8: Chapter 8 Hybrid Spirit Rice? Senior Brother Zhao is going crazy!

"Deal."

Zhao Mo turned around and smiled, "That's more like it."

"Come, let's go get the spirit rice with me. Also, did you bring the Formation Plate?"

The man in black said, "I have. This one is Bai Shi; may I ask how to address you, Senior Brother?"

"So it is Junior Brother Bai. I am Zhao Mo."

Having cultivated for over twenty years, Zhao Mo had always lingered at First Layer of Qi Refining. Most of those he met were newcomers, so naturally, he addressed everyone as Senior Brother.

Xiao Ji Village.

Bai Shi curiously sized up Zhao Mo's residence.

"I thought Senior Brother Zhao was still cultivating on the mountain, but it turns out you've already come down."

Zhao Mo: "My Aptitude is poor, so I've been down here for a few years already."

"Since I shouldn't trouble two people with one task, I'll trouble Junior Brother Bai to set up the Formation Plate as well. The coverage should include these few rooms and the small courtyard."

Bai Shi said, "Alright."

After saying that, he began to busy himself.

He first buried a basin-sized Formation Plate in the main room. On top of the plate stood something resembling a trumpet mouth. Then, he took out four smaller Formation Plates and buried them in the surroundings. After calibrating them a few times, he ran over to Zhao Mo and said, "It's done."

Zhao Mo: "That's it?"

Bai Shi said, "There's also an activation hand seal. I'll teach you; it's very simple."

"This hand seal must be performed while standing on the Formation Plate; otherwise, it won't activate."

"Activate Formation."

After a wave of Spiritual Qi, the trumpet mouth on the vertical Formation Plate suddenly let out a loud sound.

"Someone's here."

The sudden voice nearly scared Zhao Mo to death.

"This is the Alarm Formation?"

Zhao Mo's forehead was covered in black lines. He had thought it would be something Advanced, but this was it?

Bai Shi was also a bit embarrassed.

"Senior Brother Zhao, although this Formation is a bit subpar, it doesn't require Spirit Stones, which can save a lot of money."

"The most important thing is that it's cheap. It only costs one and a half Low-Grade Spirit Stones to trade for."

Fearing Zhao Mo would back out, Bai Shi added, "Don't worry, Senior Brother Zhao, I will continue to upgrade this Formation Plate for you until it becomes a true Alarm Formation."

"Someone's here."

The trumpet mouth spoke up again without warning.

"Fine, fine. Here is the spirit rice. Don't forget to upgrade it for me in the future."

Zhao Mo brought out two bags of spirit rice from the house and gave them to Bai Shi.

"This is two hundred jin of spirit rice. The extra is for your installation fee."

Two hundred jin of spirit rice could produce one hundred and seventy jin of polished spirit rice.

This Bai Shi had a loyal and honest face, which Zhao Mo found quite agreeable.

"Deactivate Formation."

After Bai Shi left, Zhao Mo deactivated the Alarm Formation.

This thing was better than nothing. When one couldn't afford a defensive Formation, it was the best choice.

"Hehe."

Not long after Bai Shi left, Ding Xin's head appeared outside the door.

"Senior Brother Zhao."

Zhao Mo: "What's up?"

"Going to Spirit Beast Valley, did you forget?"

Zhao Mo slapped his forehead. He had been so preoccupied with selling the spirit rice that he really had forgotten about this.

"Let's go. Find a larger cart and bring the spirit rice straw. That guy Liu Yue is a good person; we can't treat him poorly."

Ding Xin: "Don't worry, I just went up the mountain to borrow the Qiandou Cart from my sister. Loading ten thousand jin of spirit rice straw won't be a problem."

That Qiandou Cart was only a bit taller than a person, yet after Zhao Mo and Ding Xin loaded all the spirit rice straw from both their families, it wasn't even full.

Zhao Mo couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement. "Are you sure you can pull this?"

Ding Xin said, "Off we go~"

"Senior Brother Zhao, bring that wooden cart as well."

Then he explained to Zhao Mo, "This Qiandou Cart can't be used to haul pig manure. If my sister finds out, she'll kill me."

In Spirit Beast Valley, Liu Yue, Ding Xin, and Zhao Mo sat on the ground. Roasting before them was a Three-Colored Spirit Feather Chicken that had "accidentally" died of anger.

"Oh, thank you, Senior Brother Ding and Senior Brother Zhao. This spirit rice straw has really solved my urgent problem."

"Enough talk, it's all in the wine."

