Chapter 25: Corrupting the Young

"Master, look, why are they all fighting without any clothes on?" Little Golden Silk’s curious voice rang out.

Wen Yue wanted to cover her ears, but the sounds from outside continued.

"Master, it’s obvious those women aren't winning, so why don't they run away? They’re so stupid," Little Golden Silk remarked.

"Stop watching and go practice your cultivation!" Wen Yue didn't know what to say.

"No! I’ve never seen people fighting naked before. Master, look, there are two men bullying one woman here; they are just too wicked."

"Why do they still sound so happy even though they are being bullied so badly? How strange," Little Golden Silk pondered, unable to understand.

"Perhaps they are willing participants? Don't worry about it. Once your strength surpasses theirs, you can catch them and ask them these questions yourself. Your master isn't involved, so how would I know the answer?" Wen Yue tried to distract her.

"Master, you are so clever! That’s exactly what I'll do. Once I’m strong enough, the next time they fight like this, I’ll snatch them up with a vine and ask them what’s going on." Little Golden Silk thought it was a brilliant plan.

Wen Yue realized that if Little Golden Silk actually did that, those brawlers would probably hunt down its entire family. Oh no, its entire family included her! She had essentially dug a hole for herself.

"Little Golden Silk, stop watching and get back to cultivation! I have work to do, too." Wen Yue picked up her sickle and started weeding.

She had originally intended to clear all six acres before planting, but she had underestimated the difficulty. At this rate, it would take half a month just to finish the weeding, and by the time everything was planted and settled, a month would have passed.

That would be a waste of time. It would be better to clear and plant one acre at a time so that the harvests would be staggered. Besides, with her small, weak frame, she wouldn't be very efficient anyway.

Since she decided to start planting, she needed to prepare the seeds. Much like modern farming, soaking the seeds would shorten the growth cycle and help select the strongest sprouts.

Wen Yue went into the house to find the spirit rice seeds. She poured out a third and soaked them in warm water. Ideally, she should use spirit spring water, but she couldn't buy any here. Most people simply crushed spirit stones and used the leaking spiritual energy to create a substitute.

Of course, Wen Yue didn't need to go through such trouble. She only needed to infuse the water with wood-attribute spiritual energy. This energy was so potent it could even entice Little Golden Silk.

Wen Yue slowly channeled her energy into the water, feeling the seeds become plumper and more vibrant. She quickly stopped; she didn't want them to sprout prematurely.

Being a farmer was tough work! It was just as difficult in the cultivation world. While modern farmers had mechanization, Wen Yue had to dig with a hoe, one stroke at a time. It took her two grueling days just to finish one acre.

The spirit rice here required plenty of water, but there were no irrigation canals or pumps. Everyone used the Raincasting Spell. If you didn't have a water-attribute root, you were in trouble—you’d have to hire someone or buy a raincasting talisman.

Perhaps this was the only convenience of having five-element roots. Wen Yue summoned all her strength and cast the spell, causing a light rain to fall over the field for five full minutes.

It looked like a lot, but it only wetted the surface. Realizing her limitations, she cast two more spells before sitting down to recover her spiritual energy. It took no fewer than twenty casts before the field was properly irrigated.

Wen Yue brought the seeds out from the house; the ones soaked a few days prior had already sprouted. It was the perfect time to plant. While most people planted by hand, one seed at a time, Wen Yue preferred the trouble of using telekinesis. At first, she managed one by one, but as she grew proficient, she increased it to two or three, eventually reaching five—her limit.

What would have taken half a day by hand took her an entire day using telekinesis. Still, she was pleased; her skill had improved, and she didn't intend to be a farmer forever.

Every day, besides her fixed cultivation routine, she battled with her few acres of spirit fields. She didn't interact with anyone, but she had Little Golden Silk keep an eye on her neighbor. There was an empty plot between her field and Cui Shiping’s, and she didn't know who owned it.

For half a month, Little Golden Silk saw no one enter or leave, yet Wen Yue felt someone was there—and that they posed a danger to her.

"Little Golden Silk, keep a closer watch on that neighbor. I don't know why, but I feel that person is not simple." Wen Yue shared her concerns.

"That should definitely be taken seriously. Ao Qing told me that for us cultivators, our instincts are sometimes vital. The more inexplicable these feelings are, the more attention we should pay to them," Little Golden Silk said with rare philosophical insight.

"Little Golden Silk is improving! You understand these things now."

"That’s just what Ao Qing said. I don't fully understand it, but you should, Master—you're so smart." It didn't forget to flatter her.

"It’s precisely because I understand that I want you to keep an eye on them. Thank you, Little Golden Silk. I have to get back to work."

Wen Yue was so busy because she wanted to finish planting as soon as possible. During this time, she had only been practicing the foundation techniques; she hadn't had time for other skills, and she had only read the first part of the *Compendium of Spirit Plants*.

Thinking of all the things she had yet to learn, she subconsciously quickened her pace.

She had expected it to take a month, but thanks to her growing proficiency and her desire to finish quickly, it took just twenty days.

Wen Yue let out a long sigh. Finally, she was done. She could rest.

"Master, Master, someone has come out of your neighbor’s place!" Little Golden Silk called out excitedly.

"What kind of person?" Who would only emerge after a whole month?

"Black and skinny... you should look for yourself!" Little Golden Silk couldn't describe him properly.

Through their mental link, Wen Yue viewed Little Golden Silk’s memory. A short, dark, and skinny old man had stepped out of the neighboring plot. Most notably, his face was covered in dark fur, and he flashed a set of white teeth that made her feel deeply uncomfortable.

Most importantly, the man carried a heavy burden of sin. None of the other people she had seen in the plantation area had such obvious malevolence, which had made her let her guard down. She hadn't expected her neighbor to be such a dangerous character.