Chapter 455: Long Ao is Here! |
Spring passed, and summer arrived.
Since he no longer needed to report to the outer Spirit Farm for assessments, Jiang Chen’s range of activity was basically limited to three places: Red Leaf Valley, the Flower Sea Market, and Green Wood Peak. He simply traveled back and forth between them.
With another round of harvesting, his Lifespan increased once again.
It had now reached: 3862 years.
Jiang Chen, wearing a bamboo hat, instructed Fortress to look after everything at home. He then summoned Shattered Moon Flowing Frost, soared into the air, and flew into the distance.
In no time at all, he arrived at the Core Affairs Hall.
“Damn it, the good tasks were all snatched away!”
“I waited around for several hours, only to lose because I wasn’t fast enough!”
“Can’t they issue a few more tasks for tending rare spirit plants?”
Seeing this scene, Jiang Chen felt a wave of emotion.
He used to be just like them, hustling for points. It was through one of those tasks that he had unexpectedly obtained a Green Lotus seed.
Who would have thought that five years later, he would become a core disciple, and even a Spirit Nurturing Envoy.
Yet these people were still exactly the same, practically unchanged.
Afterward, Jiang Chen went to the task submission window.
The assessment requirements for formal disciples and core disciples were different.
Formal disciples only needed to submit five thousand jin of Spirit Rice per year, or spirit plants of equivalent value, with no strict requirements regarding quality.
Core disciples, on the other hand, had to submit eight thousand jin of high-grade Spirit Rice per year, or high-grade spirit plants of equivalent value. Otherwise, they would face a Penalty.
Initially, the Penalty meant a reduction in resources, benefits, and sect treatment.
If a disciple consistently failed their assessment, they wouldn’t be stripped of their core disciple status, but they would lose all benefits provided by the Immortal Sect.
To put it bluntly, they would be left with nothing but an empty title.
Previously, Jiang Chen would submit 1,250 jin of Top-quality Spirit Rice each time, alongside Lin An’s 1,250 jin of ordinary Spirit Rice. Together, the two of them perfectly met the five thousand jin requirement for the year.
Now, with Lin An’s assessment task remaining unchanged, Jiang Chen’s new status as a core disciple meant he submitted 2,000 jin of Top-quality Spirit Rice every quarter.
Of course, this increase meant nothing to him.
In truth, ever since he obtained his portable space, he only brought out Top-quality Spirit Rice when entertaining guests. His daily meals consisted entirely of rare spirit rice produced by his rare spirit plants.
To him, Top-quality Spirit Rice had long been phased out of his diet.
However, just as he was about to leave, he was stopped by Elder Mu.
Jiang Chen gave him a questioning look. “Manager?”
Elder Mu said gravely, “Because the Harvest Lord is leaving the Immortal Sect for a period of time, only the two of us remain to manage the core area.”
Jiang Chen was stunned. “Leaving?”
Elder Mu spoke with hidden meaning. “A tree that is moved dies, but a person who moves finds new life.”
Realization dawned on Jiang Chen, and his expression drastically changed. “Has it already come to this?”
He remembered the last time they met, when they had shared a heart-to-heart conversation.
If Zhu Fuxian could not break through to the Nascent Soul realm, his life would come to an end.
He had thought Zhu Fuxian still had over a hundred years left. He never expected that time was truly running out.
…
…
On his way back to Red Leaf Valley, a trace of worry lingered in Jiang Chen’s eyes.
Before he took Si Geng as his Master, Zhu Fuxian had, in a sense, been his true Master—or at the very least, his guiding light.
If not for him, Jiang Chen could never have become the Spirit Farm’s sole Spirit Nurturing Envoy, nor would he possess his current status and position.
At that moment, Jiang Chen swept out his Divine Sense and noticed people standing at the valley entrance.
There was more than one. It was a man and a woman.
The woman was Ruo Qunshuang; she was likely here to collect her cultivation resources.
