In the blink of an eye, it was time to collect the summer seedlings.
He had Little Yellow Dog guard the house properly.
Xu Changqing arrived at the Core Administration Office early in the morning.
Quite a few spirit farmers were already lining up.
Before long, Xu Changqing received the rice seedlings for summer planting.
But he did not leave. Instead, he headed toward Flower Elder.
"Here already." After their many interactions, Flower Elder was quite familiar with this young man.
There were not many spirit farmers this gifted in the entire Spirit Field Core.
Xu Changqing respectfully cupped his hands in salute. "Steward."
Flower Elder asked, "Do you have something to ask?"
Xu Changqing smiled faintly. "This disciple has entered Middle Qi Refining and wishes to ask what new spirit plants I can choose."
"So that was it." Flower Elder suddenly understood.
He had arrived last winter and reached Middle Qi Refining this summer.
His speed was not fast, merely around the average level.
In Early Qi Refining, there was only one spirit plant he could choose: Spirit Rice.
But upon reaching Middle Qi Refining, the choices increased to more than a dozen varieties, making them far richer.
Before long, under Flower Elder's introduction,
Xu Changqing finally learned what spirit plants could be chosen at Middle Qi Refining.
In simple terms, they were divided into four broad categories: "Flowers."
"Grass."
"Trees."
"Vegetables."
Aside from the most common Spirit Rice, there were indeed far more choices now.
However, not many of them suited Xu Changqing.
After all, different spirit plants required different growing environments.
Flower Elder reminded him, "Spirit plants in the Qi Refining Realm are basically all related to food.
"Only after reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm will there be spirit plants of higher quality and greater value."
After turning it over in his mind, Xu Changqing finally made his decision.
They were:
"Four-Leaf Clover."
"Watermelon."
"Chinese cabbage."
He chose Four-Leaf Clover mainly because he was familiar with it and had some experience growing it.
Moreover, it was one of the foods eaten by small spirit beasts.
It would be perfect to sell to Hu Bugui.
As for the watermelons and Chinese cabbages, he simply craved them.
Spirit Rice Grain was good, but he could not eat nothing but that, could he?
The seeds for the three kinds of spirit plants cost thirty points altogether.
Five hundred minus thirty left him with four hundred and seventy.
When he returned home, it was still early.
Xu Changqing was in no hurry to plant anything.
He first poured himself a cup of Second-Grade Spirit Rice Wine and entered a pleasantly tipsy state.
Then he took out the incomplete volume of the High Grade spell, the Ironwood Armor Art, and began studying it in depth.
With the boost from the Second-Grade Spirit Rice Wine, he would completely master it in less than a month.
It was not until noon, when his intoxication gradually faded, that Xu Changqing stopped.
Then he cooked, washed the dishes, and fed the dog.
Once everything had been dealt with, he finally began planting.
Yet the entire process was exceedingly simple and quick.
He first wrapped the seeds in the spiritual energy within his body and casually scattered them.
Then he used the Wood-Spirit Entanglement Art, at the third layer, to control the seeds and burrow them into the soil.
Everything was done in minutes, without the slightest waste of time or effort.
This was actually much the same as spring.
Spirit Rice still took up the largest share, since yield was the main priority.
He planted the Four-Leaf Clover beside the irrigation channel he had dug in advance.
The watermelons and Chinese cabbages were planted rather casually.
He planted them wherever there was space; if there was no space, it did not matter.
After all, there was still room beneath Stone Mountain on the other side.
By the time everything was finished, only the time it took for one stick of incense to burn had passed.
Xu Changqing took Bai Ling'er's Communication Talisman from his small storage pouch and infused it with a thread of spiritual energy.
"Who is this?"
"It's me, Xu Changqing!"
"Sorry, I forgot!"
"The one in that especially remote place, with no one around?"
"Now that you put it that way, I remember. It's you!"
"I'd like to make an appointment with you. Do you have time?"
"Of course I do!"
"When can you come?"
"Um... would tomorrow at noon work?"
"Sure."
The communication ended.
Xu Changqing put away the Communication Talisman.
He planned to have Bai Ling'er come several more times, since summer temperatures were high.
Moreover, he had not only planted Spirit Rice this time.
There were also Four-Leaf Clover, watermelons, and Chinese cabbages.
To ensure the yield, he had to bring down spirit rain several more times.
The seeds had already been planted in the earth.
All that remained was Hu Bugui's manure.
