"Now, what should I do now for the next phase?"
[...]
[Have you forgotten your main goal in cultivating to the peak of the Qi Condensation Stage? Why are you now so invested in cultivating plants?]
Liu Wei was taken aback as he scratched his cheeks, chuckling awkwardly.
He said, "Well, that can wait. I want to see my seeds grow first."
[Alright. But you have to wait first, for… Ah, you have to water them in the next hour once night arrives.]
"Night arrives?" Liu Wei tilted his head, a bit confused.
Nevertheless, he complied.
He then remembered the Farmer's Shed has Wooden Stool and Tea pot, where he could relax while he was waiting for his seeds to grow.
Without hesitation, he proceeded to the Farmer's Shed and took out the Wooden Stool and Tea Pot, placing them in front of the one main acre plots.
…
Half an hour later, Liu Wei, who finished taking a bath using the Spirit Well water, was now seen to be relaxing, as he was watching the crops while sitting in a wooden stool.
Beside him was another wooden stool, where the clay tea pot and cups were placed.
He sipped the Spirit-Leaf Tea provided by the system and he enjoyed its benefits.
It restored his stamina and calmed his mind.
What was more surprising as always was the Qi mixed within.
Unfortunately, Liu Wei did not have a Spirit Rank cultivation technique.
Nevertheless, it increased his body's affinity with the Qi.
As a result, Liu Wei was confident that the moment he broke through the Qi Condensation stage, it would be easier for him to reach the peak minor stage.
As Liu Wei was relaxing, enjoying even the benign spirit butterflies surrounding him, he did not notice half an hour passed by.
As soon as an hour passed by exactly like what the System said, the sun hanging above in the middle of the sky suddenly dimmed.
It then turned into a moon.
Liu Wei spat the tea out of his mouth.
"What the fuck?!"
It was a bright white moon, similar to his world.
However, they don't rotate like how they were in his world.
It seemed like they had become one.
"Isn't that romantic?"
Liu Wei could not help but ponder.
Suddenly, the System's voice echoed in his head.
[I forgot to include that there is of course a moonlight essence, essential for plants that need yin qi to grow.]
Liu Wei asked, "Which plant badly needed moonlight essence?"
[Among the seeds you planted, there were none. Even so, the moonlight will slow the overgrowth, ensuring denser medicinal potency.
It also stabilized energy balance—to balance yin-yang in neutral crops.]
"Oh, I see." Liu Wei nodded.
It was only then he recalled that the book he used to read before mentioned about what the System had said.
[Alright. Enough talking. Work now. Water the crops.]
Liu Wei nodded.
Without hesitation, he watered the crops, which already produced sprouted seeds. He was in awe.
After all, what would take days for the seeds to sprout only took a single day… or less.
As soon as he was finished watering the crops, he proceeded to the orchard section.
As expected, the seeds began to sprout, too.
Similar to the grains and vegetables, they had now come out of the soil.
It was that fast, leaving Liu Wei in amazement.
While he was watering the plants, the System said.
[The next phase, Phase 2, is now starting.
The goal of Phase 2 is to support early and leaf growth.
What you have to do is to light water from morning to evening with Spirit Well water.
Apply Mortal-Grade Growth Powder once everyday in small doses.
Avoid Bone Ash during this stage to prevent root burn.
Leave the utilization of Weed Suppression Formation to me. It is to protect fragile seedlings.
At the same time, you can now sow the Jade Radish, Snow Lotus Spinach, and Cloudcap Mushroom.
As you have an idea, mushrooms don't grow in the open sunny plots.
Instead, they need a shaded, high-humidity micro environment.
The Agricultural Domain has a place for that of course.
It is called Fungal Alcove.
It is still inside the one acre plots, but is situated on the far left of the main acre.
It is protected by a Bamboo Canopy woven with Darkweave Cloth to block harsh sunlight but still allow airflow and moonlight essence to pass through.
In it, you can find Rotten Spirit-wood Log Racks, for wood-loving mushrooms (stacked horizontally in tiers).
Moist Compost Beds, for soil-based varieties like Cloudcap Fungus.
Water Drip Array, which is a small rune-inscribed stone that slowly drips water throughout the day.
Misting Talisman Hooks, which are two hanging talismans, released a light fog to keep humidity constant.
Moonlight Essence Lantern, which is a spirit lantern that bathes the area in weak yin qi during the day to encourage growth.
You have to turn on the Moonlight Essence Lantern during the day, and turn it off at night to avoid overwhelming the mushrooms with yin qi.
Every week, or I will notify you so you won't forget, you have to rotate the logs and compost to refresh nutrient balance.]
Liu Wei kept notes to what the System had said.
Of course, he did not know what to respond except with a nod.
Since the System mentioned about the Fungal Alcove, he could not help but wait to rush on the Farmer's Shed, grabbing the Cloudcap Mushroom, to proceed to the Fungal Alcove.
The Cloudcap Mushroom was not in the form of seeds. Instead, they were Spawn Blocks, which were small chunks of pre-grown mycelium embedded in a substrate, like rotting spirit-wood, ready to be "planted" according to the System.
They were stored in the Clay Jars with Preservation Seals.
It appeared the Clay Jars with Preservation Seals were not limited to storing fresh harvested plants.
As soon as he arrived on the Fungal Alcove, he was in awe, as always.
He was like a neet who had just seen real grass after decades.
The Fungal Alcove was a small adjoining cave-like room.
Its walls and ceiling were lined with spirit-treated bamboo slats coated in moisture-retaining clay to keep the air damp.
A faint earthy scent hung in the air.
There were two Moisture Talismans placed on opposite walls, which slowly released mist infused with mild yin qi, perfect for mushroom mycelium.
There was a Moonlight Essence Lantern hanging from the ceiling, mimicking gentle lunar glow to encourage certain yin-aligned fungi.
The moment he entered the alcove, he felt like he entered a new world.
He scrutinized every nook and crook, understanding every part for half an hour before finally planting the Cloudcap Mushrooms into the Moist Compost Beds.