Han Yu returned to his humble stone hut, still catching his breath. Before he could even sit down, two crows—one large, one small—darted into the room like streaks of black lightning.

The larger crow landed gracefully in front of him, lowering its glossy black head. It gently opened its sharp beak, and a verdant twig slid out.

Hanging from the end was a dazzling blue fruit. It was the size of a ripe loquat, shimmering with an otherworldly luster so clear it seemed to reflect the room around it.

Wisps of spiritual energy swirled around the blue fruit like mist, accompanied by a faint, refreshing fragrance that invigorated the senses.

The smaller crow mimicked its leader, lowering its head to deposit an identical crystalline blue fruit.

A flicker of delight crossed Han Yu's eyes. He carefully cradled the two treasures in his palms.

"You found spirit fruits?"

He examined them closely, unsure of their specific properties. "Do they have an owner? Did you steal these from the sect's Medicine Garden?"

The crows shook their heads emphatically.

"Are there more?"

They shook their heads again. This was everything they had found.

Han Yu wasn't disappointed. Regardless of their specific effects, these were valuable. Even if he couldn't consume them directly for cultivation, they could surely be traded for Green Grain Spirit Rice or other resources.

"Well done. Today, I'll give you a reward..."

Han Yu prepared to condense some Blood Essence, but paused. Having just fired the Blood Droplet four times, his vitality was drained. Producing more essence now would be taxing.

At that moment, the large crow hopped onto the corpse of a Spirit-Stealing Rat. It looked at Han Yu with expectant eyes and let out a soft, pleading cry.

"Gah."

Since Han Yu had ordered them to keep a low profile, the bird no longer cawed loudly.

Han Yu was surprised. "You want to eat this rat?"

"Gah." The crow nodded eagerly.

Seeing this, the smaller crow hurriedly jumped onto another rat corpse, anxious not to be left out.

Han Yu smiled. The rats were difficult to dispose of safely anyway. Feeding them to his pets solved two problems at once.

"Alright. They're yours. Take them away to eat."

The crows were overjoyed. The large one grabbed a rat, spread its wings, and swayed side-to-side in a strange little dance, its claws tapping a crisp rhythm on the stone floor.

The smaller crow was even more mischievous. It tossed its rat into the air, caught it deftly, and then strutted in a circle with its tail feathers raised high.

Watching the two birds act like playful children, Han Yu laughed.

"Go on, get out of here."

The crows hopped closer, gently pecking at his clothes in a show of affection, before grabbing their prizes and flying off into the night.

About two hours later, the crows returned.

They staggered in as if drunk, blood staining their beaks. Without a sound, they flopped onto the floor and fell into a deep, comatose sleep.

Did the rat meat poison them?

Worried but helpless, Han Yu gathered some tattered clothes and stuffed them under his bed to form a crude nest. He gently placed the unconscious birds inside.

The next morning, Han Yu checked under the bed. The crows were still out cold, breathing but unresponsive. He didn't know if this was a good sign or a bad one.

If they died from food poisoning, finding new scouts with the Spirit Nurturing Technique would be a massive headache.

Leaving them be, he went out to inspect his spirit field.

Old Daoist Li was already gone, likely heading to the Green Grain Market to trade the rat carcasses for rice. He knew the way well. Han Yu, feeling his cultivation was too low and having nothing worth trading, had never visited the market himself.

Han Yu made a circuit around his field. No new rats. His mood lifted considerably.

He walked toward the fields of Zhang Shan, Sun Kang, and Liu Lan.

Liu Lan was sitting cross-legged in her plot, cultivating with the Spirit Stone Zhang Shan had gifted her. Having just broken through to the third layer of Qi Refining, she was in a critical period of stabilization. It wasn't a good time to disturb her.

Zhang Shan wasn't cultivating. He stood at the edge of his field, frowning slightly as he stared at the crops, lost in thought.

"Senior Brother Zhang."

"Mm. Junior Brother Han, you're up?" Zhang Shan glanced at him. "Those Spirit-Stealing Rats have been rampant these last two days. I saw you and Li Quan chasing them with sticks yesterday."

Han Yu nodded, playing the part of the helpless victim. "Yes. Those beasts bully us because we don't know any spells. We had to whip them with branches just to make them move. Detestable creatures."

Zhang Shan’s gaze sharpened slightly. "Same today?"

"Today's different. I checked around and haven't found any rats yet."

"Oh," Zhang Shan mused. "Maybe they tired themselves out last night. Or maybe they moved on to someone else's field."

He paused, then added, "Next season, try to adjust your planting schedule. Aim to align with ours. That way, we can coordinate our pest control, and we won't have to drive the same rats back and forth between our fields."

"Yes, Senior Brother Zhang. I understand."

It made sense. When Green Grain Spirit Rice neared maturity, pests swarmed. If planting times were synchronized, everyone saved effort.

Han Yu considered asking Zhang Shan about the blue spirit fruits. Zhang Shan was knowledgeable and well-connected—far more than Sun Kang or Liu Lan.

But he hesitated. Old Daoist Li had warned him that Zhang Shan was a man of "Empty Lip Service." Han Yu decided to keep his mouth shut.

Just then, Zhang Shan asked a question that made Han Yu's skin crawl.

"Junior Brother Han... do you know what Li Quan was doing heading out so early with a basket on his back?"

Han Yu looked at him in genuine surprise.

Among Laborer Disciples, inquiring about another's private movements was taboo. Why was Zhang Shan so interested in the Old Daoist’s errands?

Suspicion bloomed in Han Yu’s chest, but he kept his face blank. "Master Daoist went out? I thought he was still home cultivating."

Zhang Shan smiled, the tension in his shoulders relaxing. "Right. Of course you wouldn't know."

"Junior Brother Han, we are all fellow disciples. Why do you call Li Quan 'Master Daoist'? Did you know each other before joining the sect?"

"We met on the road to Wanchun Valley," Han Yu replied carefully. "He taught me a few things about survival."

"Well, we’re all equals here. It would be better if you dropped the title. If Steward Wang hears you using such honorifics for a Laborer, it might cause trouble."

With that, Zhang Shan turned back to his field, sat down, and began to cultivate. However, the frown remained etched between his brows.

Han Yu watched him for a moment, his wariness deepening. He definitely wasn't going to show Zhang Shan the spirit fruits now.

He walked over to Sun Kang’s field.

Sun Kang had just finished his meditation. Seeing Han Yu, he waved with a bright, genuine smile.

"Junior Brother Han! Are the rats giving you trouble today? Do you need a hand driving them off?"

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