In the incense shop, Xi Mufu and Ji Jiu were also discussing Pu Yunfeng.
“Director Ji, have you discovered anything?”
“Just call me by my name,” Ji Jiu replied with a glance.
Xi Mufu: “…”
How could she dare address the head of the Special Administration Bureau by his full name!
“Then… may I call you Master Jiu?” She had heard the elders from Longhu Mountain and Maoshan sects addressing him this way.
“Fine.” Ji Jiu nodded, then answered her question. “Judging by the reactions of this otherworldly guest, his actions are restricted. He likely cannot refuse your requests, nor can he attack you.” He paused. “When you asked if he wanted to buy incense money paper, he hesitated and seemed suspicious, but he still completed the transaction. I suspect some rule prevents him from opposing you.”
Xi Mufu thought carefully and realized that this seemed to be true.
Ji Jiu continued: “The rule is probably mutual. If he cannot attack you, then we likely cannot attack him either. That makes things much safer.”
As the Lord of the Underworld, the will of the Six Realms was under his control. He could sense that the other party had no intention of attacking this world.
Xi Mufu exhaled in relief. “That’s good.”
She had been worried about the safety of the townspeople and visitors, since the main street was still operating and crowded daily.
Ji Jiu mused, “Perhaps next time we can try communicating with them to understand each side’s situation, and see if the rules allow it.”
Xi Mufu nodded, making a mental note.
Then she shared her own discovery: “Twelve purification talismans only cost one skill to exchange, which is the same value as one incense money paper. I guess the rule is that only one skill or item can be exchanged per type of item. Next time I’ll try selling gold ingots.”
Ji Jiu: “Good.”
Xi Mufu was pleased he approved and, remembering something, exclaimed excitedly, “Oh, my talisman-making skill has leveled up! I can make protective charms now!” She described the situation. “I guess the leveling rule is that the skill must be offered free to otherworldly guests, since they gave it to me… maybe it’s the same with planting skills, though I’m not entirely sure.”
“Congratulations,” Ji Jiu said. “We’ll study the leveling rules gradually. No rush.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Ji Jiu lowered his gaze at her. “Next, the focus will be on testing the planting skill. You’ll have to work hard again.”
Currently, only Xi Mufu could see and use the items and skills. She had to practice talismans and experiment with planting skills. In the future, more skills and items would come, placing all the responsibility on her.
“It’s not hard at all!” Xi Mufu was happiest knowing she had the country backing her. She didn’t have to think or take responsibility—she only had to follow instructions. A bit of effort didn’t matter, especially since she also had gold bars!
In the following days, Xi Mufu was busy implementing the planting skill and had no time to research protective charms.
Ji Jiu assigned a 100-acre farm near Jingning Town to Xi Mufu. It consisted of prime paddy fields and dry land, worth over 2 million, and all produce belonged to her.
Faced with such generous benefits, Xi Mufu thought: I can do this! I love my country! I’ll work harder than the donkeys in the production team!
“Experts and professors from the Agricultural Academy arrived in Jingning Town half an hour ago. After a short rest, they’ll join us,” Ji Jiu’s subordinate Qin Yi reported as he entered the courtyard. “There are nine of them—three professors, each with two students.”
Qin Yi’s true identity was Qin Guangwang, the First Hall King of Hell. All ten Kings of Hell were under Ji Jiu, and Qin Yi was the strongest. Recently, he often stayed at the incense shop—if Ji Jiu went out, Qin Yi was responsible for Xi Mufu’s safety and for guarding against otherworldly visitors.
Xi Mufu looked at Ji Jiu. “We can set off now.”
Ji Jiu gave a short affirmative.
As the three prepared to leave, Shan Qu suddenly entered, followed by two elders from the Maoshan and Longhu sects. “We want to see too. Is that okay?”
They had learned Xi Mufu had a new skill and wanted to witness it.
Xi Mufu had no objection, but it depended on Ji Jiu. He was the one in charge.
Ji Jiu replied calmly, “Let’s go together.”
Soon, they arrived at the paddy fields. The three Agricultural Academy professors were also there—authorities in agricultural science. They had already been briefed on Xi Mufu’s situation and were assigned to stay in Jingning Town long-term under a confidentiality agreement.
Once the professors learned about the otherworldly planting skill, they wasted no time and brought their most capable students immediately.
Xi Mufu said, “I’ll begin.”
She activated the planting skill and scattered rice seeds directly onto the untilled fields.
To onlookers, it seemed as if she casually tossed the seeds, but she could feel a mysterious energy gathering within her. As she moved her hands, that energy touched the seeds and the fields.
“Really no need to till the soil first?” one student asked, unable to hide their surprise.
Everyone knew rice required plowing, soil preparation, and transplanting seedlings. Sowing directly in untilled land usually produced very low yields.
“Shouldn’t be necessary,” Xi Mufu explained. “We’re experimenting with untilled fields. If the seeds don’t grow, we can switch to tilled ones.”
At level 1, the planting skill could only sow one square meter, making switching fields easy.
As she spoke, the seeds she had just sown sprouted immediately.
Students: ???
“Whoa! They’re growing already—so fast!” they shouted in astonishment.
Even Shan Qu and the two Taoist elders, novices in agriculture, were stunned.
The three professors stared fervently at the sprouts, itching to enter the field for research. Though they knew in advance that the skill allowed seeds to grow in any soil and matured in only three days, witnessing it firsthand left them speechless.
“This… this is unbelievable!” one professor finally muttered.
Xi Mufu herself was amazed—the planting skill truly was that miraculous!
She put on her [Listening Ring] to check if the sprouts had any responses, but they were silent. Instead, the birds on the farm chattered incessantly, nearly deafening her.
“All normal. Harvest should be ready in three days,” Xi Mufu said, removing the ring and reporting to Ji Jiu.
Ji Jiu’s expression softened. “Good work.”
While everyone else was shocked by the planting skill, only he and Qin Yi remained composed. They were ancient deities who had witnessed countless strange phenomena. During the era of the decline of law, many gods had perished and could not interfere with human affairs—pollution, food shortages, and so on. Xi Mufu, as a human possessing these miraculous skills and items, might very well be the one chosen by the heavens to break the stalemate.
“Director Ji, this must remain strictly confidential!” The professors, realizing the gravity, turned to Ji Jiu, serious and excited. “If this leaks, it will attract countless problems.”
Ji Jiu: “Don’t worry.”
The farm had already been cordoned off with special police guarding the perimeter; no one was allowed near.
Professor: “We’ll stay here on the farm for the next three days!”
They wanted to witness the rice maturing firsthand.