Chapter 141: Ordinary Life
Golden Plain, outside White Stone Fortress, riverbank farm.
“Lu Xi, how have you been lately?”
Two young students ran into each other and started chatting in the fields.
“Not bad, it’s finally time for harvest.” A young man with short golden hair replied. His name was Lu Xi, and he had been in the Woodland for four years.
“This time, I should be able to cultivate excellent quality wheat.” He looked at the large expanse of golden wheat fields by the field edge, feeling a strong sense of accomplishment.
“Impressive, Lu Xi. I heard that even the soil near the fortress has slight pollution, making it very difficult to cultivate.” The companion praised.
“Yes, dealing with this pollution is very troublesome.” Lu Xi shook his head.
“Every once in a while, I have to buy special ‘Foundation Stone Powder’ and sprinkle it underground to block the pollution from spreading upward from below. Then I spend money to hire classmates with Blazing Sun nature to use flame-like abilities to burn the upper layer of soil, suppressing the pollution to a lower level. Only then can I plant.”
“With this process, if the wheat quality doesn’t reach excellent, I’ll lose money.”
“I remember you were allocated 20 mu of land, right?” The companion recalled.
“That’s right. Land near the city is in short supply. I was only able to get a bit more because I’m under a good teacher. Ordinary students probably only get 15 mu.” Lu Xi replied.
“What if you go to farther suburbs outside the city? I heard the association has always encouraged expanding outward.”
“Those places you mentioned, yes. If I go far outside the city, I could easily get 50 mu of fields to manage.” Lu Xi nodded.
“But the pollution outside the city is too severe. A senior male student tried it before. He was already Second Order Emerald Honey, but reclaiming new land outside was still extremely difficult. Whether pollution or pest invasions, they could wipe out all your previous efforts in an instant.”
“Afterward, he couldn’t take the setback and simply went elsewhere to seek development.”
“Actually, the city edge is pretty good. First, you can enter the city anytime and communicate with many peers. Don’t underestimate this—it helps us avoid many detours and stay informed on recent market trends to earn more income.”
“Additionally, the fields at the city edge are already stably developed. Previous seniors left many mature solutions. With patience to learn and a bit of talent, it should take just a few years to cultivate excellent wheat.”
“The wheat from Golden Plain is famous throughout the southern Woodland Association. Once recognized, you can leave the Woodland and return to the surface to become a farm steward in a noble manor, living a relaxed and comfortable life.”
“This is the easiest and safest path through the five years in the Woodland. Most people don’t know about it.”
“Besides, although you lose money upfront, as long as you can cultivate excellent quality wheat, the sales channels in the Woodland are always good.”
“My 20 mu of fields can produce about 2000 jin of high-quality wheat every six months. At 1 silver coin per jin, that’s 20 gold coins.”
“Even after handing over to the association at their price and deducting various costs, I can still earn 8 gold coins, which is 16 gold coins a year.”
“Those patrolling cavalry earn only about 10 gold coins a year, and they have to rush around every day. This is much more relaxed.” Lu Xi was very satisfied with his current life.
“In that case, I’m envious, haha.”
“Why not switch to being a gardener too?” Lu Xi recommended with a smile.
“Nah, not everyone can successfully cultivate excellent quality wheat like you.” The other shook his head.
“I’ve also heard that some students failed throughout their five years and left the Woodland dejectedly.”
“But that’s still a decent outcome. At least no major injuries.” He thought for a moment.
“I went on an adventure last month, to a low-danger area.”
“Oh, any gains?” Lu Xi asked curiously.
“Some gains. In a hidden shrubbery woodland, we found a batch of ‘Black Snake Berries’. They are essential resources for learning ‘Black Mamba Viper’ spells.”
“A total of forty-six ‘Black Snake Berries’. Each one sells for one gold coin. We three split them evenly, and each got 15 gold coins.”
“That’s the biggest income from adventure. Next are the monsters killed along the way. Some drop needed alchemy materials, contributing about 10 gold coins, or a bit over 3 gold coins each.”
“After the whole adventure, we tallied up and converted all gains to gold coins—about 63 gold coins total, or 21 each.”
“Wow, and you’re still envious of me? That’s way better than farming.” Lu Xi exclaimed.
“You only saw the gains, not the dangers.” The other shook his head.
“Do you know how the Woodland students get such high casualty rates? They die pioneering and adventuring.”
“I got so much this time because our three-person team knew each other very well, trusted each other, and cooperated great.”
“Second, the area we chose wasn’t too dangerous. We didn’t encounter terrifying or unknown enemies, and no accidents happened midway.”
“Only with all these factors stacking up did we get this nice haul.”
“Like you, I’ve been in the Woodland over four years, but among the familiar batch who came in together, several are already gone.” He gazed into the distance at the wheat fields, his tone full of emotion.
“This time, I finally saved enough money and points to pre-order a ‘Blood Dew Potion’ from the association for breaking through to Second Order.”
“Are you sure about using that? It has a high chance of reaching Second Order, but the side effects are significant—it might cause ‘Blood Corruption’ symptoms.” Lu Xi worried for his friend.
“‘Blood Corruption’ has only a 5% chance. Trust me, that’s way higher survival rate than adventuring in dangerous areas.” The other patted Lu Xi’s shoulder.
“Once I reach Second Order, I’ll have the strength to fight for more things, whether opportunities or means to treat side effects.”
“Good luck, my friend.”
Their conversation gradually ended, and it was time to part.
Lu Xi went to the small house he built by the field edge and took out a wooden carry box, handing it to the other.
“These are some biscuits I prepared. They replenish stamina and consumption. If you go adventuring again, they should come in handy on the road.”
【Honey Biscuit】（Excellent）: Made by baking high-quality wheat flour with honey. It has a slightly sweet and crispy texture, with nutrients double that of ordinary dry rations. It’s a relatively good supply.
Though not a precious gift, the other was still happy and took the wooden box from Lu Xi.
“Thanks. From now on, I’ll probably stock up from you every time I head out.”
“Haha, no problem. I can’t finish all the wheat here anyway—there’s always leftovers, and I occasionally sell some at the marketplace.”
“Come again next time, and I’ll prepare some new varieties. Lately, I’ve been learning from a baker in the city bakery. Some of his skills and techniques better bring out the ingredients’ effects.”
“No problem. Next time, I’ll bring you some little trinkets from my adventures.” The other smiled and made the promise.
“See you next time.”
Afterward, the two parted, and Lu Xi watched the other head into the distance.
They were both relatively ordinary students in the Woodland. Their grades and talent weren’t exceptional, nor too poor. As the five-year deadline approached, they began finding ways to sprint to Second Order.
In this Shadow World, only by stepping into higher ranks could one see more scenery and obtain more things.
