Xu Ping took a deep breath, discarding the clutter of distracting thoughts in his mind, and began to operate the Five Elements Skill to start cultivating.
Because his mana was completely depleted, he had to cultivate for more than an hour to restore his mana to its original state.
After regulating the agitated spiritual power for a while, he slowly ended the initial cultivation session.
The meridians of early Qi Refinement cultivators are limited in strength. Normally, training for an hour and a half a day would feel burdensome.
While it’s still possible to continue, not to mention the drop in efficiency, the meridians would also bear more load, even get injured, which is not conducive to future cultivation.
Therefore, to maximize efficiency, the original owner generally practiced three times a day.
Despite daily persistence, reaching the fourth layer of Qi Refinement seemed a long way off.
However, now with the panel, it should be different... right?
Xu Ping looked at the attribute panel hopefully.
The result was that, apart from the Five Elements Skill’s proficiency changing from ’143/200’ to ’144/200’, there was no advancement in his stage.
Xu Ping felt a bit disappointed, but quickly came to terms with it.
The original owner was just a lower-grade spirit root, to begin with, with poor aptitude.
Moreover, the cultivation technique he practiced was the very mediocre Five Elements Skill.
Besides stable cultivation that doesn’t easily lead to deviation, it had no strengths.
With such aptitude and a cultivation technique, even with panel assistance, one wouldn’t become a genius overnight.
He believed that once the proficiency of the Five Elements Skill broke through a level, the cultivation speed would surely be faster.
Closing the proficiency panel, Xu Ping left the bedroom and stood under the big tree in the backyard.
After watering the spiritual field, Xu Ping’s practice target for the Spirit Rain Skill was this tree.
Of course, he wouldn’t give up on this money-making idea just because of Elder Yan’s words.
Elder Yan said the Spirit Rain Skill mainly relied on talent, but what he didn’t know was that Xu Ping was an existence even more of a bug than a genius.
Do you understand the value of a cheat?
Suppressing his thoughts, Xu Ping formed a magic technique, and immediately, dark clouds formed, and the pattering spirit rain began to fall.
The raindrops gently fell on the leaves, making a pleasant sound.
[Spirit Rain Skill experience +1]
The panel notification appeared, but it didn’t cause a ripple in Xu Ping’s heart.
Right now, he only wanted to bring the Spirit Rain Skill to a proficient level, and then begin his money-making enterprise.
Time slowly passed with his repeated practice.
The Spirit Rain Skill also gradually approached proficiency level.
Sunlight shone brightly through the blue sky, as if the whole world was bathed in a layer of golden glow.
Old Man Lu carried a hoe to his spiritual field.
Usually, by this time, he’d be busy in the field already.
But just last night he couldn’t resist and went to Widow Li’s house.
Who knows where this femme fatale learned such a Bewitching Technique.
Almost rendered him unable to get out of bed; now he felt even his legs were a bit weak.
"Just a bit too pricey." Old Man Lu smacked his lips as if savoring last night’s taste.
A figure emerged from the fields ahead. Upon a closer look, it was Xu Ping.
Old Man Lu was just about to greet him.
When he saw Xu Ping performing the Spirit Rain Skill.
Suddenly, a dark cloud twice the size of a normal one formed over the field. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ ɴovᴇl(F)ɪre.ɴet
It soon started to drizzle.
The spiritual qi contained in the drizzle was shockingly rich!
"Pro...proficient level Spirit Rain Skill!!" Old Man Lu’s eyes nearly popped out of his sockets.
Though merely a third-layer Qi Refinement cultivator, he had decades of experience as a spirit farmer, and naturally wouldn’t mistake the Spirit Rain Skill.
And as the core skill of a spirit plant farmer, the Spirit Rain Skill is undeniably challenging.
In a range of several dozen miles, there were only a handful of spirit farmers who could reach the proficient level in the Spirit Rain Skill.
"This kid’s got it together!?"
