Crow Immortal
Chapter 35: Compound Interest

Steward Wang?

Hearing him mentioned from Wei Kunyi's mouth, Han Yu's heart sank immediately.

Was she using Steward Wang's name to intimidate me, or had Steward Wang truly gotten involved?

If it was the former, that would be manageable. But if it was the latter... wouldn't Han Yu face deliberate targeting if he refused to borrow spirit rice and be exploited?

Han Yu pondered silently while observing Wei Kunyi's actions.

Wei Kunyi raised her hand to knock on Old Li's door: "Junior Brother Li? Junior Brother Li?"

"What is it?"

"It's about the Green Sprout Spirit Rice harvest..."

"I'm resting. We'll talk tomorrow," Old Li replied coldly.

Old Li said indifferently: "No need. Please leave."

"Junior Brother Li?" Wei Kunyi called out twice more before finally stamping her foot in frustration and turning to leave.

The direction she took led neither to Steward Wang's residence nor her own, but toward the stone house of that peculiar fellow Lu Yun who enjoyed self-pleasure.

Han Yu waited quietly. Moments later, Wei Kunyi's startled scream came from afar: "How can you be so disgusting!"

She then fled back to her own dwelling in disarray.

Han Yu had originally been feeling somewhat heavy-hearted, suspecting he might provoke Steward Wang. But upon hearing Wei Kunyi's outburst at Lu Yun, he couldn't help but chuckle silently.

That eccentric Senior Brother Lu truly was bizarre and unusual, completely out of place among the hardworking farming disciples - as if the sect and spirit fields were mere externalities, with self-contentment being the only thing that mattered.

Wei Kunyi, who was always considerate and could exchange pleasantries with anyone, completely lost her usual composed demeanor when encountering such a peculiar character as Lu Yun.

Early the next morning, the spiritual energy in Han Yu and Old Li's fields had gradually dissipated. The Green Sprout Spirit Rice hung heavy on the stalks, emitting a faint glow.

Han Yu and Old Li began harvesting the rice heads - the stalks would be dealt with later after the spirit rice was collected.

Disciple Hua came to supervise the three of them - Han Yu, Old Li, and Lu Yun - as they harvested their respective fields.

He was particularly cold toward Old Li, not even exchanging a single word, merely observing with indifferent eyes. His attitude toward Han Yu, a menial disciple who had already reached the first level of Qi Refinement, was relatively better, even offering calm encouragement to cultivate diligently and strive to enter the outer sect within ten years.

As for Lu Yun, after just one glance from Disciple Hua, shouts and beatings ensued, provoking laughter from many menial disciples.

From morning until afternoon, they worked tirelessly to harvest all the rice heads from five acres of spirit fields. With slight rubbing, the spirit rice easily separated from its husks, unlike mundane rice which was harder to thresh.

While Han Yu was completing the threshing outside his stone house, Steward Wang appeared, his large belly protruding, followed by Wei Kunyi, slowly approaching from his residence. His obesity made his eyes appear perpetually squinted, making his expression unreadable.

"Ahem, Junior Brother Hua, thank you for your efforts."

"Senior Brother Wang," Disciple Hua acknowledged with a nod.

"You may go rest. I'll handle recording their harvest this time," Steward Wang said.

Disciple Hua seemed surprised: "There are only three menial disciples this harvest. If senior brother doesn't mind such trivial matters..."

"No problem, I'll take care of it."

After Steward Wang repeated himself, Disciple Hua gave a thoughtful glance toward Han Yu and Old Li before taking his leave.

Once he was gone, Steward Wang smirked coldly and first approached Old Li's harvested rice.

He cast a disdainful look at the straw-hatted figure who resembled an old farmer.

"Old trash, I hear you've been complaining about me?"

Old Li remained silent, stepping aside to let him inspect the rice.

Steward Wang clasped his hands behind his back, staring at him before suddenly sneering: "No need to check. Twenty-nine pounds per acre, less than thirty. You deserve punishment."

Old Li abruptly raised his head to look at Steward Wang.

Steward Wang laughed coldly: "What? You disagree?"

"At your age, with your talent, you can barely reach the first level of Qi Refinement. How dare you criticize me?"

Old Li gave Steward Wang a cold look before turning to retrieve a small square measuring bucket from his house - after numerous trips to Green Sprout Market and occasional trades with ordinary people, he had acquired some measuring tools of his own.

"Steward Wang, I'll measure it myself. This bucket holds exactly twenty pounds—"

Steward Wang sneered again: "Your own measurements don't count!"

With that, he formed a hand seal, releasing a faint green light accompanied by howling wind that cleanly split Old Li's wooden bucket in two.

Half fell to the ground while the other half remained in Old Li's hand.

Steward Wang smiled triumphantly: "Well? Still want to measure it yourself?"

Old Li stared deeply at Steward Wang and Wei Kunyi before pressing his lips together and lowering his head, his voice hoarse: "I won't measure it myself. But please don't punish me, Steward Wang. Count it as thirty pounds per acre, alright?"

Seeing him yield, Steward Wang smiled even more broadly, his already narrow eyes disappearing completely into his fleshy face: "Thirty pounds per acre? Didn't you only get twenty-nine? How can I possibly account for that?"

Old Li kept his head bowed, back bent as if resigned to his fate: "I can... borrow some from Senior Sister Wei to make up the difference..."

"Ahem, that's none of my business!" Steward Wang turned away, collecting Old Li's rice before moving toward Han Yu. "You two can discuss whatever you want to say."

Wei Kunyi walked toward Old Li with a smile: "Junior Brother Li, if you'd been this reasonable from the start... I'll lend you five pounds of spirit rice, and you'll repay me ten next season, understood?"

Old Li raised his eyes, bloodshot and somewhat frightening: "Senior Sister Wei, about letting you cultivate in my field when it gathered spiritual energy a few days ago... could you show some leniency?"

Wei Kunyi's face hardened, her gaze haughty: "You weren't cultivating yourself anyway. Do you really think you did me some great favor?"

"A failed cultivator who can barely step onto the path of cultivation has no right to bargain with me."

Old Li listened, lowering his head again, the coldness in his bloodshot eyes intensifying.

"Senior Sister is right. But this junior brother wishes to strive harder. Could you lend me more spirit rice?"

"Now that's more like it!" Wei Kunyi swayed coquettishly, her smile blooming like a flower. "Junior Brother Li, I can lend you up to fifteen pounds. Next season you'll repay me twenty-five, how about that?"

"And if I can't repay it next season?"

"Then the interest compounds and we recalculate! After all, we're fellow disciples - I wouldn't let you suffer losses, and you wouldn't make me lose money, right?"

Wei Kunyi's voice carried undisguised satisfaction. With Steward Wang present, she had no fear of menial disciples daring to default on their debts!

Old Li kept his head low, his throat moving slightly as if swallowing: "Yes, Senior Sister Wei."

With this matter settled, Wei Kunyi would deliver the rice shortly before joining Steward Wang and Han Yu.

By this time, Steward Wang and Han Yu had already exchanged a few words.