26: Chapter 26 Family Fitness

After Ye Jing finished giving his instructions, he looked at the bag of spirit rice in the courtyard and then at his children and grandchildren who were still at home.

A bold idea suddenly occurred to him. Since this rice could replenish Blood Qi, why not have the whole family practice martial arts together? This way, the entire family would have a way to protect themselves.

It was a pity that he currently didn't have any Stake Technique related to being a Martial Artist. At most, he could only use it for daily fitness to test the waters, as the Blood Qi in his body could no longer be increased.

He could only focus on building up his family members' strength first.

Thinking of this, Ye Jing immediately stood up and said to Ye Xuan and Ye Yi, "Xuaner, Yier, how do you feel after eating this spirit rice?"

Ye Xuan and Ye Yi thought for a moment, and Ye Xuan replied, "Father, after eating this rice, I feel comfortable all over, and my fatigue has vanished. It's as if I have infinite strength!"

Hearing this, Ye Jing smiled and said, "Very good! From today on, our family will eat this rice every day and then exercise with me."

Everyone in the house was startled.

Ye Jing didn't forget to look at his two daughters-in-law and said, "Gui Yun, Xianglan, the same goes for you. Since this rice has benefits, we must make use of them. You will also exercise tomorrow!"

"Eh?"

The next day.

Ye Jing did not go up the mountain to hunt, but instead went to the fields with his sons.

The two acres of fields were a sea of golden yellow. The morning light filtered through the mist and fell upon the fields. These rice stalks were taller and sturdier than average rice, with long, narrow leaves that emitted a faint, barely perceptible golden glow at the edges.

The mature rice ears hung heavy, their husks thin as a cicada's wing, and the grains inside were plump and translucent, like pieces of warm white jade.

These were the rice crops transformed by five points of Immortal Light. If one didn't look at the grains, their outward appearance was no different from ordinary rice stalks.

Ye Jing felt a bit more at ease.

After his two sons finished irrigating the rice fields, Ye Jing gave them some instructions and left first.

The Ye family's fields were in a mountain gully. Aside from the Ye family, few people ever came here, making it quite secluded.

He walked down along the mountain path.

At that moment, Ye Jing noticed a well-dressed wealthy man arriving at the edge of the fields, accompanied by Zhang Youqiang, whom he hadn't seen for several days.

Zhang Youqiang had shed his previous overbearing and arrogant manner, standing humbly beside the wealthy man.

He seemed to be saying something.

The landlord seemed to notice Ye Jing looking at him, giving him a careless glance before dismissing him.

This wealthy man was Landlord Zhang, who had been using Niu Gui to acquire land in Li Family Village. He specialized in using these fields to grow high-quality grain to supply the wealthy families in the county town.

Furthermore, because the soil in Liu Village was fertile, the rice grown there was better than that of Chen Family Village.

That was why Zhang He had kept asking Niu Gui to find land in Liu Village for him. Now that Niu Gui was dead, Zhang He was counting on these few acres in Liu Village to produce good rice so he could make a fortune!

Zhang Youqiang was also a distant relative of Zhang He. For the sake of his livelihood, he needed to fawn over Zhang He, nodding repeatedly: "Uncle, don't worry! I will definitely treat this rice as my very life!"

Zhang He nodded in satisfaction and then left.

Zhang Youqiang, who had been instructed to look after the fields, was quite resentful. To think that an experienced hunter like him would be assigned such a chore!

He turned around gloomily and happened to see the white-haired Ye Jing coming down while smoking. Recalling the previous incident with the fox skin, Zhang Youqiang immediately said rudely, "Old Man Ye! Long time no see!"

Seeing it was Zhang Youqiang, Ye Jing only gave a cold nod as a greeting and walked away.

Being treated so coldly made Zhang Youqiang furious, but he couldn't openly lose his temper. He could only spit at Ye Jing's back and dawdle toward the fields.

Ye Jing ignored Zhang Youqiang. For the next few days, he took everyone in the family, including his two grandsons, to stand in the stake posture in the courtyard every morning.

They persisted for over an hour, and when they were exhausted, they would consume the spirit rice and blood food.

After eating the golden spirit rice that replenished blood food, the family's physical progress was rapid.

The two sons, in particular, had gained significant strength. Their temples bulged, and an outsider might have mistaken them for Martial Artists.

Their punches also carried a whistling sound. Although they were still far from being Martial Artists, it was enough to intimidate others.

Ye Jing also had his two sons try the several-hundred-pound millstone at home. Both sons were able to lift it easily, proving they had comfortably mastered several hundred pounds of strength.

