Wei Kunyi’s reasoning was certainly novel, but upon reflection, it made perfect sense.

Since Old Daoist Li was ignoring this ten-day period—a golden opportunity for Laborer Disciples to cultivate—it would be a shameful waste to let the spiritual energy in his field dissipate into nothingness.

Wei Kunyi and Liu Lan arrived at the door of Old Daoist Li’s stone hut. They knocked, and the old man emerged, his face shadowed by a low bamboo hat.

“Senior Sisters? Do you have business with this old man?”

Wei Kunyi smiled brightly, her voice dripping with charm as she explained her purpose.

Old Daoist Li pondered for a moment before replying, his voice raspy. “I have been busy at the market these past few days; I indeed cannot tend to the spirit fields. You two may enter the field to cultivate for the next few days. In exchange, help me clear out any Spirit Insects or Spirit-Stealing Rats.”

“In a few days, I will return to watch over the field myself.”

Wei Kunyi was overjoyed. She nodded emphatically. “It’s a deal!”

She immediately grabbed Liu Lan, and the two walked into Old Daoist Li’s spirit field to begin their cultivation.

Old Daoist Li watched their backs with a profound, unreadable expression. He swallowed hard, his throat bobbing, before retreating into his stone hut.

Witnessing this scene from nearby, Sun Kang frowned slightly, as if he wanted to speak but held back.

Noticing his expression, Han Yu asked what was wrong.

Sun Kang lowered his voice. “Junior Brother Li isn’t close to us anymore. Even if I wanted to help, he wouldn’t accept it. There are some things I can only say to you, Junior Brother Han.”

“During this critical period before the Green Grain Spirit Rice matures, if one person cultivates in the field, the damage to the rice is negligible. But if two people, like Senior Sister Wei and Junior Sister Liu, absorb Spirit Breath simultaneously… the yield will suffer. The harvest will almost certainly fall below fifty catties per mu.”

“If the yield is that low, everything is confiscated by the sect. He will have labored for nothing, losing the resources he needs for his path of cultivation. He’ll be set back a year or more. Isn’t that a tragedy?”

Han Yu suddenly understood. He glanced at Wei Kunyi and Liu Lan, his thoughts darkening.

They undoubtedly knew the consequences, yet they didn’t warn Old Daoist Li. They just marched into his field to steal his benefits.

On this path of cultivation, one truly could not rely on the conscience of others. Someone like Senior Brother Sun Kang was one in a thousand—perhaps even rarer.

Early the next morning, Han Yu approached Sun Kang with news: he had broken through to the first level of Qi Refining.

He deliberately suppressed his mastery of the Wind Control Technique, performing it with the clumsy, halting movements of a beginner.

Sun Kang hurriedly offered his congratulations. Hearing the commotion, Wei Kunyi and Liu Lan rose from Old Daoist Li’s spirit field and walked over, smiles on their faces. Their attitudes were noticeably warmer than before.

“From this day forth, Junior Brother Han, you have shed your mortal shell and truly stepped onto the path of cultivation. Congratulations!”

“Indeed! Now you are truly our Junior Brother!”

Their words carried a subtle implication: before entering Qi Refining, he wasn’t even considered a real person in their eyes, let alone a fellow disciple. Only now was he “one of them.”

Seeing their shifting attitudes, Han Yu responded with polite formalities, though he did not mistake their flattery for friendship.

Later that morning, the pests arrived.

A swarm of Spirit Insects descended on Han Yu’s spirit field first.

Han Yu released a Wind Control Technique, summoning a gentle breeze to push the spiritual insects away without killing them. The swarm rose into the air and settled directly into Old Daoist Li’s adjacent field.

Wei Kunyi glanced at the bugs, completely unmoved. She continued her cross-legged meditation, greedily absorbing the spiritual energy.

She had promised Old Daoist Li she would handle the pests, but she had clearly cast that promise to the wind.

Liu Lan paused. She hesitated, seemingly struggling with her conscience. Finally, she stood up and cast a Wind Control Technique to drive the Spirit Insects away.

The swarm took flight again, landing far away in another spirit field. This immediately provoked a burst of laughter from the surrounding disciples.

“Lu Yun! Stop playing with yourself! Come out and check your field, the bugs are eating your crop!” someone shouted.

As expected, Lu Yun did not emerge.

