New Traits, Praying for Blessings

The Spirit River flowed east for ten thousand miles, mountains layered in emerald on both banks.

In the heartland of Jiang Prefecture, beside the great river, stood a mountain named Cloudshadow Mountain. It soared into the clouds, shrouded in mist year-round as hazy rosy clouds rose about it. At its halfway point, a sea of clouds surged and roiled, and from within it, the grand sound of a morning bell would occasionally ring out, drifting far and wide, shaking the surrounding wilderness.

Following the sound, one could see countless stone steps stretching up from the foot of the mountain. All had been carved from bluestone, weathered and mottled by wind, rain, and years.

Ancient trees towered on both sides of the steps. Halfway up, the fog grew thicker until one could not see one's fingers before one's face. Only the bell guided the way, concealing countless mysteries of the Daoist Sect.

After climbing who knew how many thousands of steps, one reached the summit, where the mist suddenly dispersed.

A majestic pavilion stood there, with upturned eaves and bracket sets, carved beams and painted rafters. Bronze bells hung from its eaves, chiming in the wind. The pavilion, too, had been built from bluestone, runes flowing across its surface. Though battered by wind and rain for thousands of years, it had never fallen.

At its center hung a plaque bearing the words—"Lingjiang Temple."

The brushwork was vigorous, like iron paintings and silver hooks. It seemed to be the work of some mighty ancient Daoist, every stroke containing the grandeur of the Great Dao.

This was Jiang Prefecture's greatest Daoist stronghold. It oversaw a hundred cities and a thousand counties along both banks of the Spirit River, sheltering tens of millions of living beings. Whenever strange monsters wrought havoc within Jiang Prefecture, Lingjiang Temple would subdue them.

In the rear hall.

An old Daoist with white hair and the face of a child sat in meditation with his eyes closed. Dressed in a blue-gray Daoist robe, he sat cross-legged on a cushion. His face was lean and refined; though his beard and hair were both white, his skin was as smooth as an infant's, without the slightest wrinkle. With every breath, white vapor streamed from his nose and mouth, like dragons and serpents, lingering without dispersing.

Lingjiang Temple's True Person, Dong Daozi.

Tap, tap, tap.

Footsteps approached from outside, swift and forceful as a tiger's stride.

"Master!"

A dark, wiry young Daoist stepped inside. He was only seventeen, short in stature but solidly built, his eyes bright and sharp. His steps were steady and resounding, revealing a firm foundation.

"Congyun." Dong Daozi slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm as water. "It has been four years since you first received the Dao. How has your cultivation progressed?"

The young Daoist, Wang Congyun, pressed a hand to his chest and abdomen, true qi swelling within his belly.

He straightened his back and declared loudly, "It feels wonderful! A mighty current of qi rushes from my dantian through my entire body, while my organs burn as though they contain the grandeur of the Great Dao! Is this the Dao Foundation bestowed upon this disciple when I received the Dao? Infinite Heavenly Venerable! Though this disciple may be dull-witted, I shall cultivate diligently day and night and never fail Master's grace in bestowing the Dao!"

"Mhm." Dong Daozi responded blandly without committing himself. After a moment of silence, he spoke again. "You should know that every inner sect disciple must descend the mountain for training after first receiving the Dao."

Wang Congyun's eyes lit up, and he was beside himself with joy. "This disciple knows! May I ask what the training assignment is...?"

"Congyun, you are from Jiangnan, correct?" Dong Daozi asked instead of answering.

"Yes! This disciple comes from Locust Tree Village in Xiaopei County, south of the Spirit River. My original name was Wang Goudan. Four years ago, Master saw that I had aptitude and chose me as a Daoist Sect disciple. You granted me the name Wang Congyun and bestowed the Dao upon me. When this disciple was young—"

"I did not ask you to say so much."

"...Yes."

Dong Daozi stroked his long beard. "In that case, you must also know Dajiang County, which neighbors Xiaopei County. Today, I shall send you—"

"This disciple does not know it! This disciple has never left his hometown. But I have heard that quite a few promising seedlings have emerged in Dajiang County lately. Farming is flourishing, the crops are growing splendidly, and I heard several farmers have awakened Awakened Wisdom, born knowing how to—"

"Shut up."

"Oh."

"I am sending you to Dajiang County for training. Investigate in detail why the 'Farmers' there have awakened Awakened Wisdom, and examine their cultivation and abilities. Remember not to expose your identity. Proceed in secret... If nothing is amiss, you may return to the mountain in ten years. If you find anything unusual, report to the sect at once and await my instructions."

"Yes! This disciple will depart immediately!"

Wang Congyun turned and left, but as he reached the doorway, he suddenly remembered something.

"Master, this disciple recalls that the sect previously sent someone to Dajiang County to inspect the area and select its 'Farmers' as outer sect disciples. This disciple has had some dealings with the farmer Chen Cun. He understands Dajiang County better. May this disciple request permission to have him act as a guide so we may complete the training assignment together?"

Seeking an outer sect disciple's aid in completing a training assignment was also permitted by the rules.

Dong Daozi lowered his eyelids, expressionless. "Chen Cun is still in seclusion. He appears to be on the verge of a breakthrough, and I am personally guarding his closed-door cultivation. It would be inconvenient for me to leave the mountain."

"Then the other Dajiang County 'Farmers'—"

"No. Leave."

Wang Congyun: "?"

"Why...?"

Before he could finish, Dong Daozi formed a hand seal.

Whoosh!

The scene before him suddenly changed. He was already standing outside the room, and the doors behind him slammed shut with a bang.

