Chapter 47: Hiring Odd Jobs

After returning from Huang Yue's place, Lin Donglai was still preoccupied with the matter of the bottleneck shackles.

With low-grade Five-Element Roots, the shackles manifest between the third and fourth layers of Qi Refinement, and each subsequent shackle becomes progressively harder to break.

With low-grade Four-Element Roots, breaking through to the middle stage of Qi Refinement is difficult but manageable; the shackles primarily manifest between the sixth and seventh layers of Qi Refinement.

With mid-grade Three-Element Roots, the first two shackles are relatively easy to break, with the primary shackle occurring at the threshold of Foundation Establishment.

If someone with mid-grade Three-Element Roots reaches the Great Circle of Qi Refinement before the age of thirty and spends time accumulating strength to break the shackles, there is a reasonable chance of preparing for Foundation Establishment before sixty.

Therefore, within the Azure Wood Sect, the threshold for becoming an inner disciple is at least a mid-grade Three-Element Root aptitude; having a compatible physical constitution is even better.

Lin Donglai thought to himself, "It seems that with my aptitude, I can only focus on the Great Dao of Earth Immortals. I should place my emphasis on the Blessed Fields and the Spirit Root Dao Seeds."

"According to this theory, I will basically be unable to establish a foundation, and might not even break through to the late stage of Qi Refinement before the age of sixty. My highest achievement might simply be stopping at the sixth layer of Qi Refinement and dedicating myself entirely to the Way of Spirit Plant Cultivation."

Lin Donglai was not worried about the breakthrough itself; what he worried about was that if his cultivation broke through rapidly under such restrictive spirit root shackles, it would be no different from telling everyone he possessed a great fortuitous opportunity.

"It seems I need to learn a method to conceal my cultivation next. Even the Spirit Eye Technique won't be able to see through it, and I can't exchange for it within the sect; I'll have to find a way to acquire it outside."

This wasn't urgent; he only needed to obtain it before reaching the bottleneck shackles.

...

Returning to the Spirit Field Valley, Lin Donglai explained to the others in the valley that the Spirit Plant Hall would not accept low-grade or mid-grade valley seeds. Although Huang Yue had connections, she would be leaving in a while to serve as the Spirit Field Manager at the Hengxia Market.

Lin Donglai felt awkward asking her to introduce those connections to him; after all, she had a Fifth Elder of the Spirit Plant Hall as her teacher, while he had nothing.

However, having obtained fifty-four spirit stones, he had no intention of keeping them all to himself and planned to distribute a portion to them.

"Senior Brother Lin, we feel unworthy of this. This seed money was earned through your own hard work using spells. We have improved our skills and harvested spirit rice during this time, which is more than enough to satisfy us. Please keep the spirit stones for yourself."

"Even between brothers, accounts should be kept clear. That was the original intent when this Spirit Field Mutual Aid Society was founded."

"That is why I have returned," Lin Donglai said. "The previous contract was set to end before the Immortal Seed Competition. Originally, we were supposed to go our separate ways."

"But Senior Brother Liu thinks highly of me, and Senior Sister Huang Yue is willing to act as a bridge for me."

"What I want to discuss now is the fifty acres of land at Tianquan Manor."

"Ten of those acres are high-grade First-Tier spirit fields, and forty are mid-grade First-Tier. Although the eight of us each received a spirit plant tool after becoming outer disciples of the Spirit Plant Hall, relying solely on our second-layer Qi Refinement cultivation, we might be able to tend to mid-grade First-Tier spirit grain, but tending to high-grade First-Tier grain carries immense risk."

"Furthermore, with fifty acres, the seeds, fertilizers, or other matters could cause us to lose everything."

"So I am asking you: are you truly prepared?"

"Fifty acres is indeed a bit too much," Ning Feng said with a look of difficulty.

Niu Fusheng and Li Gensheng added, "If it's just the two of us tilling the land, we'll likely work ourselves to death, unless we can buy a spirit ox."

"We probably won't even be able to finish watering fifty acres!" Ma Quanrong, Zhang Baiyi, Hou Wenhua, and He Wuxuan said in unison.

Lin Donglai nodded. "But if we don't take this land now, we won't get another chance. It will likely be snatched up by another deacon of the Spirit Plant Hall."

