Although Ning Zheng had to admit.

Nowadays, tobacco, alcohol, and food indeed make up the majority of the manor's public profits.

That group of Hairpin Ladies is just crazy about eating, practically the main force in consumption.

According to Jiucai Rong's manor consumption power rankings.

First is women.

Second is Embers.

Third is River Demon Babies.

Fourth is men.

The male blacksmiths in the manor are all saving money, going for upgrades, being very stingy, all hoarding resources.

No matter how this capitalist Jiucai Rong tries to exploit them, they won't fall for it, just holding onto their money, opening Three Flowers, forging, upgrading, making more money, and recently adding another plan to save up for buying a house.

No matter what the Food God says, Ning Zheng simply won't give public funds to the Food God, even though tobacco and alcohol bring in a lot of money, it doesn't mean they are the core development route of the manor.

Tobacco and alcohol can never become the primary productive force.

Food God wanted to cry but had no tears, reaching out to the old steward, who decisively left at the entrance: "Boohoo, don't go."

Instead, in the manor area where farmland was being cultivated, Ning Zheng saw two responsible blacksmiths.

One was Shrimp Catcher, preparing to research fertilizer.

The other was a newly arrived younger blacksmith, an agricultural manager, Mudworker, who seemed really capable and was immediately put to good use.

The two big guys were reading Spirit Farmer's books at a table, apparently cultivating Spirit Fields.

Ning Zheng chatted with them for a while, realizing they were growing Mixed Spirit Roots, cultivating Wine Rice Spirit Rice, and researching hybridization and mutation techniques.

They talked so eloquently.

Ning Zheng didn't understand a word, but he nodded occasionally, showing they were impressive, giving them enough face.

"We've found, Muddy Artifacts have very strong radiation."

The newbie Mudworker felt even more appreciated, excitedly pulling out a wine jar, "It can cause plants to experience a certain level of pollution and mutation!"

From inside the Muddy Artifact, occasionally came wails and screams.

"Hahaha, cultivating Spiritual Roots... wait... you all... what are you..."

"Help..."

"How can someone... with a head... forge..."

"Stop banging... stop chanting... I was wrong..."

Ning Zheng's expression tightened.

Did they actually succeed?

Taking advantage of opening Three Flowers, they tricked the folks from heaven and earth inside, then hammered against their heads and locked them up.

At this moment.

Su Yuniang was surprisingly also in the Spirit Field planting area, recently guiding a group of Enchanters to research Muddy Artifacts, suddenly ran over: "Old Steward, why are you here!"

She looked elated: "What a shame, we scholars from the bookhouse just finished the first batch of Muddy Artifact experiments a few days ago, otherwise, we could have invited you for the ceremony."

Ning Zheng shook his head: That's really not necessary.

There's nothing interesting about opening Three Flowers.

Su Yuniang got interested, picked up a Muddy Artifact:

"We use ourselves as bait, these guys easily get hooked."

"This is also a fishing technique often used in our hometown, as the saying goes: 'Mom makes the bait, the more you fish, the more you get.'"

"Now we can only use our own lives to make the bait, lure the folks from heaven and earth over, an ultimate swap, perishing together."

Ning Zheng was shocked in his heart.

In their hometown, when fishing, they don't use bait, they use their own mothers?

Ning Zheng always thought he was using Ning Jiaojiao as bait, was already outrageous and wicked, who knew it had been popular there for a long time.

He imagined the scene.

The fishhook with the mother slowly lowered into the well mouth...

A shiver ran through him.

Hiss!!

No wonder they have so many orphans.

No wonder they are usually so "filial," turns out they are used to it.

Ning Zheng was somewhat silent, over there, something is indeed very wrong!

While Ning Zheng was still in a daze, Jiucai Rong had already respectfully asked: "Old Steward sir, do you know what exactly is the Muddy Qi between heaven and earth?"

"Of course I know."

Ning Zheng came back to himself, as the old steward, he naturally had to appear calm.

He couldn't let the strange mother fishing method of their world make his expression change.

He solemnly explained:

"After life dies, occasionally it will produce a soul shell that only has logic left, known as Embers, this is life's [Soul Husk]."

"After life dies, some soul remnants wander between heaven and earth, known as Muddy Qi, this is life's [Soul Consciousness]."

Embers are the soul shell.

Muddy Qi is the soul awareness.

Unlike Embers, Muddy Qi cannot possess? A physical remnant soul, wandering in heaven and earth gradually disappears, basically posing no danger.

