Flower Elder reminded them, "There are houses near the Spirit Fields, so you needn't worry about resting. If you're dissatisfied or have ideas of your own, you can ask disciples with Earth Spirit Roots to remodel them."
"Yes." The group nodded.
Flower Elder added, "Also, considering that the fourth quarter is winter and you've only just joined, you may forgo this year's required yield. You will officially begin next spring."
"That's great!" Lin An and Zhao Ziyao's eyes lit up at once.
"So we can plant, then?" Xu Changqing blinked.
Flower Elder immediately said, "If you choose to plant, you must submit at least one thousand jin of Second-Grade Spirit Rice by year's end."
"I want to try." Xu Changqing did not want to give up the chance to harvest lifespan.
Flower Elder reminded him, "Youngster, you'd better think it through. Winter yields will decline."
Lin An could not help persuading him, "That's right, Fellow Daoist Xu. There's no need to work yourself so hard, is there?"
"Doing this makes it seem like the rest of us all enjoy slacking off." Zhao Ziyao looked somewhat displeased.
"Idle hands are idle hands. I have to do something, don't I?" Xu Changqing shrugged.
"As you wish." Flower Elder wrote down Xu Changqing's name.
The others beside him reacted differently.
After struggling for a while, Lin An ultimately chose to give up. He did not dare plant during winter.
There were mainly two reasons.
First, winter yields would fall, and he might very well fail to complete the task.
Second, once he planted, he would have to give half his harvest to Han Su and Zhao Xin.
That meant that if his yield was insufficient, he might not be able to submit the task at all.
He might as well wait until next spring to begin officially.
Not only would he have several months to prepare.
He could also learn how the entire Spirit Field Core Region operated.
As for Zhao Ziyao, when he saw that Xu Changqing, someone who had failed twice in a row, dared to accept the task,
he felt deeply unconvinced.
Thus, he too accepted a task from Flower Elder, intending to give it a try.
As for Zhao Ying, he had no right to choose at all.
With just one look from Zhang Er, he had no choice but to step forward and submit his name.
Flower Elder said again, "Oh, right. Official disciples may receive one High Grade spell."
"High Grade?" Xu Changqing and the others all had shining eyes.
"There are three in total: [Wood-Spirit Cultivation Art], [Wood-Spirit Entanglement Art], and [Wood-Spirit Life-Nourishing Art]." Flower Elder introduced them.
"What are their specific effects?" Xu Changqing pressed.
"[Wood-Spirit Cultivation Art] is an advanced version of the [Evergreen Formula].
[Wood-Spirit Entanglement Art], meanwhile, is the only offensive spell.
As for [Wood-Spirit Life-Nourishing Art], as its name suggests, it extends your lifespans." Flower Elder explained.
Xu Changqing thought to himself, The first and third aren't suitable for me.
First, his [Evergreen Formula] had already reached the fifth level, which was more than enough.
Second, he did not need to worry about lifespan at all, so he disregarded it.
Considering the way Zhang Er beside him kept looking at him as though he wanted to eat him alive,
it was obvious that bastard was definitely planning something.
Without some means of protection, he feared he would be killed.
"Once you've decided, come get it." Flower Elder yawned after speaking.
Lin An pondered, "Is there even anything to choose? It has to be [Wood-Spirit Cultivation Art]!"
"Exactly." Zhao Ziyao strongly agreed.
"Wh... what should I choose?" Zhao Ying looked toward someone at his side.
Zhang Er said expressionlessly, "Cultivation Nurturing Art."
"Alright." Zhao Ying nodded.
Very soon, everyone ahead of them had finished receiving their choices.
When Flower Elder's gaze fell upon him, Xu Changqing asked, "Can these High Grade spells be exchanged for later?"
"As long as you have enough points." Flower Elder gave an affirmative answer.
Xu Changqing no longer hesitated.
He decisively stepped forward and took [Wood-Spirit Entanglement Art].
He chose an offensive spell because he feared Zhang Er might retaliate later. When that time came, he would strike first and gain the upper hand.