The three of them raised their glasses and drank together.

Ding Xin looked at the chicken meat, which was turning golden-brown and crispy; his mouth was about to water.

"It's better to follow you two Senior Brothers. Today, we even get to eat Three-Colored Spirit Feather Chicken."

Liu Yue laughed heartily.

"I can only say that you two Senior Brothers are in luck. It just so happened to be the right time. Come, come, eat!"

After eating and drinking their fill, Zhao Mo and Ding Xin left with a cart of pig manure.

Liu Yue looked at their departing figures and sighed with emotion, "Those two Senior Brothers are truly good people. Not only did they send so much spirit rice straw, but they even helped clean the pigsty."

On the way, Ding Xin was also sighing with emotion.

"Senior Brother Liu is too righteous. He was actually willing to treat us to Three-Colored Spirit Feather Chicken. You know, one Three-Colored Spirit Feather Chicken sells for seven or eight Low-Grade Spirit Stones in the market."

"No way, I'll go to my sister's place later and ask for some more wine to give to him."

Zhao Mo...

...

The climate in Xiao Ji Village didn't allow for a second season of planting in the spirit fields. After everyone harvested their spirit rice, they basically stayed home to Cultivate.

However, Zhao Mo and Ding Xin went to Spirit Beast Valley once a month, followed by composting.

[You have completed composting, Experience +10.]

As the weather gradually turned cold, Zhao Mo completed the plowing of the spirit fields before winter arrived.

With a cultivation of Qi Refining Fifth Layer, Zhao Mo could make the Iron Shovel in his hand dance like a flower.

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

Ever since the last harvest, Zhao Mo had figured it out: the usual experience points from the spirit field were minor; the rewards after the spirit rice harvest were the main prize.

Therefore, besides composting, Zhao Mo also planned to start hybrid spirit rice next year. He wanted to accumulate experience points quickly to Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment and reclaim the twenty years he had lost.

These past few days, Ding Xin had also become busy. He had to finish plowing the spirit fields before winter. Zhao Mo, naturally, was happy to have some leisure time.

Inside the small courtyard, Zhao Mo had spirit rice in front of him and Three-Colored Spirit Feather Chicken sent by Liu Yue stir-frying in the pot. This kind of life was something even an immortal wouldn't trade for.

"Smells so good~"

Ding Xin arrived right on time.

During the slack farming season, these two guys who didn't Cultivate had nothing to do, so they naturally spent their time eating and drinking.

"Something's not right with you."

Ding Xin suddenly put down his chopsticks and stared at Zhao Mo.

Zhao Mo was startled. Could it be that the matter of the System had been exposed?

"When did you Breakthrough to Qi Refining Fifth Layer?"

"Phew, you gave me a scare. I thought something was actually wrong."

"That's it? I can only say you're too careless. You don't care about your Senior Brother at all. I broke through right after the spirit rice harvest, and you only just noticed? I'm so hurt," Zhao Mo said, turning the tables on him.

"Dammit, we agreed to lie flat together, but you actually cultivated in secret?" Ding Xin finished his spirit rice through gritted teeth and turned to leave.

"I'm going back to Cultivate."

Throughout the following winter, Ding Xin really didn't come over once.

Zhao Mo went over a few times, but a "Closed-Door Cultivation" sign was hanging on the door.

"Was the shock that big?"

With just a cultivation of Qi Refining Fifth Layer, Zhao Mo didn't understand. He had completely forgotten his own frustration when he couldn't Breakthrough First Layer of Qi Refining for twenty years.

Without Ding Xin, Zhao Mo felt that this New Year's celebration was a bit off.

"Damn, this isn't right. Could I be gay?"

After carefully recalling that his interactions with Ding Xin were all normal, Zhao Mo felt relieved.

Grain in Ear.

Ding Xin finally emerged from his seclusion.

"Hahaha, Old Zhao, I've broken through to Qi Refining Sixth Layer."

"Hmm? What are you doing?"

On the rice field, Zhao Mo was sowing rice seeds onto a layer of silt.

Beside him lay a pile of transparent objects.

If someone from the Blue Planet were here, they would definitely recognize at a glance that this was an otherworldly version of a plastic greenhouse.

"What else could I be doing? Raising seedlings, of course."

"Let me tell you a secret: this is the hybrid spirit rice I've been researching. Producing a thousand jin per mu is no problem at all."

Ding Xin: "?"

"hybrid spirit rice?"

"A thousand jin per mu?"

"Senior Brother Zhao, have you gone mad?"