And Bai Ling'er's spirit rain.
After that, Xu Changqing immersed himself in study once more.
Time came to the next day.
At noon, Bai Ling'er indeed arrived.
Since she was a child, the two of them did not exchange many words.
Bai Ling'er finished casting the Minor Cloud-Rain Art.
Xu Changqing immediately took out twenty Low-Grade Spirit Stones and handed them to her.
Bai Ling'er accepted them, then asked with a beaming smile, "How many more times do you want to schedule?"
Xu Changqing had long thought it through. He raised two fingers on his right hand. "At least twice."
Bai Ling'er blinked. "You need to pay a deposit first, then we can set the dates."
Once summer came, disciples with Water Spirit Roots became extremely busy.
Spirit farmers had great demand for them, since rain was needed everywhere.
Without arranging a time in advance, it was easy to clash with someone else's appointment.
Xu Changqing considered it carefully. "Come once each during Grain in Ear and Great Heat."
"Alright." Bai Ling'er nodded lightly.
Then Xu Changqing took out another forty Low-Grade Spirit Stones and handed them to her.
In the past, this would definitely have made his heart ache.
Now, though, it was not too bad. After all, five Mid-Grade Spirit Stones were equivalent to five hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
Even in the Qi Refining Realm, that counted as an enormous sum.
Bai Ling'er held them in both hands, her eyes shining. "That's so many!"
Jingle, jingle!
At that moment, the sound of camel bells drifted over from not far away.
Xu Changqing did not even need to look to know that Hu Bugui had arrived.
After all, in such a remote place, only he was willing to come.
"It stinks!" Bai Ling'er caught the scent in the air, and her face immediately filled with disgust.
"You should head back." Xu Changqing could not help laughing bitterly at the sight.
Before Hu Bugui could get close,
Bai Ling'er stepped onto her Flying Paper Crane, turned, and fled.
She gave him no chance at all to pollute the air.
"Who was that?" Hu Bugui looked at the hurriedly departing figure. "She flew off so fast."
Xu Changqing shrugged. "A Water Spirit Root girl who came to make it rain for me. You stank her away."
"Uh..." Hu Bugui was immensely embarrassed.
Still, he was used to this sort of thing.
Thus, although he felt somewhat uncomfortable inside, he did not take it to heart.
From the moment he chose to sell Spirit Beast Manure, he had long since thrown dignity to the wind.
Xu Changqing called out, "Stop standing there. Unload the manure."
Hu Bugui said irritably, "I came all this way, and I can't even rest for a bit?"
Xu Changqing smiled. "Then I'll do it myself."
Hu Bugui paused, then shook his head. "We'll do it together."
Before long, the two of them unloaded part of the century-old Spirit Beast Manure from the camel.
This was enough for Xu Changqing to cover his entire Grade-Two Spirit Field.
Only after they were finished did Hu Bugui sit down to rest.
Xu Changqing brought out a bowl of brewed Second-Grade Spirit Rice Wine from the house, handed it over, and said, "Try it."
"It smells so good." Hu Bugui accepted it in surprise.
After taking just a small sip, his eyes widened.
He knew Xu Changqing could brew wine.
But he had not expected his skill to be so good, or the quality to be so high.
He immediately drained the bowl of Second-Grade Spirit Rice Wine in one gulp.
Then he narrowed his eyes, looking utterly intoxicated.
After sitting down, Xu Changqing said, "If you like it, I'll pack you a jin when you leave."
"Really?" Hu Bugui immediately opened his eyes, his gaze filled with intense longing.
Xu Changqing nodded. "Why would I lie to you? We're friends."
Hu Bugui's eyes lit up. "Right, we're friends."
Xu Changqing then took out his small storage pouch. As he removed Spirit Rice Grain, he said, "According to our previous agreement, you can take one-tenth of my total spring yield.
"After subtracting the one thousand jin submitted, there are still one thousand one hundred jin left.
"One-tenth is one hundred and ten jin of Second-Grade Spirit Rice."
Added to what remained from before, it accumulated to [2290 jin].
He was giving him wine and fulfilling their agreement.
Especially since the Spirit Rice Grain had reached supreme grade quality, far exceeding expectations.
Hu Bugui was so moved that, after storing the Supreme-Grade Spirit Rice in his storage pouch, he decisively took out a Spirit Beast Pouch and introduced it. "There's a spirit beast inside called a Pearl Hen. It lays an egg containing a trace of spiritual energy every three days!"
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