Crow Immortal
Chapter 19: Nine Drops of Essence Blood

The worker disciples stood silently, listening to Steward Wang's impatient and irritable voice.

"The first matter concerns clearing the spirit fields."

"In recent months, two more worker disciples have met misfortune in the spirit fields. One was Wang Fugui, with Five-Spirit Root aptitude, who died of old age and illness. His sect contribution points were exhausted, leaving only a son and daughter behind. Since there was no remaining legacy for his descendants, and neither child possessed spiritual root aptitude, they cannot remain in Wangu Valley. They are to be expelled, and the spirit field reclaimed."

"The other was Ling Hui, also with Five-Spirit Root aptitude, who privately left the spirit fields for two months without returning, causing the fields to become barren. The field is reclaimed, and outer sect disciples have accepted the mission to investigate. If she has behaved properly without transmitting cultivation techniques, she will merely have her cultivation crippled and be expelled to live as a mortal. If she has spread the techniques, all involved will be executed."

After finishing these announcements, Steward Wang looked satisfied at the silent crowd.

"Remember this - although Wangu Valley is generous and rarely engages in slaughter, we are not some charity house! You worker disciples must either cultivate to outer sect status or exchange minor merits to learn combat spells precisely so you can focus on farming and cultivation without wild ambitions!"

"Take that Wang Fugui - with poor innate talent, he wasted his meager spiritual rice earnings on women instead of self-improvement. He never progressed beyond Qi Refining Second Layer in his lifetime, leaving his children to suffer before dying of old age and illness. Isn't such a worthless existence laughable?"

Though Steward Wang was generally unpleasant, his words contained some truth. Worker disciples who neglected cultivation to pursue pleasures like women were cutting off their own already difficult path to advancement.

After more scolding, Steward Wang continued: "Another matter - traces of demonic cultivators from the Demon Blood Sect have appeared near Green Sprout Market. Inner sect disciples have already taken missions to patrol the market area."

"With your pitiful cultivation levels, encountering Demon Blood Sect cultivators would mean certain death. Unless absolutely necessary, do not visit Green Sprout Market. Even if you don't meet demonic cultivators, if our Wangu Valley's inner sect disciples detain you during patrols, I won't intervene to bring you back!"

"At that point, whether you live or die depends entirely on your own fortune!"

Han Yu listened without showing any reaction. Beside him, Old Li tensed slightly, clearly nervous.

Only after Steward Wang impatiently concluded and left with two outer sect disciples carrying spiritual rice did Han Yu and Old Li exchange glances. Before they could speak, they were distracted by cries, sobs, and cheerful conversations coming from various directions.

Wang Fugui's children, unwilling to be expelled from Wangu Valley, knelt begging desperately, their wails growing fainter as they were taken away.

Liu Lan, who had recently broken through to Qi Refining Third Layer, had been overjoyed until discovering this year's spiritual rice harvest fell short. With all rice confiscated, her cultivation resources would become scarce. As soon as Steward Wang left, she began weeping quietly while Zhang Shan and Sun Kang comforted her.

"If only we'd saved ten catties of spiritual rice for emergencies to supplement this year's harvest," Zhang Shan said. "You'd have to repay the ten catties, but earning minor merits while getting fifty catties would have been more worthwhile."

Liu Lan sniffled, "Previous harvests always yielded over fifty catties. I wasn't lazy this year either - I just focused more on breaking through to Qi Refining Third Layer, which took some extra time."

"Who could have predicted this sudden inspection? If I'd been prepared, I wouldn't be in this miserable situation!"

Zhang Shan gritted his teeth as if making a decision: "If there's no other way, Junior Sister Liu, you can borrow my spiritual rice for cultivation!"

Liu Lan looked at him in shocked gratitude: "But what about your own cultivation?"

"With your superior spiritual root aptitude, you'll surely have a bright future. When you enter the outer sect, just don't forget this senior brother!"

Liu Lan immediately nodded: "I'll never forget Senior Brother's kindness!"

Sun Kang stood nearby, opening and closing his mouth without speaking. Han Yu watched calmly without comment. It was telling that the usually generous Sun Kang couldn't bring himself to share precious cultivation rice, while the typically insincere Zhang Shan was supporting Liu Lan so wholeheartedly. Considering Zhang Shan might be the one raising Spirit-Stealing Mice, the situation held subtle complexities.

Meanwhile, Senior Sister Wei Kunyi basked in attention from five or six worker disciples - some congratulating her on her harvest, others humbly seeking farming advice. For now, she enjoyed her moment of glory, which had nothing to do with Han Yu or Old Li.

The two returned to their stone houses to cultivate without even discussing the Demon Blood Sect situation - whether real demonic cultivators had appeared, or if traces from Old Li killing that rogue cultivator had been misinterpreted as demonic activity. Their silence spoke volumes.

That night, Han Yu cultivated as usual - first refining Mystic Heart Fruit's medicinal properties, then practicing spells, and finally replicating essence blood to enhance his vitality. Feeling progress in cultivation, spells, and blood essence, his mind settled peacefully.

The day's events replayed in his mind, especially the cries of Wang Fugui's orphaned children serving as a sobering warning. Han Yu's determination to cultivate grew stronger - immortality through cultivation was the true path, all else mere distractions.

A soft sound at the window announced the arrival of his two crows. Seeing they'd returned empty-handed, Han Yu wasn't concerned - he simply comforted them and asked if they'd eaten. Both Large Crow and Small Crow nodded. With their sharp talons and iron-like feathers, plus unrestricted movement, hunting came easily. Pleased by their increasing spiritual energy, Han Yu imagined them eventually evolving from ordinary creatures into ranked magical beasts capable of spellcasting - valuable allies for both treasure-seeking and combat.

After affectionate moments with their master, the crows flew off again. Han Yu stood at the window gazing at the night sky until movement caught his eye - a graceful figure passing his spirit field toward Steward Wang's residence. Senior Sister Wei. Han Yu withdrew his gaze and retired. This scene differed little from Wang Fugui's fate before his decline.

At dawn, Han Yu inspected his fields before resuming cultivation. In following days, he focused solely on field maintenance and self-improvement, consuming a Mystic Heart Fruit every three days. As the spiritual seed in his dantian grew daily, he mastered both Wind Riding and Water Control spells to instinctive levels.

Secret nighttime tests revealed his Wind Riding was more precise and powerful than other worker disciples' - faster and stronger, now comparable to when Steward Wang casually bloodied Old Li with a strike. His Water Control also showed superior precision and range per unit of spiritual energy.

Simultaneously, Han Yu continued replicating essence blood. As his total blood energy increased, so did the amount he could condense - four drops, five drops, six drops...

After about a month, Han Yu could condense nine drops of essence blood. This abundant blood energy filled his body with vitality - though outwardly unremarkable, he'd quietly become stronger than an ox.