5: Chapter 5 Buying Manure?

"So it was because I didn't fertilize it."

Zhao Mo slapped his forehead, thinking he had become foolish from cultivation to forget something so simple.

"Junior Brother Ding, thank you~"

Zhao Mo flashed his two front teeth at Ding Xin and turned to leave.

He needed to go back and prepare. Compared to Ding Xin's method of Composting with plant ash, he had many more methods in mind. For instance, spirit rice stalks should be burned directly in the fields; this would not only fertilize the land but the high temperatures would also kill insect eggs.

As for fertilizer, what could be more useful than farmyard manure? It was natural, pollution-free, and cost nothing.

Since the spirit rice had just been harvested and he would be idle for the next few months anyway, he decided to do it.

He kept some spirit rice stalks for kindling and threw the rest into the rice field, setting them ablaze. It was late autumn, and the weather was dry, so the fire burned larger than Zhao Mo had imagined.

"Senior Brother Zhao, is there a fire?"

Ding Xin came running over in a hurry, carrying a bucket of water.

"Oh dear!"

"Why are you burning the spirit rice stalks in the field?"

"These spirit rice stalks are fodder for Spirit Beasts; they can be sold for quite a lot of money!"

Zhao Mo: "Huh? Wasn't your plant ash from earlier made by burning spirit rice stalks?"

Ding Xin looked completely innocent.

"No, how could I bear to burn those? I used leaves I collected from the mountain."

Zhao Mo was speechless...

"Forget it, what's burned is burned."

"How much can a few stalks of grass be worth anyway?"

Ding Xin looked at Zhao Mo with a strange expression.

"About seventy catties for one purple gold coin."

Zhao Mo calculated silently. His three mu of land yielded about three thousand catties of spirit rice stalks, meaning that between last year and this year, he had lost over a hundred purple gold coins.

"Damn, stop talking. My heart hurts..."

"Quick, quick, help me! Save as much as we can!"

Looking at the Spirit Field that was still burning, Zhao Mo decisively jumped in to salvage whatever he could.

This was the downside of having a low cultivation level; otherwise, with a single Spell, he could have salvaged all the spirit rice stalks.

"Forget it, let it be."

Watching the flames draw closer, Zhao Mo called out to Ding Xin to stop.

This fellow—he wasn't sure if he was just simple-minded or had other motives—but he certainly worked hard.

"Thank you, Junior Brother Ding."

"Come, I'll treat you to a meal."

Zhao Mo pulled Ding Xin along as he thanked him.

Despite his burly build, Ding Xin allowed himself to be pulled away by Zhao Mo.

Zhao Mo was now certain that this guy had come over specifically to scrounge a meal.

Zhao Mo wasn't stingy either; he put a catty of spirit rice into the pot and made spirit rice.

"You're making spirit rice?"

Ding Xin licked his lips, his face turning so red it looked like it might bleed.

"Senior Brother Zhao is truly generous."

Zhao Mo said, "It's just spirit rice. Isn't this spirit rice grown to be eaten?"

Ding Xin chuckled.

"I just can't bring myself to eat it."

Zhao Mo laughed. "Then what do you cultivate the Spirit Field for?"

At that question, a light seemed to appear in Ding Xin's eyes.

"Even though my cultivation is poor, I have a younger sister with extraordinary talent. Naturally, all the spirit rice I grow goes to her."

Zhao Mo: "?"

Alright, so he's a sis-con.

With the sound of bubbling, the aroma of the spirit rice wafted toward them. Both Zhao Mo and Ding Xin swallowed their saliva simultaneously.

"It smells so good."

"By the way, Junior Brother Ding, do you know where I can get some Spirit Beast manure?"

Ding Xin looked at Zhao Mo strangely. Although he didn't know what Zhao Mo wanted manure for, he answered honestly, "Spirit Beast Valley."

Zhao Mo slapped his forehead. He had truly been too busy; he had forgotten the place where the Xuan Sect raised Spirit Beasts.

"Ah, it's just from working the Spirit Field too much," Zhao Mo laughed it off, feeling truly embarrassed.

A catty of spirit rice, which should have been enough for three people, was polished off by Zhao Mo and Ding Xin until the pot and bowls were clean. Then, the two of them closed their eyes to regulate their breathing.

