The Eternal Farmer: I Trade My Harvest for Immortality

Chapter 482: Senior Sister’s Reminder!

Noting the precise timing, Jiang Chen surmised this sudden contact was related to the impending three-thousand-year banquet of the Luo River Bei Clan.

He harbored zero interest in the affair, but as Eldest Senior Sister had initiated the call, ignoring it would be highly impolitic. He channeled a sliver of Magic Power into the talisman, bridging the connection.

“Eldest Senior Sister.”

“When did you return to the sect?”

“A few days ago.”

“Regarding the banquet… it is not that I wished to exclude you, but rather…”

“It is of no consequence, Senior Sister. I have little inclination for social gatherings.”

“Never mind. We will discuss this in person.”

Gazing at the Communication Talisman as its spiritual luster faded to dull jade, Jiang Chen blinked. I genuinely have no desire to attend.

Whatever political undercurrents were churning within her clan, he frankly did not care about the so-called Luo River Bei Clan, let alone their anniversary.

A three-thousand-year mortal lineage is entirely insignificant when compared to a ten-thousand-year-old immortal Sect.

The upcoming Thousand Sects Dharma Assembly is a far more lucrative variable.

Jiang Chen had already formulated his plans. In the interim before the assembly commenced, he would privately refine pills and forge artifacts. Once the influx of foreign disciples saturated the local economy, he would liquidate his stockpiled inventory.

I am not looking to monopolize the market; I simply need to optimize my storage capacity and secure liquid capital.

However, just as he prepared to alter his trajectory, two familiar figures intercepted his path.

Tie Zhu and Li Xianglin.

Tie Zhu’s eyes brightened. “Senior Brother Jiang! Why didn’t you send word that you were coming down to visit?”

Jiang Chen seamlessly fabricated an excuse. “I intended it to be a surprise.”

Tie Zhu looked visibly moved. “Come, let us head down and converse properly.”

The prospect of returning to the subterranean depths immediately repulsed Jiang Chen. He swiftly raised a hand. “There is no need; the surface air is preferable. I noted a lack of updates from you recently. Have you encountered an obstacle?”

Tie Zhu and Li Xianglin exchanged a tense glance before nodding. “There is indeed a matter, and we were hoping to request your assistance.”

Unlike his former self, Jiang Chen’s demeanor was entirely unshakeable. He merely tilted his chin. “Speak.”

Tie Zhu offered a heavy sigh. “Previously, to secure the resources for my Foundation Establishment, Xianglin leveraged numerous favors. Consequently, we accrued a substantial debt in Spirit Stones.”

“Standard sect commissions yield insufficient capital to clear the principal. Therefore, we intend to pivot into alchemy.”

Jiang Chen instantly grasped the situation. “You lack the raw materials for pill synthesis.”

Tie Zhu offered a helpless nod. “Procuring materials through official logistics chains is beyond our current financial capacity. Liquidating all our assets would still leave a deficit.”

“We theorized a joint venture with an established Spirit Farmer. We would defer the upfront cost of materials and distribute dividends only after the final product is successfully refined and auctioned.”

Jiang Chen arched a single brow. “You are proposing to leverage someone else’s capital for zero initial investment.”

Their proposed partner would shoulder one hundred percent of the initial risk without a single Spirit Stone of guaranteed compensation.

Furthermore, Li Xianglin’s alchemical proficiency is an unknown variable. The failure rate could be catastrophic.

A string of failed refinements would result in a total loss of the botanical investment.

Painstakingly cultivated spiritual herbs would be reduced to worthless ash.

Tie Zhu opened his mouth, but the stark logic of the statement rendered him speechless.

This exact flaw in their business model was precisely why no Spirit Farmer had accepted their terms.

Jiang Chen pondered for a moment before offering a pragmatic solution. “Instead of attempting to exploit a stranger, you should approach Senior Brother Chen. Request that he allocate a single mu of his Spirit Farm to run a limited trial.”

Under the current market conditions, securing an external contractor was a statistical impossibility.

Utilizing a familial connection mitigated the risk; even a total operational failure was unlikely to result in a lethal reprisal.

Li Xianglin’s cousin, Chen Bo, had recently attained Foundation Establishment Perfection and currently managed five mu of second-grade Spirit Farm.

Li Xianglin smiled awkwardly. “We proposed the idea to him, and he… severely reprimanded us.”

Jiang Chen felt no surprise at this outcome. “I would have done the same. The asymmetrical risk you are asking someone to absorb is fundamentally absurd.”

