Blessing or Curse

"One-fifth?"

Meng Luohai was greatly invigorated at those words. "A one-fifth share is already extremely good. You must know that this Six-Pattern Wheat is a Second-Tier Spirit Plant. In ordinary times, our Meng Family would have nowhere to buy the seeds of such a Second-Tier Spirit Plant."

Now that the Ninth-Rank Cultivation Families were tightening their control over Cultivation Resources of the second tier and above, the Meng Family had no channels whatsoever if they wished to seek development and acquire things that could strengthen their foundation.

A few years ago, members of the Meng Family could still purchase some second-tier items unavailable on the open market from the Black Market within Qingyang County.

But after the new county magistrate of Qingyang County took office, he had no choice but to reach a certain compromise with those seven Ninth-Rank Cultivation Families in order to fulfill his political achievements.

Afterward, he ordered the county yamen to crack down harshly on those operating behind the Black Market, causing the Meng Family's channels for obtaining second-tier items to be almost entirely cut off over the past few years.

If the Meng Family continued developing with only first-tier Cultivation Resources, then no matter how large they grew, as long as they lacked sufficient resources to support the birth of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, the Meng Family would forever be subject to others and have their path of development choked off by those Ninth-Rank Cultivation Families in Qingyang County Town.

Moreover, the Meng Family now relied heavily on this Spirit Plant Field. If they suffered another disaster of drought or flood this year and lost most of their income, their lineage might very well be severed.

"Then, Clan Uncle Luohai, how should we handle this matter?" Meng Haoran asked.

As one of the Meng Family's younger generation, Meng Haoran's cultivation was considered outstanding among his peers. Yet when facing a major matter concerning the Lineage, he was still somewhat green.

"Haoran, you didn't tell anyone else about this stalk of Six-Pattern Wheat, did you?" Meng Luohai asked.

"I didn't tell anyone. When I discovered this stalk of Six-Pattern Wheat, I deliberately kept watch. There was no one else nearby," Meng Haoran replied.

"Well done. This matter concerns the development of our Meng Family. We absolutely cannot tell anyone."

Meng Luohai pondered. "If it is discovered by a Ninth-Rank Cultivation Family or forces hostile to our Meng Family, they will certainly rack their brains to suppress us."

Meng Haoran suggested, "In that case, Clan Uncle Luohai, why don't we quickly inform the clan elders?"

"Mm, that was precisely my intention."

Meng Luohai rose to his feet. "Haoran, your cultivation has now reached the point where you can stand on your own. I'll leave the task of guarding the Meng Family Spirit Plant Field to you!"

Meng Haoran nodded. "Clan Uncle Luohai, I understand. Go ahead without worry!"

There were plenty of clan members in Xinghua Meng Pavilion with higher cultivation than Meng Haoran's. However, Meng Haoran was the one who had discovered this matter, so having him stand guard was the best choice.

If the backbone members of the Meng Family were assigned to guard the Spirit Plant Field, attentive people might notice and draw connections, possibly uncovering the secret hidden within the Meng Family Spirit Plant Field.

With that, Meng Luohai did not linger. He tucked that stalk of "Six-Pattern Wheat" into his robes, mounted the Spirit Beast Flying Star Horse, and sped toward Xinghua Village.

Meng Haoran also rose. After briefly speaking with the clan members in the pavilion, he once more mounted the Spirit Beast Twin-Horned Moon Sheep.

Half an hour after Meng Haoran arrived at the Meng Family Spirit Plant Field, several figures suddenly appeared in the distance. The leader was none other than Meng Luohai.

"Neigh!"

Meng Luohai reined in his Flying Star Horse and came before Meng Haoran.

Meng Haoran lowered his head and clasped his fists. "This junior, Meng Haoran, greets all Clan Uncles!"

Aside from Meng Luohai, whose cultivation had reached the eighth layer of the Qi Refining Realm, several of those who had come this time were clan members at the perfected Qi Refining Realm.

Meng Fanghai, eighth layer of the Qi Refining Realm.

Meng Xuanhai, ninth layer of the Qi Refining Realm.

Meng Bohai, tenth layer of the Qi Refining Realm.

Although the Meng Family was the dominant cultivation lineage in Xinghua Village, they were nothing worth mentioning in Qingyang County Town. That was because the Meng Family did not possess a single cultivator who had reached the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Only when a Foundation Establishment cultivator appeared within a lineage would the county magistrate take notice and seek an opportunity to bestow upon that lineage the title of "Ninth-Rank"!

Ten years ago, the Meng Family's rise to become a Ninth-Rank Cultivation Family had been as certain as a nail driven into a board. Who could have expected that two of the clan's only three Half-step Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators would die tragically in the deep mountains and old forests while carrying out the county yamen's orders to encircle and suppress the Black Mountain Bandits, all in pursuit of Foundation Establishment Level Cultivation Resources?

And one of those two Half-step Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators who had died tragically was Meng Haoran's father, Meng Liuhai!

Meng Luohai first led everyone to the front of the Meng Family Spirit Plant Field. Only after looking around and confirming that no one was present did he lean in to inspect the situation within the field.

"It truly is Second-Tier Spirit Plant Six-Pattern Wheat!" Meng Luohai exclaimed.

The other clan members of the same "Hai" generation also nodded slightly, a trace of joy shining in their eyes.

