For the next half month, the entire Mo clan lived as if sleepwalking, only just barely managing to digest all the earth-shattering good news.
Three cultivation quotas.A Hongwu Warship.A spirit island.
How could anyone in the Mo family stay calm? Every time those words flashed through their minds, their hearts still pounded wildly—was it really not a dream?
No matter what, the facts were right there.
Mo Que'er cultivated for half an hour every day. Her aura grew more noble and refined by the day—she looked exactly like a fairy descended from the heavens. The Mo clansmen almost couldn't recognize her anymore.
The enormous Hongwu Warship sat parked on the village threshing ground. One step outside and you could see it—realer than real.
As for the spirit island, they hadn't seen it yet, but the Mo family had already mobilized completely, selecting who would be sent to develop it. Even now, the Mo family—men, women, elders, and children all counted—only numbered three hundred and four people. Yet the spirit island was six kilometers across, larger than even Huaxi Village. Even if the entire clan went, it still wouldn't be enough manpower.
Though the Kong family would strongly support them, this was the Mo family's precious spirit island—the foundation of their future. How could they not pour their hearts into it?
Mo Xuan's elder brother, Mo Zhu, was appointed captain of the island-reclamation force. Mo Zhu had farmed for years, experienced and steady, and he was core Mo family—perfect to represent the clan in stationing on the island.
They selected most of the Mo family's young men, plus several reliable elder uncles. This formed the Mo family's First Reclamation Brigade: sixty-six men. Still far too few.
So the Mo family activated every connection they had. The capable young men from the families their daughters had married into were recruited in bulk, forming the Second Brigade—three hundred strong.
The Mo family's steel workshop worked overtime, producing large quantities of fine farming tools.
At last, the day of departure arrived.
Mo Shi led the clan in burning incense and praying for safe and smooth reclamation.
Firecrackers crackled in a long string. Children shrieked and swarmed. The entire Huaxi Village brimmed with celebration.
The Mo family's sturdy lads herded cattle and sheep, carried their bundles, and boarded the Hongwu Warship in batches via huge paper spirit barges. The Second Brigade followed behind, carrying supplies. Everything ran in orderly fashion.
At the auspicious hour, the Hongwu Warship shot into the sky!
Xiao Tong piloted the warship toward Spirit Island Qianzao 03975. With nothing urgent to do, Mo Xuan contacted Master Kong.
Master Kong's side had also departed. He had borrowed a transport vessel from a close immortal friend and loaded four hundred sturdy youths—Kong family men in their prime.
Mo Xuan could only sigh: the Mo family was still too small.
At first, the passengers aboard the Hongwu Warship sat stiffly, uneasy, worried that such a giant machine would shake violently once airborne. Yet after a long while, nothing happened.
Why hadn't they even taken off?
What? They had already been flying for a long time—yet no one felt anything at all. It was no different from standing on solid ground.
And so, the passengers began wandering the cabin freely, eyes wide with wonder.
A "flying ship," just like in legends!Everything inside was unfamiliar and fascinating.It was even bigger inside than outside—absurdly so.What were those glowing panels overhead?Was the Immortal Grandpa steering it from that giant sphere in the center?
Half an hour later, the Hongwu Warship reached the sea.
Beneath them, the ocean was a deep, brilliant blue. Islands of lush green dotted the waters, wrapped in thin mist, appearing and vanishing like dreams—some dozens of kilometers wide, some only a few hundred meters.
Soon, the warship arrived above Spirit Island Qianzao 03975.
Mo Xuan examined the island itself. It was oval-shaped. Dense trees lined the shore; flocks of birds wheeled through the air. To the east lay a small freshwater lake. To the west rose a verdant little mountain. The south was thick with shrubs. And at the island's center stretched a broad, open plain—perfect for reclaiming spirit fields.
Mo Xuan nodded in satisfaction.
A spirit island takes over a century to fully form. During that time it isn't suitable for reclamation, which was why flora and fauna had time to flourish into such vibrant abundance.
