"Now that the Blood Grain Rice has fully matured, if the Elder remains in seclusion, I ask that you oversee the harvest, fellow Daoist."
Li Ye held a sickle in hand, his expression solemn as he looked at Tongzi Xiangyang.
"If I can complete this before heading to the battlefield, I won't have let down the Elder's trust."
Just one day later, Li Ye had already received feedback from all of his Blood Grain Rice crops.
Only the final harvest remained. Once he completed this last step sowing, nurturing, and finally reaping he would fulfill the complete life cycle of the plant, meeting the conditions for triggering a new panel insight.
If he waited for Elder Ji to come out of seclusion, he would've already been dispatched to the frontlines by then. Wouldn't that mean missing a chance to solidify a new spiritual trait?
Hearing his words, Tongzi Xiangyang felt a bit moved. He thought to himself that this man truly had a rare and genuine passion for farming.
Glancing at the sickle in Li Ye's hand, Xiangyang's face took on a serious look.
"In that case… allow me to seek approval."
He turned and ran off toward the palace. Not long after, he came rushing back, visibly excited, and carrying a storage pouch.
"The Elder has no intention of coming out. He's instructed me to oversee the harvest of the spiritual rice on his behalf."
"Also, he asked me to give you this. There are a few items the Elder has gifted you. He said, once you reach the front lines, you can use the token inside to seek out the Foundation Establishment-level elders stationed there it might earn you some favors."
Li Ye took the pouch with both hands, gratitude showing clearly on his face.
"I never imagined I, Li Ye, would receive such kindness from the Elder…"
Tongzi Xiangyang chuckled and replied,
"The Elder said you took meticulous care of that mu of Sunfire Flowers. They're just about to bloom, yet not a single one has withered. That deserves some reward!"
"If you return alive, these spiritual fields will still be yours to manage."
"I'm deeply grateful for the Elder's favor… I hope you'll help me pass on my thanks," Li Ye said sincerely.
Xiangyang nodded.
"Of course I will, fellow Daoist… Time's short. How about we start the harvest now?"
His face was full of anticipation.
This was his first time overseeing something like this!
"Then I'll leave it to you, fellow Daoist," Li Ye said with a nod before stepping back into the fields and beginning the harvest.
As stalk after stalk fell to the blade, the spiritual essence from the Blood Grain Rice began to flow into him.
Li Ye once again experienced the full life cycle of a rice plant from seed to growth, to death.
[...]
[You harvested a Tier-1 spiritual plant: Blood Grain Rice. Insight deepened. Spiritual Trait Solidification +0.1%...]
[You harvested...]
Bit by bit, the trait gauge on his panel climbed toward completion.
[You harvested a Tier-1 spiritual plant: Blood Grain Rice. Insight deepened. Spiritual Trait Solidification +0.1%...]
[Spiritual Trait "Blood Grain Rice Essence" solidified 100%. Converting into Trait…]
[Your skill "Cultivation" has gained the Trait: "Absorb" (Level 1)!]
["Absorb": Plants personally cultivated by you may gain the ability to break free from their natural limitations, allowing them to absorb nutrients from a broader range of sources.]
Ever since he'd begun training in body refinement, the physical labor in the fields had become much easier for Li Ye.
By the time he noticed the Blood Grain Rice Essence had fully solidified on his panel, transforming into a new Trait, he had already harvested two full mu of land without pause.
"Absorb, huh…"
He took a brief rest, gazing at the trait description, his heart stirred with curiosity.
This ability must have originated from the Blood Grain Rice's unique nature how it could feed off fresh blood to grow.
In terms of practical use, it might allow him to save on some planting costs in the future.
Li Ye figured that his fertilizer selection was about to get a whole lot more diverse.
"I just wonder… if these plants start absorbing nutrients far removed from their usual needs over time… will they mutate?"
He pondered silently.
From the looks of it, if used well, this ability could even allow him to experiment with targeted cultivation growing spiritual plants more tailored to his own needs.
Until he gained a trait that could guide spiritual plant mutation, this was already a promising path.
"But damn… I don't even have a single plot of land I can freely plant whatever I want. Thinking about this might be a little premature!"
Letting out a sigh, Li Ye simply finished harvesting the rest of the fields.
After removing the husks and bagging the rice for weighing, he found that the four mu of farmland had produced nearly 2,400 jin of spiritual rice.
On average, that was over 590 jin per mu far surpassing the standard upper yield limit.
Tongzi Xiangyang, who was overseeing the weighing, stared wide-eyed at the result. His gaze toward Li Ye was now filled with admiration.
Li Ye was a little surprised as well. He could only assume this was likely the result of the [Vitality] trait.
While it didn't directly enhance yield, healthier and more vigorous plants were bound to produce more in general.
"I didn't fail in my duty!"
Li Ye packed away the mountain of rice and straw, then cupped his fists to the boy and handed over the formation token.
Since he would be leaving soon, it was only right to return the item that could access the formation array here.
Tongzi Xiangyang took the token with reddened eyes.
"Senior Brother Li… please be careful on the battlefield!"
The Feiyu Sect was coming in aggressively, and the situation across Huan Country was chaotic and unpredictable.
Even someone as powerful as Elder Ji skilled in both physical and spiritual cultivation had returned heavily wounded. In Xiangyang's eyes, someone like Li Ye, who spent his days quietly tending the fields, would likely not survive the harshness of battle.
He assumed that Li Ye's insistence on finishing the harvest was just his way of having no regrets before going to die.
"Thank you, Junior Brother. I'll do my best to survive and return whole,"
Li Ye joked lightly before bidding farewell and heading straight back to his residence.
There, he opened his status panel.
[Name: Li Ye]
[Spirit Root: Low-grade Earth-Wood Root]
[Remaining Lifespan: 72 years (3 years reduced due to life force overdraft)]
[Skills:]
Cultivation: Tier 1 High (714/3000)
Alchemy: Tier 1 Mid (233/5000)
Artifact Crafting: Not yet learned (12/2000)
Talisman: Tier 1 High (123/4000)
Gu Arts: Tier 1 Low (141/2500)
[Spiritual Essences:]
Emerald Bud Essence ×122
Blood Grain Rice Essence ×2000
Sunfire Essence ×5
[Essence Traits:]
Vitality (Level 1)
Absorb (Level 1)
[Experience: 21,437]
The experience points and essence harvested from the four mu of Blood Grain Rice truly marked a massive haul.
Staring at the 21,000 experience points and 2,000 units of Blood Grain Rice Essence, Li Ye's breathing grew heavier.
That was probably enough to push his Elephant Armor Technique to full mastery!
"But with the current uncertainty… I should be conservative. At least save half of it for emergencies."
He made a mental note.
In terms of talismans, he had the Sunfire Essence to enhance their effects. Even Tier-1 talismans could exhibit Tier-2 power. So there was no urgency to level that up just yet.
Besides, with his current cultivation, he probably couldn't withstand the backlash from a failed talisman-crafting attempt anyway better to set that aside for now.
However, cultivation, alchemy, and Gu arts could all use a round of upgrades.
The first two might even help him secure a relatively safe spot at the frontlines, especially with the elder's token in hand.
Also, to break through in body refinement, he would need higher-quality Blood Qi Pills. If his alchemy skills improved, so would his pill success rate.
As for Gu's art improvement that would bolster both his crafting and battle capabilities. Right now, at just Tier 1 Low level, he was barely scratching the surface. It was too weak.
Now that his thoughts were clear, Li Ye took a deep breath.
"Panel… Upgrade me!"
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