"I just heard from Old He that he discovered Spirit Locusts in Xu Zhong's Spirit Field.
Those Spirit Locusts are no ordinary pests; they cause significant damage to Spirit Fields, especially by munching on Spirit Rice. Once they appear, they tend to come in swarms. They can fly, and they're great jumpers. If they infest one Spirit Field, they can quickly spread to others.
Make sure to inspect carefully, and don't let the Linghe suffer.
Especially recently, as the Linghe shoots have begun to flower and bear Spirit Rice, countless Spirit Insects will be attracted to them.
If you're not careful, it could impact the harvest."
Old Xu hurriedly spoke up.
Zhou Changwang quickly nodded.
He knew that when Spirit Rice reaches maturity, countless Spirit Insects will swarm to munch on it. If not managed properly, months of hard work could be ruined overnight.
As for Xu Zhong, he knew him too. They were fellow apprentices at the Spirit Plant Hall, though Xu Zhong was a few years older and had left the Hall earlier. Now, he's been renting a Spirit Field for about three years.
Unlike other diligent Spirit Farmers, Xu Zhong was irregular with his work, often not showing up for days. His Spirit Field was overgrown with weeds and pests, so it's not surprising that Spirit Locusts appeared there.
However, since Xu Zhong's rented Spirit Field is not far from his own, with only a small river separating them, he certainly needed to be on guard.
Afterwards, Zhou Changwang went back to the Spirit Field and began meticulously inspecting the Linghe.
On each Linghe plant, small white flowers had bloomed. Some of the faster-growing ones were already bearing Spirit Rice. Although they were still quite shriveled and would need ten days to two weeks to fill out, the joy of the impending harvest made him feel excited.
His eyes scanned over the Linghe, observing each plant.
Suddenly, Zhou Changwang's gaze focused.
A Spirit Insect, about the size of a baby's fist and covered in cyan carapace, appeared in his vision.
"Cyan Beetle!"
Zhou Changwang murmured.
The Cyan Beetle isn't as harmful as the Spirit Locust, but it can still munch on the branches and leaves of the Linghe, affecting its growth, so it needed to be eradicated.
He held his breath, silently circulated his Spiritual Power, and quickly drew complex runes.
This process was slow, and his just-recovered Heart Spirit quickly drained.
One breath, two breaths, three breaths...
After seven breaths, the magic finally formed.
Geng Metal Finger!
He extended his hand and pointed forward.
"Go~!"
A flash of golden light passed by.
With a puff, the head of the Cyan Beetle was pierced, and it fell stiffly to the ground.
"It's indeed an attack magic; the power of Geng Metal Finger is truly astounding."
A look of surprise appeared on Zhou Changwang's face.
Consider this: the cyan carapace of the Spirit Insect is incredibly tough, almost impervious to ordinary swords, yet the Geng Metal Finger easily pierced it, demonstrating its power.
That's why Zhou Changwang truly felt the difference in himself now.
Although the Cleaning Technique and Small Spirit Rain Technique are magical, they're supporting magic, but Geng Metal Finger is a true attack magic, far surpassing martial artists' swords and sabers.
"Indeed, killing, strength, and power are a man's romance!"
Zhou Changwang mused, then quickly picked up the Cyan Beetle.
The Cyan Beetle is a Spirit Insect; its ground-up carapace can be used in medicine, and its blood and flesh contain Spiritual Qi, which can speed up cultivation. Although it's only the size of a baby's fist, the Spiritual Qi it contains rivals half a pound of Spirit Rice, so he was unwilling to discard it.
Then, Zhou Changwang continued his inspection.
"Sure enough, as the fruiting period approached, there were noticeably more Spirit Insects in the Spirit Field."
Zhou Changwang soon found a second Cyan Beetle.
Repeating the procedure.
The second Cyan Beetle was also slain by him.
Then came the third one.
Zhou Changwang's Geng Metal Finger wasn't flawless. He missed his mark when slaying the third one, only grazing it. He had to finish it off with another hit.
Thankfully, his proficiency hadn't decreased.
Geng Metal Finger proficiency +2
After thoroughly inspecting the three-acre Spirit Field, Zhou Changwang had slain a total of four Spirit Insects, all Cyan Beetles. One Burrowing Cicada had already burrowed into the ground and disappeared as soon as it was spotted, leaving him helpless to catch it.
Geng Metal Finger (Entry Level 13+5/100).
Glancing at the panel, Zhou Changwang then ascended from the Spirit Field.
By now, his body's Spiritual Power was depleted again.
But utterly exhausted, he couldn't even meditate to restore it and had to endure it for now.
"How did it go?"
At this moment, Old Xu approached with a smile.
"Four Cyan Beetles.
Fortunately, no Spirit Locusts were found."
Zhou Changwang replied.
"Four Cyan Beetles are equivalent to two pounds of Spirit Rice, a respectable haul.
As for the Spirit Locusts, it's best if there aren't any. If an outbreak occurs, we wouldn't be able to handle it, and we'd have to bring in the Spirit Plant Hall folks, which will cost three pieces of Lower-Grade Spirit Stone per request, incredibly expensive."
As he spoke, a pained expression crossed Old Xu's face, clearly indicating he'd experienced such events in the past.
After all, Spirit Farmers taking care of Spirit Fields, no matter how diligent, can't prevent Spirit Insects from flying in to munch during the fruiting period. The better the care, the more Spirit Insects get attracted. If the pests become overwhelming, their Spiritual Power surely won't suffice to clear them all, so they inevitably have to call for help from the Spirit Plant Hall.
Zhou Changwang nodded.
He thought to himself, wondering if he could use the proficiency panel to avert this crisis.
After all, he was truly penniless.
Previously, he had meticulously searched his room and, besides some gold and silver to buy daily necessities, didn't find a single Spirit Stone.
When the time comes and he can't come up with the Spirit Stones, he'll be forced to watch his Spirit Field suffer.
The Spirit Plant Hall isn't a charity; they only care about their own profits, and whether there's a disaster is up to the Spirit Farmer.
If he can't bear the burden, he'll be reduced to a Contracted Farmer and lose his freedom.
"Geng Metal Finger, as an effective weapon for exterminating Spirit Insects, must be leveled up as quickly as possible.
However, my biggest downside is still my insufficient cultivation and lack of Spiritual Power.
Casting spells requires Spiritual Power; even if I have enough, I can only cast about ten Geng Metal Fingers, and meditation can only restore half of it, making fifteen tops. That would take at least seven or eight days to elevate the Geng Metal Finger spell.
Not to mention the need to perform the Spirit Rain Skill regularly and the need to use the Fertilization Technique on some Linghe that grow slowly…"
Thinking about this made Zhou Changwang feel overwhelmed.
"Perhaps I could try casting without activating it, or controlling the amount of Spiritual Power input to reduce each spell's consumption?"
It wouldn't be a bad method, but whether it works still needs to be tested.
"By the way, has your father returned yet? If he went into the mountains, it's been half a month already."
Old Xu spoke, shifting the subject.
"This time, indeed he's been in the mountains for a long time."
Hearing this, a trace of worry appeared on Zhou Changwang's face.