Tie Zhu rubbed the back of his neck. “It seems we must return to manual excavation.”

Subterranean mining remained a highly profitable endeavor. Striking a rare mineral vein could instantly clear their debts.

The issue lay in the brutal laws of probability; relying on geological anomalies was far less stable than mastering a technical trade like alchemy.

Jiang Chen considered the variables. “Provide me with the specific pill formula. I will discreetly inquire if any contacts are currently cultivating the requisite flora.”

Li Xianglin immediately straightened. “The Body Tempering Pill!”

The couple had clearly conducted extensive market research.

The current economic demand for this specific medicinal compound was at a premium.

Firstly, Earth Spirit Root disciples required massive quantities of the pill to reinforce their skeletal structure against subterranean pressure, particularly those transitioning into dedicated body cultivators.

Secondly, Loose Cultivators engaged in frequent, brutal combat with demonic beasts, necessitating enhanced physical resilience. The pill was a highly liquid asset in rogue markets.

Jiang Chen mentally cross-referenced the formula. “The reagent list requires Blue Vein Grass, Red Iron Powder, Spirit Spring Water, and Demon Blood. It is entirely logical that your funds are insufficient.”

The baseline botanical and mineral components were affordable; the prohibitive bottleneck was the biological catalyst—the Demon Blood.

Furthermore, the market value scaled exponentially with the cultivation base of the harvested beast.

Li Xianglin stared at him in genuine shock. “Senior Brother Jiang, you manage a Spirit Farm. How do you possess such encyclopedic knowledge of alchemical reagents?”

Jiang Chen maintained an impassive expression. “I spend a considerable amount of time analyzing market data and alchemical texts.”

Tie Zhu nodded vigorously, misinterpreting the deflection. “I remember perfectly. Senior Brother has always loved spending his time buried in reading.”

Jiang Chen waved a hand, dismissing the praise. “I will make inquiries regarding the Blue Vein Grass, but I cannot guarantee a favorable outcome. I strongly advise you to formulate a contingency plan.”

With that, he adjusted his course and swiftly departed the sector.

Tie Zhu and Li Xianglin shared a long look, the heavy weight of financial uncertainty clouding their eyes.

…

…

Red Leaf Valley.

Thanks to the localized syndicate established by Miao Huayu, Xu Linshan, and the others, Jiang Chen was spared the inefficiency of door-to-door inquiries; consulting a single proxy was sufficient.

After a brief exchange with Miao Huayu, he confirmed that several Spirit Farmers within their coalition were cultivating Blue Vein Grass in high-yield batches.

The crop’s popularity stemmed from its gentle medicinal properties, highly stable Spirit Qi, and its utility as a neutralizing agent against energetic volatility.

Beyond the Body Tempering Pill, it served as a foundational binder for both Spirit Replenishing Pills and Mind-Calming Pills.

High market demand invariably dictated agricultural supply.

The recent surge in sect activity had prompted many to convert their fields to this specific crop.

Whether any of these cultivators would accept Tie Zhu’s high-risk profit-sharing model remained to be seen.

Truthfully, the success of their venture is irrelevant to me. Their fundamental business strategy is structurally flawed.

Categorizing the task as complete, he redirected his attention to his own projects.

As the ambient light shifted to evening dusk, Eldest Senior Sister Bei Qingtang descended into the valley.

Jiang Chen promptly escorted her into his courtyard, meticulously preparing a pot of premium spiritual tea.

Bei Qingtang observed her Junior Brother in silence for a long moment before finally speaking. “In truth, the primary reason I omitted your invitation is that your current political standing is incredibly awkward. It is optimal that you do not attend.”

Jiang Chen paused, teacup in hand. “My standing is awkward?”

Bei Qingtang nodded. “You have reached the late Foundation Establishment stage. You are the sole Spirit Nurturing Envoy overseeing the Spirit Farm. Simultaneously, you hold the rank of a core disciple of Green Wood Peak. You possess an excess of overlapping titles.”

Jiang Chen’s logical framework failed to connect the variables. “But how does my sect classification correlate with a private clan banquet?”

Bei Qingtang sighed. “It is a matter of protocol. Standard Foundation Establishment disciples lack the prestige to receive an invitation.”

“Your title as Spirit Nurturing Envoy provides the necessary clearance, but that role mandates you remain tethered to the Spirit Farm.”

“As a Green Wood Peak core disciple, you have the requisite status, but you deliberately isolate yourself with administrative labor.”

The Luo River Bei Clan boasted three millennia of unbroken heritage; this assembly was not a casual gathering, but a monumental display of geopolitical power.

