Brain storage area (feel free to store it here; it will automatically return upon departure, along with a hundred-million-fold critical strike to your looks, savings, and charm)
The realms in this book are: Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, Void Refinement, Body Integration, Mahayana, Tribulation Transcendence, Ascension.
Furthermore, minor realms are divided into four stages: Early, Mid, Late, and Completion.
Xu Changqing opened his eyes, looked at the scene before him, and could not help freezing in place.
Following that, fragmented memories surged forth like a tide.
Heavenly Origin Realm... Dongting Immortal Sect... Outer Disciple...
This was a cultivation world named Heavenly Origin.
He was an outer disciple of the Dongting Immortal Sect.
Because he awakened a Wood Spirit Root, he was assigned to the spirit fields.
He never expected that after being muddle-headed for a long time, he would finally unlock the mystery within the womb and awaken the accumulated wisdom of his past life.
Not a bad deal!
Reincarnating into a cultivation world!
Isn't this precisely what I've yearned for?!
Xu Changqing climbed up from the hard wooden bed, his face brimming with an expression of excitement.
He had held a dream of cultivation in his previous life, and now he could finally realize it.
Thud, thud, thud!
At that very moment, a knock suddenly sounded from outside.
Xu Changqing did not open the door, nor did he speak, merely staring at it vigilantly.
He was not yet fully accustomed to things, and being cautious could never be wrong.
Outside the door, a slightly familiar voice rang out: "Xu Changqing, I'm Senior Brother Zhang from the evaluations."
"Zhang Er?" Xu Changqing quickly recalled who it was, instinctively taking a step back.
Zhang Er continued, "I know you're inside. Failing the evaluation is a heavy blow to many outer disciples, not to mention that you've already failed twice in a row."
Xu Changqing instantly remembered.
What evaluation?
The regular disciple evaluation!
One mu of spirit rice must yield at least one thousand catties of spirit rice grain!
Three seasons.
Succeeding in even a single season allowed one to transition into a formal disciple.
Yet his former self, while awakening his spiritual root, had slowly unlocked the mystery within the womb, rendering him alternately lucid and muddle-headed, which resulted in abysmal comprehension.
While others took a month, or ten days to half a month for the faster ones, to learn the Evergreen Formula.
Xu Changqing took a full two months just to step into the first layer.
This caused him to miss the first evaluation, resulting in failure.
The second had started out fine, but halfway through, issues arose with the spirit rice and the yield plummeted.
Ultimately, he only reached nine hundred catties, falling short of success by one hundred catties, and thus failed once more.
Yet the Dongting Immortal Sect had a rule: failing three times in a row meant not only failing to become a formal disciple, but also being driven out of the immortal sect.
Consequently, Xu Changqing had only one chance left.
Once he failed.
Either he joined some minor sect.
Or he became a rogue cultivator with no backing.
No matter what, Xu Changqing was utterly unwilling to leave.
The Dongting Immortal Sect was one of the three top immortal sects in the Heavenly Origin Realm.
Regardless of resources, spells, or even status and standing.
It was something that any branch lineage, heterodox path, or cultivation lineage could simply compare to.
"You only have one last chance left. Think carefully about what I said earlier." Seeing no response from inside for a long time, Zhang Er spoke those words and turned to leave.
After a long while, the wooden door emitted a creak as a crack opened up.
Xu Changqing stealthily peeked out and saw that the other person had indeed left.
Only then did he open the door and step outside.
The moment he stepped out of the cramped room, he immediately felt the visual impact brought by the spirit fields.
Looking out, there were fields as far as the eye could see.
An endless expanse.
Because the second quarter harvest was already complete, there were no spirit plants.
Yet faint wisps of wood Qi still transformed into a cooling breath that washed over him.
Just standing outside for a few seconds left Xu Changqing feeling completely refreshed.
After a few deep breaths, his thoughts gradually cleared.
Pondering over it, he walked toward the Grade-One Spirit Field he was temporarily managing.
"Isn't that Xu Changqing, who's failed his evaluation twice in a row?"
"If he fails one more time, he'll have to leave!"
"In immortal cultivation, spiritual roots are naturally important, but comprehension matters even more!"
Xu Changqing paid no mind to the chatter of the people around him.
Before long, he reached his destination.
The spirit field had been thoroughly harvested once, and three inferior spirit rice plants still lingered in the corner.
Xu Changqing observed them closely.
Drooping and lacking vigor.
Shriveled and not plump.
Normal spirit rice had a yellowish hue when harvested, yet these were blackened.
Xu Changqing circulated the Evergreen Formula.
A thin layer of pale cyan spiritual power surfaced on his right hand.
He immediately touched the inferior spirit rice before him.
Information fed back almost instantly.
[Malnourished]
Reaching the first layer of the Evergreen Formula allowed one to perceive the basic state of spirit plants.
The situation was much as Xu Changqing had guessed.
He decided to take one with him and then ask someone for advice.