Zhao Mo felt a warm sensation spreading from his stomach. Not only was he full, but even his True Qi felt more active.

"So this is spirit rice..."

Zhao Mo remarked with emotion.

"Mhm, it's truly delicious."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Zhao. If you ever need my help with anything in the future, just call me."

Zhao Mo: "Alright, alright, of course."

Inwardly, however, he was wondering. He didn't get experience points for working in others' Spirit Fields, but he wondered if he would get experience points if others helped him.

If he did? Zhao Mo's eyes lit up.

...

Spirit Beast Valley.

This was the largest Spirit Beast breeding base of the Xuan Sect.

The Spirit Beasts of the Xuan Sect served two purposes: one as flying mounts for the sect's Spiritual Cultivators, and the other purely to satisfy culinary desires.

These creatures were only called Spirit Beasts within the Xuan Sect; outside, they were known as demons.

"Who goes there?"

"Why are you trespassing in Spirit Beast Valley?"

Zhao Mo was stopped before he could even enter the valley.

"Are you here to buy a mount? Or Spirit Beast meat?"

The man blocked Zhao Mo's path.

"I am Zhao Mo, I'm here to buy—"

"—Spirit Beast manure."

Zhao Mo hesitated for a moment before finally stuffing his pride into his pants.

"I don't care what your name is!"

"Whether you're buying a mount or Spirit Beast meat, you have to pay. The entry fee is three purple gold coins."

"Wait, what did you want to buy?"

"Buy manure?"

"Holy sh*t, are you messing with me?"

As he spoke, the man pressed a blade against Zhao Mo's neck.

Feeling the cold steel against his neck, Zhao Mo hurriedly said, "Senior Brother, easy, easy! I'm going to die, I'm going to die!"

"I really am here to buy manure!"

"Pah, pah, pah! I mean, I'm here to buy Spirit Beast manure!"

"Fine, fine. You'd better be telling the truth, kid."

"Come on then. I won't even charge you the entry fee."

"See that place over there?"

"That's where the Big-Eared Fragrant Pigs live. If you clean it up, the manure and everything else is yours for free."

Zhao Mo: "Huh?"

Such a good deal existed? He immediately said, "Thank you, Senior Brother."

"Go on, go on. Once it's clean, I'll be the one thanking you."

My name is Liu Yue, an ordinary person with dual Earth and Wood Spiritual Roots. Because I offended someone, I was punished with guarding and cleaning the Spirit Beast Valley. Today, a fool came wanting to buy Spirit Beast manure, so I sent him to clean the Big-Eared Fragrant Pigs' pen.

Those pig demons are lazy and gluttonous all day, and they're incredibly sensitive to Spiritual Qi fluctuations. Every time I clean the pen, I can't use Spells and have to do it by hand. It's a 'refreshing' experience; I hope that brother in there doesn't regret it.

The above was recorded by Liu Yue at Spirit Beast Valley in October of the year 7789 of the Xuan Calendar.

When Liu Yue saw that Zhao Mo had actually cleaned the Big-Eared Fragrant Pigs' pen, his grin stretched from ear to ear.

"Hey, you! Oh, Junior Brother Zhao Mo, right?"

"Hurry up and haul it away."

"This Spirit Beast manure is cleared once a month. Remember to come on time next month!"

Zhao Mo: "Alright, thank you, Senior Brother."

The two of them kept their distance. Zhao Mo was afraid this Senior Brother, who was smiling like a blooming flower, might regret it—what if he asked for money?

Liu Yue was also feeling guilty; what if Zhao Mo asked him for a cleaning fee? Besides, he never wanted to smell that pig manure ever again.

Zhao Mo hauled the cart of manure straight toward Xiao Ji Village. Along the way, everyone gave him a wide berth; the smell was simply too overwhelming.

Beside the Spirit Field, Zhao Mo dumped the Big-Eared Fragrant Pig manure into a deep pit he had dug beforehand. He covered it with a layer of Spirit Rice Husks he had accumulated over the past two years and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

[You have completed Composting. Experience +10.]

"Whoa, even this gives experience?"

Zhao Mo was momentarily surprised, then rushed off to take a bath. The smell was a bit too pungent.