Shennong Dao Master
Chapter 59: Farming at the Foot of the Mountain, People Falling from the Mountain Top

Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Farming at the Foot of the Mountain, People Falling from the Mountain Top

"Who are the experts here?" asked Zhao Xing.

"Cao Qiushui, Wen Zhao, Du Jiaojiao, Hong Sihai, Dong Chuan, Xiang Chenglin..." Zong Shichang listed more than a dozen names in one breath, "All mentioned are of Gathering Essence Ninth Rank, just one step away from qualification."

"If Mr. Zhao wishes to know the detailed origins of these individuals, what their roots are, why not join me for a leisurely chat?"

"Sure, let’s do it together." Zhao Xing did not refuse further.

Actually, whether he knew these experts or not did not matter to him. After all, he planned to spend the first day just working on the farms at the foot of the mountain, not immediately going up the mountain to participate in the competition.

"Hu~"

A breeze swirled around the bottom of the bamboo box, and Zhao Xing picked it up to continue his journey.

"Others use wind to carry heavy objects, and they have to deal with dust. But your technique is quite exquisite," praised Zong Shichang.

"Mr. Zong also has good stamina," Zhao Xing noted after taking a look, seeing that Zong Shichang was not using wind to carry the bamboo box.

"Not really, this bamboo box naturally comes with a weight-reducing effect, so I don’t need to exert myself," Zong Shichang tapped lightly on the outside of the box, and then a circling breeze appeared on the bottom, left, and right sides, and behind it.

With specks of green light emitting, Zong Shichang did not have to carry it; he leaned mostly against the box, which essentially pushed him forward!

"..." Zhao Xing was left speechless.

It truly is great to be rich.

Mr. Zong’s item is definitely a luxury good.

Even a mere storage bamboo box is of third-tier top-grade.

Zhao Xing also had some money, but even he would not spend it so extravagantly.

"Once we pass this mountain stele, we will officially enter Spirit Mountain, Mr. Zhao. What are your plans?" The two halted by a stele along the mountain path.

"I plan to chop down Mr. Zong and take your box. You certainly have lots of treasures on you," said Zhao Xing casually.

Zong Shichang was stunned, "Isn’t that unnecessary? I don’t have that much valuable stuff on me."

Zhao Xing laughed, "Anyway, after we pass the Forget Sorrow Stele and come down from the mountain, I won’t remember anything, so why not act? With Mr. Zong being so ostentatious, with a box of third-tier top-grade treasures, wouldn’t it be better for you to benefit me than someone else?"

Zong Shichang realized Zhao Xing was joking but actually reminding him to keep a low profile, so he scratched his head and said, "That’s also true. Even though my father has some influence, how can I seek revenge if I cannot remember who wronged me?"

Zong Shichang then turned off the bamboo box’s effect; it immediately became simple and unadorned, no longer emitting specks of green light.

But now, he had to rely purely on his own ability to carry the box.

"Start the wind!"

"Wooo~"

"Cough cough... Stop, Mr. Zong, let me help you instead."

Zhao Xing choked on the sand in the wind and quickly asked him to stop.

What kind of mess do you call this?

"Sorry," Zong Shichang said somewhat awkwardly, "I’m not used to doing such detailed work."

Zhao Xing shrugged his shoulders and continued on.

After crossing the mountain stele, they could clearly feel that the vitality was much denser.

The first three days of Mountain Opening were when the vitality was at its peak. If one day outside in Gathering Essence could gather a level of 1, inside the mountain it was 10; and that was just at the base of the mountain, it might be even more further up.

East Lake Mountain was perilous and steep. Zhao Xing walked around the base of the mountain for half an hour and finally found a suitable planting spot.

He chose a spot below a cliff, beside a small stream.

"Mr. Zhao, you’re not going up the mountain but have been wandering around the base for so long, just to farm?" Zong Shichang saw Zhao Xing taking things out of the bamboo box, thinking he was stopping to eat, only to find out they were a few saplings.

"You’ve followed me for so long, you’re not seriously here just for a scenic tour, are you?" Zhao Xing wondered, "Besides food, didn’t you bring anything else? Are you not planning to participate in the quest for Spiritual Beauty at all?"

