Chapter 122: Chapter 27: Renting out Labor

In the Outer Sect, management was strictest for A Class, followed by B Class. C and D Classes, on the other hand, were almost completely left to their own devices.

Every other day in A Class, Feng Tianyi would come to lecture the disciples. He guided them on the key points and taboos of cultivation. This was to prevent disciples from humbler backgrounds from making irreparable mistakes during the Qi Refining Stage due to a lack of guidance.

A Class also had its own Office Kitchen. The supplied Spirit Rice was Tier One Upper Grade Cyan Scale Rice, and the dishes were cooked with Spirit Plants and the flesh of Demons. Disciples could eat in the Office Kitchen for free, but they were not allowed to take food away.

Although the Spiritual Food from the Office Kitchen couldn’t compare to the flavor of the Eight Treasures of Jade Cuisine from Kang Guang Tower, its Spiritual Mechanism was in no way inferior.

This was especially true for the Tier One Upper Grade Cyan Scale Rice. This particular Spirit Rice could replenish one’s Vitality and nourish the physical body. Once consumed, it merged into the blood and qi, helping cultivators who didn’t also practice a Body Cultivation Technique pass the Physical Body Stage of the Foundation Establishment Three Gates.

Yang Jing was in the process of accumulating blood and qi to meet the requirements for Cocoon Formation and Embryonic Development, so he naturally didn’t hold back. That morning, he downed three bowls of rice and ate a full seven catties of Demon Beast Flesh.

After eating until he was about sixty percent full, he waved over a Miscellaneous Task worker and asked a question.

“Young man, I’m raising three Guardian Beasts, and they require a good deal of Spirit Rice and meat every day. I was wondering if I could spend some Spirit Stones to buy supplies from the Office Kitchen.”

The Miscellaneous Task worker led him to the back of the kitchen.

“You’re too kind, Sir. The Office Kitchen’s services don’t extend to Guardian Beasts. You can purchase prepared Spiritual Food directly, or you can buy Spirit Rice, vegetables, and meat from the back of the kitchen to prepare yourself.”

Yang Jing asked about the prices and found that buying the raw ingredients was much cheaper—a full thirty percent less than the market rate. He spent some Spirit Stones to purchase a hundred catties of Spirit Rice, over fifty catties of beast flesh, and some fresh vegetables.

Each Outer Disciple was required to tend to a ten-mu Spirit Field, where they grew Cyan Scale Rice.

Yang Jing’s Spirit Field was right beside his residence. Zhang Peishan had already planted the seedlings.

He inspected the field and confirmed that there were no major issues with the seedlings. They were just a little wilted from two days of neglect. Reassured, he released his three “disciples” and had them tend to the Spirit Rice.

Cyan Scale Rice had very high requirements for Spiritual Qi. If the Spiritual Qi in the soil or water was even slightly deficient, the plants’ condition would deteriorate—their veins would lose their green color and the leaves would turn pale yellow. Thus, every day, the soil had to be tilled to release the Spiritual Qi pooled in the mud below, and the Spiritual Rain Technique had to be cast to increase the Spiritual Qi concentration in the paddy water.

Every day, one also had to clear away the snakes, insects, rodents, and various birds drawn to the seedlings.

Cultivating it properly was no simple task.

Each A Class disciple had to spend at least four to six hours in their Spirit Field every day.

After he released his three “disciples,” Iron Head leaped directly into the Spirit Field, using its claws to churn the mud and release the Spiritual Qi. Meanwhile, Yinjiao, in its white dog form, circulated its Magical Power and cast the Spiritual Rain Spell.

In the blink of an eye, clouds of vapor rose above the Spirit Field. They gathered the ambient Spiritual Qi and transformed into a rain imbued with Spiritual Mechanism, which then poured down.

Chi Yu, who had transformed into a Cyan Bird, flapped its wings, deftly plucking snakes and insects from the seedlings in the water and swallowing them whole.

Yang Jing, meanwhile, sat peacefully cross-legged on the ridge of the field, operating his Five Elements Wheel to cultivate his Magical Power.

