Spirit Rice

Fang Yuan still had no idea that a colossal conspiracy was closing in on him.

On the contrary, at that moment, his heart was filled with wild joy.

"This is..."

The instant he stepped into the rice field, a sea of red light filled his vision.

The entire Crimson Jade Rice Field had undergone a dramatic change. The grains were huge and plump, almost bursting, and gave off a faintly spicy fragrance, like an aromatic spice that set one's mouth watering.

"The Red Jade Rice is ripe!"

Fang Yuan was overjoyed.

"Gek, gek!"

"Gek, gek!"

The Flower Fox Ferret beside him was also beaming with delight, practically ready to pounce and gorge itself.

Fortunately, the lessons he had given it over this period had finally made it understand that, just like Jade Crystal Rice, this spirit rice had to be husked and steamed before it could be enjoyed in all its exquisite deliciousness. Otherwise, it would be like ruining a heavenly treasure.

So it held itself back for now, gazing at Fang Yuan with eager, pleading eyes.

"All right, let's harvest it first!"

Fang Yuan returned to the Spirit Cottage and brought out a sickle and other farming tools, then carefully began to cut the stalks.

Fortunately, he had already broken through the Rest Pass and entered the ranks of novice martial artists. His stamina far surpassed that of ordinary people, and his Divine Essence was high as well. He had excellent control over his movements; with a few flashes of the blade, orderly rows of Crimson Jade Rice stalks fell to the ground.

Beside him, the Flower Fox Ferret watched, licking its paw, but it didn't dare come forward to help.

It knew perfectly well that its future happiness depended on this harvest. If it made a mess with its clumsy paws, wouldn't it be devastated?

"All right, help me carry these rice stalks back!"

Fang Yuan tied the Crimson Jade Rice stalks into a bundle with straw rope, then tossed the Flower Fox Ferret a share too. "Be careful!"

After harvesting came the drying, threshing, and husking...

Once the final step was complete, Fang Yuan looked at the bright-red Red Jade Rice before him, and a smile spread across his face.

Each grain of Red Jade Rice before him was about the size of his little finger, crystal-clear as jade, with a streak of Fire Line running through its center. A spicy fragrance wafted into his nose.

"This harvest should be about fifty pounds. Half of it has to be saved as seeds for next time..."

Fang Yuan placed the unhulled grain, with its husks still on, in a separate pile and carefully stored it in the warehouse. Only then did he let out a long breath. Looking at the remaining Red Jade Rice, he rubbed his palms together, barely able to wait. "Let me taste this spirit rice..."

The Flower Fox Ferret was drooling at the sight of the Red Jade Rice, but didn't dare touch it. Instead, its Eye Orbs shifted, and it ate almost half of the bran left over from threshing. Then it patted its belly, looking thoroughly satisfied.

"Such a clever little thing!"

Seeing its expression, Fang Yuan couldn't help laughing and scolding it.

Though bran was usually used to feed poultry in the countryside, this was bran from spirit rice. Its nutritional value and vital energy were probably even greater than those of Pearl Jade Crystal Rice.

"But...if you eat so much now, will you still have room when the Red Jade Rice is cooked?"

Fang Yuan tapped the Flower Fox Ferret's little head.

The White Sable rolled its Eye Orbs and held up its little paws, its eyes brimming with longing, as if to say it could eat any amount he gave it. It was impossible not to laugh.

"Honestly...there's no dealing with you!"

Fang Yuan chuckled helplessly, fetched some mountain spring water, and set up another steamer. After a moment's thought, he put in a pound of Red Jade Rice.

"Red Jade Rice is a spirit crop, so there's a knack to cooking it. Just steam it over water..."

Fang Yuan stuffed rice straw under the stove. As he watched the kitchen glow red as if it were on fire and smelled the fragrance rising from the steamer, he couldn't help swallowing.

The Crimson Jade Rice straw was a spirit plant too, yet here it was being used as firewood. If someone from the Gui Ling Sect saw this, they'd have no idea how wasteful they'd call Fang Yuan.

But to Fang Yuan, wasn't cooking rice with rice straw as natural as could be?

Besides, combining the two this way might have some other special benefits.

Next time, I'll use the Red Jade Rice bran to raise a flock of chickens and ducks, then serve a whole feast made of spirit ingredients. Now that would be the life!

That was one of Fang Yuan's little dreams.

The straw caught fire easily, so he had to keep adding more. When the last handful had turned to flame and disappeared, a fragrance ten times stronger than before filled the kitchen.

"The Red Jade Rice is ready!"

Fang Yuan opened the steamer, and a mass of crimson vapor surged up. The ordinary steam had taken on the glow of the Red Jade Rice, turning completely fiery red, like Fire Clouds.

Inside the steamer, the Red Jade Rice had swollen to about the size of ordinary crystal rice. After absorbing the steam, each grain looked even plumper, and flames seemed to flicker faintly inside them.

"Gek, gek! Gek, gek!"

The Flower Fox Ferret jumped up, looking as if it couldn't wait another second.

"Haha...how could I leave you out? Here, eat up!"

Fang Yuan brought out bowls and chopsticks, filled a bowl for the Flower Fox Ferret, then served himself the same amount.

Gulp!

As the fragrance billowed around him, Fang Yuan swallowed, picked up a mouthful of Red Jade Rice with his chopsticks, and put it in his mouth.

