Wu Yuan lay sprawled in his nest, his daily cultivation session finally complete.

Boredom set in. He tapped a claw against a nearby rock, the sound echoing sharply. “Where is it?”

Moments later, a line of Fire Ants marched in, struggling under the weight of Ant Crystals and Fire Ant eggs.

Wu Yuan eyed the delivery with a flicker of satisfaction. He picked up a translucent Fire Ant egg and tossed it into his mouth.

Pop.

“Not bad,” he murmured, smacking his lips as the flavor exploded. “Sweet and spicy, with a springy, chewy texture. It doesn’t hold much Spiritual Qi, but it makes for an excellent snack during breaks.”

He swallowed and sat up straighter. “Appetizers are done. Time for the main course.”

Next, he grabbed a Snake Spirit Fruit, dipped it generously into a pot of thick Spirit Honey, and shoved the entire thing into his mouth.

Boom.

A rush of pure energy enveloped him. The spiritual essence of the fruit and honey melted instantly on his tongue, converting effortlessly into Demon Power. Simultaneously, waves of intense sweetness and refreshing tartness assaulted his taste buds.

“Now that,” Wu Yuan sighed, his eyes narrowing in bliss, “is comfort. Raising my cultivation while enjoying a feast.”

With the easy part finished, Wu Yuan’s expression turned serious. He grabbed a handful of raw Spirit Copper ore, coated it in honey to mask the texture, and forced it into his mouth.

Crunch. Grind.

“Rats really aren’t meant to eat metal,” he grumbled, frowning as he swallowed the heavy, indigestible lumps. “One or two pieces are fine, but any more and the nausea sets in.”

Ever since he discovered that digesting Spirit Copper hardened his claws and teeth, it had become a mandatory, albeit unpleasant, supplement to his diet. For the sake of power, he had to endure it.

To cleanse his palate, he grabbed a bundle of Moon Spirit Grass.

“A salad to aid digestion and guarantee a good night’s sleep.”

He chewed the fragrant, minty grass and settled back into his bedding—which was also made of Moon Spirit Grass—ready to nap.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted from the direction of the ant nest.

Wu Yuan didn’t move. He had delegated the management of the colony to Big Old Black and Bibo; he trusted them to handle minor disturbances.

However, the noise didn’t fade. It grew louder, more chaotic.

Wu Yuan opened one eye, annoyed. “Bibo! What is going on out there?”

The toad hopped to the entrance of the nest, bowing slightly. “Great King, an Earth Spirit Worm attacked the colony and fled. Big Old Black has gone to investigate and track it down.”

Wu Yuan’s ears perked up. An Earth Spirit Worm? Those were rare spirit insects. Catching one could yield a significant harvest. He prepared to get up.

“Steward Huang went with him,” Bibo added.

Wu Yuan paused, then immediately flopped back down.

“Oh. Never mind then.”

He had previously tasked Little Huang and Gray Skin with finding a way to farm Earth Spirit Worms, though they hadn’t succeeded yet. If the hamster was on the scene, things were under control.

This situation is unusual, Wu Yuan mused. Maybe we’ll get lucky this time. Do your best, Little Huang.

He waved a dismissive claw at Bibo. “I understand. Let Little Huang handle it.”

Bibo stood frozen for a moment, puzzled. Earth Spirit Worms were critical for their agricultural plans. He had expected the King to take personal command. Why did he trust that fat hamster so implicitly?

Is there more to that gluttonous fool than meets the eye? Bibo wondered.

To the toad, Little Huang was just a dull-witted, food-obsessed logistics manager. He couldn’t fathom why such a creature held the high rank of ‘Steward’.

If Big Old Black knew what Bibo was thinking, the rat would have sneered and mocked the toad’s ignorance. Do you have any idea how much weight Second Brother Huang pulls? The Boss didn’t drag that fat body through a life-and-death escape for nothing. His value is irreplaceable!

Wu Yuan, now fully awake but resting his eyes, gestured for Bibo to continue. “Report on the mine.”

Bibo snapped to attention. “Great King, honey production has increased, likely due to the peach grove entering its flowering season. However, to ensure the quality of the Ant Crystals, we haven’t harvested from the ant nests recently.”

“Good.”

“The Moon Spirit Grass and Snake Tooth Rice are now in stable production,” Bibo continued methodically. “To maximize space and Spiritual Qi efficiency, we are planting 100 stalks of Moon Spirit Grass per batch, maturing every three months. The Snake Tooth Rice is at 300 stalks per batch, maturing in six months. Thanks to the abundant Qi and snake blood fertilizer, the yield is holding at 300 jin.”

Bibo paused. “The Snake Spirit Fruit is more difficult. We only have ten plants. They require Snake Demon blood to grow, which is a heavy consumption.”

It sounded like a small operation, but the yield was sufficient to sustain Wu Yuan and Little Huang’s daily cultivation, with leftovers for Bibo and Big Old Black. As for the lower-tier rat demons, they received just enough to prevent their cultivation from regressing. If they wanted more, they had to hunt, mine, or explore Little Green Mountain to earn contribution points.

Wu Yuan nodded. “Maintain this scale. And keep monitoring the Qi levels in the vein. We must not drain the pond to catch the fish. Sustainability is key.”

“Understood, Great King.”

Just as they were finalizing the plans, Big Old Black’s booming voice echoed from deep within the tunnels.

“Boss! Come quick! Huge harvest!”

Wu Yuan scrambled to his feet instantly. “Lead the way!”

He followed Big Old Black down into the depths, arriving at the tunnel the Earth Spirit Worm had dug. The original hole was only the size of a palm, but Big Old Black—true to his nature as a burrowing specialist—had widened it to the height of a man.

They traveled through the damp, dark passage for the time it takes an incense stick to burn. The air grew heavy with the scent of wet earth.

Finally, Little Huang’s jubilant squeaks drifted from ahead. “Give all the Spirit Stones to the Boss! Trade for yummy food!”

Wu Yuan emerged into a cavern and took in the scene.

Little Huang was frantically gathering loot, his eyes sparkling. He didn’t understand the value of Spirit Stones, but he knew the Boss traded delicious snacks for them. To the side, several Earth Spirit Worms were hogtied and gagged, forced to watch helplessly as the hamster ransacked their home.

Scattered around the floor were chunks of Spirit Copper and piles of stolen Fire Ant eggs.

But Wu Yuan’s gaze flew past the loot and locked onto a pit in front of Little Huang.

The pit was overflowing with pure, concentrated Spiritual Qi. At the bottom lay a thin layer of viscous yellow liquid, and resting within that liquid was a bed of Spirit Stones.

Interspersed among the stones were yellow eggs covered in black patterns—Earth Spirit Worm eggs.

Wu Yuan’s breath hitched. According to the records, that yellow liquid was Earth Spirit Marrow.

It was a First-Grade, Middle-Tier spirit material, incredibly precious, known for its ability to nourish all living things and drastically enhance spiritual power.

But that wasn’t the most shocking part.

Wu Yuan closed his eyes and extended his senses. He could feel streams of Spiritual Qi drifting up from the ground beneath the pit, replenishing the liquid and the stones. The overflow dispersed into the air, turning the damp cave into a cultivation paradise.

He took a deep breath. The muddy, earthy smell was gone, replaced by a sweet, intoxicating fragrance.

“Where is this Qi coming from?” Wu Yuan whispered, his heart pounding.

Looking at the pit, the Spirit Stones, and the rising energy, a realization struck him.