I left the house as the sky deepened into a soft amber hue.
The laughter from inside still lingered faintly in my ears, warm and grounding, but my steps naturally turned toward the fields.
Evening was the best time few people wandering about, fewer eyes watching.
As I walked, my thoughts shifted from warmth to clarity.
If I wanted to speed up my growth, relying on Qi cultivation alone wouldn't be enough.
My body was still weak, the foundation insufficient.
To truly strengthen it, I would have to begin body cultivation as soon as possible.
And body cultivation required one thing above all else that is abundant Qi and blood resources.
Vermilion Blood Spirit Rice.
My gaze drifted toward the direction of my field.
The problem was so obvious enough that even a child could see it.
My land sat atop of a Tier 1 medium-grade spirit vein.
It was barely enough for basic spirit rice cultivation, let alone Tier 2 Vermilion Blood Rice.
Forcing it to grow there would only lead to stunted growth or complete failure.
I needed to improve the environment.
Upgrading the spirit vein itself was impossible for now that required resources and techniques far beyond my current reach.
That left only one option.
A Spirit Gathering Formation.
I slowed my steps, considering my options carefully.
Going to the village chief was out of the question.
The envoy Elder Mu was still in the village, and any unusual movement or request would draw attention.
I couldn't afford that, not when I'd just managed to avoid suspicion.
But there was someone else.
Someone experienced in spirit farming.
Someone discreet who wouldn't ask too many questions.
"Old Han..."
Without hesitation, I changed direction, my feet carrying me toward the edge of the village.
Old Han's house sat near the edge of the village, close to a narrow water creek that reflected the fading sky like a mirror.
When I arrived, soft laughter greeted me before words ever could.
Old Han was sitting outside on a low stool, crouched low, waving a piece of cloth in exaggerated motions like it was the most important thing in the world.
In front of him stood a tiny figure, barely steady on her feet.
Han Yue. His one-year-old granddaughter.
Her cheeks were round and soft like little buns, her eyes bright and curious as they tracked the movement of the cloth.
She wobbled as she tried to imitate his movements, her tiny hands flailing, letting out incoherent sounds that were closer to music than speech.
Old Han noticed me immediately, his weathered face breaking into surprise.
"Oh?" he said, straightening slightly. "Xiaoyuan (Little yuan)? What brings you here at this hour?"
Han Yue turned her small head at the sound of my name, her attention shifting from the cloth to me.
Our eyes met.
She froze for a second, studying me with that intense stare only children possessed then raised her tiny hand and waved clumsily, her whole body moving with the motion.
My lips curved upward without me realizing it.
How can something so small be so charming and cute?
I waved back at her, matching her enthusiasm.
As I approached, Old Han laughed heartily, the sound warm and genuine.
"She likes you! Usually, she just stares at strangers and cries if they get too close."
I crouched down slightly to be at her eye level and gently pinched her soft cheeks between my fingers.
They were as soft as I expected, like touching clouds.
She giggled immediately, the sound pure and delighted, squirming happily under the attention.
I nudged her tiny button nose with one finger.
She let out another burst of delighted nonsense, flailing her small arms in what might have been excitement or protest, it was hard to tell.
Her chubby fingers reached toward my face, trying to grab at me.
Old Han stared at me, and when I glanced up, I saw genuine surprise in his eyes.
Not at my actions, but at me, at who I was being in this moment.
I knew why without him having to say it. He was the one who saved me from drowning.
He had known me since childhood, watched me grow up in this village.
Watched me become quiet, reserved, always carrying burdens far heavier than my age should have allowed.
I rarely interacted like this with anyone, especially not with children.
"You seem... different today," he said slowly, his voice thoughtful.
"In a good mood. I don't think I've ever seen you smile at a child like this before."
I straightened up, still holding Han Yue's attention, and smiled faintly.
"I suppose I am in a good mood today."
I didn't tell him everything.
There was no need to burden him with details he didn't need to know.
Only what was necessary.
"I impressed the sect envoy earlier during the testing," I said casually.
"She was quite surprised by my comprehension ability. As a reward, she gave me a sect-affiliated spiritual farmer token."
Old Han's eyes widened considerably, genuine shock crossing his features.
Then he broke into a wide grin and laughed heartily, slapping his knee.
"Good! Good! Excellent!" he said enthusiastically, clearly pleased.
"I knew it! I knew you wouldn't stay buried in this backwater village forever. That token is worth more than gold for someone like you!"
He leaned down and gently nudged Han Yue with his elbow.
"Hear that, little one? Big Brother Shen did something amazing today. Say congratulations to him."