The island Mo Xuan chose wasn't fully complete yet, but it was close enough. Reclamation could begin.
Xiao Tong activated the Hongwu Warship's powerful radar to scan the entire island. In moments, a three-dimensional model appeared before Mo Xuan's eyes.
"Oh? Not bad." Mo Xuan stroked his chin.
On the model were three distinct whirlpool-like marks—spirit wells, the places where the island's spiritual energy was most concentrated.
Most spirit islands only had one or two. This modest island had three. That meant its spiritual energy was exceptionally abundant. Even the seabed "foundation" was sizeable; once fully formed, the island's diameter would likely exceed seven kilometers.
Mo Xuan had truly picked a treasure.
Xiao Tong refined the analysis further. The 3D map gained color gradations—an energy-density distribution chart.
A large portion was deep red: land that could be reclaimed into Grade-A spirit fields. The ratio was far beyond one-tenth—it exceeded three-tenths. The lighter red areas would yield Grade-B spirit fields.
This was only possible because Mo Xuan had a Hongwu Warship with a radar system so powerful. Otherwise, he would have needed to land and slowly infer field quality from wild spirit plants, and even then, the true field grade would only become clear after a harvest.
Mo Xuan zoomed in. Within the deepest red, he discovered a small patch glowing faint gold.
"Haha!" Mo Xuan laughed.
That patch, once reclaimed, would produce Earth-grade spirit fields—at least a hundred mu in scale.
He had struck gold.
Immortal Gardens and Immortal Realms cultivated Earth-grade spirit fields by default, but a normal Immortal Garden might only have twenty or thirty mu. This island alone had over a hundred—meaning Mo Xuan could enjoy the benefits of a super-sized Immortal Garden long before he ever built one.
Mo Xuan enlarged the map for the passengers to see.
Reclamation would begin from the best zones first. The Earth-grade section must remain fully under the Mo clan's direct control—no debate.
Next, Mo Xuan ordered the warship's walls to become transparent, allowing everyone to compare the real island with the 3D map beneath their feet.
Gasps erupted.
It matched perfectly. Exactly like the model.
Mo Xuan then sent the map to Master Kong via the jade disk. He split the island: half for the Kong family—some Grade-A, mostly Grade-B. The Mo family's half was clearly superior.
Kong Jian accepted cheerfully. Even Grade-B spirit fields were precious. Back in the village, the Mo family's entire holdings had been only thirty mu. This was a blessing falling from the sky.
The Kong family vessel was still a quarter-hour away.
Mo Xuan began issuing orders.
First Brigade: reclaim the entire Earth-grade section today. It must be finished before nightfall.
Second Brigade: build enough grass shelters for resting, then begin logging trees. In lower-energy zones, construct wooden houses.
A thunderous chorus of assent.
Mo Xuan flew out of the Hongwu Warship, poured immortal essence into the island token, and shot it upward.
A transparent dome appeared over the island. The token adhered to it, flashing several times. The dome then gradually faded away.
Mo Xuan drew the token back into his hand and returned to the warship, steering it down to the island's central plain.
Both reclamation brigades poured out and immediately began working.
Faster! Faster! Every moment counted!
Mo Xuan himself didn't rest. He rose into the sky and began laying down array after array. It was exhausting work; sweat gathered on his brow.
When Kong Jian arrived in the transport vessel, his people began organizing reclamation with striking efficiency—far smoother than the initially hectic Mo side.
The Mo clan wasn't stupid. They watched and copied. Soon both groups worked with vigor and rhythm, shouts echoing across the island.
The trees on the island had grown for nearly a century—thick, hard, stubborn. Ordinary blades struggled, and after too much cutting, edges curled and dulled. The Kong side gradually slowed.
The Mo side, however, chopped with astonishing speed.
Their hatchets and blades went ka-cha, ka-cha—as easy as splitting firewood. The Mo youths laughed proudly.
"Que'er's tools are insane!"
