The silence in Cao Jian's study lasted a long time.
"Old Zhao, let me ask you something, and tell me the truth: is Duckweed Marsh really drying up?"
"Absolutely!"
"How many times have I told you this? Every time, you think I'm making excuses! Duckweed Marsh really has no qi left! Its spirituality has been damaged at the root. Each harvest is worse than the last!"
"Then... what about the eight portions due in three years? What do we do?"
"I don't know! At this rate, even if we harvest again in three years and squeeze it dry one more time, we might not get enough!"
"Brother Cao, at this point, I might as well speak plainly. Put up some of what you have on hand to plug the hole for now. Then ask those people backing you to speak a fair word for Pingli. With an inspector here, we can take the opportunity to report Duckweed Marsh's condition exactly as it is. As for the eight portions due in three years, we'll hand over whatever we can and beg the sect for mercy, ask them to give Duckweed Marsh a few more years to recover. Even one extra cycle of rest would help..."
"Enough!"
Cao Jian slammed his palm on the desk and rose to his feet.
Those people backing me?
Take this all the way to the sect?
Easy for you to say! In a few years, I won't even be in this position anymore. Who cares whether Duckweed Marsh can still produce qi then? Whatever happens, this harvest cannot fall short!
"Never say anything like that again." He pointed at Zhao Zhisong. "Go back and find another way! If nothing else works... find a Wind Spirit in the marsh, kill it, and extract its qi! If one