As for planting, his max-level Evergreen Formula was enough.
At worst, he could exchange points for [Wood-Spirit Cultivation Art] later.
"Eh?" Flower Elder was rather surprised to see that he had selected the sole offensive spell among the three.
However, he said nothing more.
Everyone had the right to choose.
Even as the steward, he could not interfere.
"What did you pick?" Lin An leaned over and asked curiously.
"The same as you." Xu Changqing shrugged.
Lin An and Zhao Ziyao immediately showed expressions of just as expected.
For spirit farmers, yield determined everything.
They did not need to go out and fight, so there was no need to choose [Wood-Spirit Entanglement Art].
As for lifespan?
Wood Spirit Root cultivators were naturally destined to live longer than others!
At that moment, Xu Changqing held a jade token in his hand and covered it with spiritual power.
Immediately, the contents of [Wood-Spirit Entanglement Art] appeared in his mind.
As expected of a High Grade spell, it was far more profound than the low grade [Evergreen Formula].
Since it was an offensive spell, it also had certain requirements.
One had to at least be at Middle Qi Refining to be qualified to cultivate it.
Early Qi Refining was somewhat of a stretch.
After successfully cultivating it, a [Spirit Mark] would appear within one's body.
From then on, as long as one expended spiritual power, one could control the plants around them.
Flower Elder's gaze swept back and forth as he asked, "Next, will you choose the Spirit Rice you're familiar with, or other spirit plants?"
Xu Changqing put the jade token into his small storage pouch, then asked curiously, "There are others?"
"Naturally. There are plenty of them." Flower Elder was full of confidence.
"There probably aren't many suited to us, right?" Zhao Ziyao was no fool.
"If you are at Early Qi Refining and your [Evergreen Formula] is below the second level, you can only choose Spirit Rice. Once you reach Middle Qi Refining, you may choose from as many as ten kinds of spirit plants." Flower Elder gave a brief explanation.
"I choose Spirit Rice." This time, Xu Changqing did not even ask.
Although his cultivation had already reached Middle Qi Refining.
His Evergreen Formula had even risen to the fifth level.
He met the requirements.
Logically speaking, he could choose other spirit plants.
But for the moment, none of this could be revealed.
Thus, [Spirit Rice] was his only choice.
Otherwise, it would easily draw the attention of others, especially Zhang Er.
"I choose Spirit Rice too." Seeing Xu Changqing being so decisive, Zhao Ziyao naturally did not dare be careless.
Before long, Zhao Ying also chose Spirit Rice.
Back when they were on the outskirts, they had planted it for two or three quarters.
They were extremely familiar with it and had comparatively rich experience.
If they switched to other spirit plants, even if they did not fail, their yield would not be high.
"Put your things away. You may leave now." After Flower Elder distributed the spirit seedlings, his reception duty came to an end as well.
"Let's go." Xu Changqing was the first to head outside.
Before long, everyone arrived outside the palace.
Then they looked at one another.
One looked at another.
In the end, they all turned to Zhao Ying beside Zhang Er.
Only the four of them had become official disciples this time, and as they parted ways, their feelings were somewhat complicated.
From now on, they would each have to guard their own little patch of land. They likely would not have many chances to meet again.
"May everyone have good luck." Xu Changqing cupped his hands toward them, then departed.
Lin An smiled at Zhao Ziyao. "We're close by, so we can visit each other more often."
"Alright." Zhao Ziyao naturally would not refuse.
The two had intended to chat with Zhao Ying.
But upon seeing Zhang Er beside him, they ultimately shook their heads.
Very soon, only Zhang Er and Zhao Ying remained on the vast mountaintop platform.
Watching Xu Changqing, Lin An, and Zhao Ziyao leave,
Zhao Ying felt incomparably envious.
At that moment, a hand rested on his shoulder.
It seemed weightless, yet it brought an incomparably heavy pressure.
Zhao Ying's back immediately bent, and he could never straighten it again!
Before you continue