Early the next morning, Xitu got up, washed his face, and used a cup of herbal water to clean his mouth.
After another simple congee meal—he had cooked a huge pot to last three days, he left the house. His destination today was the farming area on the eastern side.
Yesterday was just a test job he had been lured into trying. Usually, he worked at a Spirit Field. But since it was harvest time, the owner had taken over to prevent embezzlement.
As Xitu neared the farming area, a few acquaintances greeted him.
"Oh, it's Xitu. Showing up for work, eh?"
"You're working on a Spirit Field again? One of my workers quit. Why don't you come with me?"
"Hm... You have been working with low-level Spirit Grains for a long time. Maybe try a mid-level one this time?"
Hearing this, Xitu shook his head and laughed.
"Come on, Brother Mu. Don't joke around! I can barely manage a Small Cloud Rain Spell. If I tried mid-level Spirit Grains, they would die in a few days!"
"Haizz... You still haven't reached the Qi Foundation? I know Mortal Root is bad, but I didn't expect it to be this bad!"
Xitu gave a wry smile and stayed silent.
Before long, he arrived at a small Spirit Field. The owner, Mr. Zhang, was already waiting. After a few brief exchanges, Xitu got to work.
First, he placed a few large wooden buckets near him. Then, with a tiny burst of Qi from his hands, he activated several Water Creation Talismans, filling the buckets with water.
Then, he sat down at the center of the field, took a deep breath, and focused his mind. His hands formed a series of hand signs as he softly muttered a short activation chant. The water began to rise slowly, forming hazy clouds in the air. Droplets fell gently, nourishing the plants and the soil below.
The process continued for a few hours.
By the time he finished, it was usually around noon. He would take a short break, lean against the thatched tool shed, and eat the fruits he had bought on his way.
'With my reserve of Qi at the 8th stage of Vein Opening Realm, I can only cast 2 Small Cloud Rain Spells before running dry,' he mused while munching on an apple.
That was why Xitu always considered the Vein Opening Realm a 'fake' realm. At the beginning of this realm, you were no different from a normal human.
Only by unlocking over 30 acupoints and reaching the 4th stage of Vein Opening could you finally use some beginner spells. These included lighting a fire on your finger, creating a water ball on your hand, stirring a breeze around you... simple tricks, but magical nonetheless.
'Even this Small Cloud Rain Spell, I could only learn when I reached the late-stage Vein Opening. That bastard even charged me 2 Spirit Stones for this simple spell.'
All the spell could do was infuse normal water with Qi, help it absorb minerals from the air, and then form a cloud to rain down. Perfect for a farmer!
After a short rest, he began his afternoon work—checking for any signs of disease, deformity, or slow growth.
If the issue wasn't serious, he could leave it alone. A few days of Small Cloud Rain Spell would be enough for the plants to recover. After all, Spirit Plants were very tenacious. If it was severe, he would need to remove the plants and report to the owner later.
He also had to get rid of insects, animals, and avians. Fortunately, the seeds had just sprouted, so nothing had been drawn to them yet.
It only offered 1 Spiritual Stone a day, but the work was easy and safe, requiring no advanced techniques. Xitu had been doing this for a long time already.
'Looking back... maybe coming here was a rash decision. But it's not like I could've gotten any resources back home anyway.'
The clan he came from was a subsidiary clan under the Flowing Cloud Sect. 15 years ago, the sect announced its expansion to the southern side. Xitu didn't hesitate when he saw the recruitment notice.
Instead of being an errand boy at 1 of the clan's stores, he jumped onto the sect's artifact ship and headed straight to the Southern Wild. It felt like a life-changing opportunity at the time.
At the start, he did everything: building roads and houses, putting up fences, transporting goods, butchering animals, cooking meals... even burying the dead.
Why? Because he was too weak to join the front lines. He couldn't confront Magic Beast or explore deep ruins.
He once witnessed a battle from afar. The Magic Beast, a red Two-Horned Bear, towering over 2,5 meters on hind legs, with a swipe of its paw, instantly killed 3 cultivators of late-stage Vein Opening.
That moment etched deep fear into him. Even now, just remembering it sent a shiver down his spine. From then on, he avoided any job that required stepping into the forest.
Ironically, he later found out the Two-Horned Bear was considered one of the weaker Magic Beasts.
Eventually, the sect personnel finished clearing the area, acquired whatever rare resources and valuable information they needed, and proceeded to the next.
But he remained behind, stuck in a bland routine, unable to embrace the chance of turning life around with a fateful encounter outside.
Even yesterday's Spiritual Herb gathering was only possible because he knew the nearby area was safe, cleared of Magic Beasts by the seniors long ago.
On his way home, something caught his eye—the Red Light Street.
It was vibrant, full of music and melodious laughter that rang like silver bells. A sweet and intoxicating scent drifted through the air, thick enough to make a man dizzy, uncertain of which way to go. Now and then, beautiful women in revealing clothes leaned out from upper windows, waving handkerchiefs to beckon unsuspecting men inside.
In the past, Xitu had followed the usual cliche: 'Women will only affect your sword's drawing speed.' He would tell himself, 'Once I become a powerful cultivator, they will flock to my side like baby birds seeking protection. No need to waste time now.'
But after all this time, with no visible success, he found himself wavering.
'Just go in. Have some fun. You're not getting stronger anytime soon—so why not take a break and enjoy what life has to offer?' the devil on his shoulder whispered.
He stood frozen, an invisible war between Heaven's will and Man's mortal desires raging in his mind.
Finally, after the time it took for an incense stick to burn, Xitu turned his gaze away and continued walking home.