Number Seven Seed Space

This was a spherical space roughly ten zhang in diameter, its boundaries smooth and white. Qin Huaian's consciousness could extend freely to every corner of it.

At that moment, the same mechanical voice from before sounded in his mind again:

"The host has been bound. Would you like to construct a true-body mirror image?"

"Construct it." After a moment, Qin Huaian silently answered in his heart. He had already roughly understood what a true-body mirror image was.

A true-body mirror image was a mirrored body formed within this space, its condition completely identical to that of the original body. Like the original body, it could circulate cultivation arts and practice spells and skills.

Qin Huaian was overjoyed. "This is a cheat! A sexy space, AFK grinding online!"

"With this mirror image, the original body and the mirror image can cultivate together. That doubles the cultivation speed, and the mirror image can remain in a cultivating state at all times!"

"Why is it called Number Seven Seed? Could there be a Number One Seed, a Number Two Seed? What does 'seed' mean? Was the mirror image grown from a seed?"

Clearly, this was not something Qin Huaian could figure out right now. He did not dwell on it too much, instead pacing back and forth through his bedroom in barely contained excitement.

"I wonder whether this space can store items?"

Thinking of it, he tried it. He walked into the outer room and imagined the table entering the space, but nothing happened to the table.

Can't store it? After thinking briefly, he placed his palm on the table and imagined putting it into the space again. The table suddenly vanished. When he sent his consciousness into the space, he found that the table had indeed been stored inside.

Within the space, the mirror image stood quietly in the center, its eyes lightly closed. The table sat in one corner, and he could place it anywhere he wished.

"So it really works! Only items I touch can be stored inside."

Qin Huaian repeatedly stored and took out the items in the room, gradually figuring out the rule. Only things he physically touched could be placed into the space.

"I only tested tables, chairs, benches, and the like. I wonder whether living creatures can be stored too. I'll test it when I get the chance."

There were no other living creatures in the room besides himself, and he had already tested himself—the original body could not enter the space.

After testing the storage function, he placed the spirit stones, pills, and other items on his person into the seed space. Since this space had been formed by Number Seven Seed, Qin Huaian called it the seed space.

Storage treasures were extremely precious in the cultivation world. Even the lowest-grade storage pouch was worth at least a thousand spirit stones, and its space was said to be only three chi square. Yet the seed space was a full ten zhang across.

Qin Huaian sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion in his bedroom. "Let's try cultivating with the mirror image."

Inside the space, the mirror image stood in the center. Its build was well-proportioned and its features handsome, exactly the same as the original body. Qin Huaian was quite pleased with this; it truly carried the original body's air of a jade tree facing the wind.

But... even if no one could see it inside the seed space, it still needed to wear clothes. Otherwise, it always felt chilly down there.

As if struck by inspiration, he understood that the mirror image's clothing could change according to his will. With a slight movement of his mind, a simple Daoist robe draped itself over its body. Much better. Easier on the eyes this way.

Qin Huaian guided the mirror image to circulate the Azure Splendor Art, and spiritual energy began to flow through its meridians. After several cycles, several lines of text suddenly appeared before his eyes:

Cultivation: Qi Refinement (Level 2, 11/100);

Cultivation Art: Azure Splendor Art (Beginner, 94/100, can be deduced);

A data panel! Qin Huaian was not exactly unfamiliar with those. Even if he had never eaten pork, had he not seen a pig run?

His progress at Qi Refinement Level Two was only eleven percent. At this rate, without the mirror image, it would still take nine years to break through to Qi Refinement Level Three.

"The cultivation art can be deduced. How do I deduce it?"

A line of small text emerged:

[Consume 6 spirit stones, and the mirror image can deduce the Azure Splendor Art to Proficient. Time required: one incense stick; consume 12 spirit stones to halve the time.]

"Consume 6 spirit stones to deduce it."

Then, it felt as though a clear spring flowed through Qin Huaian's mind. Everything suddenly became clear, and his understanding of the Azure Splendor Art deepened further and further. Before he knew it, the time of one incense stick had passed.

The deduction ended. When Qin Huaian circulated the cultivation art, his rate of absorbing spiritual energy increased by fifty to sixty percent. With both the original body and mirror image circulating it at once, the speed of spiritual energy absorption was more than three times what it had been before!

He looked at the system interface again:

Cultivation: Qi Refinement (Level 2, 11/100);

Cultivation Art: Azure Splendor Art (Proficient, 1/100, can be deduced).

"How many spirit stones does the deduction require?"

