The Eternal Farmer: I Trade My Harvest for Immortality

Lady Tantai was a vision of ethereal purity.

A translucent veil of snow-gauze obscured her features, embroidered with lotus patterns in gold thread that caught the light with every movement. Only the delicate curve of a jade-like jawline was visible beneath, hinting at a beauty too profound for mortal eyes.

Her gaze was clear and cold, reminiscent of a deep pool in an ancient, secluded temple—still, reflective, and brimming with quiet wisdom. She possessed the slender grace of green bamboo under moonlight; her shoulders seemed carved from white jade, her waist bound in plain silk.

Unlike the soft, alluring charm common among female cultivators, her bearing was lean, refined, and austere. She wore a wide-sleeved robe of cloud-flowing gauze, a small bronze bell at her waist chiming softly with her movements. A faint scent of sandalwood clung to her, grounding her ethereal presence in the mortal realm.

Jiang Chen, mindful of the burly guard’s warning downstairs, maintained a posture of utmost respect.

He knew his place. He was a mere Foundation Establishment Spirit Farmer. The women before him were titans: one a genius alchemist, the other a Core Disciple and Golden Core powerhouse.

Yu Caiqing set down her teacup, the porcelain clicking softly against the table. “You’re done with your business?”

“Yes,” Jiang Chen replied, bowing slightly.

Yu Caiqing gestured to Jiang Chen as she addressed the woman across from her. “Sister, this is the Spirit Farmer I mentioned. He is the one capable of cultivating Top-quality medicinal herbs.”

Lady Tantai’s gaze shifted, landing on Jiang Chen with the weight of a mountain. “To cultivate Top-quality Spirit Plants requires considerable talent,” she said, her voice cool and melodious. “Whose team are you currently under?”

Talent like that didn’t go unnoticed in the Sect. It was impossible for him to be a free agent.

Jiang Chen didn’t hesitate. “I am currently serving in Senior Brother Chen Tian’s team.”

Recognition flickered in Lady Tantai’s eyes. “Chen Tian? The disciple of True Lord Mo from the Rain Pavilion? The genius with three mutually generating Spirit Roots?”

“The same,” Jiang Chen confirmed.

“Since you have already joined Chen Tian’s team,” Lady Tantai mused, tapping a finger against the table, “do you still have the capacity to provide herbs for my sister?”

“I have two acres of Second-Grade Spirit Farms,” Jiang Chen explained smoothly. “One acre is dedicated to providing Spirit Rice for Senior Brother Chen. The other is reserved for medicinal herbs.”

Lady Tantai paused. “Top-quality Spirit Rice?”

Even Yu Caiqing looked up, curiosity piqued.

“Yes,” Jiang Chen said, his tone humble but confident. “Top-quality Spirit Rice, produced from Second-Grade soil.”

The sisters exchanged a glance. The surprise in their eyes was subtle but unmistakable.

They had underestimated him.

To produce Top-quality crops from standard soil was rare. To do it consistently across two different types of crops was exceptional.

For a moment, Lady Tantai felt a stir of possessiveness. Ordinary farmers were a dime a dozen, but a cultivator who could force quality out of the earth was a strategic asset. If Jiang Chen had been unattached, she might have recruited him on the spot—or even poached him.

But Chen Tian…

He was a rising star, a genius poised to break through to an Earth-Grade Golden Core. If he succeeded, he would awaken innate abilities that would make him a terrifying force in the Sect. Provoking him over a farmer, however talented, was unwise.

Lady Tantai’s expression softened. “Don’t just stand there. Sit. Have a cup of cool tea.”

Jiang Chen hesitated. “This…”

“What is it?” Lady Tantai asked, puzzled.

Jiang Chen’s mind raced. Was this a test? A courtesy? If he accepted, would he be overstepping? Refusing a Golden Core Master was dangerous, but presuming familiarity was worse. And Yu Caiqing was right there—her sister’s opinion could make or break their business partnership.

Seeing his caution, Lady Tantai smiled faintly. She understood the fear. Everyone climbed the ladder from the bottom; she remembered what it was like to walk on eggshells around one’s betters.

“Sit,” she repeated, gently this time.

Jiang Chen sat.

He remained silent as the sisters continued their conversation, sipping his tea and making himself as small as possible. Their talk revolved around cultivation, specifically the hurdles of breaking through to the Earth-Grade Golden Core.

From the sidelines, Jiang Chen gathered a crucial piece of intelligence. Lady Tantai was planning to introduce Yu Caiqing to her own Master—a Nascent Soul True Lord.

That explains a lot, Jiang Chen thought. Yu Caiqing is talented, but not a Core Disciple yet. With a Nascent Soul backer, that could change overnight.

It made him wonder about the criteria for Core Discipleship. Yu Caiqing had the skill and the cultivation speed. What was she missing?

As the conversation wound down, Lady Tantai stood. With a wave of her slender hand, she vanished from her seat.

“That is all for today,” her voice echoed in the air, soft and gentle. “The Pill Appraisal Gathering is about to begin. I won’t delay you further.”

Jiang Chen looked out over the balcony. The seven-story crystal tower, previously empty, now glowed with life. Lady Tantai stood at the window, and for a fleeting second, she nodded at him.

Then, with a flash of light, the tower streaked away, disappearing into the distance.

Yu Caiqing set down her cup and exhaled a long breath. The tension in her shoulders released. “Let’s go.”

“After you,” Jiang Chen said, stepping aside.

He followed her down the stairs and out of the pavilion.

“Is that Yu Caiqing? The beauty of the Alchemy Hall?”

“Who’s the plain guy walking with her?”

As they moved through the streets, heads turned. Yu Caiqing was a celebrity here, drawing gazes and whispers wherever she went. She ignored them all, her face a mask of icy indifference.

They arrived at the Pill Tower.

The crowd here was dense, a sea of bobbing heads and shouting voices. The air was thick with the scent of medicinal herbs—some fragrant and sweet, others pungent and acrid.

“The gathering is divided into two sections,” Yu Caiqing explained over the noise. “The Outer Area and the Inner Area.”

She gestured to the chaotic scene at the tower’s entrance. “This is the Outer Area. It’s for apprentices, merchants, and low-level alchemists looking to make a quick profit.”

“And the Inner Area?”

“That’s for the serious contenders,” she said. “Junior Alchemists who have refined Foundation Pills, Senior Alchemists, and invited guests. Without a sponsor, you’d be stuck out here.”

She led him to the entrance. The guard presence had doubled since his last visit, their eyes sharp and vigilant.

The captain of the guard spotted Yu Caiqing immediately. He bowed low, his attitude shifting from stern to deferential. “Alchemist Yu. As a resident Senior Alchemist, you may pass without registration.”

Yu Caiqing nodded at Jiang Chen. “He’s with me. My partner.”

The captain’s smile didn’t falter. “If he is with you, then there is no problem. Please, enter!”