Source Material Pathway

"Alright, let's go inside first."

"You don't seem like the type to leave easily, so let's not waste any more time here."

Having confirmed Linsey's stance, Green Fir led the way into the mountains and forests.

Green Fir has a decisive and uncompromising style in her behavior and conduct.

But on the way, she didn't make any demands, and just like an elder, she introduced Linsey to the detailed advancement of the Life Source Material.

Unlike Anrui's crude cultivation methods.

From the initial awakening to the Essence state after completing five advancements, the Life Scholar of Volcano City have a very deep understanding of it.

If it is a highly capable Life Scholar.

During the once-a-decade Source Material Tide, they can even extract the Life Force of newly awakened individuals and fuse it with Essence, forcibly imbuing them with the characteristics of Life Source Material.

Once the seeds of Life Source Material condense.

Then the effects of activating the Essence energy, enhancing Constitution, self-healing ability, and increasing lifespan will take effect simultaneously.

Then came the first advancement.

From the Seed of Life to Linsey's current Sprout Breaking Ground, it will give people powerful explosive force.

The next stage of growth is the transition from the Sprout Breaking Ground to the growth stage.

Those who possess Life Source Material during this period will experience an astonishing increase in endurance, making them comparable to some awakened individuals in terms of professional skills.

Then comes the next stage, from growth to maturity.

During this stage, the Essence of awakened individuals will rapidly increase, and their already enhanced lifespan will also increase again.

As long as it's not an accident like dying in battle.

Living for four or five hundred years is easy for them, and their bodies rarely show signs of aging.

The next stage after passing through "Maturity" is a special level called "Life Sowing," which is also the ability level that Green Fir belongs to.

At this level, the Essence will give rise to wondrous qualities.

Just as those Righteous Walker often possess Willpower Source Material, giving them the ability to move people's hearts, the qualities manifested by the Life Source Material at this stage will also reveal life-related abilities.

As for breaking through [the Life Sowing].

In the Volcano City, the awakened ones have a special name for this existence— Ancient Life.

Those who awaken at this stage have their lives completely integrated with the Essence.

Lifespan will also increase significantly.

According to records in the Volcano City, all those who have awakened to the Ancient Life are no less than 1,000 years old.

"A lifespan of a thousand years..."

The moment I heard that number.

Linsey then understood Green Fir's attitude towards her choice of Essence.

This is a matter of lifespan!

After an ordinary awakened being reaches the Fifth Stage.

With the help of skills and Essence, it is indeed possible to break through the lifespan limit of ordinary people.

But compared to the number of thousands of years.

There's no basis for comparison.

Linsey weighed the pros and cons in her mind, but soon another problem arose.

Can the Life Source Material suppress other paths simply by virtue of its long lifespan? The Stairway to Heaven of will; the life Life Lineage; the special ability of merchants to place power outside themselves; or the most applicable and universal Basic Essence.

These capabilities have developed to a high level.

While they may not live as long as those who possess the Life Source Material, they should each have their own advantages and disadvantages in other aspects.

Thinking of this, Linsey continued to press, "So, after the Ancient Life, is it possible for the Essence to continue to improve?"

"I've heard of it, but I've never seen it."

Green Fir shook her head slightly and used herself as an example to explain:

"I have now completed the activation of the Essence and am now fully integrating with it. In the Sixth Stage, human life has been completely integrated with the Essence. The next step is to conduct a deeper analysis of it."

Linsey offered her own idea. "What about other Essence besides Life Source Material? If they are cultivated to a deeper level, they should also have different abilities, right?"

Green Fir nodded. "Of course there are, and the effects vary."

"Take another Willpower Source Material as an example—it will identify a trait early on, either a virtue or a vice. In short, if you continue to cultivate it, the power of this will will be able to play a role in all kinds of behavior."

Linsey pressed for an answer.

"So, Willpower Source Material to the level of yours?"

Green Fir immediately offered an explanation:

"Willpower Source Material at the same level as mine—it will change the awakened one's own concepts. Originally established traits will also be sublimated into something else, as for the details..."

Green Fir is not omniscient and cannot be all-knowing.

When the conversation touched on an area where she had little knowledge, he switched to an example he was more familiar with:

"I haven't seen the specifics, but I do know the habits of artists."

"They merge emotions and Essence together. At my level, the body exhibits the qualities of the soul, and can even briefly break free from the concepts of life and the constraints of the physical body..."

Linsey followed Green Fir into the mountains and forests.

It has to be admitted.

This professional scholar from the Volcano City has accumulated far more knowledge than most people he has ever met.

Linsey could ask any number of questions, and Green Fir could answer them effortlessly.

Even when asked about relatively rare topics.

She can also make inferences based on her extensive knowledge.

The only regret is that Green Fir doesn't know much about history.

When Linsey asked about the Nature Spirit and ancient cities, she had no answers at all.

During the conversation, Green Fir also took the opportunity to gently guide Linsey: "Linsey, if you go to Volcano City to study, with your legacy, your future achievements will definitely not be less than mine."

Linsey looked at Green Fir's youthful appearance.

He couldn't tell the other person's exact age, but he could still appreciate the kindness. "If I have the chance, I will definitely go."

"After all, that's a place my teacher always talked about."

"..."

The two continued their questioning and answering as they ventured deeper into the mountains and forests.

Following the direction of the Forest Veins, they continued deeper and discovered the bodies of other people.

These people came from different backgrounds, but their fates were the same.

They all died directly from hostile attacks by the forest.

The constant discovery of corpses gradually silenced Linsey and Green Fir's conversation, and the atmosphere became somber.

That very evening, as darkness fell.

The two found a clearing in the woods to rest.

Linsey had long since made it a habit to open a map and scout the camp.

A strange phenomenon immediately caught Linsey's attention.

In the forest, due to the influence of trees, the map is mostly covered with a thick layer of green.

But it's near the camp where we're going to rest tonight.

The plot of land, which should theoretically be yellow, was actually painted green.

At first glance, it looks like someone has put a filter on it! "..."

"My skills can't possibly have bugs like in a game, right?"

Linsey frowned.

He zoomed in on the map to 3D mode, expanding the reconnaissance area, and his expression became subtle the next second.

"..."

Linsey twisted her stiff neck and looked at the Life Scholar beside her. "Green Fir."

"It seems like what we're standing on right now isn't a Mountain Peak?"