Other A Class disciples were also busy in their own Spirit Fields at this time. They were all from Noble Families, and for most, this was their first time farming after joining the Five Elements True Spirit Sect. They looked absolutely miserable. Seeing Yang Jing’s relaxed posture, they were completely dumbfounded.

By the time Yang Jing had completed a full Circulation, he saw that a crowd of A Class disciples had gathered around his Spirit Field.

“Ahem. What are all you senior brothers doing, crowding around my field?”

A youth, whose noble air could not be concealed by the standard-issue Daoist Robe, was the first to speak up.

“Senior Brother Yang, I am Shentu Ying. I’d like to purchase these three Guardian Beasts of yours. What is your price?”

Most A Class disciples possessed exceptional Talent. Despite his distinguished family background, Shentu Ying still had to farm his own Spirit Field, getting covered in the stench of mud. This forced the hygiene-conscious young man to bathe three times a day.

His own Guardian Beast possessed peerless combat strength, but it was completely incapable of farming a Spirit Field with such practiced ease.

It would probably just end up destroying the seedlings.

“These three Guardian Beasts were passed down to me by my Master and have been trained for many years. They aren’t something that can be sold for a few Spirit Stones. Please, Senior Brother Shentu, say no more.”

“Three thousand Spirit Stones!”

Shentu Ying immediately named his price. When he saw that Yang Jing remained unmoved, he raised it again.

“Three thousand five hundred Spirit Stones!”

“Say no more. I’m not selling.”

Yang Jing’s tone was getting impatient.

Shentu Ying hailed from the Shentu Family, whose ancestor was a Nascent Soul Cultivator. As a member of the family’s Direct Lineage, he naturally had a temper. However, recalling Yang Jing’s feat of defeating Zhang Peishan in just three sword strikes, he didn’t dare to lash out. He could only swallow his anger and prepare to leave in a huff.

“These three Guardian Beasts aren’t for sale, but I can rent them out to you senior brothers to help tend to your Spirit Fields.”

Shentu Ying’s eyes lit up. ’To be honest, I completely look down on these three weak little Demons,’ he thought. ’If not for these special circumstances, I wouldn’t take them even if they were free.’

’If I can rent them, I’ll not only save a huge amount of Spirit Stones, but I’ll also avoid the need to form three Spirit Contracts. It’s a much better deal than buying them outright.’

His frustration instantly vanished.

Before he could make an offer, Yang Jing addressed the entire crowd.

“My three Guardian Beasts can work for about ten hours each day. Working together, they can finish a ten-mu Spirit Field in about one hour. Therefore, I can only rent them out to ten senior brothers per day. The rental period is ten days. Everyone, you may begin bidding,” Yang Jing announced.

“Speaking of which, the Sect’s Outer Sect Grand Competition is in one year. Even we A Class disciples must pass it to enter the Inner Sect. For the first six months, we have to divert our energy to farming these Spirit Fields. If you could have an extra four hours a day during these six months to work on your Cultivation Techniques and practice Magic, I imagine your chances of being promoted to the Inner Sect would increase dramatically.”

The Outer Sect Grand Competition of the Five Elements Array Spirit Sect grouped participants by their entry date, with each cohort spanning five years. After twenty years in the Sect, a disciple would lose their eligibility to participate.

Yang Jing’s words instantly ignited a fire in the eyes of everyone present.

“I’ll bid thirty Spirit Stones!”

“I’ll give thirty-five!”

Soon, the A Class disciples present began a bidding war. Their commotion attracted even more of their classmates, who, after learning what was happening, quickly joined the fray.

Before long, the price had soared to sixty Spirit Stones. Feeling that was high enough, Yang Jing stopped the auction.

To put it in perspective, an Independent Cultivator in the Chen Kingdom would earn a mere eight or nine Spirit Stones after toiling in a Spirit Field for an entire year. Only because these A Class disciples were so wealthy could the price be driven to such an astonishing level.

“Sixty Spirit Stones it is. Those who agree to the price, please pay thirty Spirit Stones up front. You can pay the remaining thirty after the work is complete.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep