Chapter 661: Planting Methods and the Difference in Druids

Aoruipusi sighed once more and began to explain in detail: "This seed comes from a small family named 'Golden Wind', but their family lineage can be traced all the way back to the Crown War era. They were once quite prosperous, but the family suffered repeated turmoil, eventually becoming a small family huddled in a border town."

"This Bonu Tea Tree seed was obtained by them not long ago from an Upper Family, intended as the foundation for the family's resurgence. Unexpectedly, the small town they were in was suddenly attacked by Drow. Most of the family members were lost. They are Elves who have truly seen Drow with their own eyes; they have already been scared out of their wits by the cruelty of the Drow!"

"Before I even asked about the Bonu Tea, they took the initiative to bring out the tea seed. As a trade, all the current members of their family can board the ship heading north tomorrow."

"That is the only condition?!"

After receiving confirmation from Aoruipusi, Xia Duo felt very shocked, because according to the previous plan, the intention was actually to spend "money" to purchase the foundation of other Elf families, and boarding the ship was merely an additional condition.

He never expected that a Bonu Tea seed could be exchanged just for boarding spots!

This world is truly incredible!

No wonder Aoruipusi said he was lucky the moment he arrived! It really is good luck!

At the same time, his gaze toward Aoruipusi became a bit closer; after all, the other party could have completely lied about paying some extra cost and then asked him for "reimbursement".

If Aoruipusi had really done that, he might not necessarily have discovered it, but Aoruipusi did not do so. Xia Duo must respond to this kind of sincerity.

Of course, this cannot yet be called much of a friendship, but at least there is already a tacit understanding of cooperation.

……

Subsequently, Xia Duo asked again: "Patriarch Aoruipusi, regarding that Golden Wind family you just mentioned, did they provide the planting method for this tea tree?"

He himself has quite a bit of planting experience, but at the same time, he also knows that if the planting method is improper, it is very easy to ruin a normal plant, especially when there is only one seed and no room for trial and error; mastering the appropriate method appears especially important.

Regarding Xia Duo's question, Aoruipusi smiled slightly and then said: "Lord Xia Duo, although the Golden Wind family did not provide the planting method, this method is not considered a secret in Cormanthor. What many Elf families lack is not the planting method; what they lack is just this one small tea tree seed! The restrictions that those families who possess tea trees place on the outflow of tea seeds are truly too harsh!"

"If that is the case, does the Silver Leaf Family also possess the planting method for the Bonu Tea Tree?"

"Yes!"

Aoruipusi first responded, then took out a small booklet, and like the box containing the tea seed, pushed it in front of Xia Duo, saying to Xia Duo: "This is what I have prepared for Lord Xia Duo. As long as you find a Druid and follow the steps above, it is very easy to cultivate a Bonu Tea Tree."

"A Druid?"

Hearing this term, Xia Duo could not help but frown. He had never heard of any Druid being employed by others to help them with commercial planting. That group of stubborn people only thinks about transforming farmland, or even villages, into forests, and only considers it finished once they have completely merged with the forest.

Now hearing Aoruipusi mention Druids, Xia Duo realized that perhaps Elf Druids and human Druids are not the same, so he asked again: "Do Cormanthor Elves often hire Druids for planting?"

"Of course, if we did not use Druids for planting, how could we possibly feed so many Elves without opening up large-scale farmland!"

Clearly, Aoruipusi was very surprised that Xia Duo raised this question. Perhaps realizing that Xia Duo did not know any Druids, he offered another proposal:

"If Lord Xia Duo agrees, I am willing to let a member of the Silver Leaf Family become a full-time Druid, on the condition that—after the Bonu Tea Tree grows, the Silver Leaf Family must have a share of the seeds obtained."

Giving up this seed from the Golden Wind family, Aoruipusi felt very reluctant, but thinking that he might still obtain seeds from Lord Xia Duo in the future, it was not very hard for him to accept.

He even thought that by importing the Bonu Tea planted on the human side back to Cormanthor, he could obtain a huge boost for the family's growth, and this would require him to have a relatively reliable ally on the human side.

If they were too strong, there might be nothing for him to do; if they were too weak, it would be impossible to support these undertakings. Lord Xia Duo is just right: far from the Nether Core Region, and at the same time having a Mage Tower as a planting base, which is very suitable for both secrecy and protection.

……

Aoruipusi's condition was not excessive; he only requested that if seeds were obtained in the future, he would provide a full-time Druid. Besides being used to take care of the Bonu Tea Tree, it was not impossible to even ask this Druid to cultivate some high-yield crops.

The benefits are indeed many, but there is one point that makes it almost impossible for Xia Duo to accept an Elf Druid, and that is—

Elf Druids are essentially Clerics of the Elf Main Deity. Placing an Elf Druid by his side, isn't that exposing himself to the eyes of the Elf Main Deity at all times?

Although Xia Duo has no way of knowing the difference between the Elf Main Deity and the Lord of Radiance for the time being, at least the Lord of Radiance will not actively interfere in mortal affairs and does an excellent job in terms of "neutrality". If it were not for the fact that humans have a huge need for the Lord of Radiance, the presence of the Lord of Radiance would be extremely, extremely low.

But the Elf Main Deity is different. The information Xia Duo has received from multiple channels is that—compared to the Lord of Radiance, the Elf Main Deity seems a bit too active.

To the point that it doesn't look like a god at all, but more like a mortal who has mastered the "power of a god".

Additionally, there are some secrets that perhaps even the Elves do not know, such as why the god of the Elves in the Projection Plane is the "Creation Mother Goddess", yet it becomes the so-called "Elf Main Deity" when it reaches the Main Plane.

Based on various reasons, Xia Duo does not want to have any substantial or non-substantial contact with this "Elf Main Deity" at all. It is impossible to never have any intersection, but at least before he grows to a certain level, he should not attract too much attention.

But refusing directly is also not good. It was not easy to have some tacit understanding of cooperation, so it shouldn't just go down the drain. After thinking for a moment, Xia Duo took a few wheat seeds from his Personal Space and then recited a short phrase in Elvish—

【Ultimate of Life, Blooming Flowers】!

A thick force of life suddenly surged forth, enveloping these few wheat seeds, and almost in the blink of an eye, it forced these few wheat seeds to sprout inch-long seedlings. After finishing this, Xia Duo looked at Aoruipusi and asked:

"Patriarch Aoruipusi, if one has mastered a Spell like 【Blooming Flowers】, would they be able to take good care of the Bonu Tea Tree?"

Aoruipusi did not answer this question directly, but his face was filled with surprise, "Lord Xia Duo, do you mean you want a Mage to take care of the Bonu Tea Tree?"