My Portable Spirit Farm: Rise of the Humble Servant

Chapter 167: The Three-Year Agreement

Chen Ping instantly understood the Sect Leader’s intent.

So this is the real play.

It made perfect sense why they had been so urgent about sending him into the Qingyun Secret Realm. The Sect valued him for two very specific reasons.

First, his age. He was only 26. In three years, he would be 29—perfectly within the age limit.

Second, his cultivation. He had already reached Foundation Establishment. A cultivator under 30 reaching this realm was as rare as a phoenix feather or a unicorn horn.

Whether his participation would guarantee a win was uncertain, but at the very least, his presence ensured the Qingyun Sect wouldn’t be at a disadvantage.

“This disciple understands.”

Chen Ping didn’t hesitate. He agreed on the spot.

“I am a member of the Qingyun Sect. I have received the Sect’s nurturing and obtained opportunities within the Secret Realm. Serving the Sect is an inescapable duty. I am willing to represent the Sect in the Eight Sects Grand Competition in three years, and I will spare no effort to achieve victory.”

His answer was crisp and decisive.

His reasoning was purely pragmatic: The Sect had treated him well. They provided resources and access to the Secret Realm. Even if the recent trip felt like a bust in terms of tangible loot, the Sect’s intent to groom him was clear. Staying in their good graces meant more benefits down the line.

Moreover, the Sect Leader’s attitude was respectful. This was a “discussion,” not a command. Li Lingfeng could have simply ordered him to go, yet he chose to explain the stakes and ask for consent. Chen Ping appreciated that.

Furthermore, given his current secrets, he needed the Sect as a shield. As the old saying went, it is easy to stay cool under a big tree.

Emotionally, logically, publicly, and privately—he had no reason to refuse.

Besides, a competition of this scale was its own form of training. Chen Ping was curious about the wider world. He wanted to see where he stood amongst the so-called geniuses of the cultivation world. How big was the gap between him and the true prodigies?

Seeing Chen Ping agree so readily, Li Lingfeng and Elder Zhao Yuanqi exchanged looks of immense relief and approval.

“Good! Good! Good!”

Li Lingfeng praised him three times in rapid succession.

“With your commitment, the Sect can rest easy! For the next three years, we will tilt the Sect’s resources in your favor to help you prepare. Elder Chen, your monthly stipend is hereby raised to 2,000 Contribution Points! If you encounter any bottlenecks in your cultivation, come directly to me or Elder Zhao!”

“Thank you, Sect Leader! Thank you, Elder Zhao!”

Two thousand points?

That was no small sum. The support was genuine.

Chen Ping cupped his hands in gratitude.

After discussing a few specific details about the Grand Competition and the training schedule, Chen Ping took his leave. He summoned his flying sword, transforming into a streak of light that shot toward Green Mountain.

Back at his familiar, simple cave dwelling, he activated the defensive Restriction and sat cross-legged on his meditation cushion.

The cave was quiet, mostly. His parents were still in secluded cultivation. They were inching closer to the sixth level of Qi Condensation and refused to come out until they broke through.

His two primary disciples had finished their tasks and were busy cultivating. Yuan Jingtian, naturally, was burying himself in Talisman Arts.

Boom!

A muffled explosion rang out from the alchemy room.

Chen Ping smirked, shaking his head. The three junior disciples must have blown up another furnace. It seemed the path of alchemy was treating them roughly.

He gathered his thoughts, reflecting on the whirlwind of the past few days. The experience inside the Qingyun Secret Realm still felt dreamlike.

The greatest “reward”—the effects of the Tree Heart—left him baffled.

Increased wisdom?

Four days of time dilation for a slightly sharper mind? Was that really it?

Chen Ping rubbed his temples. He couldn’t feel a tangible difference yet. Perhaps the value would reveal itself over time? The Ancient Tree had been incredibly solemn about it; a being of that stature wouldn’t lie about a reward.

He pushed the thought aside. The immediate priority was the Eight Sects Grand Competition.

He had given his word to the Sect Leader, so he couldn’t phone it in. He needed to secure a ranking, not just for the Sect’s tax breaks, but for his own reputation.

Chen Ping began a ruthless audit of his own combat capabilities. When he looked at his stats on paper, he realized his build was embarrassingly lopsided.

Cultivation: Foundation Establishment, Level 1. This was his biggest asset. The competition was capped at age 30. Most participants would likely be at the Grand Perfection of Qi Condensation. As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he would have a massive stat advantage over the majority of the field.

But he couldn’t get cocky. There would definitely be other geniuses who had crossed the threshold into Foundation Establishment. He couldn’t rely on realm suppression alone.

Talismans: His strongest trump card. With his skills, he could craft high-tier Talismans. However, Chen Ping knew that official tournaments usually had strict rules. Items like the “Hundred Swords Talisman” or “Explosive Flame Talisman”—consumables that unleashed massive power—would almost certainly be banned to test personal skill. Verdict: This path is blocked.

Arts: The basic spells from the Evergreen Art. Weak. Against a cultivator of the same realm, these spells were practically useless. Sure, they could bully a Qi Condensation junior, but against a peer? He’d be a laughingstock.

Dharma Artifacts: Manageable. He could just buy better gear.

Movement: Non-existent. He didn’t have a single Profound-grade movement technique. If an enemy closed the distance, he would be a sitting duck.

Soul: Strength was decent. He wouldn’t get one-shot by mental attacks.

The conclusion was grim.

If Talismans were banned, his combat effectiveness would drop by 90%. In a fight between Foundation Establishment cultivators, he currently belonged at the very bottom of the tier list.

“Three years… it feels a bit tight.”

Chen Ping murmured to himself.

To a mortal, three years was a long time. To a cultivator, it was a nap. A single deep meditation session could eat up months.

He needed a plan.

Phase 1: Power Leveling. This was the foundation. He needed to push his realm as high as possible—ideally to mid-Foundation Establishment. Realm suppression was the simplest, most unfair advantage he could secure. Next year, the True Essence Grass in his Jade Pendant space would surpass 200 years in medicinal age. He could mass-produce Top Grade True Essence Pills. Combining those with the Whale Swallowing Technique, his cultivation speed would increase tenfold.

Phase 2: Skill Acquisition. He needed to fix his lack of spells. He required at least one high-damage Attack Art, one reliable Defense/Evasion Art, and one Utility/Control Art. He needed a complete combat rotation.

Phase 3: Evasion. A Movement Art was mandatory. Speed was life in a tournament setting.

“The pressure is on. With my current comprehension ability, can I actually master all this in three years?”

Chen Ping took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing.

Phase 1 was guaranteed thanks to his farming cheat. If the medicinal herbs weren’t ready yet, he would spend the first year grinding proficiency in his Arts.

“Time to go shopping for techniques. I’ve been cultivating for years; it’s time I actually learned how to fight.”

Chen Ping’s gaze hardened.