Golden Jade Rice and Root Bone

After walking out of Luozhen Hall,

Zhang Hanpeng was still studying the Earth Spirit Instruction.

But although Zhang Hanpeng could read,

he couldn't understand the Earth Spirit Instruction.

He knew every single character,

but when they were put together, Zhang Hanpeng couldn't make sense of them.

He was so anxious that he scratched his ears and cheeks.

Li Yunjing chuckled and shook his head.

Paying Zhang Hanpeng no mind,

Li Yunjing walked around Luozhen Hall.

He went about eight hundred steps farther.

When he stopped, a Spirit Field roughly one mu in size lay before him.

This Spirit Field was one of the few assets the Luozhen Sect had left.

Although it was only a first-rank Spirit Field, it had brought the Luozhen Sect some income in the past.

A gentle breeze swept across the field, stirring golden waves of grain.

First-rank spirit rice, Golden Jade Rice, grew in the Spirit Field.

Li Yunjing had planted it several months ago.

Now it was nearly time.

In another two or three days, it would probably be ready to harvest.

Although Golden Jade Rice was only First-Rank Spirit Rice,

its Spiritual Qi content was still quite good.

Among First-Rank Spirit Rice, it was considered middling.

When Qi Refining cultivators ate it regularly, they took fewer impurities into their bodies,

allowing them to cultivate more smoothly.

As a result, Golden Jade Rice fetched a decent price.

Buyers paid one low-grade Spirit Stone per jin.

Li Yunjing estimated that the mu of Golden Jade Rice before him would yield close to two hundred jin.

If all the rice from this mu of Spirit Field were sold, the Luozhen Sect would earn nearly two hundred low-grade Spirit Stones.

Back when Li Yunjing's master was still alive,

that had accounted for a large share of their income.

If they hadn't needed to treat Li Yunjing's master's illness,

the Luozhen Sect wouldn't have been reduced to poverty.

After all, Golden Jade Rice could be harvested twice a year.

From just one mu of Golden Jade Rice, after deducting costs and setting some aside for their own consumption, the Luozhen Sect could earn more than three hundred low-grade Spirit Stones a year.

Once the Spirit Field is upgraded to lv1, crop growth cycles will be reduced by 30%.

Golden Jade Rice takes about five months to mature.

By my calculations, once the Spirit Field is upgraded to lv1, Golden Jade Rice can be harvested three times a year, and our income will increase considerably.

Standing at the edge of the Spirit Field, Li Yunjing's eyes flashed with anticipation.

The Golden Jade Rice still needed about two or three days before it could be harvested.

Li Yunjing could afford to wait.

In the meantime, Li Yunjing decided he might as well teach Zhang Hanpeng.

Once the Golden Jade Rice ripened,

he would harvest it.

Even if he kept some for their own use,

the Spirit Stones earned from selling the rest would be enough to buy all the materials needed for the remaining buildings.

Leaving the Spirit Field, Li Yunjing returned to the front of Luozhen Hall.

Zhang Hanpeng lay on the ground, his eyes vacant.

Forcing himself to understand the Earth Spirit Instruction had overloaded his brain.

Li Yunjing walked over, and only then did Zhang Hanpeng scramble to his feet.

"How is your study coming along?" Li Yunjing asked.

Zhang Hanpeng wore a pained expression.

"Sect Master, your disciple cannot understand it."

Li Yunjing smiled. "That's normal. This sect master was the same at first.

"This sect master has nothing to do these next few days, so I'll give you proper instruction."

Zhang Hanpeng's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly bowed in thanks.

"Thank you, Sect Master."

Li Yunjing took the Earth Spirit Instruction and began explaining it.

Zhang Hanpeng listened with rapt attention, afraid of missing a single word.

But as he listened, Zhang Hanpeng began to fall behind.

Seeing this, Li Yunjing stopped explaining.

"This portion is enough for you to study. First, take your time to digest what you learned today."

Li Yunjing returned the Earth Spirit Instruction to Zhang Hanpeng.

After standing up, Li Yunjing pointed to a small hut thirty steps away.

"That will be your residence from now on. Go and tidy it up."

Zhang Hanpeng looked in the direction Li Yunjing was pointing.

The hut looked decent from the front.

But if one walked around to the back,

one would discover that a corner of the roof had collapsed, leaving a hole.

Zhang Hanpeng had already noticed this.

His expression immediately turned peculiar.

Li Yunjing knew what Zhang Hanpeng was thinking.

Without changing his expression, Li Yunjing said,

"There's only a hole in the roof. It's not as though you can't live there.

"This sect master observed the heavens last night. There won't be any rain for the next few days, so you can move in without worry.

"Repair the hut over the next few days, and even if it rains later, it won't be a problem."

