Chapter 48: Where Did You Buy Your Seeds?
Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Where Did You Buy Your Seeds?
The crisp and refreshing autumn air swept through the area. The foot of Purple Cloud Peak, which should have been filled with the fragrance of grain, was instead permeated with the smell of bare dirt. As the grain harvest day approached, the Spirit Plant Cultivators around the Ancient Dust Marketplace were on pins and needles.
Lan Ling had visited Chen Mo’s Spirit Field more than once, but despite trying every trick in the book, she hadn’t managed to get a single stalk of Spirit Rice from him. As for He Zhiping? He was constantly watching the field like a hawk. Had he not been terrified by that Flaming Palm strike, he probably would have tried to snatch the ripening rice ears from the two-acre Spirit Field right in front of Chen Mo. Ironically, Xiao Changhua—the strongest among them who had the most right to be arrogant—remained reclusive, bitterly cultivating day in and day out. He had never once visited Chen Mo’s Spirit Field, nor had he spoken a single word to him. Of course, there were a few other Spirit Plant Cultivators living nearby who occasionally came to harass Chen Mo, but he easily dealt with them all. After all, not just anyone could withstand a Great Success Realm Geng Metal Finger!
The rice ears in the Spirit Field grew denser by the day. After achieving a 100% Increased Production, the amount of grain on each stalk had literally doubled. Back when the Increased Production was only at 50%, it had still been manageable. It wasn’t overly noticeable. But now, with the yield doubled, it finally caught the attention of the other Spirit Plant Cultivators!
"Did you notice? There seems to be something strange about the Spirit Yellow Rice in that kid’s field!" The speaker was not Chen Mo’s immediate neighbor, but he didn’t live too far away, either. His name was Miao Chen, a cultivator at the Qi Refining Second Layer. He had become a Spirit Plant Cultivator at almost the same time as He Zhiping, and the two shared a close relationship. He Zhiping had initially asked Miao Chen to back him up during his confrontation with Chen Mo, but the outcome was self-evident. If the Marketplace didn’t strictly forbid Spirit Plant Cultivators from killing one another, he would have likely met his maker under the Geng Metal Finger long ago.
"Now that you mention it, something does seem off!" He Zhiping frowned, looking in Chen Mo’s direction. Having grown crops for so many years, he had never seen Spirit Yellow Rice with such plump and abundant ears!
Miao Chen thought for a moment. "Do you think he used a different kind of seed?"
He Zhiping pondered the possibility before nodding seriously. After thinking it over, they could only attribute the mutation of the rice to a difference in seeds. Otherwise, there was no logical way to explain why Chen Mo’s Spirit Rice yield was so exceptionally high.
"Fellow Daoist He, do you have any way to ask around?" Miao Chen asked, finding himself in a tough spot. He wanted to know where those seeds had been purchased, but considering they had just offended Chen Mo not long ago, asking him for a favor now was highly unrealistic.
He Zhiping wore a bitter expression. He knew his own strength was lacking, and if he marched over there rashly, he’d probably just be struck by another Geng Metal Finger.
"I’ll give it a try!" However, He Zhiping was unwilling to just give up. This year had brought a terrible disaster, resulting in a total crop failure for most. But the taxes and rent for the Spirit Fields still had to be paid. Even if they couldn’t afford it this year and went into debt, they would still have to pay it off the following year. At this rate, they wouldn’t be able to keep even a few pounds of Spirit Rice for themselves for the next two years!
But if they could boost their Spirit Rice yields, everything would turn around! They might only need a year to make up for their current losses. Therefore, the most urgent task was to find out from which grain station Chen Mo had bought his seeds.
He Zhiping thought long and hard. There seemed to be only one way.
He shamelessly returned to Lan Ling’s wooden cabin and knocked gently on the door. A weak, listless voice drifted out from inside.
"Fellow Daoist Lan, Fellow Daoist Lan, it’s me."
Upon hearing it was He Zhiping, Lan Ling instantly lost all interest.
"I have a way to make up for this year’s losses! I came specifically to tell you!"
At these words, Lan Ling, whose heart had been as dead as ash, suddenly felt a glimmer of hope ignite. She pushed the door open to see the two Spirit Plant Cultivators, He Zhiping and Miao Chen, standing at her doorway. "What way?" she asked.
