Improvement

The matter of reform was a tangled web of a thousand threads, impossible to accomplish in a single stride.

Even with a rough plan in place, there were countless minor issues that required careful, individual sorting.

Fortunately, it was currently the month of June.

The previous harvest of spirit grain had only just concluded, and there was still a month left before the next season's sowing, leaving ample time to make all necessary preparations.

In reality, most people harbored doubts regarding Shen Changchuan's reform plan.

This was only natural.

Many people were accustomed to following tradition and were unwilling to change; regardless of whether a change was good or bad, they instinctively loathed deviation and feared leaving their comfort zones.

Among them, those who were already in the habit of cutting corners and shirking responsibility were even more resistant to change.

However, it was clear that within the entirety of Dawan Village, there was no such thing as democracy; as a cultivator, Shen Changchuan possessed absolute authority.

For everyone in Dawan Village, they were to execute the orders whether they understood them or not.

There was simply no room for opposition.

Furthermore, Shen Changchuan's reforms were not entirely without support.

At the very least, the majority of the members of the Eleventh and Twelfth Squads, as well as his grandfather Han Qinhu, were in favor of them.

For the former, if production increased, the warriors of those two squads would have the opportunity to receive a share of the spirit grain as a reward.

Such treasures of the immortal path were far more precious than mere gold and silver!

They were things that offered a chance for themselves or their descendants to embark upon the path of cultivation!

For mortals, the degree of their value went without saying.

As for the latter, his grandfather Han Qinhu, after reading through the reform plan, was in total agreement.

His own grandson wanted to accomplish something great; if he succeeded, it would naturally be a wonderful thing.

Even if he failed, the reform plan Shen Changchuan had produced was robust enough to serve as a safety net, ensuring no catastrophic losses would occur.

To be honest, even with his extensive travels and broad experience in the mortal world, Han Qinhu had been struck with awe when he first saw Shen Changchuan's reform plan.

The plan was so steady, and so ingenious!

In particular, the strategy of keeping ten mu of land unchanged while only experimenting with improvements on two mu left even the worldly-wise Han Qinhu feeling as though he were at a loss for words.

"He considers the possibility of defeat before contemplating victory; he acts without arrogance or rashness. My grandson, Shen Changchuan, is destined for great achievements in the future!"

This was how Han Qinhu sighed in his heart.

He even took the initiative to shoulder the task of supervision and management, dedicating the majority of his time and energy to assisting Shen Changchuan with his reforms, ensuring the plan was thoroughly implemented.

Time slipped away amidst the busy changes in Dawan Village, and in the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.

However, while busy with the reorganization of Dawan Village, Shen Changchuan had not neglected his own cultivation.

Or rather, ever since he had escaped the vortex of the Shen Family Estate in Tiannan City, he had never once relaxed his training!

This was because Shen Changchuan possessed a very clear understanding of this world.

In this feudal world of cultivation, the power an individual possesses stems from the strength they command.

The greater one's strength, the greater one's voice, and the greater one's power.

Whether it was reorganizing Dawan Village or improving the production of spirit grain to obtain a larger harvest, the purpose of these actions was ultimately to serve the advancement of his own strength!

Shen Changchuan would never put the cart before the horse.

It was precisely because of this that even during his busiest times, Shen Changchuan never once forgot to cultivate.

Reality did not betray his efforts, either.

In a mere half-month, his cultivation realm had already achieved a breakthrough, advancing a small step forward to reach the peak of the third level of Qi Induction.

He was only one step away from reaching the fourth level of Qi Induction.

He was about to step into the middle stage of the Qi Induction realm!

At the peak of the third level of Qi Induction now; the fourth level is finally within sight!

Sensing the more robust mana within his body, Shen Changchuan felt a sense of relief and satisfaction.

This must have something to do with leaving that stifling place, the Shen Family Estate. Escaping the cage at last, the sea is wide and the sky is high, which has allowed my state of mind to improve.

Escaping the cage to return to nature—the ancients truly did not deceive me!

Of course, this also has quite a bit to do with the resources for cultivation.

