Seven days later, at sunrise, outside Qingyang County Town.
A faint mist drifted out from the surrounding mountain forests, floating over the Spirit Plant Fields beyond the county town.
Splash!
A small spirit rain formed from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth drifted down, watering every inch of the Meng Family's Spirit Plant Field.
Meng Haoran stood alone before the Meng Family's Spirit Plant Field, forming hand seals with both hands, his mind focused as he watched the spirit rain without blinking.
"After this spirit rain, we can harvest this Spirit Plant Field this afternoon!"
Meng Haoran said solemnly, "As long as we harvest this Spirit Plant Field and bring the Second-Tier Spirit Plant, Six-Pattern Wheat, back to Xinghua Village, everything will be safe and sound!"
Roar! Roar! Roar!
As soon as Meng Haoran finished speaking, the Thunderfire Tiger at his feet let out a low growl.
The current Thunderfire Tiger had long shed its frail, windblown appearance from several days ago. It now fully possessed the bearing of a tiger Spirit Beast; even as it walked, it carried an innate tiger's majesty.
"Go!"
With a wave of Meng Haoran's hand, the Thunderfire Tiger ran over to a puddle before the Spirit Plant Field and lowered its head to lap up the rainwater formed from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
Not only had this rainwater been created through the Daoist Magic Meng Haoran cast, it also contained Cauldron Liquid from the Heavenly Cauldron. He could not let such precious things go to waste.
The Meng Family was currently lacking cultivation resources, and Meng Haoran himself needed a great deal of them. Saving even a little wherever he could was worthwhile.
Just as Meng Haoran lowered his head to watch the Thunderfire Tiger drink with delight, a mocking voice suddenly rang out from nearby.
"Well, well! Isn't this the Meng Family's young master, Meng Haoran?"
Hearing the voice, Meng Haoran turned and saw that the speaker was an old acquaintance.
Lin Jiangye, a member of the Xinghua Village Lin Family.
Xinghua Village lay beside the Tianyang Mountain Range. Demons and Spirit Beasts from the mountains often came down to seize opportunities to attack the villagers. To protect their lives, the Meng Family first settled in Xinghua Village, followed closely by the Lin Family and Chen Family. The three families jointly assumed responsibility for Xinghua Village's safety.
The Meng, Lin, and Chen Families were the only three cultivation families in Xinghua Village. Though all three were low-ranking families without ranks granted by the Great Yu Immortal Dynasty, they were still existences ordinary people could only look up to.
Xinghua Village's resources had always been limited, and the Meng, Lin, and Chen Families had long been hostile to one another. Only ten years ago, when the Meng Family lost two Half-step Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators in a single day, did the balance among the three sides undergo an obvious change.
With its foundation accumulated over several centuries, the Meng Family had always been the leading power in Xinghua Village. But after it lost two Half-step Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators at once, the Lin and Chen Families cast aside their former grudges and secretly joined hands against the Meng Family.
This policy among the upper echelons of the families also caused juniors like Meng Haoran and Lin Jiangye to dislike each other on sight.
When Meng Haoran saw that the newcomer was Lin Jiangye, his heart jolted slightly. Why was it him? Running into this guy at a time like this is rather bad!
He lowered his head slightly and looked at the Spirit Plants that could be harvested that afternoon, his fists unconsciously tightening.
"I can't let him come any closer!"
With that thought, Meng Haoran calmly said, "Lin Jiangye, why are you up so early at this hour?"
After saying that, Meng Haoran stepped forward and blocked Lin Jiangye's path.
Lin Jiangye had not noticed Meng Haoran's intentions. Standing before him, he smiled and said, "What? Does my Lin Family need to report to you before we do anything?"
Meng Haoran chuckled lightly but said nothing.
Seeing this, Lin Jiangye sneered. "Meng Haoran, don't forget that among the younger generation of the three great families, you are not the only cultivator at the Third Layer of Qi Refining!"
Meng Haoran asked in return, "So what? Even if you have advanced to the Third Layer of Qi Refining as well, can you defeat me? And don't forget—during the past Family Tournaments, your Lin Family has always been defeated by my Meng Family!"
Anger rose in Lin Jiangye's heart. "Meng Haoran! Don't get carried away. Our Lin Family admits our previous defeats in the Family Tournament, but your Meng Family has suffered misfortune year after year. I refuse to believe your Meng Family can still defeat my Lin Family in this year's Family Tournament!"
Meng Haoran spread his hands. "That's hard to say. What if we've gotten so used to beating you that we defeat you again? What then?"
"Meng Haoran! If you have the guts, fight me today!" Lin Jiangye snapped.
Those words were exactly what Meng Haoran wanted.
His intention was to stop Lin Jiangye from approaching the Meng Family's Spirit Plant Field, lest he discover the existence of the Second-Tier Spirit Plant, Six-Pattern Wheat.
Meng Haoran rolled his neck and said, "Fine! A fight it is. I've already finished what I needed to do today, so I have all the time in the world to play with you properly!"
Hearing the contempt in Meng Haoran's words, Lin Jiangye clenched his fists. "Then come on!"
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Just then, a series of footsteps suddenly sounded. Lin Jiangye looked past Meng Haoran and saw a tiger-shaped Spirit Beast slowly emerge.
"Thunderfire Tiger?"
Lin Jiangye asked curiously. Then he followed the footprints behind the Thunderfire Tiger and noticed something unusual within the Meng Family's Spirit Plant Field.
