“Based on your performance, I’m reassigning the spirit fields.”
“Zhang Susu, you take the central fields!”
Zhang Susu was thrilled, nearly in tears.
These past days had been miserable—her rations cut, working while starving, and losing weight.
“Great!” Wang Zilin was also excited, assuming Zhang Susu was swapping with Li An. He’d long disliked Li An, and now Li An would face hard times…
“Li An, you take the right fields. Wang Zilin, the left!”
Fan Jie’s words stunned him.
He got the worst fields??
“Why…” Wang Zilin blurted out, furious.
“Why?” Fan Jie’s gaze sharpened, locking onto him. “Wang Zilin, what’s this? You dared to hide the spirit rice!”
He held up a cloth bag.
Wang Zilin’s face paled. That was his bag, left in his hut, not brought to the fields.
“Immortal…” He tried to explain, but Fan Jie slapped him.
Wang Zilin hit the ground, spitting blood. Fan Jie kicked his thigh hard.
“For stealing rice!”
A crack sounded as Wang Zilin’s leg broke, his scream piercing the air.
Zhang Susu, nearby, trembled, her face white with fear.
…
That night, Fan Jie stayed at Zhang Susu’s hut for dinner.
The night was quiet. Li An faintly heard Zhang Susu’s pained moans, Fan Jie’s heavy breathing, and Wang Zilin’s ignored sobs…
His mood stayed calm. He didn’t interfere, instead taking stock of his gains.
Three months in, he had two full spirit stones, one small piece, and 100 pounds of spirit rice.
It was time for a trip. In two or three months, he’d aim for the Second Layer of Qi Refining, and he needed to prepare.
Many knew his spirit root was damaged. Breaking through smoothly might draw attention.
He needed a cover.
Plus, with Zhang Susu now tied to Fan Jie, Li An would likely stay on the medium fields. With pest issues, extra harvests were unlikely, so he had to plan.
…
The next day, he asked Fan Jie for leave.
Fan Jie, in a great mood, waved his approval.
Zhang Susu, perhaps exhausted, hadn’t risen or gone to the fields.
As Li An left, he glanced back, seeing Wang Zilin limp into the worst left fields on a wooden crutch.
He looked like a beaten dog.
…
Leaving Spirit Plant Mountain, Li An reached the Clear Sun Sect’s outer sect buildings by noon.
The outer sect had many areas: Spirit Plant Mountain, Iron Forging Hall, Scripture Pavilion, Medicine Hall, and more.
Menials handled most tasks, managed by registered disciples, with outer sect elders above them.
The inner sect was the true cultivators’ world, where disciples focused solely on training, free of chores.
In the outer sect, besides monthly rations, registered disciples earned resources by completing sect missions for contribution points, which they could exchange for supplies.
Privately, there were also informal trading markets for swapping needed items.
The market was liveliest at month’s end, with the most people, held in an open area in the outer sect’s south.
Li An arrived.
Stalls sold everything: flawed refined iron, incomplete techniques, crafting materials, and more.
Most visitors were registered disciples and menials, clearly distinct. Menials wore light gray hemp clothes, while registered disciples had standard robes.
Li An strolled through, checking herb stalls, then set up his own, unloading 100 pounds of spirit rice from his shoulder.
Many asked prices, but seeing he was a menial, registered disciples lowballed him.
Li An turned them all down.
“Hey, isn’t that Senior Sister Xu?”
Someone nearby spoke up.
Across the market, a girl in a pale yellow dress approached gracefully. Her stunning beauty drew every eye.
Li An recognized her: Xu Qiuhui, the top outer sect official disciple, rumored to aim for inner sect status at this year’s big exam.
She’d overseen their entrance exam.
Someone of Xu Qiuhui’s level rarely visited these markets.
Many registered disciples greeted her respectfully. Xu Qiuhui nodded calmly, walking through, then stopped at Li An’s stall.
“This spirit rice is of decent quality, and such a large amount is rare… How much?”
She looked at Li An.
A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes. She remembered this boy—decent talent, yet he chose the Spiritless Gate, settling for menial work.
Li An’s heart stirred. “Half a spirit stone.”
“For all of it?”
“All of it!”
Xu Qiuhui said calmly, “This much spirit rice should sell for one spirit stone at market price.”
“I don’t accept such favors.”
Li An replied, “Immortal Xu, I’m not offering a favor. I want to ask you something.”
Xu Qiuhui glanced at him. “Ask first. If I’m willing to answer, we can trade.”
“Immortal Xu, how do you treat a damaged spirit root?”
Li An showed concern.
Xu Qiuhui studied him. “Before Qi Refining, a Second Grade Recovery Pill gives an 80% chance to fix a spirit root. Now that you’re at the First Layer, even with a Second Grade Pill, it’s only a 30% chance.”
Li An’s face fell, unwilling to accept. “A Second Grade Pill… Immortal Xu, are there cheaper herbs that help a spirit root?”
Xu Qiuhui said, “Spring Essence Grass has a slight effect, but it’s minimal.”
Li An looked grateful. “Thank you, Immortal Xu!”
Xu Qiuhui nodded, took out a spirit stone, and handed it to him. “This is just basic knowledge. No need to owe me. I’ll buy at market price.”
Li An hurried to say, “Immortal Xu, this knowledge is trivial to you, but to me, it’s like a second chance!”
“Really, half a spirit stone is enough… Otherwise, I can’t repay such a big favor.”
He was earnest.
Xu Qiuhui quietly approved. This menial had a good character.
“Fine, I’ll buy your 100 pounds of spirit rice for half a spirit stone. Take this other half, plus these spirit grains, as a deposit.”
“In two months, bring me another 100 pounds.”
Li An beamed. “Yes, thank you, Immortal Xu, thank you!”
He took the spirit stone. “Immortal Xu, where do you live? Should I deliver it?”
“No need.”
Xu Qiuhui waved lightly, and the 100 pounds of spirit rice vanished into a small gray bag.
A storage bag.
Then, Xu Qiuhui left.
Watching her go, Li An headed to a nearby herb stall.
The herbs here had slight spiritual qi but were ungraded, useful only to low-level cultivators.
After some haggling, he bought 30 pounds of Spring Essence Grass with a small piece of spirit stone.
He’d eyed this grass from the start. Asking Xu Qiuhui was to build a connection.
In the cultivation world, relationships mattered. Having Wang Dazhu as a registered disciple friend had stopped Fan Jie from skimming his rations.
But how long would his friendship with Wang Dazhu last? Who knew.
Li An needed to forge more connections.
He had another goal, too.
Spring Essence Grass looked very similar to a Second Grade spirit herb—Prime Spring Grass!
Unless you were a skilled alchemist, most couldn’t tell them apart.
Prime Spring Grass greatly helped spirit roots.
When his spirit root slowly healed and his cultivation rose, he could claim he mistook Spring Essence Grass for Prime Spring Grass as his cover!
His question to Xu Qiuhui would back this up, so no one would suspect him.
“Hey, Brother An?”
As Li An bought the Spring Essence Grass, Wang Dazhu’s voice rang out.
Li An turned. Wang Dazhu and a few disciples entered the market.
Mu Qingwan, Zhao Xianchuan, and other familiar faces were there.
…
(Chapter End)