Chapter 15 Harvest of Spirit Rice

One month later, Black Magpie Mountain was adorned in red, welcoming its first lady.

On this day, the Green Ox was draped in red flowers, raising its head at the entrance to watch the bride enter the mountain. The slender branches of the spirit jujube tree by the gate swayed in the wind, as if also showing its welcome.

Inside Morning Sun Hall on Black Magpie Mountain, sounds of congratulations, blessings, and praise rose and fell one after another.

The bride was wrapped in her red wedding attire, and the groom was tall and steady. Below the stage, Yun Tiancheng saw that Chen Li had become another Family's fine son-in-law, yet he still hadn't given up!

Perhaps he could send a few girls without Spiritual Roots another day?

For this wedding banquet, Chen Li only invited the four families of Liangxi County—after all, they were people who had committed a murder together—along with some Cultivators from the Zhu Family, totaling about five tables of Cultivators.

After the banquet, as dusk approached, the excitement eventually faded, and peace returned once more to Black Magpie Mountain.

At night, in Concentric Heart Hall, dry wood met a raging fire, burning for the entire night!

...

Three months later, the three mu of spirit rice on Black Magpie Mountain had matured, and Zhu Lingyue had also matured.

In Concentric Heart Hall, Zhu Lingyue stroked her belly, looking at the three mu of golden spirit rice outside the window. The ears of rice swayed with the wind, and a breeze blew onto the windowsill, fluttering the young woman's dark hair.

Outside the window, by the spirit rice field, Chen Li prepared to harvest. Zhu Lingyue waved her hand, and Chen Li waved back.

After several months of deep interaction, there was finally a result—yes, they were having a child.

The first generation of the Family would soon make its appearance. As the Old Ancestor, Chen Li felt immense pressure; he had to save up more Family assets.

Over the past year, the Spirit Restraining Formation and Spirit Rain Formation for the three mu of spirit rice had been running every day.

Consequently, the spirit rice grew rapidly. The grains were plump with a jade-like luster, growing well and already ripe for harvest, having been about a year.

In this place, a mu of spirit field usually yields between three hundred to five hundred catties. Chen Li used a First-Rank [Golden Silk Blade Sickle] to perform the Harvesting Technique. Before long, the spirit rice from the three mu of spirit field was harvested. He then used the First-Rank Storage Technique for threshing, the Fire Control Technique for drying, and finally stored it.

After ten days of drying and finishing all the work, he had harvested one thousand two hundred catties of spirit rice.

Chen Li opened the tag task bar.

[red fortune bar]: 40 / 100

[Family reclaiming spirit fields, planting spirit rice, harvesting spirit rice >= 1000 catties]: >= 1000 Completed

[Family marriage and children, descendants >= 5]: 0

[Family's highest combat power Breakthrough to Late Stage Qi Refining]: Qi Refining Sixth Layer, Not Achieved

[Family harvesting Spirit Stones >= 1000]: >= 1000 Completed

[Family territory deploying a Fourth-Rank Defensive Formation Array, capable of defending against a Foundation Establishment Cultivator]: Not Deployed

Chen Li began to study his next course of action.

Creating a Fourth-Rank Defensive Formation Array, though such an array consumes a vast amount of Spirit Stones for daily operation.

So he could only finish making it first, deploy it to complete the tag task, and then pause its operation.

However, to create a Fourth-Rank Defensive Formation Array, one generally doesn't use monster bones and beast skins for Formation flags and poles; instead, spirit items with attributes that are over two hundred years old are required.

For example, lightning-attribute spirit wood, or silk cloth with cold attributes. He also needed to build a high platform, which would cost quite a bit.

He only had over a thousand Spirit Stones left now. A Second-Rank Defensive Formation Array requires about a thousand Spirit Stones a year to maintain its operation.

However, the consumption of the Spirit Restraining Formation and Spirit Rain Formation for the ten mu of spirit fields was almost non-existent. By using his own spiritual power to activate the Formations, he could make them operate ingeniously within the natural environment.

To go from the Qi Refining Sixth Layer to the Seventh Level of Qi Refining, with his Five Spiritual Roots, it would definitely take over ten years of hard cultivation!

