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As the seasons turned, spring warmed the earth and flowers bloomed.

Qin Ming had already plowed his five mu of Spirit Fields and replanted them with Spirit Rice.

This time, he used the 'Mother Seed—Beast Fang Rice' Affix he had obtained last time.

The seeds contained within that Affix were just enough to plant one mu of Spirit Field.

That year, an air of tension spread among the Spirit Farmers.

Every one of them worked desperately, afraid of falling behind.

Du Haifu inspected the hillsides and nodded with a satisfied expression.

Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, two months went by.

The Spirit Rice in Qin Ming's fields began to grow taller.

Yet he sat blankly on the ridge between the fields, staring at the crops with a Gloomy and Dreary look.

The good news was that, under the constant nourishment of his Intermediate Spirit Rain Art, the Golden Spirit Rice in four mu of Spirit Fields was growing well. Three Affixes had appeared, and one of them was the 'Accelerated Growth' Affix he had been yearning for.

Name: Golden Spirit Rice
Affix: Accelerated Growth (Maturity 26%)

Name: Golden Spirit Rice
Affix: Faint Mana (Maturity 35%)

Name: Golden Spirit Rice
Affix: Faint Mana (Maturity 28%)

The bad news was that the one mu of Beast Fang Rice he had planted had shown no response whatsoever. Not even a sprout had emerged.

"Where exactly did I go wrong?"

"I clearly planted it according to the methods in the Spirit Plant book, didn't I? And I certainly haven't used the Intermediate Spirit Rain Art any less."

"This won't be a total loss, will it?"

Another two months passed.

The first season's Spirit Rice harvest of the year was complete.

Qin Ming's one mu of Beast Fang Rice field remained completely bare, with nothing in it at all.

That season, he harvested seven shi and thirty jin of Golden Spirit Rice.

Within Qin Ming's Sea of Consciousness, there was one more green 'Accelerated Growth' Affix and two white 'Faint Mana' Affixes.

When Du Haifu learned that Qin Ming had planted Beast Fang Rice in that field, he did not blame him. Instead, he patted his shoulder and patiently advised him, "Little Qin, wouldn't it be perfectly fine to honestly plant your Golden Spirit Rice?"

"Why waste Spirit Stones for nothing?"

"Beast Fang Rice—forget you. Even among the First-rank Spirit Planters in the sect, very few have managed to cultivate it successfully."

"The risk is too great. Don't aim so high that your eyes are bigger than your stomach."

"Beast Fang Rice usually sprouts three months after planting. It's already been four months for you, and there's still no movement at all. It'll be difficult..."

"This season, your Spirit Rice yield ranks beyond two hundred."

Qin Ming was not particularly worried about the rankings now. With Affixes in hand, he had plenty of confidence!

It was just that he was somewhat unwilling to give up on the Beast Fang Rice.

He worried that if he used the 'Accelerated Growth' Affix and it still failed to grow, what then?

At that point, he would truly lose the lady and the army as well.

One day amid those peaceful times.

Qin Ming finally used his only 'Accelerated Growth' Affix on that one mu of Beast Fang Rice Spirit Field.

A long while passed.

Under Qin Ming's anxious, restless gaze.

A tender green shoot broke through the soil.

"It worked!" Golden light flashed in Qin Ming's eyes. The weight in his heart finally lifted, and he let out a long breath.

Very soon, the Beast Fang Rice seedlings shot upward, only stopping when they reached roughly two inches in height.

Afterward, the Accelerated Growth effect within the Spirit Field gradually faded, and the Beast Fang Rice stopped growing at that terrifying pace.

"It seems the higher the rank of the Spirit Plant, the more 'Accelerated Growth' Affixes it needs."

"This time, I can only wait slowly. Beast Fang Rice requires at least three years to mature."

"I'll keep planting Golden Spirit Rice for now. If I'm lucky enough to get more 'Accelerated Growth' Affixes, I can harvest a batch of Beast Fang Rice ahead of time!"

"It took so long to sprout that I thought the seeds had gone bad."

Qin Ming was also looking forward to seeing what Affixes this First-rank Spirit Plant, Beast Fang Rice, would produce.

He looked into the Spirit Field, where three Affixes gleamed brilliantly.

Name: Beast Fang Rice
Affix: Greater Spirit Rain Technique x5 (Maturity 7%)

Name: Beast Fang Rice
Affix: Quality Enhancement x1 (Maturity 5%)

Name: Beast Fang Rice
Affix: Accelerated Growth x5 (Maturity 5%)

!!!

"I've struck it rich, I've struck it rich! Hahaha!"

Qin Ming leaped up from the field ridge in excitement. The three Affixes before him were simply too sharp.

Greater Spirit Rain Technique!

It was specifically used for planting higher-rank Spirit Plants, and its rainfall effect far surpassed the Intermediate Spirit Rain Art.

Most importantly, as long as Spirit Plant crops below First-rank high-grade had been watered by the Greater Spirit Rain Technique—

Their harvest yield would double!

Among all these Spirit Farmers, no one had mastered it. Only a small number of Spirit Planters from the Spirit Feather Sect could perform it.

Ten days later.

Du Haifu stared dumbstruck at Qin Ming's Spirit Field.

