The Eternal Farmer: I Trade My Harvest for Immortality

Chapter 203: The First Day of the New Year

Logically, Jiang Chen knew he should not have refused. Senior Sister Yu was beautiful, captivating, and had offered herself to him without reservation. But the weight of his secrets settled over him like a shroud, cooling the heat in his blood. He suppressed the primal urge and spoke, his voice a low rumble. “Senior Sister Yu, I’m not ready to find a Dao Companion.”

Yu Caiqing’s lips curved into a soft chuckle, revealing a flash of pearly teeth. “Neither am I.”

“Ah?” Jiang Chen blinked, caught off guard.

“Since neither of us has decided,” she continued, her voice as gentle as flowing water, “let’s not treat each other as Dao Companions. We can simply be friends—closer friends. We won’t need to build a life together or disturb each other’s routines. But when we need something, we can trust one another completely.”

Understanding dawned on him. “Something like a hired Dao Companion, then.”

Yu Caiqing’s eyes twinkled, a playful smile dancing on her lips. “Are you… still planning to refuse?”

She had laid all her cards on the table, defining the boundaries of their future relationship with perfect clarity. Jiang Chen could find no reason to decline. He drew a deep breath, the cold air steadying him. “Alright. I will do everything in my power to help you, Senior Sister. We’ll see that your Spirit Root mutates as soon as possible.”

Their eyes met, and in that shared gaze, an entire conversation passed without a single word.

Jiang Chen wrapped an arm around her slender waist, and together, they ascended to the second floor.

Wood became the kindling, and a blazing fire was ignited. Two distinct streams of spiritual power began to intertwine, one nourishing, the other devouring. Outside, the winter gale howled its desolate song, but within the stone walls of the house, a warmth bloomed, as gentle and pervasive as a summer afternoon.

***

Meanwhile, at the Red Leaf Valley market, a throng of cultivators huddled together, their faces alight with excitement as they awaited the New Year. For many, this was an annual tradition, a boisterous celebration that filled the cold night with life.

“Three!”

“Two!”

“One!”

“Happy New Year!”

*Boom!*

*Boom! Boom!*

Fireworks, a tradition borrowed from the mortal world, erupted across the night sky, painting the darkness with brilliant, fleeting patterns. It was destined to be a restless night.

***

Morning light was just beginning to filter through the window when Jiang Chen stirred. Lying on his nanmu wood bed, cocooned in a soft silk quilt, he slowly opened his eyes, drawn from the depths of sleep by a subtle sound.

A figure stood by his bed.

It was, of course, Yu Caiqing. The crystal lamp overhead cast a soft glow upon her, outlining her exquisite silhouette against the dim light of dawn.

Jiang Chen was taken aback. “Senior Sister, you’re up so early.”

Yu Caiqing smiled. She reached into her Storage Bag as she spoke. “I have some business at the Pill Tower. These one hundred Mid-grade Spirit Stones are your allowance for the month.”

With a heavy *thud*, a small mountain of Spirit Stones landed on the bed, each one pulsing with a palpable aura of Spirit Qi. The entire nanmu frame groaned and shook under the sudden weight.

Still groggy from sleep, Jiang Chen could only stare, momentarily stunned by the sight.

By the time he looked up again, Yu Caiqing was already descending the stairs, leaving behind nothing but the faint, pleasant scent of her perfume.

Only after she was gone did Jiang Chen finally snap out of his daze. He hastily gathered the Spirit Stones, his mind replaying the events of the previous night.

He now understood that Dual Cultivation had two distinct stages. The first was a matter of synergy, a way to complement each other based on the elemental nature of one’s Spirit Roots. Following the principle of generation—like Wood feeding Fire—one partner provided nourishment while the other absorbed it. In the beginning, when trust was still fragile, physical intimacy was the bridge that connected them. Once their intentions were aligned, however, their mere presence in the same space would be enough.

The second stage was far deeper. It was for those who were not just Dao Companions but also lovers, bound by absolute trust and familiarity. Their minds would not only be connected but would resonate on a spiritual level. To put it simply, they would have developed true feelings for one another. This bond not only drastically reduced the risk of Qi Deviation but also granted unique boons and enhancements.

