The Eternal Farmer: I Trade My Harvest for Immortality

Bai Xiaotian let out a sharp “Huh?”, his expression shifting from fatigue to genuine astonishment.

“Which formal disciple of the Rain Pavilion is it?” he pressed. “And what kind of Spirit Root does she have?”

After hearing the details, Bai Xiaotian’s expression turned strange. He looked Jiang Chen up and down, a teasing smirk curling his lips.

“So, you’re the one playing the role of the ‘wife’ in this Dao partnership, aren’t you?”

Jiang Chen’s mouth twitched. “Old Bai, that’s a bit hurtful.”

Bai Xiaotian sneered, leaning back in his chair. “Usually, a Wood Spirit Root cultivator seeks out a Water Spirit Root to be nourished, or they find someone with a compatible element. You? You went and found yourself a Fire Spirit Root mistress. If that doesn’t make you the one being ‘cultivated,’ I don’t know what does.”

Jiang Chen was left speechless. He waved his hand dismissively.

“None of that matters. I’m not a fickle man. Besides, right now… handling just one is already pushing my limits.”

He wasn’t lying. After sharing a bed and pillow with Senior Sister Yu these past few days, he had discovered a terrifying truth.

Although she appeared cold and aloof on the outside—the quintessential Ice Queen—her inner nature was a blazing fire.

Because of their intense intimacy, the mutation speed of her Ice-Water Spirit Root was accelerating by the day. She was becoming more powerful, and more demanding, with every sunrise.

Fortunately, Bai Xiaotian didn’t pry further. He nodded, his expression softening into one of sagely understanding.

“Consider yourself sensible, kid. Since that’s the case, I’ll keep raising Lin Yu here for a while longer.”

Jiang Chen wasted no time pivoting back to business. “What about the cooperation we discussed?”

Bai Xiaotian frowned, falling into a deep, contemplative silence.

“Are you absolutely certain your information is correct?” he asked eventually.

“One hundred percent.”

Bai Xiaotian pondered for a moment. “Alright. I can draw the Yang-attribute Spirit Talismans you need, but you must provide all the materials. As for the profits… we split them fifty-fifty.”

Jiang Chen immediately shook his head. “Old Bai, fifty-fifty isn’t going to work.”

Bai Xiaotian raised an eyebrow. “What ratio are you thinking?”

“For Lin Yu’s sake,” Jiang Chen said smoothly, “I’ll take eighty, you take twenty.”

Bai Xiaotian’s face darkened instantly. “Too low. You’re trying to rob a beggar.”

“Or,” Jiang Chen continued, ignoring the glare, “I take seventy, you take twenty, and Lin Yu takes ten. Consider it her allowance.”

Bai Xiaotian stared at him, drummed his fingers on the table, and asked, “Is there really no room for negotiation?”

“Think about it,” Jiang Chen replied, his tone matter-of-fact. “The market intelligence is mine. The raw materials are mine. I’m handing you a fortune on a silver platter. Why shouldn’t I just walk out that door and find a more obedient talisman master who would happily accept a lower cut?”

Bai Xiaotian opened his mouth to argue, but the words died in his throat.

He was speechless.

There was no angle to refute him.

Yes, Bai Xiaotian was a high-level Talisman Master. He possessed immense talent in inscribing runes and crafting charms. But Jiang Chen’s logic was ironclad.

Jiang Chen had chosen him primarily because of Lin Yu. If they couldn’t reach an agreement, Jiang Chen could easily find someone else. Talisman masters weren’t exactly rare in the sect, even if high-level ones were.

Of course, Bai Xiaotian didn’t know the full truth: Jiang Chen was already capable of inscribing runes himself. It wouldn’t be long before he could craft the Spirit Talismans on his own. He was outsourcing simply to save time and hide his skills.

Bai Xiaotian thought it over, sighed, and finally nodded.

“Fine. We’ll go with the second option.”

Even if he took a slight loss, at least his youngest daughter would earn a ten percent share. It would be enough for her to buy all the snacks she wanted without pestering him for money.

Seeing the agreement settled, Jiang Chen smiled. “Old Bai, I heard that spirit rice straw is a primary material for drawing talismans?”

Bai Xiaotian nodded. “Correct. It is the paper of the cultivation world. And the higher the quality of the spirit rice, the better the conductivity and effect of the Spirit Talisman.”

