Chapter 280: Dragontooth Rice, Premium Crop
A planet far away from Earth, in distant s.p.a.ce.
The planet itself was almost same in circ.u.mference compared to earth, with its vast oceans occupying almost 85% of its surface while the rest of it was majestic mountains and ancient forests.
Upon the ocean was a vast ancient city, and right now, five hundred thousand sky demon soldiers had convened. Their champions were converging upon the city as well, and several overflowing auras could vaguely be felt.
A golden-armored sky demons general arrived then, landing in front of the gathered army.
“Salutations, Heavenly General Molo!”
The army of five hundred thousand kneeled on one knee, chanted on top of their voice, and moved in synchrony.
Only Sky Demon-tier champions could a.s.sume the rank of heavenly generals, an accomplishment in power even among the sky demons. It was equal to the immortals’ convergence tier, being head and shoulders above Yuan Spirit individuals—one step further and it would be time for them to weather their retribution.
And now, the heavenly general named Molo spoke, declaring with a sonorous voice, “The Demon Lord has decreed—the army shall advance. The plan has been brought forward three days early and the Demon Lord himself shall personally come to open the Stargate!”
***
Jiang He was completely unaware that the sky demon legion was bringing their schedule forward.
He had just returned home, and humming a tune as he harvested mushrooms at the farm.
“The little la.s.s who picks mushroom, carrying a big wicker basket on her back...”
“Sai-luo-luo-li-sai-luo-luo-li-sai...”
[Ding!]
[+1,000 Farm Points.]
[Ding!]
[+1,000 Farm Points.]
[Ding...]
As the System Notifications jingled one after another in his head, Jiang He’s mood soared further.
Soon, he was done picking fifty Doom Shrooms and headed to his yard while waiting for the next batch to grow.
The rice harvested there was piled there.
Dumbo, Trumbo and the Seven Bottle Gourd Brothers had done their job quite well to string the rice together into stacks, even forming a battlement with it.
“After today’s delay, I would have to wait for tomorrow to eat my fragrant rice.”
Jiang He sighed.
He plucked one of the rice grains, peeled its sh.e.l.l and checked the content.
The original appearance of the mutated rice would make it sell well already, and it looks even better now after it was planting in his farm. The finger-joint size grain was extremely ample and crystalline—it could even be used a jewelry after grinding it a little.
Of course, appearances alone were not enough, as the effect also plays a role.
As Jiang He stared at the huge rice grain, a series of data popped up.
[Dragontooth Rice]
[Grade: Premium soul grain]
[A legendary soul grain said to be cultivated by immortals. Strengthens physique, improves spirit and brain, detoxes excesses in the body.]
Tut, tut.
Dragontooth Rice?
Premium soul grain?
A rice that immortals cultivated?
Jiang He sighed in wonder, muttering, “Well, effect is secondary since cuc.u.mbers strengthen the body and minds too, and the Shaolin Temple’s Tendon Easing Scripture helps to cleanse excesses from the body too. The texture is the most important—it only matters that the big grain rice is delicious.”
Since the rice was not reaped with a combine harvester, a threshing machine was needed to desh.e.l.l the rice.
Still, Jiang He did not have one, and so had to rely on manual labor...
‘Well, I could leave the desh.e.l.ling to Dumbo, Trumbo, and the Seven Bottle Gourd Brothers. After that, I’ll take the grains to the grinder machine in the city for processing,’ Jiang He thought to himself.
There would definitely be a lot of rice grains with such a ma.s.sive pile.
After all, since the rice was planted from a mutated plant, each rice stalk would yield one catty of grains.
Jiang He had planted over two hundred thousand stalks, meaning that he would get at least two hundred thousand catties of rice.
While that might sound ridiculous...Jiang He decided that it was not much after some calculation.
Whose fault was it that there were so many mouths in his house?
The Seven Bottle Gourd Brothers, Dumbo, Trumbo, the Golden Eaglet, and the Blazing Violet Golden Eaglet all ate rice, and not even three hundred catties would be enough if they ate it freely.
“Let’s see if w.a.n.g Hou can get more mutated rice. We’ll need more reserves in the future since this stuff is needed every day.”
Jiang He grinded out several catties of rice with his hand for now before calling Sora and had her cook it to taste the texture. After that, he returned to his farm, took out the two flying swords he got from the Sky Demon Cult’s Saint as well as the superior-grade daemonic weapon he got from the water serpent.
“I would have to use Daemonic Qi as offering since the daemonic weapon is too thick with it, but that’s too troublesome. Not only would planting it directly rapidly help me dispels the Daemonic Qi—it would improve its grade too.”
Digging a hole, Jiang He planted the daemonic weapon and redeemed a pack of Mysterious Soil, which he sprinkled on it before burying it underground.
Then, he planted the two flying swords he procured from the Sky Demon Cult’s Saint as well.
Both weapons could be used directly since an inferior-grade and a mediocre-grade soul weapon was a.s.suredly enough for a sword array... still, Jiang He tried planting it anyway. After all, would he not profit if the weapons really did upgrade?
Jiang He only planted the wooden sword he received from Chief Commander Li at the very end, planting it with pomp and circ.u.mstance.
After he was done, Jiang He took out a silver combat suit from his System Backpack with a turn of his hand.
He had obtained the combat suit after slaying the Graywolf King. As it was an inferior-grade defensive soul armor, its value was higher than a offensive item of the same level and definitely would not be outshone by mediocre-grade flying swords in valuie.
Moreover, humans could use that combat suit as well.
Regrettably, it was too poor in quality.
The protection from an inferior-grade armor is less than Jiang He’s physical defense, and at best a little stronger than the emerald armor that the Cloudsc.r.a.per Vine morphs into.
In no time at all, the daemonic weapon which Jiang He planted first began sprouting. A sword radiance grew out of the ground, and it was no different form the original daemonic weapon form, although there was now no Daemonic Qi on the sword at all, and the Sword Qi that it now exudes was considerably sharper and stronger too.
Jiang He’s eyes lit up.
His hunch was absolutely right!
By adding sufficient Mysterious Soil, the mystic treasures could be upgraded.
For example, he could stand to harvest the daemonic flying sword as a premium-grade item.
After that, the two flying swords that Jiang He had retrieved from the Sky Demon Cult’s Saint started growing as well.
Of the two, the mediocre-grade heptaurum sword’s radiance was emanating a sharp and golden Sword Qi, dyeing the entire farm a golden hue. On the other hand, the black sword that the Saint stabbed w.a.n.g Hou with remained pitched black without changing in any way.
Nonetheless, Jiang He’s brightened gaze soon dulled.
What was going on?
Was there a mistake?
The heptaurum sword had clearly improved greatly and would improve by two grades from mediocre soul weapon to premium soul weapon from the rate of its growth.
However, the black sword remained no different.
What was this?
Why was this happening?
Could the improvement of a mystic treasure’s grade depend on chance?
The black sword was not upgraded even though the two other flying swords which were originallly of superior quality had improved?
“This d.a.m.ned farm. Could it be treating the black sword differently because this sword was used to stabbed w.a.n.g Hou before?” Jiang He complained, hence coming to a decision...
When he had no use for the sword, he would just give it to w.a.n.g Hou since it could be considered commemorative.