I Outworked the Entire Cultivation World

Chapter 29: Chapter 20: [Cultivation] Calamity

”Grandfather?”

Jiang Yuebai sprinted back home, not seeing any trace of Tao Fengnian, and there were no signs of people in the village either, so she rushed madly toward the spiritual field behind the valley, encountering Shi Xiaowu on the way.

”Senior Sister Jiang, you’re back! Elder Tao just instructed me to use his token to borrow a Crossing Goose from the Spiritual Beast Valley to pick you up.”

Shi Xiaowu, having been sold five Energy Introduction Elixirs by Jiang Yuebai, had managed to enter the Qi Cultivation First Layer within the required time, and thus had always been very friendly toward Jiang Yuebai.

”What’s going on? Where did everyone go?” Jiang Yuebai asked.

Shi Xiaowu said, ”Is it not because of this heavy snow? The snow came early and abruptly this year, and it’s a bit unusual. The seedlings of the winter spiritual grain were all frostbitten, and Ice Armor Beetles also appeared.”

”Not just us here in Huaxi Valley, but most of the Heavenly Interence Sect suffered disaster too. If not dealt with quickly, we will have no harvest this winter, and many precious spiritual medicines couldn’t escape unscathed. The spiritual fields might be damaged too, and we won’t be able to cultivate them next year.”

Jiang Yuebai was shocked, ”Is it that serious? Didn’t the sect respond?”

”Of course there is! The elders and disciples of the Law Enforcement Hall have all been dispatched, investigating all over the sect to check for any demon disturbances. The Ten Thousand Laws Hall and the Divine Strategy Hall are busy setting up a great array to reverse the weather. No one knows who has suffered some great injustice causing this endless blizzard.”

Jiang Yuebai was internally shaken. Initially, she thought only mortals would be powerless against the might of heaven and earth. She hadn’t expected that even the Immortal Cultivation Realm was not spared from disaster due to heavy snow.

The might of heaven is overwhelming, truly making it difficult for one to breathe, feeling oppression.

”Where’s my grandfather?”

”Elder Tao is leading everyone in clearing the snow and exterminating the bugs from the spiritual fields. He’s been busy for a whole day and night without resting. Oh right, Elder Tao said to find him as soon as you get back.”

Jiang Yuebai’s heart tightened; her grandfather’s health was already not good. Working in the spiritual field during such a big snowstorm, there’s no way he could hold out for long.

”Let’s go to the spiritual field.”

Heavy snowflakes were swirling. Over a hundred spiritual cultivators in Huaxi Valley led their each apprentices, scattered throughout the spiritual field, waving their sleeves, using the Wind Roll Technique to clear the thick snow covering the fields.

Tao Fengnian was crouching in the ten acres of spiritual field rented by Song Pei’er, his back hunched, having not moved for half an hour, snow accumulating on him like a statue.

His expression was exhausted, his dry hands protecting a precious red spirit plant on both sides, circulating Fire Spiritual Energy to activate the Red Flame Technique, carefully nurturing the root system of the Red Refining Grass, expelling the cold.

The frostbitten leaves slowly unfolded, regaining vitality, and Song Pei’er let out a long breath of relief.

She had accepted a task from the Inner Affairs Hall to plant ten acres of Red Refining Grass as supplementary medicine for refining Foundation Establishment Elixirs.

The Red Refining Grass was of fiery temperament. Typically, winter snow shouldn’t freeze its roots, yet this heavy snow was immensely chilling and anomalous. If it hadn’t been treated promptly last night, all ten acres of Red Refining Grass would have been destroyed.

The consequences for Song Pei’er would extend beyond mere compensation.

Actually, if she had spare Spirit Stones, she should have bought some array flags to set up a great array to protect the spiritual medicine. But the daily maintenance of a great array consumes Spiritual Energy, which is another expenditure of Spirit Stones.

Ordinary cultivators are often reluctant to spend extra Spirit Stones on arraying, bearing the hope that such natural disasters won’t happen frequently.

”Don’t let the snow bury them again. Your Red Refining Grass shouldn’t pose too much of a problem.”

Tao Fengnian stood up laboriously, his head dizzy, swaying a bit, propped up by Song Pei’er.

”Thank you for your help today, Brother Tao. If you need me in the future, I’ll not refuse even if it costs me my life.”

Tao Fengnian waved his hand, ”Now, let’s just hope the sect can change heaven’s will quickly and stop the snow. Otherwise, only us low-level cultivators scratching for food from the earth will suffer.”

Song Pei’er’s face was mournful, ”I’m afraid it will be hard to endure. Ninety percent of the cultivators in Huaxi Valley have learned the Cloud Rain Technique, and the last thing you want to do is rain under heavy snow. The Earth-Shaking Technique for loosening soil and turning fields is also useless.”

”Dealing with Ice Armor Beetles requires the Second Layer of the Sharpness Technique, and repairing the frostbitten seedling roots needs the Red Flame Technique. But unfortunately, the techniques I excel in are the Cloud Rain Technique and Earth-Shaking Technique, and the Grass and Wood Technique needs to wait until the bugs are removed to restore plant vitality.”

