Immortality and Cultivation: Starting with Improved Spirit Rice

Chapter 23 Cooperation

Zhao Chengan is a very proactive person.

On the one hand, he does need relevant agronomic knowledge to solve the problem of hybrid rice.

On the other hand, his small-scale cultivation of spirit rice outside is nothing special now, but it is, after all, the territory of the Imperial Academy. If the school inquires about it in the future, he can have a reasonable explanation for learning farming from Qi Weizhao.

Zhao Chengan returned to Qianhui Valley.

It rained heavily last night, and the weather outside is very sunny. Water droplets cling to the verdant leaves, refracting dazzling light like shattered diamonds.

But as Zhao Cheng'an approached the depths of Qiansui Valley, he heard the sound of rain pouring down again.

Wisps of white mist drifted towards him. It was already early summer, yet Zhao Cheng'an felt an inexplicable coolness all over his body.

"This mist seems to contain spiritual energy," Zhao Cheng'an thought to himself.

The view before me suddenly opened up.

At the edge of the riverbank, Qi Weizhao, with his trousers rolled up and a straw hat on his back, looking like an old farmer, stood on the ridge of the field, muttering to himself.

Several pale blue spirit patterns floated around him, and ripples of spiritual energy spread outward like water. A leaden cloud gathered in the sky, from which came faint sounds of wind and thunder, and fine raindrops fell from it, watering the spirit rice below.

A moment later, the leaden clouds dispersed, and golden sunlight shone down again. The rice leaves in the spiritual field stretched out, and water droplets condensed on the heavy ears of wheat.

Even some of the rice plants that had been gnawed by insects and looked sickly seemed to have regained their vitality under the nourishment of the rain.

"Cough cough!" Qi Weizhao coughed lightly twice, clutching his waist, a frustrated expression on his face. He complained, "Time really waits for no one. The Little Cloud Rain Technique that I used to be able to perform with ease is now very difficult to use. It's also because the spiritual energy here is too thin. It's really not a good place."

Qi Weizhao muttered to himself for a while before noticing Zhao Chengan appearing behind him.

There are only five people in the entire Imperial Academy who possess spiritual roots and are qualified to cultivate; you can count them on one hand.

Qi Weizhao still remembered Zhao Chengan.

He frowned. "Didn't you just receive cultivation resources from me a while ago? Why are you here again?"

Zhao Cheng'an turned his gaze away from the dissipating clouds and rain, a hint of barely suppressed curiosity on his face.

This was the first time he had witnessed a cultivator casting a spell in the more than six months since he arrived at the Imperial Academy. Although it was just one of the most common basic spells, it still broadened Zhao Cheng'an's horizons.

He composed himself and stepped forward, bowing respectfully.

"Master Qi, I have not come here to receive cultivation supplies, but to learn from you the methods of planting and cultivating spiritual rice."

"Oh?"

Qi Weizhao seemed surprised that Zhao Chengan would make such a request.

He looked surprised. "Why are you learning these things? These aren't part of the Dao Court's assessment."

Zhao Cheng'an was about to take out the speech he had prepared long ago.

"student……"

Qi Weizhao raised his hand to interrupt him.

His eyes flickered slightly, as if he had thought of something, and a smile appeared on his face:

"I can teach you. But I need to make one thing clear to you beforehand. The cultivation and planting of spirit rice are not within the scope of the Imperial Academy's curriculum, and they will take up my time."

"So if you want to learn, you have to pay me spirit stones. That's fair."

"this……"

Zhao Cheng'an looked troubled.

Although he was able to occasionally synthesize some spirit stones using the Qiankun Cauldron.

However, spirit stones are also a necessity for his daily cultivation, and he doesn't have much left over.

"Let me finish speaking first."

Qi Weizhao continued, "You can owe us this portion of spirit stones for now."

"In return, you'll need to help me take care of this spiritual field in front of me. Don't worry, this task won't take up too much of your time. And if you change your mind halfway through, you can terminate the cooperation at any time."

"However, you need to compensate me for the spirit stones I used to teach you, understand?"

Zhao Chengan hesitated for a moment, but finally agreed.

Although there may be some risks, after observing this for so long, the character of the Imperial Academy teachers is still trustworthy. Moreover, compared to the potential gains, this effort is nothing.

Qi Weizhao's face showed a satisfied expression: "Young man, you won't regret the choice you made today."

"In fact, just by taking care of the spirit fields, one can obtain very good treatment in some small and medium-sized cultivation families in the East Sea."

"In the thousands of years since the founding of the Daoist Court, what has been the most important thing in the cultivation world? Talented individuals!"

"Cultivating immortality is not just about fighting and killing. On the contrary, those who possess a skill that can promote the progress of civilization and benefit the vast number of cultivators will be more respected."

"Zhao Housheng, it's excellent that you've taken the initiative to learn from me in this area. It shows that although you started the course the latest, your understanding of the essence of cultivation is the highest. Not everyone has your insight."

Qi Weizhao stroked his beard with one hand and said smugly, his tone full of self-praise.

Zhao Cheng'an wore a helpless smile.

He thought to himself that he hadn't thought that much about it; he just wanted to find a suitable reason to continue growing spirit rice and solve his cultivation resource problem.

Moreover, Qi Weizhao's words should be taken with a grain of salt. If what Qi Weizhao said is true, why would a "talented person" like him be exiled to such a desolate place as the Seven Kingdoms?

However, Zhao Cheng'an still had an expression of agreement on his face, nodding like a chicken pecking at rice:

"Master Qi, that's what I think too. I believe I can learn from you knowledge that will benefit me for a lifetime."

Qi Weizhao was even more delighted to see Zhao Chengan's obedient appearance.

He usually appeared somewhat aloof. This was partly due to being away from home, and partly because tending to the sacred fields consumed a great deal of his energy.

Now that a student had come to him of his own accord, who could not only share his workload but also keep him company and relieve his boredom, Qi Weizhao's mood improved considerably, and even the way he looked at Zhao Chengan became much more friendly.

"Alright, come with me."

Qi Weizhao waved his hand and led Zhao Chengan to a room next to the spirit field.

The room was cluttered with various odds and ends, and a faint dust filled the air. Bags of spirit rice sat against the wall. On the other side, a table was covered with various kinds of equipment, including a huge bronze mirror, a Bagua compass, and a spirit pen with a faint golden glow at its end.

Further inside, there are rows of bookshelves.

Qi Weizhao walked straight to the depths of the room and took out a bluish-black vine from a cabinet inside.

"Since we're going to learn, let's start with the basics."