This couldn't help but make Ye Jing sigh—it was good to be young.

Only a few days had passed, and they could already train to this extent; their progress was much faster than an old man like him!

As the rice approached maturity, Ye Jing discovered that after harvesting the ears, the stalks could grow new ones, which would mature in just ten days.

This was a great surprise to Ye Jing. It seemed this rice could grow continuously, like chives; harvest it and it grows back, seemingly inexhaustible.

This was the ability granted by the Immortal Light: Bountiful Harvest.

Truly impressive!

Seeing the golden light shining on the rice, Ye Jing named it golden spirit rice.

Furthermore, Ye Jing noticed that Mountain Delicacy Chickens would often appear in his fields. Animals that had absorbed Spiritual Qi were usually alert, but unexpectedly, they were attracted by the golden spirit rice and often came to steal the grain.

Ye Xuan and Ye Yi would catch several at a time.

Ye Jing was somewhat surprised. For a moment, he had the idea of using the golden spirit rice to raise these Mountain Delicacy Chickens.

If they could raise Mountain Delicacy Chickens in large quantities, it could be a major source of income for the Ye family!

However, there was already too much golden spirit rice at home to eat. It seemed he should first find a way to find a market to sell this spirit rice.

Thinking of this, Ye Jing discussed it with his family. This spirit rice had excellent effects and needed a reliable buyer. Ye Jing happened to have heard Zheng Dali mention that a martial arts hall master had come to the town and was collecting food that could provide Blood Qi.

Ye Jing wanted to ask Zheng Dali more about it, hoping to use this connection to sell his golden spirit rice.

But to be safe, Ye Jing had to go to town and talk to Zheng Dali about it.

The two sons heard this and had no objections.

After all, since the golden spirit rice was so special, it had to be handled by the experienced Ye Jing.

Ye Jing immediately set off for Yuanhe Town.

Noon, Yuanhe Town.

Ye Jing came to Zheng Dali's meat stall and greeted him: "Dali!"

Zheng Dali was busy skinning a piece of pork belly. Hearing the familiar call, the knife in his hand paused. He looked up and saw it was Ye Jing, immediately put down his butcher knife, and grinned: "Uncle Ye, do you have some big game again this time?"

Over the past few days, whenever Ye Jing caught prey in the mountains, he sent it to Zheng Dali, which allowed Zheng Dali to make quite a bit of money. Thus, he saw Ye Jing as a god of wealth.

Seeing that there weren't many people around, Ye Jing said mysteriously, "Dali, I have a big business deal to do with you. Let's step aside to talk!"

Zheng Dali understood immediately and said, "Uncle Ye! Come inside and sit, I'll pour you a bowl of herbal tea."

Behind his meat stall was a simple shed with a wooden table and several long benches.

Zheng Dali briskly poured a bowl of herbal tea for Ye Jing.

Ye Jing drank it down; it was cool and thirst-quenching, instantly dispelling the heat from his journey. He put down the bowl and got straight to the point: "Dali, I came today because I have something good to sell to the martial arts hall master, but it's not convenient for me to show my face, so I came to discuss having you act as a middleman."

"What good thing?" Zheng Dali asked, puzzled.

Ye Jing took an oil-paper package out of the cloth bag he carried and carefully opened it.

Inside were plump grains of white rice with a shimmering luster. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the shed and fell on the rice, and one could faintly see golden light flowing.

At a glance, it was clear that this was completely different from ordinary brown or polished rice.

"This is..." Zheng Dali was startled, reaching out to touch it but then hesitating. "Uncle Ye, this rice looks very unusual. Where did you get it?"

Ye Jing gave a mysterious smile: "To tell you the truth, this rice is golden spirit rice grown in my field, nourished by Heaven and Earth. The yield isn't small. I heard the martial arts hall master is collecting food that provides Blood Qi, so I want to sell this rice to him."

Zheng Dali looked left and right. Having been around the town for many years, he had naturally heard many Jianghu rumors and knew that some grains grown from Heaven And Earth Treasures could help Martial Artists nourish their Qi and blood and assist in Cultivation, but he had never seen the real thing.

He cupped the rice and sniffed it. A fresh aroma of rice wafted over, and after inhaling it, he felt his whole body become a bit lighter.

The effects of this rice were definitely not simple!

He couldn't wait to ask Ye Jing, "Uncle Ye, can this golden spirit rice really replenish Blood Qi? How effective is it?"

Ye Jing smiled and said, "My family has been eating this golden spirit rice. Look at me; my constitution used to be weak, but now look how much energy I have. This would have been unthinkable in the past!"