[Name]: Clear Heart Orange Tree [Attribute]: Wood [Species Potential]: Hundred-Year [Evolution Routes]: None [Introduction]: A plant Soul Beast already domesticated by humans. Even after reaching a hundred years, it has no means of attack. However, it can bear Clear Heart Oranges, which calm the mind and ease agitation. It is a very common economic plant Soul Beast. [Note]: Spend a large amount of spiritual power to deduce the evolution route and method? (Yes/No). Spend a small amount of spiritual power to deduce the cultivation method? (Yes/No).
Xu Bai gazed at the information displayed in the Manual and rubbed his chin.
The Clear Heart Orange Tree had a species potential of a hundred years, after all. Based on his previous experiences, if he chose to deduce a cultivation method, the Manual would definitely divide it into a "First Stage" and a "Second Stage."
He estimated that the First Stage would rapidly raise the Clear Heart Orange Tree's age to a hundred years. The Second Stage, or perhaps even a possible Third Stage, was what he wanted.
"Oh well, I'll just deduce everything. I don't have much spiritual power, and all it'll take is some time to cultivate a ten-year-old Clear Heart Orange Tree to a hundred years."
Thinking this, Xu Bai focused his mind and chose to begin the deduction.
The next moment, the Manual's display changed.
[Note]: Open the Second Stage cultivation method? (Yes/No).
"Second Stage? I've never deduced a cultivation method for the Clear Heart Orange Tree before, have I?"
Xu Bai blinked. As soon as the question arose in his mind, a stream of information appeared out of nowhere.
It wasn't an explanation of how to use the Manual, but rather why the Second Stage cultivation method had opened directly.
The reason was simple: he already had the First Stage cultivation method for the Clear Heart Orange Tree, and had successfully cultivated one to a hundred years.
The First Stage cultivation method was to make Hundred Herb Liquid.
It really was worthy of being the first potion recipe he'd obtained through the Manual. Its effects suited almost every plant Soul Beast, and it was cheap, too.
It was practically a beginner's gift package.
Musing over this, Xu Bai got right to it and opened the Second Stage deduction.
Spending a small amount of spiritual power was now within what Xu Bai could tolerate. When the deduction began, he was surprised to find that he could move around freely. It seemed the Manual's deduction had no effect on him at all.
Of course, that was only how it seemed.
If he sat still and emptied his mind, he felt no abnormality beyond the sensation of spiritual power being drawn away.
But as soon as he did something else—like reading or studying, which also consumed spiritual power—he could clearly tell that he tired more easily and had more trouble concentrating than before.
An hour passed quickly, and the Manual provided the method:
[Second Stage]: Make Spring Autumn Fertilizer. It can accelerate the fruit-bearing rate of fruit-tree Soul Beasts under a thousand years old. [Required Materials]: A hundred-year-old Spring Autumn Cicada's exuvia, a hundred-year-old Autumn Leaf Begonia, a hundred-year-old Snow Lotus, high-grade Fire Soul Crystal... [Preparation Method]: Use high-grade Fire Soul Crystal to roast the various materials over a flame and extract their essence, then... [Usage]: Once a year, one portion each time
It was another potion, but its effect was to accelerate the fruit-bearing rate of fruit trees. It seemed the Clear Heart Orange Tree's potential was nothing special. There wasn't much left to cultivate besides turning it into a mindless fruit-producing machine.
The ingredients for Spring Autumn Fertilizer were reasonably cheap. A rough estimate put them at between two and three hundred Gold Soul Coins.
But it could only be used once a year...
"Once a year, huh..."
Xu Bai clicked his tongue. Spirit Ascension Liquid could be used once every seven days, Hundred Herb Liquid once a month, and even Thousand Wood Spirit Powder only once every three months.
This was the first time he'd seen something with a one-year interval.
Still, the Clear Heart Orange Tree's job was to bear fruit. Even if he could only use the Spring Autumn Fertilizer once every ten years, it wouldn't matter. He just hoped the effect would be good.
A hundred-year-old fruit-tree plant Soul Beast bore fruit more slowly than a ten-year-old one, producing fruit about once every ten years. But the quantity was no different from that of a ten-year-old tree.
"I'm not hoping for an effect as incredible as Hundred Herb Liquid's. I'll be happy if a hundred-year-old Clear Heart Orange Tree can bear fruit once a year..."
Xu Bai prayed silently.
There was nothing important to do, so he could move straight to the next steps.
Buy the materials, then make the fertilizer.
After a few failed attempts, he'd get a finished product and start producing it in batches.
Finally, he'd fertilize the few Clear Heart Orange Trees that had reached a hundred years as Soul Beasts. That would bring this little side project to a perfect end.
Back to the main story.
Just as Xu Bai had expected, Little Blue slept for a full three months before finally waking up.
After a brief spell of grogginess from just having woken, Little Blue's excited cheers rang out through the courtyard.
Of course, only Xu Bai, who had the Telepathy talent, and First, who was also a Beast Tamer's beast, could hear them.
"I'd only just gotten used to three months of peace and quiet, and now it's noisy again."
Xu Bai got out of bed. His words sounded exasperated, but a smile played across his face.
He walked out of his room and straight over to Little Blue.
"How is it? The results are pretty good, right?" he asked with a warm smile.
Hearing the familiar voice, Little Blue finally came back to its senses.
It looked at its Beast Tamer, its vines waving about excitedly. "Beast Tamer, I—I've gained two hundred years in age! You're incredible!"
Xu Bai smiled and nodded. He already knew from the Manual: Little Blue's age had initially shown as a hundred and fifty years, but now it was three hundred and fifty-five.
In three months, its age had increased by a little over two hundred years. That wasn't quite as impressive as Spirit Ascension Liquid, which added twenty years every seven days, but it was still heaven-defying.
Now that he knew the effects of Spirit Ascension Liquid and Thousand Wood Spirit Powder, it was time to focus on steady growth.
Time flew. Before long, it was almost time for the Junior Soul Master Academy to open the following year. Nothing unexpected happened during that period.
By then, First had reached eight hundred years, and Little Blue had reached seven hundred and fifty.
Naturally, their bodies had changed as their ages increased.
First, for instance, had originally stood just one meter tall, but now had grown to two or three meters. Fortunately, First had spent this whole time immersed in cultivation and was rarely awake, so it didn't spend much time eating.
Though First had grown substantially, it hadn't developed the lopsided figure Xu Bai had worried about. From a distance, its muscles were clearly defined, and its bright tiger eyes were imposing. It looked just like the legendary Mountain Lord.
As for Little Blue, it now covered almost the entire courtyard wall, and its vines were much tougher than before.
If it used the Entangle skill now, it could easily restrain a Soul Grandmaster. Xu Bai himself couldn't possibly break free anymore.
"Too bad there wasn't enough time for Little Blue to break through to nine hundred years... Oh well, I'll get Tang San's blood first. If I have to, I can store it in a special container."
Xu Bai shook his head and sighed, then sent Little Blue and First into the Beast Taming Space.
He left the city and galloped toward Nuoding City.