"Come with us!" As he spoke, He Zhiping reached out to grab her hand, but Lan Ling stepped back to dodge his grasp.
Rebuffed, He Zhiping looked embarrassed but knew better than to force her. Scratching his head, he led the way toward Chen Mo’s Spirit Field.
"We’re going to see him? Do you think you’re his match?" Lan Ling’s tone dripped with disdain. She had gone to beg Chen Mo more than once, even willing to sell her body, but he remained completely unmoved. Because of this, she both loved and hated him!
"Yes and no." Lan Ling’s cabin wasn’t far from Chen Mo’s to begin with. He Zhiping stopped in his tracks, pointed at the Spirit Rice ahead, and said, "Look."
The fragrance of grain wafted through the air, and the stalks were heavily laden. Although it was only a two-acre Spirit Field, it presented a magnificent scene of a bumper harvest.
"Do you think he’ll just give it to us?" Lan Ling mocked.
"No, no, no. Look more closely," He Zhiping said, pointing at the rice ears. "Doesn’t it look like there’s more grain hanging on them than the Spirit Yellow Rice I’ve grown all these years?"
Lan Ling furrowed her brow slightly. After a careful inspection, she finally realized the anomaly!
"You’re right! Why is his yield so high?!"
"The seeds. We suspect it’s the seeds!" Miao Chen chimed in. "Fellow Daoist Lan, could you find out where he bought them? Next year, we’ll go buy them too. Once our yield goes up, we can pay off two years’ worth of taxes and rent in a single harvest!"
Hearing this, Lan Ling was immediately tempted. This might really be her only hope!
But would he tell her? She had shamelessly tried to warm up to Chen Mo time and time again, only to be met with a cold shoulder. Would he really reveal such a well-kept secret?
Seeing her hesitation, Miao Chen spoke up again, "With your beauty, Fellow Daoist Lan, as long as you’re willing to pay the price, is there any man you can’t win over?"
Lan Ling couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Beauty? Pay the price? Hadn’t she already paid the price? She didn’t know how many times she had stripped naked in front of him, yet he hadn’t even spared her a glance!
Even so, this was her only remaining hope, so she had to go! At the very least, unlike the two men standing beside her, Chen Mo had never raised a hand against her. That meant there was still a sliver of hope.
"I’ll give it a try."
As Lan Ling walked over, Chen Mo instantly grew vigilant. The three of them had been whispering in the distance. Even though he couldn’t hear their conversation, he knew they weren’t plotting anything good. The Spirit Yellow Rice in his field would be ripe in just a few days. He didn’t want any unexpected complications right now.
Watching Lan Ling draw closer, Chen Mo dispersed his Cultivation Technique, put away the now-dim Low Grade Spirit Stone, and stood up.
"Fellow... Fellow Daoist Chen." Lan Ling still wore a pitiful, delicate expression.
Chen Mo kept a cold face. "What is it?"
"I have a presumptuous request."
"If it’s presumptuous, then don’t ask."
"Ah." Choked by his words, Lan Ling was momentarily at a loss for how to continue. After a long moment, she snapped back to reality. Now was the time to get straight to the point! She pointed at the field and asked, "Why is Fellow Daoist Chen’s Spirit Rice yield so high?"
Here it comes! It had been exposed after all!
The thing Chen Mo had worried about the most had finally happened. The Spirit Field’s yield had increased, and the stalks were heavy with grain. If his crops were mixed within a vast expanse of thriving Spirit Fields, it might not have attracted much attention. But now, with the surrounding fields completely barren, his two acres of flourishing crops stood out so starkly that it was hard for anyone not to notice.
Seeing Chen Mo furrow his brow slightly, Lan Ling continued asking, "Fellow Daoist Chen, could you tell me where you bought your seeds?"
Seeds? Why seeds?
Suddenly, realization dawned on Chen Mo. They actually thought the seeds were the reason for the surge in production!
In an instant, his anxious heart settled, and he swallowed the excuse he had originally prepared.
Seeing him remain silent, Lan Ling sighed. She knew it. There was no way he would tell her!
She turned to leave, but right at that moment, Chen Mo’s voice sounded from behind her.
"Yi Er San Grain Station!"