19: Chapter 19 New Acquisition of Spirit Fields, Ore Vein Anomalies

The next morning, Lin Yue brought the profound ice grass seeds he had exchanged from the Black Stone Chamber of Commerce to the back mountain spiritual field.

By now, the spiritual field had expanded to thirty-two mu. The newly reclaimed land, nourished by the spirit soil and spirit spring water, shimmered with a faint green light similar to the old fields.

Lin De was leading several clansmen in weeding the qi condensing grass. Seeing Lin Yue approach, he hurried forward to greet him:

"Clan Chief, are we really going to plant these profound ice grass seeds here? I've heard this grass loves the cold; I'm afraid it won't adapt to our climate."

Lin Yue squatted down, his fingertips brushing over the moist soil. "We'll know after a try. The spirit soil and spirit spring gifted by the ancestral spirit might just allow it to survive."

He took out ten profound ice grass seeds and sowed them evenly in the pre-tilled ridges, then had someone bring spirit spring water to water them carefully.

The moment the seeds entered the soil, Lin Yue clearly felt a faint chill emanating from the ground, faintly echoing the aura of the profound ice grass seeds.

"Water them once a day with spirit spring water; no need to do much else."

Lin Yue stood up and instructed the clansman in charge, "If there are any abnormalities, report them immediately."

After arranging the matters of the spiritual field, Lin Yue turned and headed for the Artifact Refining Workshop.

Lin Shi was leading three apprentices in hammering a piece of companion spirit iron ore. Sparks splashed onto the bluestone floor, illuminating the "General Outline of Basic Artifact Refining" hanging on the wall.

Seeing Lin Yue enter, Lin Shi put down his hammer and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Clan Chief, look at this Ore. After purifying it according to the Jade Slip, there are actually silver-thread-like patterns inside."

Lin Yue picked up the Ore to inspect it. Inside the purified spirit iron ore, there were indeed several strands of silver-white silk. When he probed it with spiritual power, he could feel an aura tougher than that of ordinary spirit iron ore.

He suddenly thought of the changes in the plane's Ore vein after being nourished by the companion ore crystal. With a flicker of thought, he said, "Try forging a dagger with this Ore and see the results."

"You got it!"

Lin Shi's eyes lit up, and he immediately brought over the forging molds.

In the afternoon, Lin Yue was in the Technique Pavilion browsing through the "Compendium of Hundred Herbs Identification."

Lin Hu came running in a hurry, holding a palm-sized leaf in his hands. "Clan Chief, look! The profound ice grass has sprouted!"

The leaf was pale green with a thin layer of white frost on the edges. It felt refreshingly cool to the touch, forming a wonderful balance with the warm spirit soil of the spiritual field.

Lin Yue brought the leaf to his nose and took a light sniff. He could smell a crisp Spiritual Qi, even more pure than that of the qi condensing grass.

"It really can survive."

He felt a slight joy in his heart. profound ice grass was the main ingredient for refining "Ice Heart Pills," which could suppress a Cultivator's Heart Demon during a Breakthrough. This would be of great benefit to the Family's younger generation when they attempt to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage in the future.

"Continue to take good care of it. Once it's fully grown, take a few leaves to the Second Elder for research."

Lin Yue returned the leaf to Lin Hu. "By the way, when Deacon Zhang and the others left, did they mention any news from Black Stone City?"

"They mentioned a few things,"

Lin Hu scratched his head. "I think they said the Green Robe Hall has a new Hall Master, supposedly a Cultivator at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage. I also heard they found a new ore vein deep in the Black Wind Forest and are currently haggling with the Black Stone Chamber of Commerce."

Lin Yue nodded and didn't ask further.

Whether the Green Robe Hall changed its Hall Master or found a new ore vein, as long as it didn't affect Sunset Town, it had nothing to do with the Lin Family.

What he cared more about now were the changes in the plane's Ore vein.

After nightfall, Lin Yue entered the plane. After yesterday's nourishment from the companion ore crystal, the daily output of the companion spirit iron ore vein had recovered to twenty-five catties.

However, the Spiritual Qi gushing from the crevices of the Ore vein seemed even more solid than before.

He took out that half piece of companion ore crystal and held it close to the crevice again. The moment the golden patterns lit up, Lin Yue suddenly felt a faint suction—

The companion ore crystal was actually actively absorbing the Spiritual Qi escaping from the Ore vein, and the Ore vein's response was even more pronounced than yesterday, with silver specks of light faintly flickering in the crevices.

"Could it be that the companion ore crystal doesn't just nourish the Ore vein, but also forms some kind of cycle with it?"

Lin Yue speculated inwardly as he left the companion ore crystal by the crevice and turned to check the spiritual field.

