The Eternal Farmer: I Trade My Harvest for Immortality

Chapter 244: Purging the Sha

In its simplest terms, Yellow Sha is a malignant condensation of Earth Qi—a spiritual rot that refuses to let go.

If left to his own devices, the man on the bed would continue to accumulate this essence until his transformation was complete. He would become a “stone man,” a living statue of parched clay, indistinguishable from the dead long before his heart actually stopped beating.

He was lucky to be alive at all, and ironically, he owed his survival to the squalor of this Chamber. The wooden bed acted as a natural insulator, slowing the seep of Earth Qi from the ground, while the stagnant, fetid ditch outside served as a crude sink that dissolved a portion of the Sha energy. To have endured this long meant his fate was not yet meant to be severed.

Xiao Taohong stood dazed, the technicalities of the affliction far beyond her. She could only cling to Jiang Chen’s words like a lifeline. “How… how do we purge it?”

Though Jiang Chen had yet to awaken his own Earth Spirit Root, his mental library was vast. He spoke with the quiet confidence of a master. “There are many ways to purge Sha. The most common involves altering the terrain—shifting the Feng Shui to break the flow of malevolent energy.”

In truth, this was the domain of Earth-attribute Formation Masters. They were the specialists of the land, a fact that earned them a status within the Immortal Sects far above that of Spirit Farmers, Talisman Masters, or even most Alchemists.

Xiao Taohong’s vision blurred as tears threatened to fall again. “I don’t understand any of that, Perfected Master. Please, just tell me what I must do.”

Jiang Chen nodded. “Tomorrow, find a carpenter. Have a coffin crafted from cypress wood. Place him inside to isolate him from the earth’s pull. At the four corners of the coffin, set four bowls of water, each with an ancient copper coin pressed into the bottom.”

By the time I return next month, he should be well on his way to recovery, Jiang Chen thought.

A heavy silence descended upon the Chamber. The awkwardness of their situation finally settled in; at this hour, they should have been tangled in silk sheets at the Fragrance Pavilion. Instead, they were in a dilapidated hovel performing an eerie medical ritual.

Jiang Chen broke the tension first. “Rest well. I’m leaving.”

Xiao Taohong hesitated, her voice dropping into a professional, suggestive lilt. “Should I… see you out?”

Jiang Chen’s interest in the night’s festivities had evaporated. He waved a dismissive hand. “No need.”

He vanished into the night.

The markets were ghost-quiet at the hour of the Rat. His footsteps drummed a crisp, solitary rhythm against the bluestone road as he returned to his inn and fell into a dreamless sleep.

The next morning, Jiang Chen headed straight for the trading house. He had time before the giant flying sword arrived for the return trip, and he was hunting for something specific—a wood-attribute technique to match the utility of his Spirit Finger.

He had a surplus of Lifespan and nowhere to spend it. While other cultivators obsessed over longevity, Jiang Chen viewed his years as a currency—something to be earned and spent as easily as Spirit Stones.

“Welcome, Perfected Master, to our—” The receptionist’s practiced smile barely formed before a gust of wind announced Jiang Chen’s passage.

He was already at the Reflecting Mirror. He injected his spiritual power, activated the interface, and began scrolling through spells with practiced efficiency. The inventory hadn’t changed much since yesterday; the same few incomplete volumes were cycling through the market.

He found nothing new under the wood attribute, but a recently added fragment in the fire section caught his eye.

Green Wood Fire Attraction Art Description: Utilizes Wood spiritual power to act as a catalyst for Fire-attribute spells. It allows flames to burn with greater intensity and stability, significantly increasing destructive power while minimizing the risk of elemental backlash.

Jiang Chen’s cultivation was already centered on the “Wood generating Fire” cycle. He had been augmenting his flames with Wood Qi for some time, but he’d always done so through trial and error, moving with extreme caution to avoid blowing himself up.

This spell was the missing piece of the puzzle. Without hesitation, he dropped fifteen Low-grade Spirit Stones and secured the scroll.

After lingering just long enough to ensure he hadn’t missed any other hidden gems, he made his way to the flight ferry. The giant flying sword had just docked, bringing with it a fresh wave of unfamiliar faces—more vultures circling the carcass of Huang Yuanhua’s cave dwelling.

Jiang Chen could only shake his head. This Human-Grade Golden Core master had likely never imagined his private sanctuary would become a public tourist attraction. Perfected Master Wang had clearly intended this as a final, stinging insult to his old rival.

Two hours later, the sword touched down at the Cloud Sea Sect.

As Jiang Chen stepped off the platform, he spotted a crowd gathered around the dueling rings. One of his friends, Mo Yu, was locked in combat on the stage. Below, Jin Fugui and Chen Bo were shouting themselves hoarse.

Jiang Chen grinned and navigated the crowd to join them. “Senior Brother Chen! Old Jin!”

Chen Bo looked him over. “Just get back from the markets?”

Jin Fugui shot him a mischievous, knowing look. “Old Jiang, you’ve been spending a lot of time at the markets lately. Ever since Senior Sister Yu left, you’ve been acting like a man with a heavy burden to… discharge.”

Jiang Chen rolled his eyes. “Piss off.”

Jin Fugui didn’t back down, his voice dripping with mock envy. “I’ve always wanted to see the Fragrance Pavilion for myself. Next time you go, take me with you? Introduce me to some of your ‘associates’?”

Jiang Chen smirked. “Introduce you? Sure. I know a guy there who specializes in hauling away the manure. You’d fit right in.”

Jin Fugui’s laugh turned into an awkward cough as he turned back to the ring. “Whatever. Just watch. This is a life-and-death duel for Old Mo.”

“Life-and-death?” Jiang Chen asked, his eyebrows shooting up.

“Mo Yu only has one tournament point left,” Chen Bo explained grimly. “If he loses this round, his run in the formal disciple competition is over.”

Jiang Chen was genuinely surprised. He had been so focused on his farm and his own progress that he’d lost track of his peers. He knew that Jin Fugui had been the first of their group to be eliminated—mostly because the sect had passed a new rule specifically banning the “Manure-Tossing” tactic in official duels, rendering Jin Fugui’s primary strategy useless.

The preliminary rounds were finally nearing their end. Anyone still standing after six months of competition was a monster in their own right. That Mo Yu—the man who spent ninety percent of his life fishing—had made it this far was a testament to his hidden tenacity.

Jiang Chen turned his full attention to Ring No. 5.

On the left stood Mo Yu, calm as a mountain lake. On the right was his opponent, Li Mengyang.

It was a clash of fundamental opposites: Water versus Fire.

The ring was a battlefield of clashing elements. The left side was thick with dense, cool Water Qi, while the right side shimmered with the violent, scorched heat of Fire Qi. Spells collided with the force of thunder, and Spirit Weapons flashed through the steam. The air screamed with the sound of hissing vapor. It was, by far, the most intense fight Jiang Chen had seen in weeks.