I Outworked the Entire Cultivation World-Chapter 106 - 91: Investigating Huaxi Valley
Below Heavenly Full Peak, Outer Sect dining house.
"Today’s portion is so generous, is your dining house planning to go out of business and close down?"
"I’ll have another serving of the vegetarian dish."
"Today’s vegetarian dish is fresh and crisp. Compared to this, it looks like you’ve been using rotten leaves before."
"I’ll also have another serving of the vegetarian dish. The dried demon beast meat is tough. This fresh vegetarian dish is much tastier."
A group of cultivators crowded in front of the long table where meals were sold, seeing the wooden basin of vegetarian dishes nearly sold out, eagerly handed over their bowls.
In the past, the dining house provided a daily limited amount of food, with the old cultivator trembling like a sieve, never giving a full spoon.
But today, for some reason, the old cultivator was beaming, his hands steady, and not stingy at all, giving everyone a large spoonful.
The vegetarian dish is cheap and filling; most servants and Outer Sect disciples prefer to eat vegetarian dishes and Spiritual Rice here, only occasionally buying demon beast meat and Spiritual Wine when good things happen.
"Don’t rush, don’t rush. These are Spiritual Vegetables harvested this morning from Huaxi Valley. Today it’s unlimited and there’s more than enough."
The old cultivator served the last spoonful of vegetarian dish, then brought in another overflowing large basin, causing great joy among the cultivators.
"Huaxi Valley?!"
Not far from the long table, Zheng Li, who was left with only one hand, perked up his ears. He heard the old cultivator saying the Spiritual Vegetables were sent from Huaxi Valley, abundant and of high quality, remarkably fresh.
Zheng Li’s first reaction was disbelief; the recruitment order for Huaxi Valley had been out for three months, and no one went there. They lacked even Spiritual Cultivators, let alone managing difficult-to-grow Spiritual Vegetables, or even easily-grown Spiritual Grains.
"Shi Xiaowu, did you come to the dining house to scoop up leftovers?"
Upon hearing the voice, Zheng Li turned his head.
Only to see the thorny boy from Huaxi Valley walking out from the back of the dining house, stopped by three youths who had apprenticed with him in Huaxi Valley.
"How’s Huaxi Valley doing? Still barren? I see you keep talking about Senior Sister Jiang but she’s not that impressive, is she?"
"How can you speak like that? She is, after all, an Inner Sect disciple; if she can’t cultivate the field, there are other paths. It’s just pitiful for you, Xiaowu, always flattering, yet she doesn’t seem to bring you into the Inner Sect."
"Shi Xiaowu, I see you’re quite clever. Why not become my errand runner? I’ll reward you with a bowl of rice daily, so at least you have a living path. Don’t starve in Huaxi Valley."
Zheng Li chuckled from afar, recalling how Shi Xiaowu had tried persuading these youths with promises, only to end in a dispute and failure.
Shi Xiaowu had uttered harsh words, and now these three were eagerly waiting for his downfall.
Zheng Li watched with interest, expecting a commotion.
Yet contrary to expectation, Shi Xiaowu, usually fiery, simply pressed his lips into a smile, turned around, and walked away without a word in response to the mockery.
Zheng Li sensed something unusual, cleaned his mouth after quickly finishing his remaining food, and quietly followed Shi Xiaowu.
He trailed him all the way to Huaxi Valley, observing Shi Xiaowu’s entrance, as Zheng Li stood with folded arms, peering sneakily around, eager to enter.
Quack!
A frog’s croak announced the arrival of a water ball from the direction of the pond, catching Zheng Li off guard, sending him flying and rolling several meters.
With his chest feeling shattered, Zheng Li spat blood, crawling to rise.
Boom!
A colossal figure landed in the road’s center, water flowing off its massive form.
With oppressive might, the house-sized Guardian Valley Spiritual Toad half-closed its eyes, surveying Zheng Li indifferently.
Shocked, Zheng Li scrambled back, pleading, "Toad Venerable, spare me. I only wanted to look inside, no offense intended."
Quack!
The Spiritual Toad’s eyes directed his attention to a newly equipped stone tablet beside the valley entrance.