Old Man Lu felt both envious and jealous. He had painstakingly worked a lifetime as a spirit farmer and never even touched the door of proficiency in the Spirit Rain Skill, yet this young lad in his early twenties had broken through.
The heavens are unfair!
Fortunately, after experiencing the ups and downs of the cultivation world, Old Man Lu’s mindset had changed.
At this moment, seeing Xu Ping finish using the Spirit Rain Skill, he quickly hustled over and cheerfully greeted, "Good morning, Fellow Daoist Xu."
His face was full of wrinkles, revealing two big yellow teeth when he smiled.
"Ah, Fellow Daoist Lu!" Xu Ping turned and, recognizing the person, smiled.
"Yes, yes, it’s me. I didn’t expect Fellow Daoist Xu’s Spirit Rain Skill to break through silently, truly a sudden accomplishment!" Old Man Lu wore a fawning look on his face.
"Luck, just luck," Xu Ping said modestly.
"This isn’t just luck. If breaking through the Spirit Rain Skill were based on luck, countless people would have done it. Fellow Daoist Xu relies on talent..."
Old Man Lu started praising Xu Ping’s talent.
Saying things like: Foundation Establishment is nothing, the Golden Core is the ultimate goal.
If Xu Ping didn’t know his own aptitude, he almost would have believed it.
"Sigh, unlike me, with no family in my old age, and no one to see me off when I pass..." Old Man Lu began recounting his miserable past, really a tale to make one’s heart ache and eyes tear up.
As he spoke of his sorrows, he even secretly wiped away a tear.
During the moment he wiped his tear, Old Man Lu sneakily glanced at Xu Ping.
Seeing Xu Ping’s solemn face, seemingly empathetic to his story.
Old Man Lu was delighted, feeling the time was ripe, he sighed and said:
"Sigh, I’m getting old, can’t even manage my spiritual field, this harvest is sure to plummet. If I can’t meet Longevity Sect’s quota, I’m afraid I’ll be kicked out of Dongwu Market, what will I do then!"
During the conversation, Old Man Lu was observing Xu Ping’s expression.
He noticed Xu Ping maintaining a heavy expression, yet showing no signs of responding.
"Say something!" Old Man Lu couldn’t help but curse inwardly.
But Xu Ping said nothing, leaving Old Man Lu helpless, he could only grin and added a bit of flattery: "Fellow Daoist Xu, could you help this old man with watering the spiritual field?"
Old Man Lu had ten acres of spiritual field in total and initially planned to spend spirit stones to have Elder Yan help water it.
But he heard Elder Yan raised his price.
From the original one spirit crystal per acre to two spirit crystals per acre.
Isn’t this just taking advantage of the incoming beast tide to jack up prices?
Old Man Lu was so angered that he hadn’t gone to Elder Yan, leading to the current delay.
"This matter, huh, no problem, leave it to me." Xu Ping patted his chest confidently.
"I knew it, Fellow Daoist Xu is so..."
Old Man Lu was overjoyed, ready to flatter further, but was interrupted by Xu Ping: "How much do you plan to pay me per acre?"
Old Man Lu’s expression stiffened.
Wait, so all I’ve said was for nothing!
Was your serious face all an act earlier?
"Fellow Daoist Xu, I..." Old Man Lu attempted to plead poverty again.
"Just tell me how much you’re willing to pay per acre!"
Seeing Xu Ping’s adamant demeanor, Old Man Lu’s face wrinkled even more: "How much do you want per acre?"
"I heard Elder Yan charges one spirit crystal per acre; I’m confident I’m no worse, so let’s go with one spirit crystal per acre." Xu Ping hadn’t heard about Elder Yan’s price hike.
"One spirit crystal per acre!?" Old Man Lu’s eyes widened.
He felt Xu Ping was definitely making an exorbitant demand.
Even the unraised price of Elder Yan’s services was just one spirit crystal per acre, and Elder Yan’s Spirit Rain Skill proficiency was achieved over a decade ago, surely better than Xu Ping!