Chapter 17: Assigning Work

Qin Shu reached out to take it, knowing there was more to this token than met the eye.

Once activated with true qi, it could enlarge and transform into a flying skateboard.

Next, he examined the qiankun pouch, which appeared to have thousands of cubic meters of capacity. He wondered about the workload associated with it.

Seeing that everyone had received their items, Liu Yubai continued, “I’m sure you’ve already guessed part of the plan. Indeed, for the next four years, you will spend your time here at these farms. However, rest assured, each year you’ll still get one month off, around the New Year period.”

“The qiankun pouch contains techniques based on the Five Elements,” he explained further. “Your primary task going forward is to tend to the spirit fields in these farms—caring for the spiritual grains, spirit-gathering grass, nutritive fruits, and each farm’s unique spirit plants. Now, I’ll assign farms to you according to the characteristics of your spiritual souls. Pay attention as I call names; respond when yours is called.”

“Li Lianlong!”

“Present!”

“Excellent, full of vitality.” Liu Yubai’s gaze swept over them once more, noting that his students-turned-laborers had mostly recovered. His dissatisfaction began to dissipate.

“You’re a plant-type spiritual soul, Sunflower Li,” he said. “Here’s your farm code: 7721. Your specialty spirit plants are Sunward Jade Kernels. Your annual task is to produce ten thousand tons of spiritual grain, one hundred thousand Nutritive Fruits, ten thousand Spirit Gathering Grasses, and one hundred thousand Sunward Jade Kernel seeds. Any surplus will be your additional income.”

Li Lianlong mentally calculated: Four hundred square kilometers of land… I’ll have my work cut out for me this time.

But with the farm’s machine puppets as laborers, I only need to ensure spiritual rain falls and maintain favorable conditions. It shouldn’t be too challenging.

Seeing Li Lianlong’s prolonged silence, Liu Yubai barked, “Is there a problem?”

“No!” Li Lianlong replied loudly.

“Good. Next, Wang Daer.”

“Qin Shu!”

“Present!”

By now, Qin Shu had released An Feng.

Liu Yubai paused momentarily. He had already noticed Qin Shu earlier—the only one on the field who could stand steadily after his fall and even help others.

“Your farm code is 9528. The tasks for spiritual grains, spirit-gathering grass, and nutritive fruits are the same as for everyone else. Your specialty crop is the Dew Lotus of Serenity; you need to submit ten thousand cleansing lotus seeds per year.”

“Yes sir,” replied Qin Shu.

After his response, the communication watch on his wrist displayed the location of Farm Code 9528.

“An Feng!”

“Present!”

“Your farm code is 0007. The tasks for spiritual grains, spirit-gathering grass, and nutritive fruits are identical to those mentioned previously. Your specialty crop is Violet Jade Ginseng; you must deliver thirty plants each year.”

“Yes sir!” responded An Feng.

Soon, Liu Yubai finished assigning tasks to his students.

The farm numbers corresponded to their locations; Farm 0007 and Farm 9528 were over a thousand kilometers apart—what could have been with that girlfriend of yours!

Qin Shu and An Feng exchanged smiles before turning back to face forward.

Liu Yubai continued, “Finally, let me speak about safety issues. The farms aren’t like Yangzhou City or other urban areas. Within the Kui Tou Mountain Range, not only do demonic beasts exist, but Abyssal energy incursions into our world also occur from time to time, leading to Abyssal beast tides. Therefore, you must never leave your assigned farms without permission, understood?”

“Understood.”

These so-called Abyssal beast tides occurred when certain demonic beasts were influenced by Abyssal energy, causing them to lose rationality and gather in massive waves driven by an intense urge for destruction. They would then target all visible life in their vicinity.

When an Abyssal beast tide reached a critical mass, it could form an Abyssal domain, effectively severing that region from the God Soul Continent and plunging it into the Abyss itself.

As a result, there existed some awakened beings on the God Soul Continent specifically tasked with combating such Abyssal beast tides.

As for why Abyssal energy managed to breach the void and reach the God Soul Continent, that was beyond Qin Shu’s knowledge at present.

