Chapter 334: Your Task is Heavy!
Old Li reluctantly waved goodbye to a few excited children, temporarily parting from them, his expression still dazed, clearly not fully processing what had just happened.
Watching this scene, Matthew chuckled inwardly:
"Wanting students, are you? Just say how many you need!"
"Why worry? All they're learning is knowledge."
"Honestly, we've never been afraid of it!"
Before Old Li could react, Matthew was already leading him straight to the Druid greenhouse.
On the way, Old Li noticed a large area of land and buildings under construction.
"This is also part of the academy, where more students will study in the future."
"The Lord has insisted that every child in the territory should have a place to learn, whether they want to or not!"
Arnold discussed this with Old Li, recalling that he used to think the Lord's approach was a bit domineering.
After all, "not studying" is every child's right, isn't it?
But then Arnold saw countless children of new farmers, as well as countless refugees whose families had been torn apart, and he began to understand.
Freedom comes at a price!
Sometimes, the price is life itself!
"Children naturally love to play, and even adults do."
"But with the world in such turmoil, growing stronger is essential for survival!"
"Children who don't study won't understand, and if they don't understand, they're likely to lose their lives…"
Arnold's words deeply inspired Old Li.
At over 200 years old, neither the East nor here had ever offered an experience quite like this!
No territory or power had ever ensured every child received an education and invested so much in their growth.
What will Bay Territory become in the future?
Suddenly, Old Li was filled with anticipation!
They arrived at a three-story building—the Druid Greenhouse.
Old Li thoughtfully examined the cement walls but refrained from asking more questions.
Arnold didn't elaborate, merely guiding him inside and down through the brightly lit hall.
Transparent lights illuminated the underground area as if it were daytime.
The space was divided into different sections.
Each section was separated by alchemical glass, with some areas growing a single magical plant and others hosting multiple varieties.
The sides of the alchemical glass were covered with various records.
This was not like the Druid greenhouse Old Li had imagined!
There were few people around; instead, golems the size of ordinary humans moved skillfully.
They entered the cultivation areas, dug up mature magical plants, and planted new seeds.
These magical plants were then sent to the greenhouse's central area.
There, Elona and Guoguo were busy with over a dozen Druid apprentices.
They classified, recorded, and checked the form and effects of the magical plants, carefully noting any changes.
After observing for a while, Old Li felt he'd gained a lot.
Especially when he saw the lush green Wisdom Tree in Guoguo's hands; his heart skipped a beat.
He sensed a unique aura, one deeper and more ancient than that of the chubby Little Elephant.
Was this the source of that special aura?
Bay Territory truly was exceptional!
Seeing Matthew's arrival, Elona quickly set aside her work and spoke with a sigh,
"Lord, we need more hands. The number of magical plants is increasing, and we're struggling to keep up…"
"Plus, we need to focus on modifying the specific magical plants you requested…"
As she spoke, Elona looked at Old Li, dressed in a gray-green robe, and, sensing his profound connection to nature, exclaimed with delight:
"Oh! Are you the reinforcement Lord Matthew sent?"
"I'm so glad you're here! We've got several magical plants that are hard to handle, especially those high-level ones…"
"Come take a look…"
And so, Old Li, still somewhat dazed, was swept away by Elona.
Facing the rare and precious high-level magical plants and Elona's admiring gaze, Old Li casually showcased his vast expertise.
He immediately proposed several effective modification methods, earning Elona's heartfelt praise.
"With you here, I can rest easy."
"I still need to work on developing new magical plants for the Lord, sigh…"
The now more experienced Elona decisively handed over this heavy burden, focusing on what she did best.
Within a few months, vast new fields would be ready for planting.
She had to hurry!
She had a hunch that this agricultural model, which Guoguo praised so highly, would shine brightly in the future!
Old Li, having taken charge of the greenhouse, began working happily.
The reason was simple: based on his modification methods, Bay Territory rewarded him with 30,000 gold coins in just three days!
Temporarily short on money, Old Li savored this reward.
Even more gratifying, as his understanding of the magical plants deepened and he refined their modifications,
he felt a profound new insight into the path of the Druid!
The once impenetrable barrier to the Legendary level now seemed to show a hint of weakness!
This was a blessing beyond measure!
Old Li eagerly gathered a group of gifted Druid apprentices, letting them help manage the greenhouse while imparting his knowledge to them.
Interestingly, Little Elephant and over a dozen small treants joined in too!
As Yaya astutely observed, "He wants to earn gold coins to buy lots of food!"
Well, for a foodie, that's as simple and beautiful a dream as it gets!
Matthew watched this development with a smile.
This crucial aspect of "farming" had finally begun.
Matthew believed in the collective power of his people and wouldn't neglect developing the strength of professionals.
The combination of the two would bring Bay Territory even greater advantages!
However, to focus on farming, the population problem might be manageable for now, but the orc crisis remained unresolved.
Only by dealing with them could Matthew buy more time for the territory's development.
The most crucial reason was that, without the excuse of clearing out the orcs,
Matthew couldn't openly consolidate new "territories" and "inheritances"!
So, Matthew led Bay Territory's soldiers and adventurers back to the Carl Plains.
They hunted roaming orc soldiers and reclaimed lands and castles occupied by the orcs.
First, deal with the spoils!