"These two spirit fields are currently the cheapest and have the lowest leasing prices."
With a big smile, Manager Wang stood with Li Muyang on the field ridge, pointing at the two spirit fields in front of them.
"Though it's a bit far from below and somewhat troublesome to access, there's an empty tile-roofed house here, built by the previous cultivator who managed these plants. The only disadvantage is that it's been vacant for quite some time, so you'll need to spend time cleaning it up."
"You can completely move your home here and live here from now on, it's quiet and undisturbed, perfect for us cultivators."
Chubby Wang looked amiable and kind, without the usual commanding presence and arrogance of other managers.
He jovially pointed at the tile-roofed house not far away and indicated, "That's the house right there."
Li Muyang followed his pointing finger, saw the broken tile-roofed house overgrown with weeds on its roof, and then glanced at the cheery Chubby Wang beside him, feeling conflicted beyond words.
"Um... Manager Wang, are there no other spirit fields available?"
Although I wanted a cheaper, more remote spirit field, this one is too remote!
The two spirit fields were located halfway up the hillside, from where one could look down upon the town-like outer buildings of the Refinement Demon Sect below, with a lush and dense primeval forest at the back, reputed to be haunted by demon beasts.
Li Muyang did want a remote and cheaper spirit field, but this place was more than just remote.
This was literally in the middle of nowhere.
Apart from these two lonely spirit fields, there were no other fields nearby.
According to the old cultivator Guan Xiaoshun, when the spirit fields were interconnected by paths, the spiritual energy within the fields could complement each other, enhancing the growth of the spirit grains.
Therefore, Guan Xiaoshun advised Li Muyang to choose fields that were surrounded by other fields.
For these isolated two fields, managing them well alone would definitely require more energy and spiritual energy than others.
Li Muyang felt somewhat helpless.
The ever-smiling Chubby Wang also sighed and said, "There's nothing we can do, I've shown you the few fields that are left. But you can't afford the leasing deposit, this is the only one within your budget."
"Why not write a letter home and ask for some money?"
Manager Wang thoughtfully suggested, "Of those remaining fields, I can hold two for you until the money from your family arrives, then you can lease them."
"The sect has rules. If you don't have enough for the leasing deposit, I can't rent the fields to you, I'm truly helpless."
The amiable Chubby Wang was very accommodating, even willing to take care of Li Muyang to the best of his ability.
Though in terms of status, he far surpassed Li Muyang, a mere servant disciple.
Yet facing Li Muyang, Chubby Wang still patiently explained.
After all, the man in front of him had quietly cultivated to the third level of Qi cultivation realm just two months after joining, without much fuss.
Such talent was already considered excellent in the outer sect, and it was possible that in a few years, he might become a manager like himself, or even enter the inner sect.
Therefore, Chubby Wang was very patient.
After hearing this hefty suggestion, Li Muyang was silent for a moment.
Home...
He indeed had a family in this world.
But the original host had a strained relationship with his family, and Li Muyang didn't feel much sense of belonging to these unfamiliar relatives, wanting nothing to do with them.
So after some hesitation, Li Muyang sighed and said, "Alright, let's just rent these two spirit fields for now. Next year, after I make some money, I'll rent some better-quality spirit fields."
He had broken through to the third level of the Qi cultivation realm in less than a week after obtaining the endless container of Spirit Rice.
He had easily learned the Cloud and Rain Technique and could then lease spirit fields from the sect to become a cultivator who grows plants.
But in Li Muyang's view, being a cultivator who grows plants was merely a temporary way to avoid the arduous task of herding sheep.
With the existence of the endless container of Spirit Rice, it wouldn't take many months for him to hope to cultivate to the ninth level of the Qi cultivation realm. It was unlikely he would truly become a cultivator farmer for the Refinement Demon Sect.
Once he successfully established his foundation and became a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, that small outer sect couldn't confine him any longer.
Having entered the Foundation Establishment Realm, whether it was leaving the Refinement Demon Sect to regain freedom or joining the Inner Sect to obtain a more privileged status, neither was a problem for Li Muyang.
Even if the establishment of foundation failed, he could completely accumulate strength and continue to make the attempt next time.
Therefore, he could make do with planting the two spirit fields, and it didn't really matter if the harvest was poor.
Once his cultivation was high enough and he had the ability to protect himself, he could totally sneak out some top-quality Spirit Rice to sell and would never be short of money.
Realizing this, Li Muyang eventually took out all his savings and signed the deed with the amiable Manager Wang, securing the planting rights to these two vacant spirit fields.
However, after sending Manager Wang away and standing on the weedy ridges, looking at the weeds as tall as half a person in the fields, Li Muyang couldn't help but sigh.
"Not to mention farming, even clearing these weeds will take several days..."
But oh well, who says I don't have the time?
Li Muyang didn't delay and went straight down the mountain to borrow a wheelbarrow, transporting bottles and jars, two bedding sets, and several sets of clothes from his thatched cottage all to this mid-mountain location, truly planning to reside here long term.
As for the game, he hadn't logged in for nearly 24 hours.
He had been stuck at the same level for too long and temporarily lost interest.
Over the past few days, Li Muyang had died hundreds of times in the game, toured the entire village, and even talked to all the villagers, collecting every piece of dungeon information available.
But he still hadn't triggered the plot line related to the assassination, continuing to die inexplicably.
Stuck at the same level for seven days, his cultivation realm had successfully broken through to the third level of the Qi Cultivation Realm, and he had even learned the "Cloud and Rain Technique", yet Li Muyang still couldn't find a way to get past the barrier.
At this moment, he finally understood the value of the "unlimited time" in that "Unlimited Time Cultivation Game".
—If this game instance actually had a time limit, he could have just given up.
Standing on the ridge, looking at the weeds that were as tall as half a person, Li Muyang rolled up his sleeves and dived right in.
With the game constantly at a standstill, he decided to first focus on his real life, clean up the spirit fields and the new house, then slowly get back to gaming.
Sometimes, that's just how it is with game levels; the more you play, the more you're stuck and can't get through. Instead, stopping and resting for a couple of days before logging in again might suddenly enlighten you with ideas to break through.
And so, Li Muyang began his life as a spirit plant farmer, cleaning the new house and clearing the weeds from the abandoned spirit fields.
Life had entered a new rhythm.
Until the third day after he moved into the new house, a letter from his family outside the Sect disrupted Li Muyang's routine.
—His family, with whom relations had soured, actually took the initiative to write to him.
And the person writing was his step-sister, whom the original owner did not think much of.
Seeing the first sentence of the letter, Li Muyang's mind suddenly conjured an image of the girl's grinning pretty face.
"Brother, the Miss Ning that you were so determined to marry, you even had a fallout with mom and dad for her, has also joined the Refinement Demon Sect!"
"By the way, I've joined the Refinement Demon Sect too, and I'll be reporting in a few days."
"This time I'll help you, we'll win over Miss Ning together and get her to agree to marry you!"
Reading the contents of the letter, Li Muyang's lips twitched, suddenly feeling a bit nauseous.
Miss Ning...
In the memories of his predecessor, she was a beauty from Jiuyuan City, who had bewitched him to the point of obsession, swearing to marry her at all costs, even to the point of turning against his parents.
But from Li Muyang's perspective, Miss Ning's relationship was just a tale of a green-tea bitch who kept men on the hook and a foolish lackey doggedly trailing behind...
What Miss Ning...
Li Muyang, somewhat speechless, rubbed his temples and said, "I'm honestly not interested at all!"
Who wants to marry a green-tea bitch obsessed with keeping men on the hook?
Certainly not me!