Chapter Sixty-Six: The Blossoming of the Thunder Spirit Rice Tree

"Now, the real work begins."

When Zhou Changwang set his mind to a task, he was nothing if not diligent. First, he uprooted every last weed from the spiritual field and scattered them evenly over the soil. Then, with a flick of his fingers, he invoked the Fireball Technique and set the weeds ablaze. This not only ensured that no stray weeds would regrow, but also destroyed any insect eggs lurking in the earth, greatly reducing future pestilence.

Only after the flames had died and the ashes cooled did he begin to till the soil. High-grade spiritual fields were much tougher than ordinary ones. He had to channel his spiritual energy and exert all his strength just to break the ground. Once the earth was loosened, he spread beast manure and covered it with wood ash; only then could the field be considered properly prepared.

By the end of this process, even though he was already a cultivator at the third level of Qi Refining, Zhou Changwang found himself exhausted.

"If I’d known, I would’ve learned the Giant Strength Technique or the Earth Spike Technique. Both would’ve worked wonders for tilling." He stretched and grumbled inwardly. Truthfully, there was no need to learn every spell—biting off more than one could chew was unwise. His days were already packed from dawn till dusk, and he had neither the time nor energy to study more basic techniques. After all, his spiritual energy was finite. Even with the attribute panel that let him advance quickly, once his energy was spent, he’d have to meditate to recover, which would only waste more time. Besides, this backbreaking work was only needed for a few days.

"That manual my father left me, the Eight Forms of Heaven’s Origin, I should probably give it a try," Zhou Changwang mused, recalling how his father had demonstrated the Eight Forms before him in the past. It wasn’t a martial art, but rather a body refinement method, famed for its ability to strengthen the flesh and naturally increase one’s strength—importantly, without consuming spiritual energy.

The afternoon came and went. Zhou Changwang alternated between resting and working, and by dusk, he had finally finished turning over an acre of spiritual field. As he was preparing to call it a day, his gaze fell upon three spiritual seedlings swaying in the breeze—three Thunder Spirit Rice Trees.

"All three Thunder Spirit Rice Trees have already been pushed to their growth limit with the Accelerated Growth Spell. Some of their leaves are starting to yellow; I must find a way to make them flower and bear spirit rice soon… or else I’ll have to watch them wither and die." Anxious, he frowned.

Once a Thunder Spirit Rice Tree began to wither, it could never bear spirit rice again. Remembering the information he’d found earlier in the Spiritual Plant Hall’s archives, Zhou Changwang gritted his teeth and drew a talisman from his storage pouch. It was a Lightning Talisman, a trophy he’d claimed after defeating three rogue cultivators.

He could feel the latent, violent power within the talisman, and a wave of hesitation washed over him. He knew all too well how terrifying lightning could be—one mistake, and the Thunder Spirit Rice Tree could be struck dead.

"Well, I have three of them. No harm in trying on one first," he muttered.

No longer hesitating, he channeled his spiritual energy. Instantly, the talisman crumbled, and a bolt of lightning sprang forth, shaped and directed by the spell. Under his guidance, it struck the rightmost Thunder Spirit Rice Tree.

Crack!

The bolt crashed down, violently shaking the tree. Half of its branches and leaves were blasted off, and blackened scars marred its trunk. Residual arcs of electricity danced about, lightning flowers flickering before slowly dissipating.

"Did I fail?" Zhou Changwang’s heart clenched. He hurried forward to inspect the tree. He could feel its remaining vitality draining rapidly, and soon the leaves began to yellow at an alarming rate.

One breath, two, three… In barely ten breaths, half the leaves had turned yellow. He lifted his hand, ready to cast the Accelerated Growth Spell or perhaps the Revive Withered Wood Technique, but he suddenly paused.

Even if he revived it, what would be the point? Without spirit rice, it was just a dead tree. Worse, its lifespan was only a year—far shorter than ordinary trees. In that moment, he even wondered if it was truly a Thunder Spirit Rice Tree at all.

"Wait…" Suddenly, Zhou Changwang stepped closer and examined the crown of the tree. A tender new shoot emerged, swiftly growing and branching out into more than a dozen slender twigs. And at the tips of those twigs, clusters of small white flowers appeared, like shy maidens on the verge of blooming.

Then another shoot, and another…

"It's flowering? The Thunder Spirit Rice Tree is actually flowering?" Zhou Changwang was stunned. Then, delight flooded his face. The flowering of the Thunder Spirit Rice Tree meant everything. It proved that his idea had merit—using the power of lightning could indeed spur the tree to flower and bear spirit rice.

This, at last, meant he had truly succeeded in cultivating Thunder Spirit Rice.

Suddenly remembering something, he began to cast the Revive Withered Wood Technique. Under his spiritual control, the spell’s runes formed one after another.

And at the very moment the final rune coalesced—

Buzz!

The spell was unleashed.

Revive Withered Wood Technique +1

Drops of spiritual light rained down on the lightning-struck Thunder Spirit Rice Tree. In moments, the yellowed leaves turned green again, nourished by the surge of vitality. Even the charred scars faded as fresh bark grew over the wounds.

At the same time, Zhou Changwang felt a flood of insight about the Revive Withered Wood Technique. It was as if he had performed the spell hundreds or thousands of times in an instant. He now understood its rune structures on a far deeper level.

He realized immediately that the Revive Withered Wood Technique had advanced—from novice to mastery. Checking his attribute panel, he saw it confirmed: Revive Withered Wood Technique (Mastery 1/200).

"This is truly a double blessing," Zhou Changwang sighed, casting the spell again.

Seeing the Thunder Spirit Rice Tree fully restored, he cautiously tried the Accelerated Growth Spell once more. The Revive Withered Wood Technique excelled at healing, but when it came to expediting the growth of spiritual plants, the Accelerated Growth Spell was more suitable. Each spell had its own focus—their effects were fundamentally different.

"Though the leaves have grown, those new buds haven’t changed much. In other words, the Accelerated Growth Spell can’t make them mature? It needs something else… perhaps the power of lightning?" he mused, pondering the changes in the Thunder Spirit Rice Tree.

…

Many thanks to the reader whose account ends with 9539 for their generous reward, making them the fourth Hall Master of this book. Thank you for your support!

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After such a long break from writing, it’s truly heartwarming to see so many familiar friends still here!