txolops Chapter 1 Yu Huai
Chapter 1 Yu Huai
The bleak autumn wind blows again today.
A gentle autumn breeze blows, and maple leaves flutter down from the branches, swirling in the air and gradually accumulating into a thin layer, as if adding a new coat to the earth.
Qingyue County, Luofeng Ward.
The market town is located at the foot of Qingyue Mountain, situated on a first-grade high-quality spiritual vein. It is named after the maple forest in the mountains and its eastern border with the Xunyang River.
This market town is under the jurisdiction of the Tian family, who are at the Foundation Establishment stage. It is equipped with a second-tier grand formation and is supported by spiritual veins, making it strong enough to withstand ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators.
This naturally attracted many low-level cultivators.
After all, safety comes first.
Without your life, how can you talk about cultivating immortality?
Therefore, Luofengfang can be considered one of the largest markets in the surrounding area.
Squeak!
A tiny mouse, no bigger than the palm of your hand, covered in a layer of short, grayish fur and specks of mud and grass, was chewing on some newly grown spirit rice.
Suddenly, the boy emerged from the pile of maple leaves.
He reached out and grabbed it.
He grabbed the rat tightly, not even having time to use his best earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of magic or technique), its eyes wide open, and the spirit rice in its mouth was shaken off one by one.
"We've finally caught you, you little thief."
The boy was tall and straight like a pine tree, with regular features and bright eyes. He wore a cloth robe covered in mud and had a happy expression on his face.
"You ate my rice and now you want to run away?"
Yu Huai felt the struggle in his hands, chuckled, and immediately used a binding technique.
In an instant, vines rose from the ground, binding the little mouse tightly, its small eyes dull and lifeless.
"Even a low-ranking earth rat spirit is worth more than ten spirit coins, so it wasn't a waste of my time waiting here."
Yu Huai weighed the earth rat spirit in his hand and pondered to himself.
So-called spirit coins are coins imbued with spiritual energy, jointly minted by the four major immortal sects. Generally speaking, one hundred spirit coins can be exchanged for one low-grade spirit stone.
Having spent some time, Yu Huai not only preserved the spiritual rice but also made money, so he felt the trip was worthwhile.
Yu Huai carried the earth rat spirit, stepping on maple leaves, facing the autumn wind, humming an off-key song, as he walked towards his home.
He was a time traveler who had been here for some time.
He didn't strike it rich, nor did he fall into a well, nor was there any nine dragons pulling a coffin. He simply took a nap, and when he woke up, the world had changed.
It also possessed the body of a boy who was also named Yu Huai.
The boy named Yu Huai has a mid-grade wood spiritual root and a cultivation level of the third level of Qi Refining. His father is a late-stage cultivator at the seventh level of Qi Refining. The family lives in Luofengfang, renting half an acre of spiritual field and a spiritual pond. They make a living by farming and raising fish, and can be considered a small Qi Refining family.
At first, he didn't quite believe in the fact that he had traveled through time, but after several hours of struggling, when he shakily performed a binding technique based on his memory, he finally became convinced.
He really did become a cultivator.
But life is unpredictable.
His parents were caught in a robbery while going to the market to earn spirit stones, and both of them died mysteriously, their family fortune being looted.
Fortunately, he had a rented house, so he wouldn't end up destitute overnight.
However, the pressure of rent suddenly fell on him, and he has been troubled by the rent for the past few days.
After all, their only source of income, the spirit rice and the small bluefish, will not be ready for harvest for some time.
The only valuable item left in the house was a high-grade magic weapon.
It is called the Green Ear Sword.
If it really comes to that, he will consider selling it.
After all, high-grade magic artifacts are expensive and can fetch hundreds of spirit stones.
Yu Huai's residence was located on the outskirts of the market, not far from the spirit field. As soon as he arrived at his door, he saw his neighbor, Old Wang, handing over a few spirit stones to a man in black robes with a pained expression.
