The Huang Family members quickly adapted to the new system. Rank 1 Gu Masters, limited by both strength and finances, generally contracted only a few acres of land and focused solely on planting Flame Marsh Grass, forming the largest group among the cultivators.
Rank 2 Gu Masters possessed greater resources and usually rented small plots spanning several dozen acres. Besides cultivating Flame Marsh Grass, they also undertook the planting of Fire Fiend Beans and Cremation Mushrooms.
As for the Rank 3 Family Elders, they were far more ambitious. Many directly contracted areas spanning several square kilometers and employed large numbers of mortals to assist with cultivation and management.
The Family leadership was even more decisive. Several high-ranking members pooled their contribution points and resources together to rent dozens of square kilometers of Red Earth, establishing it as the Huang Family's public fields. These lands would be managed collectively, with the harvest entering the Family treasury and serving as a long-term foundation for future development within the Flame Sovereign Blessed Land.
The Gu Masters were overjoyed, especially the Rank 1 Gu Masters. Although they had no say in what crops were planted and still had to pay a thirty percent tax, the remaining Flame Marsh Grass was more than enough to support seven or eight Rank 1 Gu worms. As a result, the Huang Family's overall strength rose rapidly.
Throughout the Southern Li Fire Plains, countless Gu Masters moved about busily, each occupied with their own tasks.
Among the crowd, Lin Qingyao walked with light steps. Several years had passed, and the young girl from before had long matured into a breathtaking beauty. Her waist was slender, her figure graceful and curvaceous, and her skin carried a faint jade-like luster under the sunlight. Every movement seemed to possess a natural elegance.
A pair of clear eyes shone brightly, carrying both intelligence and confidence. Whenever she passed by, many young Gu Masters could not help but steal glances in her direction.
At the same time, her cultivation had already reached Rank 3 Upper Stage, placing her among the outstanding members of the younger generation within the Huang Family.
Lin Qingyao secretly calculated in her heart. The land she had contracted was all high-quality Red Earth. Once the Provoke Fire Bamboo matured and entered a stable production cycle, the harvest would far exceed her personal needs. Simply selling the surplus would be a waste.
Black-and-White Fire Bears seemed like a far better choice.
These beasts fed primarily on fire-attributed bamboo and possessed considerable combat strength. Adult bears were comparable to Rank 3 Gu Masters, while the herd itself could continuously reproduce and expand.
If she could successfully raise a small herd, not only would the excess Provoke Fire Bamboo gain a stable use, but she would also obtain a group of loyal guardians. A herd of ten adult Black-and-White Fire Bears alone would be equivalent to ten additional Rank 3 combatants.
There were also Fire Line Gu, Fire Cloak Gu, and Fire Pattern Gu. All three could be fed using Flame Marsh Grass. Once a complete breeding cycle was established, she would no longer need to spend contribution points purchasing replacement Gu worms from the Family treasury.
Having a Gu Immortal as an elder was truly different, Lin Qingyao sighed inwardly. A mere Rank 3 Gu Master can already live without worrying about Gu resources.
Lin Qingyao's expression became somewhat strange. Back then, they had been of the same generation. Although Lin Yan had always been stronger, the gap between them had never felt impossible to overcome.
A faint sense of unwillingness rose in her heart, but it quickly turned into helplessness. The difference between them was simply too great.
At this moment, Lin Yan's will stood high above the heavens, overlooking the land below. The reddish-brown plains were rapidly being covered by waves of crimson. Large fields of Flame Marsh Grass spread outward in every direction, growing at an astonishing speed under the combined efforts of thousands of Gu Masters.
Groups of Gu worms moved through the fields and skies alike, their numbers steadily increasing as the ecosystem of the Southern Li Fire Plains took shape.
This was the main reason he had brought the Huang Family into the Flame Sovereign Blessed Land. The five resource points were only the beginning. Their purpose was to provide a foundation upon which countless other resources point could be built.
If he relied solely on the blessed land's natural growth, progress would be painfully slow. Purchasing everything from Treasure Yellow Heaven was no better. Even hundreds of immortal essence stones would be insufficient to develop such a vast space.
The Huang Family solved this problem. Using their own labor, resources, and contribution points, they would continuously expand production, establish new resource points, and raise more Gu worms and beast groups. Every successful venture would further enrich the Southern Li Fire Plains.
After observing for a long time, Lin Yan gradually gained some insights. Some touched upon Human Path, while others related to Heaven Path.
As an owner of a blessed land, developing it was, in a sense, an act of imitation. One arranged resources, nurtured living beings, and maintained balance. To a certain extent, this resembled the way Heaven's Will operated throughout the world.
"No wonder Gu Immortals actively raise populations," Lin Yan murmured to himself. There were indeed benefits to doing so.