The Cornflower Witch Chapter 141

Glittering Gold Plain, outside White Stone Fortress, riverbank farm.

“Lucy, how have you been lately?”

Two young students met and chatted in the fields.

“Not bad, the harvest is finally coming,” replied a young man with short blonde hair named Lucy, who had been in the Woodland for four years.

“This time, I should be able to cultivate high-quality wheat.” He looked at the vast golden wheat fields by the river, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

“That’s impressive, Lucy. I heard that even the soil near the fortress has a slight contamination, making cultivation very difficult,” his companion praised him.

“Yes, dealing with this contamination is very troublesome.” Lucy shook his head.

“Every once in a while, we have to buy special ‘foundation powder’ and spread it underground to prevent the contamination from spreading upwards. Then, we pay students with the ‘Blazing Sun’ aspect to use flame-like abilities to burn the upper layer of soil, reducing the contamination to a low level before we can plant.”

“With such a process, if the wheat quality doesn’t reach excellent, we’ll lose money.”

“I remember you were assigned twenty acres of land, right?” his companion recalled.

“That’s right. Land near the city is in high demand. I was fortunate to be under a good teacher’s name to get a bit more. Most students probably only get fifteen acres,” Lucy replied.

“What about going to the faraway suburbs outside the city? I heard the association always encourages outward expansion.”

“You mean those places? Yes, if I went to a place far outside the city, I could easily get fifty acres of land to tend to,” Lucy nodded.

“However, the contamination outside the city is too severe. A senior tried it before. Even though he was a ‘Second-Tier Verdant Honey,’ he still faced many difficulties opening up new land outside. Whether it was contamination or pest infestations, all his hard work could vanish in an instant.”

“After that, he couldn’t take the setback and simply went elsewhere to seek development.”

“Actually, the city outskirts are quite good. First, you can enter the city anytime and interact with many students your age. Don’t underestimate this; it can help us avoid many detours, and we can also stay informed about the latest market trends to earn more income.”

“Additionally, the farmlands near the city are already well-established. Previous seniors have left behind many mature solutions. With patience and a bit of talent, it probably takes a few years to cultivate excellent wheat.”

“The wheat from Glittering Gold Plain is renowned throughout the Southern Woodland Association. After getting certified, you can leave the Woodland and return to the surface to work as a farm manager in a noble manor, living a relaxed and comfortable life.”

“This is the easiest and safest path to take during the five years in the Woodland, but most people don’t know it.”

“Moreover, even though we lose money in the early stages, as long as we can cultivate excellent quality wheat, the sales within the Woodland are always good.”

“My twenty acres of land can produce about two thousand jin of high-quality wheat in half a year. At one silver coin per jin, that’s twenty gold coins.”

“Even if I submit it at the association’s price and deduct various costs, I can still earn eight gold coins, making sixteen gold coins a year.”

“Even the patrol cavalry only earn about ten gold coins a year and have to constantly travel around. It’s not as easy as this.” Lucy was quite satisfied with his current life.

“Listening to you, I’m envious, haha.”

“Why don’t you try switching to gardening too?” Lucy recommended with a smile.

“No, no, not everyone can successfully cultivate excellent quality wheat like you.” His companion shook his head.

“I also heard that some students failed for five years and eventually left the Woodland dispirited.”

“But that’s not a bad ending, at least they didn’t suffer any major injuries or trouble.” He thought for a moment.

“Last month, I participated in an expedition to a relatively safe area.”

“Oh, did you find anything?” Lucy asked curiously.

“I did get some things. In a hidden shrub forest, I found a batch of ‘Black Bloodberries,’ which are essential resources for learning the ‘Black Mist Viper’ spell. There were forty-six ‘Black Bloodberries’ in total, and each could sell for one gold coin. The three of us divided them equally, so each person got fifteen gold coins.”

“This was the biggest income from the expedition. Next were the monsters we killed along the way. Some of them yielded alchemical materials, which contributed about ten gold coins, making it a little over three gold coins per person.”

“After the entire expedition, we calculated that all the profits, converted into gold coins, amounted to about sixty-three gold coins, which means twenty-one gold coins per person.”

“Wow, you’re still envious of me? This is much better than farming,” Lucy exclaimed.

“You only see the rewards, not the dangers.” The other person shook his head.

“Do you know how the Woodland students have such a high casualty rate? It’s from dying in exploration and expeditions.”

“The reason I was able to gain so much this time is that the three people in our team were very familiar with each other, trusted each other, and cooperated very well.”

“Secondly, the area we chose was not dangerous, we didn’t encounter any terrifying or unknown enemies, and there were no accidents along the way.”

“It was only with all these factors combined that we had such a good harvest.”

“I’m like you; I’ve been in the Woodland for over four years, but several familiar students who came in at the same time are no longer here,” he said, looking at the distant wheat fields with a sigh in his voice.

“This time, I’ve finally saved enough money and points and have already reserved a ‘Blood Dew Potion’ from the association to help me break through to the second rank.”

“Are you sure you want to use that? Although it has a high probability of helping you reach the second rank, the side effects are significant and can lead to ‘Blood Blight’ symptoms,” Lucy worried for his friend.

“The probability of ‘Blood Blight’ is 5%, believe me, that’s much higher survival rate than embarking on a dangerous expedition,” his companion patted Lucy’s shoulder.

“Once I step into the second rank, I’ll have the strength to pursue more, whether it’s opportunities or ways to deal with the side effects.”

“Good luck, my friend.”

Their conversation gradually ended, and it was time to part ways.

Lucy went to the small cabin he had built by the fields, took out a wooden carrying case, and handed it to his companion.

“These are some biscuits I made. They can replenish your energy and stamina. If you go on another expedition in the future, you might find them useful on the way.”

[Honey Biscuits] (Excellent): Made from high-quality wheat flour and honey, baked until slightly sweet and crispy. It provides twice the nutrition of ordinary dry rations and is a relatively good supply item.

Although it wasn’t a valuable gift, his companion was delighted and accepted the wooden box from Lucy.

“Thank you. In the future, every time I go on a long journey, I’ll probably come to you to stock up.”

“Haha, no problem. I can’t eat all the wheat here myself, so there’s always some leftover. Sometimes, I even take some to the market to sell.”

“Come again next time, and I’ll prepare some new varieties for you. Recently, I’ve been learning from a baker in the city. Some of his techniques can better bring out the effects of the ingredients.”

“No problem, next time I’ll bring you some trinkets I find during my expeditions,” his companion agreed with a smile.

“Then, see you next time.”

Afterward, the two bid farewell, and Lucy watched his companion walk into the distance.

They were both relatively ordinary students in the Woodland. Their grades and talents were neither too good nor too bad. As the five-year deadline approached, they began to figure out how to strive for advancement to the second rank.

In this world within the shadows, only by achieving higher ranks could they see more scenery and obtain more things.