Just as he craned his neck to look, Meng Haoran suddenly stepped in front of him and blocked his view.
"What are you looking at? Are we fighting or not?"
Though Meng Haoran's voice was calm and unruffled, he was inwardly frantic.
"Isn't your Meng Family growing Three-Pattern Wheat in this Spirit Plant Field?" Lin Jiangye asked.
Meng Haoran inwardly cursed. This is bad!
Lin Jiangye continued, "Our Lin Family's Spirit Plant Field is also planted with Three-Pattern Wheat, but why does yours seem somewhat different from ours?"
Meng Haoran's expression did not change, nor did he move his feet. He remained firmly in Lin Jiangye's way and replied, "That is perfectly normal. The Daoist Magic cultivated by the Meng and Lin Families differs, and the methods used by the disciples casting those arts are also different. Naturally, the Three-Pattern Wheat produced will differ as well. Could it be that Brother Lin does not even know that much?"
Although Lin Jiangye could hear the provocation in Meng Haoran's words, Meng Haoran's persistent refusal to let him enter the Meng Family's Spirit Plant Field told him that something strange must be hidden within it!
Lin Jiangye folded his arms and smiled. "Meng Haoran, what you are doing right now is like explaining the saying: there are three hundred taels of silver buried here, and no silver buried here."
Hearing that, Meng Haoran frowned slightly.
"Normally, whenever I challenge you, you refuse without exception. What is going on today? Did the sun rise in the west? I merely said one sentence, and you agreed to fight me, yet you still won't let me enter your Meng Family's Spirit Plant Field!"
Lin Jiangye's tone suddenly turned sharp. "Speak! What are you hiding in your Meng Family's Spirit Plant Field?"
Meng Haoran smiled. "Want to know? Then go take a look yourself."
After saying that, Meng Haoran deliberately made way for him.
Seeing this, Lin Jiangye strode over with his head high and chest out.
The moment he reached the front of the Meng Family's Spirit Plant Field, Lin Jiangye's heart shook. He shouted, "Six-Pattern Wheat! Your Meng Family is actually growing the Second-Tier Spirit Plant, Six-Pattern Wheat, in your Spirit Plant Field!"
After saying that, Lin Jiangye turned, about to question Meng Haoran.
At that moment, Meng Haoran's voice rang out first!
Fire Cloud Palm!
A scorching surge of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth struck from behind Lin Jiangye!
Lin Jiangye had not been prepared in the slightest. How could he have expected the ever-gentle Meng Haoran to attack him?
Meng Haoran's palm sent his entire body flying!
The clothes on his back were burned away by the spiritual energy carried by the Fire Cloud Palm, exposing scorched skin beneath!
"Meng Haoran! You actually dared attack me!"
Lin Jiangye spun around and extinguished the flames on his back.
Meng Haoran smiled. "Didn't you always want to fight me? Today, I'll grant you that chance!"
Meng Haoran shot into the air and charged straight at Lin Jiangye!
Lin Jiangye was horrified. He hurriedly scrambled up from the ground, turned, and sprinted toward Qingyang County Town!
Other than the villages and Qingyang County Town, the surrounding area was always sparsely populated.
Now that Lin Jiangye had discovered the great secret in the Meng Family's Spirit Plant Field, Meng Haoran would certainly not leave him alive. If he wanted to escape, he had to reach a crowded place—he had to reach Qingyang County Town.
Moreover, mist swirled all around them. One moment of carelessness, and he might leave his little life here!
Run! I have to run! I have to escape and reveal to the public that the Meng Family has secretly planted Six-Pattern Wheat in its Spirit Plant Field!
Like Meng Haoran, Lin Jiangye was a cultivator at the Third Layer of Qi Refining. In terms of combat methods alone, the former was likely no match for the latter.
However, if Lin Jiangye was bent on escaping, Meng Haoran would also find it difficult to stop him!
Just when Lin Jiangye thought he could escape Meng Haoran's pursuit, Meng Haoran's sharp shout rang out behind him once more!
"Little Tiger! Stop him!"
The moment his words fell, a small figure suddenly sprang out, moving far faster than Meng Haoran!
Lin Jiangye inwardly cried out, This is bad! How did I forget about it?
Roar!
The Thunderfire Tiger's beastly form leaped fiercely out from the roadside!
The Thunderfire Tiger instantly knocked Lin Jiangye to the ground!
Though it was still small in size, it was, after all, a tiger Spirit Beast, astonishingly swift. Over the past few days, it had often received Meng Haoran's nurturing care, so it naturally possessed more strength than an ordinary Thunderfire Tiger.
Seizing the opportunity, Meng Haoran formed a Daoist seal with his hand and called out, "Water Cloud Sword!"
A tiny sword formed from water-attributed spiritual energy appeared between Meng Haoran's palms and shot toward Lin Jiangye's lower leg!
The Water Cloud Sword was incredibly fast. In the blink of an eye, it arrived before Lin Jiangye.
Pfft!
The Water Cloud Sword pierced straight through Lin Jiangye's right calf!
Blood immediately poured forth!
Seeing Meng Haoran rapidly closing in, Lin Jiangye's desire to survive surged within him. Dragging his mangled right leg, he turned and ran at high speed into the mountain forest.
Meng Haoran had not expected Lin Jiangye to still have the strength to flee despite such injuries.
With a wave of his hand, he summoned the Thunderfire Tiger over. Meng Haoran smiled and said, "Want to leave? Can you?"
With that, Meng Haoran and the tiger pursued Lin Jiangye at full speed!
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