Chapter 77: Mutual Aid Association Gathering
Ji Yuan glanced at the panel.
【Spiritual Field: LV2 (Not Achieved)】
【Spiritual Effect: Automatically repels insects; crop growth cycle reduced by 40%; 20% chance to harvest double crops; increased spiritual energy in produce.】
【Upgrade Requirements: 60 Low-Grade Spirit Stones, 15 pieces of Blacklight Stone, 3 jars of Spiritual Spring Essence. (Not Achieved)】
A Level 1 Spiritual Field could shorten the growth cycle by 30%, while Level 2 could reduce it by 40%.
If this trend continued, would Level 3 reduce it by 50%?
Calculating this way, crops that originally took a thousand years to mature would now ripen in just 500 years within his Spiritual Field?
A Level 1 Spiritual Field produced crops containing faint wood spiritual energy, but Level 2 increased the overall spiritual energy in the yield.
This indicated that the output was no longer "specialized" but had become "versatile."
Compared to Level 1, Level 2 also added an automatic insect-repelling effect.
Spiritual Fields were highly susceptible to pests and even attracted them.
Ji Yuan was well aware of this; in fact, it had led to the emergence of a specialized profession: the "Pest Removal Master."
These professionals mastered the basic "Geng Metal Sword Technique" and relied on their skilled pest control methods to cleanse others' Spiritual Fields.
While his Level 1 Spiritual Field might still require pest control, Level 2 would no longer need it.
Another feature that intrigued Ji Yuan was the special effect of harvesting double crops.
One becomes two.
What if he planted spiritual herbs in this Spiritual Field?
Farming didn't yield much profit, but cultivating herbs was far more lucrative.
No, for spiritual herbs, there should be a separate "Herb Field."
With this thought, Ji Yuan looked at the Spiritual Field and the words floating above it.
He turned back into the house, wrote the words "Herb Field" on a piece of white paper, and placed it on top.
The "Spiritual Origin" remained unchanged.
Ji Yuan then tried replacing the paper with a wooden plaque, but there was still no response.
Unwilling to give up, he went to the Wen family to borrow a herb plant.
Wen Lin was an alchemist and naturally had no shortage of herbs.
Yet, the "Spiritual Origin" still showed no change.
Ji Yuan had no choice but to give up.
It seemed that the "Herb Field" was integrated into the "Spiritual Field."
After all, the terminology in the spiritual effects referred to "output" and "crops."
Spiritual grains and plants were considered crops, so spiritual herbs naturally fell under that category as well.
This was acceptable, as it saved him the extra cost of upgrading.
After finishing this task, Ji Yuan returned to his cultivation.
The next morning.
Before dawn, Wu Wenbin, dressed in splendid robes, arrived at Shop A-18 in Zengtou Market with Wu Yan, who was similarly attired.
The door here was never locked, but no early riser dared to visit.
Perhaps some had, but once they came, they never returned.
Wu Wenbin and Wu Yan pushed the door open and entered.
The spacious living room contained only a dozen or so scattered bamboo chairs and nothing else.
The two each found a seat and sat down.
Wu Yan couldn't hide his joy. "Father, do you think everyone from the Mutual Aid Association will come today?"
"Everyone?"
Wu Wenbin chuckled. "Do you really think they have nothing else to do and live just to come and congratulate you?"
"Well..."
Wu Yan's expression turned slightly sour. He then asked, "So, how many do you think will come?"
Wu Wenbin glanced around the room and said, "If all these chairs are filled, that would be quite good."
"By the way, Father, I heard that Yao Jingfeng and Du Wanyi are coming this time?"
Wu Yan was familiar with these two names.
The Water Dragon Sect had just held its selection this year.
The powerful cultivators from the Yunyu Marshlands had already joined the Water Dragon Sect.
Among the remaining late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, Yao Jingfeng and Du Wanyi were among the strongest.
Especially Yao Jingfeng and another cultivator named Luo Tian. Many initially thought they would join the Water Dragon Sect this year.
Unexpectedly, they didn't participate in the selection and planned to wait for the next one in three years.
"Yes."
Mentioning this brought a smile to Wu Wenbin's face.
Yao Jingfeng and Du Wanyi were coming—on whose account?
Could it be for Wu Yan?
Of course not; it was for Wu Wenbin himself.
