Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Thunder God’s Lightning, Spiritual Grain Giving Life
Li Ye followed Zhou Qiumai with curiosity to a pavilion outside. There were many such octagonal pavilions near the wheat fields, each with a varying number of cultivators sitting inside.
But within this pavilion sat only Su Ya.
Su Ya was quite surprised to see Li Ye coming over. Already at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer?
Although it’s normal for progress through the Qi Refining Stage to be rapid.
But this is outside the sect, without the benefits of some Spirit Beasts and Spirit Plant seniors, and without cave mansions tailored to one’s spiritual qi attributes.
To make such rapid progress outside, it seems this Taoist Friend Li must have consumed plenty of good things.
Guessing that now they have to address each other as fellow cultivators, it won’t be long before they have to call him senior brother!
He stood up with a smile, "It’s rare to see Taoist Friend Li come out. It seems the Jingzhe wheat harvest by the Zhou family is indeed appealing, wouldn’t you agree, Taoist Friend Qiumai?"
Zhou Qiumai could barely keep a straight face, acknowledging his helplessness with the name.
But he didn’t mind his name, promptly replying, "This name keeps me well-fed! Being well-fed and warm, isn’t this name great?"
Su Ya’s expression changed momentarily and he suddenly cupped his fists, "I was indeed presumptuous; Taoist Friend Zhou, please don’t take offense."
Zhou Qiumai didn’t expect Su Ya to apologize so solemnly and was somewhat at a loss, while Li Ye chimed in to change the subject:
"Taoist Friend Zhou, your name is excellent. However, being new here, I’m curious about how the Jingzhe wheat harvest works. Could you enlighten me?"
With the change of topic, Zhou Qiumai breathed a sigh of relief and explained:
"This is thanks to the blessings of the Four Seasons Sect. Within the sect, there’s a Heavenly Sound Thunder Leaf bestowed with divine position.
It is during this very moment each year that this esteemed one performs divine techniques for families who plant Spring Thunder Wheat.
When the thunder rolls in a while, all five hundred acres of Spring Thunder Wheat will mature at once, and the wheat powder released will obscure the sky.
There might even be some elves or Wheat Pills hidden within, and getting those depends on one’s skills."
Upon hearing this, Li Ye suddenly understood.
So it’s with the help of the "divine power" from the Four Seasons Sect. Previously, at the Peach Garden gathering, he learned of a Peach Blossom Mountain God; how many "gods" does the Four Seasons Sect have?
He was indeed curious; moreover, such curiosity is reasonable, so he inquired:
"I meant to ask Taoist Friend Su last time, what exactly is this god...?"
Su Ya took a sip of tea, a touch of pride on his face, "Our Four Seasons Sect has nurtured many Spirit Beasts and Spirit Plants, and even divine beasts’ descendants.
Some seniors have harnessed their innate divine techniques to an extraordinary degree and have been bestowed titles.
They can display godlike powers within our sect’s domain; the Heavenly Sound Thunder Leaf is indeed the Celestial Sound Thunder God."
To wield power like a god...
Li Ye was truly in awe.
One could only imagine the dedication and cost required to cultivate a plant or entity that could be titled as a god.
He opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly, from the sky came the rolling thunder, echoing for miles.
Before the thunder arrived, purple lightning had already fallen like torrential rain.
The flowing lightning traversed the wheat fields, incinerating some wheat that couldn’t withstand its power.
Yet some were energized by the lightning, their large ears of wheat bursting open one by one.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The light-blue wheat powder fog, formed amidst the lightning and gale, surged toward all directions.
The scene was truly spectacular, as if fog rolled in to engulf the sky and darken the day, with all around like a misty tide of flour!
"The moment has arrived!" Su Ya eagerly stood up,
"Taoist Friend Li, bring forth any Spirit Gathering techniques or anything to draw spirituality you have, the Zhou family allows spirit power dispersion for only half a quarter-hour!"
"We’ll divide the harvest later, let’s gather enough first!"
As he spoke, he had already taken out a small Bronze Cauldron held in his palm, from which wisps of fragrant smoke wafted, soon attracting plenty of flour.
To attract even flour like this—did it also gain some spirituality?
Wait, just half a quarter-hour?
That’s only about seven minutes?
Li Ye squinted, attempting to see the surging flour tide, but the complex spiritual qi and lingering lightning power made it impossible to see clearly.
He stretched out his hand.
First, he employed the Spirit Gathering Technique modified by the Spirit Water Phoenix Eye Lotus.
He initially intended to experiment, but unexpectedly, within a few breaths after performing it, a tide of flour and several blue Wheat Pills flew toward him.
The speed was so fast that if Zhou Qiumai hadn’t helped, he might have been submerged in the flour tide, covered head to toe!
"Taoist Friend, be careful!"
Zhou Qiumai held a storage pouch in the back, "I never expected you could attract so much Spiritual Grain powder and Wheat Pills all at once; does it mean..."
His words were interrupted as a greenish orb with a hint of blue light suddenly flew over from nearby, landing gently on Li Ye’s shoulder, quietly staying there.
"..."
The scene left both Su Ya and Zhou Qiumai dumbfounded.
Li Ye himself was a bit dumbfounded too; he silently gazed toward his shoulder.
There, quietly staying, was an old yellow ox, identical to a real one, just miniaturized numerous times.
[Name]: Wheat Spirit Ox
[Mood]: Joyful, Happy, Finally Free
[Status]: Excellent
[Can Bind]: Any type of wheat Spirit Plant
"Life births essence, nature nurtures spirit, lightning fosters growth."
"Only with these three working together can a few Wheat Spirits be birthed among the hundreds of acres of wheat fields."
Su Ya remarked with envy, "Your luck truly is remarkable, Taoist Friend. If you cultivate this Wheat Spirit well, you’ll likely find ease and comfort in growing any wheat in the future—I’m genuinely envious of you!"
Yet Li Ye felt a bit bitter inside.
Out of hundreds of acres, only a few were born, and he found one; surely he wouldn’t be besieged by other cultivators? Moreover, what would be the Zhou family’s stance?
At his side, Zhou Qiumai spoke, "No need to worry.
Now with the Thunder God’s lightning and the spiritual qi explosion from a hundred acres of wheat field, there is bound not to be any discovery.
Besides, since my Zhou family invited everyone here, we wouldn’t regret the loss."
"However, Taoist Friend Li, if it pleases you, after you establish your foundation, I hope you might serve as an Honored Guest Elder at my Zhou family—the Wheat Spirit may be a token of our Zhou family’s sincerity in inviting you, with offerings along with the position!"
His words were resolute.
Not to mention that there are Four Seasons Sect’s cultivators here, even if it were merely a loose cultivator, the Zhou family would act the same.
Whoever is fortunate enough to obtain a Wheat Spirit surely possesses qi fortune or unique divine techniques.
To offend such a cultivator for a Wheat Spirit would indeed be a losing proposition.
If one is to gift, then gift openly, allowing the recipient to feel grateful and forge a bond—who knows when it might come in handy.
This was the teaching of the Zhou family’s matriarch.
This approach indeed forged many good connections.