Chapter 15: Opening a Spirit Field

This was also Lin Changqing's first time flying. After flying for a while, he didn't feel particularly scared. Instead, he quite enjoyed the sensation, even though it was just a flight around Nine Peaks Mountain.

Grandfather and grandson spent a day carefully searching and found three suitable locations in total. After considering various factors, they finally chose Pridecloud Peak, located a bit on the outskirts of Nine Peaks Mountain. Since it's relatively on the outskirts, no one in the clan had opened a Spirit Field there yet, making Lin Changqing the first.

At the midsection of Pridecloud Peak, they leveled out an area, creating nearly a hundred acres of Spirit Land. However, they decided not to develop so much at once.

After some discussion, they decided to start by opening eighteen acres. They began clearing the chosen central area, using Fireball Art to burn weeds and miscellaneous trees to ashes, enriching the soil.

They cleared about twenty acres of land. After another examination of the soil, both grandfather and grandson agreed that the soil was of good quality, suitable for cultivation.

They then used Earthshaping Technique to turn over the soil, removing any remaining roots and stumps. Since Earthshaping Technique is a mid-grade first-tier spell, which Lin Changqing hadn't learned yet, his grandfather had to do it.

Opening a Spirit Field is a meticulous task. Not only does it require opening the field, but also setting up a Spirit Gathering Formation within it, followed by nurturing the land with the Spirit Nurturing Spell from a Spiritual Herb Master. Only then is the Spirit Field successfully opened.

Since the clan's welfare only covered ten acres, and Lin Changqing opened eighteen, he had to bear the cost of the remaining nine Spirit Gathering Formations himself. Each formation cost 100 Merit Points, totaling 900 Merit Points, which his father paid on his behalf. Adding an extra Spirit Gathering Formation here would also facilitate the cultivation of those guarding the Spirit Field.

The Spirit Nurturing Spell is a high-grade first-tier spell, which Lin Changqing couldn't learn yet. Therefore, his aunt and grandfather had to perform it.

It took more than ten days to complete, with his parents, second uncle, and aunt all coming to help. Only then was it completed so quickly.

The whole family worked together to build a small courtyard and three houses. One of the houses was a cultivation room equipped with a Spirit Gathering Formation. The other two were for daily rest.

After furnishing with some furniture and preparing farming tools like hoes and sickles, everything was basically ready.

After some discussion, they decided to plant first-tier low-grade Spirit Rice on ten acres and Spirit Herbs on the remaining eight acres in the first year. Since Lin Changqing was still quite young, his family didn't want him to overwork.

First-tier low-grade Spirit Rice is easy to grow, and the Lin Family had rich experience in its cultivation. Lin Changqing had also read a lot about it in the Scripture Pavilion.

Basically, as long as the Spirit Rain Technique was cast on time, with occasional fertilizing and loosening of the soil, and the task of catching pests left to Chu Yi, there shouldn't be any major problems.

First-tier low-grade Spirit Rice matures once a year and doesn't require a Growth Spell, allowing it to grow naturally.

Each acre could yield about 400 pounds of Spirit Rice, with 20 pounds exchanging for 1 Merit Point. Thus, ten acres of Spirit Rice could generate about 200 Merit Points annually.

Given that an ordinary cultivator consumes three mid-grade Qi Gathering Pills per month, requiring only 15 Merit Points per month or 180 Merit Points per year, this was already a high treatment. Independent cultivators might not even guarantee three low-grade Qi Gathering Pills per month.

Spirit Rice is also a daily necessity for Qi Condensation Stage cultivators.

At the Qi Condensation Stage, one cannot yet abstain from food and must eat daily. Consuming ordinary grains, which contain many impurities, is very detrimental to cultivation.

Spirit Rice has fewer impurities and can replace ordinary grains. About one pound a day is enough to feel full.

Keeping about 400 pounds of Spirit Rice, worth 20 Merit Points, would suffice for a year's consumption.

Unless one is a Body Tempering cultivator, whose appetite knows no bounds. Body Refiners are known for their voracious appetites and are the most resource-consuming cultivation method, which is why few practice it nowadays. The mainstream in the Cultivation World is still Qi Condensation.

