The Cannon Fodder’s Inner Thoughts Were Overheard by the Villain [Transmigration Into a Book] - Chapter 18

Jiang Minghuan cursed the fact that he had no testing equipment on hand. Even if he did, it might not be able to detect the soil problems in the Cultivation World.

After all, this godforsaken place didn’t operate on scientific principles.

Pei Jingyuan suddenly asked, “What have you discovered?”

Jiang Minghuan froze, tilting his head to look up at him, his confusion plain in his eyes.

‘Did I say something just now? I didn’t say anything, did I? What does Pei Jingyuan want to know? Or has he noticed it too?’

Pei Jingyuan scoffed inwardly. As if I need to guess? This guy’s thoughts are written all over his face.

Jiang Minghuan stood up and asked, “Has anyone skilled in Earth Attribute Cultivation Techniques ever mentioned that the Earth Essence in Spirit Field soil contains something extra compared to regular soil?”

Pei Jingyuan watched him slowly shake his head. “No one has ever noticed such a thing.”

Jiang Minghuan blinked in surprise. “No one? No one has ever noticed this?”

Pei Jingyuan countered, “Haven’t you already reviewed all the records? Why ask me again?”

Jiang Minghuan muttered, “I just thought you might know a bit more.”

He cautiously sensed the Earth Essence outside the Spirit Field again, and sure enough, the glowing spots were significantly fewer.

Jiang Minghuan squatted there, pondering for a long while. He concluded that this phenomenon was likely related to soil fertility.

From a scientific perspective, it should be the three essential nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The colorless, pale yellow, and silvery-white lights indeed corresponded to these elements.

Cultivation World cultivators likely hadn’t considered this aspect. Most Earth Essence cultivators couldn’t even sense these light spots, or rather… apart from him, perhaps no one else in the Cultivation World could perceive them.

He wasn’t sure if this was due to his unique constitution or his knowledge of these elements.

As for why spiritual plants wouldn’t grow elsewhere, it was likely because the Spirit Wheat and spiritual rice varieties in the Cultivation World had higher nutrient requirements.

However, not all spiritual plants failed to thrive due to this deficiency. Careful observation was still necessary.

Jiang Minghuan examined the wheat seedlings and found that the wild plants looked miserable, barely clinging to life. By harvest season, they might yield a few seeds.

In the Cultivation World, the usual practice was to harvest half the crop and leave the other half to naturally drop, sprout, and grow, repeating the cycle the following year.

This was even more dependent on the heavens than ordinary farming, with the harvest entirely dependent on the soil’s fertility.

Once the soil’s fertility was exhausted, the spiritual plants would cease to grow, and the Spirit Field would naturally cease to exist.

Jiang Minghuan carefully manipulated the glowing specks within the Earth Essence, intending to concentrate them and transfer them to the wheat seedlings. However, the results were far from ideal.

During the transfer process, the weeds beside the seedlings absorbed the fertility even faster than the wheat, instantly becoming lusher and more vibrant.

Duan Shui flew over, his eyes wide with alarm. “What… what are you doing? You’ll kill the wheat seedlings!”

Jiang Minghuan clicked his tongue. “These seedlings are too weak. They can’t compete with the weeds.”

As he spoke, he maneuvered the glowing specks away from the weeds, ensuring they received none. The weeds instantly dimmed, their leaves turning yellow and withered.

Though the effect was dramatic, the nearby wheat seedlings also suffered, appearing noticeably wilted.

Jiang Minghuan immediately withdrew his hand, feeling a bit embarrassed. “Um… I’m not very skilled at this. I shouldn’t mess around here.”

He stole a glance at Pei Jingyuan.

‘Sigh, with that mask, I can’t read his expression at all. He won’t beat me up for this, will he?’

‘Honestly, we’re all so close now, why does he still wear that mask every day?’

‘Well, the original novel said he never showed his emotions. Even if he took it off, I probably wouldn’t be able to tell anyway.’

Pei Jingyuan reached out, grabbed Jiang Minghuan by the collar, and pulled him to his feet. “Even if you didn’t make the Spirit Wheat grow better, you found a faster way to kill the weeds.”

Jiang Minghuan was speechless, his anger momentarily flaring up.

‘Why is the dignified Sword Pavilion Master speaking so sarcastically?’

‘I did find a method, but the weeds still need to be removed! I can’t expect you to squat here weeding all day.’

‘Most importantly, these precious wheat seedlings have already been through enough stress.’

Pei Jingyuan believed Jiang Minghuan had indeed discovered a method. After all, no one had ever seen those glowing spots he described before.

While the Cultivation World might have a tradition of concealing unique cultivation manuals, if someone discovered and could utilize such a technique, the results would inevitably be different.

At the very least, the yield of spiritual plants would increase noticeably, a fact impossible to hide.

Yet no one had noticed any changes so far, suggesting that the method Jiang Minghuan was using was truly extraordinary.

Pei Jingyuan led Jiang Minghuan away from the Spirit Field, but instead of heading toward the Old Sword Pavilion, they landed in a different location.

As Jiang Minghuan released his grip around Pei Jingyuan’s waist and let out a relieved breath, Pei Jingyuan said, “This land is yours from now on.”

Jiang Minghuan followed Pei Jingyuan’s gaze and saw a patch of barren ground sparsely covered with weeds.

“Huh? Mine?” Jiang Minghuan was momentarily stunned.

Pei Jingyuan nodded and casually tossed him a Storage Pouch. “Inside are wheat and rice seeds.”

Jiang Minghuan caught the pouch and immediately understood: he was being tasked with farming.

He surveyed the surroundings, noting the sparse vegetation and sensing the poor fertility of the Earth Essence in the soil.

After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “This place… might not be suitable for growing spiritual plants.”

Pei Jingyuan glanced at him and said, “All the suitable land is already planted with spiritual plants. How could I let you ruin it?”

‘Ruin it? What do you mean ruin it? Research always involves trial and error! You don’t have anything here, not even a microscope!’

Jiang Minghuan dared not voice his anger, but he still asked, “What if I can’t grow anything?”

“Can’t grow anything?” Pei Jingyuan’s eyes gleamed with malicious intent. “For every bit you waste, I’ll deduct a meal from your rations.”

Jiang Minghuan, “????”

‘What good would starving me do you?’

‘If you don’t want to keep me, just say so! Let me go back to the mortal realm. Even farming there, I wouldn’t starve!’

‘As expected, relying on heaven or earth is no match for relying on yourself. I knew Pei Jingyuan was up to no good, and here it is!’

‘Just wait, I’ll show you the might of an agricultural university graduate! Agriculture is our soul, and agricultural students are the elite of the elite!’

Though Pei Jingyuan didn’t fully understand, he sensed the gist of Jiang Minghuan’s thoughts and thought to himself, I really did find the right person.

He glanced at Jiang Minghuan, turned, and walked away. Jiang Minghuan stepped forward, grabbed his sleeve, and asked, “Wait… Am I just staying here? How will I get back later?”

Pei Jingyuan patted Jiang Minghuan’s head gently and said, “If you can’t grow it, you don’t have to go back. Just stay here.”

Huh?

Jiang Minghuan watched Pei Jingyuan’s retreating figure, then turned to Duan Shui with a bewildered expression. After a long pause, he finally asked, “Wait, are we just being exiled here like this? Where even is this place?”

Duan Shui, who had been silent the whole time, looked around and replied, “Golden Goose Peak. This is Golden Goose Peak.”

Jiang Minghuan fell silent for a moment after hearing the name, feeling a dull ache between his brows.

The boomerang had come full circle and struck him squarely.

Back when he had first transmigrated, he had smugly pitied Yun Ning for being forced to live on the remote Golden Goose Peak after marrying into the family. Now, he himself had been exiled to the same place.

He wondered, “Did I offend him?”

After careful consideration, he realized that although he had been hugging Pei Jingyuan every morning upon waking, the man had never shown any resistance.

With his immense cultivation, pushing Jiang Minghuan away would have been effortless. Why would he wait until now to retaliate?

Could it be that Pei Jingyuan thought he ate too much and couldn’t afford to keep him? That couldn’t be right. Jiang Minghuan ate a normal amount, nothing excessive.

Besides, if he had offended Pei Jingyuan, why would Duan Shui be here too?

He turned to Duan Shui, his expression serious. “Did you do something to anger Pei Jingyuan and drag me into this?”

Don’t waste time blaming yourself. Find someone else to blame, it’s definitely not my fault!

Duan Shui, the Blade Spirit, was utterly stunned. “Shouldn’t it be you who dragged me into this?”

Jiang Minghuan retorted confidently, “I’ve been perfectly well-behaved since arriving at the Sword Pavilion. How could I possibly anger him? It must be you!”

Duan Shui stomped his foot on the cloud in frustration. “Are you even being reasonable?”

Jiang Minghuan sighed. “Fine, I won’t hold it against you since you helped me before. Just tell me what you did so we can figure out how to make Pei Jingyuan change his mind.”

Duan Shui immediately protested, “It has nothing to do with me! It’s all that bald—”

“Hmm? What? Bald what?” Jiang Minghuan perked up instantly. So there is a reason after all!

But Duan Shui clamped his mouth shut, crossed his legs on the little cloud, closed his eyes, and completely ignored him.

