Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The proceed from the sale of the Mountain Drum alleviated the strain of debt that the Chi household confronted. For the time being, they have been debt-free and felt relaxed, they usually had 500 {dollars} in financial savings.

Mrs. Chi may barely conceal her smiles each day.

Mr. Chi not wanted to stand up earlier than daybreak simply to scrape slightly extra crop from the fields.

Nonetheless, the previous couple was not accustomed to staying idle. Earlier than Could, they’d managed to plant all of the lentils within the land reclaimed from the again mountains. Nonetheless, these lentils that have been planted didn’t sprout in three days.

In a flash, it was already the month of Could.

The sky was cloudy overhead as if to forecast the wet season that was about to reach.

Mr. Chi, carrying a hoe, stood quietly subsequent to the bamboo fence. He stared on the lentil seedlings already crawling everywhere in the trellises within the area, and he was extra puzzled than ever.

It had solely been half a month since planting the lentils within the area.

That they had already climbed everywhere in the trellises, able to bloom and bear fruits; their progress price had elevated by greater than 4 or 5 occasions.

“Dad.”

Chi Qiaosong returned from the mountain with a package deal of natural medication in his fingers.

After the 9 hundred {dollars} landed in his pocket, he was refreshed. Typically, he strolled into city to purchase one thing scrumptious to eat and drink. However as a rule, he made purchases of natural medicines, which have been used to mood his physique.

Nonetheless, he didn’t spend a lot of the 900 {dollars}.

This was as a result of he was in a position to hunt some sport within the surrounding ridges and close by hills, which he took into the city in trade for cash. It was sufficient to buy the medicines for himself. Nonetheless, he by no means encountered spirit beasts just like the Mountain Drum, so he couldn’t make a fortune.

“Why is that this land of yours so wealthy this yr? There was hardly something final yr,” Mr. Chi requested, considerably puzzled.

“There’s something on this area.” Chi Qiaosong couldn’t precisely clarify it to his dad as a result of issues such because the Golden Finger couldn’t be disclosed to anybody, or else bother would possibly ensue.

“Then, take excellent care of it.”

“Properly, when the lentils are ripe, you possibly can promote them within the metropolis, Dad. Perhaps we are able to get a very good worth for them.”

“True, the standard of the lentils rising on this area is unquestionably high price. Have a look at these lentils’ seedlings, so inexperienced identical to emeralds… I’ll take off a few of these dry leaves.”

“Why are you choosing off the previous leaves?” Chi Qiaosong questioned.

“These might be dried and used as tea. It has cooling properties and might detoxify the physique. Within the olden days, when folks went into the mountains and have been bitten by snakes or suffered from boils, we boiled these dried lentil leaves to drink as tea.”

Mr. Chi instantly put down the hoe and commenced choosing the leaves.

It was sufficient to fill a big basket to rid of all of the previous leaves from the lentil seedlings in an acre of area.

Chi Qiaosong didn’t really feel someway about this. He solely cared concerning the expertise of the lentils after harvesting, in addition to the fertilizer reward. However, he was not very within the lentils themselves. Proper now, he actually simply needed to improve the acre of the sphere shortly.

After the improve, he would have the ability to develop an additional acre and domesticate a spirit root reworked from the inspiration of inner power.

The day earlier than yesterday, the Proper Financial institution Morning Submit reported that despite the fact that Commander Zhu didn’t take over a metropolis within the Ou enclave, he was in a position to seize three counties. As soon as he completed cleansing up the residual resistance, he would return triumphant.

The navy academy would resume its session within the close to future.

…

…

…

Quickly, one other week handed; a drizzle had introduced new life to the ridge. When the rain stopped, the lentils within the area have been blooming with purple blossoms.

Diligent little bees saved busy at these flowers.

Ring-a-ling-ling.

The second uncle arrived on a second-hand bicycle and got here to the farmhouse. He shouted loudly, “Qiaosong, Qiaosong, excellent news! The date for the resuming lessons on the navy academy has been set!”

“When is it scheduled for?”

“The fifteenth. A discover was posted on the entrance of the navy academy, saying that lessons will resume on the fifteenth of this month.”

Chi Qiaosong frowned. “Meaning now we have to attend one other week…Uncle, are available for a drink of water.”

“I don’t have time proper now; I’ve some chilly water in my basket.” After the second uncle knowledgeable him of the information, he was prepared to depart. “I have to go to the villages under to gather the dry items. I’ll get some dwelling brew tonight, and we’ll drink and catch up.”

Second uncle and his spouse lastly selected promoting dry items as their new enterprise.

In Ink Ridge County, every family was accustomed to drying some typical meals gadgets like wood ears, shiitake mushrooms, peanuts, peppercorns, and issues like that. The second uncle would purchase these dry items from these households and distribute them to eating places and taverns inside the county.

That they had spent 70 {dollars} to buy a second-hand bicycle trolley only for transporting these items.

