A Star Lord's Natal Star had its own limits: the number and rank of Vassals it could nurture, the number and rank of Cultivation Dharma Lands it could support, the number and rank of Spirit Roots and Spirit Seeds it could plant, and the limits on how far its Vassals could develop.
To raise a star's limits, one had to refine more Demon Cores into it and strengthen its Star Spirit Vein.
However, a Natal Star could only refine and digest a limited number of Demon Cores within a given period.
Given the size of Liang Ji's Natal Star and the strength of its Spirit Vein, it could digest roughly one Demon Core every three days on average, converting it into energy for the Star Spirit Vein.
That was only possible because his Natal Star was still at the first rank. With the Spirit Treasure 'Celestial Star Array Diagram' in operation, time flowed there at a rate of several hundred years per day, allowing it to refine and digest first-rank Demon Cores so quickly and strengthen the Star Spirit Vein.
Later, as his Natal Star's rank continued to rise, the time-flow difference under the operation of the Spirit Treasure 'Celestial Star Array Diagram' would grow smaller. Refining Demon Cores to strengthen the Spirit Vein would take longer and longer.
That was why the higher a Star Lord advanced in cultivation, the harder it became and the more time it took. The farther they advanced, the more likely Star Lords who had started low and progressed slowly were to catch up with those who had started high and moved quickly.
Some had a higher starting point, and some moved faster, but the finish line was the same for all.
Liang Ji had bought nine first-rank Spotted Snake Demon Cores this time. Fully refining them and incorporating them into his Natal Star's Spirit Vein would take at least twenty-seven days.
The second mock exam was only a month away, so the time pressure was obvious.
Blade Mountain, Ku Rong Forest, the Sea Eye, Flame Valley, the Quicksand Grounds, the Wind Grotto, the Thunder Marsh, the Yin Qi Cavern, the Rising Sun Valley, Myriad Poison Grotto, and Frozen Abyss!
Apart from the three Cultivation Dharma Lands already built—Myriad Poison Grotto, Frozen Abyss, and Flame Valley—the other eight were also built one after another within Liang Ji's Natal Star as each Demon Core was refined.
The Half-Dragonfolk Vassals entered the various Cultivation Dharma Lands to train their Hegemonic Body's elemental resistances, steadily growing stronger.
As for the Cultivation Dharma Land called the 'Arena,' Liang Ji planned to incorporate it into his Natal Star last. He would first raise the Half-Dragonfolk Vassals' Hegemonic Body and strength to their peak, so they could give their all in the Arena, hone their abilities in battle, and develop the strongest, most suitable combat skills and fighting spirit.
However, refining and developing the 'Alchemist Inheritance' did not require any additional Demon Cores, so Liang Ji had already placed it among his Vassals for them to absorb.
By now, a few herbalists had been trained in the Vassal settlement on his Natal Star. They often searched the star for Spirit Medicines and cultivated them.
These Spirit Medicines had all sprouted and multiplied from the various Spirit Roots Liang Ji had planted in his Natal Star. There were only a limited number of varieties, and all were ordinary, common types.
Still, they were enough to train alchemists and refine a few ordinary, common pills.
One day, Liang Ji was watching one of the herbalists among his Vassals attempt to make pills, hoping to see the first alchemist emerge from their ranks.
A notification suddenly chimed from the 'Starlight Treasure Mirror.' He withdrew his consciousness and looked. His mother had posted a message in the family chat: a picture of a letter from the Xiushe City Agriculture Bureau, appointing her as a 'Spirit Planter Consultant.'
His mother was clearly thrilled about the appointment. She immediately told his father in the chat to book a table at Shan De Lou in the city, so the whole family could go out for a big meal and celebrate.
Liang Ji was a little surprised as he looked at the appointment letter. He knew a bit about his mother's Spirit Planter skills. Her abilities were limited partly by her inheritance and partly by her cultivation; she was no more than an ordinary first-rank Spirit Planter.
She and his father usually farmed Spirit Fields and grew spirit grain. Their harvest for the year was just enough to meet the family's needs, with hardly anything left over.
Could someone with those skills really be appointed a 'Spirit Planter Consultant' by the city Agriculture Bureau?
Was the bar that low?
With a suspicion forming in his mind, Liang Ji sent a message: "Mom, why did the city Agriculture Bureau suddenly appoint you as a 'Spirit Planter Consultant'?"
"Of course it's because your mom grows great spirit grain!"
That wasn't his mother's reply, but his father's message in the family chat.
Liang Ji was already immune to his dad's habit of constantly praising his mom. He waited for his mother to respond.
Before long, his mother explained what had happened in the chat.
Two days earlier, a group of city Agriculture Bureau officials had visited and surveyed the area where his parents rented Spirit Fields. They had also met with the Spirit Planters who farmed there and exchanged experiences.
Then, today, the Agriculture Bureau had delivered three 'Spirit Planter Consultant' appointment letters, hiring three Spirit Planters, including his mother, as consultants.
By now, Liang Ji had also opened the city Agriculture Bureau's official website to look through its information.
Sure enough, the latest news included an announcement about hiring 'Spirit Planter Consultants.'
Liang Ji opened the article and browsed through it. The other people hired as 'Spirit Planter Consultants' were indeed masters of Spirit Planter arts who had studied for years, had rich experience, and had even made considerable achievements.
It seemed that only his mother was the odd one out.
Afterward, Liang Ji looked up some more information and soon discovered that the head of the Xiushe City Agriculture Bureau was surnamed Wang and came from the Wang Family, a family of Star Lords in the city.
He immediately thought of Wang Zhihe.
Since the two of them had exchanged Spirit Communications, Liang Ji had been busy refining Demon Cores, strengthening his Natal Star, and developing his Vassals. He had had little time to keep in touch with Wang Zhihe.
Now, he opened his contacts, got in touch with Wang Zhihe, and asked about the Agriculture Bureau's appointment of 'Spirit Planter Consultants.'
As it turned out, Wang Zhihe and the Agriculture Bureau director were both part of the Wang Family, and the 'Spirit Planter Consultant' appointment could be seen as an olive branch extended by the Wang Family.
Liang Ji thanked him and ended the call, looking thoughtful.
From the visit by the manager of the Yun Family's 'Yunting Group,' to Peng Yue's trade and support, and now the olive branch from the Wang Family—
Clearly, after a trial and the first mock exam, he and his Half-Dragonfolk Vassals had gradually come to the attention of more and more people. They were earning recognition and winning favor, which was why olive branches kept reaching out to them.
"Ten years studying by lamplight, unknown to the world; one triumph, and all beneath heaven know your name!"
"When you're strong enough, the whole world will treat you with kindness."
Liang Ji was nowhere near 'making his name with a single triumph,' nor could he be called powerful. He had only revealed a little of his potential, yet he had already felt so much goodwill from those around him!
Without a doubt, it had made the truth of those words clearer to him.
"There's still the second mock exam, the third mock exam, and the college entrance exam. I'll make my name with a single triumph!"
"And I'll fulfill my potential and truly grow strong!"
Wishing all our readers a happy Mid-Autumn Festival and a joyful reunion with your families!
Where are all your kind wishes and olive branches? Send them my way!
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