25: Chapter 25 Lingmi

One month later.

It was already late autumn. The leaves across the mountains and plains had been dyed a withered yellow by the autumn frost. In the farmlands, the rice had matured, and the heavy ears of grain bent the stalks low, carrying a faint fragrance of grain as they rippled like golden waves.

After paying the tax silver, the heavy stone pressing on the hearts of the Liu Village villagers finally fell to the ground.

Facing this year's bumper harvest, joy finally surfaced on the faces of the Liu Village villagers.

Their busy figures could be seen everywhere at the edge of the fields, and occasionally, hearty laughter and conversation could be heard.

On this day, under the setting sun, a white-haired old man dragged three wild pheasants down the mountain path. His face was lined with wrinkles, yet his complexion was ruddy.

Dressed in coarse cloth clothes, his posture was upright and his steps were steady, showing no sign of old age at all. Beside him, a black hunting dog ran happily around him.

This old man was none other than Ye Jing.

With the help of the Immortal Light and the daily supplement of meat, his complexion was incredibly good, and his body was no different from that of a young man in his twenties.

Several villagers at the mountain entrance saw Ye Jing carrying prey down the mountain again. They were incredibly envious and began to exclaim all at once.

"Elder Ye! Impressive! You've hunted some good stuff again!"

"Look at these few rabbits—they're just too fat!"

Those people were truly envious that Ye Jing could catch prey every time he went into the mountains. Some villagers had even tried to follow his example and go hunting, but they all returned empty-handed.

Naturally, they thought Ye Jing was extraordinary.

Ye Jing cupped his hands in thanks to their compliments. Ever since that weak Blood Qi appeared in his body, not only had his movements become more agile, but his vision and hearing had also improved by more than just a little bit.

He could clearly hear any movement of prey in the mountains from dozens of paces away. Now that he was nourishing himself with meat daily, his strength was also sufficient, making catching these small animals effortless.

However, Ye Jing would not speak of the Immortal Light's nourishment within him. He only laughed it off, saying, "There's no secret. It's just that I'm old and have the patience to wander slowly through the mountains. I'm bound to run into something eventually."

The crowd was amazed upon hearing this.

When Ye Jing returned home, his two grandsons pounced on him, calling out for their grandfather. Facing his two adorable grandsons, Ye Jing liked them immensely and patted their heads.

Wu Guiyun skillfully helped Ye Jing put the caught prey into the chicken coop.

Liu Xianglan was cooking in the house, and the atmosphere inside was full of harmony and joy.

Even little Ye Tianhui had grown fair and chubby, looking exceptionally endearing.

At this time, Ye Xuan and Ye Yi also walked in, shouting as they entered, "Father! Come out and look at this!"

Ye Jing saw the joy on his two sons' faces and walked over to see them carrying in a large burlap sack.

Ye Xuan was the most excited. He opened the sack in front of Ye Jing, revealing the snow-white rice inside. "Father! Look at this rice! It's amazing!"

Ye Jing walked over and reached out to pinch the rice in the bag. He saw that every grain was plump, and there even seemed to be a faint golden light shining within. This quality could be described as even better than the finest polished rice.

"Father, when big brother and I harvested a portion of the early rice and removed the husks, we saw this rice glowing with golden light. Could it be that our rice has been touched by Spiritual Qi?" Ye Yi asked excitedly.

Wu Guiyun and Liu Xianglan, who were nearby, also heard the two brothers' exclamations and came out to look.

Ye Jing immediately said, "Xianglan, use this rice to cook a bowl of rice first. I'll try it and see!"

This was rice that had cost five points of Immortal Light to transform. In any case, there could be no harm, so he would eat it to test its effects.

Liu Xianglan quickly took a bowl and scooped a full measure of rice into the pot. After a simple washing, she lit the stove fire to cook.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the entire room was filled with a rich fragrance of grain. Just smelling it made one feel refreshed.

"It smells so good!" Everyone in the family couldn't help but gather in the kitchen.

Ye Jing was even more expectant of what was so special about this rice. After waiting a while, Wu Guiyun lifted the pot lid. A mouth-watering fragrance wafted out, and the snow-white grains of rice were even suffused with a golden halo. It looked like it would greatly increase one's appetite!

What was even more surprising was that although only one small bowl had been put in, the pot was suddenly filled with enough rice for five or six bowls.

