3: Chapter 3 Breakthrough to the Third Level of Qi Refining

Then there's this hybrid spirit rice cultivation technology; Zhao Mo knew exactly what it was just by the name.

"Claim reward."

A massive influx of information appeared in Zhao Mo's mind.

How to select seeds, how to crossbreed, how to cultivate... complex information flooded Zhao Mo's mind.

After spending a long time, Zhao Mo finally straightened out the spirit rice hybrid technology in his mind. This was only organizing it; to truly master it would still take some time.

Most importantly, this kind of technology required practical application; otherwise, it was just armchair theorizing and completely useless.

"What a pity, the season for planting spirit rice has already passed this year."

Zhao Mo felt a bit of regret; the hybrid spirit rice experiments would have to wait until next year.

...

"Who is Zhao Mo?"

The next day, Zhao Mo was woken up by someone's voice while he was still half-asleep.

When Zhao Mo stepped out of the thatched shack and saw the person outside, his sleepiness vanished instantly.

"Steward Liu, what wind blew you here?"

This Steward Liu, with a protruding belly and a bald head, stood on a floating flying boat, making Zhao Mo look on with great envy.

Flying by controlling objects was a classic hallmark of the Foundation Establishment Stage.

"Cut the nonsense. Six hundred catties of spirit rice, make it quick."

Steward Liu showed no sentimentality, shouting at Zhao Mo.

Although he joined the Sect later than Zhao Mo, his Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation forced Zhao Mo to bow his head.

"Yes, yes, yes, it's already prepared."

For the past few months, Zhao Mo had been living in the thatched shack. After the spirit rice was harvested and dried, it was naturally all piled inside.

Because the space was too small, Zhao Mo had been sleeping directly on the bags of spirit rice for the last few days.

"Oh, this is a good harvest."

Steward Liu poked his head in to look at Zhao Mo's thatched shack; it was filled with over a dozen sacks, taking up most of the space.

"Hehe, it's also thanks to the Sect's blessings and the favorable weather."

As Zhao Mo moved the spirit rice onto the flying boat, he humored Steward Liu while his heart bled. He had only harvested a total of over eleven hundred catties of spirit rice from these three mu of land. With the Xuan Sect taking half at once, how could he not be pained?

Six hundred catties of spirit rice, exactly six sacks; Zhao Mo had weighed them in advance.

Once Zhao Mo finished loading the spirit rice, Steward Liu casually formed a hand seal, muttered some incantations, and a white light swept over Zhao Mo's six bags of spirit rice.

"Very good, no cutting corners. Not bad."

"Have you thought about selling the remaining spirit rice?"

"I can buy it at the market price."

Having already boarded the flying boat, Steward Liu suddenly said to Zhao Mo.

"Sell the spirit rice?"

This was indeed within Zhao Mo's plans. With only five hundred catties of spirit rice left, milling it into spirit rice grain would only yield over four hundred catties, which couldn't possibly last until next year's harvest.

Besides, who was rich enough to eat spirit rice every day?

"I'll sell!"

"But I'll only sell half. I want to keep the rest for my own cultivation and consumption."

Hearing this, Steward Liu gave Zhao Mo a deep look.

"No achievements after twenty years, and you still haven't given up?"

Clearly, he knew about Zhao Mo's past.

"Forget it, everyone has their own way of living. I've said too much."

"Currently, spirit rice is one purple gold coin per catty. Three hundred catties of spirit rice is three hundred purple gold coins or three Low-Grade Spirit Stones. Do you want purple gold coins? Or Spirit Stones?"

Watching three sacks of spirit rice fly out of the thatched shack, Zhao Mo almost cried.

He only wanted to sell two hundred catties, not three hundred.

But hearing that one catty of spirit rice was worth one purple gold coin, he swallowed the words he was about to say.

One Low-Grade Spirit Stone = one hundred purple gold coins = one thousand taels of gold.

Ten taels of gold for one catty of spirit rice; only a fool wouldn't sell.

"purple gold coins, please."

Zhao Mo didn't even think before choosing purple gold coins. Once off the mountain, purple gold coins were much more convenient than Spirit Stones.

"Take it."

Steward Liu tossed a cloth bag to Zhao Mo from the flying boat.

Zhao Mo shook it; the clinking inside was precisely the unique sound of purple gold coins.

"When you have time, fix up your living quarters. This is too unsightly; even the dogs in the Sect live better than this."

