Ch 15: Improving The Soil

After a rain, much water accumulated on this yellow earth. However, the yellow earth is much harder than normal farmland. Now, after being soaked by the rain, it’s like mud, really difficult to handle.

Moreover, Bai Yi knew that if they waited for the water to dry naturally, it would be even more difficult.

This yellow earth isn’t truly yellow earth in the literal sense; it’s a fine, sand-like yellow earth, the kind used in the past for building houses.

Looking at the condition of the land before him, Bai Yi frowned. He had expected to encounter difficulties reclaiming this land, but he hadn’t imagined the difficulties being this great.

What’s more, the slightly better land in the village had already been reclaimed. What remained was either this kind of yellow earth or barren, rocky mountains.

Bai Yi understood that even with his powerful spiritual energy, he couldn’t make anything grow on the rocks.

Forget it, let’s just tackle this yellow earth.

Fortunately, there’s plenty of water here now.

Because earlier, in his own orchard, Bai Yi discovered that the areas where he controlled the flow of water retained spiritual energy. The grass in the irrigation ditches proved this.

Looking at the puddles everywhere, Bai Yi, with a try-it-and-see attitude, began to control the water with his mind.

The water in the puddles of the yellow earth began to flow slowly, from top to bottom. Using gravity, Bai Yi systematically controlled the direction of the water flow, naturally ensuring that every inch of land had water flowing through it.

Somehow, when Bai Yi used his spiritual energy to control other things, it seemed to consume a lot of physical strength, but controlling water didn’t waste any energy at all.

After an hour of effort, Bai Yi managed to control the accumulated water on the mountain to flow over every inch of the hillside.

As the last stream of water flowed down the hillside, Bai Yi declared the task complete. At this time, the sun in the sky also shone through the clouds onto this land.

Bai Yi, somewhat fatigued, sat on the ground, looking at the yellow earth before him, and couldn’t help but worry.

Although controlling the water caused the soil in the orchard ditches to be imbued with spiritual energy, that soil was originally quite fertile, whereas this…

Just as Bai Yi was lost in thought, a miracle happened.

This patch of yellow earth miraculously sprouted green grass!

An excited Bai Yi immediately grabbed a handful of the soil beneath his feet. He was surprised to find that the soil had undergone a fundamental change.

The originally barren yellow earth had actually turned into fertile black soil.

Not only that, but he could now clearly feel an endlessly circulating spiritual energy surging beneath the ground.

Looking at his hands, Bai Yi was secretly pleased.

It seems that the water he controlled with spiritual energy has the ability to change the soil quality.

Actually, it’s not difficult to understand. The spiritual energy he controlled is the foundation of all things, while water is the most basic component for all things. These two must have an inseparable connection.

Of course, the mysteries within are beyond Bai Yi’s current cultivation level to comprehend.

Looking at this fertile land and the verdant green grass on it, Bai Yi was exceptionally happy.

After all, this could be considered a significant step forward.

After catching his breath, Bai Yi went down the mountain and returned home.

Seeing Bai Yi running into the yard covered in mud, his father, Bai Jianjun, hurriedly said, “What are you rushing around for?! Looking for farmland? I told you, the only land left in the village is yellow earth; what else do you want to bother with?!”

“Eat dinner. Let him do what he wants if the child wants to fuss around,” his mother called out from the doorway.

Bai Yi took off his boots and helplessly said to his father, “Dad, I really found a good piece of land.”

“You’re joking. I’ve searched this whole area, and there’s no land left that can be cultivated!” Bai Jianjun said confidently. After all, to supplement his family’s income, he had reclaimed quite a bit of land, and he’d walked all over the surrounding hillsides. There was simply no decent land left.

“Really, I really found a good piece of land. I’m not lying to you. If you don’t believe me, come and see it with me. You can help me plow the land and make furrows.”

Hearing his son say this, Bai Jianjun hesitated.

“Good land! Impossible! I’ve searched the ten-li radius of our village, and there are no more good places left?!”

“You still don’t believe me? Come and see after dinner.”

After saying this, Bai Yi smiled and walked into the house.

Seeing Bai Yi’s confident demeanor, Bai Jianjun hesitated.

After dinner, Bai Yi also persuaded his mother to bring her tools and go up the mountain with him. With no choice, she followed Bai Yi to the mountain.

When they brought their dubious parents to this land, Bai Jianjun and his wife were completely dumbfounded.

Especially Bai Jianjun, because he remembered this place; it should have been a patch of yellow earth. He remembered that even grass wouldn’t grow here!

An excited Bai Jianjun hurriedly dug with a shovel.

Unexpectedly, what he dug up was fertile black soil. After a closer look, his mind went blank!

Bai Jianjun knew that the quality of this land was probably better than their own orchard.

Even more irritating was that this patch of land was so close to their orchard!

If someone else had discovered this fertile land first, he would have been even more annoyed.

At this time, his mother also got angry. She said indignantly, “You old fool, I told you to find good land to reclaim, and you always said there wasn’t any. I think you’re just lazy. This land is so close to our orchard! If someone else finds it! I’ll never let you hear the end of it!”

“No! I remember this place being yellow earth? How could…”

Bai Jianjun was really depressed. He had clearly been here before, but how could it be like this now?

Could it be that he was really getting old! His memory was failing!

“How about it? Mom and Dad, I didn’t lie to you, right? Now, help me make furrows, so I can plant things later.”

Bai Yi smiled confidently.

But actually, Bai Yi didn’t need to say this.

Bai Jianjun had already picked up his hoe and started plowing, making furrows.

In the afternoon, the three of them worked enthusiastically, all hoping to finish this piece of wasteland as soon as possible.

This work was naturally nothing for Bai Jianjun and his wife. They were very experienced, and the weeds were quickly removed, and the furrows were made very quickly.

But this work was not so easy for Bai Yi. Although he grew up in the countryside, his parents never let him do this kind of work. However, his body had been constantly absorbing spiritual energy, so he had plenty of strength.

To cultivate a piece of wasteland, plowing is essential, and the other thing is making furrows.

Making furrows means transforming the flat land into raised ridges, which facilitates cultivation.

Making furrows is a skilled job. It’s useless to just use brute force; experience is needed.

Bai Yi had no choice but to follow his parents and do the work.

Seeing his parents making the furrows in a proper manner, Bai Yi was naturally pleased.

It wasn’t until a little after five in the afternoon that the three of them finished their work, and a decent piece of farmland appeared before Bai Yi.

Bai Yi put down his hoe and sat on the ground.

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