Chapter 358: The Ownership of Red Leaf Valley
Upon entering the management office, Jiang Chen found it bustling with people, nearly all of them Spirit Farmers.
They were all clustered around the mission board, their eyes glued to the listings as if waiting for some grand announcement.
Seeing the commotion, Jiang Chen decided to postpone his meeting with Elder Mu and drifted closer, his curiosity piqued.
“Every single new task is for Yang-aspected herbs!”
“Why the sudden explosion in demand?”
“Dammit! Lin An bought out my entire stock of Yang herbs a while back!”
“Is it even worth planting them now? Will they mature in time?”
The buying had started a few days ago, but it had been a trickle, nothing like this sudden, urgent flood. The wall of new requests left the crowd stunned and utterly unprepared.
Before this, very few Spirit Farmers had bothered cultivating Yang-aspected herbs. The smart money, it seemed, had started quietly buying up stock nearly half a year ago, long before the formal disciple competition. Now, the existing supply was all but gone.
Only now did the reality of the situation dawn on the assembled farmers. The expressions on many faces turned grim; they were the unlucky ones who had sold their stock early for a pittance.Jiang Chen took it all in, a familiar cynicism hardening his thoughts. *As expected. With news of the Return to Ruins Secret Realm spreading, the demand for anything Yang-aspected was bound to explode. Still… it’s not time to make my move. I’ll wait.*
Having confirmed his suspicions, he turned and walked away from the crowd without a second glance.
He soon found Elder Mu and offered a respectful salute. “Manager!”
Elder Mu beamed at him. “Little Jiang, what are the results of your survey?”
Although Jiang Chen had been enjoying his time off, he had tasked the junior brothers he’d brought into the core farms, like Xu Linshan, with gathering the data. He reported immediately, “Within our Spirit Farms, less than 30% are willing to participate in the expedition to the Return to Ruins Secret Realm. The list includes…”
Elder Mu listened, nodding slightly, a look of deep satisfaction on his face. “It seems our people are more passionate about farming!”
Jiang Chen offered a thin smile. “Manager, there is one other matter to report.”
A flicker of curiosity appeared in the old man’s eyes. “Oh? What is it?”
Jiang Chen saw no reason to be coy or hide his achievements. “I paid a visit to Mystic Heart City and participated in the Thousand Sails Event. I happened to take first place, which awarded me a Water Spirit Source Crystal. As a result, I Awakened a Water Spirit Root.”
The casual bombshell made Elder Mu’s eyes widen slightly. “You… you actually Awakened a Water Spirit Root?”
Water nourishes Wood. For a cultivator with a Wood Spirit Root, this was a significant development, as it would amplify his spiritual power, the potency of his techniques, and his overall cultivation speed.
Besides, paying someone else to cast a Minor Rain Spell was expensive.
Jiang Chen remained perfectly composed, showing no hint of pride or excitement, only a calm smile. “I owe it all to Senior Brother Long Ao, the core disciple from Beast Mountain. Without his assistance, I never would have secured first place, let alone Awakened a Water Spirit Root.”
Elder Mu nodded slowly, accepting the explanation. “This was your fortune, your Fated Chance. In that case, I assume you’ve come to me to exchange for a Water-aspected cultivation technique?”
“I’ll give you a token,” Elder Mu said instead. “Take it to the Rain Pavilion.”
Jiang Chen was taken aback. “I have to go to the Rain Pavilion?”
“Did you think this was one of the Immortal Peaks?” Elder Mu stated matter-of-factly. “These five regions are the foundation of the sect, each specializing in a different element. Here in the Spirit Farms, you can only exchange for Wood-aspected techniques and spells.”
This was the way of things throughout the Azure Realm.
Control over cultivation techniques and spells was terrifyingly strict. Any manuals that found their way into the outside world were either woefully incomplete or of the lowest possible grade. The complete versions were guarded jealously by the immortal sects, powerful clans, and other major factions.
A moment later, Elder Mu handed Jiang Chen a token. Its design was foreign to the Spirit Farms, clearly belonging to the Rain Pavilion.
The token, cool to the touch, was crafted from a single piece of dark cyan jade that felt surprisingly warm and smooth in his palm. It was shaped like an irregular oval, resembling half a seashell. Its surface was free of complex ornamentation, bearing only three intertwined ripples carved into its face.
The first was the gentle lapping of a calm shore.
The second, the churning fury of a rushing river.
And the third, the inescapable pull of a deep-sea maelstrom.
The three patterns flowed into one another, a subtle current of spiritual power circulating within the carving. On the reverse, the character for “Water” was traced in fine Mystic Iron Sand.
“Present this token,” Elder Mu instructed, “and you can exchange it for any one cultivation technique or spell from the Rain Pavilion, regardless of its tier.”
Jiang Chen’s eyes lit up. He quickly bowed again. “Thank you, Manager!”
Just then, Elder Mu seemed to remember something else. “Ah, one more thing. When you have a moment, you should head over to Red Leaf Valley and pick out a spot to build your new home.”
Jiang Chen’s eyes widened in disbelief. “It’s already been decided? It’s mine?”
“Your early warning about the disaster saved the Spirit Farms from catastrophic losses,” Elder Mu explained. “More importantly, you helped The Zhao Clan resolve their crisis. It’s only natural they wouldn’t want to compete with you for the ownership of Red Leaf Valley. The Wang Clan’s withdrawal, however, was a surprise even to me.”
With the Thousand Sects Dharma Assembly approaching, all the market stalls in Red Leaf Valley were being relocated to the newly restored Flower Sea—a larger, more scenic location that could accommodate the coming crowds.
Once Red Leaf Valley was empty, three powers had been expected to vie for control. The first was the Spirit Farms’ most powerful family, The Zhao Clan. The second was the number two family, The Wang Clan. The third faction—which could be considered either a group or a single individual—was Jiang Chen himself.
But now, with autumn just beginning, both The Zhao Clan and The Wang Clan had unexpectedly withdrawn their claims, granting Jiang Chen ownership of the valley far ahead of schedule. He could, in theory, move in immediately.
Jiang Chen narrowed his eyes, his mind already calculating the logistics. “My new spirit plants have just taken root. I can’t leave them now. A move will have to wait for winter, or perhaps during the New Year’s festival.”
Elder Mu waved a dismissive hand. “The timing is up to you. Just let me know once you’ve chosen a location. I’ll pull some strings and have your Spirit Farm plots transferred over.”
Jiang Chen offered another deep bow. “Thank you, Manager. I’ll be on my way!”
He had just reached the palace gates when he felt a vibration from his Jade Green Gourd.
He didn’t even need to guess. It had to be Jin Fugui’s Communication Talisman.
He pulled it out. Sure enough.
He sent a quick reply: “I’m at the management office. I’ll be back soon.”
The response was instantaneous. “In that case, don’t head straight back. Swing by the Red Leaf Valley market and grab some real food. I’m going to be sick if I have to eat noodles for one more day!”
Jiang Chen let out a wry chuckle. Of course, the man was looking for a free meal. But it didn’t matter. This was the perfect excuse to check out the Red Leaf Valley market and see the state of things for himself.