I Outworked the Entire Cultivation World

Chapter 31: Chapter 22: Pest Removal (Revised)

All is silent except for the howling wind and snow.

Jiang Yuebai stood up from the ground, the headache gradually lessening, only to notice the incredulous gazes of everyone. ℯℯ𝘭.

She looked towards the seedlings in front of her, where the Ice Armor Beetles had been mostly eliminated and the seedlings were rejuvenating with life. Jiang Yuebai breathed a long sigh of relief, at last not disappointing her grandfather.

Fang Zhong and Liu Dashan were still staring at the seedlings she had dealt with. After a long while, Fang Zhong finally asked a question.

”Little girl, how did you manage this? I’ve been using the Second-Level Sharpness Technique for pest control for five or six years, yet I always end up damaging the branches and leaves. You not only avoided damage but even released a vitalizing energy, which is clearly the effect of the Third Level Sharpness Technique.”

Liu Dashan nodded, ”Yes, yes, I also want to know how you did it. Can you teach me?”

Tao Fengnian interrupted the two’s questioning, ”Girl, you did very well. Grandfather is proud of you.”

Jiang Yuebai blushed and squinted her eyes with a smile.

At six years old, she was at Qi Cultivation Third Layer and at the Second Level of the Sharpness Technique. With such aptitude, she might become the next Spiritual Cultivation Master in Huaxi Valley within three years?

At this thought, everyone put away their disdain and looked at Jiang Yuebai with a hint of favor.

Song Pei’er felt the same way, she swept her gaze over Lv Ying and sighed, realizing that she had not picked a treasure, but rather that the true gem was under someone else’s care, causing her heart to sour.

”Senior Sister Jiang is truly impressive!” Shi Xiaowu continued to praise without thinking.

Lv Ying bit her lip until it bled, feeling a pang in her heart after being glanced at by her master, she couldn’t help but shed tears and walked away from the crowd.

Jiang Yuebai noticed Lv Ying, just about to call out to her but was stopped by Guo Zhen.

A bag of Spirit Stones was handed over to Jiang Yuebai, Guo Zhen said, ”The pest disaster in my fields is the most severe, I ask Junior Sister Jiang to help eliminate the pests.”

Jiang Yuebai turned to look at Tao Fengnian, saw her grandfather nodding, then accepted the Spirit Stones.

Guo Zhen had planted twenty acres of Spiritual Wheat, one Low-Grade Spirit Stone per acre, totaling twenty stones.

For the first time, Jiang Yuebai earned so many Spirit Stones, her eyes sparkled with excitement.

She could finally support her grandfather!

And also afford the talismanic pen and talismanic paper she wanted to buy.

”Junior Sister Jiang, I also want to invite you to eliminate the pests in my spiritual field.”

”Me too, I can pay a deposit upfront.”

Others pulled out Spirit Stones to seek Jiang Yuebai’s help, all having witnessed her handling of the Ice Armor Beetles, albeit slower than Fang Zhong and Liu Dashan.

But she didn’t harm the seedlings at all and even caused the swallowed vital energy to be refunded to the seedlings. This was an effect only achievable by the Third Level Sharpness Technique.

Getting the effect of a Third Level Sharpness Technique for the price of a Second-Level, it’s worth it.

Jiang Yuebai was suddenly surrounded by everyone and hurriedly retreated to Tao Fengnian’s side.

Tao Fengnian spoke loudly, ”Don’t be impatient, this disaster is different from the past, there’s no concept of first come, first served. Junior Sister Song, please check each spiritual field and classify them into four levels: A, B, C, D based on the severity of the pest disaster.”

”Junior Brother Liu, you join too, handle pest control according to the severity level, wherever it’s needed, do your utmost. No complaints or picking and choosing are allowed.”

”Payments for Spirit Stones should be made accordingly, no excuses. I believe the sect will waive our contributions post-disaster, so there’s no need to worry. For now, let’s continue removing snow and work together to combat the disaster.”

Tao Fengnian had spent his life in Huaxi Valley, his prestige still stood. As soon as he spoke, everyone busied themselves with their tasks.

Shi Xiaowu remained nearby, giving Jiang Yuebai a thumbs-up with a foolish grin, only to receive a slap on the back of his head from Guo Zhen.

”Always grinning like an idiot. If you had half the capability of Junior Sister Jiang, I’d wake up laughing from my dreams. Now hurry up and shovel snow.”

Tao Fengnian took out a green Elixir, squatted down, and handed it to Jiang Yuebai.

”This is a Fasting Pill refined from Spiritual Grain, with little Elixir Poison, one pill can replace three days’ worth of food. You’ll have to manage the spiritual fields for a few days, and once the Nascent Soul True Monarch adjusts the weather and stops the snow, I’ll take you to Nangu Market for some fun.”

Jiang Yuebai took the Fasting Pill, drew close, and whispered, ”Grandfather, don’t work too hard either. Those Spiritual Medicines aren’t yours anyway. If they can’t be saved, so be it; a natural disaster isn’t a manmade disaster. The sect won’t be so unreasonable.”

Tao Fengnian chuckled bitterly, ”Don’t worry about me. As for you, if your Spiritual Energy depletes, restore it directly with Spirit Stones. Don’t be stingy, pest control takes precedence.”

Tao Fengnian placed his conical hat on her head and handed her a warm Fire Talisman, then stood up and got busy in the distant medicine field.

Jiang Yuebai tightened the string on the conical hat and immediately crouched down to work.

She activated the Sharpness Technique, cracking open the ice shells on the seedlings, dealing with them with rhythmic precision, the Ice Armor Beetles were extinguished, and the seedlings were revived.

Each seedling took one Sharpness Technique, three breaths to form the technique, three breaths to eliminate the pest.

