Cultivator's Slice of Life: Spiritual Farming System

The journey became more pleasant now that I was inside a carriage. It wasn't tiring, and all I had to do was sit on the coach and stare at the beautiful scenery through the window.

It was all green, way different from my previous world filled with buildings. I gasped for air, and it was fresh, as if pollution did not touch it.

My mind tried to get away from the carriage, trying to think of only a way to speed up the journey, but the elder and the little kid—who had a higher cultivation than me—loved to talk.

The elder was called Sun Liang, and the kid was Sun Shi. They were heading toward the city to trade some items, not for Sun Liang, but for the kid!

I watched his every move, and my intuition was telling me that Sun Liang was not a Foundation Establishment cultivator but a Golden Core one!

I know, it sounds crazy, but it might be. Foundation Establishment cultivators were often rude, seeing other cultivators as weaker, therefore not giving them any attention and mistreating them.

But Sun Liang was not like that. His voice resembled wisdom, and his tranquil eyes were proof that he had lived far longer than those in the Foundation realm.

It was only a guess, though, but one I was almost sure of.

"So, Tian Li," Sun Liang said, sipping his warm tea, "you don't have a sect? I can see you're almost hitting the fourth layer, so you should be able to enter one."

I wasn't feeling confident about saying I left the Cloud Sect, as that would make them see me as someone who dishonored cultivation.

"Yes, I could," I said, moving my gaze from the window to him, "but I am taking care of my farm now and trying to explore other things, like alchemy perhaps."

There was no reason to hide that from Sun Liang. He was far more powerful than me, and his piercing eyes could see through all my secrets—well, not my system nor my cultivation method.

When he heard the word alchemy, his eyes shone with a curious light but said nothing. I noticed that and asked, "Does Elder know of an alchemy-related sect?"

It wasn't the best question. What if Sun Liang disliked it? Then my body would explode. The fact that there was a little kid with us made me more confident. There's no way Sun Liang would traumatize his grandson.

Sun Liang smiled. "You're the cunning type, aren't you? Well, the sect I belong to, the Flying Lotus Sect, is related to both alchemy and swordsmanship." ｂｅｄ𝚗ｏ𝚟𝚎𝚕.𝚌𝚘ｍ

"But? I know there's a 'but' here," I said.

He sighed. "But the recruitment for new disciples will only happen in 7 years, while the recruitment for Elders will happen in 3. If you manage to achieve Foundation Establishment in three years, look for it."

"Three years..."

It might sound like a lot for mortals, but it is common for some cultivators to spend ten or more years in a single cultivation session! That's why Wan Yu was so sad when we parted ways. Her world was a completely different reality from the mortal world.

Anyway, reaching the Foundation Establishment realm in three years was harsh, but I was confident in making it! That would certainly turn me into a genius.

"I think we're here," Sun Liang said as the carriage stopped. "It was nice to meet you, and who knows, maybe you'll become the next Elder in the Flying Lotus Sect."

"Elder, before you leave," I said in a respectful tone, "can you help this junior get an alchemy cultivation art? I have a few historical items for exchange, but I have no idea where to start..."

I knew East Raven was the city where many cultivators met to exchange their goods, whether they were cultivators from sects or rogue cultivators like myself. However, to access these meetings, one had to know where to look.

The only reason I mustered the courage to ask was that, even with his unfathomable cultivation, Sun Liang seemed like a decent cultivator. At least he didn't appear to be the type who would prey on the weak.

"Historical items? I do have a friend who will be participating in a meeting today and might be interested," Sun Liang said, crouching down to get closer to Sun Shi. "If it's okay with you, can Tian Li come with us?"

"Yes, yes," Sun Shi rejoiced, grabbing my robe. "There are many things to see in East Raven. You will love it!"

The kid seemed to enjoy my presence, and that was a good thing! It was a way for me to connect with a much more powerful cultivator. That would surely bring me benefits, though I knew I had to have value for such a friendship to continue.

We left the carriage and, since it was still early in the afternoon, we used the day to explore the city. It was massive, with buildings that were far more intricate and well-designed than Riverside. Heck, it was impossible to compare the two.

The city's size wasn't that big, though, and I estimated it had around ten thousand people living there. It was a mix of mortals and cultivators, although the number of mortals living there was higher, considering that most cultivators resided in their sects.

I watched the crowded streets and the bustling market, observing how much more powerful the cultivators were. Most of them were in the same realm as me, Qi Condensation, and only a few, those who appeared more mysterious and formidable than the rest, were possibly in the Foundation Establishment realm. However, due to my low cultivation compared to them, I wasn't entirely certain.

But Sun Liang? He was something different! His body seemed to have zero Qi around it—he was concealing it—but no matter where he went, the cultivators had the same guess as me: he was a big shot!

We spent the day in the markets, and the pleasing smell of food enticed me to spend some of my coins on delicious treats! It was definitely worth it, if you ask me.

For entertainment, we listened to street music. The city had a lovely atmosphere filled with cheer. I greatly enjoyed exploring it with Sun Shi and Sun Liang by my side.

And when night fell, it was time for a gathering of immortals. If I were to go into the city alone, everyone I would meet would be Qi Condensation cultivators, resulting in lower-grade goods for trading.

However, with Sun Liang beside me, we ventured into a gathering with Foundation Establishment cultivators and even some higher than that!

"Can I survive it?" I murmured, feeling the cold sweat all over my body.