Spirit of Vegetation

The day after returning to Bright Moon Residential District, Lin Yun did not step outside.

The 10.4 billion funds had arrived, and his Two-Star Rank contribution points had been met; any other warrior would likely have rushed to Limit Home to go on a massive shopping spree. But Lin Yun's mind was not on that. His thoughts were entirely consumed by the plant he had brought back from the bottom of West Lake—six emerald-green leaves, one red fruit, the entire body crystal clear and translucent, emitting a faint, ghostly glow.

What exactly was it?

Lin Yun sat cross-legged on his bed, took the sealed box from his Space Ring, opened the lid, and examined the plant carefully once more. Moonlight spilled in through the gap in the curtains, shining upon it; the six leaves emitted an even more distinct glow in the darkness, while the red fruit at the center pulsed slightly like a heartbeat.

"The Heaven-Swallowing Python risked its life to guard it, which means its value far exceeds 12 billion," Lin Yun muttered. "But to know exactly what it is, I have to find out."

He carefully put the sealed box away, opened the smart computer at his bedside, and logged into Limit Home.

After entering the Warrior Forum, Lin Yun typed several keywords into the search bar: "plant," "glow," "monster guarding." A pile of search results appeared, but most were irrelevant. He tried "emerald green," "six leaves," and "red fruit," but still found no useful information.

Lin Yun frowned and changed his approach. He browsed the forum's data section for posts regarding Spirit of Vegetation. Spirit of Vegetation—this was the collective term warriors used for rare plants capable of enhancing strength and healing injuries. In the deep mountains and old forests of the Wilderness Area, warriors would occasionally discover such things, and every single one was a priceless treasure.

He flipped through many pages and read dozens of posts, most of which were unsubstantiated rumors and photos of questionable authenticity. Some claimed to be Spirit of Vegetation, only to be identified as ordinary glowing mushrooms; others boasted wildly but lacked even a single clear photo.

Just as Lin Yun was about to give up, one post caught his attention.

The title of the post was "An Encounter in a Deep Pool in Sichuan," and it had been posted three years ago. The poster was a warrior named "Mountain Eagle," and judging by the verification badge behind his ID, he was a High-Level War God.

Lin Yun clicked on the post.

"Last autumn, our squad was exploring an uncleared ruin in the deep mountains of the Sichuan region. That place was desolate and infested with monsters; it took us three days to find a deep pool. The water was emerald green and bottomless, surrounded by strange plants. Right there in a cave by the pool, we discovered a plant we had never seen before."

The post included a few photos. The photos weren't very clear, but one could make out the general outline of the plant—entirely emerald green, crystal clear, with six leaves arranged in a circular ring at the top. The leaves were as thin as cicada wings, and one could see green light flowing through the veins.

Lin Yun's heart rate accelerated sharply.

He continued reading.

"There was a High-Level Lord Rank mutated lizard guarding this plant, and it took us a great deal of effort to slay it. The plant itself was small, only the size of a palm, with six leaves and no fruit. We didn't know what it was at the time, so we brought it back to the base and sent it to the Dojo's research center."

"After the identification results came out, everyone was shocked."

"The leaves of this plant could actually enhance a warrior's Spiritual Force!"

"The people at the research center said that the leaves of this plant contain an extremely rare active substance that can act directly on a warrior's spiritual sea, strengthening their Spiritual Force. Furthermore, its roots and stems possess immense vitality, which is incredibly effective for healing injuries—whether internal, external, or genetic damage, it can repair them rapidly."

"According to the research center's assessment, this plant belongs to an extremely rare type of Spirit of Vegetation, and they tentatively named it 'Green Spirit.' Someone had posted on the Warrior Forum asking for information about this plant, but no one has ever found one since."

"The Dojo later issued a mission to search for this plant with a high bounty. But as far as I know, no one has ever found another one. I suppose even if someone did find it, they would likely use it quietly themselves—after all, a Spirit of Vegetation that can increase Spiritual Force is something money cannot buy."

At the end of the post, Mountain Eagle lamented: "It's a pity the Green Spirit we found didn't bear fruit. The people at the research center said that if this plant could bear fruit, the fruit's efficacy would be more than ten times that of the leaves. But they searched their database for a long time and found no records of Green Spirit fruit. Perhaps no one before us had ever seen it bear fruit."

Lin Yun stared at the screen, silent for a long time.

Green Spirit. A Spirit of Vegetation that could increase Spiritual Force. Six leaves, entirely emerald green, arranged in a ring—it was exactly the same as the plant he had found at the bottom of West Lake.

The only difference was that his specimen had one extra fruit.

"That's it," Lin Yun leaned back in his chair and let out a long breath. "The Green Spirit Mountain Eagle found either hadn't borne fruit yet, or the fruit had already been eaten by that mutated lizard. And this one of mine... I just happened to catch it when it was bearing fruit."

