I Outworked the Entire Cultivation World

Chapter 34: Chapter 25: A Handful of Rice for Friendship, a Bushel for Enmity

After a busy hour, Jiang Yuebai felt dizzy, the Five Elements Qi Vortex in her Dantian dim and lifeless.

The feeling of Qi exhaustion came over her, yet she couldn’t interrupt the Grass and Wood Technique she was performing. Instinctively, she accelerated the frequency of her fingers, squeezing out the Qi within her.

Her ten fingers suddenly trembled, the desire to complete the spell drove her newfound Divine Sense, transforming internal pressure into external suction abruptly.

Threads of emerald light floated up from the surrounding seedlings, Jiang Yuebai felt she couldn’t stop, her fingers stirred up a Spiritual Energy Vortex, madly absorbing the emerald glow.

The emerald glow accumulated more and more, forming a peanut-sized green pearl in her palm.

Boom!

The Spiritual Energy Vortex exploded from her fingertips, Jiang Yuebai staggered a step, within three zhang around her, the seedlings withered, turning to ash as the wind blew.

Several people chatting nearby turned pale with fear, staring at Jiang Yuebai as if they’d seen a ghost.

Zheng Li, the owner of this Spiritual Field, looked ashen, painfully throwing himself onto the field.

”Oh my seedlings, what have you done? I asked you to restore the seedlings, not to plunder their vitality!”

Jiang Yuebai held the Grass and Wood Essence Pearl in confusion, she hadn’t done it deliberately, just that under the pressure of Qi exhaustion, she accidentally switched the spell, plundering the vitality from the seedlings.

When she learned the Grass and Wood Technique, Tao Fengnian had told her there were two uses.

One, to absorb Wood Spirit Qi from the air to nourish spirit plants.

The other, to plunder grass and wood vitality for weeding, the ash as fertilizer, and the Grass and Wood Essence Pearl obtained could also be used as material for refining Healing Pills.

”So many seedlings can produce over a hundred jin of wheat, you won’t leave without compensating me with Spirit Stones today!”

Zheng Li was aggressive, reaching out for compensation.

Jiang Yuebai was indignant, ”My Qi exhaustion was also because I was helping you restore the seedlings, I never asked for labor payment from you, and now you’re extorting me?”

”How am I extorting you? Didn’t you help others restore their seedlings for free? Why charge me? Are you targeting me deliberately? Did I offend you somehow, or are you relying on Elder Tao to go against me?”

”You’re unreasonable!”

Jiang Yuebai was furious, turning to look at those she’d helped, who scattered quickly.

”Little girl, if you’re not skilled with the Grass and Wood Technique, say so, pretending to be able ends up hurting me, I won’t ask much more, just return the Spirit Stone I previously gave you for pest control, and I won’t hold you accountable.”

”Rogues and scoundrels, stop bullying my Senior Sister Jiang!”

Shi Xiaowu rushed over, grabbing mud to throw at Zheng Li, Zheng Li shook his Qi, bouncing the mud back, knocking Shi Xiaowu to the ground. 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

Shi Xiaowu wailed, Jiang Yuebai was furious.

”Are you looking for death!”

Guo Zhen suddenly appeared behind Zheng Li, kicked him flipping to the ground.

”Old Guo, I won’t let this go!”

Zheng Li got up, activating a spell, Tao Fengnian and Song Pei’er came over, Zheng Li reluctantly paused.

Song Pei’er glanced at Jiang Yuebai, pursed her lips and shook her head, walked over, and helped Shi Xiaowu up, cleaning off the mud with the Dust Cleaning Technique.

Shi Xiaowu was unhappy, pointed at Zheng Li, and shouted, ”He’s bullying Senior Sister Jiang.”

Seeing the crowd, Zheng Li quickly grinned, ”It’s a misunderstanding, isn’t it, I was just... just joking with Junior Sister Jiang.”

Song Pei’er sneered, Guo Zhen directly exposed his intention.

”Don’t think I don’t know, you want to extort Junior Sister Jiang’s Spirit Stones and flee, by then even Elder Tao can’t handle you.”

”No no, really not.”

Jiang Yuebai bit her lip, under Tao Fengnian’s calm gaze, realizing she made a big mistake, grasped the hem of her clothes and lowered her head.

