I Grow Crops with a System

”Meow... are we really going?” Pearl asked timidly, gazing at the massive fireball ahead that looked capable of devouring everything.

To get there, they had to pass through the raging flames, Pearl was highly reluctant.

”Pearl, if you’re afraid, just stay here,” Ethan said.

”Who’s afraid, meow?!” Pearl puffed out its chest, pretending to be calm.

”Then let’s go.” Ethan wiped the sweat from his forehead and jumped down from the handcart.

The Ape Beastmen seemed intent on following, they picked up their weapons and trailed behind Ethan.

”What is that?” Just as they stepped onto the path leading to the hill, raging fires ignited all around them, the crimson flames rolled and churned, as if trying to consume any living creature that drew near.

”How magical, the flames aren’t burning the surrounding plants...” Ethan said in surprise.

”That’s the Fire of the Spirits, meow! Don’t be afraid, just get closer! If we harbored hostility, we would have been burned to ashes long ago, we’re here to communicate, so we’ll be fine, meow~” Pearl explained.

Ethan glanced at the Ape Beastmen, he and Pearl were fine, but these Ape Beastmen living in the south probably held a grudge against the spirits.

”Then we won’t go any further!” As expected, the Ape Beastmen harbored misgivings toward the spirits and were unwilling to get closer.

Seeing their conflicted expressions, Ethan nodded, there was no need to make them tag along and take risks, the Ape Beastmen stopped halfway up the hill and decided to wait, just in case.

Only Ethan and Pearl continued forward.

”Wow, it’s true.” Perhaps because they lacked hostility, the flames weren’t as scorching hot as imagined, they passed through the flames and continued climbing upward.

After a long while, they saw a giant bird made entirely of fire standing quietly in the center of the hill.

”Excuse me, are you the Great Spirit?” Ethan asked respectfully.

”Human?” The spirit’s voice carried a hint of surprise.

The Converse skill had taken effect, Ethan breathed a sigh of relief and bowed his head slightly in greeting.

”My name is Ethan.”

”A human? How rare, I haven’t seen a human in a very long time, however, you do not seem to be a human of this world.”

The spirit saw through Ethan’s origins at a single glance.

’It saw right through me.’ As expected of a spirit, he felt admiration for this entity that could see through his origins so effortlessly.

”Human from another world, what business brings you here?” the spirit asked.

”I came because of the extreme heat in the south, are you the one controlling this sweltering heat?” Ethan asked.

”That’s right!!” The originally calm voice became majestic and imposing, just standing before it, Ethan and Pearl could feel its monstrous rage.

Just as they were at a loss for what to do, the small firebird expanded, in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a giant flaming bird the size of a house, with eyes burning with fury, it glared at the Ape Beastmen at the bottom of the slope.

”It was the beastmen who stole my egg!” the spirit roared.

”I know, but I heard you already got it back,” Ethan said.

”Just because I got it back means everything is fine?!”

”But isn’t plunging the entire southern region into extreme heat over this a bit too much? Moreover, implicating the innocent isn’t very good, right? Please calm your anger,” Ethan attempted to persuade it.

”Impossible!”

Although there was no barrier in communication, convincing the spirit did not seem easy, Ethan sighed, pondered for a moment, and asked, ”Then what must be done for you to calm your anger?”

”Hold a Spirit Ritual and hand over the one who stole the egg, only then will I withdraw my wrath,” the spirit declared.

”A Spirit Ritual?” Ethan asked.

”Meow, that’s a ritual ceremony that was lost a long time ago, it’s specifically used to worship spirits, meow, people would offer fine wine and delicacies and pray devoutly, beseeching the spirits to grant them power, meow!” Pearl explained.

’So two things need to happen, first, hold a Spirit Ritual, second, find the one who stole the egg.’

Ethan looked at the spirit and nodded. ”As long as we achieve these two things, you will calm your anger, right?”

”That’s right, only then.”

”I understand.” At least he finally knew what the spirit wanted, as long as he told the Ape Beastmen about this, the rest should be easy to resolve. Right?

Ethan bowed deeply to the spirit and turned to leave.

”Human from another world, are you carrying a seed of the World Tree on you?” the spirit asked.

”How did you know?” Ethan asked in surprise, he pulled the World Tree seed out of his pocket, and the spirit’s eyes lit up at once, it transformed back into its small bird form, fluttered to Ethan’s side, and circled him a few times.

”The World Tree has already vanished from this world, if you can revive it, you can establish a new order for this world.”

”Oh... is that so?” Ethan said in surprise.

”In that case, you will be able to communicate with nature once again.”

The tone the spirit used was completely different from how it treated the Ape Beastmen, the small bird flew in front of Ethan and gently stroked his head with its wing.

”Good luck, may the glory of the World Tree shine upon the earth once more.”

[You have received the Spirit’s Blessing.]

[You have acquired the skill: Fire of the Spirits.]

[Fire of the Spirits: Allows you to freely control the temperature of flames.]

”Oh... thank you,” Ethan said gratefully.

’Freely control the temperature of flames? Whether it’s firing pottery, cooking delicious food, or smelting ores — precisely controlling flame temperature is essential, this skill is too practical!’

Ethan expressed his gratitude for the spirit’s generous gift, the spirit then flew back to its original position.

Having obtained an unexpected skill, Ethan returned to the bottom of the slope in a cheerful mood, the Ape Beastmen tensed up at once.

”What did the spirit say?”

”It shouldn’t be too hard, right?”

’Could this be considered hard?’ Ethan looked at the three Ape Beastmen in front of him, a troubled expression on his face.

”First, we have to hold a Spirit Ritual...”

”What is a Spirit Ritual?” the Ape Beastmen asked.

”A ritual ceremony that was lost a long time ago, specifically used to worship spirits, also... the spirit wants us to hand over the one who stole the egg.”

Hearing this, the three Ape Beastmen panicked at once, seeing their flustered appearance, both Ethan and Pearl found it very strange.

One of the Ape Beastmen trembled and said, ”We can’t hand over that person!!”

”Why? Is he some sort of big shot?” Ethan asked.

”He was the previous Great Chieftain of the Southern Plains.”

The most highly respected person among all the races in the south, the one who stole the spirit egg was actually such a prominent figure.

”The previous one...” Ethan sighed.

”He can only be the previous one!”

”Because he’s already dead!”