Chapter 145
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Chapter 145: A Newcomer
In the dense forest, a flash of light darted by.
Like a fish returning to the sea or a bird soaring in the blue sky, it zipped between towering trees, occasionally darting up to the treetops and then diving down rapidly.
It moved with a grace as if it possessed true life!
Shh—
A large grasshopper hiding in the bushes was startled by the passing flash and hurriedly leaped into the air, spreading its wings to escape this terrifying area.
However, the flash that had just dashed forward a dozen steps suddenly reversed direction, silently slicing the grasshopper in half!
In the next moment, the silver streak accelerated and swiftly flew to a white-robed cultivator’s side.
As the glow receded, a two-foot-seven flying sword revealed itself, hovering in the air, its blade vibrating slightly, producing a crisp and pleasing resonance.
Wang Chen smiled faintly and reached out to grip the flying sword.
A feeling of being blood and flesh connected arose spontaneously, filling his heart with indescribable joy!
【Sword Control · Experience +1】
【Sword Control (basic level): 207/300】
Wang Chen took a long breath.
You reap what you sow; though the cultivation of Sword Control is exceptionally challenging, through persistent effort, he had still practiced this skill to over half of the basic level.
Thrust, slice, chop, weave, dot, burst, intercept, press, return—the fundamental nine forms of swordsmanship.
Wang Chen had already mastered all the key techniques.
In the recently completed strike, he had consecutively applied the techniques of thrusting, slicing, weaving, intercepting, and returning.
He struck from thirty zhang away, all in one go!
The sword techniques of the flying sword were all derived from the basic nine forms.
No matter how one added sword momentum and sword intent, it still followed the fundamental principles.
Thus, Wang Chen could now be considered a half-sword cultivator!
However, the consumption of magical power was immense. Even though Wang Chen was still eager to continue, he had to return the sword to its sheath.
He finished today’s practice and then headed back to the manor along the creek bank.
At that moment, a fluffy white ball jumped down from the tree and landed perfectly on his shoulder: "Ying ying."
Wang Chen raised his hand to pet the little guy.
Yuan Yuan had grown.
Its size had increased significantly compared to two months ago, its fur was even more beautiful, especially the golden line on its back, which was particularly eye-catching, though its cuteness had only increased!
Moreover, it was even more agile, appearing and disappearing swiftly, often playing hide and seek with Wang Chen.
Sudden appearances and disappearances.
Many times, Wang Chen could only rely on his spiritual sense to confirm its presence.
Accompanied by this increasingly mischievous little guy, Wang Chen traversed the orchards and arrived at the edge of the spirit fields.
Ahead, the landscape suddenly opened up.
A golden sea of rice stretched before his eyes.
The fifty acres of spirit fields he had cultivated were nearly ready for harvest!
Since Zhao Huai’an’s departure, Wang Chen’s life had returned to complete tranquility, free from any disturbances.
Each day, he tended to the rice fields, honed his technique and swordsmanship, and paid no heed to the sect’s trivial disputes.
His days were simple yet fulfilling.
Now, the time for harvest had finally come!
The following day, Wang Chen enlisted the help of two professional harvesters through the Administrative Hall to assist in gathering his spirit rice.
He didn’t need to lift a finger. The two harvesters not only completed the harvesting of the fifty acres of spiritual rice and black sesame rice in a single day but also used their own tools to mill all the grains into spirit rice.
Their efficiency was nothing short of remarkable!
Having joined the inner sect just a few months prior, this was Wang Chen’s first attempt at cultivating mid-tier spirit rice.
Moreover, the land clearing had delayed the planting season, and he hadn’t devoted much time to the spirit fields, resulting in a modest yield for the season.
From the fifty acres of spirit fields, he harvested approximately ten thousand five hundred pounds of rice in total.
After dehusking, the yield was just over eight thousand pounds of rice.
The payment for the two harvesters was settled directly with rice husks, and the remaining husks were exchanged for Spirit Fertilizer.
This rice husk powder could be processed into feed for magical beasts such as the Spotted Pig.
Although the harvest was not particularly bountiful, Wang Chen was no longer required to pay a single pound of spirit rice as rent for the fields.
Thus, all eight thousand pounds of spiritual rice and black sesame rice were his to keep.
Wang Chen did the math.
After deducting the costs of purchasing rice seeds and Spirit Fertilizer, the net profit from selling all the spirit rice would amount to at least four hundred spirit stones.
With two harvests a year, a bit more effort could see the fifty acres of mid-tier spirit fields yielding profits exceeding a thousand spirit stones!
Of course, after accounting for his own consumption, the net gain would be less.