Han Yue blinked her large eyes, processing the request in whatever way a one-year-old mind works.
Then she babbled enthusiastically, her words completely meaningless, but her tone was joyful and sincere, accompanied by more arm flailing.
I laughed softly, genuinely amused.
"That's adorable. Thank you, Han Yue."
Old Han beamed with grandfatherly pride, clearly pleased with his granddaughter's response.
After a brief pause filled only with the sounds of the creek and Han Yue's continued babbling, I decided to get to the actual point of my visit.
"Uncle Han," I said, my tone becoming more serious, "I actually came here because I wanted to ask you something."
He looked at me attentively, his expression shifting to match my tone.
"What do you need, boy? If I can help, I will."
"I'm planning to experiment with some special seeds I bought earlier from the market," I continued carefully, choosing my words.
"Some higher-grade grains. But my field is only Tier 1, as you know. The spiritual energy there is barely sufficient for basic jade spirit rice."
I paused, then asked directly, "I was wondering... do you happen to have any Spirit Gathering Formation plates? Even an old one would work."
Old Han fell silent at my question.
His expression grew distant, thoughtful, as if my words had stirred up old memories.
Then he sighed deeply, the sound carrying years of regret.
"I do," he admitted finally.
"A long time ago, when I was younger and more ambitious, I bought one with my savings. Spent almost everything I had on it. A Tier 2 formation plate in black market for cheap price."
He shook his head slowly, a self-mocking smile appearing on his lips.
"I thought if I had better spiritual energy, I could make Tier 2 plants grow. Thought I'd become rich, successful. Tried everything I knew different seeds, different techniques, spent years experimenting."
His voice grew quieter.
"In the end, I failed at every attempt. Turns out spiritual energy alone isn't enough. You need knowledge, proper techniques, the right seeds. Things I didn't have."
He chuckled bitterly.
"I thought about selling it afterward, getting back at least some of my investment, but... I couldn't bring myself to do it."
"So I kept it," he continued, looking at the distant sky.
"Locked it away in storage. A souvenir of my hard work and foolish dreams."
He turned to look at me seriously, his weathered face showing genuine concern.
"If you want to use it, I'll lend it to you. But be careful, Shen Yuan. Don't make the same mistakes I did. Don't waste your youth chasing impossible things."
Then he added with a sudden grin, thrusting Han Yue into my arms before I could react.
"Hold my precious darling while I go get it. If she cries even once, I'm going to kick you."
I burst out laughing at the sudden responsibility, carefully adjusting my hold on the small, warm bundle now in my arms.
"Deal, Uncle Han. I'll protect her with my life."
Han Yue stared up at me with wide, innocent eyes, completely unbothered by the transfer.
She seemed content, her small hands grabbing at my sleeves with surprising strength for something so tiny.
I gently poked her soft cheeks again, unable to resist.
Then nudged her button nose playfully.
She squirmed happily in my arms, tiny hands now trying to grab my finger, letting out pleased sounds.
For a moment, everything felt... light. Peaceful.
As the old saying went a child's innocence could heal wounds even time could not touch.
Soon, Old Han returned from inside his house.
In his weathered hands was a jade formation plate, its surface engraved with complex runes that seemed to shimmer faintly in the fading light.
At the center was a shallow hollow, surrounded by five small grooves positioned in a precise pattern.
"This is a Tier 2 Spirit Gathering Formation Plate," he explained, his voice taking on a teaching quality.
"It gathers spiritual energy from the surroundings slowly but steadily, concentrating it in the area you place it, by just consuming spirit stones directly this method is far more efficient long-term."
He pointed to the grooves.
"You place spirit stones here five of them for optimal effect. The formation will draw on their energy and amplify the gathering effect. One set of stones should last about fifteen days before they're depleted."
"Now, if you place some spirit stones into the hollow part here," he said, pointing at the center of the array plate,
"they will be converted into a misty form of spiritual energy, increasing the concentration. However, it would be expensive and draining, so I don't recommend it."
I accepted the formation plate carefully, feeling the weight of it both physical and the weight of Old Han's failed dreams.
"Thank you, Uncle Han. This means a lot to me."
I reached into my robe and took out a small cloth pouch, offering it to him.
Old Han immediately frowned and pushed it back toward me.
"No need for payment. Just return the plate when you're done experimenting. That's payment enough."
I shook my head firmly, keeping the pouch extended.
"Uncle Han, I heard you've been having a hard time lately. The harvest hasn't been good, and you have Han Yue to care for now."
I pressed the pouch into his hand.
