Chapter 2194

He couldn't help but praise: "Charred but not dry, rich but not greasy, warming but not parching — truly the heat control is spot on, no wonder their place has long queues."

Xin Yi took a dull sip of wine: "This is made with fat ducks from Taogan Lake; ducks from Taogan Lake cost

twice the price of those produced elsewhere."

He Lingchuan had just returned from a border patrol and didn't know market prices, so he asked casually: "Why?"

Taogan Lake is a large lake on the Chipa Plateau, with extremely good water quality; it was formerly occupied by a water monster named "Taogan" that often ambushed travelers fetching water on the shore. Panlongcheng sent people to negotiate several times to no avail, so they set a trap and killed it.

After the water monster died, Taogan Lake gradually became a fishing and herding lake; the lake fish, water ducks, and snails produced here are all regulars on Panlongcheng people's dining tables.

"Qi revival — people think free-range ducks usually eat aquatic plants from plateau lakes, fish, shrimp, snails, locusts, all tainted with Qi. Instead, ducks cooped up in city shacks can't eat these Qi-tainted foods, so free-range ones sell for a high price."

He Lingchuan found it amusing.

Panlongcheng people's lives have improved too; they're qualified to be picky now, but why does this duck-selling-expensive routine sound so familiar?

"Whether free-range ducks have more Qi, I can't taste, but this definitely does." He lifted the lid of a clay pot, and a warm, substantial fragrance wafted out.

The pot contained steamed rice, but not the common brown rice or polished rice people usually eat; each grain was round, fiery red and transparent, like countless rubies tightly packed together — even without tasting, it had an aesthetically pleasing beauty.

Xin Yi smelled the aroma and knew without even looking: "Ah, the Danruo rice trial planting succeeded?"

These seeds were still delivered to Panlongcheng by his own hand; he didn't expect they could be grown so quickly.

Danruo is another name for pomegranate; this rice resembles pomegranate seeds, gorgeous and vivid when cooked, hence the name.

He Lingchuan was also tasting it for the first time; a spoonful of rice, but he felt his mouth full of clear fragrance, sweet, moist, tender, the rice oil very full.

Half a bowl down, saliva filled his mouth and the true Qi in his abdomen stirred restlessly.

Xin Yi also tasted it and nodded: "Close."

Danruo rice is one of the legendary "spirit rices," rich in Qi; long-term consumption is extremely beneficial to the human body,

letting cultivators advance their Dao conduct imperceptibly; even ordinary people who eat it long-term enjoy healthy bodies and prolonged life.

So-called medicinal supplementation is inferior to dietary supplementation; the importance of spirit rice and spirit food is self-evident.

Spirit rice has all kinds of benefits, only one drawback:

Hard to grow.

It requires extremely high Qi density; slightly lower and it won't form. To grow Danruo rice, the Qi environment must at least recover to the Middle Ancient mid-period.

Above it are even more precious spirit rices. Naturally, planting requirements rise linearly; current Panlongcheng still dares not touch them.

"Panlongcheng opened spirit fields for trial planting on the Chipa Plateau where Qi is most abundant; first-phase yield thirty thousand catties, a bit more than expected." He Lingchuan looked at the rice in his bowl, deeply moved, "Ten years ago, Panlongcheng people still had one meal hungry, one meal full, tightening their belts to survive. Never imagined a day would come when they'd nearly be eating spirit rice."

Even Zhong Shengguang hadn't anticipated that Panlongcheng, originally stretched thin and strapped everywhere, would undergo such huge change in ten years.

"This is what you deserve. From the external intelligence I've received, Panlongcheng's territory Qi density is extraordinarily rich." Xin Yi sipped wine, "Even on the wasteland, Qi is at least four to five times that of Xiluo Kingdom, comparable to Lingxu City. Looking across the human world, only blessed lands possess such Qi; other places are still far from this good."

Di Liujiang erupts frequently, indeed causing universal Qi revival.

But revival has fast and slow, more and less; each place's rhythm differs. Panlongcheng's Qi growth is anomalously fast, also anomalously abundant.

He Lingchuan nodded; he naturally knew the reason,

Panlongcheng refused Lingshan from placing a Spirit-Gathering Array in its territory, and has the Black Flood Dragon Totem; neither Qi nor demonic Qi can be sucked away by external things, and it inherently has the function of favorable wind and rain·

All factors stacked together, making Qi within Panlongcheng's territory increasingly abundant.

As for Lingxu City, they have a Grand Spirit-Gathering Array, which absorbs external Qi into Lingxu City.

The myriad beings of the human world, however, suffer dual extraction by immortals and demons; the Qi they enjoy is heavily discounted.

So Panlongcheng's revival development is already several steps faster than the outside world.

The appearance of Zhi horses on the Chipa Plateau, the Shumin Academy's successful trial planting of spirit rice — these are landmark events marking Panlong territory's Qi density reaching a new stage; it is accelerating toward the Middle Ancient mid-period.

If the next step spirit field area can expand, spirit medicines can be planted at low altitude, then Panlong people's marrow-changing, constitution-improving good days are not far off.

The entire Panlongcheng's combat capability will also have a leapfrog improvement.

This is also the direction Zhong Shengguang and others are desperately striving for.

Time waits for no one.

"This is certainly a great good thing, but fortune hides calamity; you still must be careful." Xin Yi admonished He Lingchuan, "Panlong territory stands alone in excellence, and doesn't let immortals and demons interfere — that makes it exceptionally eyesore."

Swap in another Panlongcheng general, most would boast: "Then let them try."

But He Lingchuan humbly asked for instruction: "Mr. Xin, please elaborate."

Xin Yi didn't respond, instead silently downing two cups of wine.

"I leave in three days; I've already bid farewell to Commander Zhong." He said softly, "My hometown in the Shaluo River basin is being attacked by the Asura Demon Kingdom; I must rush back to support. Here in Panlongcheng, Lingshan will soon send a new envoy."

The Asura Kingdom is one of Between Between Between Beijia's vassal demon kingdoms; at this time it is still very strong.

He Lingchuan was slightly moved: "I heard that Between Between Between Beijia has repeatedly invaded countries and sects under Lingshan these years?"

Between Between Between Beijia quieted down for a while after Mieyuan; these two years, with Di Liujiang frequent, it started stirring up trouble abroad again — either inciting internal strife in various countries, or teaching a lesson to local minor countries and minor forces.

Especially those under Lingshan's jurisdiction — they are its repeated targets.

"Yes, every time Qi revives, war expansion is inevitable." Xin Yi sighed, "Under Lingshan, there has never been a force able to contend head-on with Between Between Between Beijia; they've always suffered huge losses."

Behind this sentence is actually a long history of struggle.

Has Lingshan supported local forces? Supported, yes, never stopped, but all ended in failure, without exception.

It simply cannot foster a power that can prosper and develop on its own flesh and blood, that can face Between Between Between Beijia head-on.

He Lingchuan deliberately said: "In a few more years, Panlongcheng might not be unable to contend with Between Between Between Beijia.

Panlongcheng is already covered in thorns; Between Between Between Beijia has tried several times and gained no advantage. If it continues developing at its own pace, ten years — no, within five years — perhaps it will have enough power to protect itself.