All three of them were cultivators at the perfected Qi Refining Realm. When they later built their Dao Foundations, they would certainly need Foundation Establishment Level Cultivation Resources. Now that Second-Tier Spirit Plant Six-Pattern Wheat had appeared in the Meng Family Spirit Plant Field, how could they not be delighted?

"Elder Brother Bohai, has the clan head spoken on this matter?" Meng Luohai turned and asked.

As one of the Meng Family's few cultivators at the tenth layer of the Qi Refining Realm, Meng Bohai naturally held a status unlike that of the others.

He merely said, "Before we came, the clan head said that we were to quietly wait until all the Spirit Plants in this batch of fields matured and harvest them. Then we would preserve the mutated Six-Pattern Wheat and use it as seed for large-scale cultivation in the future."

Meng Luohai nodded. "My thoughts coincide with the clan head's. Only through large-scale cultivation in the future can our Meng Family accumulate enough capital to seek further development."

Just as Meng Luohai and Meng Bohai were speaking, Meng Haoran suddenly walked over.

"Clan Uncles, I have a question. If we harvest this batch of mutated Second-Tier Spirit Plant Six-Pattern Wheat after it matures, where will we plant it?"

Meng Bohai was slightly stunned upon hearing this.

Meng Haoran continued, "Ordinary soil cannot grow these Spirit Plants. If we do not plant them in this Meng Family Spirit Plant Field, where can we plant them? Xinghua Village is almost entirely ordinary soil. It simply cannot grow them."

Meng Bohai pondered briefly. "Haoran is right. Whether it is this Meng Family Spirit Plant Field or Xinghua Village itself, neither can support our cultivation of these Second-Tier Spirit Plant Six-Pattern Wheat."

What set Spirit Plants apart from ordinary crops was that their growth required a steady, enduring flow of heaven and earth spiritual energy. Such energy required not only spirit rain descending from the heavens, but also Spirit Plant Soil containing heaven and earth spiritual energy.

Meng Haoran added, "Spirit Plant Soil is divided into four grades—Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow. The Spirit Plant Field of our Meng Family is only the lowest Yellow-grade quality, yet it is already the limit of what our Meng Family possesses. How can we obtain additional Spirit Plant Soil elsewhere to grow Second-Tier Spirit Plant Six-Pattern Wheat?"

Meng Luohai sighed softly. "Alas, I thought these sudden Second-Tier Spirit Plants would be the stepping stone for our Meng Family to knock upon the gate of the Ninth-Rank Cultivation Families. Who would have thought they would turn out to be a scalding hot potato?"

The other two Meng Family members who had come with Meng Bohai also sighed repeatedly.

When he heard the words "Ninth-Rank Cultivation Family," Meng Haoran suddenly thought of something and reminded them, "Clan Uncle Bohai, can't we purchase Spirit Plant Soil?"

Meng Bohai turned to look at Meng Haoran. "Of course we can purchase it. But the new county magistrate has declared that if one wishes to buy Spirit Plant Soil, it can only be purchased at the trade fairs jointly held by the seven Ninth-Rank Cultivation Families in the county town. Yet no one knows when such a trade fair will be held, and the seeds of these Second-Tier Spirit Plant Six-Pattern Wheat in our Meng Family Spirit Plant Field naturally cannot wait that long based on their growth cycle."

"The Black Market!"

Meng Haoran asked again, "Since Spirit Plant Soil is controlled by the Ninth-Rank Cultivation Families and difficult to purchase, why not buy it from the Black Market?"

Meng Bohai frowned slightly. After exchanging glances with the others beside him, he said, "The Black Market? It is not impossible to buy it there. But in recent years, the new county magistrate has harshly suppressed the Black Market's existence. The Black Market is no longer what it once was. Not only is its scale shrinking, but it is also held less and less often. I suspect that something like Spirit Plant Soil may not be available there."

"How will we know if we don't try? This matter concerns the future development of our Meng Family. Even if the Black Market does not have it, we must try regardless."

Meng Haoran suggested, "Clan Uncle Bohai, should we ask for the clan head's instructions?"

This major matter concerned the foundation of the Meng Family's Cultivation Resources, and even more so whether the Meng Family could produce a Foundation Establishment cultivator in the future. Naturally, Meng Haoran had to take a gamble.

As for the decision in this matter, it could only depend on the Meng Family clan head's final judgment.

"You are right!"

After thinking for a moment, Meng Bohai said in a low voice, "Luohai, stay here and keep a careful watch. Do not let any outsiders approach our Meng Family Spirit Plant Field. Fanghai and Xuanhai, you two will replace Luohai and head directly to Xinghua Meng Pavilion to hold down the fort, lest anyone disrupt our pavilion's business. Haoran, return to Xinghua Village with me and seek the clan head's final opinion."

With that, everyone nodded and departed one after another.

Meng Haoran swung himself onto the Spirit Beast Twin-Horned Moon Sheep. On the road to Xinghua Village, he could not help feeling somewhat excited.

As long as we can buy Spirit Plant Soil from the Black Market or elsewhere, once these Second-Tier Spirit Plant Six-Pattern Wheat are planted and paired with my Heavenly Cauldron, these Second-Tier Spirit Plant Six-Pattern Wheat will surely be able to grow even faster!

While Meng Haoran followed behind Meng Bohai, his thoughts running wild, they had already arrived at Xinghua Village, the place where the Meng Family had first risen to prominence.

The two passed through houses and pavilions before arriving at a Spirit Spring that gave off wisps of heaven and earth spiritual energy. Together, they clasped their fists and said, "We pay respects to the clan head!"