Chapter 21: Seed Prices Have Gone Up!
Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Seed Prices Have Gone Up!
Wrapped in the padded cotton coat he had brought from the mortal world, Chen Mo pushed a full cart of grain into the Marketplace. Over a month had passed since the harvest season, leaving the area looking a bit deserted.
However, Spirit Plant Cultivators and the Marketplace existed in two entirely different spheres; their connection was virtually nonexistent. After all, how much money could a Spirit Plant Cultivator possibly have? How much Spiritual Sand or Spirit Stones could they afford to spend?
The popularity of this place relied on the Loose Cultivators who lived by the sword and constantly put their lives on the line. In this day and age, whether it was killing people or slaying demons, which of those didn’t earn more than farming or mining? It was just that these Loose Cultivators couldn’t even be bothered to rob the meager bits of Spiritual Sand from the hands of Spirit Plant Cultivators.
Pushing his cart of grain, Chen Mo navigated through the relatively bustling Marketplace district. Occasionally, a few stall owners cast surprised glances his way, wondering why he was only coming to sell his grain now. Ultimately, they didn’t care too much.
Soon, Chen Mo arrived at Niu’s Shop. The Guard at the door announced his arrival. Then, amidst the guard’s disdainful looks and remarks, he was led through the back door into the backyard.
He knew well that the status of a Spirit Plant Cultivator was incredibly low. It was so low that anyone could trample on them, save for the Miners in the Black Mine Pit.
Chen Mo paid no mind to their stares. He understood clearly that no matter which world he was in—whether in a game or reality—strength was the only thing that mattered! All the idle gossip and cynical remarks would be ruthlessly shut down in the face of absolute power. What he needed to do now was to continuously cultivate bitterly so he could gain the strength to slap them all in the face!
After a short wait, Wei Wuwei emerged, dressed in a Carved Robe. Upon seeing Chen Mo, he looked slightly surprised before offering a faint smile. "I thought you weren’t coming."
"When I came to sell grain last year, I ran into Tribulation Cultivators on the road. I figured I’d come a bit later this year to avoid running into them again," Chen Mo replied. He had prepared this excuse long ago, and it was entirely justifiable.
"Tribulation Cultivators?" Wei Wuwei frowned. "There are Tribulation Cultivators who dare to operate around the Ancient Dust Marketplace?"
"You didn’t know, Boss Wei?" Chen Mo asked. Wei Wuwei’s expression didn’t seem faked, but wasn’t it an obvious fact that Tribulation Cultivators lurked around the Marketplace?
"Where are they? I’d like to see who dares to act so brazenly in the Ancient Dust Marketplace!" Wei Wuwei declared indignantly.
But how would Chen Mo know where they were? He shook his head and said, "If they don’t jump out at me, I wouldn’t know where they are either."
"In that case, if you can provide any clues, I’ll reward you with ten taels of Spiritual Sand per head."
"Thank you, Boss Wei!"
Ten taels of Spiritual Sand was not a small sum for a Spirit Plant Cultivator, but for Niu’s Shop, it was no different from dismissing a beggar. Even the current Chen Mo somewhat looked down on it!
"How much grain did you harvest this time?" With the matter of the Tribulation Cultivators set aside, Wei Wuwei shifted his gaze to Chen Mo’s wooden cart. Six bags were stacked on it. Barring any surprises, this kid had reaped another massive haul this year!
"Over six hundred catties. I haven’t weighed the exact amount yet."
Wei Wuwei snapped his fingers. Soon, two shop assistants stepped forward to help weigh the bags, then leaned in and whispered the number into the Steward’s ear.
"Six hundred and forty-two catties. It seems you made the right bet last year!"
"Thanks to the blessings of the Celestial Dao," Chen Mo replied with a smile.
Wei Wuwei nodded. "I’ll deduct one hundred catties for rent and fifty catties for the seeds. That leaves you with a round five hundred catties. How do you want to trade them?"
"Are you still taking them at a ten-to-one ratio?"
"Spirit Yellow Rice has always been at this price. As long as Niu’s Shop is open for a single day, we won’t mistreat you Spirit Plant Cultivators."
