[1 year 184 days, Yang Shi invited the shopkeeper of Treasure Pavilion to the tea house for tea. After three cups of Immortal Floating Milk Tea, they began discussing the matter of Spirit Rice.]
"Shopkeeper Liao, what was that food for immortals you mentioned last time called?"
"The food for immortals mainly consists of Spirit Food, primarily made from Spirit Rice and Spirit Fruit."
"Oh~ What does this Spirit Rice look like? Have you ever seen it?"
"Of course, at our Treasure Pavilion headquarters, Spirit Rice is not uncommon. It is harvested from planted Spirit Rice and the grains are like crystals, transparent. Under the sunlight, you can even see a faint halo moving within them. Once cooked, the fragrance fills the entire house."
Yang Shi's face lit up with excitement.
"That sounds enchanting. Shopkeeper Liao, do you have this Spirit Rice? I too wish to taste this food of the immortals."
"Hahaha~ Though the Spirit Rice is fragrant, it still pales in comparison to your Alpine Sugar and chocolate, Shopkeeper Yang. Why spend so much on it?"
"In a lifetime, isn't everything about eating and drinking? If I hadn't heard of it, that would be one thing, but having heard and not being able to taste it would indeed make one... scratch their head in frustration, feeling ants crawling on their skin, unbearably itchy, keeping one awake all night!"
Seeing Yang Shi's expression, Shopkeeper Liao chuckled, "Shopkeeper Yang, you have collaborated with me many times, so I won't hide it from you. I recently received a batch of Spirit Rice that I plan to sell."
"Oh? Where did this Spirit Rice come from? Could I purchase some?"
Shopkeeper Liao stroked his beard, "In Treasure Pavilion, we don't concern ourselves with the origins, only timely payments. That's our rule, please don't make it difficult for me, Shopkeeper Yang."
"Then may I ask, Shopkeeper Liao, could you sell this batch of Spirit Rice to me? I am willing to offer a high price."
Liao Cao looked at Yang Shi with a teasing smile, "I am willing to sell, but the price… I'm afraid Shopkeeper Yang might not be able to afford it."
Yang Shi was sitting on the third floor, pointing downward, where the second floor had people sipping tea, and the first floor, a tabletop game area, was full without any empty seats.
"Doesn't my Yang's Tabletop Game Tea House catch your eye, Shopkeeper Liao?"
"Not at all, it's just that Spiritual Objects and mortal items are different. The value is calculated in Spirit Stones. For these 20 pounds of Spirit Rice, the price is one Low Grade Spirit Stone. Can you afford it, Shopkeeper Yang?"
"Spirit Stones!"
This was a currency used only by cultivators, and Yang Shi, who had only recently made his wealth, naturally did not possess them.
Realizing that his family fortune couldn't match even one Low Grade Spirit Stone, Yang Shi felt somewhat disheartened.
The gap between immortals and mortals is even greater than that between humans and dogs.
"Is there no other way?"
"If it were anyone else, it would certainly not be possible, but for Shopkeeper Yang..." Liao Cao narrowed his eyes and said, "could you still get those Grain Avoidance Cakes?"
Yang Shi raised his eyebrows; among the five boxes of supplies his ancestors gave him during the ritual, one box contained compressed biscuits, totaling 500 packs. Since these could be stored for a long time, he wasn't in a hurry to sell them.
"If that were possible, what would you say?"
Liao Cao held up three fingers, "300 packs, and I could trade you the 20 pounds of Spirit Rice."
"150."
"Hehehe~ Shopkeeper Yang must be joking. I, Liao, am not a common street vendor. We have collaborated many times; you should know that Treasure Pavilion's pricing is always fair. 300 packs, that's the best price I can offer you."
"Deal."
After the transaction was completed that evening, a carriage from Treasure Pavilion headed straight towards Yulong County.
[1 year 187 days, Yang Shi had sown half of the Spirit Rice seeds in the well-prepared Spiritual Land and stored the remaining 10 pounds of unshelled Spirit Rice.]
[Ding~ Yang Family's first sowing in the Spiritual Field, Incense Fire Value +50]
[Unlocked new Blessing—Spirit Rain: Condense Spiritual Energy in a designated area to gather into rain, lasting for 3 hours, 5 Incense Fire Values per acre per time]
Just as Yang Genshuo had sped up time slightly, new content was unlocked.
"This is clearly meant for sowing in the Spiritual Field, perfect timing!"
Otherwise, Yang Shi would only be able to take care of the Spirit Rice like ordinary crops.
"Let's try it."
[Using Blessing: Spirit Rain]
[Incense Fire Value -5]
Spiritual Energy in the sky moved, flowing into the cave where the Spiritual Land was located, with large amounts of white mist gathering inside, forming clusters of white clouds.
Whirl~
The clear Spirit Rain fell, and the freshly planted Spirit Rice, nourished by the Spirit Rain, began to grow rapidly.
Seeing this, Yang Shi naturally knew his ancestors had come and quickly bowed in the direction of their tombs.
"With the ancestors' magic, there will surely be a bountiful harvest next year."
The Spirit Rain continued to pour down within the cave, lasting for 3 hours before gradually dissipating.
At this moment, the seeds of the Spirit Rice had already sprouted.
