Chapter Summaries

Qin Ming struggled as a poor Spirit Farmer with weak cultivation and a failing rice harvest, then learned that the lowest-ranked farmers might be sent to the dangerous War Camp. After a strange dream, he saw mysterious prompts above three rice plants in his courtyard, suggesting a new ability had awakened.

• Qin Ming complained about his noisy neighbor and his bleak life as a low-level cultivator bound to sixty years of Spirit Feather Sect corvée service.
• Qin Ming met Cai Jiuwu on the way to harvest; Cai Jiuwu boasted of a better harvest and invited him to drink.
• Qin Ming harvested his Spirit Rice and paid Du Haifu extra Spirit Stones to make up for a shortfall in his tax payment.
• Du Haifu warned Qin Ming that the ten lowest-ranked Spirit Farmers would be sent to the front-line War Camp at the next tax collection.
• Qin Ming feared being sent to the War Camp, fell asleep, and dreamed of plants growing at an impossible speed.
• Qin Ming woke to see prompts above three Spirit Rice stalks, each describing a different affix and indicating that the plants were ready to harvest.

Qin Ming discovered that harvesting Spirit Plants could give him Affixes, which strengthened his cultivation and farming abilities. He accelerated the growth of his Spirit Rice, expanded his fields, and ended the chapter returning from Qingyang Market with a Soundproof Array, a Storage Bag, and books for his next stage of cultivation.

• Qin Ming harvested three Affix-bearing Spirit Rice plants and used Faint Mana to boost his cultivation, finding that it brought him close to breaking through to Qi Refining Stage Third Layer.
• Qin Ming found only one other Affix-bearing plant in his field, then used Accelerated Growth and Intermediate Spirit Rain Art to rapidly mature his Spirit Rice and increase its yield.
• Qin Ming spent half a month leasing two more mu of Spirit Fields from Du Haifu, planting rice across all five mu and practicing the Intermediate Spirit Rain Art.
• Qin Ming set out to sell Spirit Rice and buy cultivation items, greeting Fellow Daoist Long and Li Yanli on the way and deciding he needed a Soundproof Array.
• Qin Ming sold one hundred and eight jin of Golden Spirit Rice at Qingyang Market and bought a Soundproof Array, a Storage Bag, books on Spirit Plants, and daily necessities.

Qin Ming cultivated his Spirit Fields, mastered the Intermediate Spirit Rain Art, and harvested a strong crop that kept him safely clear of the lowest rankings. The Spirit Feather Sect assigned the ten lowest-producing Spirit Farmers to the front-line War Camp and warned that thirty would be sent next year, while Qin Ming planned to improve his cultivation and begin planting Beast Fang Rice.

• Qin Ming discovered Affixes in his fields, including Beast Control Art and Primal Beastfang Rice, and learned from his manual that Beast Fang Rice was a valuable First-Grade Lower Spirit Plant.
• Qin Ming tended his fields, mastered the Intermediate Spirit Rain Art, and used it repeatedly despite exhausting his mana.
• Qin Ming harvested eight shi and twenty jin of Spirit Rice, paid the required tax, and learned that his crop had earned him a place among the middle-ranked farmers.
• Elder Gu announced that the ten Spirit Farmers ranked lowest in yearly output would be sent to the front-line War Camp, and Qin Ming found himself ranked 156th while Cai Lao Jiu ranked 157th.
• Elder Gu warned that thirty farmers would face assignment next year, and Qin Ming resolved to pursue the Accelerated Growth Affix, strengthen his cultivation, and prepare to plant Beast Fang Rice.

Qin Ming failed to break through to the Qi Refining Stage Third Layer, so he bought a Beast-Call Bell and considered strengthening himself through other means. After selling his spirit rice, he learned that all the Spirit Fields on the mountain had already been rented, leaving him worried about next year’s competition.

• Qin Ming used two 'Faint Mana' Affixes but remained at the Qi Refining Stage Second Layer Peak, though his Qi Sea Dantian widened and his mana increased.
• Qin Ming decided to consider the Body Tempering Art and the risks of cultivating Beast Fang Rice, then went to Qingyang Market to sell his harvest.
• Manager Liao bought Qin Ming's two sacks of Golden Spirit Rice for forty-four Spirit Stones and sold him a Beast-Call Bell for ten Spirit Stones.
• Qin Ming learned that cultivation pills cost at least sixty Spirit Stones, more than he could afford.
• Qin Ming asked Du Haifu to rent another mu of Spirit Field, but Du Haifu told him that every plot had already been rented.