Ning Feng pondered for a moment. "Chairman Lin, speak plainly. We will follow your lead!"

"Me too!"

Seeing them all agree, Lin Donglai said directly, "Outer disciples can hire miscellaneous disciples. Each outer disciple can hire two. For the eight of us, that makes sixteen miscellaneous disciples. Although their cultivation is only at the Fetal Breathing stage, not all miscellaneous disciples lack spirit roots."

"Weren't there many from our batch of Immortal Seeds who were relegated to miscellaneous disciples?"

"We can pay them in spirit rice and sign contracts with them."

Ning Feng asked doubtfully, "The sect rules state that if a miscellaneous disciple breaks through to the second layer of Qi Refinement, they can become an outer disciple. Will they still accept our employment then?"

"They won't have undergone the training of an Immortal Seed and won't be skilled in the techniques. At that time, we can use the excuse of teaching them spirit plant techniques to have them stay and work."

"At least for the next three years, we can do this," Lin Donglai said.

"What about after three years?" Ning Feng asked.

"After three years, the next batch of Immortal Seeds will enter the sect!" Lin Donglai replied. "By then, our cultivation will certainly be higher; we should have broken through to the third layer of Qi Refinement by then."

"Even if they leave, so what? New Immortal Seeds will be coming in. They will surely filter out the next batch of those with poor aptitude and comprehension to serve as miscellaneous disciples. There will never be a shortage of people."

"That makes sense!" Everyone realized the logic. "Chairman Lin really has a sharp mind!"

"Do you have any other opinions?" Lin Donglai hoped they would offer some ideas.

But clearly, none of them had any; they were already following Lin Donglai's lead.

"No, we'll do as the Chairman says."

Lin Donglai nodded. "Then this time, we will proceed as before: distribution based on spirit stone investment, with social favors also factored in. We will record who contributes more and who contributes less. What do you think?"

"Fine. In that case, I'll hurry to the Hall of Merit these days to find some odd jobs. Even if I only earn half a spirit stone a day, it's better than nothing."

The group signed another three-year contract, which Lin Donglai kept safe.

"The important things I carry are gradually increasing. It's time to find a way to get a storage tool," Lin Donglai thought to himself.

As for storage tools, there were Storage Talismans, which were inexpensive and came in various sizes from one square foot to several feet. However, they still cost seven or eight spirit stones.

As for storage bags, even the smallest one would cost at least seventy or eighty spirit stones.

Lin Donglai was merely thinking aloud.

During the following period, Lin Donglai shifted his focus back to practicing the Tendon Strengthening and Marrow Cleansing Stance. Once this stance reached perfection, it could cultivate twenty-four Spirit Marrow Bones. Lin Donglai had only cultivated fifteen; he still lacked nine.

Now that he had no shortage of Blood Marrow Rice, he cooked a large pot every day to eat while practicing, simply waiting for the Immortal Seed Competition.

As for the hiring of miscellaneous disciples, Lin Donglai left the task to Ning Feng, who was currently searching through the sect for reliable and honest candidates.

After the harvest of the Solar Rice, Lin Donglai gave it all to Ding Zhen. This Solar Rice was beneficial to cultivators practicing fire-attribute techniques, especially disciples who blacksmithed year-round. The Solar Rice could help dissipate fire toxins and convert them into fire spiritual energy, slightly increasing their daily cultivation time.

Using the Solar Rice as an opening, Ding Zhen inquired with senior brothers who had already become First-Tier Low-Grade Blacksmiths, and he was able to obtain answers from almost all of them.

With those answers as a reference, he quickly mastered the knack of blacksmithing and was able to forge fine iron into spirit steel.

This was the hallmark of entering the craft of blacksmithing. A deacon from the Artifact Refining Hall even had him process fine iron into spirit steel. Once he was completely proficient, he could learn how to hammer in artifact restrictions and arrange rune circuits.

However, it seemed this was not something that could be learned in a short time; there was at least no hope of mastering it during the Immortal Seed period.

But being able to forge spirit steel showed at least some talent. The Artifact Refining Hall accepted Ding Zhen as an outer disciple of the hall. In the future, he could specialize in the blacksmithing tasks of the Artifact Refining Hall. Although he was essentially still an apprentice, he had gained the qualification and crossed the threshold to becoming a blacksmith.

(End of Chapter)