He looked down at the emerald-green plant in the sealed box, his gaze landing on the red fruit. The leaves' effect was to increase Spiritual Force, and the fruit's effect was more than ten times that of the leaves—what did that mean?

It meant that the value of this Green Spirit far exceeded his previous imagination. It was no wonder the Heaven-Swallowing Python had risked its life to guard it.

"I'll try the leaves first," Lin Yun decided.

He didn't know if there were any risks to consuming the Green Spirit, but Mountain Eagle's post hadn't mentioned any side effects. Moreover, his Spiritual Force had already reached the Intermediate War God level, and his physical fitness had reached the High-Level War General level; his tolerance was far beyond that of an ordinary warrior. One leaf shouldn't be a problem.

Lin Yun carefully plucked a leaf from the plant.

The moment the leaf left the plant, a few drops of emerald-green juice seeped from the severed end, and a fresh, herbal fragrance permeated the air. The scent was refreshing, and a single whiff made one feel invigorated.

He placed the leaf into his mouth.

The leaf melted upon contact, instantly turning into a warm liquid that flowed down his throat into his body. Immediately following, a cool and comfortable sensation spread from the depths of his body, as if a clear spring were flowing through his meridians, cleansing every corner.

That feeling was hard to describe—it wasn't pain, nor was it stimulation, but a comfort that welled up from the depths of his soul. It was as if his entire being were soaked in a hot spring, every pore relaxing, every nerve at ease.

Lin Yun felt his soul trembling.

Then, that mysterious energy surged directly into his spiritual sea.

His Spiritual Force—that power accumulated through Meditation and training, sharp as a blade—began to change under the nourishment of this energy. His original Spiritual Force was like a blade without a sheath, sharp and powerful, but prone to breaking due to its rigidity. Now, however, that mysterious energy was like a soft film of water, wrapping around those sharp forces, making them more resilient and more rounded.

Yin and Yang complemented each other; hardness and softness were balanced.

Lin Yun's Spiritual Force grew rapidly. From the mid-stage of Intermediate War God to the late-stage... it climbed all the way until it stopped at the peak of Intermediate War God.

At the same time, the feedback effect of the Spiritual Force also acted upon his body. Genetic Origin Energy circulated wildly within him, nourishing every cell, and his physical fitness improved in tandem—climbing from the entry-level of High-Level War General until it slowly stopped at the peak of High-Level War General.

Lin Yun opened his eyes, a flash of brilliance crossing them.

He raised his hand, and a Flying Dagger flew out from his dagger pouch automatically, dancing and circling at his fingertips. The speed of the Flying Dagger was more than twice as fast as before, yet it felt even easier to control, as if the dagger had become a part of his body; he didn't need to control it deliberately, for with a single thought, it would act according to his will.

"Peak of Intermediate War God," Lin Yun muttered. "And my physical fitness has also reached the peak of High-Level War General."

He silently sensed the changes in his Spiritual Force. Although he hadn't broken through to High-Level War God, the qualitative change was more important than the quantitative increase. His current Spiritual Force was no longer that purely fierce and rigid power, but one that balanced hardness and softness, capable of being retracted or released at will. He could unleash its full power in an instant, or compress that power to the extreme for more precise control. Furthermore, the recovery speed of his Spiritual Force after consumption was more than twice as fast as before.

"One leaf has such an effect..." Lin Yun's gaze fell upon the remaining five leaves and the red fruit, his heart rate accelerating slightly.

Without hesitation, he plucked another leaf and placed it in his mouth.

The same cool sensation, the same trembling of the soul, the same surge of energy.

His Spiritual Force broke through from the peak of Intermediate War God to the early-stage of High-Level War God, then continued to climb, stopping only when it reached the mid-stage of early High-Level War God. His physical fitness also finally broke through from the peak of High-Level War General to Primary War God!

The third leaf. Spiritual Force broke through to the mid-stage of High-Level War God, and physical fitness broke through to the mid-stage of Primary War God!

The fourth leaf. Spiritual Force reached the peak of the mid-stage High-Level War God, while physical fitness remained at the mid-stage Primary War God; the effects were slowly diminishing! Without hesitation, Lin Yun continued to consume the fifth leaf!

The fifth leaf. Spiritual Force finally broke through to the late-stage High-Level War God, and physical fitness reached the late-stage Primary War God.

The sixth leaf. Spiritual Force climbed to the peak of the late-stage High-Level War God, only one step away from the peak of War God. Physical fitness also reached the peak of Primary War God; clearly, Green Spirit was not as effective at enhancing physical fitness as it was for Spiritual Force!

All six leaves were consumed. Spiritual Force had risen from mid-stage War God to the late-stage High-Level War God, just one step away from entering the peak of War God. On Earth, a Spiritual Master at the peak of War God had another title: "Invincible War God"!

