Dark Immortal Cultivation

Chapter 99 Waterwheel

Inside the quiet room, Zhang Qing, who was sitting cross-legged on a futon, slowly opened his eyes.

A glint of light flashed in his dark eyes, and then he exhaled a long breath.

Having completed nine cycles of cultivation, Zhang Qing's training for the day had just ended, yet he felt a little depressed.

The location of Shiqiao Village is far from the outer city, and the concentration of spiritual energy in the world is only slightly stronger than that of Yingji. As a result, his current cultivation efficiency is incomparable to that when he was in the Xuanming Lower Academy. How can he be happy?

But there's nothing we can do about it.

Since we're here, let's make the best of it!

Zhang Qing comforted himself as he got up and left the room.

It was broad daylight outside, and the roosters had crowed many times. The hardworking farmers were already busy in the fields.

The village is now only inhabited by elderly people who are no longer able to work and young children.

Zhang Qing ate a quick breakfast and then went out to inspect his "territory".

As a cultivator sent to Shiqiao Village by the Xuanming Lower Academy, he wielded more power here than the village chief, making him an absolute authority.

If Zhang Qing dislikes someone, he can kill them with a single palm strike, and he'll be perfectly fine.

Or, if he takes a fancy to a young lady or wife, he can get her to come to his door clean and ready with just a word.

It sounds impressive and powerful, but in reality, the price of reckless behavior is very serious.

Because Shiqiao Village is a property of the Xuanming Lower Academy, all the villagers are tenant farmers. If they cause trouble and affect stability, resulting in a reduction in grain production, then the resident cultivators will have to bear the corresponding responsibility.

For Zhang Qing, the inevitable result would be failing the lower house's assessment and being kicked out of the outer gate.

All the previous investments have gone down the drain!

Therefore, he not only cannot act recklessly, but also must find ways to ensure the safety of the village and deal with various potential threats.

Responsibility is heavier than power!

Along the country lanes, Zhang Qing inspected the surrounding farmland.

The entire Shiqiao Village has thousands of acres of land, and each household has a considerable amount of land allocated to it.

However, due to its geographical location, the yield per acre here is very low.

It was so low that even Zhang Qing couldn't believe it!

Although he was a city dweller in his previous life, he was not completely ignorant about farming.

Although this world lacks advanced technology and ruthless skills, there are countless cultivators capable of flying and escaping into the earth. Logically speaking, there should be a well-established and long-standing system for agricultural production.

But looking at the way the farmers worked, he couldn't help but shake his head.

That's so outdated!

It is said that there are a large number of spirit fields in the inner city of Luoshan, and the spirit rice produced there has an excellent effect on aiding cultivation, but it is very expensive.

The rice here is all of ordinary variety, with nothing special about it.

When Zhang Qing took over yesterday, the old village chief Fan told him that only one-third of the farmland in Shiqiao Village was fertile, and all the rice grown there was handed over to the state.

The farmers' main food crops are sweet potatoes and black rice, which are grown in dry land.

The irrigated land along both banks of the river is all fertile farmland, and the rice ears are just beginning to fill out; they will be ready for harvest in another month or so.

As Zhang Qing walked along, the farmers who were weeding and removing insects in the fields would all bow respectfully to him in awe.

Each of them had an extremely humble attitude.

Unlike the outermost camps, most of the people in this village are ordinary people, with very few cultivators.

Moreover, his cultivation level is very low.

The one with the highest cultivation level was Elder Fan, who had reached the third level of Qi Refining.

But judging from his old and frail appearance, Zhang Qing estimated that his actual combat strength was only at the first level of Qi Refining.

No more!

At this time, Zhang Qing noticed that the farmers were watering their crops by drawing water from the river in wooden buckets and then transporting it to the fields by hand relay.

This scene left Zhang Qing speechless.

The efficiency is so low that it's no wonder that only one-third of the land is arable.

Has no one in this world invented a waterwheel?

Or a waterwheel?

Although Zhang Qing was only stationed in Shiqiao Village for six months, he had no need to meddle in other people's business. Staying put and peacefully passing those six months was the best choice.

But when he thought of the ragged, pale-faced old people and children he had seen in the village, Zhang Qing still couldn't ignore it.

After thinking for a moment, he turned around and went back to the village, where he found the old village chief.

"A waterwheel?"

Upon hearing Zhang Qing's purpose, Village Chief Fan looked bewildered: "Please forgive me, I have never heard of this place before."

"fine."

Zhang Qing waved his hand and asked, "There's a carpenter in the village, call him over."

There really are carpenters.

Soon, a kind-looking middle-aged man arrived in a hurry with a teenager.

This man's surname was Chen, and his name was Chen Laosan. He was the only carpenter in Shiqiao Village.

The boy was his son and also his apprentice.

Without wasting words, Zhang Qing took out a writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone from his storage bag and told Chen Laosan about his idea for a waterwheel.

Considering that the river in the village flows very slowly and that building a waterwheel is quite difficult, he decided to try building two pedal waterwheels first.

It's currently the rice's grain-filling stage. If we can ensure sufficient water for nourishment, the harvest will definitely increase.

Moreover, with the waterwheels and the construction of special irrigation canals, even dry land can be taken care of.

The lives of the villagers in Shiqiao Village may be able to improve somewhat.

Zhang Qing's idea was good, but putting it into practice was clearly not an easy task.

Although he knew what a waterwheel looked like, he couldn't draw it well on paper. Chen Laosan was also confused and looked completely bewildered.

Fortunately, the village chief, Fan, not only understood Zhang Qing's meaning, but also took the brush and sketched out the general design.

They solved Zhang Qing's biggest problem.

Zhang Qing breathed a sigh of relief: "That's roughly it, but whether you can actually make it depends on your skills."

Chen Laosan felt immense pressure, but dared not disobey Zhang Qing, the cultivator, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and agree, "Well, then I'll give it a try."

Seeing his trembling appearance, Zhang Qing expressed his understanding: "Don't be afraid. It's okay to fail. Just do more and you'll eventually succeed. Just keep doing it. Or, if you don't know any colleagues with better skills, you can ask them for help."

"I'll cover the expenses!"

As he spoke, Zhang Qing took out a handful of large talisman coins from his storage bag and placed them on the table.

Both Village Chief Fan and Old Man Chen were taken aback.

Chen Laosan knelt down with a "plop": "Master, rest assured, I will do my utmost to make this waterwheel!"

They were practically swearing oaths.

Zhang Qing has already said all this; if he still tries to dodge the question, he'll be courting death!

"Then it's up to you."

Zhang Qing smiled and reached out to help him up: "If you do well, there will be a reward."

The old village chief, Fan, remained silent, only a complex expression appearing in his cloudy eyes.

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