The price was actually quite fair. It was certainly better than the Yi Er San Grain Station, which also took it at a ten-to-one ratio but required verbal commitments! Of course, Chen Mo now knew that the Pavilion Master was the true backer behind Niu’s Shop. Naturally, reputation was of the utmost importance to them. After all, when all was said and done, Spirit Plant Cultivators were practically his private "assets."
"Then I’ll have to trouble you, Boss Wei. I’ll take ten Fasting Pills, forty-two taels of Spiritual Sand, and keep the rest to exchange for seeds."
"Exchange eighty catties of grain for one catty and six taels of seeds?" Wei Wuwei suddenly frowned slightly.
"Yes."
"I can’t make that exchange."
"Why? Hasn’t it always been this price before?" Chen Mo retorted, though he was inwardly cursing.
"The price of seeds has gone up. You have no idea how troublesome Breeding is. Just cultivating them through Qi Crossing takes an enormous amount of effort," Wei Wuwei explained.
"Qi Crossing?" Chen Mo’s interest was piqued. As for the matter of the seed price increasing, he temporarily tossed it to the side.
"You want to know?" Wei Wuwei asked, narrowing his eyes.
"I’ve been planting grain for two years now, so I really am curious about where the seeds come from. Why can’t the grain we harvest sprout any seedlings?"
"In that case, I’ll explain a bit more," Wei Wuwei said, clearly doing this on purpose. "Spirit Rice is unique precisely because it contains the purest Spiritual Qi in the world. However, it is exactly this pure Spiritual Qi that suppresses the innate vitality of the Spirit Rice. It makes it incredibly difficult for the grain to break through its shackles and nurture new life.
"As for Qi Crossing Magic, it originally evolved from the grafting methods of the Demon Dao. After being improved by generations of Spirit Plant Cultivators, it transformed into the current Qi Crossing Magic. It can temporarily seal the Spiritual Qi within the Spirit Plants. Once the vitality inside the seed emerges, the Qi is crossed back into it, turning it into a Spirit Seed. This Magic itself consumes a massive amount of energy, and its success rate is extremely low!"
Chen Mo listened intently; he really hadn’t heard of these theories before. He nodded frequently as the other man spoke with assurance.
If that was truly the case, then Qi Crossing Magic was fundamentally used for Breeding, and his Talent simply increased its success rate.
"Senior, what is this success rate you mentioned?"
"Thirty catties of Spirit Yellow Rice can produce one catty of Spirit Yellow Rice Seed."
Chen Mo couldn’t help but frown. A thirty-to-one ratio meant that one catty and six taels of rice seeds required almost fifty catties of grain to produce! Factoring in the processing fees, eighty catties was actually a very reasonable price.
"What, do you think it’s simple? Producing one catty from thirty requires cultivating the Qi Crossing Technique to Mastery. A cultivator in the Proficient Realm would generally consume around fifty catties," Wei Wuwei explained further.
"Then, Senior, what is the current price for seeds?"
"This year, it has gone up to one hundred catties of grain for one catty of seeds. For one catty and six taels, I’ll give you a discount and charge you one hundred and fifty catties."
"Boss Wei..."
On the surface, Chen Mo looked somewhat troubled, but in his head, he was cursing the man’s entire bloodline. It was obvious that Niu’s Shop was simply hiking up the prices because the Spirit Plant Cultivators had enjoyed two consecutive years of good harvests.
The reason they didn’t tamper with the grain purchasing price was out of fear that the Spirit Plant Cultivators would sell their Spirit Rice to other grain stations. After all, theirs wasn’t the only shop in the entire Marketplace.
But seeds were a different story. They were the only ones who could stably produce seeds. Chen Mo speculated that it wasn’t that other grain stations couldn’t breed them, but rather that they were intimidated by the Pavilion Master’s tyranny!
"Is it this price for other Spirit Plant Cultivators as well?" Chen Mo asked cautiously.
"It is!"
"Alright then. I’ll exchange the rest for thirty-five taels of Spiritual Sand."
Wei Wuwei smiled and nodded. "Fellow Daoist Chen, please wait a moment."
Just as the man turned to leave, Chen Mo suddenly asked, "That Qi Crossing Technique—can I cultivate it?"