After checking again and again, he looked at the green Spirit Rice shoots marked with unique red veins and finally confirmed that they were indeed Beast Fang Rice leaves.

"You actually managed to cultivate it successfully, kid." Du Haifu studied Qin Ming with a complicated expression, not knowing what to say for a moment.

Several more days passed.

Qin Ming went out once again.

The Beast Fang Rice has been successfully cultivated. The rest is only a matter of time. I'll first find a Body Refining Art.

The Immortal Cultivation World is ever-changing, and worldly affairs are unpredictable. My spiritual root aptitude is too poor, and my cultivation progresses slowly. I need some means to protect my path.

Qin Ming had a clear goal and understood the need to stay prepared in times of peace.

Qingyang Market.

Juxuan Pavilion in the center of the market.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, you've come?"

Manager Liao greeted him warmly with a smile.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, please come up to a private room on the fourth floor. We can talk over drinks."

"Someone, prepare a pot of the finest Spirit Mist Tea."

After more than a year of dealings, although Qin Ming had only visited Juxuan Pavilion a few times in total, the amount of Spirit Rice he had sold recently had increased each time.

At the very least, the other man was clearly now an experienced Spirit Farmer with a stable yield.

As the manager of Juxuan Pavilion, Manager Liao naturally had a good eye for people.

Besides, Manager Liao had learned a piece of news two days earlier that had shocked even someone as steady and seasoned as him.

Qin Ming followed Manager Liao upstairs. Looking around the enormous, spacious private room, he found it antique and elegant, its decorations refined and luxurious.

He was somewhat surprised.

As usual, he took two large bags of Golden Spirit Rice from his Storage Bag and placed them before him.

"The usual. Two bags. Manager, weigh them."

Manager Liao smiled faintly and swiftly finished weighing and inspecting them.

"Two shi and ten jin of Golden Spirit Rice."

"Fellow Daoist Qin, here are seventy Spirit Stones. Please check them."

Qin Ming frowned. Why were there so many extra Spirit Stones?

He asked in confusion, "Manager, what do you mean by this?"

Manager Liao promptly explained, "Spirit Rice prices in the market are about to rise recently. It'll happen within the next couple of days anyway. Fellow Daoist Qin is a regular customer, so I took the liberty of paying you according to the post-increase price."

"The price is rising?"

"Manager Liao, hasn't the Golden Spirit Rice market always been stable? Why would the price suddenly rise?"

"Did something happen?" Qin Ming asked casually, concealing his interest as he probed for information.

Manager Liao handed the Spirit Stones to Qin Ming and glanced out the window.

Then he took out a Soundproof Talisman and cast a soundproof barrier over the room before speaking with great caution.

"The Spirit Feather Sect's War Camp, which has been opening up the wilderness at the front lines, discovered a paradise-like place deep within the Cloud Marsh Great Wilderness. There was actually a complete Tier 3 Spirit Vein inside!"

A Tier 3 Spirit Vein?

As a low-level cultivator, Qin Ming had only ever read of such things in books. Waves immediately rose in his heart.

"But that place is occupied by a Barbarian Tribe numbering several thousand. Those Barbarians fear neither heaven nor earth, are brave and skilled in battle, and cultivate techniques entirely unlike those of ordinary Immortal Cultivation sects. The Spirit Feather Sect's War Camp suffered a crushing loss on the front lines, with grave casualties."

"They originally intended to contact the sect and request reinforcements, but who would have thought that the news would leak midway and be intercepted by Goldcloud Valley?"

"That's a Tier 3 Spirit Vein!"

"Goldcloud Valley naturally turned green with envy. They immediately dispatched a large number of disciples, ambushed and destroyed the Spirit Feather Sect's Teleportation Array Stronghold leading to Qingyang Market."

"And in one stroke, they cut off the Supply Line between the Spirit Feather Sect and Qingyang Market."

Seeing Qin Ming's shocked reaction, Manager Liao wore an expression that said it was only to be expected. Then he continued, "With such a long Supply Line, the Spirit Feather Sect is afraid to suffer a great loss this time."

"The conflict between the Spirit Feather Sect and Goldcloud Valley will not be settled peacefully. At the shortest, it will last three to five years; at the longest, several decades."

"Therefore, not only will daily necessities such as Spirit Rice and meat rise in price, but other cultivation resources will rise as well."

Qin Ming listened to Manager Liao's words and could not recover for a long time. An ominous feeling of approaching wind and rain lingered in his heart.

No wonder the Spirit Feather Sect has recently been sending even Spirit Farmers to the front lines...

"I heard that those Barbarians are particularly skilled at commanding demon beasts. A group of demon beasts that slipped through the net on the front lines broke through the Spirit Feather Sect's defenses and vanished without a trace. Fellow Daoist Qin, be extra careful when you go out lately. Don't travel far."

After speaking, Manager Liao invited Qin Ming to sit.

"Have a taste. This is Spirit Mist Tea produced in the Cloud Marsh Great Wilderness. It is quite beneficial even for those in the Qi Refining Stage."

Qin Ming politely accepted the tea and took a sip.

Its fragrance lingered on his lips and teeth, while its spiritual charm soothed the soul.

Qin Ming knew that Manager Liao had laid so much groundwork earlier and put on the appearance of currying favor with him.

Next, it was probably time to discuss serious business.