A Farmer's Journey To Immortality

Aksai continued walking through the Gu Insect Farm with Yelia by his side.

The two had already inspected many sections of the farm. Everything looked orderly and efficient.

However, Aksai was not the type of person who became satisfied easily.

If something could be improved, he wanted it improved. If something could become more profitable, he wanted it more profitable. As a Spirit farmer, he wanted more yields from his cultivated lands while reducing the cost.

His gaze swept across the vast farm before he suddenly stopped.

’Nuri. Analyze the entire Gu Insect Farm. Compare Arkaal’s methods with the complete Heavenly Poison Sect database. Identify flaws and inefficiencies.

’Also, identify anything that can improve production, breeding rates, survival rates, evolution chances, and resource extraction."

"Then optimize everything."

The next moment, countless spectral notifications appeared before Aksai’s eyes.

[Scanning Gu Insect Farm.]

[Comparing cultivation methods.]

[Analyzing environmental variables.]

[Cross-referencing Heavenly Poison Sect database.]

[Cross-referencing Gu Poison King’s inheritance records.]

[Cross-referencing Arkaal’s modified techniques.]

Aksai quietly watched the notifications.

Yelia floated beside him, curious of what he was doing.

"My liege is trying to improve the farm again?"

Aksai nodded.

"Yes. Arkaal’s knowledge ultimately came from Gu Poison King. And Gu Poison King’s knowledge came from a fragment of a Heavenly Poison Sect inheritance. He never possessed the complete inheritance.

"Nascent Soul King Qishan was interested in using Gu insects. He wasn’t interested in becoming a dedicated Gu farmer. He improved many things, but his focus was different. He developed methods that suited him. That doesn’t mean those methods are perfect."

Yelia nodded.

"That makes sense."

The Heavenly Poison Sect had once been a major force.

Its inheritance covered far more than Gu insects.

It contained poison cultivation techniques.

Alchemy.

Array formations.

Body refinement methods.

Spirit beast records.

Rare materials.

Ancient experiments.

And countless other fields.

The amount of information inside Nuri’s storage far surpassed anything Gu Poison King had ever possessed.

Meanwhile, more notifications appeared.

[Analysis complete: 17%]

[Analysis complete: 31%]

[Analysis complete: 56%]

[Analysis complete: 82%]

[Analysis complete: 100%]

Several new notifications appeared immediately afterward.

[Optimization opportunities detected.]

[Total recommendations: 43.]

Aksai raised an eyebrow.

"Forty-three?"

Even Yelia looked surprised.

Nuri began presenting her findings.

[Recommendation 1.]

[Introduce layered breeding cycles.]

[Current breeding method separates Gu species completely.]

[Heavenly Poison Sect records indicate that controlled interaction between compatible species increases mutation rates by 14.7%.]

’Cross breeding!’

Aksai immediately became interested.

Yelia also started paying closer attention.

Another notification appeared.

[Recommendation 2.]

[Modify poison-rich habitats.]

[Current Venom Reed Gu environment contains excessive poison concentration.]

[Reducing poison density by 11% increases survival rates by 23% while not affecting the gu insect derivatives’ quality.]

Yelia blinked.

"That much?"

Since both Nuri and Yelia were part of Aksai’s consciousness at this point, Yelia and Nuri could hear other if Aksai allowed it.

Nuri responded immediately.

[ Yes ]

[ Current poison concentration exceeds optimal threshold. ]

Yelia looked embarrassed.

"I followed Arkaal’s records exactly."

Aksai chuckled.

"Which is why optimization exists. Is fine. It’s not your fault, dear Yelia."

More notifications followed.

[Recommendation 3.]

[Create nutrient circulation network.]

[Waste products generated by Frost Shell Gu can be used as nutrient supplements for Crystal Moss Gu. As per an observation made by one of the Heavenly Poison Sect’s elders, this change would allow at least 10 percent of Crystal Moss Gu to transform into a variant species that can have different elemental properties than regular ones. ]

Aksai’s eyes widened slightly.

"Now that’s useful."

Throwing away resources was always painful for him. Especially when they could generate profit. Spirit farmers were supposed to be making profits from even the bio-wastes of various demon beasts.

Nuri continued.

[Recommendation 4.]

[Create Evolution Chambers.]

[Heavenly Poison Sect used specialized elemental exposure methods to trigger bloodline mutations.]

[Success probability increase: 9%.]

[Long-term population quality increase: Significant.]

Aksai rubbed his chin.

That sounded promising. Soon another notification appeared.

[Recommendation 5.]

[Introduce hierarchical breeding structure.]

[Select elite specimens as breeding cores.]

[Separate common populations.]

[Expected improvement in bloodline purity: 21%.]

[Gu insects would have a better chance of triggering atavism.]

Yelia nodded repeatedly.

"This one should be easy to implement."

