Chapter 48: Trade, Sprouting

Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Trade, Sprouting

"Naughty little thing!"

Li Changsheng shook his head with a chuckle. He vaulted to the ground and strode into the kitchen, humming a little tune that no one could understand.

Having finished sowing the spirit seeds, all he needed to do from now on was to cast the Minor Cloud and Rain Technique to water them once a day. Occasionally, he would weed out any encroaching weeds, remove pests, and apply fertilizer. After that, he just had to sit back and wait for the Spirit Rice to ripen.

With the rest of his time, he could search for spirit ore veins to aid his cultivation while feeding his Spirit Beasts.

Things were finally looking up!

Wisps of smoke slowly rose from the roof, and the crisp, rhythmic sound of chopping vegetables echoed from inside the wooden cabin.

In the small courtyard, Xiaohua finished drinking its water, ambled over to the doorway, and plopped down. It was looking more and more like a guard pig.

Under the leadership of Big Bro and Little Bro, the swarm of Red-winged Blood Bamboos split into two groups. One group stood guard around the perimeter of the courtyard to fend off poisonous insects and fierce beasts, while the other foraged for Blood Food in the grass not far from the cabin.

Two hours later, Li Changsheng walked out of the cabin carrying a wooden bucket.

"SOO-WEE..."

"Big Flower, Xiaohua, time to eat."

SPLASH.

As the pig slop was poured into the trough, Xiaohua, who had already drank its fill of water, couldn’t wait any longer. It began to devour the food ravenously, eating with exceptional relish.

Li Changsheng scratched its neck, then turned and walked into the beast pen. As soon as he entered, he heard Big Flower grunting. It had likely not eaten all day and was famished.

SPLASH.

Before Li Changsheng could even finish pouring the slop, Big Flower began to scarf it down.

Li Changsheng patted Big Flower’s head, then turned and walked out of the beast pen. Back in the courtyard, he was in no rush to return indoors. He found a block of wood and sat down. He pulled out some salted dried meat and gnawed on it under the dimming sky.

After a long while, he murmured, "Times are tough, but I’ll take it one step at a time!"

Looking at the tough, half-eaten jerky in his hand, Li Changsheng let out a sigh and put it away. He stood up, gave Xiaohua a slap on the rear, and returned to the wooden cabin with a chuckle.

Up on the second floor, Li Changsheng leaned over to look into the large vat.

The Snake Saliva Spirit Tree had sprouted quite a few more insect cocoons. Although they were still empty, the growth momentum was excellent.

"Keep it up!" Li Changsheng smiled, cheering the Insect Mother on. He sat cross-legged, took out a Spirit Gathering Pill, swallowed it, and began his cultivation.

The next day, just as the sky began to brighten with the break of dawn, Li Changsheng rode on Xiaohua’s back, heading toward his Spirit Field.

They arrived shortly after. Li Changsheng hopped down. His gaze swept across the Spirit Field, and with a slight shift in his thoughts, he issued a command.

BUZZ...

Big Bro and Little Bro led the insect swarm down into the Spirit Field, beginning their hunt for the creeping bugs that had crawled in during the night.

Just as he expected, as the swarm bobbed and weaved over the soil, bizarre, plump bugs were dragged out one by one and devoured by the swarm. After feeding on these pests for the past few days, the bodies of the swarm had noticeably grown a size larger, and their sleek carapaces looked even deeper in color.

With another thought from Li Changsheng, an ordinary Red-winged Blood Bamboo landed on his hand. He fixed his gaze upon it.

[Unranked: 95%]

"This fast?"

Li Changsheng was taken aback. He couldn’t help but shake his head in amazement. "Tsk... As expected of the bugs living in the Spirit Field. They’re incredibly nourishing!"

At this rate, the Red-winged Blood Bamboo swarm advancing to Low-Grade Spirit Insects would happen within the next day or two. Watching the dancing swarm, a bold idea took root in Li Changsheng’s mind. He could offer pest control services for the Spirit Fields of his fellow senior brothers. Not only would he earn some Spirit Stones, but the Red-winged Blood Bamboo swarm would also be able to consume more Blood Food and grow.

It was a win-win situation!

His eyes flickered; the more he thought about it, the more feasible the idea seemed.

"Why don’t I go ask the other senior brothers after I finish watering?" he thought.

If his Spirit Field had this many pests before the Spirit Plants had even sprouted, he could only imagine how many more were hiding beneath the boundless stretches of lush green in the distance. Perhaps, by relying on those Spirit Fields, he could nurture the Red-winged Blood Bamboo swarm into Tier One High-Grade Spirit Insects, comparable to Late-Stage Qi Cultivation, in a very short amount of time.

