My path to immortality was smooth sailing.

The September wind blows from the emerald lake, carrying the coolness of the water vapor and the faint fishy smell of the aquatic plants at the bottom of the lake.

As it passed over the sacred fields, it was imbued with the fragrance of rice, which then became mellow and rich.

The second-tier spirit rice, Bichun rice, is finally ready for harvest.

The Bichun rice is ripe.

Once mature, Bichun rice has heavy ears of grain and stalks as hard as iron.

When cut with an ordinary sickle, although it doesn't produce sparks, the barren soil is indeed very tough and difficult to harvest.

For ordinary disciples in the early to mid-stages of Qi Refining, harvesting one acre of spirit rice a day is already quite an achievement. By the time they finish work at night and lie in bed, they are guaranteed to be sore all over.

"Xiao Jing, this rice is wonderful!"

"As expected of second-grade spirit rice, the aroma is truly pure."

"But this straw is really tough." Wei Santong looked down at his palm, which was already bright red.

Wei Jing straightened up and said with a smile, "Everyone, take some back later to cook porridge and see how it tastes."

"That won't do. Second-grade spirit rice is extremely precious; how could it be something that lowly sect servants like us can eat?"

"No, no, no!" Bai Tao shook his head like a rattle drum.

Bai Tao stood behind Wei Santong, his thin frame and the outline of his shoulder blades clearly visible through his faded gray short-sleeved brown clothes, like a piece of dry firewood wrapped in cloth.

"Uncle Bai, you're quite frail. Eating some spirit rice will help nourish you," Wei Jing said with a smile.

Bai Tao was half a head shorter and thinner than Wei Santong, standing there like a bamboo stalk bent by the wind.

"I can't enjoy that kind of good fortune."

"You can't do that, Xiao Jing. You're also farming for the landlord. If the amount is short, you'll definitely be punished."

In mid-September, when the autumn heat was at its fiercest, coupled with the hard, iron-like second-tier spirit rice stalks.

Wei Jing was alright, but Wei Santong and Bai Tao suffered terribly, their bodies soaked in sweat and even their palms bruised.

Wei Jing looked up at the sky, and a thought struck him. He immediately used the Spring Rain Technique to summon a large area of ​​dark clouds to cover their spiritual field, blocking the scorching sun. He then used the Gentle Breeze Technique.

Suddenly, a gentle breeze began to blow, soothing the soul.

"It's so refreshing!"

"Xiao Jing, your methods are amazing." Bai Tao breathed a sigh of relief, feeling much cooler and refreshed.

"Haha, little Shuer," Wei Jing waved his hand humbly.

In reality, the Spring Rain spell creates clouds but doesn't bring rain, while the Gentle Breeze spell continuously blows a light breeze.

This is no small skill; it is a testament to Wei Jing's mastery of these two basic minor spells.

As long as he comprehends and studies them diligently, he will eventually be able to upgrade these two minor spells, which are not yet at the first rank, to the level of first-rank spells.

However, it wasn't cost-effective, and Wei Jing didn't put in the hard work to study it.

……

Once September is over, the weather gradually gets colder in October and November.

After two heavy snowfalls, Jade Lake was frozen over, causing Han Yue great anxiety.

The survival of these spirit fish through the winter is the most crucial step; if it is not handled properly, then all the efforts of the year will be wasted.

"Young Master Wei, Qu Sancun said the other day that all the second-grade spirit rice has been sold."

"The twenty acres yielded 13,000 catties of second-grade spirit rice, which sold for 6,362 spirit stones. After deducting the market tax and half of the harvest given to Senior Brother Qu, there are still 2,700 spirit stones left."

Ma Liu handed over a storage bag. Wei Jing took it and saw a row of spirit stones neatly stacked inside.

"Young Master Wei, this is so unfair! You've worked so hard all year, making clouds and rain, catching insects and weeding, while Qu Sancun did nothing and got 50% of the profits for nothing!" Ma Liu said indignantly.

