Chapter 31: Experiment Failure

After several more attempts, the Growth Technique was finally successfully cast. As the green light fell on the corner of the spiritual field, it quickly expanded, covering all the spiritual rice seeds under his mental control. The spiritual rice seeds seemed to be stimulated, trembling slightly before breaking through their hard outer shells and sprouting delicate white filaments.

Fang Yun sensed the subtle emotions transmitted from the spiritual rice seeds and their general condition. He took a deep breath, knowing that his golden finger had begun to take effect. He just didn't know how much vital energy these spiritual rice would provide him once they matured.

Under the drive of the green light, the spiritual rice began to take root in the spiritual field and sprout green shoots, continuously growing upward. By the time the green light faded, the spiritual rice had grown to over ten centimeters tall, producing seven or eight leaves. This was equivalent to the growth of spiritual rice over four to five months.

Although it hadn't matured directly, with just one spell, these spiritual rice had crossed a small portion of their growth period, which truly surprised Fang Yun.

He glanced at his golden finger panel.

Cultivation Level: Qi Training Stage 2

Magical Power: 18

Vital Energy: 5

Control of Plants: Spiritual Rice (330), Astragalus (2536)…

Spells: Earth Force Technique (6% proficiency), Spiritual Rain Technique (30% entry level), Growth Technique (1% entry level)

The Growth Technique was now displayed on the panel; although it was just at the entry level, being able to cast it was already sufficient for Fang Yun. Seeing that his magical power was still adequate, he was about to continue using the Growth Technique.

However, at that moment, he sensed an uncomfortable feeling emanating from the spiritual rice before him. This feeling was familiar to Fang Yun; it was the same sensation he experienced when the first batch of spiritual rice lacked spiritual energy. Receiving this information, Fang Yun had no choice but to stop casting the Growth Technique and instead used the Earth Force Technique.

He sensed the status of the ordinary energy and spiritual energy in that corner and found that, indeed, after the stimulation from the Growth Technique, the ordinary energy and spiritual energy in that corner of the spiritual field had been nearly depleted.

Thus, Fang Yun could only extract a certain amount of energy and spiritual energy from the larger spiritual field to replenish this corner of the spiritual field. After completing all this, he began to continue using the Growth Technique.

After three consecutive attempts, the Growth Technique was successfully cast once again. As the green light enveloped the spiritual rice in the corner of the field, they began to grow further. The spiritual rice plants continued to grow taller, and more leaves appeared. When the effect of the Growth Technique wore off, the spiritual rice had grown to its limit, and tiny rice ears began to appear at the tips.

If growing normally, these spiritual rice would begin to produce ears in just a few days. Not long after, they would enter the filling period, indicating that the spiritual rice was about to mature. However, with the Growth Technique in hand, Fang Yun certainly wouldn't waste over a month waiting for the spiritual rice to mature.

After replenishing ordinary energy and spiritual energy from the larger spiritual field again, Fang Yun cast the Growth Technique once more. As the green energy covered these spiritual rice, the tips of the spiritual rice began to continuously grow rice ears.

However, at this moment, Fang Yun noticed something unexpected. He wasn't sure if it was due to the rapid growth time, but after the spiritual rice grew rice ears, they didn't enter the filling state. It seemed as if they matured directly, and the leaves of the spiritual rice began to turn yellow. The rice on the ears also gradually turned yellow, as if they had already matured.

Yet, through a slight perception from his golden finger, Fang Yun was still able to sense that these rice grains only had the husk, with no spiritual rice inside. Realizing this anomaly, Fang Yun quickly stopped the Growth Technique and retracted the green light that was enveloping the spiritual rice.

He then stepped forward and grabbed a handful of the rice from the tips of the spiritual rice. Sure enough, in line with his golden finger's perception, these rice grains only had the husk, and there was no spiritual rice inside.

Could this be a flaw in the Growth Technique? It implied that the Growth Technique couldn't completely defy the growth laws of nature. It couldn't instantly turn plants into a state of bearing seeds and enter maturity. The entire growth process of plants is akin to a human directly transitioning from childhood to adulthood and then giving birth to a new child.

Perhaps the growth of the spiritual rice required not only ordinary energy and spiritual energy but also other factors, like sunlight or additional nutrients. Without these supplements, the spiritual rice might grow into this current barren state.

Thus, it was unlikely that Fang Yun could fully obtain a large amount of vital energy in a short time using the Growth Technique. The balance still required multiple experiments to shorten the growth time of the spiritual rice as much as possible without affecting its maturation.

However, since the experiment had failed for now, it was best to take a break. Fang Yun's magical power was once again about to be depleted.

Cultivation Level: Qi Training Stage 2

Magical Power: 3

Vital Energy: 5

Control of Plants: Spiritual Rice (320), Astragalus (2536)…

Spells: Earth Force Technique (6% proficiency), Spiritual Rain Technique (30% entry level), Growth Technique (2% entry level)

Looking at the panel, he found that not only was his magical power about to be exhausted, but even the remaining vital energy had only five points left. This was the vital energy Fang Yun used to prevent himself from getting injured and to ensure his survival, so he couldn't use it.

Therefore, until his vital energy replenished, Fang Yun's life wouldn't be so easy. However, it was fortunate that he had paid such a high price to master a new spell, which could be considered a gain. He just needed to research how to effectively utilize the Growth Technique.

So, Fang Yun tidied up this corner of the spiritual field and then returned to the cave, glancing at the remaining seeds he had obtained from the Greenwood Elder and stowing them away.

These things can be researched later; right now, restoring magical power is a priority. Without enough magical power, Fang Yun truly feels no sense of safety.

So, he went to the spirit spring and began to absorb the spiritual energy from the cave to restore his magical power. After five days, Fang Yun's magical power barely recovered to a little over one-third. For the time being, this was enough for him to have a certain level of self-defense capability.

On that day, early in the morning, after clearing away the newly grown weeds from the spiritual field, Fang Yun picked up his magical long knife and took a hoe, heading toward the canyon. He hadn't been to the canyon for over ten days, and he was unsure how much damage the crops had suffered.