Qin Ming and Cai Lao Jiu visited their new neighbor, the young alchemist Su Yuqing, hoping to build a connection. They left feeling outmatched after Su Yuqing warmly welcomed Fellow Daoist Long but largely ignored them.

• Qin Ming rejected Li Yanli’s suggestive invitation, remembering that she was connected to the powerful Fellow Daoist Long.
• Cai Lao Jiu told Qin Ming that a cultivator rumored to be an alchemist had moved into their alley, and urged him to visit.
• Qin Ming and Cai Lao Jiu met Su Yuqing, introduced themselves, and gave him Spirit Rice and homemade wine as gifts.
• Su Yuqing revealed that he was a First-order Mid-grade Alchemist and gave Qin Ming and Cai Lao Jiu a Spirit Replenishing Pill each.
• Fellow Daoist Long arrived with valuable gifts, received two Spirit Gathering Pills from Su Yuqing, and chatted with him while Qin Ming and Cai Lao Jiu were ignored.
• Qin Ming and Cai Lao Jiu left disgruntled, and Cai Lao Jiu complained that Qin Ming had not warned him how accomplished Su Yuqing was.

Qin Ming used an Accelerated Growth Affix to make his Beast Fang Rice sprout, then discovered it produced valuable Affixes of its own. While selling Golden Spirit Rice at Juxuan Pavilion, he learned that conflict between the Spirit Feather Sect and Goldcloud Valley had disrupted supply lines and was likely to drive up prices.

• Qin Ming harvested seven shi and thirty jin of Golden Spirit Rice, while his Beast Fang Rice field remained bare and Du Haifu advised him to stop risking Spirit Stones on it.
• Qin Ming applied his Accelerated Growth Affix to the Beast Fang Rice, which finally sprouted and revealed Affixes for Greater Spirit Rain Technique, Quality Enhancement, and Accelerated Growth.
• Du Haifu confirmed that Qin Ming had successfully cultivated Beast Fang Rice, and Qin Ming decided to seek a Body Refining Art to protect himself.
• At Juxuan Pavilion, Manager Liao paid Qin Ming the expected higher price for his Golden Spirit Rice and explained that the Spirit Feather Sect and Goldcloud Valley were heading toward a prolonged conflict over a Tier 3 Spirit Vein.
• Manager Liao warned Qin Ming that demon beasts had breached the Spirit Feather Sect's defenses and urged him to avoid traveling far.

Qin Ming negotiated Spirit Rice deals amid rising prices and growing danger, then used a Faint Mana Affix to break through to Qi Refining Stage Third Layer. Three months later, he had stored more rice and bought protective gear as tensions around Qingyang Market continued to rise.

• Qin Ming declined to promise Manager Liao a Beast Fang Rice harvest but agreed to sell Juxuan Pavilion a portion when it matured, and Manager Liao pointed him toward the Ruan Family's ancestral Body Refining Art.
• Qin Ming encountered a Spirit Feather Sect patrol, found the Ruan Family gates shut, and later sold Fellow Daoist Long fifty jin of Spirit Rice at the increased price.
• Qin Ming consumed a Faint Mana Affix and advanced to Qi Refining Stage Third Layer, then resolved to strengthen himself and pursue a way to escape the Spirit Feather Sect's corvée.
• Ten days later, prices for food and cultivation goods had risen sharply, while Du Haifu increased patrols around Qin Ming's Spirit Field.
• Three months later, Qin Ming harvested over nine shi of Golden Spirit Rice, kept much of it in storage, and bought a Low-Grade Golden Light Talisman and a Low-Grade Azure Spirit Sword.

Qin Ming’s Beast Fang Rice attracted Alchemist Su, who came to collect its accompanying Crimson Spirit Dew. Their visit was interrupted when Howling Mad Monkeys attacked the Spirit Fields, and Qin Ming prepared to face them with his bell artifact.

• Alchemist Su visited Qin Ming’s field and explained that Beast Fang Rice produced Crimson Spirit Dew, which he wanted to collect for alchemy.
• Qin Ming agreed to let Alchemist Su take the dew without payment, and Alchemist Su began collecting it.
• Howling Mad Monkeys burst from the forest and used soundwaves to drive Spirit Farmers mad, trample the crops, and kill one farmer.
• Alchemist Su raised a barrier to protect himself and Qin Ming, explaining that Spirit Feather Sect reinforcements should arrive soon.
• Eight Howling Mad Monkeys charged the barrier, and Qin Ming summoned his bronze bell artifact with the Beast Control Art.