Oh no, the rent collectors from the Tian family have arrived.
Upon seeing this, Yu Huai knew something was wrong.
He tried to hide, but it was too late; the man in black robes had already noticed him.
Left with no other option, Yu Huai reluctantly pushed open his courtyard gate. Sure enough, the man in black robes immediately approached him, opened the account book, and spoke expressionlessly:
"Half an acre of spiritual land and a spiritual pond, plus rent, will cost a total of 6 spirit stones this month."
"Deacon Tian, why...why are there more spirit stones than last time?"
Upon hearing about the fees that needed to be paid, Yu Huai suddenly remembered something and blurted out a question.
"With rampant robbery and plunder outside, and the world in such chaos, the neighborhood has strengthened its defenses and increased manpower, all to ensure your survival. This expense of spirit stones will naturally come from you."
"Are you going to hand over the spirit stones or not? If you can't, then get out of the market!"
The steward, dressed in a black robe, glanced at him, snorted coldly, and urged him impatiently.
This?
Let alone 6 and a half spirit stones, he can't even scrape together 1 spirit stone now.
"Steward Tian, you see, the half acre of spirit rice and the small blue fish in the spirit pond in the courtyard will be ready in a few days. Please be lenient and grant us a few more days."
Yu Huai raised his hand and pointed into the distance, his gaze falling on the spirit field in the distance and then turning to a small spirit pool in the courtyard.
Before he finished speaking, he had already quietly taken out a small pile of spirit coins from his pocket and, along with the earth rat spirit he had just hunted, secretly stuffed them into Steward Tian's palm.
Deacon Tian paused slightly, casually weighed the object in his hand, glanced at the still panicked earth rat spirit, his eyes swept over Yu Huai, and he snorted.
"You're quite sensible."
He casually stuffed the items into his sleeve pocket, his gaze sweeping over the spirit field, then looking at the courtyard, his tone softening slightly:
"Since that's the case, I'll give you another three days. After three days, you must pay the full rent. Otherwise, don't blame me for dealing with you according to the regulations of the market."
Yu Huai felt relieved and quickly bowed in greeting:
"Thank you for your help, Deacon Tian. I will definitely hand it over in full within three days!"
Deacon Tian pocketed the spirit money and the earth rat spirit, flicked his sleeves, and turned to leave, clearly not wanting to stay any longer.
Just as Deacon Tian walked away, Old Wang from the neighboring courtyard came out. He glanced at Yu Huai, then looked in the direction Deacon Tian had gone, patted him on the shoulder, and said with a strange smile:
"If you really can't raise the money, why don't you borrow some from me? I'll give you a lower interest rate."
Yu Huai looked distressed, but managed a forced smile:
"I appreciate your kindness, I'll figure something out."
After saying that, he closed the courtyard gate.
Old Wang just smiled, revealing his yellowed teeth, and said nothing more. He picked up his hoe and left the yard.
"If I hadn't really transmigrated, I wouldn't believe it at all that cultivators have to pay rent and are suffocating under its weight."
What so-called immortals roaming the world?
That's all just a joke; the premise is that you have the ability, qualifications, background, and assets.
Otherwise, you'll always be at the bottom.
Who knows, it might be casually killed by a passing construction crew one day.
Difficult!
I'm already a time traveler, when will my cheat system arrive?
Yu Huai took a sip of water, slumped onto the stone bench in the courtyard, looked up at the sky, feeling utterly depressed, and couldn't help but sigh.
But right now.
In a daze, a screen of light actually appeared in his field of vision.
[Entry: Breathing Exercise (White): Cultivation speed +10%, spiritual energy conversion during meditation is more refined]
[Entry: Luck (Blue): Luck +50%, chance to snag a bargain, chance to avoid fatal damage]
[Entry: Spirit Nurturing (Green): Spirit beast growth speed +20%, non-ranked spirit beasts have a chance to advance]
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