This was definitely a worthwhile business venture.

By now, the swarm’s activity in the Spirit Field had noticeably decreased. Only occasionally would they snatch up a bug wriggling out of the dirt.

Li Changsheng waved his hand, releasing the insect resting on it. He held his breath in absolute focus, his hands forming a Technique. The Spiritual Power within his body rapidly infused into the meridians required for the Minor Cloud and Rain Technique.

As the meridian diagram glowed with a hazy light, Li Changsheng shifted his Technique and shouted inwardly, "Gather!"

In midair, wisps of cloud vapor quickly coalesced into a dark cloud spanning one square meter. He didn’t stop there. He channeled his Spiritual Power, continuing to pour it into the pathways of the Minor Cloud and Rain Technique. Vapor gathered in the air, drifting thread by thread into the gloomy cloud.

It wasn’t until Li Changsheng felt a stinging pain in his meridians and had depleted about four-fifths of his Spiritual Power that he finally stopped the flow. By this point, a dark cloud spanning five meters by five meters was floating in the air.

Li Changsheng shifted the Technique in his hands, linking his mind to the cloud, and shouted inwardly, "Fall!"

As soon as the command was given, a pattering drizzle of Rootless Spirit Water fell from the sky, showering the Spirit Field. A misty water vapor, accompanied by Spiritual Qi, rose and diffused across the area.

With a flip of his hand, Li Changsheng took out a warm, smooth jade stone. While maintaining the cloud, he began to absorb the Spiritual Qi from within the stone.

Within a cup of tea’s time, the cloud in the air drifted several times. It wasn’t until Li Changsheng’s Spiritual Power was completely exhausted that the cloud dispersed, carried away by the gentle breeze toward the high peaks of the mountain forest.

Meanwhile, in the half-acre Spirit Field that had been watered with the Rootless Spirit Water, the spirit seeds had already sprouted tender shoots. The patch of vivid green was incredibly delightful to look at.

Li Changsheng sat cross-legged on the ridge between the fields. Clutching a Spirit Stone in each hand, he circulated his Cultivation Technique to absorb the Spiritual Qi within them and recover his Spiritual Power.

A moment later, Li Changsheng opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of stale air. "Phew..."

Looking at the verdant Spirit Field, he couldn’t help but smile like a wealthy landowner admiring his domain. He stood up, walked to the other side of the Spirit Field, and repeated the process. Summoning clouds, gathering clouds, and bringing down rain.

He continued until the Spirit Gathering Grass in the last three-tenths of the Spirit Field finally sprouted its own tender shoots. Li Changsheng withdrew his Technique and, with a subtle thought, dispelled the remaining cloud in the sky.

"This is great!"

Staring at the lush green Spirit Field, Li Changsheng found it hard to conceal the joy welling up in his heart. He circled the Spirit Field several times, taking it all in, until Xiaohua began grunting impatiently. Only then did he reluctantly mount the pig and head back to the courtyard.

Upon returning to the courtyard, he faintly heard the pleasant, silvery sound of bell-like laughter. Li Changsheng turned his head to look.

About a hundred meters away, two little girls dressed in cream-colored traditional dresses were chasing after something unknown, running right toward him.

OINK, OINK...

Xiaohua pawed at the dirt, grunting nonstop.

"Alright, alright. I’ll go make your food now."

Li Changsheng withdrew his gaze and spoke with a chuckle. He slipped off the pig’s back and walked toward the wooden cabin.

Outside, the two little girls were now less than fifty meters from the courtyard. The low fence was not nearly enough to hide Xiaohua’s robust figure. Seeing Xiaohua’s dark, burly body and its fierce, exposed tusks, the two children exchanged a glance.

They let out a piercing scream, turned on their heels, and ran for their lives. They didn’t stop until they reached a Spirit Field planted with Jade Long Grass, which was emerald green and speckled with silver spots.

The sprint left the two little girls panting heavily, with rosy flushes spreading across their pale cheeks.

"Mother! Mother!"

"Mother! Mommy..."

The two girls, who were only half a head taller than the Jade Long Grass, didn’t dare to enter the Spirit Field. They stood at the edge, yelling at the top of their lungs.

A short while later, a beautiful, gentle-looking young woman dressed in an indigo robe walked out of the Spirit Field, carrying a bundle of Jade Long Grass with blackened leaves and stems.

"Qing Lan, Qing Yue, look at how out of breath you two are. Have you been slacking on your cultivation and sneaking out to play again?"