Qin Ming used the Beast Control Art to disrupt the Howling Mad Monkeys' sound attack until Elder Gu and the Spirit Feather Sect reinforcements arrived and wiped them out. After receiving a tax reduction and recovering his mana, Qin Ming went to check on Cai Lao Jiu and found him injured but alive.

• Qin Ming unleashed the Beast Control Art, breaking the Howling Mad Monkeys' sound waves and helping the Spirit Farmers regain their senses.
• Qin Ming repeatedly used the Beast Control Art to hold off the monkeys until Elder Gu arrived with Spirit Feather Sect disciples.
• Elder Gu killed the leading Howling Mad Monkey, and his disciples wiped out the rest; he then awarded Qin Ming merit and reduced his Spirit Rice tax by ten percent.
• Qin Ming learned that many Spirit Farmers had died or been injured, accepted Spirit Replenishing Pills from Alchemist Su, and went to look for Cai Lao Jiu.
• Qin Ming encountered Cai Lao Jiu limping uphill with superficial injuries, and Cai Lao Jiu angrily demanded to know why Qin Ming had escaped unharmed.

After learning about Qin Ming’s Beast Fang Rice, Daoist Ruan showed him the costly Hundred Treasures Glazed Scripture, a body-refining art that strengthened and replaced blood. Qin Ming saw its material demands as an advantage and offered Spirit Stones and Beast Fang Rice for the incomplete manual, leaving Daoist Ruan startled by the rice.

• Cai Lao Jiu discovered the Beast Fang Rice growing in Qin Ming’s spirit field, envied his success, and accepted Qin Ming’s promise of a meal after harvest.
• After the demon beast attack, Qin Ming visited the Ruan Family Estate to inspect a body-refining art that Manager Liao had mentioned.
• Daoist Ruan explained that the Hundred Treasures Glazed Scripture refined the body through qi-and-blood-enhancing materials and blood replacement, but required great expense and only contained its first nine layers.
• Qin Ming learned Daoist Ruan had spent several thousand Spirit Stones to reach the third layer, with no one in his family reaching the fifth.
• Qin Ming offered one hundred Spirit Stones and ten jin of Beast Fang Rice for the scripture, and Daoist Ruan perked up when he heard about the rice.

Qin Ming negotiated with Daoist Ruan to buy the first five layers of the Hundred Treasures Glazed Scripture for one hundred Spirit Stones and ten jin of Beast Fang Rice, then returned to farming as the market grew more dangerous. At the year's final harvest, he ranked in the top ten, while the Spirit Feather Sect ordered the thirty lowest-ranked farmers to leave with Elder Gu.

• Daoist Ruan lowered his demand to one hundred Spirit Stones and ten jin of Beast Fang Rice, and Qin Ming agreed to pay upfront for a copy of the scripture's first five layers.
• Qin Ming verified the jade slip against Daoist Ruan's original, then returned to the Shantytown and planned how to cultivate Beast Fang Rice over the next two years.
• A month later, Qin Ming's final Golden Spirit Rice harvest exceeded ten dan and ninety jin, earning him three hundred and twenty jin after tax and a place in the year's overall top ten.
• Elder Gu announced that the thirty lowest-ranked Spirit Farmers had to leave with him, despite the demonic beast attacks that had damaged the fields.
• Cai Lao Jiu asked Qin Ming whether they might one day be among those thirty, and Qin Ming left the question unanswered.

Qin Ming harvested a large crop of Golden Spirit Rice and began cultivating Beast Fang Rice in his courtyard. The first plants matured, and two patches gained the Faint vital energy Affix, producing premium Beast Fang Rice that was ready to harvest.

• Qin Ming saved his Faint Mana Affixes, practiced the Object Control Art and Beast Control Art, and harvested over eleven dan of Golden Spirit Rice.
• Qin Ming secretly transplanted several hundred Beast Fang Rice plants into his courtyard and used an Accelerated Growth Affix to mature three plants.
• Qin Ming harvested the first three Beast Fang Rice plants and gained three Green Affix Leaves.
• Qin Ming used Accelerated Growth and Quality Enhancement Affixes on the larger crop, where two plants developed the Faint vital energy Affix.
• Seven days later, Qin Ming found that both Faint vital energy patches had matured into premium Beast Fang Rice ready for harvest.

