Spirit Plant Entry: Immortality Begins with Farming

As the sun began to set, it cast long shadows on the eight acres of newly tilled farmland at the eastern end of the shantytown.

Widow Li squatted by the edge of the field, clutching a handful of newly bought golden thread grass seeds in her hand.

The seeds were shriveled and small, grayish-brown, lying lifeless in her palm, no different from the ones she had sown to feed the soil in previous years. She looked at them for a long time, then sighed heavily and stuffed the seeds back into the cloth bag at her waist.

tired.

Having something on your mind is more tiring than doing physical work.

The words Chen Yuan had spoken weighed on his chest like a stone. Planting golden thread grass, weaving grass rings, exchanging them for spirit stones… every step seemed absurd.

But what could she say? The owner had made the decision; he provided the capital, and he was the one who made the land vacate. She was just a laborer, raising her child and relying on this shop to make a living.

"Just do as I say." She repeated Chen Yuan's words in a low voice, as if speaking to herself, but her tone was full of unyielding sorrow.

Ping An was playing in the mud at the other end of the field, her little hands covered in mud, occasionally looking up at her with a smile. The child's smile was pure, oblivious to the complexities in the adults' hearts.

As Widow Li watched, a mixture of grievance and helplessness mingled with a touch of bittersweet tenderness.

It's all for this child.

She stood up, brushed the dirt off her trousers, and called to Ping An, "Ping An, let's go home. Mom will get you something to eat."

Holding Ping An's hand, they walked back, but their steps unconsciously changed direction. Instead of returning to Yuancaotang, they headed towards the low earthen houses at the western end of the shantytown, near the mine patrol team's residence.

She stopped in front of an inconspicuous house with a small piece of dried animal bone hanging above the door, and looked around.

As dusk fell, there were few people on the road. She raised her hand and knocked three times on the door, paused, and then knocked twice more.

Footsteps came from inside the door, the latch was pulled, and the door opened a crack.

A angular, weathered face emerged—it was Xiong Kui. He wore worn patrol armor, looking like he'd just finished a shift, his eyes weary. He paused for a moment upon seeing Widow Li, then lowered his voice, "Li Niang? What brings you here at this hour? What happened?"

Widow Li didn't say anything, but simply turned to the side, pulled Ping An along, and quickly squeezed through the crack in the door he had made.

The room was small and simply furnished, with a wooden bed, an old table, and some odds and ends piled up in the corner, but it was kept tidy. There was a faint smell of sweat and leather in the air, mixed with a hint of cheap tobacco.

Xiong Kui closed the door, turned around, and frowned. "Is someone causing you trouble again? Is it Liu San Niang's side? Or those hooligans in the market?"

"No." Widow Li sat down on the only stool in the room, pulled Ping An to her side, and said in a hoarse voice, "It's...it's Chen Yuan."

Xiong Kui's expression relaxed, but then he asked in confusion, "Brother Chen? What happened to him? Didn't he join the Flying Feather Sect and do well? Didn't he come back and give you your wages a while ago?"

"Yes, he did pay us wages and he was kind to us." Widow Li raised her head, her face filled with confusion and suppressed anxiety. "But now... he wants all eight acres of good land on the east side to be planted with golden thread grass."

"Golden thread grass?" Xiong Kui repeated, clearly not expecting this either. "That kind of weed? Why plant it? You wouldn't need eight acres to feed livestock."

"It's not for feeding livestock." Widow Li's Adam's apple bobbed, as if she found it difficult to speak. "He said... he would grow them, weave them into grass rings, and exchange them with the neighbors for spirit stones."

The room fell silent for a moment.

The doubt on Xiong Kui's face slowly solidified, turning into an unbelievable sense of absurdity. He stared at Widow Li, as if trying to find a trace of a joke on her face, but only saw deep sorrow and seriousness.

"...Li Niang," Xiong Kui's voice was dry and hoarse, "You...you didn't hear me wrong? A ring woven from golden thread grass, exchanged for spirit stones? This...who would exchange that? Even if spirit stones are worthless, they're still something that cultivators would deem worthy of! Golden thread grass? That stuff is so smoky you wouldn't even dare to use it for fire!"

"I know! Of course I know!" Widow Li couldn't contain her emotions any longer, her voice trembling slightly. "I told him it wouldn't work, no one would trade, and the neighbors would laugh at us for being greedy for money! But the shop is his, the land is his, so I can only do it his way. I'll just do it."

She gripped the hem of her dress tightly, her knuckles turning white. "He also said I should find a few honest women and teach them how to weave rings, paying them half a spirit stone for each one. He said he'd bring the seeds the day after tomorrow, saying they'd been 'treated' and would grow faster… Xiong Kui, my heart is pounding. Brother Chen has always been steady and capable, but this time… this time, no matter how I think about it, it all seems like a joke! Those eight acres of land, such good land, left empty for so long, just to plant this? How will we live in the future? What about Ping An?"

Ping An seemed to sense her mother's anxiety and uneasily clung to her.

