Chapter 21: Leaving the Starting Village

Time flies. Four months after returning from the Xuantian Tower, Wen Yue had suppressed her cultivation level time and again, but finally, she had no choice but to break through to the third level of Qi Refining.

Driven by her master, Wen Yue, her little Golden Silkworm was also on the verge of breaking through to the third level of Qi Refining. At a time like this, she certainly could not go to accept any missions; she had to wait until the little silkworm advanced before setting out.

There was another important reason: accepting farming missions was not exactly a tranquil life. The farming plots were all clustered together, which meant she would be compared with people several grades higher than her. Even if those individuals were the ones left behind by the smaller cliques, they were still at the fourth or fifth level of Qi Refining, with some even reaching the seventh or eighth.

Wen Yue had learned all this from Old Zhao. Having discovered from Bai Furuo that Old Zhao had once spent time in the farming plots, she had inquired about them. Old Zhao, looking to build a bit of good karma, told her everything he knew.

Since the current batch of students had not yet left the courtyard, Wen Yue stayed behind as a matter of course. Once at the third level of Qi Refining, one could begin to practice spells, so she took advantage of this "newbie protection" period to improve herself.

Her cultivation techniques did not require much time, so Wen Yue stopped attending lectures and spent the remaining hours practicing spells. She possessed no weapons, and the Heavenly Demon Sect provided none; she had to find her own way. With no spirit stones and no connections, what kind of ideas could she possibly have? It was nothing more than doing business without capital.

This kind of business was not for everyone, as there was at least a fifty percent chance of being "out-of-businessed" by someone else. What was the solution? The only answer was to practice spells. Since her wood-attribute spiritual root was strong, she was perfectly suited to practice wood-attribute spells.

The only wood-attribute spell Wen Yue could practice at the moment was the Entanglement spell, but that overlapped with the abilities of her little Golden Silkworm, making it redundant. Consequently, she began practicing gold-attribute spells instead. The Golden Needle technique required very little mana to condense the needles, yet it was quite powerful.

Then there was the Object Manipulation technique, which she had already practiced to perfection. Wen Yue had always liked this spell; if mastered, one could move mountains and drain seas—this was no joke. It was truly a powerful skill, and she had already thought of several ways to use it to get the better of others.

These days, she practiced these two spells the most. She was currently condensing golden needles, managing three at a time, which was considered quite good, though she was dissatisfied with her speed and was working hard to improve.

Half a month passed in a blink of an eye. Wen Yue was about to advance to the fourth level of Qi Refining, and she had become proficient in several spells. The little Golden Silkworm’s mana had long since reached the third level.

Feeling that everything was sufficiently prepared, she stepped out of the courtyard that day—the first time she had left since returning from the Xuantian Tower.

Having already scouted the location, Wen Yue headed straight for the Mission Hall. As the main hall for the top sect of the Demonic Path, it was largely deserted, save for an old man dozing off.

"Hello, I’m here to accept a mission," Wen Yue said, walking up to the counter.

The old man opened his sleepy eyes. "What kind of mission?"

"A farming mission."

"Not a hunting mission?"

The squads from the Heavenly Demon Sect always claimed to be "hunting squads" when they went out. As to whether they were hunting people or beasts? That depended on where the greater profit lay.

"Not a hunting mission. I haven't joined a squad."

The old man finally sat up straight. "You’re an unusual little girl! You’re the first from this batch of students to come out. You should know that once you leave, there’s no turning back."

"I know, but I couldn't stay inside forever, could I? It’s just a matter of time." Wen Yue was afraid that if she waited, she would never find the courage to leave, so she had prepared as much as she could and refused to give herself a chance to back out.

"There are two places in our Heavenly Demon Sect that need people for the farming plots. Where do you want to go?" the old man asked.

"Where are they? I'm not sure. Could you tell me?"

"One is the Heavenly Demon farming plot, five thousand miles from Mount Tianluo. It's relatively small, there aren't many plots, and it doesn't pay much."

Wen Yue was quite satisfied with this. It was close to Mount Tianluo, so she could visit Ao Qing. There should be more practitioners there now, and she might find some opportunities for trade.

"There is another one near the Rakshasa Gate. It’s our sect’s largest farming plot, and the benefits are better, but they are always in need of manpower."

"Always in need of manpower" meant that people were constantly dying there. The larger the place, the more intense the infighting, especially in a sect like the Heavenly Demon Sect that encouraged such conflict.

"I’ll go to Mount Tianluo."

"The benefits there aren't as good as they are here," the old man reminded her.

"I’m just a little rookie. I’m happy enough just scraping by in a place with fewer people."

The old man laughed. "You’re no rookie! You’re almost at the fourth level of Qi Refining in just half a year. What kind of rookie does that?"

"I practice a wood-attribute cultivation technique. I didn't switch to the Heavenly Demon Technique, so my attack power is still lacking."

The members of the Heavenly Demon Sect worshipped the Heavenly Demon Technique, which could indeed be considered the strongest at the same level—a reason why many chose to switch. However, Wen Yue didn't think her "Myriad Things Scripture" was inferior; she just didn't feel the need to tell the old man the truth.

"Oh! Is that so?" The old man’s attitude immediately cooled by two degrees.

"How do I go about claiming this mission?"

"How many acres do you plan to farm, and what will you grow?" the old man asked.

"Six acres: three acres of spirit rice, one acre of purple cloud grass, one acre of arrow bamboo, and one acre for medicinal herbs. I haven't decided exactly what kind yet." Wen Yue had already planned all of this out.

"You’re quite capable, aren't you?" The old man looked at her in surprise. Such a configuration was usually only chosen by those who had farmed for years and knew how to calculate yields.

"I practice a wood-attribute technique, so to put it plainly, I’m just a farmer. I have to excel at my main trade, so I’ve put in some effort." Wen Yue meant that her farming skills were her only standout feature; she wasn't anyone particularly powerful.

"Fine. Wait here, I’ll get your supplies."

The old man soon returned with a storage bag and handed it to her. "The seeds are inside. I’ve included a variety of medicinal herb seeds, as well as one hundred spirit stones."

"Are there no spirit rice or other staples? What am I supposed to eat?"

"Didn't I just give you one hundred spirit stones? Solve it yourself."

"Then can I buy rice and flour from you?"

"That, I can do. How much do you need?"

As long as she could buy food, it would be fine. She didn't know the situation at the farming plots, and the things she planted wouldn't be ready to eat right away.

Soon, Wen Yue bought a hundred pounds of spirit rice and a hundred pounds of spirit flour. She even swiped a set of cooking utensils from the old man—definitely not the kind intended for practitioners.

Finally, she sat on a flying horse provided by the sect and headed for the farming plots.

The horse was of a higher rank than Wen Yue—it was already at the fifth level of Qi Refining! She had been a little excited to set out on her mission, but seeing the grade of the horse instantly dampened her joy. She sat on its back, not daring to move a muscle.

The old horse truly knew the way. The old man told the horse to go to the farming plot near Mount Tianluo, and it carried Wen Yue there in one go.