“Plant one every two steps,”
“When watering, you must use a wooden spoon to water each plant individually, neither too much nor too little, just a level spoonful.”
“Pay attention to weeding, and when you spot small weeds, you must pull them out promptly.”
“The most important thing is to defend against exotic beasts,” Old Hao solemnly admonished.
“You must make a patrol at regular intervals during the night. It would be troublesome if beasts from the mountains come and cause destruction.”
Chen Mu was astonished, “Exotic beasts? The same kind used for the Exotic Beast Bone Powder?”
“That’s right, exotic beasts are not the wild beasts you imagine,” Old Hao carefully instructed, “Those that can live near the Earth Spirit Vital Energy usually have tough skin and flesh.”
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“Ordinary swords and sabers can’t even break their defenses.”
Chen Mu couldn’t help but feel a pang of anxiety.
“Impervious to swords and guns? They’re almost on par with an Armor Spirit Warrior, aren’t they?”
Old Hao looked at Chen Mu with a meaningful glance, “Disciples of the Lower Courtyard must meet the standard of the Armor Spirit, it’s not something to take lightly.”
“Earth Spirit Vital Energy can drown a person.”
“Exotic beasts can also bite a person to death.”
“Without the protection of Shell Soul, one won’t last long in the Lower Courtyard.”
Chen Mu felt a chill in his heart.
“This seemingly peaceful Low Hill Courtyard of Jilong Mountain doesn’t seem very safe.”
…
“Yellow Bud Rice has harsh growth conditions, making it complicated and difficult to plant.”
“Add to that the stealing of the crop by exotic beasts, and it becomes no easy task to protect.”
“When it ripens, its fragrance can waft for dozens of miles, attracting herbivorous birds and exotic beasts that come to snatch the rice, making the harvest even more troublesome.”
“Be prepared mentally, you are definitely going to be in debt for the first couple of years,” Old Hao looked at Chen Mu with sympathy.
“Forget the nonsense that Prefect Ge Fatso used to fool you guys.”
“Buying the Unity Secret Technique costs money, and practicing it costs even more.”
“You need to see the reality and not aim too high!”
“Start by settling down to farm, get the hang of Yellow Bud Rice,” Old Hao earnestly advised.
“Once you’ve met the grain delivery target, then slowly save up any extra Yellow Bud Rice.”
“By that time, having money on hand, you won’t panic, and it will only be logical to then practice the Unity Secret Technique.”
Chen Mu nodded in agreement, “Old Hao is right!”
“Without money in hand, one has no confidence in anything they do,” Old Hao lamented, “Saving up an emergency fund is very important, as it gives you more opportunities to make errors.”
“Look at what’s in your pocket and think about the difficulties you are about to face, and tell me, don’t you feel anxious?”
Chen Mu looked at the nearly a thousand Calming Pills in the Five Ghosts Bag and nodded gravely, “I’m very anxious!”
…
For seven consecutive days, Old Hao taught Chen Mu hands-on how to breed, plant, fertilize, and care for the crops.
He even helped Chen Mu obtain Yellow Bud Rice seeds from the storeroom of the Lower Courtyard.
And as a guarantor for Chen Mu, he went to Hundred Herbs Pavilion at Tongtian Square to credit a year’s worth of Exotic Beast Bone Powder fertilizer.
The two of them worked side by side, and after seven busy days, they had only just finished planting an acre of Yellow Bud Rice Fields.
Inside the Low Hill Courtyard,
Chen Mu and Old Hao sat at a square table, heartily enjoying a meal of meat and vegetables.
“Thank you for the guidance, Old Hao,” Chen Mu sincerely said.
During these days, the other party had not held back at all, and it truly moved Chen Mu.
“If you manage to grow the Yellow Rice well soon, that will be the greatest thanks to me,” Old Hao burped and then took out his smoking pipe to smoke.
“If you can meet the grain quota within two years, I can receive a reward of twelve White Jade Coins from the Lower Courtyard.”
“If you can do it within one year, I could even receive twenty-four!”
“Now you know why I’ve been so concerned,” Old Hao said, exhaling a puff of smoke and raising his eyebrows with a cheerful look.
