Chapter Six: Greetings

With a single thought, he channeled his spiritual power, sketching out the intricate rune structure connected to the Metal Yang Finger technique. This time, however, the amount of spiritual energy he used was much less than before—just enough to cover the rune structure, unlike his previous attempts, which often overflowed.

The spell took shape.

He moved a little closer.

A flash of golden light shot out, piercing straight into the floor, leaving a hole the width of a pinky and three inches deep.

Metal Yang Finger +1

“It worked.”

As expected, reducing the input of spiritual power still allowed the spell to be cast, though its power was much diminished. But for practice, it was more than sufficient.

Zhou Changwang was elated. With this approach, when his spiritual power was full, he could cast the Metal Yang Finger twice as many times—up from ten to twenty. Twice the number.

He began to practice the spell repeatedly in this “training mode.”

Once, twice, three times…

He continued until his spiritual power was exhausted.

Only then did he stop and glance at his attribute panel.

There, the line for Metal Yang Finger now read: Metal Yang Finger (Beginner 38/100).

He estimated that in two more days, he could raise the spell to the proficient level.

The night passed in meditation, replenishing his energy.

Although Zhou Changwang lived on the outskirts of Phoenix Song Market, it was close enough to the central first-grade spiritual vein that the ambient spiritual energy was plentiful. His recovery speed far surpassed that of the spirit fields.

After three cycles, his spiritual power was nearly brimming.

At this point, his mind was also spent, and the best way to recover was sleep. So, he quickly lay down and drifted off.

...

Early the next morning.

Zhou Changwang rose as usual.

He rinsed rice and started cooking porridge.

As he busied himself, he noticed a petite woman from the neighboring dwelling hesitantly approaching.

She walked slowly, casting cautious glances toward Zhou Changwang’s room.

“Fellow Daoist Qian, is there something you need?” Zhou Changwang recognized her as Qian Xiaoyue, a third-level Qi Refining rogue cultivator living next door. She was an apprentice alchemist, learning under a master within the Six Directions Pavilion in Phoenix Song Market—a position far above his own.

After all, alchemists held great status in the cultivation world. Even an apprentice was far superior to a humble spirit farmer like him.

“Ah, oh, it’s nothing...” At his words, Qian Xiaoyue seemed startled, shrinking her neck and quickly turning to leave.

But after two steps, she paused, and cautiously asked, “Last night I heard some noises from your place…”

“That was me practicing spells. I hadn’t realized I disturbed you, Fellow Daoist Qian. I’m terribly sorry,” Zhou Changwang replied quickly.

He knew the explosive mishap from yesterday’s spell would have been heard by his neighbors, but he hadn’t expected timid Qian Xiaoyue to be the first to inquire.

“It’s fine,” Qian Xiaoyue shook her head and left without another word.

Zhou Changwang didn’t dwell on it. After finishing his porridge, he left the house once more.

Arriving at his spirit fields, he saw other spirit farmers already at work.

There was Old Xu, and the brothers Zhao Jie and Zhao Qiang, who worked the most diligently among the nearby spirit farmers. They had built a small hut beside their fields for rest and cultivated the largest area—thirty acres, plus three acres of spirit herbs specially fenced off with spirit-thorn vines.

Unlike spirit rice, which could be harvested twice a year if tended well, spirit herbs matured slowly, often taking years—anywhere from one to three, or even up to ten. They required careful attention and frequent use of spirit plant spells to aid their growth, which was time-consuming and laborious.

Luckily, the brothers had high cultivation: one at the fourth level of Qi Refining, the other at the fifth—rare among spirit farmers to reach mid-stage Qi Refining. They also kept a spirit beast dog at the second Qi Refining stage, ensuring their safety.

Further away, other spirit farmers worked their own fields.

Zhou Changwang also spotted Xu Zhong, another from the Spirit Plant Hall.

Xu Zhong, dressed in ornate robes with a fair complexion, looked every bit the young master—except for the spirit hoe slung over his shoulder, marking him as a field worker.

After only a short while, Xu Zhong suddenly bolted from his field, panic on his face, checking along the edges of his plot. The more he checked, the worse his expression became...

Zhou Changwang paid no mind, tending his own fields by weeding.

He then cast the Spirit Rain spell, ensuring the daily growth of his spirit grains.

After these tasks, most of his spiritual power was spent, so he found a spot to sit cross-legged and meditate to recover.

Thus, after three cycles...

Zhou Changwang’s spiritual power recovered halfway.

He opened his eyes.

The first thing he did was check his attribute panel.

“Five Elements Formula proficiency has reached (Beginner 96/100). If I run four more cycles, it will be (Beginner 100/100). Perhaps then, the cultivation method will break through to a new stage.”

His face shone with joy.

Four cycles.

If he worked diligently tonight, it would be easy.

In other words,

Today, his cultivation method would reach perfection and advance…

In the afternoon.

After lunch, Zhou Changwang eagerly returned to his fields.

Yesterday, the taste of the Green Armored Beetle had left him craving more. Most importantly, the spiritual power within the beetle’s flesh greatly benefited his cultivation.

He’d heard that, because the spiritual energy in spirit insects was easy to absorb—and since it was meat—some were willing to trade a low-grade spirit stone for fifteen beetles. It had even become a side income for spirit farmers.

So, Zhou Changwang was quite happy to hunt and kill spirit insects.

If he caught more, perhaps he could make a tidy profit.

“As expected, the fruiting period is near. I just cleared a batch yesterday, and today there are more spirit insects.”

He spotted a Green Armored Beetle hiding under the stalk of a spirit grain. If not for its weight bending the leaf so obviously, he might have missed it.

Holding his breath, spiritual energy surged within him, quickly forming runes as the spell coalesced.

Metal Yang Finger +1

He pointed, a flash of golden light.

With a soft pop, the beetle’s head was pierced and it dropped to the ground.

Then the second, then the third.

Besides Green Armored Beetles, there were also Black Octagons, Root-eating Weevils, and Earth-boring Cicadas. The Black Octagons and Root-eating Weevils were smaller, but no less destructive—one gnawed at the stalks, the other bit through the roots—each harming the growth of the spirit grains.

To restore the vitality of the affected crops, Zhou Changwang had to cast the Growth Acceleration spell again, aiding their recovery.