Spiritual Root Enhancement

Linyuan City had sent over two bottles of Second-order Spirit Water and fifty thousand Spirit Stones. The envoy gave a detailed introduction to the two bottles of spirit water.

There was a kind of spirit water in the Cultivation World called Primordial Spirit Pure Water. It could nourish the soul and clarify one's state of mind. However, the place where this bottle of Primordial Spirit Pure Water had formed was also a Sha Lair that contained Profound Frost Yin Sha. Under the influence of the Sha Qi, the Primordial Spirit Pure Water had produced a spirit water of the opposite nature—Yin Spirit Sha Water. Yin Spirit Sha Water possessed an erosive effect similar to Sha Qi; it could erode the soul and throw one's mind into disorder.

Perhaps feeling that the compensation was insufficient, they had added fifty thousand Spirit Stones. Fang Xiao was quite satisfied with the two bottles of spirit water, especially the Yin Spirit Sha Water. If he refined it into the Soul Nurturing Gourd, then when he refined Sha Qi in the future, it would at least help his soul resist the Sha Qi.

After accepting the items, he exchanged a few pleasantries with Linyuan City's representative before seeing him off.

"Thank you, Young Friend Fang, for your righteousness in saving Mengsheng. We failed to recognize Wang Zhongping for the evil cultivator he was and allowed such a person to emerge from our sect. He nearly brought calamity upon you, Fellow Daoist. We are ashamed beyond measure, so we have sent a few spiritual items as compensation. Please see whether they satisfy you." The Five Elements Sect Golden Core cultivator adopted an exceedingly humble posture as he spoke.

Fang Xiao opened the Storage Bag sent by the Five Elements Sect. Not only did it contain the Five Qi Spirit Seed, but it also held a piece of Gold Essence half the size of a Great White Sword Pellet. This delighted Fang Xiao immensely.

"You are too courteous, Senior. I naturally believe this was not the Five Elements Sect's intention. Besides, I suffered no losses. As long as Fellow Daoist Yu is unharmed, that is enough."

The other party's attitude was so good, and they had even sent such a large piece of Gold Essence. Naturally, he could no longer keep a stern face.

"I was too inexperienced, which was why I suffered this ordeal. I must also thank Fellow Daoist Fang for saving my life."

Although Yu Mengsheng's cultivation was ordinary, his talent in Teleportation Arrays was outstanding. Fang Xiao intended to befriend him, and after the two exchanged insights, they left each other communication talismans.

Seeing that his purpose had been achieved, this Golden Core Elder of the Five Elements Sect also voiced his farewell.

"Young Friend Fang, if you reach Nascent Soul Late Stage in the future, you may come to the Five Elements Sect. There is a Spirit Transformation opportunity that will be given to you."

As he departed, he left Fang Xiao with those words through voice transmission.

Fang Xiao believed the upper echelons of the Five Elements Sect had asked him to convey the message. Though he did not know what opportunity it was, based on how the Five Elements Sect's Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivators could join forces against a Spirit Transformation cultivator, he roughly guessed that the sect possessed some Secret Art related to the Five Qi Cultivating Immortal Scripture that could increase the odds of a Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivator advancing to Spirit Transformation. One of the conditions was likely the gathering of all five elements. Now that the Gold Vein had been extinguished, the other four veins might be unable to find anyone capable of cultivating a Gold attribute Heavenly Spiritual Root, so they wanted to place their wager on Fang Xiao.

Taking ten thousand steps back, even if only Fang Xiao among the five broke through to Spirit Transformation, should the Five Elements Sect encounter trouble, he would not stand by and watch after owing them this favor.

This matter was still far too distant. Fang Xiao planned to consider it after achieving Nascent Soul Formation.

Looking at the items that had been sent over, he estimated that with his current Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation, he would need only two days to process them all. He would then use the Teleportation Array to return to the sect two days later.

When Fang Xiao had broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, True Fire had already formed within his Dantian. He usually used it to temper his spiritual power and nurture his Sword Pellet; this was his first time using it to refine something.

He looked at the golden pellet on the table, picked it up, and swallowed it in one gulp. Then he circulated his cultivation method, guiding the Dantian's True Fire to catch the Gold Essence as it fell into his Dantian before refining it with all his strength.

Worthy of being the foremost of the five metals, it took him nearly two hours of refinement before it gradually began to liquefy. The process grew faster and faster, and before long, the Gold Essence became a lump of golden liquid that sometimes gathered together and sometimes separated.