Yao and Du were both at Qi Refining Level 8, and so was Wu Wenbin.
Moreover, Wu Wenbin was a talisman master—who wouldn't give him face?
"By the way, Father, I heard that when they arrived yesterday, they stopped by the lakeside area, possibly to meet someone. There's a rumor that besides me, someone else in Zengtou Market has broken through to the late stage of Qi Refining."
Wu Yan asked tentatively.
"Heh, this is the late stage of Qi Refining, not some spiritual pig sold in the market."
Wu Wenbin laughed.
"True," Wu Yan nodded in agreement.
In the past, if a market produced one or two late-stage Qi Refining cultivators in a year, it was considered an excellent year.
As they spoke, the doorway suddenly darkened, and two people entered from outside.
The Wu father and son looked up, and Wu Yan immediately stood up with a smile. "Brother Du, Sister Hu, long time no see."
The newcomers were also late-stage Qi Refining cultivators from Zengtou Market: Du Kang and Hu Fang.
Like Wu Yan, both were at Qi Refining Level 7 and thus hadn't participated in this year's Water Dragon Sect selection.
"Congratulations, Brother Wu."
Du Kang and Hu Fang returned the greeting and then addressed Wu Wenbin, "Greetings, Master Wu."
"You're too kind."
Just as they found seats and sat down, a middle-aged man with a strong fishy smell entered. He wore coarse clothes, was shirtless, and had a scar on his face.
This was Zhu Shen, a cultivator from Tai'an Market, also a Qi Refining Level 8 cultivator who frequently traversed the Yunyu Marshlands.
Upon his arrival, Wu Wenbin stood up with a smile.
Zhu Shen nodded, ignoring Wu Yan, and scanned the room. "Has that old scoundrel Luo Tian not arrived yet?"
"Luo Tian is coming too?"
Now it was Wu Wenbin's turn to be surprised.
Luo Tian was said to be close to breaking through to Qi Refining Level 9. Among the remaining cultivators in the Yunyu Marshlands, unless Old Blind Qin made a move, he was likely the strongest.
At least on the surface.
Wu Wenbin had never interacted with him before and didn't expect him to give face today.
"Perhaps it's because our Wu family now has two late-stage cultivators, making him feel some pressure," Wu Wenbin thought.
Zhu Shen said nothing, found a seat, and sat down.
Soon after, Qin Long from the Qin family and He Laosan also arrived.
Everyone was acquainted, so after exchanging greetings, they sat down.
After some casual conversation, footsteps were heard outside.
Looking up, they saw Yao Jingfeng and Du Wanyi entering, chatting and laughing.
"Fellow Daoist Yao, Fellow Daoist Du, it's been years since we last met."
Wu Wenbin stood up with a smile to greet them.
"Indeed, Brother Wu, you look even more impressive than before," Yao Jingfeng replied politely.
Wu Yan also stepped forward to pay his respects. Yao Jingfeng and Du Wanyi didn't ignore him but maintained a polite, albeit lukewarm, demeanor.
"By the way, Fellow Daoist Yao, I heard that Brother Luo Tian is also coming?"
Wu Wenbin asked.
"Yes, he should be arriving soon."
As Yao Jingfeng finished speaking, a stern-looking cultivator in black robes entered. As soon as he stepped inside, everyone stood up and greeted him.
Luo Tian nodded in acknowledgment and walked straight to Yao Jingfeng. "Which one is the fourth?"
"Greetings, Senior Luo."
Wu Yan, the host of the gathering, quickly stepped forward to pay his respects.
Luo Tian turned to him and asked directly, "You're the fourth?"
"No."
Yao Jingfeng replied calmly.
Hearing their exchange, Wu Wenbin frowned but quickly realized something and asked, "Fellow Daoist Yao, could it be that besides my son, someone else has broken through to the late stage of Qi Refining?"
"Indeed."
Yao Jingfeng maintained his courteous smile.
"Who..."
Before Wu Wenbin could finish, Du Wanyi glanced at the door and said to Luo Tian with a smile, "The fourth you're asking about has arrived."
"Oh?"
Luo Tian turned to look at the door.
There stood a tall man in green robes.
The morning sun shone from behind him, casting most of the light away, leaving his figure half-hidden in shadow.
Only his eyes shone brightly.