Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Awaiting the Beginning of Spring
When Li Ye pushed open the door and returned home with his plentiful harvest, he immediately noticed a clear spring water gushing out from the corner of the courtyard.
Even as snowflakes gradually fell, it continued to flow outward, gradually soaking the surrounding ground, clearly indicating that this spring needed some planning from Li Ye.
As he was about to put down the beavers and deal with the situation, the little beavers suddenly became restless, conveying a desire to go outside.
He glanced at the spring water, then at the eager beavers, and suddenly understood: "You want to handle that spring water?"
The beavers nodded in unison, their small beady eyes sparkling, as if it were a rare treasure. From their eyes, one could see their innocence, which was endearing.
"Then go ahead, I’m looking forward to you doing a good job."
After Li Ye tilted the box, they hurriedly ran towards the Spiritual Spring gushing out, collecting some mud and fallen twigs and leaves from the plants in the courtyard along the way.
As they approached the Spiritual Spring, they chirped as if exchanging a few words.
Then, as if it was an instinct etched into their bodies, two beavers mixed mud, one beaver gnawed and cut branches, while the other two traversed the water, using the mud and branches to construct a small dam.
The division of labor was quite perfect.
Initially, the dam would be overturned by the flowing spring water.
But after reinforcing it two or three times, the water obediently flowed through the gaps in the branches composing the dam, becoming very gentle.
And even though the dam was made of mud and randomly picked fallen leaves, it somehow filtered the water flow, making the spring water that passed through noticeably clearer.
"It truly is a bit magical."
He walked to the small dam, watching the beavers still busily digging soil to build their nests and thought for a while before finding the most stable one and placing it in his palm.
Then he took out that ominous Hungry Bone.
The beaver curiously raised its head, looking at his other hand, its eyes filled with pure curiosity.
Which means it was not repelled.
[Binding requires 100 points of Vital Essence.]
Fortunately, he had consumed quite a few Spiritual Objects lately and had taken Moon Liquid Pearls every day. Unexpectedly, this binding required a hundred points, while Silver Moon Grass and Flint Fire Crystal Insect only needed twenty points.
’Bind.’
With a thought.
A mysterious bond seemed to form between the Hungry Bone in his hand and the little beaver, the latter blinking its small beady eyes at the Hungry Bone, then immediately hugged it.
Whether an illusion or not, Li Ye faintly felt that the Hungry Bone showed a hint of resistance, but was finally overcome by the beaver’s enthusiasm.
"..."
He placed them on the ground, and the Weichuan Beaver laboriously dragged the bone, which was twice its size, towards its under-construction nest, apparently intending to place it inside the nest.
In theory, the Hungry Bone exuding a resentful aura would feel prickly even to a cultivator holding it and could even influence them, yet miraculously, it didn’t affect the beaver at all.
— No, there was still an effect: the other beavers gave the beaver carrying the Hungry Bone a separate space, not daring to approach, fearing contamination.
But it seemed to enjoy it, content to be separated from its companions and live with the Hungry Bone.
Li Ye observed them for a while, and after seeing no anomalies, he began directing the beavers’ work.
— He needed the beavers to divert the Spiritual Spring water to the plot of land he was about to plant.
After a brief guidance, he realized how astoundingly smart these little creatures were.
With just a few suggestions, they understood accurately, tidying up the ground while busying themselves.
They were quite lively.
"I should have bought a few more; I wonder if it’s too late to go back and ask for some."
Such extraordinary Spirit Beasts were indeed rare. With their help, he saved the effort of constantly watering and tending the courtyard.
...
In the following days, Li Ye was busy preparing an environment suitable for Silver Moon Grass to grow.
For this, he even used Spirit Stones to replenish its Spiritual Qi, then used the Spiritual Qi it returned to make Ice Crystal Beads.
The grain was also soaked for breeding using certain methods, and the garden had been tilled, ready for sowing as soon as spring came.
During this time, the Glazed Snow Lotus withered after all.
Because Li Ye didn’t know if finding an Ice Attribute bird would save it, and with winter soon to pass into spring, where would there be room for it to frolic around with the bird?
So he could only watch its petals gradually wither, its lotus leaves droop feebly, with only a single lotus seed remaining, quietly lying in the vessel that once held snow.
He collected this lotus seed, planning to replant it in the winter.
As for the Cold Ice Wheat, he still couldn’t understand why it was able to bind with Spirit Plants, but this did not deter him from trying to bind it with the newly obtained Spring Wheat.
Unfortunately, only thirty-some Cold Ice Wheat had the demand to produce Wheat Pills and form bindings.
He could only continue to bind with thirty-plus wheat seedlings and carefully tend to them.
Thus, he ate plenty of good food during these days to accumulate Vital Essence.
Things like Moon Liquid Pearls, stockpiled Spiritual Wheat Flour, and occasionally buying Spirit Fruits from the marketplace, mixing them with Spiritual Spring Water. Delicious, indeed, though the only issue was the lack of meat.
But frankly, this Golden Finger was indeed excellent. He didn’t need to do much; just eating accumulated enough Vital Essence, which he enjoyed tremendously.
"So, I’m already focusing on wellness at such a young age."
In his leisure time, he would sit by the window with pastries and inexpensive Spiritual Tea on the table beside him, leisurely reading the two books he had bought.
Now, he was holding "Qimen Small Techniques."
Inside were recorded some very practical and convenient small spells.
For example...
Li Ye extended his hand over the pastries in front of him, performing the Object Retrieval Technique he had just learned.
The piece of pastry wobbled, barely getting into the air, much like a bird just learning to fly, soaring up and down before finally landing in Li Ye’s hand.
He took a bite of the pastry, contentedly sighing:
"No wonder the Spiritual Mechanism Vine recommended I buy this book. Even though the spells inside aren’t as systematic as the Five Elements Techniques, you really can’t live comfortably without them."
He finished the pastry in a few bites, looked at the crumbs on his clothes, and with a casual flick of his fingers — a surge of invisible Spiritual Power instantly gathered all the dust and pastry crumbs together into a small pile.
He casually used the Object Retrieval Technique to toss them into the trash can.
Then, he silently recited the Calming Spell, temporarily banishing distractions from his mind, patiently began to study more spells.
And so, time passed slowly.
Until one night, while he was sleeping, the sound of a gong suddenly resonated outside, accompanied by a resonant male voice echoing throughout the marketplace:
"Fellow cultivators."
"Spring arrives with all things rejuvenated, and Four Seasons Sect has gifts for everyone."
"With the cycle of seasons, let’s gather some good fortune!"
When Li Ye quickly climbed out of bed to look out the window, what he saw there left him slightly agape.
As expected of the Four Seasons Sect.
Truly wealthy and imposing.