Chapter 312

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Protagonist:

Xu Zhangqing

Xu Zhangqing had already spoken to this extent, even making his determination clear.

This moved Hua Lao considerably: "In that case, I will make a trip with you."

Xu Zhangqing was surprised: "You want to go together with me to the area newly reclaimed by the Rong Family?"

Hua Lao nodded slightly: "If it truly is a sign of disaster, then what will be affected is not just the Rong Family, but many Spirit Fields and Lingti."

Xu Zhangqing hesitated for a moment, then asked: "Then... how do we go?"

Hua Lao slowly unfolded the map: "You mark the specific location."

Because up is north, down is south, left is west, and right is east, Xu Zhangqing looked up toward the northern district and quickly found the area newly reclaimed by the Rong Family, immediately pointing: "Right here."

Hua Lao put the map away, then extended dense root tendrils, instantly wrapping himself and Xu Zhangqing, then contracted.

In an instant, Xu Zhangqing and Hua Lao disappeared from the Palace, leaving the crowd watching from afar looking at each other in blank dismay.

"What's the situation?"

"Hua Lao actually didn't punish Xu Zhangqing?"

"Feels a bit off!"

By rights, Xu Zhangqing broke the rules and should have been punished.

But now not only was there no punishment, he disappeared together with Hua Lao.

If the matter hadn't become serious to a certain degree, it absolutely wouldn't be like this.

Although everyone was dissatisfied with Xu Zhangqing relying on his Spirit Nurturing Envoy identity to break rules, they weren't stupid.

……

……

At the same time, Xu Zhangqing only felt himself moving rapidly.

Because he possessed an Earth Spirit Root, he could clearly sense the Earth Qi.

What does this indicate?

It indicates he was moving rapidly underground!

However, when he released his Spiritual Consciousness, he discovered it could not extend outward.

No, accurately speaking, it was blocked.

His Spiritual Consciousness could only envelop his own body, completely unable to see through the surrounding root tendrils to observe the situation outside.

Seeing this, Xu Zhangqing's brows furrowed slightly, and he speculated inwardly: "Could it be that Hua Lao did this deliberately?

What exactly is down here underground that cannot be seen!"

Of course, although his Spiritual Consciousness was blocked, there was another method.

That is to use the Earth Spirit Root within his body to spread his consciousness along the Earth Qi.

Doing so, he could similarly see the surrounding situation clearly.

But if he really did that, it would very likely attract Hua Lao's attention.

Although having one more Spirit Root is nothing, after all many Cultivators practice Dual Cultivation precisely to gain an additional Spirit Root.

The problem is, Wood Generates Fire, Fire Generates Earth.

If he revealed the means to control Earth Qi, that would indicate a Fire Spirit Root had also appeared.

Therefore, after thinking it over, Xu Zhangqing ultimately suppressed his inner curiosity and simply allowed Hua Lao to carry him shuttling continuously underground.

It felt like not long after, he suddenly "arched" upward.

Accompanied by a "Click" sound, faint light gradually appeared all around.

When the root tendrils shielding him retracted one by one, Xu Zhangqing finally saw the surroundings clearly.

This place, isn't it precisely the district newly reclaimed by the Rong Family?

Hua Lao's voice then rang out: "We've arrived."

Xu Zhangqing blanked for a moment, feeling the speed was too fast.

Hua Lao urged: "What are you spacing out for, point out the problematic Spirit Fields."

Xu Zhangqing recovered and nodded: "Please follow me."

He remembered the problematic Spirit Fields clearly.

Moreover, he had specially arranged for at least one Spirit Farmer to stand guard at each.

Before long, they arrived at one of the Second Grade Spirit Fields.

The Spirit Farmer guarding here looked to be in his forties or fifties.

Seeing the Spirit Nurturing Envoy and Spirit Field Steward appear simultaneously, he was scared into jumping up, hurriedly cupping his fists in salute: "Greetings, Steward and Spirit Nurturing Envoy, I absolutely didn't slack off!"