Kong Jian went to help Mo Xuan set arrays. Watching Mo Xuan stack one formation after another, he asked in confusion, "Xuan'er, why are you setting up so many arrays?"
Mo Xuan blinked. "Safety first."
Then he explained: most of them were recommended by Elder Li, "just in case."
Kong Jian could only shake his head. He suspected Mo Xuan had been talked into overpreparing—perhaps even tricked.
With immortals controlling weather in the region, the seas were calm. Sea beasts hid in deep waters and didn't dare surface. What real danger was there?
Still, more arrays did help gather spiritual energy, so it wasn't entirely wasteful.
Mo Xuan worked for a full three hours before finally finishing twelve full sets of arrays. He was exhausted; nearly one-third of his immortal essence was gone. He'd need months to recover properly.
Kong Jian sighed inwardly. Twelve sets was absurd. His own rented spirit island had only two. And in all these years, nothing had ever happened.
Mo Xuan wiped his sweat and descended with Kong Jian to the newly reclaimed fields, nodding in satisfaction.
Kong Jian's spirit eyes swept the land. This entire stretch was Earth-grade spirit fields.
He nodded as well.
Not bad.
On the Kong family's island, Earth-grade fields totaled only five mu. Was he jealous?
Not really. Kong Jian's Immortal Realm contained two to three thousand mu of Earth-grade fields. If anything, it was Mo Xuan who should be envious.
Mo Xuan distributed Elder Li's recommended Earth Dragon Fruit seedlings and instructed the Mo clan to transplant them carefully.
"Earth Dragon Fruit… and seedlings?" Kong Jian raised an eyebrow.
Seedlings cost far more than seeds. Mo Xuan had probably been made into a sucker.
Still, seedlings did grow faster and yield sooner.
Kong Jian didn't want to badmouth Elder Li. He simply offered a gentle reminder: the academy exchange hall was best used for rare items that didn't circulate widely on the market. Anything commonly tradable should be bartered elsewhere—often much cheaper than spending points.
Only then did Mo Xuan realize the truth.
He had been scammed.
That old fox Elder Li definitely held a grudge because Mo Xuan had surrendered the Little Sun instead of trading it. That was why he'd "helpfully" guided him into buying so much.
Mo Xuan's twelve万八千 points—reduced to single digits.
Mo Xuan forced a bitter smile.
I brought you wine every time, and you trick me like this?
Fine. Next time you get no wine.
But since he'd already bought everything, he might as well use it.
Mo Xuan had no clear plan, so he asked Master Kong for advice. Even Kong Jian was stunned at the sheer quantity Mo Xuan had purchased.
Twelve万八千 points!
He wanted to say: Kid, you're insanely wasteful—do you think points grow on trees?
In the end, Kong Jian could only help him plan.
First, they found a crescent-shaped bay. They set up four spirit nets, enclosing a massive marine breeding zone. All two thousand spirit ribbonfish were released inside.
They would need to be fed huge amounts of spirit grain daily—a terrifying ongoing expense.
Next came the small freshwater lake.
The silt at its bottom was rich and fertile. With a bit of work, the entire lakebed could become excellent Grade-A spirit fields. Keeping it as a fishpond would be a waste.
So what to do?
Simple.
Mo Xuan took the crystal orb he had obtained at the trading meet—the Crystal Cover—and tossed it into the lake.
Instantly, the lake's water was collected into the cover, swallowed whole.
Then they located a low-energy depression elsewhere, reinforced the underground foundation, poured the lake water into it, and stocked it with three hundred spirit carp fry.
Because so many fish fry were now stored in the beast pouch, Xiao Ba's living space shrank dramatically. Most of the time, it stayed inside the Hongwu Warship, playing with Xiao Tong—though Xiao Tong rarely paid it any attention.
Xiao Ba, however, was delighted.
Compared to the tyrannical One-Stripe, Xiao Ba found Xiao Tong utterly lovable—and clung to her tirelessly.