A harvest of 120 pounds of Clear Water Rice from a single acre could be called a bumper crop.
Just as Fang Yun had estimated, after his Planting Talent leveled up to one star, he could tend to two acres of Clear Water Rice and still achieve an average yield of over 125 pounds per acre, even at the Qi Refining Second Layer.
At the beginning of the fourth month, it was time to tally his Talent Points.
Harvesting the Clear Water Rice had contributed 252 Talent Points, plus more from rain-making, weeding, and pest removal.
The total Talent Points tallied this month exceeded three hundred.
It was a total of 330 points!
Without a second thought, Fang Yun started the draw for Life Talents.
He did three draws in a row.
Planting Talent Fragment x1
Alchemy Talent Fragment x2
His Life Talents were now displayed as:
Planting Talent ★ (2/6)
Alchemy Talent ★ (1/6)
Artifact Refining Talent (1/2)
Fang Yun felt great after his Alchemy Talent leveled up.
With his aptitude from the Five Spirit Roots, Alchemy Talent was crucial for him.
He understood perfectly well, 'With my aptitude, I'll definitely have to rely on pills for my cultivation. Otherwise, I'll struggle to even reach the late stages of Qi Refining by the time I'm old.'
He took one last look at his remaining forty-two Talent Points, then closed the shimmering screen before him.
「The next morning.」
Fang Yun hurried to the Spirit Field Institute in the East District.
"Steward Song, here are the 160 pounds of Clear Water Rice."
"Not bad, not bad at all!"
Steward Song took the bag, weighed it, and nodded with a smile. It was 166 pounds in total. He measured out the extra six pounds of Clear Water Rice and set them on the table.
"Little Fang, I heard you had a bumper crop from both acres of Clear Water Rice."
"Yes, Steward Song."
Fang Yun wasn't surprised by the steward's question; it was easy to get that kind of information.
For him to achieve such results with Clear Water Rice after only nine months of planting already demonstrated his talent for becoming a Spirit Plant Master.
Fang Yun wasn't afraid of the other local cultivators getting jealous of his revealed talent. This was Celestial Cloud Sect territory, and his parents had shed blood for the sect. If anything were to happen to him here, on sect grounds, it would be a slap in the face to the Celestial Cloud Sect itself.
Because of his background, the cultivators living in the area were all relatively friendly toward him.
The small cabin he was living in was his to use, rent-free, for ten years, thanks to his parents' service. He had just over three years of that arrangement left. However, he suspected that in six months, he wouldn't need the remaining time anyway.
"Calling me Steward Song is too formal. If you don't mind, just call me Elder Song."
"Yes, Elder Song."
"Mm. This is 166 pounds of Clear Water Rice in total. You can take back the extra six pounds."
Fang Yun separated the six pounds of Clear Water Rice and then pushed them back toward Elder Song.
"These are the extra six pounds of Clear Water Rice you counted out," Fang Yun said with a smile. "Elder Song, please accept this as a token of my respect."
"Hahaha, you sly kid." Elder Song was very pleased and didn't refuse. "Well, in that case, I'll happily accept."
'When playing games, every resource you can accumulate in the early stages counts for something.' Fang Yun knew this principle well, especially from the perspective of a free-to-play player.
'A Steward of the Celestial Cloud Sect was a valuable connection to have.'
"Elder Song, I'd like to plant Purple Corn next."
Purple Corn was also a Tier One, Lower Grade Spirit Rice, but it was more difficult to cultivate than Clear Water Rice. Its growth cycle was also twice as long, requiring six months from planting to harvest.
"I knew it."
Elder Song wasn't surprised by Fang Yun's request. Harvesting one hundred pounds of Clear Water Rice per acre while still in the early stages of Qi Refining and with less than a year of experience was proof of his talent as a Spirit Plant Master. Even someone with Five Spirit Roots could join the Celestial Cloud Sect, provided their background was clean.
Fang Yun's parents had been Outer Sect disciples of the Celestial Cloud Sect, and their deaths on a mission were considered a sacrifice for the sect. The background of a cultivator with such a history required no investigation; he was eligible to directly become an Outer Sect disciple.
"Here are the seeds for one acre of Purple Corn. But let me be clear: even if you manage to harvest over one hundred pounds per acre, you'll have to turn in seventy pounds as the rental fee for using the Spirit Field for six months."
"Elder Song, I'd still like to rent two acres of Spirit Fields," Fang Yun said, holding up two fingers to emphasize his point.
"Are you sure?" Elder Song looked at Fang Yun, surprised.
He was sure Fang Yun knew perfectly well what it took to join the Celestial Cloud Sect.
For the Purple Corn planting trial, the rules offered no leniency on the required turn-in amount, even if one took on two acres. That's why no one ever chose to plant two. It was far better to focus all one's energy on a single acre.
Besides, Fang Yun was only at the Qi Refining Second Layer, not the third. Tending to two acres of Purple Corn would be incredibly demanding for him.
"I'm sure," Fang Yun replied with a firm nod.
'One less acre of Purple Corn means about half the Talent Points over the next six months!'
'The thought alone is a staggering loss.'
"Alright. Here are the seeds for two acres of Purple Corn."
Elder Song didn't try to dissuade him further. He felt Fang Yun was a sensible boy who acted with a maturity beyond his years, which likely had much to do with losing his parents at a young age.
He trusted that Fang Yun had already considered his decision carefully.
"Thank you, Elder Song."
Elder Song watched Fang Yun's retreating figure, weighing the six-pound bag of Clear Water Rice in his hand.
He thought to himself, 'If, in six months, Fang Yun's two acres of Purple Corn don't meet the one-hundred-pound requirement, I'll still put in a good word for him as long as he harvests over ninety pounds from each. I'll praise his talent. It might just be enough to get him into the Celestial Cloud Sect.'
Fang Yun returned to his rented Spirit Fields and immediately began tilling the soil to plant the Purple Corn.
By dusk, Fang Yun had finished the initial planting of the two acres. Unlike Clear Water Rice, Purple Corn didn't require much water, which meant the rain-making portion of his work would yield fewer Talent Points.
However, the weeding and pest control for Purple Corn would be far more intensive, which should compensate for the fewer Talent Points from rain-making.
After finishing the planting, Fang Yun returned to his cabin.
He cooked himself a small meal of Clear Water Rice.
Looking at his remaining eighty-six pounds of Clear Water Rice, he realized that he had finally, through his own hard work, become self-sufficient.
Before he turned sixteen, he had relied on aid from the Celestial Cloud Sect, which provided a fixed yearly ration of Clear Water Rice. After sixteen, he had to live off his parents' savings, subsisting on Lower Grade Grain Avoidance Pills.
The Grain Avoidance Pills kept hunger at bay, meaning he didn't need to waste time eating mortal food. They also eliminated the body's need for daily excretion, saving even more time. However, the pills provided not even a sliver of Spiritual Qi.
Clear Water Rice, on the other hand, was different. It not only filled his stomach but also provided some Spiritual Qi to aid his cultivation, slightly increasing his training speed.
But whether it was the Grain Avoidance Pills or the Clear Water Rice, they both shared one characteristic.
They were utterly tasteless.
The blandness was enough to drive him mad.
True Spiritual Food was both delicious and beneficial to cultivation, but it was far beyond his current reach.
Achieving self-sufficiency in Clear Water Rice within the next six months was already a great accomplishment.
After finishing his meal, Fang Yun rubbed his stomach and soon settled down to meditate and cultivate.