The change in the black mole on the sole of his foot was only a minor episode. The busy young man soon forgot all about it.
After all, it didn't affect his lifespan. On the contrary, it gave him endless hope for his cultivation path.
Another month passed.
Chen Changming remained at the first level of Qi Refining. He had made no further breakthroughs in either his spells or his saber techniques. But there was good news: all fifteen mu of his Spirit Rice had finally ripened.
Chen Changming took stock. The ten mu in the woods had yielded twenty-eight thousand jin, while the three mu outside the courtyard had yielded five thousand six hundred jin. This Spirit Rice was crystal-clear and gave off a rich fragrance. Its quality was completely different from the Spirit Rice he had grown before.
The young man was certain this was Mid-grade Spirit Rice.
He packed the Spirit Rice from the three mu into a Storage Bag, then put the rice from the remaining two mu into another bag.
As for the Spirit Rice in the woods, it barely fit into his largest Storage Bag.
Once everything was done, he was about to leave the mountain to find the outer sect disciple Tian Shouyi, but, to his surprise, the man came to him first.
"Senior Brother Tian, this is my Spirit Rice."
Chen Changming went to meet him, handing over the Storage Bag with a smile.
"Mm, you're pretty efficient, kid."
Tian Shouyi glanced at the young man and poured the Spirit Rice from the Storage Bag into his own.
After all, he had dealt with Chen Changming twice already. The two of them were fairly familiar by now.
"Junior Brother, you're lucky..."
Tian Shouyi gazed at the young man, his face dark, and let out a soft sigh.
Chen Changming had a vague guess as to why and asked quietly, "Senior Brother, why are you sighing like that?"
"Alas, you've probably heard that the two kingdoms are at war. This time, the major sects of the Yue Kingdom suffered a defeat, enraging their sect masters. They're sending more troops, and I'm among those being dispatched..."
Tian Shouyi spoke anxiously.
Chen Changming offered him some comfort. "Senior Brother, war is dangerous. Make sure you protect yourself."
"Mm."
In low spirits, Tian Shouyi looked toward the mountaintop. "This time, even the third-level Qi Refining outer disciples are going with me to the front lines. So we'll have to adjust the layout of our Spirit Rice planting area."
Even third-level Qi Refining servants had to go to war?
Chen Changming's heart skipped a beat. Those cannon fodder would probably never make it back. Even Tian Shouyi was likely in grave danger.
Lingxiao Sect would suffer heavy casualties in this battle.
Tian Shouyi credited 100 contribution points to Chen Changming's Contribution Token, patted him on the shoulder, and continued, "We'll be short-handed here from now on, so everyone at the second level of Qi Refining will go plant the Spirit Fields on the mountaintop...
"As for the middle and lower slopes, you can choose based on your own abilities. The sect won't make it mandatory, as long as you turn in the original quota each year."
Chen Changming nodded.
He had plenty of spiritual energy, and his Cloud Rain Art had nowhere else to be used, so he often ended up showering those woods with it. If the sect wasn't going to manage this area so strictly anymore, he could plant more Spirit Fields.
Tian Shouyi took out a conch-shaped treasure, put it to his lips, and called out a few times. His voice carried all the way to the mountaintop.
Before long, all the servant disciples had gathered.
Tian Shouyi announced the sect's new arrangements in front of everyone, leaving the servant disciples with wildly mixed feelings.
The third-level Qi Refining servants all turned deathly pale, so terrified they nearly lost their wits.
The second-level Qi Refining servants were also on edge, their faces grim. After all, if the fighting grew even more intense, they might be sent to the front lines too.
Only the first-level Qi Refining servants remained relatively calm. Still, most of them weren't capable of tending the middle-slope Spirit Fields, where two harvests a year were possible. They were already run off their feet caring for the five mu at the foot of the mountain.
A moment later,
Tian Shouyi led the third-level Qi Refining disciples away, their faces etched with despair. The second-level disciples went back to pack their things, then headed for the mountaintop.
They were in low spirits too and had little interest in planting Spirit Fields, thinking only about how to stay alive.
The first-level Qi Refining servant disciples returned to their old quarters. Not a single one of them was willing to go to the middle slope.
Chen Changming blinked.
Could it be that he was going to be left to plant the entire middle slope by himself?
There were more than two hundred mu of Spirit Fields on the middle slope.
For Chen Changming, that was manageable, though it would be hard work. But when he thought of how much Mid-grade Spirit Rice he could get, he felt as if someone had pumped him full of blood, and his fighting spirit surged again.
Chen Changming didn't hurry up the mountain. Instead, he slipped out of Lingxiao Sect and made his way to Lingyun City.