Before he could observe it further, the Great White Sword Pellet, radiating a five-colored halo, had already begun approaching the Gold Essence of its own accord. Seeing this, he did not stop it.

The Great White Sword Pellet that fell into the golden liquid was gradually enveloped by it. The golden liquid began slowly seeping into the Sword Pellet, and before long, a Sword Pellet of Purple-Gold Color appeared before him. Strangely, its size had not changed in the slightest. Compared to before, its sharp aura had increased severalfold, and it now carried a hint of intent that nothing could withstand.

Fang Xiao controlled it for a while. Whether he used it to attack enemies or perform sword escape, not only had its power multiplied, but it also moved with incomparable smoothness. However, the spiritual power it required had also increased greatly. Fortunately, his spiritual power was deep and abundant, so it had little effect on him. He then returned it to his Dantian and continued nurturing it with True Fire.

The Five Qi Spirit Seed was comparatively simpler. So long as one had entered the Five Qi Cultivating Immortal Scripture, one could use a special incantation to draw it into the body and plant it within the corresponding Five Viscera.

Fang Xiao had already studied this scripture for many days and was long filled with confidence. Without further thought, he followed the instructions in the scripture and circulated his spiritual power through specific meridians. With a body that had undergone meridian cleansing and marrow cleansing, he easily entered the First Layer Early Stage.

After successfully entering the scripture, Fang Xiao held the five Spirit Seeds in his left hand while his right hand rapidly formed dozens of hand seals. He took a deep breath, and the five-colored Spirit Seeds were sucked directly into his mouth. After entering his body, the Spirit Seeds initially wandered about at random. But as the Five Qi Cultivating Immortal Scripture circulated more deeply, all five of his viscera emitted a hazy glow. As though responding to a summons, the Spirit Seeds swiftly entered their corresponding organs and settled down, as if they had returned home.

He did not stop circulating the Five Qi Cultivating Immortal Scripture. He continued for a while longer and even tried activating the Five Qi Spirit Seed once midway through. Everything proceeded incomparably smoothly, without the slightest obstruction, and only then did he stop circulating the immortal scripture.

Though he had stopped circulating it, Fang Xiao sensed a strange twisting sensation within his body. It continued for a full hour before gradually fading away. During that time, he carefully examined his body but could never find the cause. Then his expression suddenly changed in shock, tinged with delight, and he took a Jade Ring Artifact for testing spiritual roots from his Storage Bag.

This artifact was more precise than the one he had seen in Golden Jade City. He could test his own spiritual roots as well, but only obtain a rough estimate of their specifics.

Fang Xiao placed the jade ring against his brow, and it immediately began changing color. As he looked at the markings upon it, joy appeared on his face.

Originally, his spiritual roots had shown eighty-five percent Gold attribute and fifteen percent Earth attribute on the jade ring. Now, his Gold attribute had reached ninety-two percent, while his Earth attribute had fallen to only eight percent. He had not expected the Five Qi Cultivating Immortal Scripture's effects to be so remarkable. Perhaps at the Second Layer Early Stage, or even the First Layer Late Stage, he would be able to achieve a Gold attribute Heavenly Spiritual Root.

The characteristic of a Heavenly Spiritual Root was that there were no bottlenecks before forming a Golden Core. However, it only guaranteed a low-grade Golden Core, and reaching the Nascent Soul Realm was basically hopeless. To raise the grade of one's Golden Core, one's essence, qi, and spirit had to undergo transformation as the standard. It also depended on one's Dao foundation, accumulation, cultivation method, Gang and Sha, and divine abilities. Of course, certain heavenly treasures, wondrous arts, and secret medicines also possessed miraculous effects that could raise the grade of a Golden Core.

Ordinary cultivators only knew that Golden Cores came in high, middle, and low grades, unaware that even high-grade Golden Cores had distinctions among them. Major sects with orderly inheritances all recorded in detail that Golden Cores had nine grades, with the First-grade Golden Core being the highest.

Fang Xiao naturally understood this clearly. He had long made up his mind that his Golden Core formation must result in a First-grade Golden Core. Naturally, he possessed the potential and foundation for it. All he needed to do was walk every step steadily, and that First-grade Golden Core would surely come as naturally as water flowing into a channel.

Of course, he still had a long road ahead: raising his cultivation, Condensing Sha and Refining Gang, and condensing Divine Ability Seeds all required long-term planning.