Nuri continued presenting recommendation after recommendation. Some focused on breeding. Some focused on resource extraction. Others focused on habitat design.

One suggestion even involved using Spirit herbs grown elsewhere in the Enchanted Everwood Farm as specialized food for certain Gu species.

The more Aksai listened, the more impressed he became.

This was exactly why Nuri was valuable. She could analyze massive amounts of information in a very short time. Even a genius cultivator would need years to reach the same conclusions.

Aksai then started adding his own ideas.

"What if we connect the Evolution Chambers to the Farm’s elemental pools that we have developed recently?"

Nuri immediately calculated.

[Proposal accepted.]

[Predicted effectiveness increase: 12%.]

Aksai nodded.

Then another idea came to him.

"And aren’t Void Gu special? What if they occasionally pass through selected breeding areas? As far as I understand, the Void Gu are spatial elements themselves. This should count as an elemental exposure for normal gu insects. Of course, we’d have to make sure the Void Gu don’t kill the normal gu just by being in contact with them."

Yelia looked surprised.

Nuri immediately started calculating.

Several seconds later another notification appeared.

[Interesting possibility detected.]

[Void elements exposure may stimulate adaptation responses.]

[Requires controlled testing.]

[Risk level: Moderate.]

Aksai grinned.

"Good."

"We’ll test it."

Yelia looked slightly worried.

"My liege, are you sure? You already control the Void Gu using that bizarre technique you developed. But what if the evolved gu can’t be controlled by the same technique?"

Aksai laughed.

"I just want to try and see how it works out. If nobody experiments, nobody progresses."

Yelia helplessly shook her head. That sounded exactly like something Aksai would say.

Several more minutes passed.

By the time Nuri finished organizing everything, an entirely new development plan had been created.

Aksai finally looked at Yelia.

"Can you implement everything?"

Yelia folded her arms confidently.

"Of course. This is actually easier than rebuilding the entire farm. Nuri has obviously kept my efforts into account before suggesting those improvements. It shouldn’t take too long."

Aksai nodded.

"Then start immediately."

Yelia smiled.

"As you wish, my liege."

She quickly floated away to begin her work.

Aksai left the Gu Insect Farm’s section as well.

The spirit artifact’s vast isolated dimension seemed to have stretched endlessly around him.

In the distance, countless Spirit herbs swayed gently under artificial sunlight. Sentient Fiends moved between fields and facilities. Various Spirit beasts roamed designated grazing grounds.

Streams of Spirit-rich water flowed through carefully designed channels. The entire Enchanted Everwood Farm felt alive. As if it were a small world of its own.

Meanwhile, Nuri continued processing countless calculations in the background as she kept tabs on Yelia’s tasks. Every now and then, a few spectral notifications flashed before Aksai’s eyes.

[Optimization process ongoing.]

[Updating habitat parameters.]

[Generating new breeding schedules.]

[Analyzing resource circulation network.]

Aksai ignored the notifications. Yelia and Nuri could handle their work without supervision.

He had something else to check. Something he had been postponing for a while.

His footsteps slowly carried him toward one of the most isolated regions of the farm. A region that ordinary "workers" never approached without permission.

As he moved deeper into the area, the surroundings gradually changed. The bright and peaceful scenery started disappearing.

The vegetation became denser. The trees grew larger. Some looked twisted. Others looked almost alive.

Eventually, a gigantic shadow appeared ahead. Aksai raised his head.

The Demon Tree stood before him. It was the same sight and yet it felt different due to the small changes that happened over time.

More than three hundred meters tall.

Its enormous trunk looked like a mountain made of dark wood and flesh. Countless roots spread beneath the earth like giant serpents.

The branches stretched toward the sky. Thousands upon thousands of leaves rustled softly despite the absence of any wind.

The sight remained impressive no matter how many times Aksai saw it. The moment he approached, a familiar mental connection became stronger.

The Demon Tree had already noticed his presence. A feeling of happiness flowed through the connection.

Aksai smiled faintly.

"You’ve grown again."

The giant tree responded through emotions rather than words.

Pride.

Satisfaction.

Obedience.

The creature had become far stronger compared to when he first obtained it. Many of the recent improvements within the Enchanted Everwood Farm had also benefited the Demon Tree.

As Aksai continued walking, he eventually reached a clearing beneath the massive canopy.

Numerous giant fruits hung from thick branches above. Each fruit was blood-red in color. Some were small. Others were enormous. The largest among them were almost the size of adult humans.

These were not ordinary fruits.

They were flesh fruits.

Aksai’s own creation.

Or more accurately, a product of many experiments.

Flesh Pumpkins plus evolved Demon Tree’s offsprings that could be used for various experiments.

After combining the two through extensive breeding and cultivation methods, Aksai had successfully created a completely new species of specialized Demon Tree offsprings.