talent sought after by major powers. Even Spirit Planters at the Qi Refining stage often possessed greater wealth than ordinary Foundation Establishment stage Cultivators.

But if Spirit Arts were so easy to practice, such a vast Fanghua Garden would not have been making do with only a Small Rain Cloud Array.

All Spirit Arts were the hardest to learn among Spells of the same grade. First, they demanded extremely high Mana Control; second, they required the opening of certain obscure minor meridians.

"Nephew-disciple Luo, there is no need to belittle yourself. I saw how ingeniously you used the Water Control Technique in battle, so there should be no issue with your Mana Control. Opening the remaining meridians is merely a matter of steady effort.

Besides, you need not learn too much. As long as you master the elementary mid-grade Spirit Art—Small Rain Cloud Art—and raise Fanghua Garden's output by five to ten percent, it will merely mean working a little harder each day."

Liu Jing had great confidence in Luo Hong. Without waiting for a reply, he Took Out Again a yellowed sheet of paper.

"This is a Spirit Wine recipe I specifically requested from my master for you. When you hunted Dan Zhu on Xiang Mountain, wasn't it because you intended to brew Spirit Wine? Now you have both Spirit Grain and a wine recipe. Isn't this tremendous good news?"

Could I even say no?

I could not blame Uncle-master Liu for today's awkwardness. He was acting entirely out of kindness. I could only blame myself for telling too many lies before and playing the part too convincingly.

"Yes, of course it is! This junior will never forget Martial Uncle's great kindness!"

"Nephew-disciple Luo, there is no need for this. I, Liu Jing, have always been clear about debts and favors. You helped me obtain the Qi Gathering Pill before; these are rewards you deserve.

Oh, right. After you brew the Spirit Wine next year, you may first store it in the Jade Dragon Gourd for several months. Then select some of the finest batches and present them to my master. That was the only condition for obtaining the wine recipe.

After running about for a month, I finally got this done! From today onward, I will go into seclusion for ten years. If you need anything, Nephew-disciple Luo, you may seek out your Little Martial Uncle. I have already spoken to her."

As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Jing hurried away. Seeing Luo Hong's cultivation surge after taking Pills had made him unable to restrain himself any longer.

Looking at the black speck on the horizon, Luo Hong felt conflicted. He sincerely bowed in the manner of a junior.

"Uncle-master Liu, meeting you in the Cultivation World has truly been my greatest fortune!"

After returning to his small courtyard, Luo Hong pressed the red Jade Slip to his brow and began studying the ten Spirit Arts within.

There were five low-grade and five mid-grade arts, corresponding respectively to the Five Elements of Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.

After reading through them once, Luo Hong discovered that the only Spirit Arts he could master within a year were two Water-element arts and two Gold-element arts:

Water-element elementary low-grade Yang Water Technique, Water-element elementary mid-grade Small Rain Cloud Art, Gold-element elementary low-grade Golden Needle Technique, and Gold-element elementary mid-grade Minor Geng Metal Art.

"With my current Mana Control, even casting the Yang Water Technique would require months of hard practice. The more difficult Small Rain Cloud Art would likely take one or two years.

Liu Jing has my interests at heart, but he is also tactfully reminding me that rather than fantasizing about reaching Foundation Establishment, I should learn a trade and save up a family fortune for my descendants.

And this matter is tied to Li Huayuan. If I do not brew this Spirit Wine, I'm afraid I won't be able to answer to him."

A Cultivator's Mana Purity determined the power of their Spells, while their divine sense determined their Mana Control.

Because of his previous enlightenment, Luo Hong's divine sense had doubled, which was why Liu Jing believed he had talent.

Liu Jing had indeed not misjudged him. He simply had not expected that Luo Hong did not want thousands of jin of Spirit Grain every year. He only wanted to cultivate and conduct research in peace.

"Fine. There are still nearly three years until the Southern Small Gathering. I'll spend two shichen each day practicing Spirit Arts. If I can brew large quantities of Spirit Wine, I'll also be able to explain where my Spirit Stones come from."

Next chapter preview: Three Years Later. Thirty chapters of setup are complete—the main story begins!