Chapter Two: The Art of Spiritual Rain

What could be done with a little over thirty spirit stones? They could buy six Earth Resonance Talismans. Three hundred pounds of spirit rice. Sixty pounds of low-grade beast meat. And that would be it! If he really spent his money on these things, he would be left with nothing to eat in no time.

To avoid being thrown out on the street, and to keep himself from starving to death, learning a trade that could earn him a living became He Song’s most pressing concern.

Guided by the memories of his predecessor, He Song began rummaging through the room once more. By the time he returned to the only table in the room, a few more items had appeared before him.

Two crumpled Earth Resonance Talismans. A manual titled “Techniques of Spiritual Plant Cultivation.” A cultivation method called “Earth Resonance Art,” which could be practiced up to the ninth level of Qi Refinement. And, together with the thirty or so spirit stones already on the table, these constituted the entirety of He Song’s possessions.

“In my previous life, I struggled to leave the countryside and finally settled down in the big city. Now, after crossing into this world, am I to start farming all over again?” He Song’s gaze lingered on “Techniques of Spiritual Plant Cultivation,” a fleeting hint of existential doubt flashing across his face.

Farming was not unfamiliar to him; he had been a country child in his previous life and had grown up learning the skills by osmosis. Yet who could have imagined that, after becoming a cultivator in another world, he would need to pick up those same farming skills once more?

In the world of cultivation, those who made a living by growing spiritual rice or other spiritual plants were collectively known as Spiritual Planters. Spiritual Planters did not earn much, but the income was steady. As long as they tended their crops diligently, they could count on a decent yearly return. To most low-level cultivators, this was considered a good path.

The “Techniques of Spiritual Plant Cultivation” manual, which he had dug out from his room, was something his predecessor had acquired with the intention of pursuing this line of work.

After a moment’s thought, He Song picked up the manual and began to read.

Within its pages, only two types of spiritual plants were covered, along with instructions for two spells.

“The cultivation method for Spiritual Rice.”
“The cultivation method for Golden Bamboo.”
“The Spiritual Rain Technique.”
“The Spiritual Arrow Technique.”

Spiritual rice, once mature, yielded spirit rice, the staple food of cultivators. Golden Bamboo, a specialty of the Bamboo Mountain Market, was as hard as iron and used in artifact crafting, but required a long time to mature. The Spiritual Rain Technique was a spell to irrigate spiritual plants with spiritual energy. The Spiritual Arrow Technique was used to kill pests in the spiritual plant gardens.

In addition, the manual stated that once one had mastered the Spiritual Rain and Spiritual Arrow Techniques and thoroughly studied the manual, it was possible to apply to become a Spiritual Planter at Bamboo Mountain Market. The market would then allocate five acres of spiritual farmland and provide the corresponding seeds free of charge.

However, becoming a Spiritual Planter at Bamboo Mountain Market meant that all your harvest would be bought by the market at thirty percent of the going rate. If the market price for a hundred pounds of spirit rice was ten spirit stones, the market’s purchase price would be three spirit stones per hundred pounds.

With such a cut, even though spiritual rice could yield a thousand pounds per acre, after a year’s hard work, five acres would only bring in about one hundred and fifty spirit stones.

Of these, if you lived within the market, the annual rent alone would eat up one hundred and twenty spirit stones, leaving a mere thirty spirit stones as surplus at the end of the year.

It was truly a case of: earn in the market, spend in the market—not a coin left to take home.

Yet, even so, the profession of Spiritual Planter remained highly sought after by those wishing to stay in the market. The reasons were simple: first, the market was guarded by Foundation Establishment cultivators and was extremely safe; second, the concentration of spiritual energy within the market was much higher than outside, allowing for faster cultivation.

“Well, survival comes first. If I earn less, so be it. My lifespan is unlimited, and as long as I absorb spiritual energy, I can grow stronger in the Qi Refinement stage. Since the market is safe and offers faster cultivation, I’ll stay here for now.”

Having finished reading “Techniques of Spiritual Plant Cultivation,” He Song made up his mind. Settling down, he soon immersed himself in the knowledge the book provided.

The method of cultivating spiritual rice.
The method of cultivating Golden Bamboo.
The Spiritual Rain Technique.
The Spiritual Arrow Technique.

As his eyes swept across the pages, insights poured into his mind like a bubbling spring.

Thanks to his experience in rice farming in his previous life, He Song grasped the method of cultivating spiritual rice quickly. After all, spiritual rice was essentially just rice infused with spiritual energy, not so different from mundane rice, sharing many similarities. However, spiritual rice required spiritual farmland for nourishment and the irrigation of the Spiritual Rain Technique.

Once he had thoroughly understood the method for cultivating spiritual rice, He Song began to practice the Spiritual Rain and Spiritual Arrow Techniques.

The methods for cultivating spiritual rice and Golden Bamboo only needed to be understood. The Spiritual Rain and Spiritual Arrow Techniques were the true keys to becoming a Spiritual Planter! Without these two spells, no matter how much you studied the cultivation methods, it would be impossible to grow qualified spiritual rice or Golden Bamboo.

Spell cultivation required considerable time.

Though He Song immersed himself in it, his low cultivation meant he still had to eat. As night fell, hunger finally roused him from his trance.

Looking outside the window, He Song was mildly astonished. Unknowingly, he had spent the entire day absorbed in spell practice. If not for his empty stomach waking him, he might have remained immersed for even longer.

“So these are the spells of the cultivation world? Mobilize spiritual power within the body, form hand seals, and all sorts of wondrous effects appear.”

Recalling the incantation for the Spiritual Rain Technique, He Song marveled aloud, and his body instinctively began channeling spiritual energy and forming the necessary hand seals.

It was an unconscious act, much like a child with a new toy, eager to try it out for himself.

To learn a spell in half a day—most cultivators couldn’t even scratch the surface. Even if the Spiritual Rain Technique was simple, for a cultivator at the first layer of Qi Refinement to cast it perfectly would usually require ten days to half a month of practice.

However, in the next instant—

Buzz!

A tingling sensation shot across He Song’s scalp.

When he looked up, he was startled.

Above his head, a tiny cloud hovered in the air, like a drifting mist. As he watched, strands of water vapor began to seep from the little cloud.

Plop!

When the first drop of spiritual rain fell from the cloud onto He Song’s face, he snapped back to his senses.

This was—the Spiritual Rain Technique!

Though the cloud above his head was minuscule, the spiritual energy it contained was genuine. It was only so small because this was his first attempt and he was not yet skilled, making the conjured cloud rather tiny.

But, the Spiritual Rain Technique was unmistakable!

To cast it at all meant he had crossed the threshold. With continued practice, it would not be long before he could summon a cloud large enough to cover several acres of spiritual farmland.

The cloud formed by the Spiritual Rain Technique soon dispersed above his head.

But within He Song’s heart, a fervor had already ignited.