Chapter 28: Farming is Impossible

Zheng Tuo returned to Falling Immortal Mountain.

First, he checked the status of the alarm system he had set up.

Finding no issues with the alarm system, he entered Safehouse No. 13.

The familiar scent, the familiar posture, the familiar warmth—the familiar safehouse provided an overwhelming sense of security.

A golden nest or a silver nest is nothing compared to one's own doghouse.

Forget all the useless stuff.

He would first enjoy a blissful sleep before doing anything else.

When he woke up, Zheng Tuo felt refreshed all over.

Sleeping in one's own home really is the most comfortable.

After breakfast and some light exercise, he began his daily plan.

First of all, setting up the formations on Falling Immortal Mountain would require a vast amount of time.

From the initial layout to the final inspection, he estimated it would take at least a year.

Therefore, before that, he planned to finish the formations in the other location first.

He took out the Ancient Bronze Mirror.

He entered the Mirror Realm.

The Mirror Realm was a very special private space.

It had only one entrance.

All other directions were reinforced by indestructible space-time barriers.

Even a cultivator in the Mahayana stage would find it impossible to shatter the space-time barriers to enter the Mirror Realm.

After he had performed the blood-recognition ritual with the Ancient Bronze Mirror, the Mirror Realm became his own small world.

Looking at the Mirror Realm, which was only about the size of five football fields, Zheng Tuo felt a profound sense of security.

Within this world, he could use a tiny bit of minor divine abilities.

Let's begin.

With a movement of his body, he flew into the sky and began to measure the Mirror Realm.

It took him two hours to complete the basic measurements of the Mirror Realm.

Subsequently, he descended to the center of the Mirror Realm.

From his Ancient Bronze Ring, he took out a work table, blueprints, pencils, a set square, vernier calipers... and so on.

He had long since made plans for the layout of the Mirror Realm.

He planned it according to his own preferred style.

Three days later, the blueprints and basic planning were completed.

Looking at the blueprints, which he had revised no fewer than thirty times, Zheng Tuo was very satisfied.

First was the soil.

The ground in the Mirror Realm was as hard as steel, making it impossible to grow any plants.

Therefore, he needed a large amount of soil.

Leaving the safehouse, he found several barren small peaks near Falling Immortal Mountain.

After repeatedly confirming that the soil was suitable, he used the Ancient Bronze Mirror to collect the small peaks.

The dark soil covered the land, reaching a thickness of one hundred meters.

The first step was complete.

Zheng Tuo stood upon the earth of the Mirror Realm. The fragrance of the soil drifted into his nose and mouth, and he felt extremely joyful.

Having grown up in the countryside, he had an inseparable emotional bond with black soil.

At this moment, it felt as if he had returned to those carefree childhood days.

*“Xiao Shitou, your mother is calling you home for dinner!”*

After completing the soil layering, Zheng Tuo began to set up the formations.

First, a world requires the most basic element: the alternation of day and night.

Thus, Zheng Tuo set up a Day-Night Alternation Formation.

The time settings were the same as his world before he traveled through time.

Twelve hours for each cycle, totaling twenty-four hours.

The arrangement of the formation required meticulous precision.

It took him half a day to complete the Day-Night Alternation Formation.

He activated the formation.

The entire Mirror Realm began to transform.

The sky turned a brilliant azure.

A few white clouds played lazily with one another.

A bright sun rose from the east, bringing new hope and spreading golden light across the land.

Zheng Tuo did not rush to set up other formations.

Instead, he first determined the stability of the Day-Night Alternation Formation.

After three days of verification, the Day-Night Alternation Formation was working perfectly.

Only then did he begin to set up other formations.

The Four Seasons Alternation Formation was one of his favorite formations.

Furthermore, the Four Seasons Alternation Formation could harmonize with the Day-Night Alternation Formation to form a combined array.

Spring, summer, autumn, and winter are like life itself.

There are lows and highs, cold and warmth.

At the same time, the Four Seasons Alternation Formation provided unspoken benefits for protecting the soil and growing crops.

The Four Seasons Alternation Formation was completed quickly.

A gentle breeze brushed against his face, carrying a hint of spring coolness.

Zheng Tuo felt as if he had returned to the season when school started in primary school.

Standing before the school gates, his heart full of trepidation, he wondered what dangers or interesting things he might encounter inside the belly of that giant monster.

"Transform!"

Zheng Tuo manipulated the formation.

Spring passed and summer arrived; the temperature rose, and a wave of heat embraced him.

After confirming there were no errors, he experimented with autumn and winter.

"Not bad, no problems."

Once the Four Seasons Alternation Formation was complete, Zheng Tuo divided the Mirror Realm into five zones according to his plan.

The Vegetable Zone, the Grain Zone, the Spirit Herb Zone, the Breeding Zone, and the Fruit Zone.

He first went to the Vegetable Zone.

He took out several packets of vegetable seeds from the Ancient Bronze Ring.

Following the layout, he planted them in the Vegetable Zone.

The seeds included: tomatoes, large chili peppers, green onions, cucumbers... and dozens of other common vegetables.

These vegetable seeds were collections he had gathered over the past ten-plus years.

