Divine Grass Mountain,
Several strangely shaped plants grew there with drooping heads, their leaf edges curled and yellowed, looking utterly unsuited to the soil and water.
Li Xuanxiao crouched on the ground, pinching up a small handful of scorching sand between his fingers.
He then carefully prodded one of the plants, which resembled a flame yet bore only a few shriveled flower buds at its tip.
His brows furrowed slightly. A nearly imperceptible glimmer of spiritual light surfaced at his fingertips and entered the plant's roots to sense its vitality.
"Tsk, still not working."
Li Xuanxiao muttered under his breath. The spiritual light faded from his fingertips, and he lightly flicked away the red sand clinging to his hand.
"These flower seeds really are delicate. The temperature is sufficient, and the humidity is barely adequate, but the rhythm of this earthfire's pulse... is still a little off."
He rose to his feet and looked toward the Sword Spirit floating nearby, its body emitting a faint clear radiance.
"Change the environment in this area. We need to divide it into more detailed microclimates, not merely cycle through the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Especially this patch."
He tapped the crimson sand beneath his feet with the tip of his shoe.
"Simulate the environment of a lava cavern at the earth's core. The core temperature must remain steadily above sixty degrees all year round, with the temperature gradually decreasing toward the edges. Also, raise the concentration of fire spiritual energy in the air by another thirty percent..."
For the Sword Spirit, which controlled the spiritual veins and weather of the entire Divine Grass Mountain, this truly was no more than a thought.
The mountain spirit and earth veins were like extensions of its limbs, while clouds, mist, frost, and