**Chapter 64: A Belated Reward**
The Object Control Technique allowed the user to manipulate objects by extending their spiritual energy outside their body.
Under He Song's control, whether it was tables, chairs, tea leaves, or teacups, once enveloped by spiritual energy, they could be manipulated as effortlessly as if they were an extension of his own arm within a range of ten zhang (about 30 meters).
In the future, if he were to control a magical tool, it would likely operate within the same range.
For mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators, spiritual energy could extend up to ten zhang from the body.
Naturally, the attack range was also within this distance, and it would only increase significantly as one's cultivation improved.
Therefore, He Song's ability to manipulate objects within a ten-zhang range was quite normal.
Ten zhang wasn't particularly far, but it wasn't close either.
This distance would increase slightly when one reached the late stage of Qi Refining, extending to about twenty zhang.
By the Foundation Establishment stage, one would use divine sense to control objects. The range of divine sense for an early-stage Foundation Establishment expert was roughly two li (about 1 kilometer).
Such a vast difference gave late-stage Qi Refining cultivators a significant advantage over mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators.
Whether it was ambushing or pursuing, they held the upper hand due to their greater range.
As for Foundation Establishment experts.
If they were surrounded by Qi Refining cultivators.
Even if all the attackers were at the late stage of Qi Refining.
They would stand no chance.
When a Foundation Establishment expert used divine sense to control a magical tool in combat, they could kill as many Qi Refining cultivators as came at them. Killing a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator was as easy as slaughtering a chick.
For Qi Refining cultivators.
Within a range of two li, a Foundation Establishment expert was like a god.
This was why each immortal district was typically guarded by only one Foundation Establishment expert.
With a Foundation Establishment expert guarding the district, malevolent cultivators wouldn't dare to cause trouble within the district. They would only dare to make small moves outside the district. Naturally, the district didn't need to set up defensive formations.
The cost was too high.
Outside the district, where the Foundation Establishment expert's divine sense couldn't reach, patrols by law enforcement teams were sufficient.
With a Foundation Establishment expert overseeing the district, chaos was unlikely.
At the slightest sign of trouble, the Foundation Establishment expert's wrath would descend.
Only immortal cities would set up defensive formations, but even those weren't activated all the time.
Of course.
This referred to the maximum attack range.
In most cases, even Foundation Establishment experts wouldn't start fighting from two li away.
Even late-stage Qi Refining cultivators wouldn't attack from a great distance.
Cultivators needed precision when fighting.
---
In addition to the Object Control Technique.
The second spell He Song practiced was the Finger of Shattering Stone.
Both the Object Control Technique and the Finger of Shattering Stone were mid-grade spells.
Since He Song had mastered the Object Control Technique in just one month, allowing him to use it effortlessly without losing effectiveness, the Finger of Shattering Stone shouldn't take much longer.
As expected.
Another month later.
He Song activated the Finger of Shattering Stone and pointed his finger.
A golden light shot out from his fingertip and struck the floor of the room.
He Song only saw a flash of golden light before the beam disappeared into the dark ground.
On the floor, only a small black hole remained, its depth unknown.
But He Song guessed it was deeper than the holes created by the Spirit Arrow Technique.
After all.
The Spirit Arrow Technique was just a minor spell used to kill pests in spirit fields.
It wasn't even considered a basic spell.
As for the Finger of Shattering Stone?
The Finger of Shattering Stone was a mid-grade offensive spell!
He had spent one hundred spirit stones to purchase it from the Spirit Technique Pavilion.
The difference in power between these two spells was obvious—there was no comparison.
However, being in the immortal district, He Song couldn't test the full power of the Finger of Shattering Stone.
Helpless, after mastering the Finger of Shattering Stone to the point where he could use it effortlessly without losing effectiveness, He Song spent some time each day practicing it. The rest of his time was devoted to studying the remaining high-grade spell, the Earth Escape Technique!
The Earth Escape Technique.
It was the only high-grade spell He Song had purchased.
Once activated, it allowed the user to travel underground at incredible speed.
It was also the key spell for He Song to establish spirit fields outside the district.
As soon as He Song began studying it, he found the Earth Escape Technique incredibly complex and difficult to grasp, realizing it wouldn't be mastered in a short time.
Even so.
He continued to practice the Earth Escape Technique daily, hoping to master it quickly.
However.
Just as He Song was deeply immersed in studying the Earth Escape Technique.
An unexpected visitor disrupted his peaceful life.
Three months after He Song returned home from purchasing the three spells at the Spirit Technique Pavilion.
One day.
"Fellow Daoist He, open the door! I've come to deliver your reward!" Zhao Lin's voice came from outside, causing He Song, who had been practicing the Earth Escape Technique, to open his eyes abruptly.
Zhao Lin was the connection Meng Guan had left for He Song when he went to mine at the Red Spirit Gold Mine.
When He Song had just broken through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining, Zhao Lin had kindly helped him manage the newly added spirit fields, saving He Song a lot of time.
But this had also caused Chen Zhou to bear a grudge against He Song, forcing He Song to send Chen Zhou to meet the King of Hell.
Now, Zhao Lin had come to deliver a reward?
What reward?
Puzzled, He Song opened the door and welcomed Zhao Lin inside.
Over three years had passed, but He Song and Zhao Lin's relationship hadn't grown distant. In fact, since they both worked in the Spirit Herb Pavilion, they had become even closer.
They were already friends, and now their relationship was even stronger. With the Maze Array hiding the two formations in his room, He Song wasn't worried about being discovered, so he didn't turn Zhao Lin away.
But as He Song welcomed Zhao Lin into his room, a thought suddenly struck him.
He remembered!
Back then, before sending Chen Zhou to meet the King of Hell, He Song had specifically informed Zhao Lin to remove Chen Zhou's name from the list of spirit farmers. At the time, Zhao Lin had said:
"Chen Zhou bullied the weak, extorted spirit stones, and committed countless evil deeds. He was a heinous criminal. You, Fellow Daoist He, have done a great service by exposing him. I will report your merit and personally deliver the reward to you."
Originally, after three years had passed without Zhao Lin delivering the reward, He Song had gradually forgotten about it.
He had assumed Zhao Lin was unreliable.
But now, years later, Zhao Lin had actually managed to secure the reward?
This... was completely unexpected.
Thinking of this, He Song's gaze toward Zhao Lin now held a hint of interest.
A reward delayed for three years.
Finally, it had arrived.
He just wondered what the reward was.
He Song wasn't in a hurry. Though curious, he didn't ask directly.
Instead, after welcoming Zhao Lin into the room, he leisurely brewed a pot of fine tea.
Once the room was filled with the aroma of tea, He Song finally spoke.
"Fellow Daoist, what's this about a reward? Although I am a spirit farmer, I don't recall making any contributions to the immortal district. How could there be a reward?"
He Song was quite skilled at feigning ignorance.
Although he had already remembered where the reward came from, he pretended he hadn't.
(End of Chapter)