These ten acres of Spirit Field are enough for an ordinary cultivator to use mid-grade Spirit Pills for cultivation, with some surplus. Thus, the clan's welfare distribution is quite thoughtful, having been roughly calculated.

Lin Changqing mainly took care of the eight acres of Spirit Field planted with Spirit Herbs. Each acre could plant 60 Spirit Herbs, totaling 480 Spirit Herbs across eight acres, all of which were necessary for refining Qi Gathering Pills.

All required three years to mature. Under Lin Changqing's care, they were forced to mature within a year, which was already the limit. He couldn't manage any more.

Once matured, they could be directly sold to the Administrative Hall for 1 Merit Point per plant, totaling 480 Merit Points. This was already a very good harvest.

Lin Changqing's father and second uncle, participating in the Monster Hunting team, each earned about 500 to 800 Merit Points per trip.

As a Spiritual Herb Master, Lin Changqing was given this welfare by the clan, which once again highlights the importance of mastering a skill.

Grandfather and aunt already had the seeds for Spirit Rice and Spirit Herbs, so there was no need to exchange them at the Administrative Hall, saving another Merit Points expense.

This year, the second uncle happened to be on a break from the Monster Hunting team. From now on, he would escort Lin Changqing back and forth daily. Once Lin Changqing reached the fourth layer of Qi Condensation and could fly on his own, it would be more convenient.

Henceforth, Lin Changqing's days would be more fulfilling, with farming, cultivation, and finding time to read in the Scripture Pavilion.

Chu Yi would now farm with Lin Changqing. Chuwu and Chuliu would be responsible for the Spirit Herb Garden and Hundred Herbs Garden. Of course, if his father and second uncle went out for Monster Hunting, they would definitely take them along. After all, they were raised for scouting and early warning!

Thus, Lin Changqing's cultivation and life became regular again.

Days passed one by one, and soon several months had gone by. It was time for his father's Monster Hunting team to set off again. Every time this happened, Lin Changqing felt uneasy inside. Fortunately, this year Chuwu was following, which gave him a bit of relief.

Watching the departing team, he could only hope for everyone's safe return.

There were also changes in the space. Lin Changqing had discovered that within the space, the Yuan Nurturing Growth Spell only needed a day's interval to be cast again. The space's restorative effect on Spirit Herbs that had been forced to grow was also more than ten times that of the outside world.

Now, three months later, the hundred-year-old Vermillion Fruit tree had grown to the height of a person and entered its fruiting period. The tree bore 24 small green fruits, which looked particularly lovely and charming.

In just over three more months, they should mature. Just thinking about this made Lin Changqing's heart race with excitement and anticipation!

Twenty-four hundred-year-old Vermillion Fruits would be worth 24,000 Merit Points! They could mature once every six months and twenty days. It was an insane thought, but unfortunately, they couldn't be exchanged with the clan, as the source couldn't be explained.

They could only be consumed within the family. But that was also good, as it would allow the family's cultivation to grow rapidly, reaching the Great Perfection of Qi Condensation sooner.

Everyone would have a chance at Foundation Establishment. Thinking of this, Lin Changqing was overjoyed, feeling that he could finally repay his family a little.

The hundred-year-old Vermillion Fruit was already considered a rare treasure. After all, it could at least increase one layer of cultivation at the Qi Condensation Stage, equivalent to shortening several to over a dozen years of cultivation time.

Especially for those at the Qi Condensation Stage nearing the age of 60, when vitality begins to decline, it was incredibly important.

The clan only required 1,000 Merit Points to exchange for one, which could be considered a boon to the clansmen. Moreover, they were almost never sold outside, mostly consumed internally.

The space was still a bit over an acre. If planted with Spirit Herbs, it could accommodate 60 to 70 plants, but only 6 to 7 Spirit Fruit trees. Therefore, Lin Changqing decided not to plant more Vermillion Fruit trees, and he wasn't interested in ordinary Spirit Herbs. So, he left it empty for now.

(End of Chapter)