"Elder Chen, what is the current price of Linghe rice?"
After the person in front of him finished buying rice and left, Zhou Changwang directly asked the middle-aged stall owner he saw before him.
This stall owner was actually somewhat familiar to him. Back when he was at the Spirit Plant Hall, apprenticed under a Spirit Plant Master surnamed Sun, he was taken to a Spirit Field to learn by the same Spirit Plant Master. The elder before him, Chen Yushu, was a disciple of that Spirit Plant Master.
Of course, if that was all, their interactions wouldn't have been much.
Later, when the Spirit Plant Master needed to leave for a while due to some matters, the Spirit Plant Master surnamed Sun arranged for some apprentices, including Zhou Changwang, to assist this elder, Elder Chen, in taking care of the Spirit Field.
Zhou Changwang was one of the apprentices arranged to come.
Through back and forth interactions, they became familiar with each other.
After he left the Spirit Plant Hall, he encountered Chen Yushu at an Independent Cultivator Marketplace while buying rice, which led to a modest acquaintance.
Of course, due to their cultivation and status gap, their relationship couldn't be considered close.
"Eleven catties of Linghe rice for one Lower-Grade Spirit Stone."
Chen Yushu casually responded.
"Eleven catties? Wasn't it always ten catties?"
Zhou Changwang was taken aback and didn't feel particularly pleased.
Instinctively, he felt something was off.
"It was ten catties before, but now all the major Spirit Rice Shops are selling it for ten and a half catties per Lower-Grade Spirit Stone. If I don't lower my price, I won't be able to sell it."
Chen Yushu shook his head and explained.
"Elder, do you mean someone is forcing the prices down?"
Zhou Changwang's heart tensed.
With the Ling Rice in his own Spirit Field about to mature, it's hardly good news that the market price for Ling Rice is dropping, not just for him but for all Spirit Farmers.
"Hasn't it always been this way? As the Ling Rice is about to be harvested, the powers that be depress the prices, and after Spirit Farmers sell their Ling Rice, the prices go up again.
Almost every year is like this. I've planted over ten acres of Spirit Field myself, and if I'm eager to sell quickly, I can only accept these prices.
Now it's one Lower-Grade Spirit Stone for eleven catties. I estimate that in a few days, it will drop to twelve catties per Lower-Grade Spirit Stone, or even thirteen.
If you're not in a hurry to buy, you can wait a couple of days."
Chen Yushu spoke calmly.
As a rice trader, he was undoubtedly very familiar with price fluctuations.
Since he was familiar with Zhou Changwang, he said a few more words; otherwise, he wouldn't have the mind to chat with others.
"I understand, thank you Elder Chen for informing me."
Zhou Changwang cupped his hands as a gesture of thanks, and then quickly handed over the Spirit Stone, "Give me eleven catties of Linghe rice, please. Here's the Spirit Stone."
He was buying Ling Rice to swiftly enhance his strength, so he naturally wouldn't intentionally wait an extra two days.
As for the price fluctuations of Ling Rice, it truly wasn't something a bottom-tier Spiritual Farmer Loose Cultivator like him could influence.
Foreseeing a possible drop in his income, his mood couldn't help but grow a bit heavier.
"Okay!"
Chen Yushu nodded, then weighed eleven catties of Ling Rice and handed it to Zhou Changwang. However, after some pondering, he said, "I remember you learned about spirit plants from Junior Martial Uncle Sun, right? Junior Martial Uncle Sun's specialty is in seed cultivation of spirit plants.
Coincidentally, I have a few seeds here that I obtained by chance. If you can successfully cultivate and germinate them, I would be immensely grateful."
Saying this, he patted his waist, and with a flick of his hand, under a faint flash of Spiritual Light, three thumb-sized, jet-black seeds appeared in his palm.
Storage Bag!
Zhou Changwang looked at the waist of the person before him, a trace of envy passing over his face.
This was a cultivator's storage treasure. Even the lowest-grade Storage Bag was worth more than a thousand pieces of Lower-Grade Spirit Stone.
But despite his envy, he quickly shifted his focus to the three seeds, a hint of curiosity appearing on his face. "What kind of Spirit Plant are these seeds?"
"These are Spirit Rice Seeds.
I obtained them by chance in Celestial Gate Mountain.
The place is rumored to have been a stronghold of a Cultivation Clan, but after a great battle, it turned into ruins. Even the Spirit Vein originally present within Celestial Gate Mountain was shattered.
As for what specific kind of Spirit Rice these seeds are, only by planting them will it be known.
Although I have some suspicions, I can't confirm anything.
Unfortunately, these seeds have been sealed for so long that they've had little contact with Spiritual Qi. Their vitality is almost extinguished, and although I've tried various methods, I haven't succeeded in getting them to germinate and grow again."
Chen Yushu didn't hold back, and sincerely said, "So, if you can cultivate and germinate these seeds, I won't let your efforts go unrewarded. I'm willing to offer you a thousand pieces of Lower-Grade Spirit Stone or treasures worth no less than a thousand pieces of Lower-Grade Spirit Stone in exchange, including a Storage Bag."
Obviously, he had noticed the expression in Zhou Changwang's eyes when he eyed his Storage Bag earlier.
"I can only try."
Zhou Changwang said with furrowed brows.
He knew his own situation well. Even if Spirit Plant Cultivators at Qi Refining Sixth Layer like Chen Yushu couldn't make these seeds sprout, he doubted he could do so now either.
Unless he could improve his Fertilization Technique to Small Success, or even Great Success…
As for what was mentioned about learning from the Spirit Plant Master surname Sun, during that time many apprentices were learning alongside him. The master mostly regarded them as free labor and did not impart much in terms of spirit planting techniques. He had learned techniques like the Cleaning Technique, Spirit Rain Skill, Fertilization Technique, and Geng Metal Finger himself, spending Spirit Stones at the Spirit Plant Hall…
Eventually, at the end of the five-year term, just as agreed, he was let go without any intention of formally being taken as a disciple…
"Then I shall await your good news."
Chen Yushu, not saying much more, gestured with a wave of his hand.
Apparently, he didn't have high hopes for Zhou Changwang either. After all, he had numerous Ling Rice Seeds in his Storage Bag. Having already sought many Spirit Plant Masters to attempt cultivation and germination, all without success, he wouldn't realistically pin all his hopes on Zhou Changwang, a mere Qi Refining Second Layer Spiritual Farmer Loose Cultivator.
It was more of a "hit or miss" approach.
Hearing this, Zhou Changwang could only accept the seeds and Ling Rice, then with cupped hands, say, "Then farewell, Elder Chen."
He then turned around, heading for the exit of the Independent Cultivator Marketplace, contemplating Chen Yushu's intentions in his mind.
But soon enough, he laughed at himself helplessly, realizing that contemplating further was futile, as whatever the other party intended, he could only accept it. Moreover, it was just a commission. Judging from the elder's final expression, it was clear the elder didn't hold high hopes that he would fulfill the commission. Why burden himself with unnecessary worry?
Perhaps the elder simply wanted these Ling Rice Seeds to successfully germinate?
At least he felt that there was no ill will from the elder towards him.
At any rate, he was only a Qi Refining Second Layer Spiritual Farmer Loose Cultivator, financially destitute, who would bother to scheme against someone like him?
Only self-inflicted trouble.