As for why he wanted to grow vegetables, it was, of course, because he hoped to taste the flavors of his hometown.

Nostalgia is something that happens in the heart of every wanderer in a foreign land.

Although he had become a cultivator, his mortal characteristics remained.

They were imprints that would follow him for a lifetime.

Some people chose to erase these imprints in an attempt to start anew.

Zheng Tuo had no such intention.

Although some memories were painful, weren't they the very proof that he was alive?

To forget?

That was impossible.

The planting of vegetables went smoothly.

Following the plan, he took it one step at a time, without rushing.

Once the Vegetable Zone was finished, Zheng Tuo planned to take a break for himself.

Balancing work and rest was very important.

After eating his fill and having a good sleep, he replenished his energy and continued planning the Mirror Realm.

With the Vegetable Zone planned, he moved to the Grain Zone.

With the experience gained from the Vegetable Zone, Zheng Tuo planted the prepared grain seeds into the earth.

The grain seeds included: wheat, corn, potatoes, soybeans, sorghum... and so on.

Zheng Tuo was surprised that he had managed to collect so many types of seeds.

Perhaps the heavens felt they owed him something and had given him a green light.

With the Grain Zone planted, he went to the Spirit Herb Zone.

Compared to the variety in the Vegetable and Grain Zones, the Spirit Herb Zone seemed somewhat trivial.

First, because spirit herb seeds were difficult to obtain.

And those that could be obtained were mostly of low grade, making them somewhat optional to plant.

However, Zheng Tuo did not see it that way.

Every spirit herb had its own value.

Even the most precious medicinal pill required the addition of the most common spirit herb.

Just as the most precise instrument in the world still needs a tiny screw to help.

It never hurts to be cautious.

What if he needed them one day?

Besides, the land was empty anyway, and it looked quite unsightly.

So, he planted every spirit herb he could possibly grow.

To his credit, there were no fewer than dozens of varieties.

Having finished the Spirit Herb Zone, he went to the Breeding Zone.

The Breeding Zone was divided into two parts.

One was the Livestock Zone, and the other was the Aquatic Zone.

The Livestock Zone included chickens, ducks, geese, dogs, pigs, cattle... and other domestic animals and poultry.

The Aquatic Zone included various freshwater fish, saltwater fish, seafood, river delicacies... and so on.

He released all the creatures into their respective zones according to the plan.

As for the final Fruit Tree Zone, Zheng Tuo was in no hurry.

He continued to proceed steadily.

Apple trees, peach trees, orange trees... nothing was left out.

He had dozens of types of fruit trees.

It took a full month to completely finish the planning of the five major zones.

Zheng Tuo stood suspended in the air.

Looking down at the five organized zones, he nodded with satisfaction.

It was a pity.

Currently, he was missing a housekeeper to help him tend to the Mirror Realm.

Perhaps he should ask his Master to refine a puppet housekeeper for him later.

Forget it.

Forget it.

Zheng Tuo shook his head.

Puppets were more reliable if one refined them personally.

It wasn't that he didn't trust his Master.

It was just that being cautious was always the right move.

In the following days, Zheng Tuo built a two-story pavilion in the center of the Mirror Realm and lived there.

Firstly, to observe if the Mirror Realm required any supporting formations.

Secondly, to continuously monitor the existing formations for any loopholes that needed fixing.

During this period, he set up a Spirit Qi Conversion Formation in the center of the Mirror Realm's sky.

The function of the formation was to convert the spiritual essence of all living beings into Spirit Qi.

Although it was very slow, it was sufficient for the Mirror Realm.

Additionally, to ensure the concentration of Spirit Qi, he added Spirit Gathering Formations to the Spirit Herb Zone and the Fruit Tree Zone.

He did not add Spirit Gathering Formations to the other three zones.

He did not like the creatures in the Vegetable, Grain, and Breeding Zones to be imbued with Spirit Qi.

He only liked the taste of things grown normally.

That was the true taste of home.

To this end, he specifically set up Spirit Obstruction Formations, fearing that Spirit Qi might affect the natural growth of the vegetables, grains, and livestock.

In addition to this, he planted some flowers, grasses, rockeries, waterfalls, and trees as decorations.

He even constructed a Water Storage Formation.

He created several rivers to ensure the water supply for all zones.

The foundation of the Dao of Formations emphasizes the Five Elements.

Once Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth are gathered, one has a complete, functioning small world.

The current Mirror Realm was exactly like that.

As spring passed and autumn arrived, the harvest season came.

Zheng Tuo specifically cleared out several storage depots near his small wooden house.

With the assistance of formations, the storage depots could guarantee the freshness of the stored goods.

This allowed him to eat fresh vegetables, fruits, or meat at any time.

In front of the two-story building, Zheng Tuo lay in a rocking chair.

Sipping clear tea and humming a little tune, he felt an indescribable sense of freedom and ease.

Suddenly!

Zheng Tuo sat up.

Then, as if he had realized something, he shook his head and lay back down.

That's right.

He had, once again, inexplicably broken through.

From the fifth stage of the Qi Refining stage to the sixth stage.

Calculating the time, over a year had passed.

It was time to go out, renovate the house, and officially move in.