"Not exactly," Zong Shichang had already set up a tent, and then folded the bamboo box a couple of times, it actually turned into a lounge chair.

He lay by the stream, holding a jug of fine wine, and started drinking on his own: "Before I entered the mountain, I found four skilled people to search for the essence of the mountain for me."

"When they find something valuable on the mountain, I’ll just take it directly to complete my task," he added.

While planting, Zhao Xing asked, "Will they agree? The essence of the mountain is valuable stuff, maybe just what the official needs for assistance."

Zong Shichang chuckled lightly, "What are they gathering Spiritual Beauty for if not to rise in rank and gain wealth? Can’t I directly help them accomplish that even more securely?"

Zhao Xing asked, "Mr. Zong, would you mind if I paid thirty taels to punch you?"

.......

In the bamboo box prepared by Xue Wenzhong for Zhao Xing, there were Vajra Bamboo and young ivy plants.

Zhao Xing took out three of each and planted them on the spot.

He then cast Earth Vein Comprehensive Element, enveloping the soil within a mile radius.

"Bring Clouds!"

"Bring Rain!"

With a point of his finger, a small cloud appeared three meters above the saplings, perfectly covering a ten-meter square area of soil.

Thanks to a nearby stream, Zhao Xing easily drew enough rainwater without depleting much of his own energy.

"Pitter-patter~"

The raindrops seeped into the soil.

Zhao Xing cast another spell, this time [Nurturing Technique].

"Good job!" Mr. Zong applauded from aside, "To control ’Bring Clouds’ so precisely, you truly live up to being Zhao Sanjia. Are you planning to make some more Grassmen?"

I’m here toiling away farming, and you treat it like a show? Zhao Xing retorted without hesitation, "Yes, it’s the same type of Grassman I used to hit you last time."

"..." Zong Shichang felt a chill between his legs, as if recalling an unpleasant memory, and his smile shifted to Zhao Xing’s face.

Mr. Zong, finding no fun in it, looked away and sipped his drink alone.

While drinking, Zhao Xing actually discovered that the fellow had fallen asleep.

So you really came for a fall outing, huh!

Shaking his head, Zhao Xing continued with his work.

Since East Lake Mountain was rich in energy and had been closed off for over half a year, the soil here was incredibly fertile.

Zhao Xing’s Vajra Bamboo and ivy quickly entered their growth phase.

"Once in the growth phase, the roots deeply implanted and withstand the hastening of intermediate spells."

"Savage Growth!"

Zhao Xing’s fingertips emitted six beams of golden light, which entered the bodies of the Vajra Bamboo and ivy.

This consumed half of his energy, but the effect was notably apparent.

"Sizzle~" The ivy began to grow wildly, clinging to the cliffs, and within moments, it had climbed up a meter high and even bloomed flowers.

The performance of the Vajra Bamboo was not inferior, growing taller by the second. After 15 minutes it had even surpassed the vine’s growth rate.

"Hiss~" Contrarily, in the vicinity, the grass all withered and smaller trees began shedding their leaves.

Even the fish in the stream started to belly up.

The surroundings took on the appearance of late autumn.

"Have I woken up confused? What’s happening here?" Zong Shichang exclaimed in astonishment as he looked around; he had clearly pitched his tent on a grassy ground, but upon waking, he found himself on dead grass!

The surrounding leaves had also turned yellow, and with a gust of wind, they spiraled down to land on Zong Shichang’s head.

"Mr. Zong, you’ve overslept, it’s already late autumn," Zhao Xing joked.

"Do you think I’m a three-year-old?" Zong Shichang grunted, "I had barely slept for an hour."

"Then you really can... huh?" Zhao Xing’s expression suddenly changed as he seemed to sense something and abruptly looked up.

Just then, a dark shadow appeared from above, falling down the cliff.

"Wham!" The shadow landed on the rocky beach ahead, instantly splashing up a scarlet spray.

Zhao Xing’s expression subtly changed, realizing that what had fallen was a person!