Qin Ming cultivated the Hundred Treasures Glazed Scripture with Superior Beast Fang Rice and faint vital energy Affixes, advancing to its third layer over half a year. He also traded Golden Spirit Rice with Alchemist Su for Spirit Gathering Pills.

• Qin Ming harvested thirty pounds of Superior Beast Fang Rice after using his remaining Accelerated Growth Affixes to ripen the crop.
• Qin Ming ate Superior Beast Fang Rice and used a faint vital energy Affix, completing his vital energy transformation and entering the First Layer of the Hundred Treasures Glazed Scripture.
• Qin Ming tested his new strength by shattering a millstone with one punch, then continued farming and cultivating with Superior Beast Fang Rice.
• Over the next half year, Qin Ming advanced the Hundred Treasures Glazed Scripture to its third layer and learned how Vital Energy Force could help his future Foundation Establishment.
• Alchemist Su visited Qin Ming twice, and Qin Ming traded one hundred pounds of Golden Spirit Rice for two Spirit Gathering Pills.

Qin Ming agreed to cultivate Yin Condensation Flowers for Alchemist Su in exchange for a share of the harvest and lessons in alchemy. He received Alchemist Su’s introductory alchemy notes and seeds, then wondered whether the flowers could produce an Affix.

• Alchemist Su asked Qin Ming to cultivate Yin Condensation Flowers, offering five Spirit Stones per plant, and Qin Ming agreed to take one-tenth of the mature flowers.
• Qin Ming asked to learn alchemy, and Alchemist Su agreed to trade him alchemy insights for three years of cultivating Spirit Herbs.
• Alchemist Su gave Qin Ming a jade slip containing his basic alchemy study notes, which covered cauldrons, herbs, and fire control.
• Fellow Daoist Long arrived to buy his usual eighty jin of Spirit Rice, noticed Alchemist Su dining with Qin Ming, and paid him twenty Spirit Stones.
• Alchemist Su gave Qin Ming Yin Condensation Flower Spirit Seeds and arranged to rent a plot near Qin Ming’s Spirit Field.

Qin Ming planted Yin Condensation Flowers and used a Spirit Gathering Pill to strengthen his cultivation before selling Spirit Rice and shopping for talismans. He left Juxuan Pavilion with a Mid-Grade Lightning Arrow Talisman, while the looming conflict between the Spirit Feather Sect and Goldcloud Valley threatened to raise prices further.

• Qin Ming leased a Spirit Field from Alchemist Su, planted Yin Condensation Flowers across three mu, and watered them with the Intermediate Spirit Rain Art.
• Qin Ming cultivated with a Spirit Gathering Pill and found that it improved his mana more than a Faint Mana affix.
• Qin Ming sold Manager Liao 380 jin of Golden Spirit Rice for 120 Spirit Stones and learned that talisman prices might rise as the Spirit Feather Sect struggled to hold its front lines against Goldcloud Valley.
• Qin Ming asked about a Bee Swarm Control Spell but rejected the three techniques Manager Liao offered at 300 Spirit Stones each.
• Qin Ming bought one Mid-Grade Lightning Arrow Talisman for 100 Spirit Stones.

After learning that marauder cultivators had killed the powerful Fellow Daoist Long near his home, Qin Ming feared the Shantytown was no longer safe and began planning to improve his defenses and cultivation. He decided to spend his final Accelerated Growth Affix on his Yin Condensation Flowers in hopes of gaining a Quality Enhancement Affix.

• Qin Ming ignored a flirtatious solicitation at Qingyang Market and returned to the Shantytown to cultivate the Hundred Treasures Glazed Scripture with Superior Beast Fang Rice.
• Cai Lao Jiu urgently told Qin Ming that Fellow Daoist Long had been killed by marauder cultivators, and the two hurried to the nearby river channel.
• Qin Ming saw Fellow Daoist Long's stripped, badly wounded corpse, while a Spirit Feather Sect patrol commander reported the killing to the sect.
• Qin Ming returned home shaken, judged the Shantytown unsafe, and tucked a Mid-Grade Lightning Arrow Talisman into his sleeve for protection.
• Qin Ming resolved to use his last Accelerated Growth Affix on his three mu of Yin Condensation Flowers, hoping a Quality Enhancement Affix would appear.

