Because the harvest had just finished, the fields were devoid of the usual insect chirps and frog croaks.

The night atmosphere was tranquil, bordered by a crisp, biting chill.

After a long session of slash-and-burn, ash spreading, fertilizing, and rain summoning, the depleted nutrients in the first mu of the second-grade Spirit Farm had been fully restored. Even the soil in the second mu was now a rich, fertile black, darker and healthier than before.

Logically, it was time to rest.

Yet Jiang Chen stood alone on the ridge, a bundle of rice seedlings in his hand.

He circulated the [Green Lotus Art]. Wood Spirit Power surged from his Dantian, enveloping the seedlings in a soft green glow. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed them into the air over the first mu.

At first glance, the toss seemed haphazard—a bit here, a bit there, completely disorganized.

But as Jiang Chen activated [Vine Bind], he seized control of every falling seedling. His Spirit Sense locked onto them, calculating the perfect distance and density. He raised his right hand and pressed down firmly against the empty air.

Rustle. Rustle.

A wave of soft sounds swept across the field as the controlled seedlings corrected their trajectory and drilled themselves into the black soil with military precision.

Jiang Chen repeated the process, casting batch after batch. Wrapped in Wood Qi, the seedlings flew from his hands and planted themselves.

Once the rice was settled, he moved on to the vegetables—sweet potatoes, cabbage, and other staples.

These seeds were numerous and microscopic.

Fortunately, reaching the Foundation Establishment stage had unlocked his Spirit Sense. Coupled with his multiple max-level techniques, the difficulty was trivial. He manipulated the tiny seeds with the ease of a master conductor.

Finally, he planted a border of Spirit Clover around the irrigation ditches.

The first mu was complete.

Jiang Chen shifted his gaze to the second mu of the Spirit Farm.

“One thousand Moonlight Grass seeds,” he mused. “It sounds like a lot, but they grow in a delicate crescent shape. There might be enough space left over to transfer my mutated spirit plants here later.”

He walked along the ridge to the right, stopping directly opposite the fresh plot.

He emptied his small storage pouch, retrieving every Moonlight Grass seed he possessed.

Using the same technique as before, he coated them in Wood Qi and cast them out in a wide arc. [Vine Bind] and Spirit Sense worked in tandem, guiding the seeds into the earth at precise intervals.

Since he was only planting a single crop type, the efficiency was terrifyingly high. It took almost no time at all.

Jiang Chen then summoned his Companion Green Lotus.

The moment it touched the ground, the [Green Lotus Domain] expanded, perfectly encompassing the entire acre of land.

The Wood Spirit Power in his Dantian began to drain rapidly.

Simultaneously, the Moonlight Grass seeds—which normally required three or four nights just to sprout—began to surge upward. It was an accelerated growth akin to the idiom “pulling up seedlings to help them grow,” but without the disastrous side effects.

Slender white roots dove deep, greedily drinking the nutrients from the black soil.

As time passed, a miraculous scene unfolded before Jiang Chen’s eyes.

The Spirit Farm began to glow.

It was as if the field itself was a magnet, pulling the moonlight down from the sky. The soil, which had been dark and ash-strewn, now appeared to be draped in a shimmering layer of silvery-white flowing sand.

The scene was dreamlike, almost illusory.

“Moonlight Grass only grows by absorbing lunar essence,” Jiang Chen murmured, watching the spectacle. “By speeding up the process with the [Green Lotus Domain], I’ve inadvertently created a moonlight funnel.”

If he cultivated a [Lunar Art], this would be the perfect environment to skyrocket his cultivation.

Unfortunately, Jiang Chen did not. He could only watch the beautiful waste of energy with dry eyes.

Under the nourishment of the concentrated moonlight, the grass grew faster and faster.

First, tiny sprouts.

Moments later, they reached one cun in height.

Moonlight Grass was considered mature at seven cun. At this rate, he wouldn’t need a month. He wouldn’t even need twenty days. He could probably harvest in ten days to two weeks.

If Yu Caiqing knew about this efficiency, her jaw would hit the floor. She had likely never encountered a Spirit Farmer capable of such rapid turnover.

Jiang Chen worked until the latter half of the night, stopping only when his Wood Spirit Power was nearly exhausted. He recalled the Green Lotus, his body heavy with fatigue, and stumbled toward his wooden hut.

Finally, he could sleep.

The next day.

Due to the heavy exertion the previous night, Jiang Chen didn’t stir until late morning.

He was still in a daze, half-asleep, when he felt a persistent vibration from his storage pouch.

Groggy, he fished it out and realized it was a Communication Talisman he hadn’t used in a long time.

He injected a trace of Wood Qi and held it to his ear.

“Guess what? My sister finally let me come see you!”

The voice was high and excited. “It’s Bai Ling’er! My sister is Lin Yan!”

Jiang Chen’s eyes snapped open.

The sleep vanished instantly. He stared at the glowing talisman in his hand.

Good heavens, it really is Bai Ling’er.

He had assumed her terrifying sister, Lin Yan, would continue to keep the girl on a tight leash. But it seemed that as Jiang Chen’s strength and status improved, Lin Yan’s attitude had softened.

Lin Yucontinued, eager to be useful. “I can help you make rain now!”

Jiang Chen paused, then replied awkwardly, “Ah, well, I think there’s no need to rush on that front.”

Lin Yuwas petite, but she wasn’t stupid. She caught the hesitation immediately. “You have someone else helping you?”

Jiang Chen had to be honest. “Yes. I met a Foundation Establishment fishing enthusiast from the Rain Pavilion. He comes by every few days to cast the [Minor Rain Spell].”

He couldn’t hide it, and logically, Mo Yu was the better option. Old Mo’s spellcasting was more advanced, and more importantly—Old Mo was free. Lin Yucharged money.

In terms of cost-performance ratio, Mo Yu won by a landslide.

“Oh,” Lin Yusounded disappointed. “Then… can I still come over to play?”

Jiang Chen softened his tone. “Of course. You’re welcome anytime.”

“Great! I’m coming to find you right now!”

She cut the connection before he could respond.

Jiang Chen looked at the dimming talisman and scratched his head. He had wanted to sleep in and recover his energy, but with a guest incoming, he had no choice.

Reluctantly, he dragged himself out of bed.

First, the chores. He went outside to clean up the droppings from Da Huang and the Pearl Chickens.

He approached the coop and reached his hand inside. Under the surprised gaze of the hens, he swiped two fresh eggs.

Breakfast was next. Since he was expecting a guest, he made the meal slightly more sumptuous than usual.

About half an hour later, a shout came from the sky.

“Jiang Chen! I’m here!”

Hearing the commotion, Jiang Chen leisurely walked out of the hut and looked up.

A large Paper Crane was descending slowly toward the Spirit Farm.

Jiang Chen’s smile froze.

The problem wasn’t the crane. The problem was that Lin Yuwasn’t alone. Standing behind her on the paper construct was another very familiar—and dangerous—figure.