He and Yu Caiqing were firmly in the first stage.

By all rights, his Wood spiritual power should have been utterly depleted, scraped dry from fueling her cultivation. Yet, as he assessed his condition, he was shocked to discover that the Fire spiritual power within his Qi Sea had actually grown stronger.

*Even though Senior Sister Yu absorbed my Wood spiritual power, did I somehow absorb a portion of her Ice-Water spiritual power in return?* he mused.

Ice-Water was a mutated Spirit Root. His own Thunder-Fire was also a mutation. Perhaps their shared nature as mutated roots had allowed them to resonate. In other words, while his Wood Qi was exhausted, his Fire Qi was steadily growing.

He had not only suffered no loss but had come out ahead—by a hundred Mid-grade Spirit Stones.

Seeing the sky outside had brightened, Jiang Chen climbed briskly out of bed and began preparing breakfast. He didn’t know if Yu Caiqing would return, but he made enough for her just in case.

After a hearty meal and a bit of playtime with Da Huang and the pearl chickens, he decided to go out and pay his New Year’s visits. With no Spirit Rice to tend to, there was little point in staying home. He might as well visit Senior Brother Chen, Senior Brother Wang, and Senior Brother Zhu for a chat.

He found the Fortress and gave it an order. “If Senior Sister Yu returns, tell her I’ve gone out to make New Year’s visits.”

The Fortress nodded. “Yes, Master!”

With that, Jiang Chen summoned his Giant Leaf and soared into the sky.

His first stop was, naturally, Senior Brother Chen’s home. It was the closest and quickest to reach. For his visits, he had prepared a special gift: thirty pounds of Top-quality Spirit Wine, ten pounds for each of his three senior brothers. Beast Mountain, Rain Pavilion, and Fire Peak were too far to visit today. Besides, he would be meeting with Jin Fugui and Mo Yu in a few days to plan their stalls for the upcoming official disciple competition. This time, Jiang Chen intended to introduce several new seasonings and make a fortune.

Before long, the Giant Leaf descended before Chen Bo’s front door. To his surprise, someone had already beaten him there. Jiang Chen recognized the young woman as Chen Bo’s cousin—Li Xianglin, if he recalled correctly. She had awakened a Fire Spirit Root and was now an alchemy apprentice in the Earth Fire District.

Seeing him arrive, Li Xianglin quickly bowed. “Greetings, Senior Brother Jiang!”

Jiang Chen thought for a moment, then retrieved a Low-grade Spirit Stone from his bag. “Happy New Year,” he said, handing it to her. “A small gift.”

Li Xianglin’s eyes lit up. “Thank you for the New Year’s gift, Senior Brother Jiang!”

Jiang Chen stepped inside and found Chen Bo in the middle of cooking. As usual, he was making a pot of Spirit Rice porridge. However, perhaps because his cousin was visiting, he had also attempted a plate of chili-fried Spirit Beast meat. The result… was difficult to describe. The meat was charred beyond recognition.

“Junior Brother Jiang, you’re here,” Chen Bo greeted him warmly.

Jiang Chen placed the ten-pound jug of Top-quality Spirit Wine on the table and clasped his hands. “Happy New Year, Senior Brother! I’ve come to pay my respects!”

Chen Bo was surprised that he had brought a gift, but surprise quickly gave way to a feeling of warmth. “I didn’t prepare anything special, so please take this Mid-grade Spirit Stone as a New Year’s gift.”

In the past, he would have never parted with such a treasure so easily. But after his share of their market profits, he was a new man. With several hundred Mid-grade and thousands of Low-grade Spirit Stones to his name, sparing one was no great loss.

Jiang Chen accepted it with a wide grin. “See? This is why everyone says Senior Brother Chen is the best!”

Standing behind them, Li Xianglin blinked. She glanced down at the single Low-grade Spirit Stone in her own hand, then back at the exchange, a realization dawning on her.

*So that’s it!* she thought. *Senior Brother Jiang learned to be so generous from my cousin!*