Xiong Kui listened silently, his face expressionless, only a complex emotion flickering deep in his eyes.

He walked to the table, picked up a rough earthenware kettle, poured two bowls of cold water, pushed one bowl to Widow Li, and picked up the other bowl for himself, drinking it slowly.

The cool water slid down my throat, calming the restlessness in my heart.

"Li Niang," he put down the bowl, his voice low, "tell me the truth, Brother Chen... did he say anything special about his Golden Thread Grass? For example, what kind of magic did he use, or what did he add?"

Widow Li shook her head: "He didn't go into details. He only said there was a way to make the grass 'a little different,' to weave it into rings and wear them, which might make the body feel more comfortable and reduce backaches and leg pains... His words were vague, and it sounded even more unreliable."

Xiong Kui walked to the window and peered through the crack at the darkening sky outside. He was part of the patrol team, spending years navigating this diverse and sometimes chaotic area, witnessing countless bizarre events and hearing numerous secrets. Some cultivators did indeed possess unorthodox methods that could imbue ordinary things with strange effects, but these usually came at a high price, or were driven by ulterior motives.

What's the point of using golden thread grass?

"How did he tell you to tell the neighbors?" Xiong Kui asked.

"Take this new thing the shop is trying out. If you feel tired or can't sleep well, you can exchange it for a spirit stone to try it out. Wearing it will give you peace of mind. We won't force you; it's up to you whether you want to exchange it or not. The first batch will be given away for free to trusted elderly people who are sick or weak."

Xiong Kui turned around, leaning against the earthen wall, his arms crossed over his chest. The leather armor made a slight rustling sound as it rubbed against each other.

"Li Niang," he began slowly, his tone tinged with a resigned helplessness, "the land was given to you by Brother Chen. The shop is also his capital. He is now a nominal disciple of the Flying Feather Sect, even if it's just a title, in this shantytown, he's practically a 'Celestial Master.' Once he's made up his mind, we... really can't change it."

He looked at Widow Li, his eyes filled with reassurance, but also with a hint of barely perceptible weariness: "Who are we? You're a widow with a child. I'm just a patrolman with no connections and no future. It's already a miracle that we've managed to stay put in this shantytown without causing any major trouble. Brother Chen has been kind to you and your child, and he pays you well. This idea of ​​his... it sounds absurd."

He paused, his voice even lower: "No matter how absurd it may seem, he's the boss, he's bearing the cost. If we... listen and do as he says, at least our wages won't be less. The wage for weaving rings is half a spirit stone per ring, which is a good job for women in the shantytown. When you look for someone first, you can also gain some favor."

Widow Li listened, her eyes reddening. She knew Xiong Kui was right, but the turmoil in her heart remained unresolved: "I'm just afraid... afraid that if this gets out, it'll become a laughing stock. We still have to live our lives in this area, after things are peaceful again..."

"Let them laugh all they want." Xiong Kui walked back, squatted down in front of Widow Li, looked up at her calmly, "When is there a shortage of jokes in the shantytown? Today you laugh at me, tomorrow I'll laugh at him. What really matters is practicality. As long as I get my wages, can save up spirit stones, and have enough to eat and wear, let them say whatever they want."

He reached out and gently patted Ping An's head: "The child is still young and doesn't understand these things. You just focus on getting the ring-making work done. As for the farming, since Brother Chen said he'll handle it, you just keep an eye on it for now. What if... I mean, what if his method really has some tricks we can't figure out?"

Looking into Xiong Kui's calm eyes, Widow Li's panic gradually subsided, but a deep-seated doubt and a vague sense of grievance remained. She nodded, her voice muffled: "...I understand. I'll do as he says."

"Hmm." Xiong Kui stood up. "The patrol team has been keeping a close watch these past few days. The western mine isn't safe, so don't wander around at night. The seeds have arrived, so plant them as you normally would. Find people who can weave the rings, make sure they're clean-cut and keep their mouths shut. Pay them in cash, so they don't give you any reason to complain."

"I know."

Widow Li also stood up, taking Ping An's hand, and said, "Then... I'll go back now."

"I'll walk you to the intersection." Xiong Kui opened the door, went out to check first, and then gestured for them to follow.

As dusk deepened, smoke rose from the chimneys of the shantytown, filling the air with a mixture of smells. We walked in silence, the only sound the soft rustling of our footsteps.

When they reached the fork in the road, Widow Li stopped: "Let's stop here. We'll get there soon."

Xiong Kui nodded, stood still, and watched the mother and child walk into the depths of the dimly lit alley until their figures disappeared.

He stood there, not leaving immediately. His brows were deeply furrowed as he gazed towards the eight acres of empty fields to the east, his eyes unfathomable.

Golden Thread Grass... exchanged for Spirit Stones...

Chen Yuan, what are you thinking?

After a long while, he exhaled a breath of stale air, turned around, and disappeared into the deep night of the shantytown.

Inside the herb hut, Chen Yuan stood with his palm hovering over a large bag of golden thread grass seeds.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, the pale golden "Life Nourishment" star is slowly illuminating with a gentle yet firm light.