Jiang Chen suppressed a grin. I have nothing but Top Grade and mutated spirit rice.

That meant his material costs—aside from the ink—would be effectively zero. The straw was just a byproduct of his farming. The straw from two acres would be more than enough to keep Bai Xiaotian busy.

The two men quickly hammered out the details and signed a Spirit Talisman contract.

The terms were simple: one party provided materials, the other provided labor. If either party reneged, the cooperation would terminate immediately, and the violator would pay a heavy penalty.

Negotiation complete, the door to the soundproof room opened.

Jiang Chen and Bai Xiaotian walked out, looking calm and composed.

But the hallway was more crowded than before.

It wasn’t just Lin Yu and Long Ao waiting for them. A third person had arrived.

Shui Wuhen.

Once, he had been the infinitely glorious number one genius among the Rain Pavilion’s formal disciples. He had walked with his head held high, radiating confidence.

Now, he looked like a shadow of his former self. He was jumpy, sensitive, and his eyes darted around nervously. Even the slightest movement seemed to trigger a flinch.

Both Long Ao and Shui Wuhen had fought Mo Sha.

But the outcomes were vastly different. Shui Wuhen had been brutally dominated, leaving him with deep psychological scars. Long Ao had won, but at the cost of severe injuries and a ruined face.

When Shui Wuhen heard Long Ao was at the Rain Pavilion, he had rushed over. But the moment he saw Long Ao’s half-melted face, he froze.

Shock washed over him, followed by a wave of terror. The fear of Mo Sha, buried deep in his heart, erupted once more.

“Even you…” Shui Wuhen’s voice trembled. “Even you ended up like this?”

Long Ao looked at him, his expression cold and unmoving.

“With a mindset like that,” Long Ao said bluntly, “you’d better not participate in the formal disciple competition. You’ll just die.”

Jiang Chen stepped forward, sensing the tension. “Senior Brother Long, let’s go back.”

Long Ao nodded, but before he turned to leave, he cast one last look at the trembling genius.

“Shui Wuhen. You are the number one formal disciple of the Rain Pavilion. If you can’t even stand up straight, then every Water Spirit Root disciple looking up to you is doomed.”

The words struck Shui Wuhen like a physical blow. His pupils contracted, and he stood there, paralyzed as if struck by lightning.

Jiang Chen and Long Ao bid farewell to the Bai father and daughter and left the Rain Pavilion.

As they flew back on the Giant Leaf, Jiang Chen couldn’t hold back his curiosity.

“Senior Brother Long, what exactly is Mo Sha’s fighting style? How did he scare a genius like Shui Wuhen into such a state?”

Long Ao stared at the horizon, recalling the blood and fire of his battle.

“He’s a madman,” Long Ao said quietly. “His fighting style is completely frenzied. He uses every underhanded trick, every dirty move, every ruthless tactic imaginable. He doesn’t look at me, or any opponent, as a human being.”

Long Ao took a deep breath, the cold air filling his lungs.

“He looks at us like prey. He fights like a wild beast.”

Jiang Chen nodded thoughtfully. “I heard the Northern Region is mostly desert. A harsh environment.”

“Exactly,” Long Ao agreed. “Because of where they live, cultivators from the Northern Region are paranoid and extreme. They don’t fight for honor; they fight to survive. They seize every opportunity, no matter how small or shameless, to kill you.”

Chatting as they flew, they eventually returned to the Spirit Farm.

Since Long Ao was waiting for the Ice Heart Jade Pot Wine to ferment, he had no reason to leave. He sat down to meditate while Jiang Chen took advantage of the early hour.

Jiang Chen sat amidst his fields. The Wood Spirit Qi, attracted by the sheer vitality of his crops, began to gather.

It was a sight to behold.

The spirit plants across 4 full acres swayed in unison, as if bowing to a king. Invisible streams of green energy rose from the leaves and soil, flowing toward Jiang Chen.

He took a swig of Top Grade Golden Wine, letting the heat explode in his stomach, then popped a Top Grade Foundation Spirit Pill.

Boom.

The absorption speed reached a terrifying peak.

His Qi Sea spun violently, transforming his entire body into a vortex that devoured the surrounding Spirit Qi. The air hummed with power.

Watching from the side, Long Ao felt his heart race with a mixture of shock and fear.

Junior Brother Jiang doesn’t like fighting or killing… but this cultivation speed?