"Use this to buy some candies for Han Yue. Some toys, maybe. Consider it rent for the formation plate, or payment for your advice. Please accept it."
He hesitated, clearly torn between pride and practicality.
Finally, he sighed and accepted the pouch with both hands, bowing his head slightly.
"You're a good boy, Xiao Yuan. Your grandfather raised you well."
I had placed twenty spirit stones inside enough to help his family significantly, but not so much that it would raise questions about where I got such wealth.
Just the right amount to seem like savings from my farming.
Before leaving, I handed Han Yue back to her grandfather and lowered my voice, making sure we weren't overheard.
"Uncle Han, please keep this a secret. The formation plate, my experiments, all of it. I don't want to attract unnecessary attention."
Old Han nodded solemnly, his expression serious.
"Of course, boy. I understand completely. My lips are sealed. Anyone asks, I'll say I haven't seen you."
I thanked him again and left, the formation plate carefully stored in my robe.
But I didn't head to the field immediately. That would be too obvious, too direct.
Instead, I wandered near the creek for a while, sitting on the bank and watching the water flow.
I appeared to be simply enjoying the evening, a young man relaxing after a busy day.
Letting time pass naturally.
Only when I saw a streak of light cut across the darkening sky a flying artifact, likely the sect's flying boat departing did I finally allow myself to relax fully.
The envoy is gone.
Elder Mu had left the village, taking the four new outer disciples with her.
Only then did I stand and make my way to my field, taking a roundabout path to avoid being seen by any late-evening wanderers.
The stars were beginning to appear overhead, and the moon was rising, providing just enough light to see by.
I went straight to the hidden section at the back of my field, where the jade spirit rice plants started to grow around it, leaving this patch of field empty
The Vermilion Blood Spirit Rice seeds I'd planted earlier lay beneath the soil here.
At the center of this hidden plot, I knelt down and began digging carefully.
I placed the formation plate, embedding it securely underground where it wouldn't be easily discovered.
The jade surface felt cool against my hands as I positioned it precisely, making sure it was level and stable.
I took out five spirit stones from my inventory and set them into the five grooves carefully.
The moment the last stone clicked into place, the formation plate shimmered with a faint light.
The earth around it hummed softly, a vibration I could feel through my hands and knees.
Spiritual energy began gathering almost immediately, drawn from the surroundings and concentrated in this small area.
The effect was subtle but noticeable, the air felt denser, richer, more nourishing.
I buried the formation plate completely, covering it with soil and arranging things to look natural.
No one would find it unless they were specifically searching for it with spiritual sense, and even then, it would be difficult to detect underground.
Old Han warned me, I'll need to replace the spirit stones every fifteen days to maintain proper function. That's manageable. I have enough stones, and I'll earn more soon enough.
Satisfied with the formation placement, I stood and dusted off my hands.
Then I activated a Rapid Growth Card, focusing its effect on this one mu of land containing the hidden section and regular jade spirit rice growing in front of it.
The soil trembled beneath my feet.
I watched with satisfaction as the jade spirit rice sprouted rapidly, stems shooting upward with visible speed.
They grew taller and taller, reaching nearly three feet in height within minutes forming a natural, thick screen that completely concealed the Vermilion Blood Rice saplings growing behind them.
The Vermilion Blood Rice had grown to about one foot tall now, their distinctive red-tinged leaves just visible if you knew where to look.
But with the jade spirit rice screen in front, no casual observer would ever notice them.
Perfect concealment.
Even if someone entered my field, they would see only normal jade spirit rice.
The valuable crop remained hidden, protected.
I surveyed the field one last time, checking every angle to make sure nothing looked suspicious or out of place.
The formation was buried and invisible. The Vermilion Blood Rice was completely hidden. The jade spirit rice looked natural and healthy.
Satisfied that everything was in order, I left quietly, disappearing back toward home beneath the deepening night.
The stars overhead seemed brighter than usual, and the moon illuminated my path with silver light.
One of the things that has been bothering me has been taken care of now. The field is prepared, the formation is active, and the Vermilion Blood Rice will grow properly.
Next... I need to focus on my own cultivation. Body cultivation can begin soon, once the rice matures. Qi cultivation needs to advance to the next layer. And soul cultivation...
I touched the pendant hidden beneath my robe, my mother's gift.
The Soul Cultivation technique is waiting. Once my spiritual sense is strong enough, I can begin that path as well.
Three cultivation paths. Body, Qi, and Soul. With the system's help and these resources, I can walk all three simultaneously. Something that should be impossible for someone with five-element roots.
A smile crossed my face as I walked through the quiet night.
The future is finally starting to look bright.
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