The second aunt stayed dwelling to course of all the things, dividing the dry items into totally different grades by their look so they might promote them for extra revenue.

The second uncle got here and went in a couple of minutes.

Chi Qiaosong stood in entrance of the farmhouse, watching that acre of area.

…

Grade 1 Discipline: One acre

Fertilizer Storage: One bag

Spirit Root Supply (1): Bay tree (Crazed Bull Heavy Fist, accomplished)

Exterior Non secular Root (0): None

Spirit Plant: Lentils

…

It had been a month of farming, and the sphere, simply by respiration the essence of heaven and earth, had added an additional bag of fertilizer within the warehouse.

Sadly, he had not but acquired any new martial arts expertise, so there was nowhere to make use of the fertilizer.

Beforehand when he was wandering round city, he took time to inquire about a number of martial arts gyms. Many martial arts have been taught in these gyms, however the tuitions have been too excessive, typically costing lots of of {dollars} simply to be taught one form of martial arts.

And all that was taught was newbie fundamentals.

Genuine superior martial arts may solely be discovered by going to the martial arts institutes in massive cities at a price. These martial arts institutes have been much like universities, and the complete title was really Martial Sports activities Establishment, a spot designed for superior research by severe martial artists.

There was a complete of 5 martial arts institutes in Jiangyou Province.

There was a provincial martial arts institute in Chaisang Metropolis, the provincial capital, which had been established greater than 200 years. Hongdu Metropolis, on the opposite facet of the Nice Striding Lake, additionally had a provincial martial arts institute. Apart from these two, there have been three extra municipal martial arts institutes. Amongst them was the one positioned in Fuliang Metropolis of Ink Ridge County.

Commander Zhu had established the navy academy, which clearly said that those that excelled within the navy academy and had mastered the Three Disciple Planes would possibly enter the Fuliang Municipal Martial Arts Institute for additional research. There, they might examine high-level martial arts and concentrate on the Three Grasp Planes.

Commander Zhu even gifted his circle of relatives’s Kuidou Spear Approach to the Fuliang Municipal Martial Artwork Institute.

Kuidou Spear Approach was a master-level martial artwork. After intensive cultivation, it was simple to advance to the grasp stage. This spear method was so highly effective that hanging males and metal have been akin to smashing into a chunk of tofu.

Shaking his head, Chi Qiaosong determined to not proceed fascinated with these issues proper now.

He regarded on the clear sky and noticed the solar scorching like hearth. Resolutely, he fixed the spirit tusk dagger at his waist, then carried a long-handled machete to discover the depths of a ridge.

Since he hunted down that Mountain Drum, all he may consider was the way to get one other spirit beast, so he may take it to experiment with its impact as fertilizer for the sphere.

He had additionally experimented with widespread prey, chopping them as much as fertilize the sphere. Nonetheless, he found that they might not coagulate as fertilizer.

Subsequently, he needed to seek for extra spirit beasts.

If he couldn’t discover it on this ridge, he would go to the second and the third ridges, even to different hills and valleys that have been dozens of miles away.

He remembered that the elders used to say that there have been greater than wild boars within the Thousand Emerald Hill. There have been additionally grey wolves, leopards, black bears, and even tigers… Nonetheless, he had not even seen one other wild boar after so many days.

5 hours later, Chi Qiaosong returned to the farmhouse empty-handed.

The spirit tusk dagger, made out of the Mountain Drum’s tusk, had no alternative for use.

Growth!

In the course of the wet season, the climate was typically unpredictable. One second, the pink glow of sundown was shining brightly, and the following second it was lined by nothing however darkish clouds. By the point he locked up the farmhouse and rushed dwelling for dinner, the rain was already pouring down.

“Happily, I got here again early, or else I’d be drenched,” the second uncle mumbled whereas he took out the homebrew.

Mr. Chi and the second uncle loved a terrific relationship, and the 2 households often take their meals collectively. Mrs. Chi and the second aunt cooked and washed dishes collectively and assist caring for one another’s kids.

The homebrew poured into glasses. The second uncle picked up the glass and raised it to Chi Qiaosong, “Come on, drink up.”

Whereas Mr. Chi didn’t object to Chi Qiaosong’s consuming, Mrs. Chi, who introduced the dishes to the desk, warned them, “Don’t let Qiaosong drink an excessive amount of. No good comes from consuming.”

The second aunt poured the seasoning on the chilly cucumber on the plate and added, “I don’t perceive these males, who drink on a regular basis. What’s so good about consuming?”

However Mr. Chi and the second uncle didn’t appear to have heard what they mentioned in any respect.

Chi Qiaowu was busy taking a rooster leg into his bowl whereas Chi Xiaoya sensibly fed Chi Qiaoshui, their cousin. Chi Qiaodong, who was two years previous, prostrated on the ground, counting the ants.

Chi Qiaosong smiled as he relished the heat of dwelling.