Wei Jing shook his head.

"Why don't you tell us how much effort he went through and how many spirit stones he spent to acquire these twenty acres of second-tier spirit fields? We have no idea about the intricacies involved."

"This..." Ma Liu hesitated.

"A net profit of over two thousand spirit stones a year is more than what many menial disciples earn in over a decade," Wei Jing said.

"That's true!" Ma Liu nodded.

But the thought of giving away thousands of spirit stones to others for nothing made Ma Liu's heart ache.

Wei Jing is almost at the eighth level of Qi Refining, and he has been a member of the Qingfu Sect for over a year.

"Ma Liu, I've recently sensed an opportunity for a breakthrough and am preparing to go into seclusion to achieve it."

"I might not be able to take care of these twenty acres of spirit fields. I'll write a letter for you to give to Uncle Wei and Uncle Bai, and ask them to look after them for me."

"We can't afford to delay the spring planting."

This business is worth several thousand spirit stones a year! Wei Jing is extremely dedicated to it; the annual profit is enough to buy two or three first-grade high-quality spirit artifacts.

"Young Master Wei, are you about to break through?" Ma Liu was overjoyed. Young Master Wei was already tenth in the inner sect at the seventh level of Qi Refining. He was waiting for him to break through to the eighth level of Qi Refining.

Wouldn't that mean their ranking among the inner disciples would improve even further?

Ma Liu felt a surge of excitement. If Wei Shao could advance to the level of a true disciple, then as his servant, he could also benefit from the honor.

"Don't worry, Young Master Wei, our spirit fields won't go to waste."

"Hmm!" Wei Jingdian nodded, and then instructed Ma Liu to go to the General Affairs Hall to exchange for a large number of pills needed for seclusion.

Wei Jing made up his mind that he would not leave seclusion until he broke through to the eighth level of Qi Refining.

……

Wei Jing entered the training room and sat cross-legged on the futon.

He took out a jade bottle from his storage bag, uncorked it, and poured out a bright green pill.

This is the Spirit Cultivation Pill, a first-grade high-quality spiritual pill. Unlike other Spirit Cultivation Pills, which directly transform medicinal power into spiritual energy, this Spirit Cultivation Pill can significantly increase the concentration and activity of spiritual energy in a short period of time.

In short, it's like a cultivation version of stimulants.

When taken in combination with Yangqi Dan, the effect is definitely greater than the sum of its parts.

The cultivation speed can be increased significantly.

Two pills, one to activate spiritual energy, and the other to dissolve directly in the abdomen to provide a massive amount of spiritual energy, the two complement each other.

The Yi Wood and Gen Earth Technique begins to circulate. Spiritual energy surges from the dantian, ascends along the Ren meridian, passes through the Tanzhong point, goes through the Tiantu point, reaches the Baihui point, then descends along the Du meridian, passes through the Mingmen point, and returns to the dantian.

One great cycle, two great cycles, three great cycles...

Wei Jing was tireless, consuming a fasting pill every three days.

Even the time spent eating and using the restroom is saved.

The spirit-gathering array in the training room had already been activated, and spiritual energy surged in from all directions, forming a visible vortex of spiritual energy around him.

With the support of elixirs, spirit-gathering arrays, and a second-tier spiritual land, the aura emanating from Wei Jing's body grew stronger and stronger.

Time passed slowly.

One day, two days...

January, February...

By the fourth month of Wei Jing's seclusion, Ma Liu had already instructed Wei Santong and Bai Tao to loosen the twenty acres of second-tier spirit fields, irrigate them, and plant spirit seeds.

On a certain day in the fourth month, Wei Jing's aura reached its peak.

"Snap!"

A crisp sound, like ice cracking, like bamboo shoots growing taller, or like a seed breaking through the soil.

Wei Jing slowly opened his eyes, and his aura suddenly surged, becoming more than twice as powerful as before.

"Finally, I've reached the eighth level of Qi Refining." Wei Jing's eyes shone brightly.