Forget it. There was no way to reconcile with that rat-breeder anyway, so offending them further hardly mattered.

Han Yu looked at the two crows. “Take this Spirit-Stealing Rat. It’s yours.”

The crows burst into a flurry of excited caws within the cramped stone room. The larger crow snatched the rodent in its talons and took flight, the smaller one trailing close behind as they vanished into the night sky.

Han Yu smiled. From now on, he only needed to use his Blood Essence and the Spirit Nurturing Technique occasionally to deepen their bond. He wouldn’t need to constantly drain himself. In fact, hunting Spirit-Stealing Rats and spirit-infused insects would be far better for their growth.

These birds might prove to be a significant asset in the future.

The next morning, Old Man Li appeared to have recovered. The blood-soaked mess he had been after the market ambush seemed like a distant memory.

The Spirit-Stealing Rat’s Blood Essence had worked wonders, replenishing his vitality and silencing the gnawing thirst of the Blood Refining art.

As they patrolled the fields and found no new rats, their moods lifted. These fields represented their future—the resources they desperately needed to advance.

“Junior Brothers, the Green Grain Spirit Rice is ripening. Have you seen any pests or rats?”

Senior Sister Wei walked over, her face wearing its usual pleasant smile.

Han Yu and Old Man Li both felt a jolt of suspicion. Was she the one breeding the rats? Why else would she ask?

Before they could answer, she continued, “The rice gathers spiritual energy as it matures, making the grains plump. That energy always attracts vermin. Immature fields nearby usually suffer the most.”

She glanced at their crop. “You were lucky this time. The others drove the pests away quite thoroughly. I see your fields are clean.”

“But next time,” she added, her voice dropping, “your luck might not hold.”

Was that a threat? The two men exchanged a glance.

Unexpectedly, her tone shifted back to warmth. “That’s why you should plant with us next time. We can look out for one another. It’s much safer.”

“I know an experienced laborer who can help you catch pests for a very small fee in spirit rice. It’s quite practical!”

They nodded politely until she left. Then, Old Man Li leaned in, his raspy voice barely a whisper. “Maybe it isn’t her?”

Han Yu nodded silently, then asked, “Master Daoist, how did you do that? The voice transmission—is it a spell?”

“Just a trick from my days in the Jianghu,” Li Quan replied. “I’ll teach you when we have a moment.”

As they prepared to head back, Zhang Shan approached them, his brow furrowed in a deep frown.

“Junior Brother Han, Junior Brother Li, have you seen any Spirit-Stealing Rats? It’s strange… they seem to have completely vanished over the last two days.”

Han Yu and Old Man Li were stunned again. Zhang Shan too?

They shook their heads, and Zhang Shan, clearly not expecting much from them, hurried off with a worried expression.

Once he was gone, Li Quan lowered his voice again. “I think Senior Brother Zhang is suspicious too. Looking back, that Spirit Stone he gave Liu Lan was far too generous for a laborer.”

Laborer Disciples were desperate wretches who clung to every scrap of resource. Why would Zhang Shan part with a stone worth five catties of rice?

Han Yu’s vigilance spiked. Wanchun Valley was an Orthodox Cultivation Path, but that didn’t mean it was peaceful. If even the “kind” Senior Brother Zhang had hidden motives, who could be trusted?

Back in his room, Han Yu refined the last of the Mystic Heart Fruit’s power. His spirit seed grew until it hit the daily limit of his Four Spirit Roots.

He practiced his techniques until they felt like second nature. Finally, he replicated more Blood Essence.

Though Blood Refining was a “Pseudo-Immortal” path, the ability to launch lethal Blood Droplets gave him a combat edge that most first or second-layer Qi Refining disciples lacked. Without his replication ability, the bloodthirst would have ruined him. But with it, he was an anomaly.

A day later, he prepared to replicate again.

A surge of heat radiated from his right hand, and the angular silhouette of an object flickered in his mind. With a single thought, a fresh Mystic Heart Fruit appeared in his hand.

Han Yu was ecstatic. He could now sense that a specific treasure was lodged in his hand, and he could control where the replicated items appeared for better concealment.

More importantly, he could now replicate one Mystic Heart Fruit per day. This confirmed his theory: the harder the item was to replicate, the more it drained him, but as his strength grew, so did the treasure’s output.

He consumed the fruit and resumed his training. With a steady supply, he was certain he could master the Wind Control Technique and Water Control Technique within the month, far outpacing his peers.

Two days later, Steward Wang and two Outer Disciples arrived to oversee the harvest.

Under their cold, bureaucratic gaze, the laborers spent the day reaping and submitting their spirit rice. Once the totals were in, Steward Wang began the announcements.

“Zhang Shan! Fifty-two catties per mu. We take eighty percent, you keep twenty. You receive fifty-two catties and five Minor Merits!”

Zhang Shan remained somber.

“Sun Kang! Fifty-one catties per mu. You keep fifty-one catties and five Minor Merits!”

Sun Kang beamed. With this rice, he had a real shot at the third layer of Qi Refining.

“Liu Lan! Forty-seven catties per mu. Total surrender of crop. No retention. Two Minor Merits.”

Liu Lan’s face crumpled. Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill over right there.

“Wei Kunyi! Sixty catties per mu. You keep sixty catties and five Minor Merits!”

Senior Sister Wei stepped forward with a graceful bow. “My thanks to Steward Wang for his guidance. We wouldn’t have such a bounty without your hard work.”

Steward Wang looked at her with a knowing smile. “Junior Sister Wei, you’ve done well.”

He then read off the remaining names. No one had fallen below the thirty-catty threshold that triggered punishment, though the lower earners only received two Minor Merits and no rice.

Finally, Steward Wang clasped his hands behind his back.

“I have further news. Listen carefully, and remember every word!”