The man, however, gave Jiang Chen a pleasant surprise. It was actually Long Ao.
His previously missing limbs had entirely grown back.
“Senior Brother Long!”
“Junior Brother Jiang, it’s been a long time!”
“You… you’ve fully recovered?”
“Barely, you could say!”
“Finally, some good news.”
A bright smile reappeared on Jiang Chen’s face.
Seeing the two of them, Ruo Qunshuang felt a bit out of place.
When she first arrived, Long Ao hadn’t been there.
She had waited and waited, but instead of Jiang Chen, this man had shown up.
Jiang Chen and Long Ao chatted at the entrance for a bit before Jiang Chen invited them both into the valley.
Long Ao looked around at the beautiful scenery and sighed, “It’s still better on the outside.”
During the days he had spent frozen, not only did he have to endure the lingering poison of the Departing Fire Thunder, but he also had to suffer the intense agony brought on by extreme cold.
If his Master and the Crane King hadn’t been so capable, it would have taken him at least another year before he could show his face.
Jiang Chen smiled. “If Senior Brother likes it here, you can stay for a few days.”
Long Ao waved his hand. “I have other matters to attend to, after all…”
Though he trailed off, the grave look in his eyes made his meaning perfectly clear.
Jiang Chen naturally understood, so he didn’t press the issue.
A short while later, he brought out all the cultivation resources Ruo Qunshuang needed, along with some fresh fruits and vegetables.
As they interacted more over time, they had grown increasingly familiar with each other.
They had come to understand each other’s habits and interests.
Despite Ruo Qunshuang’s introverted personality, she was actually quite the foodie.
Occasionally, she would bring him spirit talismans or specialty spirit fish from the Rain Pavilion in return.
Normally, the two would chat about daily life or recent events in the sect.
But with Long Ao present, Ruo Qunshuang tactfully took her leave early. “I’ll be heading back.”
Jiang Chen stood up to see her off. When he returned, he found Long Ao teasing Wang Zai.
Truth be told, after half a year, Wang Zai’s size had nearly caught up to Da Huang’s.
He was tall, heavily muscled, and incredibly robust.
He didn’t look like a dog at all, but rather a fierce beast.
The yellow vortex on his forehead actively drew in surrounding Earth Spiritual Qi.
Whether in sheer energy or physical strength, Da Huang was no longer a match for his own pup.
Long Ao rubbed his chin. “This pup of yours must have Awakened some kind of earth-attribute bloodline.”
Jiang Chen nodded slightly. “That’s right.”
Long Ao offered a suggestion. “I think you should send him to the beast tamers over at Beast Mountain for some proper training. He could become a massive help to you in the future.”
Setting aside everything else, his ability to loosen soil alone far surpassed anything of his kind.
Moreover, judging from the vortex on his forehead, his future potential was certainly not simple.
Jiang Chen chuckled and agreed. “Alright.”
After he finished playing with Wang Zai, Long Ao plopped down on a stool and blinked at Jiang Chen. “While I was frozen in ice, I really found myself craving your wine.”
Jiang Chen understood instantly and moved to take out some Top Grade Spirit Wine, but on second thought, he stopped. “I have a new brew here. Would Senior Brother like a taste?”
Hearing the words ‘new brew,’ Long Ao’s eyes lit up. He agreed without hesitation. “Of course!”
Soon, Jiang Chen poured a bowl of the Heavenly Horse Milk Wine he had been brewing and handed it over. “Have a taste, Senior Brother.”
Long Ao looked surprised. “It’s actually milk wine! You’re getting more and more impressive, kid!”
Jiang Chen didn’t hide the truth. “I’m collaborating on this wine with someone else. We’re still perfecting it step by step. Once it’s ready, we’ll start brewing it in larger batches.”
Brimming with anticipation, Long Ao lifted the porcelain bowl and took a sip.
Instantly, his eyes went wide, and he blurted out, “Holy crap!”
