Chapter 1157 Barbarians
That evening, while Chen Yang was discussing details with Ananda, the Barbarian chief visited again. This time, he inquired about grain resources.
The Barbarian chief had actually come to Chen Yang out of desperation. He had already visited various black markets and merchant guilds. Although the black markets held abundant resources, their prices were exorbitant. The Barbarian chief was tempted to resort to outright robbery, but he knew that if he attacked one black market, the others would be alerted. Consequently, the resources he could seize would be limited. As for the major merchant guilds, they were even less likely to help, as they were unwilling to offend the Demon Capital Prefecture. After much consideration, he could only turn to Chen Yang for assistance.
Although Ananda did not know who the visitor was, his silent appearance in the Land of Hope, coupled with Chen Yang's lack of surprise, clearly indicated he was an ally. Moreover, he was likely from the Barbarian tribe.
Noticing Chen Yang's gaze on him, Ananda immediately puffed out his chest and replied, "We have already opened up quite a few spirit fields. However, these fields were only recently planted, and it's unlikely they will yield anything substantial in the short term."
Chen Yang frowned. The Land of Hope had many inhabitants who had not yet reached the Foundation Establishment realm. To meet their consumption needs, Chen Yang had specifically instructed Ananda. "Didn't I tell you to acquire some previously? Have they all been consumed?"
Chen Yang's question elicited a wry smile from Ananda. "They haven't been entirely consumed, but ever since that group from Demon Bone City arrived, our daily consumption has increased severalfold. It's already quite difficult to maintain a stable state. Once the first batch of spirit fields are harvested in a few months, the pressure will be significantly reduced."
Hearing this, the Barbarian chief understood that the Land of Hope was already doing remarkably well in terms of self-sufficiency. He feared he would have to return empty-handed again. The thought of hundreds of thousands of barbarians requiring supplies from the Barbarian City in a few days, with so many mouths to feed, gave the Barbarian chief a headache.
Just as the Barbarian chief was contemplating where else to seek assistance, Chen Yang slammed the table, exclaiming angrily, "Months? With the war imminent, how can we afford to delay for so long?" Chen Yang's expression was contorted with rage.
Ananda, seeing Chen Yang's anger for the first time, straightened up, his plump body trembling. "Young Master, it's not that I'm trying to delay, but this matter is truly unavoidable. I can procure medicinal herbs and ores at a reasonable price, but spirit fields require daily maintenance. Even the fastest-growing spirit fields cannot mature within such a short timeframe."
Chen Yang gritted his teeth and said resentfully, "Is there no way to accelerate the growth of spirit fields?"
The Barbarian chief was about to speak, intending not to trouble Chen Yang further. However, Ananda interjected, "I did hear of a method before. If spirit stones are used, they can indeed expedite the ripening. However, by my calculations, the daily consumption of spirit stones will increase significantly."
As soon as Ananda finished speaking, Chen Yang slammed the table again, his eyes alight with excitement. "If there's a way, why didn't you say so sooner?" If it involved other rare materials, Chen Yang might have been hesitant, as the Land of Hope did not possess many of them. But when it came to spirit stones, Chen Yang had plenty to say. "No matter how many spirit stones are needed to ripen the spirit fields, one thing is certain! No... not only the already cultivated spirit fields, but we must also expand our scale."
Chen Yang then turned to the Barbarian chief and inquired, "What is the current deficit for the Barbarian tribe?"
The Barbarian chief was taken aback by this proposal. Using spirit stones to hasten the growth of spirit fields? This hardly seemed like a rational solution. Moreover, he didn't have enough spirit stones to sustain Chen Yang's demands. Hadn't he already mentioned that his coffers were empty? The Barbarian chief replied with a bitter smile, "If this method is used, I truly cannot afford the spirit fields that are ripened this way. To be frank, we are almost depleted. Even purchasing a portion of ordinary spirit rice to last until your first batch of supplies arrives, I doubt I can offer a good price."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yang waved his hand grandly. "What are you talking about? The Barbarian tribe is the only group in the Human Realm willing to aid the human bloodline, and you are at war with the Demon Capital Prefecture. How could I possibly not help you in this regard? The reason I wanted to exchange some supplies for elixirs and weapons is because the Land of Hope does not produce these items and requires raw materials from elsewhere. However, spirit rice, on the other hand, only requires the price of seeds to yield a substantial harvest. Just tell me your tribe's current deficit, and I will provide it without a single coin, not even a spirit stone!"
Chen Yang understood the importance of spirit rice. In war, not only the combat strength of the opposing forces mattered, but logistics and provisions were far more crucial than people generally realized. Chen Yang certainly wished for the Barbarian tribe to deplete the strength of the Demon Capital Prefecture. It was merely a matter of spirit stones. With a spirit vein as his backing, Chen Yang knew the saying "You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing a cub." If the Barbarian tribe couldn't afford the spirit stones now, he could always reclaim them from the Demon Capital Prefecture later.
The Barbarian chief was stunned for several seconds before comprehending that Chen Yang genuinely intended to support them. Receiving a free batch of elixirs and weapons had already exceeded the Barbarian chief's expectations. Now, Chen Yang was willing to supply all their food supplies for free! The Barbarian chief's eyes reddened, and his voice choked with emotion. "If, in this grave war, the Barbarian tribe is fortunate enough to emerge victorious, then the affairs of the human race shall be our own."
The Barbarian tribe had initially agreed to help the humans because assisting a few individuals discreetly would not provoke attacks from major powers, while simultaneously strengthening the Barbarian tribe. Although the situation of the human race in the Human Realm had changed, the Barbarian chief knew that in the short term, while the humans were in a better position than the barbarians, everyone was eyeing the humans' resources. Now, Chen Yang's willingness to provide such substantial aid was beyond ordinary assistance. The Barbarian chief naturally had to express his sincerity.
After seeing the Barbarian chief off, Chen Yang shook his head with a sigh. "This Barbarian chief, despite being on the same level as the Prefect of the Demon Capital Prefecture, actually has such a sentimental side." Ananda nodded in agreement, but then his expression faltered, and he asked Chen Yang blankly, "Young Master, who was that person you were just talking about?" "The Barbarian chief?"