These two Spirit Bugs could assist in cultivating their respective plants.

A powerful Spirit Bug could influence an entire village—sometimes even doubling the harvest of crops that normally yielded only once a year.

Larval Bugs had a trace of intelligence, though not enough for proper communication.

The Jiang clan was able to command tens of thousands of followers not only because they offered land safe from beast attacks, but also thanks to the Wheat Spirit Bug, which provided a steady food supply.

As long as the townsfolk worked the fields, they would never starve.

At higher levels, Juvenile Sprites could affect an entire town. Compared to Larval Bugs, their area of influence was much wider, and once they assimilated the soil, its vitality would remain for at least ten days.

These “chrysalis-born” Juvenile Sprites grew wings—either bird-like for tree-born plants or butterfly-like for non-tree plants.

It was said their bodies were vaguely humanoid, with claw-like hands and feet resembling furless cat paws, upturned catlike or doglike noses, and hair that reflected their plant origin. Jiang Ran couldn’t help but imagine: if her Wheat Spirit Bug ever evolved, would it sprout a head full of rough straw?

Juvenile Sprites were no larger than a palm, far more spirited than their larval form, though still not the fairies of storybooks. Even at their final stage, Spirit Bugs could not speak.

Their intelligence did, however, grow with each evolution.

The average lifespan of a Juvenile Sprite was about thirty years.

If their abilities were already so heaven-defying, then what of the Young Fairies and Sacred Fairies? As for the Transcendent Fairies… they existed only in legend.

The two Spirit Bugs Jiang Ran summoned trusted and relied on her deeply.

The Mulberry Spirit Bug, only a little over three years old, was especially lively. It rubbed its round little head against her finger with great satisfaction.

“Chuu~ chuu~! (≧▽≦) I want food!”

Sensing its eagerness, Jiang Ran smiled helplessly. “So spoiled when you’re hungry, aren’t you?”

In truth, Spirit Bugs were the manifestations of plants. To Jiang Ran, they resembled fairies born from plants that had cultivated long enough to take form.

They were harmless—drawing energy only from their plant kin. Yet to help them grow better, there existed rare resources in the world that could nourish them.

The Jiang clan usually fed their two bugs with low-grade Jade Essence Crystals, one of the cheaper foods for Spirit Bugs.

Even so, the crystals aided their growth.

The Jiang household wasn’t wealthy, so being able to provide even that much was already good.

Her father, Jiang Fucheng, had pinched every penny. No matter how empty his pockets, he would still travel to Tianchen City every month to buy more crystals.

Though Jiang Ran teased the Mulberry Bug for being greedy, her body acted honestly as she went to fetch food for both bugs.

Opening a chest, she found rows of tiny porcelain bottles. Inside each was food for Spirit Bugs. Taking one out, she fed the pair.

The little creatures perked up immediately, munching happily.

It felt oddly like feeding children. Jiang Ran absently stroked the markings on the Wheat Spirit Bug’s body.

But unlike the lively Mulberry Bug, the Wheat Bug moved sluggishly, like an old man at the end of his days. Both its body and aura carried a trace of death.

Spirit Bugs had an average lifespan of only ten years. If they failed to evolve into Juvenile Sprites within that time…

In the whole of Suling Town, these were the only two Spirit Bugs. Of them, the Wheat Spirit Bug was vital. If it died, Jiang Ran was certain half the townsfolk would defect to other lords.

And if she lost her position as lord… her future would be nothing but uncertainty.

Just as worry clouded her thoughts, several glowing panels suddenly appeared before her eyes.

[Lord Support System]

[Territory Information Panel]

• Territory Name: Suling Town

• Lord: Jiang Ran

• Area: 135 sq. km

• Population: 20,000+

• Loyalty: 20 / 100

• Spirit Bugs: 2 (Wheat Bug, Mulberry Bug)

• Overall Rank: Town-level (Village → Town → County → Prefecture → Province → Nation → Dominion)

(Evaluation: A pitifully small territory, pitifully few people and wealth, and pitifully low loyalty. Your position as lord is hanging by a thread.)

Reading this, Jiang Ran could only grimace. What a brutally sarcastic evaluation.

Then another appeared:

[Personal Panel]

• Name: Jiang Ran

• Age: 15

• Gender: Female

• Cultivation: Spirit Gathering, Fifth Layer (early)

• Talent: Unknown

• Aptitude: Unknown

• Attributes: Water, Ice, Space

• Cultivation Method: Water Incantation Sutra (Heaven rank)

• Combat Arts: Water Slash (Mortal), Three Waves Technique (Mortal)

• Skills: Water Surface Slash, Wave-Piercing Finger

• Divine Abilities: None

• Spirit Bugs: Wheat Bug, Mulberry Bug

• Artifacts: None

• Spirit Beasts/Demonic Pets: None

• Territory Owned: Suling Town

• Reputation: 1255

[Spirit Bug Panel]

Wheat Bug

• Aptitude: Poor (Red)

• Rarity: Common

• Personality: Persistent

• Age: 10

• Spiritual Essence: None

• Mutation: None
  (In the twilight of its life, the persistent Wheat Bug continues to assimilate land. Yet this tiny being seems unwilling to let go.)

Mulberry Bug

• Aptitude: Elite (Green)

• Rarity: Common

• Personality: Resolute

• Age: 3

• Spiritual Essence: None

• Mutation: None
  (A Spirit Bug long overlooked, it strives tirelessly to gain recognition.)

A system, huh? It felt dreamlike.

But after everything she’d experienced this past half-month, one more strange thing hardly seemed impossible to accept.

Still, having such panels suddenly pop into her mind did take some getting used to.

After fiddling with it for a while, she realized the panels responded to her thoughts—switching, enlarging, or shrinking at will.

Besides the three main panels, the system also had a Task Bar and a Shop.

But the Task Bar was empty, containing only a single note:
“Tasks can be self-triggered.”

Jiang Ran: “…”