Therefore, he had to refine Medicinal Pills. But now, the hundred-year-old herbs remaining were only the auxiliary herbs for Foundation Establishment, which he couldn't touch!

There were only one or two stalks of herbs under a hundred years old left. Thus, he could only use five-hundred-year-old herbs to refine Qi Refining-level Medicinal Pills. The medicinal power would have to be diluted before consumption, so one stalk could refine at least dozens of batches, but it would be a great test of Alchemy skills.

Zhu Lingyue was at the Qi Refining Second Layer, had Four Spiritual Roots, and was a First-Tier Formation Master. As the wife of the Old Ancestor of Black Magpie Mountain, her cultivation certainly couldn't fall behind.

Also, the Opportunity item [inside the Silver Tiger Demon's belly] hadn't been taken yet?

He didn't know what was inside. This would require going fifteen hundred kilometers deep into the Boundless Forest to find this Silver Tiger Demon!

This Silver Martial Demon wasn't guarding a specific place but was moving at any time. Last time, going a thousand kilometers deep, no Fifth-level Demonic Beast appeared. This time, going another five hundred kilometers deeper, a Fifth-level Demonic Beast would surely show up.

Right, there was also the development of Luoxia Mountain, Zhu Lingyue's dowry from Lingchuan County, which needed to be considered.

Chen Li quickly sorted through many matters; he could only take it one step at a time.

...

Inside Concentric Heart Hall, Zhu Lingyue watched Chen Li in deep thought, walked over, and said, "Husband, I've seen you worrying for a while now. What are you thinking about?"

"Thinking about how to save up more Family assets?"

"Husband, there's no need to worry. I still have three hundred Spirit Stones, and there's the management of Luoxia Mountain. You are also a Third-Rank Formation Master. After managing for a few more years, I imagine we won't be inferior to other Qi Refining families."

"What you say is true, my lady. Let's manage it one step at a time!"

"My lady, take this bottle of qi overflowing pills for your cultivation first!" Chen Li took out a bottle of qi overflowing pills from his Storage Pouch.

Zhu Lingyue was surprised. There was already a bottle of qi overflowing pills in the betrothal gifts before; now there was another?

Seeing Zhu Lingyue's confusion, Chen Li revealed: "My lady, actually, I also know some Alchemy skills. These were all refined by me."

Chen Li would certainly reveal some of his secrets gradually, but the fortune bar and the Place of Opportunity definitely couldn't be told to anyone.

Zhu Lingyue looked at Chen Li in disbelief. You didn't say you could perform Alchemy before the wedding?

Alchemy also requires a lot of time to refine. She questioned: "Husband knows Formations and also Alchemy. Refining these must take a lot of time, right? And you are the same age as Lingyue, yet with Five Spiritual Roots, you are at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer. I truly don't know how brilliant your talent must be to manage both!"

Chen Li smiled bitterly, deactivated the Qi Concealment Art, and revealed his cultivation of the Qi Refining Sixth Layer.

When he deactivated the Qi Concealment Art and revealed his Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivation, Zhu Lingyue was completely dumbfounded!

Is this what happens when you don't do a pre-marital checkup?

"Husband, you're at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer?" Zhu Lingyue couldn't believe her eyes and suddenly stood up, exclaiming!

Chen Li nodded. Zhu Lingyue was excited; this was such a pleasant surprise!

After processing the information, Zhu Lingyue smiled and said, "Husband is steady and cautious; you truly are a good man for the Family!"

"As for the Dao of Alchemy, if you want to learn, my lady, I will teach you everything I know!"

"Husband, stop teasing Lingyue. My talent is dull. Meditating on Second-Rank Formations while also balancing cultivation already takes up most of my time. If I were to learn Alchemy as well, I'm afraid I wouldn't have any time left to Cultivate."

"If I teach you hand-in-hand, are you still afraid you won't learn? Also, for the Second-Rank Formations, I will help you meditate on them together."

At this time, Chen Li didn't take out the Fourth-Rank Formation, fearing he would stimulate Zhu Lingyue again.

Zhu Lingyue laughed, "Heehee, then I'll have to trouble you, husband. Tonight, let Lingyue serve you well to show my gratitude for your teaching."

Chen Li: "..."