He had to find a way to sell the Spirit Rice he was carrying.
After changing his appearance, the young man in a black bamboo hat entered the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion once more and met Shopkeeper Xu.
Shopkeeper Xu beamed. "Fellow Daoist, we meet again after half a year. I wonder if you've brought this old man another pleasant surprise?"
Chen Changming said nothing and handed him a Storage Bag.
Shopkeeper Xu took it, pulled out a handful of Spirit Rice, and smelled it. His expression changed again. He gave Chen Changming an apologetic smile, then hurried out.
Chen Changming waited patiently.
On the top floor of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion,
Shopkeeper Xu rushed in, his excitement plain on his face. "Miss, that servant disciple surnamed Chen from Lingxiao Sect is back. He really has brought Mid-grade Spirit Rice."
"I knew I was right about him. Though he has a Five Elements Mixed Spirit Root, he has a remarkable talent for planting. He understands the Cloud Rain Art so deeply that he's managed to grow Mid-grade Spirit Rice at the first level of Qi Refining!"
The White-Clad Woman smiled faintly. Her beauty outshone all others, leaving the flowers of the world looking dull.
It wasn't hard for the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion to investigate a servant disciple of Lingxiao Sect, so Chen Changming's information had long since been laid out before Shopkeeper Xu and the White-Clad Woman.
"Miss, shall I discuss a partnership with him?"
Shopkeeper Xu asked with a smile.
"Mm. That batch of medicinal herbs is important. As long as his requests aren't unreasonable, do your best to meet them."
The White-Clad Woman nodded.
Shopkeeper Xu left the room and returned to a private chamber on the second floor, where he saw that remarkable servant disciple from Lingxiao Sect again.
"Fellow Daoist, this really is Mid-grade Spirit Rice. How much do you have? The Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion will buy all of it..." Shopkeeper Xu said eagerly.
"More than thirty thousand jin."
Chen Changming answered calmly. He felt that after Shopkeeper Xu had gone out, the man's gaze had changed. He looked at him with deep respect and spoke with great courtesy, which made Chen Changming feel a little uncomfortable.
More than thirty thousand jin?
Shopkeeper Xu was stunned. What kind of freak was this servant disciple at the first level of Qi Refining? How had he grown so much Mid-grade Spirit Rice in half a year?
He simply couldn't understand it.
"We'll take it all."
After only half a second's thought, he immediately agreed.
Chen Changming handed Shopkeeper Xu the other Storage Bag as well. After checking that everything was in order, Shopkeeper Xu traded him six hundred and seventy-two Low-grade Spirit Stones on the spot.
"Shopkeeper Xu..."
Chen Changming looked at him, hesitating to speak.
With so many Spirit Stones, he could buy about seventy-four Spirit Gathering Pills from a private seller. But that was a lot, and he was worried that making the deal out on the street would draw unwanted attention. It would be safer to sound out the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion and see if they could give him a discount.
After all, buying here was safer.
"Please, go ahead, Fellow Daoist."
Shopkeeper Xu said with a genial smile. It was plain that the servant disciple wanted something from him, which suited him perfectly.
Chen Changming asked tentatively, "I'd like to buy some Low-grade Spirit Gathering Pills. Would you be willing to sell them to me a little cheaper than they go for outside?"
"Haha!" Shopkeeper Xu laughed and answered readily, "Why not? You're a valued guest of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. I can sell you Spirit Gathering Pills for eight Spirit Stones each."
Eight Spirit Stones each?
Chen Changming's heart leaped with joy. At that price, he could buy eighty-four pills, ten more than before.
Ten extra Spirit Gathering Pills!
For Chen Changming, who was always short on money, that was quite a windfall!
Afterward, Shopkeeper Xu took Chen Changming's Spirit Stones and traded him eighty-four Spirit Gathering Pills.
With his wish fulfilled, Chen Changming breathed a sigh of relief and was about to turn and leave when Shopkeeper Xu suddenly called out to him.
"Fellow Daoist, would you be interested in a large number of Spirit Gathering Pills?"
Shopkeeper Xu's voice rang out behind him. Chen Changming stiffened, stopped in his tracks, and slowly turned around.
"Shopkeeper Xu, what do you mean?"
Chen Changming asked in a hoarse voice.
"Don't misunderstand me, Fellow Daoist."
Shopkeeper Xu waved a hand and smiled. "To be honest, the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion has a medicinal field that needs someone skilled in the Cloud Rain Art to water it. Since you can grow Mid-grade Spirit Rice, I imagine you have quite some skill in that area. How about working together?"