As for the Earth-Digging Zen, its alertness was too high. As soon as he got close, it burrowed into the ground and disappeared, leaving him helpless for the moment.
In total, after examining the three acres of Spirit Field, he managed to harvest six Spirit Insects: three Cyan Beetles, two Eight-cornered Blacks, and one Root-eating Ladybug. A considerable gain.
However, Spiritual Power was almost depleted as well.
"This Spiritual Power, it really doesn't last long.
Each Magic must be calculated to be sufficient."
Zhou Changwang sighed, sitting wearily on the field ridge to rest.
"However, six Spirit Insects should be enough to once again advance my cultivation progress."
Looking at the few Spirit Insect corpses in his bag, a faint smile finally appeared on his face.
"Changwang, look over there."
At this moment, Elder Xu walked over, gesturing slightly as he spoke.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Changwang looked in the direction indicated and saw that in Xu Zhong's Spirit Field, a cultivator in a green robe was busy casting spells in the Spirit Land.
Meanwhile, Xu Zhong was standing cautiously at the edge of the Spirit Field, seeming eager to approach yet hesitating.
"That Xu Zhong, he's really willing to spend, actually inviting a cultivator from the Spirit Plant Hall to eradicate insects.
However, I specifically checked his Spirit Field yesterday; the Spirit Insects were countless and refused to disperse.
The cultivators from the Spirit Plant Hall may be proficient at eradicating insects.
But casting also has its limits, especially since those Spirit Insects are quite clever, burrowing or flying at the first sign of danger. It's probably very hard to eradicate them all at once."
Elder Xu said, shaking his head continually.
"Indeed."
Zhou Changwang nodded.
He was aware that, in the Spirit Plant Hall, the masters responsible for eradicating insects, although proficient Spirit Plant Masters with one or two powerful techniques, mostly had their own Spirit Fields to manage, and those willing to be hired had limited capabilities.
At most, they only possessed cultivation at the Qi Refining Fourth Level.
And although cultivators at the Qi Refining Fourth Level had transformed their Heart Spirit into Spiritual Sense, allowing for quicker detection of Spirit Insects,
eradication of Spirit Insects still required casting.
Their Spiritual Power was also limited.
It's certainly impossible to eradicate too many at once.
With the abundance of Spirit Insects in Xu Zhong's Spirit Field, a thorough eradication would require hiring someone for at least three consecutive days.
But in farming, it's all about economics.
Hiring someone to eradicate insects costs three Lower-Grade Spirit Stones per session, which amounts to nine stones over three days. Most Spirit Farmers couldn't afford it.
"Just watch, Xu Zhong will still be worried tomorrow.
But it's his own doing. Spirit Field farming is based on diligence.
Leave it unattended for a day, and it's overgrown with weeds. Neglect it for three days, and it's swarming with Spirit Insects—completely normal."
Elder Xu lamented.
Zhou Changwang nodded, about to agree when he saw Elder Xu's brow twitch, his expression suddenly changed as he said, "However, Xu Zhong truly knows how to enjoy life. I heard he ventured into the secular world recently... which, come to think of it, is understandable, given his youth..."
"The secular world?"
Zhou Changwang was taken aback.
"The mortal countries, about three hundred miles east of our Marketplace, where there's the Celestial Martial Country.
Though we're the lowest rung here at the Marketplace, barely scraping through meals with Spirit Rice, in mortal countries, even a little of what we have can bring wealth and luxury.
So, Xu Zhong went to the Celestial Martial Country and spent a few days at the Joyful Tower there..."
Elder Xu said, smacking his lips, "At the Joyful Tower, the girls, while not mastering Charm Technique and Dual Cultivation Technique like the female cultivators at the Celestial Fragrance Tower in the Marketplace, aren't lacking in beauty and crucially, they're cheap, costing only gold and silver, with no need for Spirit Stones."
"Oh? Elder Xu, have you been there too?"
Zhou Changwang couldn't resist asking.
"That... not really, just heard about it, heard about it..."
Elder Xu's old face turned red at these words, waving his hands repeatedly before walking towards his own Spirit Field, almost hurriedly stumbling along the way.
...
"Five Elements Technique, Entry Level Perfection achieved..."
At night, Zhou Changwang had just awakened from cultivation, immediately focusing his gaze on the Attribute Panel.
Suddenly, he saw that the realm behind Five Elements Technique changed from (Entry Level 99/100) to (Entry Level 100/100), then slightly transformed into (Mastery 1/200).
"The realm of Five Elements Technique, indeed broke through.
It directly advanced to the Mastery Level."
Feeling a burst of joy in his heart, Zhou Changwang simultaneously sensed a special insight arising within him.
In fact.
He had noticed this kind of insight after each cultivation session.
Perhaps this time, due to the realm breakthrough, qualitative change resulted from quantitative accumulation, making the insight much deeper.
At this moment, it was as if he had cultivated the Five Elements Technique a thousand times, gaining a deeper understanding of its numerous transformations.
"What's the effect of the Five Elements Technique at the Mastery Level post-cultivation?"
Almost impatiently, he wanted to uncover this point.
After all, this was the foundation of his cultivation.
Under unchanged Spiritual Root conditions, the cultivation realm determined his cultivation speed.
Thus, he resumed cultivation.
His Heart Spirit controlled the Spiritual Power to circulate inside him, swiftly drawing the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi toward him.
One minute, two minutes, three minutes...
Until a stick of incense's time had passed.
Five Elements Technique +1
Cultivation Base +1
Zhou Changwang operated the Five Elements Technique for one circulation before stopping the cultivation.
And immediately, he sensed the change brought by the cultivation realm breakthrough.
"First, the time for cultivating the cultivation technique is faster.
Originally, completing one circulation took twenty minutes. Now, it only takes about eighteen minutes.
Secondly, the cultivation efficiency: the same Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, converted into Spiritual Power, increased by thirty percent compared to before.
In other words, under the same conditions, my cultivation speed has increased by more than thirty percent..."
Zhou Changwang pondered carefully, his face full of joy.
Even with his Spirit Root Talent, the thirty percent increase doesn't seem much, but for him, any improvement is already a joy.
Not to mention, this is merely the Mastery Level.
Beyond it, there are Small Success, Great Success...
He then looked at the Attribute Panel again.
Name: Zhou Changwang
Lifespan: 17/75
Cultivation Base: Second-Layer Qi Cultivation (24/100)
Cultivation Technique: Five Elements Technique (Mastery 2/200)
Skills: Spirit Rain Skill (Mastery 153/200), Cleaning Technique (Entry Level 62/100), Fertilization Technique (Entry Level 67/100), Geng Metal Finger (Entry Level 63/100)
...
"Judging by this, Geng Metal Finger is also close to reaching Mastery Level.
By then, I expect my efficiency in eradicating insects will further improve."
Zhou Changwang felt a surge of excitement.
Currently, the Spiritual Energy resources he possessed were limited, primarily relying on Spirit Insects alone.
And as his only method for eradicating insects, Geng Metal Finger, being an Attack Type Magic Technique, naturally held his greater attention.
Though the Fertilization Technique, with higher proficiency, is indeed very useful and one of the most basic and important Magic for a Spirit Plant Master, potentially able to greatly shorten the growth cycle of Spirit Plants without affecting effectiveness given a higher realm of Magic—even so, it cannot fundamentally improve his cultivation environment, hence being a secondary option.