Spiritual Roots Have Spirits, Fellow Daoist, Stay Awhile!

"Uh... hi?"

Xuanwei's immortal qi essence body swayed by the water pool, attempting to transmit a friendly wave of thought, like greeting a aloof cat from the neighbor's house.

The branches and leaves of the Nine-Leaf Spiritual Root moved without wind. One leaf, shaped like a palm, lifted slightly, pointing at Xuanwei. A more distinct sense of "being watched" fell upon him. The thought was as pure as a newborn dewdrop, carrying intense curiosity, and a hint of... eagerness, like a foodie spotting a novel snack?

"Wait! Fellow Daoist! Great Spiritual Root! We're on the same side! Don't do anything rash!" Xuanwei's heart skipped a beat. He quickly activated [Deep Immortal Seclusion] to its maximum, while frantically circulating the Innate Immortal Qi Origin Method, disguising himself as a harmless, even slightly fragrant, background prop.

[Analysis: Target is an unknown Innate Spiritual Root, extremely high energy level, has developed sentience. State: Curiosity > Hostility.]

[Recommendation: Express goodwill, showcase your pure origin traits, avoid any thought waves carrying threat or greed.]

"Showcase pure origin?" Xuanwei's mind lit up. He carefully separated a wisp of extremely pure immortal qi, infused with the aura of the Wutu Source Core, like offering an invisible lollipop, and slowly sent it towards the spiritual root.

The "palm-shaped" leaf hesitated for a moment, then gently touched the wisp of immortal qi.

Swish!

The next second, Xuanwei felt the entire spiritual root "light up." Its nine leaves swayed joyfully, emitting pleasant fluctuations. The wisp of immortal qi was instantly absorbed, leaving it wanting more. The thought it transmitted to Xuanwei changed from curiosity to a clear "More!"

"Good heavens, it's a foodie after all!" Xuanwei was delighted. This was manageable! He didn't have much of anything else, but this innate immortal qi was a renewable resource as long as he had enough energy!

He immediately separated a few more wisps of immortal qi and sent them over, like an attentive feeder. The spiritual root accepted them all without refusal, its branches and leaves dancing even more merrily. Even the three red fruits at its tip seemed to have grown more vibrant.

[Target's favorability has significantly increased! Energy exchange ratio: 1 unit of immortal qi for 0.5 units of pure grass and wood life essence feedback.]

[Hint: This life essence has miraculous effects in stabilizing one's origin, repairing hidden injuries, and enhancing spiritual intelligence.]

There was even a return gift? Xuanwei felt the returning stream of life-giving warmth integrate into himself. Some subtle flaws left from his forced breakthrough and escape were quickly repaired. His immortal qi essence body became even more transparent and rounded, and even his thoughts seemed to have sharpened slightly.

"This is quite the transaction! A huge profit!" He immediately perked up, "producing" more immortal qi lollipops with even greater effort. For a time, the cave was filled with an atmosphere of harmony and (feeding) friendship.

Just as he was contemplating whether he could use this "meal ticket" friendship to get a taste of one of the fruits--

[Warning! External spatial fluctuations detected! A lifeform is forcibly breaking through the cave's outer natural formation!]

[Energy signature analysis: Not an Earth Vein Rock Lizard, mixed attributes, carrying... karma and curse aura?]

[Risk assessment: High! The intruder is hostile!]

"No way, officer?! Again?!" Xuanwei almost spat out a mouthful of blood (if he had any). Did this Primordial World have GPS? Why was he being chased everywhere he went?

He instantly stopped feeding and vigilantly "looked" towards the cave entrance. The Nine-Leaf Spiritual Root also sensed the threat. Its nine leaves instantly closed, protecting the fruits at its tip in the center, emitting a faint green halo. The cave's natural formation glowed brightly, its defenses clearly strengthened.

Rumble!

A dull, heavy roar came from the cave entrance, shaking the entire cave. The vines and spiritual light covering the entrance flickered violently, clearly indicating the intruder was forcefully breaking the formation!

"System, can you scan what's outside?"

[Formation interference is severe, precise scanning is impossible. Blurred outline indicates... humanoid? Quantity: One. Estimated energy level: Peak True Immortal to Early Mysterious Immortal. State: Appears injured, unstable aura, but extremely aggressive.]

An injured, peak True Immortal or higher, humanoid creature? Xuanwei's heart sank. This was much trickier than an Earth Vein Rock Lizard! Earth Vein Rock Lizards weren't very intelligent and could be dealt with using the terrain. A being of this level would surely have more tricks!