Zhang Hanpeng bowed helplessly.

"Yes, Sect Master."

Two days later,

early in the morning,

Li Yunjing walked out of Luozhen Hall.

Luozhen Hall was now the Sect Grand Hall.

It was also Li Yunjing's current residence.

Outside the hut in the distance,

Zhang Hanpeng had risen even earlier than Li Yunjing.

He was currently practicing a set of fist techniques.

Zhang Hanpeng had yet to get started with the Earth Spirit Instruction and had not drawn Qi into his body.

Upon seeing Li Yunjing, Zhang Hanpeng immediately finished his practice.

He jogged all the way over.

"Your disciple greets the Sect Master."

Li Yunjing nodded slightly and asked curiously,

"What moves were you practicing just now?"

"Sect Master, it's a fist technique your disciple bought from an expert.

"That expert said practicing this fist technique regularly could improve my Root Bone," Zhang Hanpeng said.

When Li Yunjing heard this, black lines immediately appeared on his forehead.

"Nonsense. What fist technique can improve your Root Bone? You've been swindled."

Zhang Hanpeng froze, then his face flushed bright red.

Clenching his fists, Zhang Hanpeng was both ashamed and angry.

Li Yunjing smiled helplessly.

"Another day, this sect master will buy you a compendium so you can learn some common knowledge."

Zhang Hanpeng had been swindled because a complete outsider had fallen for an expert's tricks.

Zhang Hanpeng could hardly be blamed for that.

Zhang Hanpeng nodded, took several deep breaths, and composed himself.

Looking at Li Yunjing, Zhang Hanpeng asked,

"Sect Master, is a cultivator's Root Bone determined at birth and impossible to change afterward?"

Li Yunjing nodded first, then shook his head.

"Yes and no."

"A cultivator's Root Bone is indeed determined at birth, but it isn't impossible to change.

"Some legendary heavenly materials and earthly treasures can change a cultivator's Root Bone.

"But such treasures are exceedingly rare. Ordinary people may never encounter one in their entire lives, so it's no different from being unable to change their Root Bone."

Zhang Hanpeng nodded, then found himself unable to contain his curiosity.

"Sect Master, how is my Root Bone?"

Li Yunjing looked at Zhang Hanpeng without expression.

"Abysmally poor."

In the Tianyuan world, everyone had Spirit Roots.

And everyone possessed a full set of Spirit Roots corresponding to the five elements.

Aptitude was divided into nine ranks according to the purity of one's Spirit Roots.

The first rank was the lowest, and the ninth rank was the highest.

Zhang Hanpeng had the lowest, first-rank Root Bone.

People with such aptitude could be found by the handful in Tianyuan.

Hearing Li Yunjing's assessment, Zhang Hanpeng felt dejected.

He had imagined that his talent might be great enough to shake all of Tianyuan.

But a fantasy was a fantasy.

Fortunately, Zhang Hanpeng was an optimist.

He soon swept away his disappointment.

"What about your Root Bone, Sect Master?" Zhang Hanpeng asked curiously.

Li Yunjing smiled mysteriously and did not answer the question.

"Why ask so many questions?

"You only need to know that Root Bone doesn't determine everything.

"In the Luozhen Sect, even if you have first-rank Root Bone, you can still achieve something in the end."

"Go wash your face. There's something important I'll need your help with shortly."

With that, Li Yunjing turned and walked toward the Patriarch Hall.

Zhang Hanpeng stood there in a daze for a while, then left with a thoughtful expression.

After arriving at the Patriarch Hall,

Li Yunjing took out three sticks of incense.

"Patriarch above..."

Li Yunjing bowed respectfully three times.

Then he placed the incense in the burner.

He then sent a wisp of Law Power into the incense burner before him.

Suddenly, the incense burner flashed with a golden-yellow light.

Two sickles appeared on the offering table at once.

This incense burner was the only storage Law Artifact the Luozhen Sect had left.

The Luozhen Sect's few remaining assets-Spirit Stones, spirit rice, and the like-

were all stored in the incense burner.

Li Yunjing stepped forward and picked up the two sickles.

These two sickles also counted as Law Artifacts.

Although they were only first-rank Law Artifacts, each with a single layer of restrictions,

and their attack power was weak, they were just right for harvesting Golden Jade Rice.

When he walked out of the Patriarch Hall,

Zhang Hanpeng was already prepared.

Li Yunjing gave Zhang Hanpeng a look.

Zhang Hanpeng immediately trotted over and followed Li Yunjing to the Spirit Field.

Before long, the two arrived at the Spirit Field.

Looking at the Spirit Field before him,

Zhang Hanpeng stood dumbfounded, his mouth slightly open.

All these days, he had never known there was such a large field behind Luozhen Hall.