One Mid-Grade Spirit Stone a day meant seven in seven days.
For an [Earth-Spouting Lotus] that could sell for fifty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones,
that was only one-seventh.
By all rights, the payment was not expensive.
But Hu Man was somewhat displeased.
A mere Qi Refining Realm spirit farmer—what gave him the nerve to demand such a high reward?
Thus, faced with Xu Changqing's "lion opening its jaws wide,"
he did not answer and chose silence.
They would see who cracked first.
When Xu Changqing saw that the other party kept silent, he was in no hurry either.
As long as he had not given up, the mission remained in effect.
When the time came, the other party would have only two options left.
First, compensate him and terminate their cooperation.
Second, post the mission again.
Whether it was the first or second option, both would waste time and resources.
Therefore, they would see who cracked first.
Next, Xu Changqing had originally planned to leave the pit.
But on second thought,
since he was already here, why not go see Han Su?
After all, they had a contract between them.
He could deliver the fifty pounds of Second-Grade Spirit Rice Grain for summer in advance, then arrange a time to loosen the soil in autumn.
Xu Changqing immediately took out Han Su's Communication Talisman and tried to contact him.
But the signal was poor, and the other party could not receive it.
This meant the person was inside the Earth Vein.
Seeing that he still refused to leave, Shan Fei raised a brow. "What are you still dawdling for?"
Xu Changqing lowered the Communication Talisman. "I still need to find someone."
"Who?" Shan Fei pressed.
Xu Changqing gave the name. "Han Su."
"Han Su?" Shan Fei had never heard that name before.
Xu Changqing briefly explained, "A formal disciple on your side in the Qi Refining Realm."
Shan Fei frowned and walked toward the other side. Reaching what looked like a registration desk, he instructed a female disciple with an Earth Spirit Root inside, "Check whether there's a formal disciple named Han Su."
Very quickly, the female disciple with an Earth Spirit Root nodded. "There is indeed."
Shan Fei asked, "Where is he?"
The female disciple with an Earth Spirit Root glanced at the form. "He has not completed today's mining assignment, so he is still in the Earth Vein."
Xu Changqing stepped forward and asked, "When will he come up?"
Hearing this, the female disciple with an Earth Spirit Root spread her hands. "Whenever he finishes, that's when he'll come up."
Earth Spirit Roots could withstand pressure anyway.
Sometimes, staying down there for several hours was no problem.
If they did not finish their mining assignments, they generally would not come up.
Shan Fei said gravely, "Those without an Earth Spirit Root cannot enter the mine tunnels. You can only wait here."
Xu Changqing shook his head. "Forget it."
He had no desire to stay in this sunless place.
He still had to go home and cook for the yellow dog and the Pearl Chickens.
Since he could not see him this time, there would be another time.
"Come, I'll take you up," Shan Fei called.
The two immediately began returning the way they had come.
Night arrived.
Han Su, his face sallow, came up from the mine tunnel with several Earth Spirit Root disciples.
Every one of them looked exhausted, with nothing but numbness left in their eyes.
"Mining is too exhausting!"
"Yeah, loosening soil is still easier."
"But how can Qi Refining Realm cultivators like us compete with Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators?"
"Han Su, didn't you sign contracts with several spirit farmers?"
"Yeah, give us one or two!"
"Forget it. This kid works with several spirit farmers, but the shares are all too low!"
"His share with that Lin An was decent, but then..."
"Hahahaha!"
The voices around him were somewhat grating.
Han Su opened his mouth, but when the words reached his lips, he lacked the strength to refute them.
If only his eye for people had been a little better, he would not have had to toil himself half to death every day.
At that moment, the female disciple with an Earth Spirit Root on the other side asked, "Are you Han Su?"
"Yes, that's me." Han Su looked at her somewhat unexpectedly, thinking, Could she have taken a liking to me?
But the female disciple with an Earth Spirit Root said, "Someone came looking for you during the day."