[No entry without permission, consequences are at your own risk]
Zheng Li trembled, "I’ll leave, I’m leaving now."
This way was blocked; Zheng Li’s curiosity grew, so he detoured to climb the eastern Heavenly Cry Peak of Huaxi Valley.
Due to its ominous name, the peak had remained uninhabited.
Parting the underbrush, Zheng Li narrowed his eyes, viewing the scene from midway up the mountain.
The fields were crisscrossed, planted with various Spiritual Vegetables in patches of different heights and shades of green.
Strange wooden puppets were evenly distributed across the fields, swinging eight arms to create clouds and rain.
Amidst a gentle drizzle, a radiant glow adorned the fish pond, where vibrant-tailed golden pheasants flocked through the Spiritual Fields, seeking insects.
Spider-like puppets moved through the Spiritual Fields, harvesting mature Spiritual Vegetables and picking fruits, stacking them at the field’s edge, covered with sparkling rain.
Straining further forward, Zheng Li vaguely saw Guo Zhen, seated comfortably under a tree, carving bamboo pieces, occasionally taking a swig from a teapot, relaxed and leisurely.
"Can it really be like this?!"
Zheng Li’s mind reeled, his mouth tasting bitter, as Guo Zhen sensed his gaze and glanced his way, prompting Zheng Li to quickly withdraw, his turmoil unresolved and prompting him to dash off to Purple Cloud Valley.
In Purple Cloud Valley’s large courtyard.
Xiao Ankuo, pale-faced, had just returned from Jia Xiuchun. The third time of fire refining was proving unbearable.
The sheer thought of Jia Xiuchun’s torment sent chills through him.
Killing is but a swift process; the fire of the Red Flame Technique slowly penetrates the skin, seeping into the bone marrow, burning long and painfully, stimulating the Spiritual Medicine seeds within the marrow.
The mortal world’s executions pale beside this agony. If not for Jia Xiuchun’s extraordinary physical resilience and Lin Xiangtian’s aid in preserving her life, she’d never withstand it.
Lin Xiangtian’s indifferent cruelty towards Jia Xiuchun contrasted with Jia Xiuchun’s willingness to endure torture for Lin Xiangtian. Neither possessed any redeeming qualities, their ruthlessness towards self and others was beyond measure.
Xiao Ankuo regretted boarding this cursed ship; seeing Lin Xiangtian’s treatment of Jia Xiuchun, he knew he wouldn’t fare better, considering escaping as soon as he acquired the Foundation Establishment Elixir.
"Brother Xiao, terrible news from Huaxi Valley!"
Stumbling into Xiao Ankuo, Zheng Li landed at his feet, too anxious to rise, hurriedly reporting what he had seen at Huaxi Valley.
"Utter nonsense!" Xiao Ankuo slammed the table in fury.
"The art of puppetry consumes wealth immensely. Even the lowest-level Ninth-Grade Puppets require at least a thousand Spirit Stones. Yuebai, born as a mortal and not from a Cultivation Family, has no Spiritual Ore to back her. How could she afford to manufacture puppets for farming, let alone hundreds? Have you lost your mind or have I?"
Zheng Li, distraught, knelt, "Honestly, I saw it myself. Though distant, the bizarre shapes were unmistakably puppets. In just one field, nine rows by nine columns, there were eighty-one puppets creating clouds and rain, not counting those below harvesting."
Xiao Ankuo was speechless, swallowing with difficulty, "Jiang Yuebai this wealthy? A thousand each, a hundred would be ten thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, yet you’re suggesting far more than a hundred puppets... why farm at all? Competing with us broke folk, is this a game?"
Zheng Li cautiously mumbled, "Maybe... she just has a passion for farming."
Uneasy, Xiao Ankuo said, "Let’s go and see Huaxi Valley ourselves!"
"Can’t enter; Huaxi Valley’s Guardian Valley Spiritual Toad prevents entry. I’ve already tried to scout."
Xiao Ankuo pondered briefly, "Regardless of access, we need to convene other Spiritual Cultivation Masters at Purple Cloud Valley to confer on major events!"