The whole family swallowed their saliva. Ye Jing took the lead, using the rice paddle to scoop a bowl of rice, and then took a bite with his chopsticks. Suddenly, his eyes widened.

Before Ye Jing even chewed, he felt a gentle warm current slide down his throat and into his stomach. Instantly, it spread to his four limbs and hundred bones. His body, which had been somewhat sore from hunting, suddenly felt light and agile.

And that weak Blood Qi within his body also surged in an instant, showing a strong upward trend.

"Delicious! Too delicious!" Ye Jing couldn't help but praise. The texture of the rice was soft, waxy, and sweet, and it came with its own rich grain fragrance. It was more delicious than any rice he had ever eaten.

More importantly, the sense of nourishment brought by this rice was far more mellow and profound than that of ordinary meat.

Seeing Ye Jing eating so heartily, the rest of the family was incredibly tempted.

Seeing this, Ye Jing said with a smile, "Everyone, try some!"

Upon hearing this, the family members hurriedly took bowls and carefully scooped a portion of rice.

After just one bite, they were all conquered by the texture and fragrance of the rice, each of them praising it endlessly.

Ye Xuan exclaimed, "Father, this rice is so miraculous. After eating it, all my fatigue has vanished!"

"Yes! Father! After eating it, my whole body feels warm, like I've taken a tonic!" Ye Yi patted his arm and said in wonder.

Even Wu Guiyun and Liu Xianglan felt a different sensation in their bodies and were very surprised.

Seeing the surprised looks on his family's faces, Ye Jing smiled and said unhurriedly, "That's because our family's rice has turned into Spirit Rice that can replenish Blood Qi!"

"Replenish Blood Qi!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the family was greatly shocked.

Everyone knew how valuable food that could replenish Blood Qi would be. Just one bite could make a person feel a hundred times more energetic; it was something Martial Artists dreamed of!

"Father, we've been growing rice for so long. How could this kind of rice that can replenish Blood Qi suddenly appear?" In the family, Ye Xuan was the first to recover from the shock and asked cautiously.

Ye Jing was silent for a moment and then smiled, saying, "Perhaps it's because our fields are right next to the mountain forest and have been touched by the mountain's Spiritual Qi, causing our rice to absorb the essence of the sun and moon!"

Wu Guiyun was very excited upon hearing this. "No wonder Niu Gui was always staring at our fields before! Our fields can actually grow such miraculous rice!"

"Therefore, the fact that our family can grow this kind of miraculous rice must never be told to outsiders!" Ye Jing exhorted.

They were, after all, just ordinary farmers in the countryside. If outsiders found out that they had actually grown rice that could replenish Blood Qi, it would surely bring trouble upon them.

Before the family had strong self-protection capabilities, the news of this rice must never be leaked!

"Father, don't worry! I won't reveal a single word to outsiders!" Ye Yi said, patting his chest.

Wu Guiyun and Liu Xianglan also nodded repeatedly.

Ye Tianhao and Ye Tianyao also shouted, "Grandfather! We won't say anything either!"

Hearing this, Ye Jing nodded with satisfaction.

At this time, Ye Xuan suddenly spoke up and asked Ye Jing, "Father, since this Spirit Rice has such strong nourishing abilities, we could sell it. That way, we could supplement the household income."

Hearing this, Ye Jing shook his head helplessly. "Now that we have this Spirit Rice, we need to hide it and not let outsiders know. Selling it with great fanfare is even more out of the question!"

A flash of disappointment crossed Ye Xuan's eyes, and he said somewhat unwillingly, "Father, if only we were also Martial Artists... Having to hide everything we do is just too stifling!"

Although he was relatively stable as the eldest son, he still had a youthful impulsiveness. Ye Jing could hear that his eldest son was holding back a sense of frustration.

Seeing this, Ye Jing patted Ye Xuan's shoulder and said, "Xuaner, I know you're unwilling, but our family's Foundation is weak. Although this Spirit Rice is a Heaven And Earth Treasure, it is also a source of trouble. Xuaner, do not be anxious; you must remain calm."

After hearing him say this, Ye Xuan restrained the impulsiveness in his eyes and nodded.

Having said this, Ye Jing once again spoke seriously to everyone in the family, "Regarding the Spirit Rice, not a single bit of information is to be revealed to the outside world without my permission! Do you understand?"

The family members nodded solemnly, tucking the secret of the Spirit Rice into their hearts.