Chapter 225: Chapter 174: So This is Where I’m Supposed to Take Over

Golden sunlight bathed Li Xiang’s backyard, making it bright and splendid. The persimmon tree was blooming with small, yellowish-white flowers that resembled tiny lanterns. They weren’t especially vibrant, nor were the buds large, but hidden among the green leaves, they possessed a unique, fresh elegance.

The large water vat Li Xiang used for sprouting seeds was placed under the persimmon tree. He lifted the lid, rolled up his sleeves, and scooped out a handful. The rice seeds spread across his palm, each one plump with absorbed water.

He drained the old water, went to the kitchen to boil a pot, and then mixed it with cool water until it was around fifty degrees Celsius. It wasn’t scalding, but it was still quite warm to the touch. He poured this new water into the vat.

He stirred as he poured. Although the water was over fifty degrees, the rice seeds were cold and there was still some residual water in the vat. After everything mixed together, the final temperature settled at around thirty-seven or thirty-eight degrees.

This temperature was perfect. He sealed the vat with plastic film and replaced the lid to maintain the heat. About two hours later, he would scoop out the seeds, place them in a burlap sack, and nestle it in a bed of straw, covering it completely to induce sprouting. Sprouting was a crucial step in rice cultivation. During this time, the seeds needed to be sprayed with fresh water and turned occasionally to prevent the internal temperature from rising too high and scorching the sprouts. Once the sprouts and roots reached a length of about 0.2 to 0.3 centimeters, he would take the seeds out to air-dry in a cool, shady place for about six hours. After that, they would be ready for sowing.

Rice planting seemed simple, but actually doing it required a high level of "experience points." Many young people nowadays had left home to find work and had long since forgotten how to farm. Even if they tried, they often ran into problems; they just didn’t have the know-how of the older generations.

Li Xiang, however, had an innate gift for it. The Shennong Longevity Spell he practiced gave him a natural bonus in this area. In short, whatever he planted would thrive.

If his Realm were higher—say, beyond Tier Ten—his Spiritual Power would develop another characteristic. If a seed was on the verge of dying, he could infuse it with a little Spiritual Power. Not only would it make a full recovery, but it would also become a "Spirit Seed." If the subsequent growing conditions were adequate, and it was irrigated with Spiritual Qi and water from a Spiritual Spring, the resulting harvest would be Spirit Rice.

Of course, that was all for much later; it wasn’t necessary right now. The return on investment was too low. He had to wait for the Apocalypse, when Extraordinary Particles began to emerge on Earth, for any of that to be worthwhile.

While Li Xiang was preparing the seeds, his grandmother, Jiang Jianguo, Li Yucheng, and Li Jinyu all came over to watch several times. They felt he was doing an excellent job and that the family’s ancestral farming skills now had a worthy successor.

’So this is the family business I’m meant to take over!’ Li Xiang thought.

That night, he returned to the Mao Lan Karst Primeval Forest in Qian Province to continue sweeping the mountains. And once again, he did not bring Luo Feifei.

After all, Luo Feifei had to work during the day and needed to maintain peak condition. Rushing about on these long-distance excursions would consume a great deal of her energy. Although Extraordinary Beings required less sleep, she couldn’t afford to overexert herself.

It was worth mentioning that Luo Feifei’s performance over the past few days, especially in her fight scenes, was like she had activated a cheat code. She moved with even greater ease than before, pulling off more spectacular moves. No matter how difficult the action, she executed it flawlessly in a single, fluid take, earning constant praise from the director and producer.

Some of the martial arts choreographers gasped in astonishment. ’Damn, this girl is incredible. We can’t teach her anything anymore.’ They felt that for some of the more complex moves, even a professional stunt double might not—no, *definitely* would not—be able to perform them as beautifully as Luo Feifei.

In truth, Luo Feifei no longer needed the support of wire-work, but doing without it would be far too shocking. So, she continued to use the wires.

The director and producer unanimously agreed that Luo Feifei had the potential to become the next Kung Fu Empress. The entertainment industry was suffering from a lack of new kung fu stars, and Luo Feifei’s meteoric rise gave everyone hope for the future.

In the Mao Lan Karst Reserve, Li Xiang, clad head-to-toe in black armor, entered the "Land of No One" under the cover of night.

He had turned off his phone before setting out. He had recently discovered a potential vulnerability that, while likely unnoticed by others, he had to guard against. Modern cell phones and SIM cards came with location tracking. He was moving through the wilderness as fast as a high-speed train, covering an immense distance in a short time. If anyone with ill intent were to notice this, it could cause a great deal of trouble.

System: "Tier Three Mutated Creature detected: Libo Wild Tong."