"Mmm..."

The very next instant, his eyes flew wide open.

The Red Jade Rice melted as soon as it entered his mouth, like a stream of lava, its rich spicy flavor setting his taste buds ablaze.

That faintly hot sensation, combined with the rice's natural texture, made it the perfect accompaniment all on its own. No other dishes were needed.

When his throat moved and he swallowed, the surging current flowed straight into his lower abdomen, then rose again as a rush of icy coolness.

The rice had been blazing hot in his mouth, yet after entering his stomach, it turned into a cold current?

Fang Yuan closed his eyes, feeling as if his whole body had passed through both ice and fire.

The sensation was like spending half a day in a Turkish steam bath in a dream, then taking a refreshing cold shower. His whole body felt invigorated, every inch of his skin floating in bliss.

He felt that way, and the Flower Fox Ferret beside him gobbled up its rice even faster. Once it had finished, it stared at Fang Yuan with eager, pleading eyes.

"You little glutton!"

Looking at the small amount of rice left, Fang Yuan felt both regret and dread!

He was afraid he wouldn't be able to resist eating up all the dozens of pounds he had set aside as seeds!

The Flower Fox Ferret's gleaming green eyes made it clear this wasn't an idle fear.

"But...this is our first harvest. It's fine to eat a little extra, right?"

The Red Jade Rice tasted far too good. Fang Yuan rubbed his chin and ventured the suggestion.

Beside him, the Flower Fox Ferret leaped and cheered, almost clapping its paws.

"Whew...I'm stuffed..."

After who knew how long, Fang Yuan contentedly held his belly and lounged on the grass, not wanting to move even a finger.

Beside him lay the Flower Fox Ferret, equally stuffed.

The two of them had eaten without restraint, polishing off five pounds of rice in one go. Once Fang Yuan came to his senses, his heart ached.

He'd been counting on that rice to last until the next harvest, but now...that was unlikely. No, it was already impossible.

"Looks like I'll have to show some restraint. Am I really going to have to live on bran and gruel, counting every last grain of rice from now on..."

Fang Yuan immediately felt gloomy.

He had no idea that even within the Gui Ling Sect, Red Jade Rice was reserved for the Sect Leader and her direct family. They couldn't even eat it every day.

If word got out about how Fang Yuan and the Flower Fox Ferret lived, who knew how many people would be green with envy?

"But...the Red Jade Rice Seeds Lin Benchu gave me last time didn't look anything like this..."

After eating his fill, Fang Yuan thought back to the rice he had harvested and pondered. "Is this the miraculous effect of Planting Skill at level three? I'm afraid that even the spirit rice in the Gui Ling Sect isn't as good as mine. And this is without even triggering Mutation Probability..."

"It's time to train!"

After letting his food settle a little, Fang Yuan got to his feet and glanced at his stats panel. He froze when he saw that it had changed:

Name: Fang Yuan

Essence Yuan: 1.4

Qi: 1.3

Divine Essence: 1.5

Age: 18

Cultivation: Second Stage of Martial Arts

Skill: *Black Sand Palm* [Second Layer]

Specialties: *Medical Skill* [Level One], *Planting Skill* [Level Three]

"Essence Yuan went from 1.3 to 1.4?"

To Fang Yuan, Essence Yuan represented his Bone Structure, his physique—the sum of everything tangible in the human body.

Previously, it had only increased when he broke through a martial arts stage.

But now, simply eating a meal of Red Jade Rice had raised his Essence Yuan by 0.1?

"Even if this is the first time, and the effect is strongest, that's still a little excessive!"

Fang Yuan was both incredulous and wary.

Physical Quality was the foundation of everything. Just one meal of spirit rice had brought about such an astonishing change. What kind of astonishing talent might the scions of wealthy families possess, when they lived in comfort and had an endless supply of spirit rice from childhood?

"But...their spirit rice might not be as good as mine. Besides, they definitely don't have my Gold Finger!"

With the help of his stats panel, Fang Yuan was confident he could reach the peak of this world. He wouldn't fear any so-called genius.

"Even so, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step...I still can't skip my daily training!"

Fang Yuan quickly began practicing Black Sand Palm.

But today, he immediately noticed a difference.

As he practiced, streams of warmth kept welling up from all his limbs and bones, soaking through his body like warm water. His energy grew more abundant, and a faint tingling, like an electric current, ran through him.

"What is this..."

Sensing something was different, Fang Yuan examined himself, then checked the stats panel and spotted the issue.

"My proficiency in Black Sand Palm is rising so fast. Is this the spiritual effect of Crimson Jade Rice Grain?"

Before, if he practiced his palm technique once, his proficiency would only rise by one ten-thousandth. Now, it was increasing by one-thousandth!

The efficiency had increased tenfold. It was enough to scare anyone to death!

"The Red Jade Rice's effects shouldn't have anything to do with proficiency. So it must be because of my Physical Quality?"

Fang Yuan immediately formed a theory.

Essence Yuan was the foundation of everything. Now that his foundation had improved, naturally, practicing martial arts had become much easier.

That was why his proficiency was rising so quickly.

"It looks like...I have to improve my Physical Quality as soon as possible!"

Fang Yuan clenched his fists, excitement flashing in his eyes.

Red Jade Rice, Heart-Questioning Tea, and his stats panel together were practically a cheat.