[Consume 200 spirit stones to deduce the Azure Splendor Art to Minor Accomplishment. Time required: 12 shichen.]

Pay-to-win! Whenever Qin Huaian played games in the past, he had always relied on skill and looked down on people who spent money. But now...

As long as the mirror image deduced cultivation arts, it was equivalent to him having heaven-defying comprehension!

It had only taken 6 spirit stones to deduce it to Proficient just now, yet going from Proficient to Minor Accomplishment actually required 200 spirit stones.

But then he recalled that his progress from Beginner to Proficient had already been 94/100, leaving only six percentage points before reaching Proficient.

Six percentage points took 6 spirit stones. That meant that, in truth, deducing it from Beginner to Proficient required 100 spirit stones.

"Too poor! Now that I have the seed space, can I go mining again?" Qin Huaian secretly thought as he looked at the mere 5 spirit stones remaining in the corner of the space.

Cultivators were not allowed to bring storage treasures into the red copper mining area. Foundation Establishment cultivators guarded the entrances and exits, and every miner entering or leaving would be scanned with a Foundation Establishment cultivator's divine sense to prevent them from carrying storage treasures or concealing ore.

Of course, cultivators who went mining generally could not afford storage treasures anyway.

He did not know whether the seed space could be discovered. Probably not, right? After all, even Qin Huaian himself had no idea where this space was hidden, and it was clearly no ordinary object.

At that moment, the sound of a gong came from outside—one slow strike followed by three quick ones. It was already the fourth watch. There was still some time before dawn. He could cultivate a little longer and grind for progress.

Qin Huaian sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion. He and his mirror body had been circulating the proficient-level Azure Splendor Art at the same time, and the refined spiritual energy slowly accumulated in his dantian, strand by strand.

Feeling his current cultivation speed, Qin Huaian swept away the gloom that had hung over him when he had first transmigrated, his heart brimming with hope for the future.

From the original owner's memories, he knew that Qi Refinement cultivators could cultivate by directly absorbing spirit stones, supplemented with pills. Even with mediocre spiritual root aptitude, their cultivation speed would be extremely fast.

The cultivation resources available to disciples of many sects and clans were abundant, far surpassing those of most Rogue Cultivators. Unfortunately, he was merely a Rogue Cultivator, with no sect or family to serve as his backing.

An hour later, his true body stopped cultivating and prepared to rest. Early Qi Refinement cultivators still needed proper rest.

The night passed without incident.

As the sun rose the next day, Qin Huaian opened his eyes. His mirror body was still cultivating on autopilot. It was practically a Saint Seiya that never went offline!

Qin Huaian planned to head out today to purchase a few things.

Opening the door and breathing in the fresh air untouched by industry, he felt utterly refreshed.

At that moment, a young man approached through the morning light. He looked around thirty, dressed in white robes, his steps slightly unsteady and faint darkness ringing his eyes. Though not exactly radiant, he was quite handsome.

Qin Huaian knew him. Su Yichen, the neighbor renting the place next door, was at the third level of Qi Refinement. The son of a Qi Kingdom commandery prince, he was one of Qin Huaian's few acquaintances.

"Brother Su, off to see Miss Chu Li again?" Qin Huaian greeted him with a smile.

Su Yichen looked up at Qin Huaian, momentarily stunned, then gave an embarrassed laugh. "Yes, Brother Qin, don't laugh at me. I haven't seen you these past few days. Did you go out gathering herbs again?"

Brother Qin seemed like a completely different person today. His eyes were no longer constantly darting about as before, and even his speech seemed more confident. Had that silent gourd changed his nature?

"I've recently been mining at the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect's Red Copper Vein. I came back to replenish some supplies."

"The Red Copper Vein? Last night at Emerald Pavilion, I heard people discussing how the Red Copper Vein's output has been especially high these past few days. The cultivators who went mining all made quite a haul."

No wonder he had dug up more these past few days. It was not that his luck was good—everyone was having the same fortune. Qin Huaian smiled. "Brother Su, would you like to come along?"

"No. My luck has been good lately. I teamed up with others and killed an Ironbacked Gray Bear, enough to support my cultivation for quite some time."

No wonder he was going to see Miss Chu Li again—he had made a small fortune. Brother Su was a good man, but over the past half year, he had become infatuated with Miss Chu Li of Emerald Pavilion.

Looking at Su Yichen's listless appearance... Heh, women only slow the speed at which I draw my sword!

"Then I'll be heading out first. Brother Su, get some good rest."

Qin Huaian smiled and waved farewell to Su Yichen before heading toward the inner city.