The only possibility is taking advantage when you open Three Flowers, to perform possession!

But in most cases, this situation won't succeed.

Even if you manage to possess successfully after awakening the Three Flowers, if a ghost takes control, you'll be discovered and killed immediately.

And if you're successful, it will only result in a split personality and mental instability.

After all, the soul remnants of the dead are not a complete consciousness.

However, it's said that some lucky ones, after awakening the Three Flowers, house some old grandpa's soul remnants, which help them cultivate, grow stronger, and then soar to the heavens.

Who knows.

"I see."

Su Yuniang was already beside them, organizing weapon information:

"A [Muddy Artifact] is forged from the muddy qi of a remnant consciousness after death."

"An [Ash Artifact] is forged from the ember shell of a remnant soul after death."

"A [Demon Artifact] is crafted from the spiritual root of a remnant flesh after death."

"Consciousness, soul shell, flesh shell, we've turned them all into three types of magical artifacts!"

Ning Zheng nodded, also feeling astonished.

It's really absurd.

In the manor, with these imaginative blacksmiths, everything can be forged; they want to try everything.

"I wonder if, after we die, we'll have muddy qi and whether we can create a [Muddy Artifact]?" At this point, Su Yuniang had a whimsical idea.

Daojiu also appeared unexpectedly, offering his opinion:

"I think not; our embers after death are essentially soul shells… but muddy qi is consciousness, and our consciousness always resides in reality, so after death, there won't be any muddy qi."

"That's unfortunate." Jiucai Rong sighed, feeling the loss of a profitable path, "It seems we'll have to rely on finding Muddy Artifacts from the elders and villagers among the heavens and earth."

Ning Zheng shook her head, stroking several jars.

Inside, some deficient consciousnesses were clearly imprisoned successfully.

But they can't be considered true [Muddy Artifacts].

Because it's just a prison, trapping the remnant souls inside, it's merely the embryo of a muddy artifact, not yet used to forge weapons.

And.

It's still uncertain how to forge them, what functions they might have, still under research.

But the cultivators in this world surely have studied muddy qi, perhaps even forged magical artifacts.

The currently found function of Muddy Artifacts is:

Mental contamination, mutation.

Thus, they placed the jars of Muddy Artifacts in the Spirit Field, discovering they could form a "plant radiation mutation cultivation chamber," which is quite interesting.

Ning Zheng watched for a while, feeling it has great potential.

Perhaps, in the future, she could find opportunities to explore specific applications of muddy qi, which surely exists in this world!

Ning Zheng waved a large hand:

"You all did exceptionally well; the magical artifacts for cultivating farmland you applied for have been approved! A budget of twenty thousand Magic Coins; take advantage of the next door's big sale and buy a full set of spirit farmer planting facilities."

Twenty thousand Magic Coins!

Old Manager is amazing!

The spirit farmers burst into joy.

Don't think farming is cheap.

The equipment consumed is no less than the blacksmith shop!

After all, the blacksmith shop creates magical artifacts to earn big money; do they earn less with the spirit roots they cultivate?

A single lower grade spirit root generally costs around 100 Magic Coins, incredibly profitable!

However, the threshold is as high as a blacksmith's.

Some cultivation techniques, secret recipes, won't be shared with you.

Just like the blacksmith's magical artifact recipes, your success rate in cultivation is very low; you have to slowly explore with a team.

And the blacksmith shop has many ready-made supportive facilities.

But their planting industry starts from scratch.

Everything must be purchased individually; this hefty sum is too large, and they have always felt the old manager might not agree.

But the facts prove that the old manager has strategic foresight.

"Long live the old manager!"

"Great! Our spirit farmers are rising!"

"Beat the blacksmith; we spirit farmers will overpower them, rename as the Spirit Plant Manor!"

"Hahaha, we actually succeeded in getting funding."

"The adjacent clinic and canteen are crying in envy."

...

Beside them, Su Yuniang quickly added, "Old Manager, what about our Enchanter team? Our bookstore also helped the spirit farmers create Muddy Artifacts."

Ning Zheng shook her head, only offering verbal praise: "You did very well."

"So?" Su Yuniang was stunned, scratched her head, looked at the old manager with cute and innocent eyes full of desire.

Ning Zheng ignored her.

A team bent on self-destruction needs no research funding.

Researching how to commit suicide?

Find a project you can research, then come to me for funding.

Don't think about scamming for funding.

Ning Zheng knew Su Yuniang all too well, highlighting deception and trickery.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.