"Who?" Han Su was surprised, but also a little regretful.
The female disciple with an Earth Spirit Root recalled, "Tall and skinny, wearing a bamboo hat. He seemed to be a spirit farmer."
"A spirit farmer?" A person instantly surfaced in Han Su's mind, and he blurted out, "Senior Brother Xu!"
That was right, summer had already ended.
Senior Brother Xu must have finished harvesting his Spirit Rice.
If he had suddenly come looking for him, it should have something to do with those fifty pounds of Second-Grade Spirit Rice Grain.
It was not much, but at least it was the most stable one.
At this moment, all those who had mocked Han Su revealed envious looks.
At least he had a spirit farmer to work with.
Every season, he could get a little Spirit Rice Grain.
No matter how little it was, it was still better than mining in the sunless Earth Vein like them!
The next morning.
As soon as the sun rose, Xu Changqing was already busy.
He planned to dry the straw, then make a nest for the Pearl Chickens.
The temperature would drop day by day, and the weather would grow colder day by day.
He could no longer let them roam free.
"Woof! Woof!" While he was working, the yellow dog suddenly began barking.
"Hm?" Xu Changqing looked to the right and discovered someone approaching.
"Senior Brother Xu!" The newcomer waved.
Xu Changqing recognized who it was as soon as he heard the voice and said in realization, "Han Su."
Very soon, Han Su arrived before him, his face brimming with excitement.
He had not slept a wink all night.
Before dawn, he had rushed over from the Earth Vein.
Though fifty pounds of Second-Grade Spirit Rice Grain did not warrant this much attention,
he was simply happy.
Everyone said Han Su had a poor eye for people.
Even he himself thought so.
But even a blind cat could run into a dead mouse eventually.
As a result, those who knew him no longer dared mock him.
Xu Changqing did not waste words. He took fifty pounds of Second-Grade Spirit Rice Grain from his small storage pouch.
Seeing that it was still Second-Grade Spirit Rice Grain, Han Su could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.
He then took out the Contract Talisman from last time and tore it apart in front of them both.
Their cooperation for the summer had come to an end.
Xu Changqing paused his work, went to the kitchen to cut half a watermelon for Han Su, then continued moving the remaining straw.
Holding half a watermelon, Han Su did not eat it. Instead, he set it aside and joined in the work. "Senior Brother, let me help you."
Xu Changqing did not refuse.
With two people, the work went faster.
Before long, the empty ground on the other side of the house was piled high with straw.
After drying for a few days, it would yield a large amount of hay.
Han Su brushed the bits of grass from his hands and asked curiously, "Senior Brother, what are you doing?"
Xu Changqing smiled. "I'm planning to make a chicken coop for the Pearl Chickens."
Han Su thought it over, then asked again, "Do you need to make earthen nests to shield them from wind and rain?"
Xu Changqing paused, then nodded. "You're right. I really do."
Han Su immediately patted his chest. "This junior brother's [Earthdraw Formula] has already reached the second level. I can control the density of Earth Qi and alter the shape of soil."
Then, the two confirmed the location.
Immediately afterward, Han Su activated the [Earthdraw Formula] (Second Level).
At a speed visible to the naked eye, he created two earthen nests on the ground.
Why two?
One was for the Pearl Chickens.
The other was for the yellow dog.
These things were extremely sturdy. Even a kick would not deform them.
Under normal circumstances, they would definitely last several years without a problem.
Xu Changqing specifically put the yellow dog and Pearl Chickens inside to try them out.
The Pearl Chickens fit perfectly, with plenty of room inside.
After all, they were already adults and would not grow any larger.
But the yellow dog would not do. Its nest was somewhat small.
Moreover, it was still growing and would continue to get bigger.
Therefore, even if it could fit now, it would definitely need to be altered later.
This posed no difficulty at all for Han Su.
He activated the [Earthdraw Formula] again and doubled the size of the doghouse.
This time, let alone one adult yellow dog—even two would fit without issue!
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