Harvest

Fifteen days passed in the blink of an eye.

Gu Hengzhi stood motionless in the center of the Spirit Field behind the mountain, like a statue. In his palm, a wisp of Faith Power, white and glittering like stardust, slowly emerged like a thread of smoke. He drew a deep breath, as though he wanted to gather all the spiritual energy of the mountains into his arms, then carefully pressed that wisp of power into the soil beneath his feet.

"This time... there should be a response, right?" His voice was as soft as a falling feather, carrying a trace of anticipation and uncertainty.

The instant the Faith Power sank into the Earth Vein, the entire stretch of land seemed to tremble faintly, as if the earth itself were answering his call. Then—

Boom! A deep hum rose from underground, like the earth-shaking roar of some ancient beast that had slept for a thousand years before finally awakening. Visible to the naked eye, a gentle spiritual glow spread through the soil. Pale blue-green patterns wound up from beneath the ground like the veins of the Earth Vein, forming a mysterious net that tightly enveloped the entire field.

The next moment, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth seemed to be drawn by some mysterious force and suddenly surged! The spiritual power that had once only lingered thinly among the trees now came crashing toward this land like a raging tide. The spiritual energy descended in spiraling streams like a rushing river, forming a small yet distinct vortex above the Spirit Field.

Gu Hengzhi's eyes widened, and his breathing caught. He could clearly sense that the spiritual power within the vortex was so dense it was nearly tangible, so pure it seemed to have been tempered for a thousand years. It far surpassed any natural spiritual field he had encountered before.

"It worked..." he murmured, his voice brimming with indescribable joy. His palm trembled slightly as his gaze slowly swept across the Spirit Field. The once-silent ground now seemed to possess a life of its own, gently rising and falling as it emitted a steady, warm pulse.

The Earth Vein had been activated; the Spirit Field had taken shape.

It was a feeling beyond words, like personally planting a thread of life in a barren land of death. He was not the legendary Shennong, nor was he some transcendent immortal, yet here among these mountains and forests, he had taken his own first step.

Gu Hengzhi slowly lowered his head, his fingertips brushing gently across the surface of the Spirit Field like a soft breeze. A faint wisp of earth energy seeped through his skin like a spring of clear water, nourishing his muscles and bones. He could clearly feel the Earth Vein Meditation Method within him tremble slightly as well, as though cheering with delight, and it actually began circulating on its own.

Gu Hengzhi flashed forward and sat steadily cross-legged atop a ridge stone. His breathing was long and even, as though he had become one with the surrounding natural world. His expression was calm and resolute, like an unshakable mountain.

Beneath him lay the first Spirit Field he had personally cultivated. Although it was merely an improved Basic Mixed Land, its spiritual nature was still far from rich. Yet he could clearly sense that this land brimmed with vitality. It felt more "alive" than any place where he had cultivated before.

Spiritual energy flowed slowly like a clear spring under his guidance. It passed gently through his body and returned to his dantian with silken smoothness. At first, he noticed nothing unusual. However, after the spiritual energy completed two cycles, he suddenly felt a tremor, and his brows lifted slightly.

The spiritual energy's circulation speed... had increased.

It was not some exaggerated, explosive surge inward, but a smooth and steady flow, like a river running freely again after its channel had been dredged. He tried controlling the spiritual energy through another cycle, and the certainty in his heart grew stronger.

"It's improved... by roughly twenty percent." He murmured softly, surprise gleaming in his eyes.

Gu Hengzhi slowly opened his eyes, his gaze blazing as it shot toward the center of the Spirit Field.

The spiritual power in the air remained thin as gauze, yet the soil beneath his feet seemed alive, quietly pulsing as it sent out wave after wave of warm, heavy energy.

He slowly rose, his eyes sharp as an eagle's as he surveyed the edge of the Spirit Field. After pondering for a moment, he carefully took out a small handful of herb seedlings. Then he crouched down, his movements gentle and focused, as though carrying out a sacred ritual. He dug several shallow furrows along the edge, buried the seeds one by one, then lightly covered them with soil, watered them, and carefully leveled the ground. Every movement was unhurried yet exceptionally meticulous, as if he were not merely testing the cultivation of herbs, but exploring life itself with reverence.

"Just how far can this land go... I have to try." He murmured softly, his voice carrying a trace of determination and anticipation.

After speaking, he did not leave immediately. Instead, he stepped back several paces and stood quietly by the field ridge like a silent statue.

At first, the field was utterly still. The soil showed no movement, and even the grass insects made not a single sound. He understood that miracles did not come easily.

Yet before the time it took for one stick of incense to burn, something astonishing happened. Tender shoots broke through the earth one after another like bamboo shoots after spring rain, lush and green as they rapidly spread. His pupils contracted slightly, and undisguised shock appeared on his face.

"How could this be..." he muttered, his voice full of disbelief.

The herbs grew far beyond all reason. Qi-Gathering Grass, which normally needed ten days to sprout in a place dense with spiritual energy, twenty days to mature into a plant, and a full month to ripen, had grown to the height of a fist in less than half an hour. Its branches and leaves were tender and fresh, with a faint sheen glimmering across their surfaces.

He crouched down and gently inserted his fingertips into the soil, sending his spiritual awareness inward like a tide. However, his brows gradually furrowed, as though he had encountered a difficult problem.

"The spiritual energy has gathered, but... it hasn't transformed into spiritual nature." His voice held a trace of confusion and disappointment.

He plucked the most mature Qi-Gathering Grass and carefully examined it in his hand. Spiritual energy flowed abundantly through the blades of grass, yet it was chaotic and disordered, without any spiritual patterns or medicinal structure. Nor did it show any sign of transforming into a "spirit herb."

"Just as expected... the seeds are of too low a quality. Even if the Spirit Field can hasten their growth, it can't elevate them into true spiritual plants." He stood and lightly dusted off his hands, but his gaze remained fixed on that flourishing patch of medicinal herbs. It was a life-filled green, like an ocean of hope.

(Note: First-rank spirit herbs correspond to 10–500 years; second-rank spirit herbs correspond to 500–1,000 years; third-rank spirit herbs correspond to 1,000–2,000 years; fourth-rank spirit herbs correspond to 2,000–5,000 years; fifth-rank spirit herbs correspond to 5,000–10,000 years; sixth-rank spirit herbs correspond to 10,000–20,000 years; seventh-rank spirit herbs correspond to 20,000–50,000 years; eighth-rank spirit herbs correspond to 50,000–100,000 years; ninth-rank spirit herbs correspond to 100,000 years and above.)