After obtaining a Bloodline Reversion Affix, Qin Ming secretly transformed Beast Fang Rice into the rare Blood Locust Rice and accelerated it to maturity using Beast Essence Blood and powerful spirit-rain magic. He harvested the crop and prepared to taste it.

• Qin Ming discovered Bee Control Art, Accelerated Growth, and Bloodline Reversion Affixes among his Yin Condensation Flowers, then learned that Blood Locust Rice was an ancestor of Beast Fang Rice.
• After three months, Qin Ming gained another Accelerated Growth Affix and bought ten jin of First-Order Beast Essence Blood from a butcher shop in Qingyang Market.
• Qin Ming purchased a Small Concealment Array from Manager Liao at Juxuan Pavilion and used Bloodline Reversion on sprouting Beast Fang Rice, turning it into Blood Locust Rice.
• Qin Ming used Accelerated Growth Affixes and the Greater Spirit Rain Technique to mature the Blood Locust Rice, watering it with Beast Essence Blood while the Concealment Array hid the spell.
• After half a month of watering, Qin Ming harvested the mature Blood Locust Rice, concealed all traces of his cultivation, and decided to taste it.

Qin Ming used Blood Locust Rice and his Abundant Vital Energy to break through to the fifth layer of the Hundred Treasures Glazed Scripture, gaining Glazed Armor and greater protection. He prepared to pursue the remaining technique layers and qualify as a First-rank Spirit Planter while waiting for his Beast Fang Rice to mature.

• Qin Ming ate Blood Locust Rice and broke through to the fourth layer of the Hundred Treasures Glazed Scripture.
• After another half year of cultivation, Qin Ming used his Abundant Vital Energy to break through to the fifth layer and condense Glazed Armor.
• Qin Ming tested his new defense with the Azure Spirit Sword and decided to seek the remaining four layers from Daoist Ruan.
• Qin Ming planned to use his Beast Fang Rice harvest in two months to pursue the remaining technique layers and advance to First-rank Spirit Planter.
• Qin Ming studied Spirit Plant knowledge and tried alchemy with a pill furnace bought from Manager Liao, but failed to refine pills.

Qin Ming used the Bee Control Art to make Four-Winged Frost Bees pollinate his Yin Condensation Flowers, earning Alchemist Su’s offer to let him observe pill refining. After harvesting his Spirit Rice, Qin Ming received a token to take the Spirit Planter Assessment, and he planned to visit Qingyang Market and Daoist Ruan.

• Qin Ming controlled a Four-Winged Frost Bee queen and directed the swarm to pollinate his Yin Condensation Flowers, whose survival rate reached ninety percent.
• Alchemist Su inspected and harvested the flowers, then offered to let Qin Ming observe him refining pills; Qin Ming received thirty-two flowers as his share.
• Qin Ming released the bees and decided to retrieve them later with a Spirit Beast Pouch.
• Elder Gu and the Spirit Feather Sect disciples harvested Qin Ming’s Golden Spirit Rice and Beast Fang Rice, and Du Haifu gave him an identity token for the Spirit Planter Assessment.
• Cai Lao Jiu urged Qin Ming to celebrate at Juxuan Pavilion, while Qin Ming planned to sell rice, ask Manager Liao about moving to Qingyang Market, and visit Daoist Ruan for the remaining layers of the Hundred Treasures Glazed Scripture.

Qin Ming sold his spirit rice to Manager Liao, advanced to a First-Grade Lower Spirit Planter, and learned that renting a courtyard in Qingyang Market was costly and difficult. When Daoist Ruan asked him to meet elsewhere, Qin Ming hesitated because the area was unsafe.

• Qin Ming sold 510 pounds of Golden Spirit Rice and 105 pounds of Beast Fang Rice to Manager Liao for 800 Lower-grade Spirit Stones and received a Juxuan Pavilion Discount Token.
• Manager Liao told Qin Ming that the Spirit Feather Sect was still repairing the teleportation array, and Cai Lao Jiu sold him 200 pounds of Golden Spirit Rice.
• Qin Ming passed the Spirit Planter assessment and had his identity token marked as a First-Grade Lower Spirit Planter.
• Qin Ming ignored the Green-clad Enchantress and learned that Qingyang Market's courtyards were expensive and fully rented, with applicants queued past number nine hundred.
• Qin Ming found Daoist Ruan absent from his estate and received an invitation to meet at another address, but he cautiously asked to wait until Daoist Ruan returned.