Chen Mu had an epiphany but still felt grateful.
Even with a reward, it’s rare to find someone who teaches with such dedication.
Human hearts are treacherous, receiving the Lower Courtyard’s rewards on one hand, and collecting apprenticeship fees on the other, such double-dealing isn’t uncommon.
Old Hao didn’t do that, which couldn’t help but earn Chen Mu’s admiration.
Old Hao is a genuine person!
…
In the evening, on the other side of Low Hill, five miles from Chen Mu’s stone courtyard.
Inside a stone courtyard that was not much different from Chen Mu’s residence.
Old Hao sat in front of a bright oil lamp, puffing away at his pipe with a taptap.
Across from him sat a small-eyed fat man who looked at Old Hao with a smile and said, “That new kid, does he have thoughts of selling his personal treasures?”
The honest Old Hao leisurely smoked, “Although he hasn’t mentioned it, but from his demeanor, it’s quite likely.”
“I made it clear to him the difficulties of growing Yellow Bud Rice.”
“I clarified the possible consequences of being in debt.”
“Then I calculated for him the cost and time it would take to cultivate the Unity Secret Technique.”
“What do you think is on his mind?” Old Hao asked with a nonchalant expression.
The small-eyed fat man immediately beamed with joy, “He’ll be dissatisfied, he’ll be anxious, he’ll think about making a large sum of money, and want to start cultivating immediately!”
“Old Hao is wise!”
Old Hao’s face broke into a smile as he smoked, “In a while, I’ll casually mention that some of his companions have already obtained the Unity Secret Technique and started cultivating.”
“What do you think…”
“He’ll definitely sell his personal treasures in exchange for White Jade Spirit Money!” the small-eyed fat man said excitedly.
“Precisely!” Old Hao laughed as he exhaled a puff of smoke.
“Tomorrow, I’ll go find out some news about those strangers. If we’re going to provoke him, we have to be convincing,” said the small-eyed fat man shrewdly. “Don’t worry, Old Hao, by tomorrow afternoon, I’ll definitely deliver the information to you.”
“No rush,” Old Hao said leisurely. “I’ll wait another ten days or half a month before going over.”
The small-eyed fat man looked puzzled at Old Hao.
“Don’t you know how hard it is to grow Yellow Bud Rice?” Old Hao gave the fat man a sidelong glance.
“Of course, I know,” the small-eyed fat man replied with a bitter smile. “If it weren’t difficult, I wouldn’t be secretly making money off this buy-low sell-high business.”
“So we have to wait a few days. Let him try his hand at it and experience the trouble firsthand.”
“If after busying himself for half a month, he can’t manage to grow three acres of fields…” Old Hao raised his eyebrows, “by then, when I present him with the news you’ve gathered, we’ll talk.”
“He’ll definitely need to sell his treasures for money!”
The small-eyed fat man had a sudden realization, “Old Hao has thought of everything!”
Suddenly he worried, “But what if he learns how to do it?”
Old Hao rolled his eyes, “I really haven’t held back this week, explaining the tricks clearly, but most of the time, it’s me doing the work.”
“I talk a lot, I do a lot.”
“He listens a lot, but practices little.”
“He thinks he knows, but once he truly gets to work, heh…” Old Hao’s laugh was full of meaning.
The small-eyed fat man immediately gave a thumbs-up, “Impressive!”
Old Hao looked complacent. “You think I’ve lived this age for nothing?”
The small-eyed fat man smiled broadly, “Don’t worry, Old Hao. After this deal is done, I’ll definitely hand over a ten percent commission.”
Old Hao immediately nodded in satisfaction.
After thinking it over, he couldn’t help but instruct, “The price you offer can’t be too outrageous. We have to think long-term; trade must be done with the future in mind.”
“Subsequent purchases of elixirs and magic artifacts could bring in a few more profits.”
The fat man nodded with a smile, “Don’t worry, Old Hao, I’ll remember that.”
“We can’t cut the leek by its roots.”
“Besides, we’re not planning to swindle him. At most, we’ll just press down the price a bit.”
“Compared to what Dong Cheng and his gang are doing, our actions aren’t pressure, they’re outright robbery!”