Tao Fengnian felt heavy-hearted, and during a break among the cultivators clearing the snow around, all were looking at Tao Fengnian with pleading eyes.

The spiritual fields are the foundation of their livelihood and the basis of their cultivation. If the fields have no yield, it’s like cutting off their cultivation path.

Tao Fengnian looked around; most of the seedlings in the valley were covered by a hard ice shell, the green leaves gradually disappearing within the ice shell.

Ice Armor Beetles appeared in winter in previous years too, but they were always scattered in small patches, easily discovered and dealt with. When had they ever seen an overnight infestation covering the whole valley?

The Sharpness Technique to eliminate bugs is hard to learn, and the Red Flame Technique to repair roots is hard to control.

With twelve hundred acres of spiritual fields, there aren’t many who can help.

”Brother Fang! Someone, Brother Fang is injured! Quick, someone!”

In a chaotic bustle, an elderly cultivator who was clearing bugs in the field was carried aside, blood at the corners of his mouth, his breath scattered.

Tao Fengnian quickly walked over to feel his pulse, ”Overworked and injured his Sea of Consciousness; he cannot work anymore.”

”Ah?”

Everyone’s faces turned pale, and Fang Zhong struggled to get up.

”I’m fine; the Ice Armor Beetles in my field are not completely dealt with yet. My son finally got into the Outer Sect and reached Qi Cultivation Perfection, counting on this winter’s spiritual grain to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Elixir. I can’t destroy his hope of establishing a foundation.”

”Enough!” Tao Fengnian rebuked, ”If you die, your son’s heart demon will be triggered, and his foundation establishment will be even less hopeful!”

Fang Zhong sat dejectedly on the ridge between fields, staring at the wilting seedlings in the spiritual field, crying out.

”How could this be! How could this happen!”

Everyone else felt the same grief. The spiritual fields are their life, and this heavy snowstorm from heaven is claiming their lives.

The dark-skinned man Han Zhen asked, ”Elder Tao, what do we do now? Only five people in Huaxi Valley know the Sharpness Technique, three of them are not yet at the Second Layer and can’t help. Only Brother Fang and Junior Brother Liu Dashan can deal with the bugs.”

”Now that Brother Fang is injured, only Junior Brother Liu is left, and even if we work him to death, we won’t clear so many fields of bugs. Moreover, many of our fields have severe infestations and may not last through the night. Even if we had one more person who could clear bugs, there’d be a glimmer of hope!”

Tao Fengnian looked gloomy, ”You all shouldn’t worry too much. This disaster is fierce and severe. The sect won’t stand idly by. I’m sure the Inner Affairs Hall will soon come up with a solution for clearing bugs and snow. Let’s hang in there a bit longer.”

Han Zhen’s eyes reddened, ”What’s the point of us hanging on? The Ice Armor Beetles won’t stop devouring the seedlings. We must first quickly remove the bugs. If not, by the time the sect intervenes, our winter’s spiritual grain will be completely ruined.”

”Yes, Elder Tao, please think of a way for us. We can only rely on you now.”

”Please help us, Elder Tao. You are a Spiritual Cultivation Master, you must have a way.”

The crowd pleaded as Tao Fengnian coughed violently, his body unable to endure. Even with Spirit Stones to replenish his consumption, he was ultimately nearing the end of his life, lacking Essence Qi, and unable to handle such a pest disaster in so many spiritual fields.

Moreover, he hadn’t yet finished dealing with his over a hundred acres of medicinal fields, which were of top priority.

”Grandfather!”

A clear child’s voice pierced straight to the heart. Tao Fengnian turned sharply, seeing his granddaughter charging toward him, his previously heavy heart instantly felt lighter.

Song Pei’er looked over, ”Only a few days of not seeing this girl, where did she go... and what layer of Qi Cultivation is she in now?!”

Jiang Yuebai rushed in front of Tao Fengnian, ignoring Song Pei’er’s amazed gaze, ”Grandfather, can I help you?”

Tao Fengnian felt comforted, seeing that his granddaughter’s spiritual light was full, knowing she had not only mastered the Five Elements Returning to Truth Skill but also established the Five Elements Wheel Bridge she talked about, and her cultivation had greatly improved.

Facing the inquisitive and surprised looks around and the whispers, Tao Fengnian felt proud.

”Come with me, these are Ice Armor Beetles, they turn into ice shells covering the leaves. You need to use the Sharpness Technique to crack the ice shell and crush the Ice Armor Beetles underneath...”

Tao Fengnian led Jiang Yuebai into the spiritual field, while Song Pei’er stood rooted, her gaze following, her jaw unable to close for a long time.

It’s not just her; all the cultivators familiar with Jiang Yuebai and those apprentices from her cohort were all dumbfounded, their hearts unsettled.

Earlier, they were still joking around the fields about Tao Fengnian treating a Five Spirit Roots apprentice as a treasure. Now, they were all speechless.

Part after part, more than just a new perspective!