But compared to his days in the outer sect, it was a world of difference!
That evening, Wang Chen used the freshly harvested rice to steam a pot of spiritual rice with yellow grain and black sesame!
Both spiritual rice and black sesame were mid-tier, each with its own unique benefits.
Yet, both were ideal for steaming.
Wang Chen lined a steamer with fine hemp cloth, then added two pounds each of spiritual rice and black sesame, both soaked in stream water.
He steamed them over high heat for half an hour, and the rich aroma of the spirit rice permeated the entire mansion.
When the rice was ready and taken out of the steamer, Little Yuan Yuan, who typically favored beast jerky, was nearly moved to tears by the enticing aroma!
She perched on Wang Chen’s shoulder, her eyes gleaming, emitting soft "ying ying" sounds.
I want to eat, I want to eat, I want to eat!
Wang Chen doted on the little guy, so of course, he had to satisfy its cravings.
He shaped the steaming hot rice into small rice balls and rolled them in the sugar jar.
Yuan Yuan devoured more than half in one go!
After steaming, the spiritual rice turned a golden yellow, each grain resembling a piece of jade, crystal clear and strikingly beautiful.
Its texture was soft and glutinous, with a natural sweetness that made it endlessly enjoyable.
The black sesame rice, on the other hand, was more chewy, warming the belly and providing both satiety and strength to Qi and blood!
After tasting both types of rice, Yuan Yuan clearly favored the spiritual rice.
Wang Chen gave all the spiritual rice to it, while he only ate a few bites himself.
Once its belly was full, the little guy called out to him again.
"Got it,"
Wang Chen smiled and tapped its head gently, "I’ll steam some more."
It wasn’t that Yuan Yuan was being greedy; it simply wanted to share some of the spiritual rice with Grandpa Xuan Gui.
The little guy and the old turtle had become close after their initial encounter.
Since then, Yuan Yuan and Xuan Gui had developed a bond akin to that of a grandfather and granddaughter.
Yuan Yuan often sneaked off to visit Grandpa Turtle.
At first, Wang Chen was quite concerned.
After all, Sunset Peak was far from the sect entrance, and he feared it might run into trouble along the way.
But later, he noticed that Yuan Yuan always traveled underground, so he stopped worrying.
Speaking of which, the Tongtong fruit that Xuan Gui had given was truly remarkable. Not only did it help Wang Chen improve his root bone, but it also brought about a transformative change in Yuan Yuan!
Whether as a person or a mouse, one must understand gratitude.
So, Wang Chen steamed another large basket of spiritual rice for Yuan Yuan to deliver later.
He sat by the stove, tending to the fire while practicing his technique.
He focused on digesting the black sesame rice he had just eaten.
This mid-tier spiritual rice was several times more effective than low-grade white corn, making it ideal for Wang Chen, who was at high-level Qi Training and also practiced the Heavenly Dragon Vajra True Method.
He estimated that consuming these two types of spiritual rice daily could further accelerate his cultivation.
The eighth level of Qi Training was within reach!
…
With the spirit rice fully harvested, the "winter storage" season began, leaving no more farm work to be done.
Thus, Wang Chen had more time to dedicate to his technique training.
The weather grew colder.
When the first snow of winter fell, Wang Chen had reached the pinnacle of the seventh level in his Five Element Technique!
【Five Element Technique (Level 7): 699/700】
In the quiet room, Wang Chen glanced at the technique section on the Cultivation Panel and then closed it.
Just one point away, and he was on the verge of breaking through!
This time, Wang Chen was brimming with confidence.
Unlike previous breakthroughs, he didn’t rent a cave. Instead, he activated the spirit gathering formation at home to its maximum capacity.
Though the consumption of spirit stones increased dramatically, the concentration of spiritual energy far surpassed that of the high-level Qi Training caves in Yunshan City, more than enough to support this breakthrough.
What bolstered Wang Chen’s confidence the most was that his root bone had increased to 5 points!
Five points in root bone placed him firmly in the mid-tier.
Not only would breaking through from seven to eight be manageable, but even advancing from eight to nine, or from nine to perfect mastery, would pose no significant obstacles.
In fact, Wang Chen’s current root bone already surpassed that of most low-level cultivators!
If he lacked this level of confidence, he might as well buy some tofu and end it all.
Closing his eyes, Wang Chen cleared his mind of all distractions and quickly entered a state of deep meditation.
Pure magical energy flowed into his five organs and every part of his body, circulating endlessly through his extraordinary meridians.
He gathered his strength repeatedly, pushing relentlessly toward a higher realm!