Zhao Mo...

His already fragile heart was instantly broken.

"Yes, yes, yes. Don't worry, Steward Liu, I'll definitely have it sorted before winter."

He had to fix the house; it really wouldn't be livable in winter.

Most importantly, he hadn't realized how expensive spirit rice was before. Now, with over two hundred catties of spirit rice in the thatched shack, Zhao Mo was truly worried.

"I can't just carry the spirit rice on my back everywhere I go, can I? That's too ridiculous." Zhao Mo had a headache.

"Forget it, I'll rebuild the shack first."

"A pity that rebuilding doesn't give experience points. Otherwise, I might have reached the Qi Refining Third Layer this year."

Reaching the Qi Refining Second Layer wasn't enough; Zhao Mo actually wanted to reach the Qi Refining Third Layer this year. This man, one could only say he was never satisfied.

Cutting trees, preparing timber, and then planning the house's location—time passed as Zhao Mo kept himself busy.

Gurgle~

Finishing a bowl of spirit rice porridge in one go, Zhao Mo patted his belly contentedly. In twenty years of cultivation, he had never achieved complete spirit rice porridge freedom until this year.

Of course, he still couldn't afford spirit rice. Two hundred and ten catties of spirit rice, when milled, only yielded one hundred and seventy catties. Two bowls of spirit rice porridge a day was already a luxury for Zhao Mo; eating spirit rice every day was unthinkable, at least for now.

"The house will be finished in a few days; it's time to prepare for tilling the soil."

Zhao Mo estimated the time, intending to till the three mu of spirit fields before the ground froze.

[You have completed tilling the spirit field, Experience +10.]

It took Zhao Mo three and a half days to finish tilling the spirit field. The reason it took so long was that he had underestimated the toughness of the spirit rice stubble.

"Damn it, I need to find livestock to pull a plow."

Zhao Mo gripped the Iron Shovel with both hands, looking at the tilled spirit field, and spoke resentfully.

Unfortunately, Zhao Mo was currently dirt poor. His only Spirit Stones had all been used as a deposit, and the three hundred purple gold coins from selling the spirit rice probably couldn't even buy a single hoof of a beast.

After all, ordinary livestock really couldn't plow this spirit field.

After finishing the tilling, Zhao Mo became completely idle.

As for cultivation?

Zhao Mo didn't want to move a muscle. For a piece of trash who couldn't break through to the First Layer of Qi Refining despite twenty years of tireless effort, was cultivation even useful?

Lying on a self-made recliner, living in a house with three wooden rooms.

Boiling water and spacing out when there was nothing to do.

In a flash, winter passed.

As for Luo Yan, Zhao Mo hadn't seen her since the spirit rice harvest.

He couldn't even find her to trick her into a nap; over time, Zhao Mo completely gave up.

Winter went and spring came.

It was time for the busy farming season again.

[You have completed sowing, Experience +10.]

These were the seeds Zhao Mo had saved from last year's spirit rice harvest.

[You have completed watering the spirit field, Experience +10.]

Amidst a patch of lush green seedlings, Zhao Mo heard the pleasant sound again.

"Are the experience points enough now?"

"System."

[Farmer: Zhao Mo]

[Cultivation: Qi Refining Second Layer (Upgradable)]

[Experience Points: 100/100]

[Reward: None]

"Upgrade."

Just like when he broke through to the First Layer of Qi Refining, a large amount of True Qi appeared out of thin air within Zhao Mo's body. This True Qi integrated into his original True Qi without any resistance, followed by circulation.

As the amount of True Qi increased, its circulation speed also became much faster, constantly flowing according to the circulation path of the Xuan Sect Five Elements Qi Refining Technique.

"Phew~"

Once his cultivation completely stabilized, Zhao Mo breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, what he practiced in the Xuan Sect was the most basic Qi Refining Technique; from the first to the ninth layer of Qi Refining, there was no need to change the technique.

If it were other Cultivation Techniques, he would have to change techniques upon reaching the third, sixth, or ninth layer; Zhao Mo figured he would have another headache then.

"Qi Refining Third Layer?"

Zhao Mo muttered to himself, gripping the Iron Shovel in his hand.

Swish.

The Iron Shovel was thrown directly, landing straight outside the spirit field. One must know that Zhao Mo was currently twenty meters away from the field's edge.

The Qi Refining Third Layer was already somewhat beyond the scope of ordinary people.