As she handled more seedlings, Jiang Yuebai’s control over the sharpness became increasingly proficient, gradually experiencing the sensation akin to that of the Sword God of Ten Miles Slope.

The Ice Armor Beetles boasting hard shells remained stationary, allowing Jiang Yuebai to slice through them.

All it took was finding the weak spot, making the slicing far more efficient than dealing with the Lantern Monsters running chaotically around the mountains.

Moreover, with each slay, the Skill Levels for both the Sharpness Technique and the Wood Cutting Blade Method increased, accompanied by a mental swelling, a feeling as if something was about to break out of its shell, which made Jiang Yuebai feel exceedingly exhilarated.

As her spiritual energy was depleted, Jiang Yuebai took a spirit stone in her hand, enduring the pain of using it to replenish her energy without delaying her pest removal progress.

To reach the peak of the second level of the Sharpness Technique, she needed a thousand skill points, and previously, due to lack of spiritual energy, her practice sessions were limited each day. Now, with the spirit stone supplement, she no longer had that concern.

Although it took several uses of the Sharpness Technique to gain one skill point, the disaster-stricken hundreds of acres of spiritual fields in Huaxi Valley provided an excellent opportunity for her to practice.

Jiang Yuebai immediately decided that as long as she didn’t die, she would push herself to the limit!

In the neighboring spiritual field, Liu Dashan had to stop every twenty uses of the Sharpness Technique to replenish his spiritual energy with a spirit stone.

The first time he stopped, Jiang Yuebai was applying the Sharpness Technique at the head of the field.

The second time he stopped, Jiang Yuebai was using the Sharpness Technique in the middle of the field.

The third time he stopped, Jiang Yuebai was at the end of the field applying the Sharpness Technique.

Liu Dashan was dumbfounded. Fortunately, on his fourth stop, Jiang Yuebai finally stopped to use a spirit stone to recover.

Liu Dashan felt defeated. He was at the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer, Jiang Yuebai at the Qi Cultivation Third Layer. He needed to rest three times, while Jiang Yuebai rested only once.

They both had five spirit roots. How could the difference be this vast? Was her metal spirit root thicker than a carrot?

Seeing Jiang Yuebai begin working on the third spiritual field before he had finished one, Liu Dashan felt like crying.

He gritted his teeth and gave it his all!

As dusk approached, the snowstorm showed no sign of abating, and the cold wind grew even more biting.

After using the Wind Roll Technique to sweep away the fallen snow, another layer would soon cover it, the bone-chilling cold seeping through even the vestment robe that protected against temperature extremes.

Jiang Yuebai’s hands trembled, her whole body freezing. She failed several times to form hand techniques, then stood up to move her limbs.

The fire talisman inside her collar emitted waves of heat, driving away the cold.

Looking back at the valley entrance, the village was buried under snow, with only rooftops forming undulating outlines.

Snow piled like mountains around the spiritual field, and within the field, they seemed to stand in a deep pit; if the snow collapsed, they’d surely be buried alive, the oppressive feeling overwhelming.

Despite this, no one dared to stop working.

If they didn’t fight against heaven, the spiritual grain would die, and so would they.

”Master, Tang Yun has fainted from the cold, Master!!”

Chaos ensued at a distance; this was the fifth apprentice to succumb to the cold.

Jiang Yuebai breathed on her hands and rubbed them together, continuing busily.

As the moon reached its zenith, a crimson sword light shot into Huaxi Valley, dropping a storage bag to Tao Fengnian.

Tao Fengnian, after inspecting it, took out a small bottle, his face lighting up with joy.

”Finally, it has arrived. This is the Fiery Sun Water, urgently refined by the Elixir Hall. By using the Cloud Rain Technique, it can eradicate Ice Armor Beetles, melt ice and snow, and dispel cold from the spiritual fields. However, the Fiery Sun Water harms the spiritual grain seedlings considerably, requiring the Grass and Wood Technique for repair afterwards. Those willing to use the Fiery Sun Water can come to me to receive it.”

Everyone sighed in relief, crying with joy.

Almost everyone knew the Cloud Rain Technique, and they hurried to receive the Fiery Sun Water and began using the technique to gather clouds and rain.

The mist rose, the sound of rain delightful, gradually dispelling the snowy gloom.

After a busy session, the ice shells on the seedlings melted away, leaving the drooping young sprouts struggling on the brink of death.

Those who knew the Grass and Wood Technique began gathering the vitality of grass and wood to nourish the seedlings in their fields.

Guo Zhen stood at the head of his field, staring speechlessly at his apprentice Shi Xiaowu, both unable to perform the Grass and Wood Technique.

Turning his head, they saw Jiang Yuebai in Tao Fengnian’s field, skillfully using the Cloud Rain Technique to draw Fiery Sun Water and spread clouds and rain.

As the snow melted and the pests died, her hand techniques shifted seamlessly, green radiance radiating in circles from her fingers, a sight so beautiful it made Guo Zhen’s eye twitch.

”Wow! Senior Sister Jiang can do both the Cloud Rain Technique and the Grass and Wood Technique, she’s amazing!”

Smack!

Guo Zhen smacked Shi Xiaowu on the back of the head.

”You also have five spirit roots, why don’t you learn from her? I’ll give you six months, if you can’t learn five Daoist techniques, don’t call me Master.”

”You also have five spirit roots, and only know two.”

”Say that again, you brat! Stop, where are you running!”

Guo Zhen chased Shi Xiaowu around the field, while Jiang Yuebai stood among the fields, staring blankly at her hands covered in ice.

She had just gotten the hang of it, accidentally using water spirit energy to activate the Grass and Wood Technique, and now her hands were frozen.

What was going on?