I Spoke Out of Turn

When Zhou Changwang carried the Ironclad Boar into the Spirit Field, every spirit farmer was stunned.

Among them were quite a few who knew that Zhou Changwang's Spirit Field had been ravaged by demon beasts these past few days. Naturally, there were no shortage of people taking pleasure in his misfortune, waiting to see him make a fool of himself.

After all, he had made quite a splash earlier by using his Geng Metal Finger to rid Xu Zhong's Spirit Field of its insect infestation.

And now, beneath Long Ridge Mountain, he was the only person besides the Zhao Brothers to own a Spirit Hound. The occasional envious glances cast his way were enough to scorch a person.

Yet no one had expected Zhou Changwang to be so bold as to venture alone into Long Ridge Mountain to slay demons.

The key was that he had actually succeeded.

The Ironclad Boar's massive body and thick armor made everyone turn their heads.

"Changwang, did you really kill this Ironclad Boar?"

Old Xu's face was full of disbelief.

He, Xu Zhong, and the other night watchmen had all faced this Ironclad Boar before. But intimidated by its size and the force of its possible charge, none of them had dared make a move.

After all, they were spirit farmers. Fighting was not their profession, and aside from spirit farming spells, none of them had learned much in the way of offensive techniques.

Precisely because of that, they were especially shocked that Zhou Changwang had dared to strike and eliminate this demon beast.

"Luck."

Zhou Changwang nodded, without boasting about it.

Slaying demons might have looked impressive, but that was only because the people before him were all spirit farmers.

Among Rogue Cultivators who dared travel in and out of the wilderness, which one had never slain a demon?

If he became arrogant over this, then once he truly began regularly entering the mountains and forests to hunt demons, he might die without even knowing how.

This time, he had only acted because of his own Spirit Field. Otherwise, if he had let it continue wreaking havoc, his losses would have been enormous.

"If this Ironclad Boar is sold, it should be worth at least one or two hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

"Its hide can be used for Talisman Crafting, and it should have an Inner Core inside it too, right?

"I heard demon beast Inner Cores are excellent materials for alchemy. Even the cheapest one is worth more than ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

Someone could not help saying enviously.

"I've heard that whether a demon beast has a Demon Core depends on luck, especially low-level demon beasts.

"Some follow their bloodline. Out of ten of them, not even one may produce a Demon Core."

One person who seemed to know a little more spoke up to explain.

"No matter what, Fellow Daoist Zhou really struck it rich this time.

"One move nearly matched a whole year of our hard work."

Someone else could not help saying sourly.

"But that is also Fellow Daoist Zhou's skill.

"You know his Geng Metal Finger. Not only is his casting speed incredibly fast, it is also extremely precise—he hits wherever he points.

"For this Ironclad Boar to provoke him, it was simply fated to suffer this calamity."

A group of people gathered around the Ironclad Boar's corpse, passing judgment on it.

Some carefully inspected the corpse and discovered that the fatal wound had been inflicted by the Geng Metal Finger. Their hearts consequently gained a few more shades of awe toward Zhou Changwang's methods.

They too had mastered the Geng Metal Finger, but an Initiation-level Geng Metal Finger was limited in power. Even if someone had cultivated it to Mastery, its casting range was only two zhang. How would they dare use it to slay demons?

Only a Geng Metal Finger at Minor Mastery could extend its casting range to five zhang, giving one room to cast spells and slay demons.

After the excitement had run its course, the crowd quickly dispersed.

After all, they were spirit farmers. The work in their Spirit Fields was never-ending.

"Changwang, how do you plan to deal with this Ironclad Boar?"

Once the crowd had gradually dispersed, Old Xu could not help moving closer and asking cautiously.

"What?"

Zhou Changwang cast him a sidelong glance.

"Didn't I strike up a friendship with the manager of Lin's Restaurant some time ago?

"His business is good, and he uses a lot of demon beast flesh and blood.

"If you are willing, I can act as the middleman and sell this demon beast for you."

Old Xu said with a smile.

He had profited before when he helped Zhou Changwang purchase spirit insects.

"That will not be necessary.

"Do not forget what my father used to do."

Zhou Changwang glanced at him and calmly shook his head.

Although Zhou Changwang had not said much about the Ironclad Boar ravaging his Spirit Field, Old Xu and the others were on night watch. It was their duty to guard against and drive away such threats.

They had remained unmoved, even allowing the Ironclad Boar to freely destroy his Spirit Field. He would not do anything about it, but he kept his own account in his heart. Naturally, he would not let Old Xu profit from him again.

"That is true. I spoke out of turn."

Old Xu immediately revealed an embarrassed expression.

Zhou Changwang did not pay him much mind. He went straight down into the Spirit Field and began dealing with the Spirit Grain Rice that the Ironclad Boar had trampled flat.

He propped each stalk back up, then used the Growth Technique to stabilize their vitality.

Finally, he nourished them with the Spirit Rain Art.

Though the Spirit Grain still looked somewhat wilted, it no longer affected their growth.

"Right, I wonder whether the Withered Wood Renewal Technique can also work on this Spirit Grain?"

Zhou Changwang suddenly thought of the spell he had just mastered, and his heart stirred.

Although the Withered Wood Renewal Technique was a healing spell, it was a wood-element spell. Naturally, it could be used on spirit plants.

He acted as soon as the thought occurred to him.

Zhou Changwang calmed his mind and focused his spirit. The spiritual energy within his body was drawn forth, condensing into rune structures one after another.

One breath, two breaths, three breaths...

As time passed, the rune structures were gradually completed one by one.

Ten breaths, eleven breaths, twelve breaths...

At the instant the fifteenth breath arrived.

Buzz!

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth was swiftly drawn in.

A peculiar rosy glow quickly gathered.

Withered Wood Renewal Technique +1

Then Zhou Changwang raised his hand and pointed at the patch of Spirit Grain Rice before him.

Specks of rosy light fell like spiritual rain, spreading evenly across the patch of Spirit Grain Rice.

In an instant, the Spirit Grain Rice that had looked wilted after being damaged all regained their vitality.

Some Spirit Rice grains that had still been somewhat shriveled became full and plump in the blink of an eye, as though they had absorbed a vast amount of spiritual energy...

Many stalks of Spirit Grain were bent low under the growing Spirit Rice, displaying a flourishing, vibrant vitality.

"It really works.

"It is just a pity that the casting range is too small.

"For one mu of Spirit Field, I would need to cast it at least five times to cover everything."

Zhou Changwang was delighted, but he also discovered the limitations of this spell.

The Withered Wood Renewal Technique had an even greater effect on Spirit Grain than he had imagined. If he cast it regularly, it would certainly increase the harvest of Spirit Rice, raising the original yield of five hundred jin per mu to six hundred, or even seven hundred jin per mu.

He had heard that Spirit Plant Masters could grow Spirit Grain Rice with yields of one thousand jin per mu.

He had originally found it hard to believe, but now it seemed those Spirit Plant Masters had surely mastered one or two intermediate-grade, or even high-grade, spirit plant spells.

Unfortunately, he had learned this spell too late.

The Spirit Rice had already matured. Even if it could increase the yield, it could not add much more.

Still, no matter what, with this spell, he could make up for some of his losses.

Not to mention that seven- or eight-hundred-jin Ironclad Boar.

If all went smoothly, it should bring him around a hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones as well.