The moment he snapped it off, a crisp "ding" sounded in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Harvested 1 "inferior spirit rice" plant, lifespan +1 day]
[Detected that the host has unlocked the mystery in the womb and awakened past-life wisdom, meeting activation conditions. "Shennong System" opening]
Instantly, an attribute panel unfolded before Xu Changqing's eyes.
[Xu Changqing] [Male] [18 years old] [Wood Spirit Root] (Effect 1: Flora Affinity) [Early Qi Refining] (Effect 1: Stamina Enhancement) [Evergreen Formula (Level 1) ↑] (Effect 1: Cultivation Speed +10%) (Effect 2: Touching plants reveals their basic state) [Remaining Lifespan: 1826 days] (Caused by awakening past-life wisdom and the system; will recover later) [Whether to consume 1066 days of lifespan to upgrade Evergreen Formula Level 1 to Level 2?]
Xu Changqing's eyes lit up. This is my golden finger!
Aside from the one he had just broken off, two stalks remained in front of him.
He tried snapping off the remaining two inferior spirit rice plants.
[Harvested 1 "inferior spirit rice" plant, lifespan +1 day]
[Harvested 1 "inferior spirit rice" plant, lifespan +1 day]
Xu Changqing immediately looked at the attribute panel.
Sure enough, right there on the line for remaining lifespan.
Increased from [1826] days to [1828] days.
Xu Changqing said in shock, "Could the function of this golden finger be to harvest mature spirit plants to gain lifespan, and then consume a certain number of days of lifespan to improve the cultivation techniques I've learned?"
Wouldn't that mean farming continuously brings continuous joy, and farming every day brings daily joy?
With a golden finger like this, he could even outlive immortals.
Just as his mind wandered, a familiar voice sounded again: "Junior Brother Xu!"
"Hmm?" Xu Changqing snapped out of it, and upon hearing the commotion, immediately looked over with vigilance.
A young man wearing white clothes with a green rice seedling embroidered on his chest was looking at him with a beaming smile.
In the Dongting Immortal Sect, only Formal Disciples wore white clothes.
Outer disciples could only wear gray clothes.
"It's you again!" Xu Changqing quickly recognized him.
Zhang Er, the examining senior brother who had knocked on the door just now.
He had thought the other man left, not expecting to run into him here.
Zhang Er asked with a half-smile: "How have you considered it?"
"The Spirit Fields?" Xu Changqing resolutely refused: "Not handing them over!"
As long as he transitioned to a Formal Disciple, he would receive the deed to an acre of Grade-Two Spirit Fields.
This represented a steady stream of resources in the future, so how could he easily give it up?
(Grade one is the lowest, grade nine is the highest)
Zhang Er felt deeply surprised: "Still not handing them over?"
"Yes." Xu Changqing nodded forcefully.
Zhang Er cajoled him patiently: "With my help, you can become a Formal Disciple, and all you lose is an acre of low-quality spirit fields."
Xu Changqing questioned him: "Is that really all?"
"Uh." Zhang Er fell silent.
Xu Changqing couldn't help saying: "Spirit fields represent resources. Even if I become a Formal Disciple of the Dongting Immortal Sect with your help, what will I use to cultivate immortality without resources?"
According to the regulations of the Dongting Immortal Sect.
Formal Disciples only needed to hand over five thousand catties of Spirit Rice Grain or spirit plants of equivalent value every year.
All remaining output afterward belonged to the individual.
On the surface, all he was losing was an acre of low-grade spirit fields.
But in reality, the other party was flagrantly plundering his cultivation resources.
Zhang Er raised an eyebrow, surprised in his heart that this person had grown smarter, and then threatened him: "Aren't you afraid of failing the third examination as well?"
Xu Changqing said earnestly: "Many thanks for Senior Brother's kind intentions, but I want to try again."
Try?
Hearing this, Zhang Er revealed a sneer and blurted out: "Your spirit fields can't possibly grow 1000 catties of spirit rice!"
Perhaps realizing he had spoken out of turn.
He immediately shut his mouth, but still kept sneering.
Xu Changqing was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly pressed on: "How do you know?"
Zhang Er said with a somewhat perfunctory air: "It's talk born of experience."
Xu Changqing wasn't stupid; he didn't believe the other party's excuse.
"Out of pity for you, Senior Brother is showing extra grace.
As long as you agree, you can become my [tenant farmer] and get the most basic cultivation resources.
Although little, for someone in the Qi Refining Realm like you, it's more than enough." Zhang Er felt he was very merciful; if it were any other Formal Disciple, they wouldn't even give out resources.
Xu Changqing's gaze was resolute: "Still the same words, I want to try again."
Things were different now than in the past; with the system here, he truly wasn't worried.
Hearing this, Zhang Er's gaze turned slightly cold, but he didn't say much else and turned to leave.
He wasn't the only outer disciple being targeted by him.
Xu Changqing calmly watched the other party leave.
Right now, the disparity in status and strength between the two sides was far too vast.
He could neither afford to provoke him nor manage to beat him.
He could only endure it for now.
Anyway, with the golden finger around, he would definitely outlive the other guy!!!
Before you continue