Wang Congyun: "..."

He scratched his head, feeling that something was off but unable to say exactly what... Why did his master's words and actions today seem as though he were hiding something?

Under the same night sky, Xiaopei County, Jiang Family Farmstead.

It was late at night.

Jiang Tu sat on his bed, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

Chen Cun was dead!

He was the first "Farmer"! Yet just as he was about to break through to Eighth Grade, he had suffered an unknown attack and died violently.

An unknown attack!

Jiang Tu chewed over those words again and again. The more he thought about them, the colder his back became. On careful reflection, it was utterly terrifying.

Chen Cun had been chosen by the Daoist Sect. By rights, he should have been cultivating at Lingjiang Temple. Looking across all of Jiang Prefecture, there seemed to be no safer place.

Yet he had died!

And he had died at the critical moment just before his breakthrough! He had specifically "suffered an attack"!

The implications of that outcome were worth savoring...

Jiang Tu took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He recalled all the rumors he had heard in the village while farming and reclaiming wasteland, gradually piecing together a rough picture of Chen Cun.

Chen Cun had been a farmer from Dajiang County, in his twenties, illiterate, flamboyant in temperament, and high-profile in everything he did.

From the first day he awakened Awakened Wisdom, he had wanted the whole county to know he was special. He flaunted his Agricultural Path knowledge everywhere, telling everyone he met, "I am the chosen one," and thus drew much envy and jealousy.

After being selected as a Daoist Sect disciple, things only grew worse. He had practically forgotten there was a heaven above and earth below.

Luo Jin's methods in the simulation had been far wiser. He concealed everything and quietly spread enlightenment, trembling as though walking on thin ice.

Comparing the two, the difference in caliber was immediately apparent.

Jiang Tu secretly counted himself fortunate, yet he also felt a pang of sorrow for one of his kind, like a rabbit mourning a dead fox. It was indeed true that human lives were as worthless as grass in chaotic times.

Fortunately, he had kept his head down for five years without exposing a single anomaly. He had always believed that in this immortal yet bizarre age, the beam that stuck out rotted first, and the bird that flew first got shot. Keeping a low profile was the kingly path!

Now, Chen Cun had most likely died because he was too high-profile, perhaps even because of a plot within the Daoist Sect. What then of the remaining thirteen "Farmers" in the Agricultural Dao Sequence? What would become of them? Could they continue developing?

Just what game was the Daoist Sect playing?

Jiang Tu decided that from now on, he would gather more information about Dajiang County while keeping close watch on the sequence changes in the Golden Tome. He needed to see whether Chen Cun was the sole exception, or whether every Agricultural Path Cultivator who entered the Daoist Sect would meet with misfortune.

The most urgent matter was becoming stronger as quickly as possible.

He did not hesitate. His consciousness locked onto—"Harvest"!

Whoosh!

Causality Value: 250

New options emerged—

Selectable Profession 1: Farmer

Profession Level: lv1 (+)

(Note: Profession level determines the profession's growth rate and development ceiling during sequence simulation. Each level-up grants this profession one additional trait.)

Jiang Tu's eyes brightened.

Sequence Points came from simulation and affected reality; Causality Value came from reality and affected simulation and the profession sequence.

The two promoted each other in both directions, complementing one another and forming a tightly interlocking cycle of development.

Wonderful!

"Add points! Add them hard—"

Whoosh!

100 Causality Value consumed. Profession level increased. Profession sequence simulation efficiency moderately increased.

Profession Level: lv1 (100/100) → lv2 (0/1000)

Trait: (New) Premium Quality

Premium Quality: With every cultivation and harvest by Agricultural Dao Sequence cultivators, the finest Premium Quality product surpassing crops/herbs from the same batch will be born.

Premium Quality?

Jiang Tu froze for a moment, then was overjoyed!

Raising profession level could not only accelerate simulation, but also grant new traits to the entire Agricultural Dao Sequence. That meant that from now on, crops grown by every Agricultural Path Cultivator could potentially produce unique new varieties of Premium Quality goods.

Higher quality, better yields, and perhaps, after selecting the best from the best over a long period... it might even produce naturally blessed spiritual grain and Dao rice?

Given enough time, the upper limit was promising!

He then looked at the other new options—

Pray for Blessings: First time, 150 Causality Value

(Note: Praying for Blessings can obtain special blessing bonuses. Blessings can affect simulation.)

Bestow Grace: First time, 100 Causality Value

(Note: Bestowing Grace can randomly grant a special grace to all sequence cultivators in the real world. It cannot be used for simulation.)

Blessings? Grace?

Jiang Tu weighed them only briefly before choosing Blessings... the former could affect simulation, while the latter could only affect cultivators in reality.

Simulation was the first priority! All resources acquired in the early stages had to be directed toward simulation!

150 Causality Value consumed. First Prayer for Blessings completed.

You have successfully obtained the blessing—Favorable Weather.

Blessing: Favorable Weather

Quality: White (Common)

Description: After loading this blessing into the simulation, it can keep lands controlled by Agricultural Dao cultivators within the simulation blessed with Favorable Weather, stabilize the changing of the four seasons, and greatly reduce the chance of natural disasters. After one simulation settlement is completed, this blessing will be loaded into reality. If another blessing had previously been active, it will be replaced by this blessing.

Jiang Tu's eyes gleamed.

Good stuff!

Though it was only a white-quality blessing, it was enough for now... Favorable Weather—this was exactly what the Agricultural Path needed most in its early development!