The guest list would be exceptionally exclusive.

It would feature core disciples from various immortal Sects and personal disciples from elite martial factions.

It would also serve as a summit for the upper echelons of numerous Cultivation families and independent hegemonies.

Jiang Chen’s existence, however, was a paradoxical contradiction.

He held the supreme martial status of a Green Wood Peak core disciple, yet actively chose the agrarian obscurity of the Spirit Farm.

This incongruity meant that introducing him into that hyper-political environment would cause friction; thus, she had ultimately elected to strike his name from the registry.

The data finally aligned in Jiang Chen’s mind, and a dry smile touched his lips. “Senior Sister, there was no need for such meticulous risk assessment. As I stated previously, I never harbored any intention of attending the gathering.”

Bei Qingtang looked genuinely startled. “That contradicts Bei Qinghui’s report.”

Her younger sister had aggressively hailed her via Communication Talisman days prior.

She had claimed that Jiang Chen was deeply insulted by the perceived slight of being excluded.

Defusing that supposed slight was the primary reason she had abandoned her administrative duties to visit his secluded valley.

Hearing the discrepancy, Jiang Chen immediately identified the source of the communication error. “I was en route to an Earth Vein operation when she intercepted my path. She interrogated me regarding my attendance…”

As he outlined the brief exchange, Bei Qingtang’s expression cooled into a severe mask. “That wretched girl dared to fabricate a report to manipulate me.”

Jiang Chen easily saw through the younger girl’s clumsy maneuvering and smiled faintly. “Her intent was merely to act as a bridge.”

With the diplomatic crisis averted, Bei Qingtang rose to her feet. However, before crossing the threshold, she cast a heavy look over her shoulder. “Sixth Junior Brother, heed my words. You occupy too many seats of power simultaneously.”

Watching Eldest Senior Sister disappear into the twilight, Jiang Chen systematically analyzed her parting statement. Is someone within the Green Wood Peak hierarchy actively mobilizing against me?

He recalled Elder mu’s previous, cryptic lecture regarding the perilous intersection of cultivation realms, political status, and unearned authority.

The pattern is undeniable.

His monopoly on both the core disciple privileges and the supreme authority of the Spirit Nurturing Envoy was creating a logistical bottleneck for rival factions.

While he had yet to encounter direct sabotage, entities as connected as Elder mu and Eldest Senior Sister were clearly intercepting hostile chatter in the upper echelons.

Their synchronized warnings mathematically guaranteed that an operational strike against him was imminent.

Jiang Chen inhaled a slow, measured breath. I must optimize my defensive protocols and minimize my threat signature.

Within the political ecosystem of Green Wood Peak, his Master technically held the supreme executive title of “Peak Master.”

However, power was heavily decentralized among the Deputy Peak Masters and a council of entrenched Elders.

Sharing an affinity for Wood Spirit Qi did not equate to unified operational objectives.

The factional webs and ancient alliances were a labyrinth of lethal complexity.

Where high-yield resources were concerned, one never faced a solitary opponent; one faced an entire supply chain of enemies.

Consequently, Jiang Chen entered a state of absolute seclusion over the following days.

He terminated all non-essential excursions. If a task could be executed within the boundaries of his valley, he did not cross the perimeter.

He spent his hours tutoring Xiao Linglong in foundational literacy and calligraphy.

Or he observed the biological development of Da Huang and Wang Zai.

All his remaining time was strictly devoted to spell deconstruction, alchemical synthesis, and artifact forging. It was an optimally efficient and highly satisfying existence.

He assumed this defensive posture would outlast the immediate undercurrents of hostility, but a mere half-month later, trouble found its way to his doorstep regardless.

The hostile action was not directed at Jiang Chen personally, but aimed squarely at the Green Alliance—the commercial syndicate operated by Miao Huayu, Xu Linshan, and his proxy network.

Spearheading this conflict was none other than Ji Mingxuan, an unpredictable variable he had not interacted with in an extended period.

The surviving remnants of the Spirit Grain Sect, alongside the diaspora absorbed from the Canglan Sea, had privately consolidated their own factional cartel: the Spirit Grain Society.

While lacking sheer numbers, their centralized discipline granted them disproportionate market leverage, particularly within the lucrative Flower Sea trading hub.

Inevitably, the botanical inventory and raw medicinal materials exported by Jiang Chen’s Green Alliance directly intersected with the Spirit Grain Society’s supply chains, sparking a vicious and rapidly escalating trade war!