Tao Fengnian sighed softly, ”Finish up and let’s go back.”

”Wait a moment.”

Guo Zhen stopped Tao Fengnian, handed Jiang Yuebai ten Spirit Stones.

”One should not be ungrateful, Junior Sister Jiang just helped restore my seedlings, I checked, the work was splendid, we’ll get at least ten percent more Spiritual Grain next year, we can’t be unethical, Junior Sister Jiang worked hard yet felt wronged, the Spirit Stones she deserves should be given.”

Jiang Yuebai felt those Spirit Stones painfully dazzling, shook her head, and refused to receive them.

Tao Fengnian reached out to take them, Guo Zhen sternly glanced at the others Jiang Yuebai had helped.

Those people were displeased but dared not rebel, unwillingly handed Spirit Stones to Tao Fengnian.

Tao Fengnian took the Spirit Stones and walked ahead, Jiang Yuebai nodded to Guo Zhen and Song Pei’er, quickly followed.

All the way, Tao Fengnian was silent and heavy-hearted, Jiang Yuebai followed at a distance, not daring to approach.

Back in the courtyard and closing the door, Jiang Yuebai walked up to Tao Fengnian.

”Grandfather, I was wrong.”

Tao Fengnian coughed, sat down, knocking his knee, not lifting his gaze.

”What was wrong?”

Jiang Yuebai hung her head, recited weakly.

”A measure of rice nourishes gratitude, a bushel of rice breeds resentment. It’s hard to deliver coal in the snow, easy to add flowers to brocade. A drop when thirsty is sweet dew, better none than a cup after intoxication. Deal with others by leaving surplus, to maintain insatiable hearts; manage affairs...”

”Enough, since you know this, why did you act like that today?”

Jiang Yuebai raised her head, ”I was infuriated by Lv Ying!”

Tao Fengnian furrowed his brow, ”Lv Ying?”

Jiang Yuebai nodded, speaking about her argument with Lv Ying, and became aggrieved again.

”I’ve hidden when I reached Qi Cultivation Third Layer, but it was just yesterday. Before that, I never deceived her, nor did I laugh at her, why despise me and call me a liar?”

Tao Fengnian leisurely countered, ”Why must Lv Ying like you?”

Jiang Yuebai was at a loss.

”Child, it’s Lv Ying’s freedom to dislike you. If you cannot change that, you must accept it.”

”Grandfather, how can you say that? Can’t you say Lv Ying not befriending me is her loss?”

”Whether it’s her loss is her matter, you shouldn’t think that way, as it leads to obsessive thoughts, caught up in differences with her, anxious and uneasy. If she cannot surpass you, you’ll feel superior; if she one day surmounts you, your convictions will crumble instantly.”

Jiang Yuebai nodded blankly as if understanding. While working in the fields earlier, her thoughts had been focused on Lv Ying’s inferiority to her, and why Lv Ying deserved contempt.

The more she thought, the angrier she became!

”You cannot make the world like you, nor are they obliged to do so, just like in the fields earlier where despite your actions, some remain ungrateful. Don’t mind others’ likes and dislikes or their views on you. Others’ disdain doesn’t change who you are; no need to change or please, satisfy and gladden yourself daily, understand?”

”Hmm, I sort of understand, but Lv Ying... I hid things first, and today said something quite harsh to her, so I have faults too.”

Jiang Yuebai recalled when Lv Ying once protected and was injured for her, feeling remorseful.

Tao Fengnian patted Jiang Yuebai’s head, ”If you think she’s worth your sincere effort, then go ahead, don’t hesitate or worry, follow your heart, and regardless of the outcome, accept it graciously.”

Jiang Yuebai nodded vigorously, her resentment dissipating, her mouth lifted up again, grabbing Tao Fengnian’s sleeve and shaking it lightly.

”Grandfather, since I already understand my mistake, can the Spirit Stones be returned to me? I want to buy something, firstly to apologize to Lv Ying, and secondly to thank Elder Lii, without his guidance my cultivation wouldn’t progress so swiftly.”

”No part for grandfather?”

”Yes, naturally there is.”

Tao Fengnian chuckled, pressed a bag of Spirit Stones into Jiang Yuebai’s arms, her face lit up instantly.

”Go rest, tomorrow morning we’ll go to Nangu Market.”