Lu's family lived five miles away from Wang Chen's.
Among the tens of thousands of lower-tier cultivators in the Outer Sect of Cloud Sun Sect, Old Man Lu, who contracted forty-five Spirit Fields and seventy mu of mountain land, was considered a major cultivator.
When Old Sun arrived at his house with Wang Chen,
this Qi Cultivation fifth layer old farmer was squatting in front of the Spirit Fields with a frown on his face, sighing in frustration, completely at a loss.
There was also a farm woman wiping away her tears next to him.
And several neighbors whispering to each other.
"Brother Lu~"
Old Sun's voice arrived before he did: "I've brought Wang Chen over!"
Old Man Lu stood up abruptly, a hopeful look shining in his eyes.
"Make way, everyone."
Old Sun pulled Wang Chen to the front and patted his shoulder with a smile, "Don't worry, Little Wang guarantees he'll get rid of all the Earth Rhinoceros Beetles in your fields!"
Looking at the young boy in front of him, whose youthfulness was not yet lost, Old Man Lu hesitated, "Little Wang, can you really do it?"
Wang Chen was, after all, very young.
And he wasn't famous at all.
If it weren't for Old Sun's guarantee, he would never have paid for Wang Chen's services with Spirit Stones.
"Brother, rest assured."
Old Sun stood tall, his voice loud and clear, "Everyone is watching, I can't just trample on my own face, can I?"
Old Man Lu thought about it and found truth in his words, so he clasped his hands towards Wang Chen and said, "Then I'll trouble you, young friend."
Wang Chen replied with a salute, "Senior, you're too polite."
Saving the rice crops was as urgent as putting out a fire.
He immediately rolled up his sleeves and stepped into Lu's family Spirit Fields under the doubtful gazes all around him.
"Isn't that Old Sun's neighbor's Doggie?"
"Yeah, his dad is Wang Shaoyuan."
"What a pity for Wang Shaoyuan."
"Can this half-grown kid really deal with the Earth Rhinoceros Beetle?"
"Who knows!"
A few onlookers, who knew or had seen Wang Chen, were all watching the excitement.
They simply couldn't understand why Old Man Lu would hire Wang Chen to clear out the Earth Rhinoceros Beetles.
The outbreak of Earth Rhinoceros Beetles this time was very sudden.
Many households' Spirit Fields were affected by the pest disaster, leading to considerable losses.
Lu's family was also among them.
Sense it involved paying Spirit Stones, why didn't they hire an expert pest exterminator?
They just couldn't fathom Old Man Lu's thinking!
Old Man Lu's wife also found it baffling, her face filled with conflict and confusion.
Meanwhile, the doubts and discussions of others had no effect whatsoever on Wang Chen, who was now in "hunting" mode.
On his way to Lu's family, he had already swallowed three Spirit Rice balls.
At this moment, his Essence, Qi, and Spirit had reached their peak condition.
In just a few breaths' time, Wang Chen had found the first Earth Rhinoceros Beetle.
The Geng Metal Finger struck!
Gradually, the discussions about Wang Chen faded away.
Watching Wang Chen skillfully exterminating the Earth Rhinoceros Beetles in the Spirit Fields, the onlookers all fell silent.
They were stunned.
The Earth Rhinoceros Beetle was undoubtedly among the most difficult pests to deal with in all Spirit Fields.
Even with mastery of the Geng Metal Finger,
dealing with the highly alert Earth Rhinoceros Beetle required both experience and luck.
Wang Chen might only be in his teens,
but his actions in eliminating the Earth Rhinoceros Beetles from the Spirit Fields were as sharp and seasoned as if he had been immersed in the practice for decades.
Every strike was sure and hit its mark!
And he was making these strikes from about a zhang away.
To achieve such accuracy from that distance, that was truly not your average skill!
Now, who would dare underestimate Wang Chen?
Old Man Lu and his wife were overjoyed, their eyes devoid of any worry or concern.
Old Sun wore a smug expression, addressing the few stunned onlookers, "If anyone here wants to hire someone for pest extermination, you'd better speak up quickly, it may be too late to arrange it later."
This gentleman had unwittingly taken on the role of Wang Chen's agent.
"Pah!"