Jiang Minghuan reached out and poked Duan Shui, who promptly floated away on his little cloud. No matter how much Jiang Minghuan pestered him, Duan Shui remained silent.

Standing there, Jiang Minghuan racked his brain but couldn’t think of anything related to baldness. Pei Jingyuan’s thick silver hair showed no signs of thinning, and in the Cultivation World, hair loss was rare except for certain specialized cultivation techniques.

Frustrated, Jiang Minghuan decided to give up thinking about it. If he just gave up, no trouble could ever catch up to him!

“Wait, that’s not right,” Jiang Minghuan asked. “Where are we staying?”

There should be houses on the summit of Golden Goose Peak, but he hadn’t learned Sword Flight yet! Could Duan Shui’s tiny arms and legs carry him up there?

Duan Shui opened his eyes, glanced at Jiang Minghuan, pondered for a moment, then floated away on his cloud. Soon after, he returned carrying a bundle of bamboo, busying himself like a little bee, flitting up and down for what seemed like ages.

Finally, he constructed a bamboo hut.

Duan Shui clapped his hands. “All done. You can stay here until we return.”

Jiang Minghuan examined the bamboo hut, impressed by Duan Shui’s craftsmanship. The structure was exquisitely shaped, complete with a floor and a bed inside, though lacking bedding. Fortunately, he had bedding in his Storage Pouch.

He happily spread the bedding on the bed, lay down, and inhaled the fresh scent of bamboo, drawling, “Old Duan, I’m suddenly thinking this bamboo hut isn’t so bad after all.”

Though it looked somewhat crude, this bamboo hut was his, or rather, his and Duan Shui’s.

The bed was a normal bamboo bed, so he wouldn’t freeze to death sleeping on it. Nor would he have to worry about Pei Jingyuan suddenly refusing to be held and stabbing him to death with his sword.

Far from civilization and in a tranquil setting, living in seclusion here for the rest of his life wouldn’t be so bad.

After all, he had grown up in a Taoist Temple. Their dilapidated temple wasn’t located on any famous mountain or scenic spot, not even a tourist attraction. Few people ever visited, and he was already accustomed to a quiet life.

Hearing this, Duan Shui had lost all patience. One thought dominated his mind, Here we go again. This man can’t even stay focused for a moment before reverting to his true nature.

Duan Shui stared at Jiang Minghuan expressionlessly. “You can stay here, but do you plan to starve to death if you do nothing?”

Jiang Minghuan glanced instinctively at the food in his Storage Pouch and muttered, “Actually, mortal food isn’t completely inedible.”

Duan Shui shot him a sidelong glance. “How long will that little bit last?”

Jiang Minghuan sighed deeply, unable to resist muttering, “Why is farming my fate no matter where I go?”

Some people are destined for romance; what’s this? A destiny for agriculture?

He climbed out of bed, looked at the ground outside, and stroked his chin. “First, we need to improve the soil’s fertility. Otherwise, nothing will grow.”

Fortunately, the Cultivation World had techniques to use, so he wouldn’t have to personally plow, fertilize, or water the fields.

Though he had used machines in his experimental fields back on Earth, magic seemed even more efficient.

Jiang Minghuan sensed the surrounding Earth Essence, focusing particularly on the luminous particles within it. He needed to concentrate that fertility in one area for planting.

But as soon as he began drawing fertility from the surrounding soil, he noticed the bamboo withering en masse.

Jiang Minghuan, “…..”

This is a bit of a disaster.

The bamboo forest is part of the ecosystem, and the Cultivation World has its own food chain. Wouldn’t destroying the forest lead to a series of severe consequences?

Even if this method could make the seeds grow, creating a better Spirit Field would require drawing fertility from an enormous area. Could this eventually turn vast stretches of land into desert just to cultivate Spirit Fields?

Jiang Minghuan stood rooted to the spot, returning the fertility to its original state. As he watched the bamboo regain its lush green color, a headache began to throb behind his eyes.

I can’t exactly… start making compost at the Sword Pavilion, can I? If Pei Jingyuan found out, would he kill me on the spot?

While Jiang Minghuan was wrestling with his headache, Pei Jingyuan was receiving an unexpected visitor.

A monk in white robes, his bald head gleaming like polished metal, trailed behind Pei Jingyuan, asking, “Where is he? Why can’t I see him?”

Pei Jingyuan remained impassive. “Who are you looking for?”

“The person I told you about before! I went to the Cloud Sect and found out you took him away. Hand him over now!”

Pei Jingyuan glanced back at him. “Hand him over? What’s your relationship with him? He’s this Pavilion Master’s wife now. Why should I hand him over to you?”