Lin Yun sat cross-legged on his bed, eyes closed, feeling the surging power within his body. Spiritual Force churned deep within his consciousness like a vast ocean. His physical fitness had also undergone a qualitative leap; he could feel explosive power contained within every single cell.

A Spiritual Master at the peak of late-stage High-Level War God. A Warrior at the peak of Primary War God.

This level of strength placed him among the very top tier within the entire Jiangnan Base City. Across the entire Earth, there were no more than 3,500 War God-level powerhouses, and High-Level War Gods were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. Yet he, at fifteen years old, already stood among their ranks.

More importantly, his Spiritual Force had undergone a qualitative change under the nourishment of Green Spirit. It was no longer purely rigid and fierce, but a blend of hardness and softness, a fusion of yin and yang. This change was a massive boost to his combat effectiveness—he could perform delicate operations he couldn't manage before, recover faster after exhausting his Spiritual Force, and maintain greater endurance in battle.

"If I encounter that Heaven-Swallowing Python again..." Lin Yun opened his eyes, a glimmer of confidence flashing within them, "I won't need a Soul Attack; I could finish it with Spiritual Force alone."

Flying Daggers danced in the room. Nine Flying Daggers moved like nine silver streamers, weaving an airtight net in the air. The trajectory of every Flying Dagger was precise to the millimeter, moving so fast the naked eye couldn't track them, yet they never collided or even interfered with one another.

Before consuming Green Spirit, he could not have achieved this level of control.

Lin Yun retracted the Flying Daggers and turned his gaze toward the last remaining red fruit in the sealed box.

The six leaves were gone, leaving only this fruit lying lonely in the center of the box. It seemed even more vibrant than before, the red on its surface deeper, like a ripe cherry or a solidified spark.

The efficacy of the leaves was already so astonishing; the fruit's efficacy would be over ten times that of the leaves—what did that mean?

It meant that if he consumed this fruit, his Spiritual Force would likely break through directly to the peak of War God, or perhaps even challenge the level beyond War God. His physical fitness would surge accordingly, reaching the peak of High-Level War God or even the peak of War God.

But Lin Yun did not rush to consume it.

He did not know how violent the medicinal effect of the fruit would be. The energy from the leaves had already required him to spend an entire night digesting it; the fruit's energy was ten times that amount. Consuming it rashly might be more than his body and spirit could withstand. Furthermore, his Spiritual Force had just undergone six consecutive breakthroughs and needed time to consolidate and adapt.

"No rush." Lin Yun carefully stored the sealed box into his Space Ring. "I'll consider the fruit after I've completely digested the medicinal effects of the leaves."

He shifted his consciousness to the Coiling Dragon World.

In the small forest behind the Ernst Institute, his other body sat cross-legged on a bluestone. Moonlight spilled over his shoulders, and the surrounding magic elements flowed quietly.

Lin Yun opened his eyes, feeling the changes in this body.

The growth of Spiritual Energy was synchronized. In the Swallowed Star World, his Spiritual Force had surged from Primary War God to the peak of late-stage High-Level War God, and in the Coiling Dragon World, his Spiritual Energy had naturally broken through the bottleneck of Level 8, reaching the level of a late-stage Level 9 Mage.

Level 9 Mage.

Only one step away from the Saint Realm.

But Spiritual Energy was only the foundation for a mage; the accumulation of magic power was equally important. He now possessed the Spiritual Energy of a Level 9 Mage, but his magic power remained at the peak of Level 8, requiring time to refine and accumulate.

Meanwhile, his Warrior cultivation had also successfully broken through from Level 6 Warrior to the peak of Level 7 Warrior under the feedback of the Small Cauldron!

"For the time being, I need to accelerate the refinement of my magic power," Lin Yun muttered. "I'll aim to break through to Level 9 before the end of the year."

Two worlds, two bodies, growing in sync. The six leaves of Green Spirit had caused his strength to skyrocket in the Swallowed Star World and allowed his Spiritual Energy to break through the bottleneck in the Coiling Dragon World. The advantage of this Dual World Resonance had been verified once again.

Lin Yun stood up and walked to the window, pushing it open.

The morning sun spilled in, shining warmly on his face. The villas of the Bright Moon Residential District were scattered in an orderly fashion amidst the morning light, and the dew on the lawns shimmered with crystalline radiance. In the distance, the spire of the Limit Hall glittered under the sun.

A new day had begun.

Billions of funds received, Two-Star Rank contribution points obtained, the second layer of Nine-Layered Thunder Blade mastered, Spiritual Force broken through to the peak of late-stage High-Level War God, Warrior cultivation reached the peak of Primary War God, and Spiritual Energy in the Coiling Dragon World broken through to Level 9.

This trip to the Wilderness Area had yielded results far beyond expectations.