Ancient Shu.
Xituo Commandery, Zeng Clan Town.
Fang Yixin wore a bamboo hat and rain cape, his sleeves rolled up as he deftly raced to harvest the Spirit Rice in the spirit field. All the while, he cursed inwardly:
This damned rain has been falling for three months straight... If the formation hadn't protected them, the spirit seedlings would have drowned long ago.
Ever since that night, when an ugly crow's cry rang out, rain had fallen for three months without stopping, leaving the common people in misery.
Cultivators had fared a little better. The Zeng Clan had used a formation to protect its spirit fields and had barely held on until harvest time. Then it had immediately mobilized everyone to bring in the crop.
After all, keeping a formation running consumed vast amounts of spiritual resources too. Time waited for no one!
Fang Yixin had heard other cultivators chatting and speculating that some great figure had fallen, causing this strange phenomenon in the heavens. He therefore dared not curse aloud and only grumbled in his heart.
By the time he finally finished harvesting the Spirit Rice, his hands were covered in tiny cuts despite the magic power protecting them.
When he looked up, he saw dawn breaking. A shaft of golden sunlight pierced the clouds and spilled across the earth. He let out a long breath of relief. "We finally made it through..." On his way back, he met spirit farmers from various households. At the sight of the long-lost sun, they all greeted one another with smiles.
"That wasn't easy..."
"Let's go have a few drinks tonight..."
"I heard a few pretty ladies have arrived at the market. They've got quite a way about them..."
"Bah, but they're too expensive. A night with one costs a fair bit