The attributes of the Spiritual Land had changed.
[Spiritual Energy Concentration: 2 (↑)]
Yang Genshuo nodded in satisfaction.
"This 'Blessing' is indeed a great aid for farming, even more so than 'Vitality.' If this batch of Spirit Rice matures and is harvested, then Yang Shi and I will be able to eat Spirit Rice."
However, looking at the 5 points of Incense Fire Value consumed, he felt somewhat anxious.
"It's just too much consumption. I currently only have 125 points of Incense Fire Value, enough for at most 25 descents of spiritual rain."
These Incense Fire Values were accumulated during the half-year Yang Shi spent developing the family.
[Family foundation increased by a hundred acres of good land, Incense Fire Value +20]
[Family wealth breaks through ten thousand taels of silver, Incense Fire Value +20]
[Number of family servants reaches 50, Incense Fire Value +10]
"Still, breaking through martial arts realms and the first planting of Spiritual Land yield more, it seems that such achievements that enhance the family's tangible strength can earn more Incense Fire Value."
Yang Genshuo realized that this amount of Incense Fire Value was completely insufficient; otherwise, he could give Yang Shi a 'Vitality' buff every day, and his body refining speed would also be rapid.
Now with the Spirit Rice, he could only prioritize supplying it for the growth of the Spirit Rice.
Seeing that there was nothing else he could do, he continued to accelerate time.
[1 year 208 days, Yang Shi from "Login to Receive 100 Draws" comprehended a whip technique from the relationship between whipping intensity and labor efficiency, named Lightning Hundred Whips, which is as fast as a shadow, mysterious and unpredictable in position, capable of striking the enemy's vital points from various angles, extremely sharp.]
[1 year 215 days, Hu Zi learned 'Lightning Hundred Whips,' and the production efficiency of the Yang Family Manor increased.]
[1 year 300 days, Yang Shi broke through to the Fifth Layer of the Body Refining Realm—Bone Hardening.]
[Yang family descendants' first breakthrough to the Fifth Layer of the Body Refining Realm, significantly enhancing the family's martial virtue, Incense Fire Value +50!]
Yang Shi slightly moved, his bones cracking and creaking as if they were regrowing.
"Body Refining ten layers, five layers Body Training, five layers Qi Cultivation, I have reached the final stage of Body Training—Bone Training. Once this is mastered, I will need to cultivate Qi, but the Qi Nourishing Heart Method... is only available in sects."
"Let's see if boss Liao can come up with the Qi Nourishing Heart Method, otherwise I'll have to go to Yulong County to seek a master and learn," he mumbled to himself.
After briefly contemplating his future, Yang Shi continued to delve into his Bone Training practice.
"Very well, Yang Shi is intelligent, leaving the tea house to the clever Jiang Xiaobai to manage, the manor to Hu Zi, and focusing on his daily training himself, thus steadily improving his martial cultivation."
Watching Yang Shi's efforts over the past half year, Yang Genshuo felt quite moved.
Compared to earning money and such vulgar matters, he was more focused on practicing martial arts, with a fire continuously burning in his heart.
Even for the lack of a suitable martial technique, he created "Lightning Hundred Whips."
[1 year 321 days, Hu Zi, after long-term consumption of 'Qi and Blood Boosting Powder' under the enhancement of the 'Small Vessel Completion' talent, successfully advanced to the Fourth Layer of the Body Refining Realm.]
Hu Zi also closely followed Yang Shi's steps, something Yang Genshuo had long known.
Out of hundreds of beggars in Qingshi County, he only allowed Yang Shi to take in Hu Zi specifically because he possessed two Mortal Talents.
[Small Vessel Completion (Mortal Level): After turning 18, the physique begins to develop again, comprehension increases, and martial arts training efficiency improves.]
[Word of Honor (Mortal Level): Values keeping promises. When completing a task promised to others, efficiency +10%.]
Hu Zi, one year younger than Yang Shi and just turned 18, had his originally ordinary body begin to develop again; supplemented by the nutrient boosters provided by Yang Shi, his physique gradually grew robust, and his martial arts progressed by leaps and bounds.
The second talent also reflected Hu Zi's good character, making him a potential important combat force for the future of the Yang family.
As the screen's time continued accelerating forward, besides occasionally calling down spiritual rain every 15 days, Yang Genshuo had nothing else to do, lying on the sofa contemplating what he could award Yang Shi with this year.
Meanwhile, in parts unseen on the screen, the world also kept turning relentlessly.
...
Yulong County, Spiritual Forest.
This was the territory of the Spirit Plant family, the Ge Family.
The sky occasionally saw Spirit Rain falling, surrounded by fairy mist, with Spirit Beasts gently calling and Spiritual Objects growing, presenting a scene of the immortals.
Clan members and servants constantly moved about, managing a large number of Spirit Plants.
As one of Yulong County's top Spirit Plant families, the Ge Family's Spiritual Forest produced a vast amount of Immortal Food annually.
Today, all the higher-ups of the Ge Family had gathered in the council hall, a room full of Cultivators.
All eyes were focused on the square pastry held between two fingers of the Clan Leader.
"This object is called a Grain Avoidance Cake... it represents an opportunity for advancement for our Ge Family."