I Cultivate Longevity in the Cultivation Realm-Chapter 43: Making Inquiries

Spirit Farmers can’t harvest the Spirit Field just by saying so. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

They must inform the Spirit Plant Hall.

Because the Spirit Plant Hall holds the selling rights for Spirit Rice.

Moreover, the primary reason is that the Spirit Fields here are under the jurisdiction of the Spirit Plant Hall, and most of these Spirit Farmers have signed rent contracts with it.

Wealthy people don’t have such concerns; after paying enough Spirit Stones, they can handle the Spirit Rice in their Spirit Fields as they wish.

However, for Spirit Farmers like Zhou Changwang, who initially lacked Spirit Stones and only paid part of the Spirit Stones, they need to negotiate with the Spirit Plant Hall to make up the remaining rent.

Originally, Zhou Qiankun helped Zhou Changwang rent three mu of Spirit Field, but since he didn’t have enough Spirit Stones, he opted to pay a fixed amount of ten Lower-Grade Spirit Stones per mu, plus fifty percent of the yield from the Spirit Field as rent.

Additionally, the agreement included a supplementary clause to prevent laziness from Spirit Farmers. If the yield per mu is valued at less than forty Lower-Grade Spirit Stones, meaning the Spirit Rice value given to the Spirit Plant Hall is less than twenty Lower-Grade Spirit Stones, the shortfall must be covered by the Spirit Farmer themselves.

Therefore, after deciding to harvest today, Zhou Changwang actually made a special trip to the Spirit Plant Hall.

Of course, because there were many people harvesting Spirit Fields today, the Spirit Plant Hall specially sent a steward to handle rent collection and Spirit Rice purchases.

After neatly stacking the harvested Spirit Rice to the side and leaving it under his father’s watch, Zhou Changwang quickly found the steward from the Spirit Plant Hall.

The person looked like a middle-aged man in his forties, slender in stature, with a somewhat sparse mustache that fluttered in the wind, giving off a bit of a charming look.

Zhou Changwang knew this person; his surname was Chen, his name Qingfeng, his cultivation at the Qi Refining Fifth Level. Not completely fair, but he was reasonable enough.

"Steward Chen, I’ve finished harvesting my Spirit Fields."

Zhou Changwang approached and saluted respectfully.

"You are Zhou Changwang, correct? I see you initially rented three mu of Spirit Field, but only paid thirty Lower-Grade Spirit Stones as rent. You’ll need to make up the rest, at least sixty Lower-Grade Spirit Stones."

Steward Chen glanced at Zhou Changwang, then at the account book in his hand and said, "Is this year’s yield sufficient?"

"There was a demon disturbance in the Spirit Field, causing some loss in one mu of Spirit Field. I hope Steward Chen can be lenient."

Zhou Changwang humbled himself, quietly handing over a Lower-Grade Spirit Stone.

"Let’s go have a look first."

Steward Chen waved his sleeve, and the Spirit Stone disappeared swiftly. He then followed Zhou Changwang to his home Spirit Field.

"Get the scales!"

Two employees came holding a large scale.

However, just as they were about to step forward, Steward Chen stopped them, saying, "Let’s use this scale; the ones you have are a bit worn."

With that, a new large scale appeared in his hand. Except for being newer material-wise, it looked no different from those in the employees’ hands.

However, Zhou Changwang knew there was a significant difference between the two.

The one in the employees’ hands is colloquially known as the "Little Devil Scale," weighing a hundred jins of Spirit Rice would only show ninety jins.

The saying goes, "King Yama is easy to provoke, but little devils are troublesome."

If this "Little Devil Scale" weighed Zhou Changwang’s fifteen hundred jins of Spirit Rice, without a doubt, it would lose him a hundred and fifty jins.

And this was the use of that one Lower-Grade Spirit Stone.

As for resisting? Not selling to the Spirit Plant Hall?

Every Spirit Farmer has never even considered this question.

Because even though the Spirit Plant Hall is located in Fengming Dock Marketplace, nominally managed by the Bai Family Cultivation Clan, in reality, it’s the property of the Qingyuan Sect, an Immortal Technique Sect.

The Qingyuan Sect is the largest Immortal Technique Sect within a thousand miles, with countless inner disciples, over a hundred in Foundation Establishment, and even Golden Core masters exerting unparalleled influence.

Unless one quits being a Spirit Farmer or stops cultivating Spirit Rice and Spiritual Materials...

No one dares to resist.

Zhou Changwang does have quite a few Spirit Stones, but his cultivation is still quite low. If he really stirs things up... he glanced at Chen Qingfeng, who was at Qi Refining Fifth Level, and immediately became calm and without any further thoughts.

"Got it!"

The two employees responded and began weighing with Steward Chen’s new scale.

Bag by bag went on the scale.

After totalling, with the husks removed, it was exactly fifteen hundred jins.

Zhou Changwang knew this amount was actually a bit less, falling short by thirty to forty jins than his estimate, but it was already an excellent result, far better than encountering the "Little Devil Scale."

"Fifteen hundred jins, according to the rent contract, half belongs to our Spirit Plant Hall, which is seven hundred and fifty jins.

Based on the current price of one Lower-Grade Spirit Stone for fourteen jins of Spirit Rice, seven hundred and fifty jins can’t cover the thirty Lower-Grade Spirit Stones per mu rent.

So, you still need to make up ninety jins of Spirit Rice.

Do you have any objections?"

Steward Chen quickly calculated and then looked at Zhou Changwang.

"None."

Zhou Changwang shook his head.

The rent contract finalized earlier was indeed like this; he had no room to argue.

However, don’t be fooled that the Spirit Plant Hall only recovers twenty Lower-Grade Spirit Stones per mu now, equivalent to waiving interest for him.

But don’t forget, the price of Spirit Rice is set by the Spirit Plant Hall, and now at one Lower-Grade Spirit Stone for fourteen jins of Spirit Grain Rice, it’s indeed too cheap.

Compared to the normal ten jins per Lower-Grade Spirit Stone, the Spirit Plant Hall earns so much more.

Zhou Changwang sighed at the greed of the Spirit Value Hall and had no fondness for the Qingyuan Sect behind it.

"Are you selling these Spirit Rice?

If you are, I can calculate the Spirit Stones for you together."

Steward Chen inquired further.

"Yes!"

Zhou Changwang gritted his teeth, took a step forward, and discreetly handed over another Lower-Grade Spirit Stone, saying, "But Steward Chen, I heard there’s also Spirit Field for rent inside the marketplace. Do you know if that’s true?

This place is too remote, far from the marketplace, and quite dangerous, so I’m considering renting a Spirit Field inside the marketplace next year. Could Steward Chen shed some light on this matter?"

"Indeed, that’s the case.

However, the Spirit Fields inside the marketplace are all closely connected with housing.

To farm the Spirit Fields there, you must also rent the corresponding housing.

Overall, the rent would be expensive.

Even in the most remote areas with a house that comes with one mu of Spirit Field, it would at least cost fifteen Lower-Grade Spirit Stones per month."

Steward Chen quickly collected the Lower-Grade Spirit Stone and then said, "I heard that someone recently killed an Iron Armor Pig at the foot of Changling Mountain. Could it be you?

It seems you’ve earned a fortune, no wonder you’re considering moving to the marketplace’s Inner City.

But since you mentioned it, considering you’re quite sensible, I’ll also share a piece of news with you.

The outskirts of the marketplace have been unstable lately; avoid going out if you can, and if possible, move to the Inner City of the marketplace..."

"Are you saying..."

Zhou Changwang’s heart stirred at this.