"Fellow Daoist, it seems we have trouble," Xuanwei attempted to transmit his thoughts to the Nine-Leaf Spiritual Root. "That guy outside seems to be after your precious fruits."

The Nine-Leaf Spiritual Root transmitted back emotions of tension and anger, clearly aware that it was a "beauty that causes trouble."

Rumble! Another heavy roar. The formation light screen at the cave entrance visibly dimmed by a notch, even showing a faint crack!

"No, I can't just wait to die!" Xuanwei's mind raced. Run? The entrance was blocked, and the intruder outside would surely be waiting. Fight? His 15% energy level immortal qi wouldn't even be enough to tickle them!

His gaze fell again on the Nine-Leaf Spiritual Root and the pool in the center. The spiritual energy in this pool... was unbelievably dense!

A bold idea emerged.

"Fellow Daoist! Lend me your sacred ground! Help me buy some time!" Without caring if the spiritual root understood, his immortal qi essence body plunged fiercely into the spiritual energy-filled pool!

Plop!

As soon as he entered the pool, the extremely pure innate spiritual energy surged into his origin like a bursting river! This was hundreds of times more efficient than any absorption he had experienced before! His energy level began to skyrocket!

16%... 18%... 20%...!

[Energy level breaks through 20%! Chaos Heaven-Opening Art Qi Induction chapter unlock rate increases! Can preliminarily draw upon Chaos Qi to temper the origin!]

[Warning! Energy injection too rapid! Host's origin is at risk of being overloaded! Please slow down or guide the energy immediately!]

"Guide? Right! Guide!" Xuanwei's mind lit up. While frantically absorbing the pool's spiritual energy, he poured the boundless energy, regardless of the cost, into the newly initiated Nine Tribulations Earth-Guarding Body technique!

He wasn't trying to temper a physical body, but to... forcibly shape one! Even if it was just a temporary shell!

Supported by the vast energy, his originally ethereal immortal qi essence body began to churn and compress violently! Specks of Wutu essence were forcefully extracted, mixed with pure immortal qi origin and the pool's spiritual energy, and struggled to outline a vague, roughly three-foot-tall, chubby, round... earthy yellow gaseous silhouette outside his body?

It looked like a Q-version, crudely molded little earthling, with no facial features, only a general shape of limbs and a round body, looking quite comical.

"Holy crap? What is this? An elemental slime's juvenile stage?" Xuanwei looked at his temporarily assembled "body" with a bit of speechlessness. But at least... it had a shape now! And he could feel that the defensive power of this temporary shell was significantly stronger than his pure immortal qi state!

Just then--

Crack!

Under the intruder's relentless, no-holds-barred assault, the cave's natural formation finally shattered!

A black shadow, carrying a dense aura of malevolence and a nauseatingly sweet, fishy smell, shot in like a phantom!

It was a gaunt Daoist dressed in tattered black robes. His face was deathly pale, a trickle of dark red blood at the corner of his mouth, but his eyes were as greedy and ferocious as a starving wolf's, fixed intently on the red fruit atop the Nine-Leaf Spiritual Root in the center of the pool!

"Hahaha! Innate Spiritual Root! Dragon Saliva Fruit! It's destined for this old ancestor to heal my injuries, extend my life, and advance further!" The black-robed Daoist let out a ghastly cackle like a night owl, completely ignoring the Q-version little earthling that had just taken shape in the pool, looking harmless and even a bit amusing.

However, the moment he moved, transforming into a black light and lunging towards the spiritual root—

"Halt! This path is blocked! This tree is mine... uh, planted by my friend! If you want to pick the fruit, you'll have to get past me first!"

A voice, though slightly childish, tried its best to sound fierce, echoing through the cave.

The chubby little earth elemental, hands on its round "waist," stood blocking the path between the black-robed Daoist and the Nine-Leaf Spiritual Root. Despite its comical appearance and... practically nonexistent aura, its posture was perfectly defiant.

The black-robed Daoist's movement abruptly stopped, as if he had seen something unbelievable. His sinister gaze finally fell upon Xuanwei.

He was first stunned, then sensing the pure yet weak (relative to him) immortal qi and Wutu Source Core fluctuations emanating from Xuanwei, a cruel and contemptuous sneer spread across his face:

"Heh... a mere wisp of innate energy that has gained some fortune and barely managed to take shape, daring to block this ancestor's path? Truly courting death!"

Before his voice even faded, his withered hand shot out, its fingertips wreathed in foul black light, carrying a malevolent aura that eroded the soul. It lunged directly towards Xuanwei's round "head"!

"Then... consider yourself an appetizer for this ancestor's Dragon Saliva Fruit!"