'Excellent! The next problem is the number of carrots!'
After figuring out the time, Li Wei returned his focus to the farmland beneath his feet.
He was surprised to learn that a carrot could increase vitality by 0.1 points. He had planted a hundred of them. This corresponds to the number of experience points he needed to level up his farm.
'No, then what if some of them break?'
He planned to clear a small patch of land and sow the remaining seeds to be safe. Ultimately, the exam in three months would determine his future. He had to raise the "fault tolerance."
After all, he did not know if any natural disasters would hit the farm. There was no such thing as too much, anyway. If he ate it all, it would only help him.
The initial planting of carrots took an hour or so to finish. All that was left to do was sprinkle fertilizer after the seeds had sprouted to accelerate the ripening process.
"Phew!"
Sitting by the fields, he was drenched in sweat, taking in the soft sunlight and pleasant breeze. Although it was tough, it was all worth it.
There would be roughly 120 carrots ready for harvest when they ripened. All Li Wei had to do was eat them in a week. He could increase his vitality by a whopping 12 points!
Wow. If he spread such news… the entire school, no, the entire city, and even the martial arts world would be shocked! It was unimaginable for someone his age to have 12 vitality points.
It would bring in a staggering sum of money!
For example, the most popular "vitality capsule" on the market was estimated to have a market value of at least 10,000 Empire Dollars for each pill. The point value would rise by 0.1 to 0.2 after ingesting it. A low-rank warrior's monthly income in the Empire was roughly only 2,000 Empire Dollars.
They would have to go without food or drink for five months to get one! This price was only attainable if there were a sufficient supply of commodities.
Then, there could be a shortage of supplies if high-ranking officials or affluent martial artists bought too much at once. The price would rise to an unimaginable level. Even if a martial artist wanted to eat it daily, it would be an extravagant wish.
However, he had now uncovered a more efficient way to improve his vitality. The cost was simply some sweat. This was a piece of cake for him, who trained hard every day. When compared to its cost-performance ratio, it was a good investment!
There was more good news.
He would be sitting for the Imperial Martial Arts University's entrance exam in three months, and the vitality threshold to pass was six points. In other words, if he followed his plan, his vitality would double!
As the Empire's need for martial artists grew, he would receive more attention and resources to further his cultivation.
'That's fantastic!'
While thinking about this, Li Wei was already fondly admiring his farmland. Even though there was little in the way of scale and the plants he grew were modest, he believed that with continued hard effort, he would be able to make this site more impressive.
More seeds and functions would likely be available when the farm leveled up. After the barley comes the broccoli. Maybe dairy cows, wool, and a pigsty. Fruit trees and fish ponds should gradually appear.
As long as he had the persistence to improve himself, he would be able to surpass the level of expertise of more than ten thousand other people. After all, he had never shied away from hardship.
He called the system again after checking everything was in place on the farmland.
"How do I leave this place?"
After all, it was his first time entering the system farm. He had worked nonstop for nearly five hours. He was also apprehensive about the situation 'outside.'
The interface offered an explanation of the system immediately.
"The host can enter and exit the farm at any time. You only need to control it with your mind."
"Note: while the host is on the farm, the body, in reality, will enter a state of deep sleep."
Li Wei nodded. He was delighted with the system's user-friendly and detailed explanation. He then shut his eyes and began mentally reciting the order. About five seconds later, his consciousness sank into chaos again.
...
After an unknown amount of time, Li Wei, who was on the bed, opened his eyes. He yawned as he sat up slowly. "It's so cozy ..."
Sure enough, just as the system had said, his body had fallen into a deep sleep. Then, he turned to the clock on the wall. It was now 11:35 a.m. In other words, Li Wei had slept for about five hours.
"As expected, the time is synchronized. If that's the case, I'll try to enter the farm at night while I'm sleeping. Wouldn't that work out great?"
As the most diligent student, he would get up at 5:30 a.m. every morning and do about 40 minutes of morning exercise. He spent the rest of his time in class. Sometimes, he had to go out and work to earn money.
There was a rigorous schedule for almost every day. Sleeping was his only free time.
Now that he had woken up, he felt energized. This confirmed that his body in real life was at rest and would not be impacted by the farm work.
In the future, he would devote his daytime hours to his studies, while his evenings would be spent toiling away in the fields. This time arrangement was just too perfect!
'Insomnia is no longer a problem for me.' As he realized another excellent application for the system, Li Wei couldn't help but smile knowingly.
He was in a good mood, so he decided to stop by the cafeteria for a treat. He wanted to celebrate the system's appearance and the lucrative rewards he would earn in the future.
After washing his face, he pushed open the door to the dormitory and saw a chubby face smiling at him.
"Brother! Why are you only up now? This isn't like you!" It was Li Wei's best friend and deskmate, Zhang Feng.
They had a very good relationship. However, the two of them were worlds apart in terms of academics. This was because Zhang Feng was one of the best students in the class and had a decent familial background.
"It's Sunday, alright?" Li Wei laughed. "Do you think it's easy for me? Can't I get a little more sleep?"
Zhang Feng did not know what to think when he saw his friend laughing joyfully. Before, Li Wei constantly wore a gloomy face. He, of course, knew the reason better than anyone. "I asked you to take it easy. How did that go? Has your vitality improved in the last two days?"
Li Wei spread his palms, indicating that it was still the same.
"It's alright. There are only three months left. Let's work hard together." Zhang Feng smiled. Since they were good friends, it made sense that they would both apply to the same university. His aim was also the famous Imperial Martial Arts University.
A moment later, Zhang Feng checked to ensure no one was around before handing a box to Li Wei. "Remember to eat it later. My dad waited for half a year to buy this one."
Li Wei lowered his head and saw "vitality capsule" written on the white box. "What are you doing?" he promptly refused. "Your dad bought this for you. I can't take it!"
Zhang Feng was the person Li Wei was most grateful to in this world.
When Zhang Feng discovered Li Wei was an orphan and had a hard life, he often treated him to meals. He would occasionally give him some clothes and even help with his homework. Since they were of similar temperaments, the two became fast friends.
Although Li Wei had become accustomed to receiving gifts, he did not want to accept the vitality capsules. Zhang Feng's situation was also at a critical point.
Since more than a half year ago, his vitality had remained at the same level of 5.9. He was only 0.1 points away from the admission line. Taking this capsule would allow him to pass the test.
Now the big guy wants to give up such a priceless item?
However, Zhang Feng waved his hand. "Don't worry about me. I only have a 0.1 vitality value left. It's a whisker's width away. I'll train with you for the next three months. I'm confident I can pull it off!
On the other hand, you have a lot of ground to make up! We'll be picking up girls together at the Imperial University!"
Li Wei was well aware of the other party's nature. He would never take back what he had already given. Li Wei was moved beyond words by his friend's positivity.
"Alright! The two brothers will work hard together!" As per usual, they exchanged fist bumps.
Li Wei closed the dorm door, patted his friend's shoulder, and said, "I'm hungry. Let's go. I'll treat you to a meal!"