Li Xiang finally zeroed in on a peculiar tree, one he had never seen before. Its leaves were leathery and extremely wrinkled. Of course, a nature reserve like this was home to countless rare trees, so it was perfectly normal to encounter species unknown to the outside world.

He immediately swung his High-Density Blade and cut it down, obtaining 80 Achievement Points and three Tier Two Spiritual Medicines.

What Li Xiang didn’t know was that a research team had already published an SCI paper on this tree, believing its discovery had filled a significant gap in their field.

Even if he had known, he would have chopped it down without a second thought. After the Apocalypse arrived, countless species would perish and countless new ones would appear. This endless cycle of creation and destruction was but a triviality in the grand sweep of history.

System: "Tier Two Mutated Creature detected: Southern Barbarian Bamboo Vine."

After cutting down the cluster of arm-thick vines, Li Xiang noted the quality of the wood. He used his machete to trim a two-meter length, fashioning a temporary weapon.

This type of bamboo vine had a hard texture. The Vine Sticks made from it were tough and durable, often used as martial arts staffs or exercise equipment.

The piece Li Xiang had cut was uniform in thickness and quite flexible. He went through a few staff-fighting forms. Though it was a little on the light side, it was much handier for fighting bats than a stalactite pillar.

System: "Tier Four Mutated Creature detected: Silver-tailed Forest Musk Deer."

Inside a narrow cave in the jungle, a Forest Musk Deer—an animal resembling a cross between a deer and a small goat—was hiding. The moment it saw Li Xiang approach, it bolted.

SWOOSH! A blast of Cold Ice Sword Qi shot out, and the Forest Musk Deer collapsed.

This type of Forest Musk Deer, also known as the Southern Musk, was a species of Fragrant Musk Deer. Li Xiang went over to inspect it. It was a male, which meant it should contain musk—a substance more valuable than gold. This precious ingredient was used in many complex Chinese medicinal formulas, such as the famous Calming Palace Bezoar Pill.

It was also used in some high-end perfumes.

Natural musk could sell for at least six to seven hundred yuan per gram.

This particular deer was known as the most fragrant of animals. As for its meat... well, Li Xiang had never eaten it before and planned on taking it home to try. But just like with the takin he had caught earlier, he couldn’t let anyone find out its origin.

He would just pass it off as ordinary venison.

You could find plenty of farmed venison online these days, but it was usually old and tough. That was because farmed deer were primarily raised for their antlers, which were more profitable. The meat sold was typically from deer that were past their prime and no longer valuable for antler harvesting. It would be a miracle if meat from such old deer—some of which had died of natural causes—tasted any good.

In truth, the best venison came from young deer, as its meat was far more tender.

He continued his search, reaping great rewards. He was particularly fond of the large limestone caves. Venturing inside one often resulted in a harvest of tens of thousands of Achievement Points. It was an absolute bonanza.

The caves of all sizes throughout the reserve were favorite habitats for animals, and the biodiversity was far richer than Li Xiang had ever imagined.

He found an underground river in a large limestone cave and decided to process some of his hunted "mountain treasures," like the Forest Musk Deer, on the spot. He collected its blood in a large jar; with his system inventory, storage was incredibly convenient.

He butchered the meat into strips and stored them in his system inventory. Items came out in the exact same condition they went in, making it the perfect place for preservation.

He also kept the hide for future use. Cloth would be scarce during the Apocalypse, and the hide could be used to make boots, jackets, and other things.

Hides, cloth, and all sorts of other materials needed to be collected. But merely gathering resources was a finite solution; it was like trying to live off a mountain of food without replenishing it. When the Apocalypse came, both industrial and agricultural production would be devastated. The only reason materials were so abundant now was because China was the world’s leading manufacturing powerhouse, with comprehensive supply chains and global trade collaboration. Once they were trapped in their corner of the world during the Apocalypse, confined to a relatively small Underground City, life would become incredibly difficult.

For example, if a machine broke and needed a replacement part, you could easily buy one now. But where would you find one during the Apocalypse? You could fabricate a simple part by hand, but what about a complex, precision component like a microchip? You’d first need to acquire a lithography machine—or even build one from scratch. The cost, the technology, and the supporting supply chain would all be massive hurdles.

The United States dismantled its F-22 production line. Trying to restart it now would be next to impossible, not just because of the cost, but because the skilled workforce and the supporting supply chain are gone.

He carefully cut open the musk gland on the Forest Musk Deer and, sure enough, extracted a large pod. The aroma was rich and intense. He stored it in his inventory for the time being.

Although a precious ingredient in Chinese medicine, this natural musk had some very particular properties. Women who were menstruating or pregnant were not to come into contact with it, as it could cause heavy bleeding or even induce a miscarriage. It was a recurring "star" in the plots of palace intrigue dramas.