Infinite Evolution of My Territory

C31 – Plants the Vine Demon Seeds

While there was only one soldier at his command, Qiang Nantie knew that the quality of a soldier far outweighed quantity. Low-level soldiers offered little benefit to him, and he certainly didn’t want the troops he had painstakingly summoned to perish on the battlefield. That’s precisely why he upgraded his soldier to Level 10.

Summoning a soldier required a thousand Soul Coins, and elevating him to Level 10 took an additional 850. The total cost came to 1,850 Soul Coins. Qiang Nantie realized that summoning thousands of soldiers was simply out of the question.

For now, the primary way to acquire Soul Coins was through opening treasure chests and slaying monsters in the wilderness. Although there were extra rewards for exploring the wild, such bonuses would disappear once the Newbie Trial concluded.

Upon arriving at the Spirit Vein Bamboo House with Ruan Shijia, they were greeted by a mountain of various equipment next to Bi Yu. The Soul Coins and spirit coins Bi Yu extracted from the chests were automatically deposited into Qiang Nantie’s account. However, the physical items like equipment didn’t transfer over since he hadn’t yet constructed a warehouse on his territory.

Once a warehouse was established, he could then authorize Bi Yu to store all the equipment there.

“Such an abundance of gear,” he mused, not having had the time to stay updated on territory news. The sight of the amassed equipment caught him off guard.

“Lord,” Bi Yu greeted, rising and bowing once more upon Qiang Nantie’s arrival.

Qiang Nantie acknowledged her with a nod and proceeded to inspect the gear. Though mostly standard issue, any equipment was a rare commodity in the early stages. He selected a Black Iron Set and a Black Iron Level Long Spear for Ruan Shijia.

“Lord, I am deeply grateful for your generosity!” Ruan Shijia exclaimed, dropping to one knee.

“Stand up. There’s no need for such formality. A simple bow will suffice if kneeling feels awkward,” Qiang Nantie advised, preferring the straightforwardness of ancient courtesies.

“Yes, Lord!” Ruan Shijia quickly responded with a bow.

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That settled it.

Qiang Nantie surveyed the items further. In addition to the equipment, Bi Yu had also unearthed some decorative pieces like tables, stools, and various fabrics—life’s essentials. It was quite normal to find such a range of items among the multitude of treasure chests.

Qiang Nantie spotted several pieces of magical equipment, one of which was a perfect fit for Bi Yu.

Item: Holy Spirit Staff

Quality: Bronze

Durability: 45/45

Attribute 1: +8 Mental Strength

Attribute 2: Consumption Reduced by 10%

Equipment Requirement: 8 points of Mental Strength

Description: All enemies shall be vanquished before the Holy Spirit Staff.

The rest of the gear was of Black Iron level Defensive Gear, unremarkable and incomplete. He would have to make do with these other pieces until he found a proper set.

He planned to pass the equipment on to Bi Yu once he had assembled the right set.

“Here, take this equipment. We’ve got another battle on our hands tomorrow.”

Qiang Nantie handed over the gear to Bi Yu.

“Lord, I’m grateful,” Bi Yu said, accepting the items with delight.

Bi Yu had an innate talent for magic, akin to Huamo’s natural swordsmanship. With the right skills, she could tap into even greater power.

Currently, he couldn’t get his hands on a skill book. The trading hall was devoid of them.

It was just the second day; skill books weren’t easy to come by.

Even when they did surface, they were seldom put up for sale.

The fact that even Bi Yu, with all her luck, hadn’t found a skill book in a treasure chest spoke volumes about their scarcity.

“That smells amazing!”

Someone approached, bearing a pot of deliciously aromatic roast meat, setting it down on a newly-appeared table. “Try some of the meat I’ve roasted,” she invited.

Qiang Nantie responded, “Huamo, your culinary skills are truly improving. Let me introduce you. This is Ruan Shijia, the soldier I’ve recently summoned.”

“Greetings, ladies of the house, I am Ruan Shijia,” he said, bowing respectfully.

Ruan Shijia was well attuned to Qiang Nantie’s intentions.

“I am not a lady of the house. I, too, was summoned by our Lord,” Huamo said shyly, her head bowed.

Bi Yu, bolder by nature, added, “I’ve also just arrived.”

“Alright, let’s all enjoy the meal together,” Qiang Nantie declared.

“How could I presume to dine with you?” Ruan Shijia demurred, as he was but a soldier, and he promptly declined.

“Don’t stand on ceremony. Just make yourself at home and join me for a meal,” Qiang Nantie insisted, compelling Ruan Shijia to sit and dine with them. Ruan Shijia even indulged in the Spirit Spring Water that was thoughtfully reserved for him.

After the meal, Ruan Shijia headed back to the White-robed Ghost Troop barracks for training, while Qiang Nantie, accompanied by two beauties, made his way to the perimeter wall. There, he planted Vine Demon seeds along the edge. He evenly distributed the eight seeds along the wall and then watered them with the remaining Spirit Spring Water. The earth writhed as the seeds, nourished by the Spirit Spring Water, rapidly germinated and took root, growing stoutly to half a meter tall in no time.

“Spirit Spring Water really is miraculous, but it’s all gone for today. I’ll have to conserve more of it tomorrow.” Qiang Nantie mused, considering the growth of the Vine Demons. He knew that for them to become formidable in battle, they needed time to mature. Yet, he was confident that with the Spirit Spring Water’s aid, it wouldn’t be long before his territory boasted eight stalwart warriors—warriors who required no sustenance.

Engaging in conversation with the two beauties, Qiang Nantie discussed his vision for the territory’s future. Their insightful suggestions left him feeling quite impressed. They wandered the territory, admiring the array of foods and fruits flourishing in the spiritual field.

He had underestimated the field’s prodigious growth rate. In just one day, the plants had surged in size, and he anticipated they would bloom by the next day. His spiritual field was unique, capable of yielding a crop within mere days.

In the outside world, traditional farming had become obsolete. People depended on various Lords with spiritual fields for their food supply. These Lords not only achieved high yields in short cycles, but their crops also transcended seasonal limitations. Year-round, supermarkets and markets overflowed with a bounty of fresh produce.

Among these, some fruits and vegetables brimming with spiritual energy could be found, albeit at a premium, making them a rare purchase for the average consumer.

Even those who hadn’t awakened an Overlord Space didn’t worry about employment. Lords and nations alike were in constant need of labor, resulting in a plethora of job openings each year.

Every year, the nation urges young people of the appropriate age to marry and start families early, as a way to contribute to the country’s future.

The government has even launched numerous advertising campaigns to encourage early parenthood among the youth.

Yet today’s citizens, particularly the Lords, tend to devote all their time to managing their territories.

Moreover, as their powers grow and their lifespans extend, many Lords delay marriage, with quite a few opting not to marry or have children at all.

Regardless, the state’s generous subsidies for newborns ensure that these children can be raised without financial strain until they reach the age of 18.

The Rikrovaria Dynasty, with its formidable national strength, certainly has the capacity to uphold such a policy.