At the spot Liu Yu had pointed out, Ji An carefully inspected the plants. Sure enough, he found black speckles dotting the leaves and stems.
He cupped his hands in thanks.
"Many thanks, Senior Brother."
It was nothing more than a common type of aphid. If treated in time, it wouldn't affect the harvest. But if discovered too late, once the aphids bred in large numbers, the yield would certainly drop.
"No need for thanks. The Sharp Gold Art at the entry level can take care of it."
Liu Yu waved a hand, then took his leave.
Once the other man was gone, Ji An pulled a neatly folded piece of gray cloth from his robe. He opened it to reveal a yellowish paper crane.
Pouring mana into it, the paper crane slowly grew larger.
He straddled it, and the talisman-bird wobbled into the air. Ji An had to constantly correct its direction just to keep it flying steady.
Made of talisman paper for skin and spirit bamboo for bones, the bird was clearly nearing the end of its life. Every slight movement wrung out a weary creak, creak from its frame. The ride was anything but smooth.
Even so, Ji An grinned with unrestrained joy. This was his very first flying talisman tool.
On his second ride, his nerves had settled. As he looked down at the mountains and forests sprawling beneath his feet, a rush of exhilaration washed over him, like a tipsy immortal leaning into the wind with a cup of wine.
After about three hours, he finally reached his destination, Emerald Bamboo Peak.
This was one of the many peaks under the Beast Taming Hall's domain, and it was here that Zhao Mengyao cultivated.
The talisman bird was slow to begin with, and Ji An dared not push this decrepit creature too hard; if it fell apart midair, he'd be a smear on the ground.
Up above Emerald Bamboo Peak, disciples came and went in droves. Ji An even spotted several flying atop spirit beasts, and the sight left him envious for a long while.
Then he glanced at his own rickety talisman bird. Just like that, his joy went pop gone in an instant.
Damn rich brats! He cursed inwardly, landing halfway down the mountain.
Once on solid ground, he dispersed the mana within the bird. It shrank back to palm size, and he wrapped it carefully in gray cloth before tucking it into his robe.
Here, the spiritual qi of heaven and earth was far denser than in Bihai Lake's fields. He couldn't help another pang of envy.
Most of Bihai Lake's farmland relied on leaked spiritual qi from the main vein, but Emerald Bamboo Peak stood right atop a branch vein of the spirit meridian.
Shaking himself, he had come for business, after all, Ji An began asking around for Zhao Mengyao's whereabouts.
Half an hour later, he finally found her.
"Senior Sister Zhao, your cultivation has advanced again. Congratulations!"
"You as well, Junior Brother," Zhao Mengyao replied politely, though her heart held suspicion. She had no idea why this junior had sought her out.
Ji An didn't bother with pleasantries. He came straight to the point:
"This time, I've come to borrow some spirit stones from Senior Sister for urgent use."
Do you think this is a charity hall? Zhao Mengyao's brows drew tight, her composure slipping. She still remembered how she'd once been coaxed out of three spirit stones by him. Her gaze sharpened as it fixed on Ji An.
Before she could speak, Ji An quickly laid his cards on the table:
"Senior Sister, I've been assigned to grow spirit grain by Bihai Lake. I discovered I have quite the affinity for agricultural spells.
After just one month of diligent practice, I managed to push both the Minor Rain Technique and the Withering-Bloom Formula to Small Accomplishment.
I don't know if Senior Sister is aware, but in the first year, spirit-farming disciples don't have to pay rent to the sect, nor do they owe contribution points.
If I can seize this opportunity, I'll be able to build up some savings. A year from now, I'll be able to repay Senior Sister part of the spirit stones."
Ji An's words carried two layers of meaning. First, they reinforced his "spell prodigy" persona. Second, they promised that he'd be able to repay some of the spirit stones later.
Borrowing now was a tangible favor; in the future, forging ties with him might not be as simple as lending out a few stones.
Sure enough, Zhao Mengyao's expression shifted at once from cloudy to clear.
"Junior Brother's talent for spells is truly enviable.
I've been studying the Minor Rain Technique as well, but after a month, I'm still only at the proficient stage. My senior sisters say that, for most people, reaching Small Accomplishment takes at least half a year."
"You're studying the Minor Rain Technique too, Senior Sister?"
Ji An was surprised. Wasn't the Beast Taming Hall supposed to focus on raising and training spirit beasts?
Sensing his confusion, Zhao Mengyao explained:
"Some spirit beasts require fresh spirit herbs for feed. On Emerald Bamboo Peak, we cultivate pastures and medicinal fields.
So the Minor Rain Technique is a must-learn spell for us, just not our main focus."
She paused, then smiled like a blossoming flower.
"Junior Brother, I have an acre of Purpleleaf Grass that needs tending, and today happens to be watering day.
Why don't you help me cast the rain spell there first?"
"No problem. Please lead the way, Senior Sister."
Steady!
Ji An knew that if he passed this little test, he would secure the loan. How much he could borrow would depend on how generous this younger "senior sister" was willing to be.
Zhao Mengyao led him to a spirit field where rows of Purpleleaf Grass grew, resembling clover but with violet leaves.
Without hesitation, Ji An cast the Minor Rain Technique twice, enveloping the entire field.
So it wasn't a fluke; he really has grasped it!
Zhao Mengyao's sharp gaze softened into approval as the spiritual rain poured down.
"With such comprehension, Junior Brother is sure to carve out a place for himself in the sect someday.
How many spirit stones do you need to borrow?"
The ball was back in Ji An's court. He thought carefully.
If he asked for too much, not only might she refuse, but she'd also see him as greedy.
He raised two fingers.
"Two spirit stones will suffice.
I want to exchange for the third-layer manuals of the Minor Rain Technique and the Withering-Bloom Formula. That will cost twenty contribution points, one stone.
The other I plan to spend on pills to accelerate my cultivation. With stronger cultivation, I'll be able to farm more land and reap greater harvests."
"Two stones? That's not nearly enough. I'll lend you three."
Zhao Mengyao drew out three spirit stones and handed them to him, adding:
"Junior Brother might also consider breeding spirit-seeking mice for sale. One of my clan elders once said that Uncle Ji's mice were among the most spiritual he'd ever seen, even better than those bred by some Foundation Establishment cultivators."
If I had the beast-taming method, I'd have copied it a hundred times over and sold it already. Would I really be running around borrowing stones like this?
Ji An forced a wry smile.
"To raise true-quality spirit-seeking mice takes a fortune in resources. I'll only attempt it once I've saved enough stones to bear the risk."
Zhao Mengyao nodded. Breeding top-tier beasts was indeed costly. His clarity of mind made her regard him even more highly.
After giving his thanks and accepting the stones, Ji An chatted a while about their respective experiences since entering the sect. But Zhao Mengyao had matters to attend to in the afternoon, so they soon parted ways.
Leaving Emerald Bamboo Peak, Ji An flew on to Red Copper Mountain, where he found Zhang Yuanshan and Chu He. With his silver tongue, he borrowed two spirit stones from each of them.
From there, he hurried straight to the Affairs Hall, exchanging for the third-layer manuals of the Minor Rain Technique and Withering-Bloom Formula, as well as the manuals for the Sharp Gold Art and the Flamefire Incantation.
With that, he had collected all five agricultural spells!