**Chapter 80: One Thousand Spirit Stones (55)**  

A single Spirit Gathering Formation, operating at full capacity, could transform two and a half acres of land into spirit fields within two years. 

Additionally, because the formation's range was so small, the spiritual energy concentration was extremely high. 

This meant that even if He Song didn't come daily to cast the Rain Summoning Technique to temporarily boost the spiritual energy, the spirit rice planted here would still grow successfully. 

This was the benefit of high spiritual energy concentration. 

In the Immortal Market, the spiritual energy concentration in the spirit fields was barely enough to prevent degradation. 

As a result, the spirit rice planted in those fields required spirit farmers to cultivate them daily, using the Rain Summoning Technique to temporarily increase the spiritual energy for the rice to grow. 

For the Immortal Market, the spiritual energy gathered by the Spirit Gathering Formations would naturally be prioritized for the Foundation Establishment experts, followed by late-stage Qi Refining cultivators and areas like the herb garden that required denser spiritual energy. 

After that came mid-stage and early-stage Qi Refining cultivators. 

Finally, the spirit fields received the lowest concentration of spiritual energy. 

Of course, the Immortal Market could have followed He Song's approach, setting up a Spirit Gathering Formation for every two and a half acres. 

But doing so would be too costly. 

The Spirit Gathering Formations in the Immortal Market were not like the ones He Song had set up, which only required five spirit stones a year to operate at full capacity. 

The market's formations were of a higher level, gathering far more spiritual energy than He Song's beginner-level formations. 

Naturally, their consumption would be staggering. 

He Song guessed that increasing the spiritual energy concentration in the spirit fields would cost more than hiring spirit farmers to cast the Rain Summoning Technique daily. 

Otherwise, given the market's nature, they would have already done so. 

The market probably wouldn't have needed to hire spirit farmers to tend to the fields. 

After understanding this, He Song thought for a moment and quickly set up three more Spirit Gathering Formations in the valley. 

Ten days ago, He Song had set up one Spirit Gathering Formation here. 

With the three new formations, he now had a total of four. 

These four formations covered a combined area of ten acres. 

Ten acres of land. 

In two years, all ten acres would be transformed into spirit fields. 

Ten acres of spirit fields, with each acre producing a thousand pounds of spirit rice annually, would yield a total of ten thousand pounds of spirit rice. 

At a price of one spirit stone per ten pounds of spirit rice, ten thousand pounds would sell for one thousand spirit stones! 

One thousand spirit stones! 

After deducting the annual operating costs of the four Spirit Gathering Formations, one Misty Traversal Formation, and one Five Elements Formation, He Song would still net over nine hundred spirit stones. 

After running the numbers in his head, He Song's eyes lit up with joy. 

One thousand spirit stones. 

Based on his current annual stipend, it would take him about ten years to save that much. 

But now? 

In just two years, once he could set up the Five Elements Formation, he could start planting spirit rice here and earn one thousand spirit stones annually! 

By then, his annual income would match what he currently earned in ten years. 

Even better, if he established a few more spirit fields like this in other locations, he could potentially earn several thousand spirit stones a year. 

At that point, with an annual income of several thousand spirit stones, even something as expensive and fiercely contested as a Foundation Establishment Pill would be within his reach! 

But soon, He Song reined in his excitement and forced himself to calm down. 

It was still too early. 

All of this would only come to fruition two years later, once he could set up the Five Elements Formation. 

For now, he was just a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator with an annual stipend of a little over a hundred spirit stones. 

Daydreaming wouldn't help. 

It was better to focus on studying the Five Elements Formation and wait for the right time to make his next move. 

He Song glanced around. 

The four Spirit Gathering Formations were already operating, with threads of spiritual energy being forcibly confined within their ranges and absorbed into the soil below. 

Seeing this, He Song frowned. 

The valley was still lush and green. 

Since he hadn't known how much area the four formations would cover, He Song hadn't prepared the fields in advance. 

But now that the range was determined, it was time to clear ten acres of land. 

Without hesitation, He Song used the Object Control Technique to flip over a large patch of grass, revealing the rich, dark soil beneath. 

The dark soil indicated fertile land, perfect for cultivating spirit fields. 

After a while, He Song had used his spiritual energy to clear all ten acres within the formations' range. 

Now, the once lush green valley had a ten-acre plot of cleared land, surrounded by untouched greenery. 

Satisfied, He Song nodded. 

From here, all he needed to do was wait. 

In two years, these ten acres would fully transform into spirit fields. 

By then, he would have mastered the Five Elements Formation and could start planting spirit rice here. 

At that point, he would no longer have to worry about spirit stones. 

Nor would he have to pinch every spirit stone like he did now. 

After ensuring that all five formations in the valley were supplied with enough spirit stones to operate for a year, He Song burrowed underground and swiftly made his way back to the Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market. 

This place was hundreds of miles from the market. 

He Song remembered the direction and had left some markers. Next year, he would return to replenish the spirit stones for the five formations here. 

That same day, He Song returned to the Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market. 

He also resumed his duties as the herb garden manager from Wei Fan. 

No one had noticed his absence from the market except himself. 

Even Wei Fan and the others in the herb garden only knew that He Song had been in seclusion for the past few days. 

But that was all they knew. 

He Song's departure from the market had gone completely unnoticed. 

After leaving the market, visiting a mortal city, and establishing ten acres of spirit fields hundreds of miles away, He Song's life returned to its usual rhythm. 

During the day, he oversaw the herb garden, using its dense spiritual energy to boost his cultivation. 

At night, he returned home to study the Five Elements Formation, aiming to master it as quickly as possible. 

However, while he was still diligently studying the basics of formations, He Song's attention turned to other skills. 

Talisman-making, alchemy, artifact forging, beast taming... 

After some thought, He Song decided to learn one of these money-making skills. 

Not for any other reason, but to "clean" spirit stones. 

Yes, spirit stones needed to be "cleaned." 

But here, "cleaning" didn't mean washing them with water. 

Rather... 

(End of Chapter) 

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