One of the neighbors spat, "My family doesn't have any Earth Rhinoceros Beetles!"
"Not having any the day before yesterday or yesterday doesn't mean you won't have any today."
Old Sun replied with a sneer, "If I were you, I'd hurry back and guard my Spirit Fields instead of having the leisure to watch the excitement!"
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Earth Rhinoceros Beetles only appear in the summer.
They frantically nibble on the rice ears to store up nutrients before diving back underground to reproduce.
The larvae often hibernate underground for several years.
So nobody can guarantee that their Spirit Fields are definitely free of beetle nests.
Already, quite a few families had been plagued by insect infestations.
A disaster at the city gates eventually affects the fish in the moat, and Old Sun's words were truly no empty threats or intimidation.
The onlookers looked at each other in dismay and then scattered.
Old Sun curled his lips disdainfully and laughingly asked Old Man Lu, "Brother, do you believe me now?"
Old Man Lu nodded like a pecking chicken.
His heart, which had been tightly clenched, could finally relax.
Young friend Wang Chen is amazing!
Throughout the entire day, Wang Chen busied himself in Lu's family's Spirit Fields.
[Geng Metal Finger · Experience +1], [Geng Metal Finger · Experience +1], [Geng Metal Finger · Experience +1]…
The message prompts in the field of view kept coming one after another.
With the continuous increase in skill experience, his grasp and understanding of the Geng Metal Finger spell also deepened.
This kind of improvement in skill was truly beyond ordinary comprehension.
And the effect it brought was quite astonishing!
Using nearly the same amount of time as yesterday, Wang Chen finished clearing all the Spirit Fields.
The efficiency had greatly increased.
You should know that Old Man Lu contracted as much as forty-five mu of Spirit Fields.
He only rested for half a "shichen" around noon, and also consumed three Qi Recovery Pills.
It must be mentioned that the Qi Recovery Pills were supplied by Old Man Lu.
But the old Spiritual Plant Farmer was very willing indeed.
In the end, tallying up the results, Wang Chen together eradicated eighty-two Earth Rhinoceros Beetles.
Plus, there were three Monsterized Earth Rhinos!
Unlike the situation two days ago, these three Monsterized Earth Rhinos appeared during his pest control process.
They also became the lost souls under Wang Chen's fingertips.
"Young friend Wang Chen."
After paying all the rewards, Old Man Lu said gratefully to Wang Chen, "I really owe you one this time!"
Wang Chen smiled, "Senior is too polite."
He was not working for free, after all.
First, deducting the 20% kickback for Old Sun, there were also thirteen Low Spirits added to Wang Chen's Storage Bag.
His stash of Spirit Stones broke through to over thirty in one go!
Next, the experience accumulated for Mastery Level Geng Metal Finger reached 178 points.
Only 21 more points to go for the next breakthrough.
Last, [Human Virtue] rose to 5 points!
Compared to the earned Spirit Stones and experience, Wang Chen now valued Human Virtue points even more.
After all, they could be used to break through spell realms.
So even though clearing the Spirit Fields was tough work,
Wang Chen found it as sweet as candy.
Old Sun was also very pleased with himself, counting the Spirit Stones he got and saying, "Wang Chen, let's go to Little Wang's Family tomorrow."
"Tomorrow won't work."
Wang Chen shook his head like a rattle-drum, "The weeds in my Spirit Fields are almost three feet high!"
After a hard day's work, he was as tired as a dog.
He still had to practice his Cultivation Techniques at night, to treat and recover his damaged meridians.
There was simply no time for farm work.
Besides taking care of the weeds in his own Spirit Fields, he also planned to go to Cloud Mountain City and buy some body-strengthening Cultivation Techniques.
And a few chicks to raise back home.
"How could that be?"
Old Sun, just having tasted the sweetness, was suddenly anxious, "It's just ten mu of Spirit Fields, I'll help you hoe them!"
Old Sun was thinking of grabbing more of a share and then trying his luck at the Numerous Fragrances Pavilion with the Hehuan Sect female cultivators.
But Wang Chen actually said he wanted to rest for a day.
Would the old fellow agree?
Human potential is truly boundless.
Wang Chen thought.
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Here's the first update, asking for your votes!!
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