The Laborer Disciples cackled, guessing that the eccentric pervert was once again busy with his “activities” indoors. For a moment, the dull routine of the Spirit Field Department was enlivened by their mockery.

In the afternoon, Wei Kunyi reached her limit for absorbing spiritual energy. Liu Lan hit her limit shortly after. The two women dusted themselves off and left together.

Old Daoist Li had not returned. The two women showed zero intention of staying behind to guard his field as promised.

Not long after they left, a Spirit-Stealing Rat scurried into Old Daoist Li’s field. It began gnawing voraciously on the slender stalks and heavy heads of the Green Grain Spirit Rice.

Sun Kang walked by and sighed. “Junior Brother Li is too old, and his Spirit Root is poor. I fear he has given up on himself completely.”

As for why Wei Kunyi and Liu Lan broke their promise, neither Sun Kang nor Han Yu said a word.

Other people’s karma was their own. How could they interfere?

Old Daoist Li refused advice, pushed people away, and kept his distance. They couldn’t force their help on him without reason.

Shortly after, Old Daoist Li returned.

When he saw the Spirit-Stealing Rat in his field, his face turned dark and gloomy. But then, a strange smile flickered across his lips, and he retreated into his stone hut without chasing the pest away.

Sun Kang shook his head, convinced the old man was self-destructing. He didn’t bother speaking to him. After bidding Han Yu farewell, he left.

That night, Han Yu followed his routine.

He cultivated the Green Grain Qi Cultivation Method, refined the medicinal power of the Mystic Heart Fruit, and then replicated and consumed a Spirit Blood Vine to enhance his Blood Refining Technique.

The distance to the third level of Qi Refining narrowed once more.

His progress in the first level of Blood Refining also surged; his total reserve of Blood Essence had reached eighteen drops.

Tomorrow, he would likely be ready to practice the Spirit Root Refining Art again to further improve his aptitude.

Han Yu found his life fulfilling. Farming and cultivating daily, making steady, tangible progress—he had little interest in the petty schemes of the other Laborer Disciples.

However, the looming threats of the Demon Blood Sect and the conflict between the Five Sects of the Southern Region never left his mind. A vague sense of crisis always lingered in the background.

“Caw!”

Two crows, one large and one small, flew through the window and landed on the sill.

Han Yu reached out, stroking their feathers which felt as hard as iron. He smiled. “There have been plenty of Spirit Insects and Spirit-Stealing Rats in the fields these past two days. Go out and eat your fill. Who knows? It might increase your strength.”

The moment he spoke, the eyes of both crows lit up. They cawed excitedly.

In an instant, they launched themselves into the air.

Moments later, the sound of hundreds of wings beating in unison filled the night. Han Yu stood at the window and watched as a massive flock of crows, led by his two familiars, descended like a black cloud upon the Spirit Field Department.

The commotion was significant. Several Laborer Disciples woke up and shouted into the darkness.

The crows didn’t linger. After snatching up Spirit Insects and hunting down Spirit-Stealing Rats, they spread their wings and vanished into the night sky.

Han Yu was astonished.

The crows were forming a cohesive flock. Even more surprising, many of the ordinary crows were now capable of catching Spirit Insects.

Although only the large and small crows were strong enough to capture Spirit-Stealing Rats, the rest of the flock was clearly evolving beyond the realm of mortal beasts.

He had started by nurturing a single bird with the Spirit Nurturing Technique. Now, he controlled a growing, functional army of crows.

Han Yu’s mind raced with possibilities. Just as he was about to rest, a furious curse erupted from the stone hut next door.

“Where did that beast come from?!”

It was Old Daoist Li.

Han Yu thought for a moment and realized the truth. Old Daoist Li must have been planning to capture the Spirit-Stealing Rat to extract its Blood Essence for his own demonic cultivation.

The large crow had snatched the rat right out from under his nose, depriving him of his target. No wonder the old man was cursing.

Early the next morning, Han Yu saw Old Daoist Li stepping out.

Their eyes met. Old Daoist Li’s expression was hostile. He opened his mouth as if to unleash a torrent of abuse, but remembering his own secrets, he swallowed his words.

With a cold snort, he flicked his sleeve and stormed off.

Han Yu knew instantly: Old Daoist Li must have seen the large crow last night. He realized Han Yu had another trick up his sleeve, hence the venomous reaction.