With the replenishment of the essence-filled flesh and blood from that fourth-level Qi Induction demon boar, I was able to make up for the mana deficiency in such a short time and reach the peak of the third level of Qi Induction!

Near the most vital spirit spring in Dawan Village, Shen Changchuan sat cross-legged on a giant boulder inside a secret chamber, his mood exceptionally good.

At this moment, the water of the spirit spring beside him flowed with a gentle murmur, wisps of spiritual energy diffusing into the surrounding space.

This secret chamber was a square space, with its walls and ceiling constructed from massive stone slabs weighing over a thousand catties each, completely enclosing the spirit spring within this area.

If one were to walk outside, they would see layers of soil piled and tamped down on top, making it look almost like a man-made hill, with only a single passage the height of a man for entry and exit, sealed tight by a heavy wooden door.

The purpose of this, naturally, was to trap as much of the spiritual energy evaporating from the spring as possible within a small space to facilitate cultivation.

As for the effectiveness?

How should he put it?

Shen Changchuan felt it was at least far better than meditating randomly in the wild.

Even the circulation of his mana felt faster here.

It was precisely because of that demon boar meat, combined with the decent spiritual environment near the mouth of the spirit spring, that Shen Changchuan had been able to advance so quickly to the peak of the third level of Qi Induction.

One had to realize that he had only reached the late stage of the third level of Qi Induction two months ago.

Now, in a mere two months, he had ascended a small tier.

The speed of his cultivation was evident from this.

Sure enough, leaving the great whirlpool of the Shen Family Estate was truly the most correct decision I could have made!

Recalling his two and a half years of experience within the Shen Family Estate, Shen Changchuan could not help but sigh once more.

Compared to his life in the Shen Family Estate—where he had to be cautious, afraid to offend anyone, afraid to cultivate diligently, receiving only a bowl of spirit rice porridge every ten days, and only tasting a few bites of demon beast meat during important holidays like the New Year—these days stationed in Dawan Village were far more gratifying!

At the very least, he was now completely free!

Moreover, his gains over these past few days were not limited to this.

Shen Changchuan gazed into the void, and a light screen appeared before his eyes:

Name: Shen Changchuan Realm: Peak of the third level of Qi Induction Cultivation Art: Elephant Mountain Qi Absorption Art Magical Tools: Two Golden Needles (Quasi-low-grade magical tool) Spells: Golden Needle Pierce: 100% (Trait: Slight increase in hidden weapon accuracy, negligible experience in Metal-attribute spell cultivation) Light Body Technique: 100% (Perfection Trait: Slight increase in speed, negligible experience in movement technique cultivation) Wind Blade Technique: 52% Fireball Technique: 43% Vine Technique: 13% Spirit Eye Technique: 2%

Not bad.

His Lightness Technique had also reached perfection.

Thanks to the abundant essence provided by the wild boar demon beast meat, Shen Changchuan had managed to squeeze time out of his busy schedule over the past half-month.

He had successfully cultivated the Lightness Technique to perfection, while simultaneously mastering the entry-level basics of the Spirit Eye Technique left to him by Shen Shiying.

There was not much to say about the Spirit Eye Technique; when activated, it merely allowed one to perceive faint traces of spiritual energy, light, or the tracks of demonic aura.

It was nothing more than a supplementary spell.

What mattered was the perfected Lightness Technique.

Just like with the Golden Needle Stab, once the progress of the Lightness Technique reached 100%, two lines of traits appeared beneath it.

Shen Changchuan did not quite understand the function of the latter line, "negligible movement technique cultivation experience."

However, he could certainly feel the effect of the former, "slight increase in speed."

When he unleashed the Lightness Technique at 100% progress, he found that he could now leap eight or nine zhang, whereas previously he could only manage four or five.

Under the effects of the Lightness Technique, his agility was boosted by at least a third more than before!

This brought with it a corresponding increase in the speed of his strikes!

Undoubtedly, this had further bolstered Shen Changchuan's overall strength!

As things stood now, Shen Changchuan even felt that if that giant demon boar at the peak of the fourth level of Qi Refining were to appear before him again, he would be confident enough to slay it through hit-and-run tactics!