The purple leaf orchids in the mid-tier spiritual field had already produced full flower seeds. On the land watered with spirit spring water, the newly sown seeds of the Rank 4 "spirit nurturing flower" had also sprouted green shoots.

He brought up the plane's interface:

[ruined plane (Rank: 4)]

[Spiritual Qi Concentration: 33 (External environment is 1)]

[spirit soil Area: 100 square meters (Including 50 square meters of mid-tier spiritual field and 50 square meters of low-tier spiritual field)]

[New Function: spirit spring (Produces 10 liters of spirit spring water daily);

Ore Vein: companion spirit iron ore vein (Daily output 25 catties), Low-Tier Spirit Stone Vein (Daily output 10 pieces)]

[Status: Stable (Upgradable, requires 10,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones or equivalent spiritual materials)]

The Spirit Stones in his Storage Pouch, combined with the 10 pieces produced by the plane today, had reached nine thousand seven hundred and ten. He was only two hundred and ninety pieces away from the upgrade.

Lin Yue took out thirty Spirit Stones and placed them before the interface. Watching the number jump to nine thousand seven hundred and forty, he stopped his movements.

Just as he had thought yesterday, there was no rush to upgrade. Now that various affairs within the Family were progressing steadily, a hasty upgrade might instead disrupt the balance.

He exited the plane and walked to the window.

Under the moonlight, the lights in the Technique Pavilion were still on. Lin Xiaowen was using the light to copy artifact refining diagrams. The rustling sound of the brush tip moving across the bamboo slips was exceptionally clear in the quiet night.

In the direction of the spiritual field, the newly reclaimed land shimmered with a faint white light. This was the cold air emitted by the profound ice grass at night, intertwining with the warmth of the spirit soil to form a unique Spiritual Qi field.

"Clan Chief,"

Lin Cang's voice sounded outside the door. "The final node of the Formation has been inscribed. Would you like to take a look?"

Lin Yue followed Lin Cang to the town wall.

On the inner side of the entire earthen wall, pale golden formation pattern connected into one, like a sleeping giant Dragon.

Lin Cang took out a Low-Grade Spirit Stone and embedded it into the formation eye. The formation pattern lit up instantly, and an invisible barrier enveloped the entirety of Sunset Town. The Spiritual Qi in the air seemed to have been combed through, becoming more orderly.

"This warning formation is finally complete."

Lin Cang breathed a long sigh of relief. "As long as any Cultivator below the Foundation Establishment Stage approaches, the formation pattern will issue a warning. It can also blur the Spiritual Qi fluctuations within the town, preventing outsiders from seeing our true strength."

Lin Yue touched the cool formation pattern and could feel the spiritual power flowing within them faintly echoing the Spiritual Qi of the spiritual field—

This was a modification he had specifically asked Lin Cang to include, using the Spiritual Qi from the spiritual field to power the Formation, making it more durable than simply driving it with Spirit Stones.

Upon returning to the study, Lin Yue discovered that the companion ore crystal in his Storage Pouch was slightly warm.

He took out the companion ore crystal to inspect it and saw that the golden patterns inside were clearer than yesterday, with even a few strands being extremely similar to the silver threads found in the plane's Ore vein.

"It seems the Fusion between this companion ore crystal and the Ore vein will still take some time."

He put the companion ore crystal away, having already formed a plan. "When we trade with the chamber of commerce next time, perhaps I can ask Steward Liu where more companion ore crystals can be found."

Outside the window, the sky gradually turned pale, and the first cockcrow came from the spiritual field.

Lin Yue pushed open the door and saw Lin De squatting by the profound ice grass field, carefully watering them with spirit spring water.

The white frost on the leaves melted in the morning light, turning into translucent water droplets that rolled into the soil, stirring up faint ripples of Spiritual Qi.

Lin Yue stood on the ridge, gazing at this vibrant land before him, his heart filled with peace.

The development of the Family was just like this spiritual field; it required patient cultivation and gradual progress.

The trades with the Black Stone Chamber of Commerce provided stable nutrients, the heritage of the plane was the deep-seated Foundation, and the efforts of the clansmen were the sunshine and rain that allowed everything to take root and sprout.

He raised his hand and looked toward the Storage Pouch, where nearly ten thousand Spirit Stones were stored, just one step away from the plane's upgrade.

But he knew that a true upgrade was never about the jumping numbers on an interface, but about every inch of land in Sunset Town and every clansman growing toward a better direction.

Another month of waiting, until the profound ice grass was fully grown, until Lin Shi forged the first dagger using the new Ore, and until the warning formation truly stood the test... then would be the optimal time for the plane's upgrade.