SPMT : Chapter 52: The Fourth Level of Qi Practicing

Xu Mu’an was brewing wine in the courtyard. Xu Mu’an brewed many varieties of spirit wine.

Xu Mu’an already knew that the reason Xiao Jingting’s brewed spirit wine had so many miraculous effects was because of the spirit spring in the jade pendant space.

Xiao Jingting had stored a lot of spirit spring water in water vats, disguising it as mountain spring water. Xu Mu’an used the spirit spring water mixed with ordinary mountain spring water to brew spirit wine.

Xiao Jingting had many novel wine-brewing methods from his previous life in his mind. Xu Mu’an was very interested, and Xiao Jingting told him everything he knew.

After brewing spirit wine a few times, Xu Mu’an did it even better than Xiao Jingting.

Mu Shuyu came out of the room and said, “Brewing wine?”

Xu Mu’an nodded and said, “Yes! Jingting wants to brew some higher-grade wine to sell.” Xiao Jingting had grown some relatively high-level spirit plants in the jade pendant space. Those spirit plants, when used for brewing wine, produced wine with very rich spiritual energy.

Mu Shuyu nodded and said, “Not a bad idea. There are many wine lovers like Jinfeng in this world. Many people are willing to spend fortunes on good wine. Every time Jinfeng went on missions and earned silver, most of it was spent on fine wine. Now drinking homemade wine saves a lot. Jinfeng says the wine brewed at home tastes much better than what he drank outside.”

Xu Mu’an smiled and said, “As long as Second Brother finds it delicious.” The profit margin for spirit wine was very large. If the wine sold well, making money could be much faster than farming.

“Is there anything I can help with?” Mu Shuyu asked.

“No need, I can handle it. You’re not in a convenient condition, so you should go rest,” Xu Mu’an said.

Mu Shuyu looked at Xu Mu’an and smiled helplessly, saying, “Mu’an, I’m just pregnant, not disabled. You don’t need to take such care of me.”

Xu Mu’an nodded and said, “Alright then, help me wash these sweet potatoes.”

Mu Shuyu said happily, “Great!”

……

The Qiu household.

“Son! You must make good use of these two pieces of spirit jade!” Qiu Bai’s father reminded seriously.

Qiu Li nodded and said, “Don’t worry, Father. I know.” Qiu Li originally hadn’t wanted to marry Qiu Bai off to Young Master Li as a concubine, but when Young Master Li said that marrying Qiu Bai to him would bring two pieces of spirit jade as betrothal gifts, Qiu Li couldn’t help but be tempted.

Qiu Li’s cultivation had been stagnant for a long time. Watching the Xiao family members advance to the fourth level one by one, though Qiu Li didn’t show it on his face, he was very anxious in his heart.

The betrothal gift of two pieces of spirit jade that Young Master Li offered was like a life-saving straw, and Qiu Li was immediately tempted.

“I didn’t expect Xiao Jingting to really be so wealthy. 1,500 taels – he just took it out like that. After all, he’s a young master of the Xiao family. A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. He must have brought quite a bit of silver out from the Xiao family,” Qiu Li said sourly.

“That’s not entirely true. Xiao Jingting knows how to farm, and he’s made quite a bit of money selling the spirit grain from his fields,” Qiu Bai’s father said.

Qiu Li gave his father a cold glance. His father rubbed his hands and said no more. That Xiao Jingting could farm was already recognized by the village, but Qiu Li stubbornly believed that everything Xiao Jingting possessed was simply because of his good birth.

Ever since Xiao Jingting reformed, Qiu Li felt that all his glory had been stolen by Xiao Jingting. Qiu Li had accidentally learned about the edict issued by the Marquis Manor from a young master in the city and immediately treasured this information. Qiu Li had kept quiet about it, deliberately choosing to write the report letter the day before Xiao Jinfeng’s wedding. Sure enough, the Marquis Manor officials came knocking during Xiao Jinfeng’s wedding.

……

Xiao Jingting stayed in the fields, rapidly catalyzing plant growth. Xiao Jingting now drank spirit spring water every day, and his strength was steadily rising.

Originally, it took Xiao Jingting a full day to catalyze growth for five acres of lower-grade farmland. Now it only took one hour.

There were few fourth-level Spirit Plant Masters in the village, so when Xiao Jingting farmed, there were always people observing.

Xiao Jingting farmed, Xiao Jinfeng helped guard the fields, Xu Mu’an was busy brewing wine and managing household affairs, and Mu Shuyu helped Xu Mu’an while occasionally preparing some potions to conceal the aura of maturing spirit plants…

“Master Xiao, you’re really amazing! By the way, Master Xiao, do you know that Qiu Li from the Qiu family has advanced to the third level? Old Qiu is thrilled.”

“Qiu Li’s abilities are second to none in the village, but compared to you, Young Master Xiao, he’s still far behind.”

“Yes! Master Xiao, I heard your sister-in-law has also advanced to the fourth level. Amazing! Your whole family consists of fourth-level Qi Refinement practitioners. That’s unique in the village.”

“……”

Xiao Jingting smiled helplessly. He wasn’t a gossip person, but even if he didn’t gossip, others would gossip with him. The villagers would tell him about even the smallest matters in the village.

Has Qiu Li advanced to the third layer? That wasn’t surprising. Qiu Li was the village “talent” and had been lingering at the second layer of Qi Refinement for quite some time.

Xiao Jingting squinted his eyes. Advancing from the second layer to the third layer of Qi Refinement was much harder than advancing from the third to the fourth layer.

Without the Xiao family present, Qiu Li entering the third layer of Qi Refinement would have been enough to cause quite a stir in the village. But with the Xiao family there, Qiu Li’s achievement didn’t amount to much. Moreover, after Mu Shuyu advanced to the fourth layer two days after Qiu Li’s advancement, even fewer people mentioned Qiu Li.

Xiao Jingting found this arrogant Qiu Li very disagreeable, and from what he knew, Qiu Li also found him quite disagreeable. The incident at Xiao Jinfeng’s wedding last time, upon investigation, seemed to be Qiu Li’s doing. Xiao Jingting found this person even more disagreeable.