High-Grade Spirit Rice

The next day, inside a communications room in the Yun Family.

"Yang Lie, I'm glad to see you're still alive!"

Qian Ming appeared on one of the screens in the communications room, though he looked far more weary and aged than before.

"Uncle Qian, are Aunt Fang and Xin'er alright?" Yang Lie asked.

Qian Ming smiled in relief. "They're both safe!"

"Where are you now? Do you need me to come back and help you?"

Qian Ming said solemnly, "I'm at the Zhao Family headquarters in Shengyang City. I lost Beihe Base City, and the opposing faction is attacking me now. Don't come here and get dragged into our struggle. What you should be doing right now is studying hard and getting into university. When you graduate from university in the future, then come help me!"

Qian Ming's enemies were naturally Golden Core Realm martial artists with immense power and status. Qian Ming had been the director of the Public Security Bureau in Beihe Base City, a true big shot, but his foundation in Shengyang City was shallow. If a minor figure like Yang Lie became involved in a struggle between Golden Core Realm martial artists, even a small ripple could prevent him from taking the college entrance examination.

"I understand!"

Yang Lie chatted with Qian Ming for a while longer before ending the call.

The next day, the key class for second-year students at Tailing No. 1 High School.

The homeroom teacher of the key class, Fang Chengyi, introduced them calmly. "Everyone, these are the new transfer students, Yang Lie and Zhao Meixian. You should all get along well with your new classmates!"

After briefly introducing themselves at the podium, Yang Lie and Zhao Meixian sat together at the back of the classroom.

Yang Lie chuckled. "What a coincidence. We actually ended up as desk mates!"

Zhao Meixian rolled her eyes at him. "How could there be such a coincidence? I used a little influence to make us desk mates."

As soon as class ended, their desks were surrounded by people.

"Hello, Zhao Meixian. I'm Liu Yuelan..."

"..."

Most of those who came over were girls, and their target was Zhao Meixian. After all, Zhao Meixian was extraordinarily beautiful, and she possessed a spirited, heroic air that appealed to both men and women.

Just then, the crowd suddenly parted. A short-haired, tall, handsome young man with arrogance in his eyes approached alongside a beautiful young girl with shoulder-length hair, milk-white skin, delicate features, and stunning looks.

Two tall attendants followed behind the young man and woman.

Yun Haoran smiled warmly, his words brimming with confidence. "Hello, Yang Lie. I'm Yun Haoran. I heard about how you protected my cousin Mei Xian over such a long distance. You're truly outstanding! I'd like to invite you to become my retainer! Don't worry, your treatment definitely won't be poor!"

The direct descendants of the Four Great Families would all recruit outstanding geniuses as their retainers. Qian Ming had been recruited as a retainer by the Zhao Family Head back when he was in high school.

Yang Lie said, "Yun Haoran, Mei Xian invested four billion worth of resources in me all at once! She'll also continue investing four hundred million worth of resources in me every year until I graduate from university. Can you provide that many resources?"

"Four billion! Did I hear that right?"

"Four billion? That's insane!"

"..."

Shocked gazes converged on Yang Lie. The students in the key class were all geniuses and children of the powerful and wealthy in Tailing City. Quite a few of them came from affluent families, yet four billion was still an astronomical sum to many of them.

Yun Haoran's gaze sharpened slightly as he looked toward Zhao Meixian. Though he was a direct descendant of the Yun Family and possessed abundant resources, it was impossible for him to invest four billion worth of resources in a high school student. He suspected that Yang Lie was merely turning him down tactfully.

Zhao Meixian smiled sweetly. "That's right! I invested four billion worth of resources in him because I think he has a chance of getting into one of the Four Super First-Rate Universities!"

A trace of disappointment flashed through Yun Haoran's eyes. "Congratulations, Mei Xian! Congratulations on obtaining such an outstanding retainer!"

Although Yun Haoran did not believe Yang Lie could get into a Super First-Rate University, he still acknowledged that Yang Lie was an exceptionally talented martial artist. It was just that this martial arts genius had already been recruited by his cousin.

Zhao Meixian said sternly, "No, he isn't my retainer. He's my friend."

Disdain flashed through Yun Haoran's eyes, but he still smiled warmly. "A friend? Then you really have gained a good friend!"

After chatting for a few more moments, Yun Haoran and his group finally left.

Only then did the other students in the key class gather around, enthusiastically chatting with Yang Lie and Zhao Meixian.

Yang Lie quickly integrated into the class and returned to his simple life of studying and training. He also soon learned that the beautiful girl beside Yun Haoran was Yun Rou, Yun Haoran's younger sister. Yun Haoran's two attendants were named Luo Changxin and Zhang Shixin.

Yun Haoran was already a first-level Hundred Refinements Realm expert, while Luo Changxin and Zhang Shixin both possessed cultivation above the seventh level of the Essence Solidification Realm. The three of them were famous second-year geniuses at Tailing No. 1 High School.

A few days later, inside the Small World.

"It's finally ripe! High-Grade Spirit Rice!!"

Yang Lie's eyes shone with excitement as he looked at the High-Grade Spirit Rice growing in the acre of Spirit Land within the Small World.

A martial artist's cultivation could not be separated from resources. Cultivating all kinds of wondrous and powerful martial arts required precious resources as nourishment. On a newly colonized planet like Konghe Star, High-Grade Spirit Rice was absolutely among the most top-tier cultivation resources. Even Golden Core Realm martial artists found it difficult to enjoy it at every meal, because its yield was low.

With a thought from Yang Lie, his entire body seemed to merge with the Small World, and he became its god.

The rice stalks in that acre of Spirit Land automatically flew up, shed their husks, transformed into crystal-clear grains of Spirit Rice, and fell into the boxes that had long been prepared beside them.

In less than fifteen minutes, all the rice in the acre of Spirit Land had been harvested.

"The consumption is a little high! It used up a full tenth of my true qi and mental strength! And this state can only be used to harvest rice or deal with some weak enemies! So, my Small World can only be used to resist the pollution of evil gods."

Yang Lie withdrew from that godlike state and immediately sensed that he had expended a large amount of true qi and mental strength.

Yang Lie swiftly left the Small World and eagerly began cooking the High-Grade Spirit Rice, along with a large piece of fifth-grade Ferocious Beast Meat.

"Yang Lie, open the door! I brought you something good!"

Just as Yang Lie finished cooking, Zhao Meixian's voice came from outside. When he opened the door, he saw Zhao Meixian walk in carrying a huge food container.

"Huh? You're actually cooking for yourself?"

A hint of surprise flashed through Zhao Meixian's eyes. She knew Yang Lie ordered takeout most of the time, which was why she had brought dishes cooked with Mid-Grade Spirit Rice and Ferocious Beast Meat.

"You came at just the right time! Come and try my cooking!"

Yang Lie smiled faintly and invited Zhao Meixian to sit down.

"This is High-Grade Spirit Rice! Fifth-grade Ferocious Beast Meat!!"

After taking a few bites, Zhao Meixian's beautiful eyes lit up, and she began eating in large mouthfuls. As for the Mid-Grade Spirit Rice and Ferocious Beast Meat she had brought, she did not touch them even once.

Seeing this, Yang Lie also began eating in large mouthfuls.

The High-Grade Spirit Rice was sweet and fragrant, its rich aroma filling the air. The moment it and the fifth-grade Ferocious Beast Meat entered Yang Lie's stomach, they transformed into surging currents of heat that flowed into his body, becoming nourishment for his cultivation and filling him with energy from head to toe.