Hua Lao ignored him, eyes fixed straight on the Spirit Field before him, then extended a thick root tendril, rapidly stretching it over.

Then with a "Pop" it inserted into the Black Soil, probing downward continuously.

The condition of the Black Soil was soon perceived clearly.

At this time, Xu Zhangqing asked the Spirit Farmer beside him, who was so nervous he was sweating: "Since I left, no problems have occurred here, right?"

The other nodded like pounding garlic: "I've been following your instructions exactly, keeping constant watch here, and currently haven't discovered any problems."

Xu Zhangqing's gaze shifted sideways, looking toward Hua Lao at his side: "What do you think?"

Hua Lao appeared thoughtful: "This district was reclaimed at the same time, which means the concentration of Earth Qi, and the degree of fertilization, should all be about the same."

The nutrients in the black soil are either more or less.

It depends on whether the Earth Qi is dense.

Whether fertilizer has been applied.

Whether Spirit Rain has fallen.

There are also details like the Slash-and-Burn Fire Seeding Method.

Even some Spirit Farmers, or cultivation clans that specialize in planting Spirit Fields, will install Spirit Gathering Arrays, allowing newly reclaimed Spirit Fields to evolve at a faster speed.

The Spirit Farmer beside him didn't wait to be asked and immediately chimed in: "The Steward is right. Our Spirit Fields here have a schedule from reclamation to dredging Earth Qi, fertilizing, and Spirit Rain, and the team is also one that has cooperated for many years."

The team here refers to the Earth Spirit Roots who reclaim Spirit Fields.

The Spirit Beast Valley disciples who transport Spirit Beast Feces.

And the Water Spirit Root disciples from the Water Control Pavilion who specially send down Spirit Rain.

As the first clan on the Spirit Field side, the Rong Family itself cooperates with many professional teams.

Therefore, it is absolutely impossible for any negligence or mistake to appear.

Hua Lao didn't speak, merely moving to another one mu of Second Grade Spirit Field that had no problem, continuing to use the method from just now, perceiving through root tendrils deep underground.

Although the two mu of Spirit Fields are very close, the nutrients in the black soil indeed have a difference.

One is normal.

One is abnormal.

Next, Hua Lao tested a few more mu of different Spirit Fields. When he returned to the first problematic Spirit Field, his expression was already more solemn than before: "Xiao Xu, change location."

Xu Changqing heard this and nodded: "You follow me."

In the following time, the two continuously tested the Spirit Fields' conditions.

When Xu Changqing checked before, he discovered no more than ten mu.

But this time after Hua Lao checked, he discovered it had already exceeded ten mu.

Among them, some Spirit Fields look very normal on the surface, but have already been imperceptibly shifting toward nutrient deficiency bit by bit.

"It has already exceeded ten mu!"

"This speed is not slow at all!"

"It seems the situation is even worse than imagined!"

Xu Changqing and Hua Lao looked at each other, both seeing that trace of solemnity in the other's eyes.

The root of this matter actually has no relation to the Spirit Fields at all.

The real reason is: where exactly did these lost nutrients go?

That is the critical point!

Soon, Xu Changqing brought Hua Lao to the vicinity of the Rong Family's residential district, quickly finding the Spirit Field originally planted with Qiansui Jinmang Rice.

Rong Yan did not ignore Xu Changqing's reminder and had already arranged for Rong Fu to keep watch here.

One look at the arrivals.

Moreover, one is a Spirit Nurturing Envoy, one is a Spirit Field Steward.

Rong Fu was quite nervous, immediately cupping his fists in salute, then turning to go notify Rong Yan.

Hua Lao then walked down the Spirit Field Ridge, quickly arriving before the unburied pit. A thick root tendril extended inside. When it emerged again, its surface was already covered in blue-purple light spots, and dense insect eggs!