[ Deep Scan Complete.
]
[ Target: Riverside Jade-Needle Rice (Novice Spiritual Plant Variant) ]
[ Detailed Data: Annual aquatic herbaceous plant.
Growth cycle: approximately 120-150 days (varies by ambient spiritual qi concentration).
Prefers high temperatures (optimal: 20-30°C), high humidity (root systems should be kept moist continuously, ideal water depth: 3-10 cm), and short days (daily sunlight under 12 hours favors heading).
Low soil specificity, adapts to pH 5.5-7.5, with organic-rich, well-draining clay loam or loam being best.
Moderate nutrient requirement; additional nutrients are needed during the tillering and booting stages.
]
[ Potential Issues: Susceptible to “Rice Blast Disease (Erosion Type)” and “Stem Borers (Small Elemental Organisms).” Ecological control can be achieved by adjusting the local Leyline Water Essence balance or introducing specific companion plants (such as “Borer-Expelling Grass,” which has been identified in the downstream wetlands).
]
[ Special Prompt: The grains of this variety contain faint Water-Earth Spiritual Qi.
Long-term consumption has a mild effect of nourishing the internal organs and harmonizing the qi and blood.
The Host can utilize their own abilities to guide the Leyline Water Essence, optimize the growth environment, and improve quality and yield.
]
The System’s information stream unfolded clearly in my mind, far more detailed than the brief description from before.
Spiritual Plant?
Water-Earth Spiritual Qi?
Elemental Organisms?
These unfamiliar terms left me even more confused, but the System went silent again after outputting the information, maintaining a “please explore on your own” posture.
I shook my head, temporarily suppressing these doubts, and could only wait until I met “locals” to seek clarification later.
The urgent priority was recording.
I hurriedly flipped open my notebook, using the jade-stemmed pen to swiftly transcribe the key information, the pen tip making an urgent rustling sound as it scratched across the paper.
Having finished recording, I closed the notebook and stared again at the few stalks of jade-white rice ears swaying gently in the wind.
My fingertips seemed to still retain that faint and harmonious rhythmic pulse of life I had sensed upon touching them.
The System suggested I could “guide the Leyline Water Essence”…
but specifically, how was I supposed to do that?
I closed my eyes, trying to banish distracting thoughts, and slowly sank my consciousness into the land beneath my feet and the gurgling stream nearby.
The deeply hidden perceptual abilities belonging to “Shu” seemed to be awakened by this focused intent, spreading outward like ripples.
At first, there was only a chaotic darkness and a vague humming.
Gradually, my perception began to clear.
I “saw” it.
No, it was not vision, but a more direct, more essential “feeling.”
Beneath my feet was no longer mere soil, but an interwoven web of countless moist, warm, and slowly flowing pale-yellow “veins” (leylines).
Not far away, the river pulsed with clearer, more lively azure “veins” (Water Essence).
They were not isolated, but like the earth’s blood vessels and nerves, crisscrossing and interconnecting to form a vast, invisible, yet vibrant network covering the entire valley.
The energy flow within this network carried a natural rhythm, like breathing and a heartbeat, nourishing all living beings that relied upon it, including these few stalks of Jade-Needle Rice.
I tried to transform a sliver of my intent into the gentlest of tentacles, cautiously reaching toward a tiny Leyline Tributary beneath the roots of the nearest Jade-Needle Rice stalk.
Without force, without command, I merely carried a pure intention of curiosity and soothing, gently “touching” and “resonating” with it.
Humm…
A clear, gentle feedback washed over me.
The flow of that Leyline Tributary seemed to be softly “plucked,” its current quickening slightly as it veered gently toward the rice plant’s roots.
Immediately after, the nearest stalk of Jade-Needle Rice underwent a subtle change, visible to the naked eye: its slightly curled leaves unfurled, their color becoming more lustrous; the jade-white glow on the rice panicle seemed to brighten a few shades, and the grains appeared fuller.
I could even feel the “vitality” it radiated becoming stronger and more cheerful.
This immediate effect caused my eyes to widen instantly, my ice-blue pupils filled with astonishment.
“Is this…
Shu’s power?” I murmured unconsciously, tugging at the corner of my mouth, a surge of unbelievable shock washing through my heart.
“It’s too…
too strong!
This was just my tentative, extremely slight hint of guidance!”
