Chapter 18: There Are No Small Matters in Farming

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Of course, Chu Qiuci still didn’t want to leave the Xuanyuan Sect for the time being; after all, the dog system hadn’t yet deciphered that scale fragment, which would take some time. As long as Qiuci didn’t leave, Feng Ting naturally wouldn’t want to go either.

Zhen Yi, however, was a bit hesitant. When their master instructed them to leave, no specific reason was given. Only the fact that even the Supreme Elder had emerged from seclusion proved that this matter was no ordinary affair. Coupled with the arrival of two envoys from the Immortal Alliance, he could roughly guess the situation: the Immortal Alliance might be targeting the two of them.

Although Sister Qiuci was a secluded senior, Zhen Yi didn’t know her precise cultivation level or whether she could hold off the Immortal Alliance’s forces. If the two of them stayed, not only would the sect be implicated, but Sister Qiuci might also be dragged into it.

“Sister Qiuci…” Zhen Yi said with some difficulty, “This time, the Immortal Alliance is probably after us. The sect asking us to leave is just a temporary measure.”

“Why are they coming after you?” Qiuci asked, puzzled. Weren’t they just newly admitted disciples?

“Do you remember the book you gave us? The improved cultivation method?” Zhen Yi reminded her.

“The Immortal Alliance wants that book?” Qiuci said lightly. “Then let them have it. It’s nothing special anyway; even the system has rejected it countless times.”

“I don’t think it’s that simple,” Zhen Yi shook his head. The fact that their method of opening their energy channel had been improved by Sister Qiuci was something neither of them had mentioned. Normally, no one should have known, but their cultivation progress was indeed too rapid. That was probably the excuse the Immortal Alliance used. “Their real intention isn’t the book. Feng Ting and I are most likely just a pretext.”

“You mean the Immortal Alliance intends to strike at the Xuanyuan Sect?”

“Very likely!” Zhen Yi said with near certainty. The elders of every peak must have seen this, which is why they told them to leave—to avoid becoming sacrificial pawns. If the sect could withstand the attack, they wouldn’t resort to such measures.

“Oh~~~” Qiuci nodded, curious. “Is the Immortal Alliance very powerful?”

“Of course!” Zhen Yi nodded firmly. “The Immortal Alliance oversees all the immortal sects across the world and is much stronger than any of the three great sects. Our Xuanyuan Sect has the Supreme Elder and ten Golden Core Dao Lords, which is why we’re one of the three great sects. But the Immortal Alliance has countless Golden Core Dao Lords!” Not to mention those recluse Nascent Soul veterans.

“What is their highest cultivation level?”

“Highest?” Zhen Yi paused but answered honestly, “Probably Nascent Soul stage. It’s rumored there are even late Nascent Soul experts.”

“Nascent Soul, huh… then it’s nothing to worry about!” Qiuci felt reassured. She could probably take on ten of them. She handed a hoe to Zhen Yi. “You two came at the right time. Come, come, help me out.”

The pit hadn’t been filled in yet, and the two were just in time.

“Ah?” Zhen Yi was stunned and instinctively took it, even starting to dig a few times before realizing—wait, weren’t they supposed to be fleeing for their lives?

“If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t know how long I’d be stuck here!” Qiuci said with some embarrassment. “It’s not too much trouble, right?”

“Not troublesome, but…”

But no, weren’t they supposed to be escaping danger? Why are they digging now?!

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“That’s fine!” Qiuci waved to Feng Ting. “Feng Ting, you come too.”

“Okay, Sister Qiuci!” Feng Ting happily took another hoe and started digging with a clatter.

“It’s not me…” Zhen Yi tried to protest.

“Move aside, go over there, over there,” Feng Ting suddenly pushed him aside with a look of disdain. “This patch is mine.”

Then she smiled sweetly at Qiuci. “Sister Qiuci, leave it all to me. I’m best at turning over the soil. After all, I’m not some delicate Spirit Cat Tribe girl—I have plenty of strength and skill!”

“What do you mean? How are we Spirit Cat Tribe girls delicate?” Zhen Yi exploded upon hearing that. “Our Spirit Cat Tribe’s agility is unmatched. Even digging requires technique, okay? Believe me, I can dig faster than you!”

“Want to have a competition?”

“Bring it on!”

“Good luck! I’m rooting for you both,” Qiuci encouraged them in time.

So the two of them rolled up their sleeves, grabbed their hoes, and swung with great vigor. Although Zhen Yi’s strength and cultivation level couldn’t match Feng Ting’s, his agility was exceptional—his hoe swung so fast it left afterimages, and he was actually showing signs of catching up.

Indeed, speed depended on their Spirit Cat Tribe heritage. Zhen Yi got more and more into it, gaining confidence and vaguely forgetting something…

Oh well, not important. First, beat Feng Ting!

Just then, the sect leader’s senior disciple Jing Hong hurried over, intending to escort the two genius juniors safely out. But he found that they hadn’t left the sect at all—instead, they were planting a field on the back mountain, their hoes swinging so fast they left afterimages.

Sitting nearby was a strange young girl, holding a curious cup, sipping tea contentedly as she watched them.

Occasionally, quarrels erupted from the herb garden.

“You’re the delicate one!”

“No, you are!”

“You and your whole family are delicate!”

“You and your eight generations are delicate!”

“…”

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Protector Jing Hong: “…”

Master, are you sure these two are truly the sect’s future hope?

——————

“Junior Brother Zhen, Junior Sister Feng!” Jing Hong couldn’t help but interrupt their childish squabble.

The sudden voice stopped the two immediately. Even Qiuci’s hand holding the goji berry tea trembled, almost spilling it. She had long known someone was coming but was too lazy to use spiritual perception to see who it was—after all, she didn’t know many people in the sect.

But she hadn’t expected it to be the person she had accidentally beaten up last time. Back then, she had just advanced to the Transformation Spirit stage and hadn’t fully understood her power, never imagining a light strike would injure the other so badly.

Later, she learned he was the sect leader’s direct disciple and had been nursed back to health for months.

Was this… alright now?

“Senior Brother?” Zhen Yi obviously recognized him and immediately turned to salute.

Feng Ting, ever timid, upon seeing someone arrive, abandoned her earlier fierce demeanor and swiftly hid behind Qiuci.

Jing Hong stood at the edge of the herb field, casting a glance at them. His serious and handsome face betrayed no emotion, only a slight frown.

After waiting a moment without a word, Zhen Yi asked, “Senior Brother, why are you here?”

“…” Jing Hong didn’t answer, his frown deepening. After a while, the corner of his mouth twitched as if about to speak, but no words came.

“Senior Brother?” Zhen Yi became more puzzled but, seeing Jing Hong’s increasingly grave expression, looked down at the hoe in his own hands and guessed the senior brother might be displeased that they were here digging. “Senior Brother, don’t misunderstand. Feng Ting and I are just helping a friend, not playing around.”

“…” Jing Hong still said nothing, standing upright with an even sterner look.

“Really, Senior Brother!” Zhen Yi wanted to explain a few more words.

Finally, Jing Hong spoke in a deep voice, “Why… are you lingering here?”