After taking care of his final task, Liu Yubai said, “Now you may leave. Remember to work hard on your farms.”

At Yangzhou Warrior God Academy, only students from the top thirty percent of their respective branches were deemed worthy of cultivation. The rest, like Qin Shu and An Feng, had to repay society for their education by laboring on farms during these four years.

As for ordinary people who hadn’t awakened any abilities, they didn’t face such obligations.

They attended regular universities and led unremarkable lives in society.

Qin Shu and An Feng departed in opposite directions—south and north respectively.

The two waved goodbye to each other.

“Well then, let’s go,” An Feng said with a smile. “If fate decrees it, we’ll meet again!”

Qin Shu returned the grin. “May our paths cross once more!”

The farm was over a thousand kilometers away, with lower-numbered assignments being closer to the academy.

Naturally, 9528 was the furthest, located near the Kui Mountain Range.

As An Feng activated his token, he glanced back one last time.

He saw that Qin Shu had already left on a larger token. Softly, An Feng murmured, “I truly wonder when we’ll meet again…”

During his journey, Qin Shu felt that the speed of the token beneath him was somewhat slow.

With a thought, his Spiritual Acuity Sword flew out, replacing the token. Transforming into a streak of sword light, his speed increased by tenfold instantly.

Having already reached Mid Foundation Establishment, his sword flight was now supersonic—faster than when he had first broken through.

The tip of the sword cleaved the air, creating a streamlined aura that surrounded Qin Shu. This allowed him to hear the wind’s whistle without feeling its full force against his face.

A journey that would have taken a day before now only took over an hour.

At the farm’s array entrance, Qin Shu activated his token, revealing the portal.

As he stepped inside, a wave of spiritual energy hit him, leaving him feeling invigorated and at peace.

“The spiritual energy here is much denser than even the outskirts of Yangzhou City!” He couldn’t help but exclaim with wonder.

Then came the sound of something slicing through the air.

A woman dressed in azure robes flew towards him, appearing before Qin Shu. “So you’re our new junior brother! I’m Hu Xue.”

“Yes, Senior Sister Hu,” Qin Shu nodded politely. “I’m Qin Shu.”

“Great! Let’s get started on the handover process. Please show me your token.” Hu Xue said, taking out her own first.

She placed their tokens together.

Hu Xue continued, “Now, the core access rights for the array have been transferred to you. I’ll give you a tour of the farm today, and then I’ll be departing tomorrow.”

“Sounds good!” Qin Shu nodded.

In this vast expanse of four hundred square kilometers, save for the laboring machine puppets, there stood but a single living soul.

And with it came an endless sea of loneliness.

Qin Shu could discern Hu Xue’s strength—she had reached the tenth level of Qi Refinement.

In these past four years, he mused, aside from tending to these crops, her only solace must have been cultivation.

Theoretically, a Bronze-tier spiritual soul could ascend to the Golden Core stage. However, such a path was fraught with peril; the likelihood of perishing within the Abyssal World was ever-present. Especially during the breakthrough to Golden Core, without proper guidance, the death rate hovered at nearly one hundred percent.

Among ten thousand awakened beings with Bronze-tier souls, not even one might hope to surmount the barrier to the Golden Core realm.

Hu Xue led Qin Shu on a tour of Farm 9528, encompassing its entirety over half a day. Observing how Qin Shu maintained his pace throughout, she remarked, “Junior Brother Qin, I suspect your strength transcends mere early-stage Qi Refinement.”

“Indeed, Senior Sister,” Qin Shu acknowledged without hesitation or need for denial.

As one who had trodden this path before him, Hu Xue offered her advice: “Let me caution you against attempting to break through to Foundation Establishment. For individuals like us, that threshold is akin to a death sentence—it’s nigh impossible to survive.”

Finding his senior sister quite amiable, Qin Shu responded gratefully, “Many thanks for your counsel, Senior Sister. I’ll proceed with utmost care.”

The next day, Hu Xue bid farewell and departed.

Before leaving, she had meticulously handed over her responsibilities. As a result, Qin Shu now had a clear understanding of the entire farm’s operations.