As if responding to my astonishment, a series of crisp notification sounds rang out in the depths of my consciousness, their pace so fast it was hard to keep up:
[Ding~ Initial Tutorial Quests “Get Used to New Body,” “Survey Valley,” and “Identify Basic Crops” comprehensive evaluation completed.
Rewards issued: Basic Farming Tool Kit (Will-Summoned), System Knowledge Base “Novice Spiritual Plant Identification Volume” access granted, Environment Scan (50-meter radius) permanently activated.]
[Ding~ System Shop Module activated (Currently open for Basic Spiritual Plant Seeds, Ordinary Tools, and Novice Consumables only).]
[Ding~ Daily Quest Module activated.
Please check for the day’s optional quests at dawn each day.]
[Ding~ Status Panel Function opened.
]
[Ding~ Next stage Main Quest issued: Please submit “Jade-Needle Rice Grains” 0/100 kg.
(Quest Description: Master basic planting and harvesting, establish a sustainable food source.)]
The continuous “ding-ding” sounds made my brain a bit fuzzy, and I couldn’t help but raise a hand to rub my temples.
The amount of information was a bit too much.
“Status Panel?” I regained my focus and murmured in my mind.
A semi-transparent interface glowing with a soft water-blue light instantly appeared before my eyes, its layout clean and clear:
[ Status Panel ] · Name: Shu · HP: 3213/3213
· Attack: 479
· Defense: 602
· Magic Resistance: 10
· Elemental Affinity:
· Gold: 121
· Wood: 161
· Water: 181
· Fire: 94
· Earth: 186
· (Reference Standard: 0-50 Poor; 51-100 Normal; 101-150 Good; 151-200 Excellent; 200+ Exceptional)
· Race: Not fully analyzed (Contains high-rank characteristics)
· Current Skills: None (Awaiting activation/learning)
· Traits: Leyline Perception (Novice), Water Essence Affinity (Novice), Flora Communication (Faint)
“These stats…” I scanned them quickly, and my mouth twitched again when I saw the four-digit and three-digit numbers after HP and Defense.
“Isn’t this Shu’s endgame build?” But seeing the “Elemental Affinity” column and the “Not fully analyzed” race label, my confusion resurfaced.
“Elemental Affinity…
So it really is related to what I sensed earlier?
The low Fire attribute isn’t surprising, after all, ‘Shu’ is more about Water and Earth abundance…”
I shook my head, temporarily clearing my mind of the overly complex thoughts.
My gaze returned to the few stalks of Jade-Needle Rice before me.
“Just now…
did I ripen that one stalk?” I carefully observed the rice stalk I had guided the Leyline through.
It looked completely ripe, its grains plump and ready to fall, forming a stark contrast with the other stalks still in the grain-filling stage.
“Then these others shouldn’t be fully ripe yet.”
Driven by curiosity, I once again mobilized that newly awakened perception.
This time, I was more cautious, dividing my will into several strands, each probing the Leyline Tributaries and the Water Essence nourishment beneath the remaining stalks of Jade-Needle Rice.
No longer a simple “touch,” I tried to slightly “smooth” and “promote” the energy flow according to their own growth rhythm, like pouring a pool of clear spring water for thirsty roots and bringing a gentle breeze to weary stems and leaves.
The effect was still obvious.
A few stalks of rice became more vigorous at a speed visible to the naked eye, the curve of their drooping heads more graceful, and the jade-white luster of the grains more warm and translucent.
Although they did not instantly reach full ripeness like the first one, their growth process had clearly been gently pushed forward by a large margin.
“It seems this kind of guidance consumes my spiritual power, or a certain ‘mental energy’?” I felt a slight sense of fatigue, not physical, but a slight “emptiness” on a spiritual level.
But at the same time, the feeling of establishing this direct “communication” with the earth, water, and plants brought an indescribable sense of fulfillment and pleasure.
Straightening up, I looked at this gentle slope and then at the mission “Submit 100 kilograms of Jade-Needle Rice Grains” on my Status Panel.
“The road is still long…” I sighed softly, but the initial confusion was gone from my ice-blue eyes, replaced by a quiet focus and a faint sense of anticipation.
Let’s see what is in the “Basic Farming Tool Kit” provided by the System first.
By the way, I’ll plan how to turn this gentle slope by the river into my first experimental field.