Later, Steward Fu revealed an important piece of information: the Longevity Sect would be sending people to Dongwu Market.
"With experts from the Longevity Sect coming, this little beast tide should be no problem at all." Xu Ping continued to sing praises, feeling a sense of relief.
With the Longevity Sect sending people, the safety of Dongwu Market would surely be greatly enhanced!
"Begin the harvest," Steward Fu's voice echoed again, carrying a hint of urgency.
"Alright," Xu Ping nodded in agreement.
After mastering the Nourishing Life Skill, his physique was robust, and harvesting the Spirit Rice was naturally much faster than ordinary spirit farmers.
Swish, swish!
Layers of Spirit Rice fell, turning into Spirit Rice grains.
As time went by, the spirit field was gradually harvested into neat rows, with piles of Spirit Rice standing like a small golden mountain.
In the end, Steward Fu took out a large ritualistic artifact specifically used for measuring weight from the storage bag at his waist.
"This year, your harvest is excellent, yielding a full 2,200 pounds of Spirit Rice... You need to submit 60%, which is 1,320 pounds!"
Steward Fu fiddled with the abacus: "The price of Spirit Rice has risen now, and we can purchase it at the rate of forty-five pounds per Spirit Stone. If you sell your private share, you can get 19 Spirit Stones and 5 Spirit Crystals..."
Xu Ping calculated and painfully said: "Leave me half..."
According to the land lease contract, he could originally keep 40% of the harvest, which was 880 pounds of Spirit Rice.
If he wanted to sell this Spirit Rice, it still had to be sold to the Longevity Sect.
The Longevity Sect had a rice store in the market too, so they could severely suppress prices and offer very few Spirit Stones.
And since spirit farmers often needed to cultivate, they generally had to keep most of it.
But this year, as Xu Ping's harvest was 1,200 pounds more than before, he could sell a bit more.
"Half... then I'll leave you 480 pounds."
Steward Fu stored the Spirit Rice in the storage bag and tossed a small bag of Spirit Stones before riding away on his iron leaf boat.
Xu Ping opened the bag and was slightly surprised to find ten Spirit Stones and six Spirit Crystals lying inside: "They didn't deduct anything this year?"
According to past practice, at least five or six Spirit Crystals would be deducted.
But thinking about it, he had just offered two Spirit Stones as respect, so there was no need to deduct those Spirit Crystals.
Of course, if encountered with someone greedy, deductions would definitely continue.
...
The spirit farmers in Dongwu Market began their harvest of Spirit Rice.
However, influenced by the beast tide and early harvest, almost everyone's Spirit Rice fields had reduced yields.
Some who were less affected had nearly nothing left after submitting the required 60%, barely enough to stave off hunger.
Others, severely affected, toiled all year only to receive not even a pound of Spirit Rice, sometimes even having to submit Spirit Stones to the Longevity Sect.
...
In the evening.
In his bedroom, Xu Ping skillfully swallowed a Qi Nourishing Pill, crossed his legs, and began using the Five Elements Skill to refine the pill.
The pure mana flowed silently through his meridians like a gentle stream, nourishing his five organs, limbs, and bones.
With the cultivation technique running its course, the mana gradually flowed smoothly after several cycles, growing increasingly powerful with a commanding presence, as if the forces of heaven and earth were converging upon him.
Suddenly, Xu Ping's entire body shuddered, a sense of awareness arising within.
His eyes flickered with a bright sparkle.
Success!
He sensed that the mana in his Dantian had increased by nearly two-thirds, and a surge of excitement settled in as he realized he had stepped into the fourth layer of Qi Cultivation, crossing into the mid-stage threshold.
"Not easy at all!" Xu Ping grinned broadly.
After calming the turbulent mana within him, he tapped open his panel.
[Name: Xu Ping]
[Lifespan: 28/106 years]
[Realm: Fourth Layer of Qi Cultivation: 1/100; First Layer of Nourishing Life Skill: 4/100]
[Cultivation Technique: Proficient in the Five Elements Skill (Fourth Layer): 16/400]
[Skills: Proficient in Spirit Rain Skill: 41/400; Geng Metal Finger at Minor Achievement: 718/800]
"Fortunately, the experience points remain at a hundred; if they doubled like the skills at each level, the thought of nine layers in Qi Cultivation would indeed be despairing."
Xu Ping thought to himself, noticing a further three-year increase in his lifespan, making him even more delighted. He closed the panel and stood up.
He paced back and forth inside the room, filled with excitement, unable to contain himself, so he stepped out of the bedroom and opened the door.
The night was as tranquil as water, the ground coated with a layer of white frost, cold and serene.
The market periphery lost the day's hustle and bustle, with eerie calls of ghosts and wolves occasionally punctuating the silence, contrasting with the peace and tranquility of the night.
Xu Ping paced around the entrance for a few moments, feeling satisfied, he then closed the door and returned inside to sleep.
...
...
In the dead of night.
The moon had long hidden behind a thick layer of clouds, and the surroundings were shrouded in a cold, dark gloom.
In the quiet night sky, the sharp cries of a few night birds occasionally swept past, sending shivers down the spine.
Suddenly!
"Ah!"
An urgent and brief scream shattered the night's silence, only to sink back into calm.
At Zhao Tao's home.
The dim candlelight barely illuminated the room, where a body lay conspicuously in the center, blood mixed with fragments of organs spilling from the sunken chest, the room thick with a nauseating stench of blood.
"You said it yourself, that you'd take out the heart for me to see!" Lv Liu sneered, her gaze coldly fixed on the already lifeless Zhuang Mu.
"Indeed, a brewer always has a fortune!" Zhao Tao meticulously counted through Zhuang Mu's belongings, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
"Just a couple more jobs, and we'll be able to leave Dongwu Market. It hasn't been peaceful here lately. Have you got the tickets ready?" Lv Liu turned her gaze to Zhao Tao.
"They're ready, all thanks to our teammates." Zhao Tao's grin was sinister.
"No loose ends?"
"Rest assured with my work. Have you picked the next target?" Zhao Tao inquired.
"Of course, I planned to fatten him up a bit more, but unfortunately, this year's Spirit Rice had to be harvested early." Lv Liu shook her head, a hint of regret.
"Xu Ping?"
"Yes." Lv Liu nodded.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Tao's expression turned enigmatic.
Recently, he had heard quite a few rumors about Xu Ping.
"That kid must be utterly mesmerized by you, right?"
"I hadn't planned to target this pauper, but his Spirit Rain Skill broke through the proficiency level, making quite a lot of profit lately." Zhao Tao's eyes gleamed with greed.
"Not entirely mesmerized, but he's definitely come to trust me," Lv Liu responded coldly, her gaze emotionless.
"Then that's good. When the time comes, have him come over, and we'll make him disappear without anyone knowing!" Zhao Tao chuckled, a hint of malevolence in his laughter.
In the chilling night, their schemes were like beasts lurking in the darkness, ready to pounce on unsuspecting prey at any moment.
...
...
The next day, at Xu Ping's home.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
Golden energy shot from Xu Ping's fingertips like lightning, precisely hitting the distant wooden target.
In no time, the target was riddled with holes, scarred and battered.
Suddenly!
An energy far more potent than any before burst forth,
and with a "bang!" the wooden target was instantly smashed into pieces, flying apart.
"Has it reached mastery?"
Xu Ping's eyes sparkled with excitement as he eagerly opened his skill panel.
[Geng Metal Finger Mastery: 1/1600]
"It truly broke through!"
Joy spread across Xu Ping's brow.
The improvement of one's strength always brings joy!
Especially when it's through one's own efforts, this feeling is indescribable.