Deep within the Kunlun Ruins, clouds and mist curled through the air, while spiritual energy was so dense it nearly condensed into substance, nourishing all things beneath heaven and earth like sweet rain. The vegetation here was even more wondrous: ancient trees towered high enough to blot out the sky and sun, faintly glowing vines coiled around their trunks, and the ground was carpeted with brilliantly colored spirit herbs. A delicate fragrance hung in the air, intoxicating anyone who caught its scent.
Xuan Chen led Nüwa cautiously through this secret realm. After several days of stealthy travel, they had already ventured deep into the Kunlun Ruins, avoiding Queen Mother of the West's core sphere of influence and evading several patrol searches. Although they had not found any mid-grade Innate Spiritual Roots along the way, they had gathered quite a few thousand-year spirit herbs and rare ores, making their harvest exceedingly bountiful.
"Master, the spiritual energy here is so rich!" Nüwa could not help exclaiming. She could sense that the concentration of spiritual energy here was several times greater than that of the Zichen Cave Abode. With every breath, she could feel the Creation Power within her growing rapidly.
Xuan Chen nodded, anticipation flickering in his eyes. "The Kunlun Ruins truly live up to their reputation. Such dense spiritual energy must have nurtured many Innate Spiritual Roots. Let us proceed a little farther. We should soon find the opportunity we have been seeking."
The two continued onward, passing through a lush garden of spirit herbs before a hidden valley appeared ahead. Its entrance was narrow and covered by a faint curtain of light. A weak restrictive force lingered within that light curtain, clearly arranged by someone.
A trace of curiosity flashed through Xuan Chen's eyes. He could sense an incomparably dense aura of vitality within the valley. This aura was far purer and more majestic than that of an ordinary Innate Spiritual Root. Clearly, it belonged to an extraordinary spiritual root.
"Master, there seems to be a treasure inside!" Nüwa also noticed the anomaly within the valley, excitement flashing in her eyes.
"Mm." Xuan Chen nodded. "This restriction is rather weak. It was likely set down long ago and has never been maintained, so it is already on the verge of dissipating. Let us go in and take a look."
With that, Xuan Chen stepped before the light curtain and extended a hand. A strand of pure Primordial Unity Origin Power surged from his fingertips and lightly touched it. The restrictive force within the curtain seemed to have met its natural nemesis and immediately rippled, its already faint glow growing dimmer still.
Xuan Chen rapidly formed hand seals, muttering under his breath as he followed the restriction-breaking method recorded in the Great Dao True Exposition. He guided the Primordial Unity Origin Power to unravel the restriction bit by bit. The restriction had already weakened greatly, and Xuan Chen's Primordial Unity Origin Power contained the profound mysteries of the Chaos Dao, giving it an innate suppressive effect against such ancient restrictions. Before long, fine cracks began spreading across the light curtain.
Crack!
With a soft sound, the light curtain shattered completely, turning into countless motes of light that dispersed into the air. The valley entrance was fully revealed before them, and an even richer aura of vitality rushed toward them, making their entire bodies feel refreshed and their spirits rise.
Xuan Chen led Nüwa slowly into the valley. The interior was exceptionally spacious, spanning dozens of miles in every direction. The ground was paved with pristine white jade, upon which grew many rare spirit herbs. At the center of the valley was a small spirit spring, its milky-white waters surging with pure Spirit Vein essence.
Beside the spirit spring grew a seedling barely three feet tall. Its entire body was emerald green, while a faint golden radiance shimmered over its leaves. It emitted an extraordinarily rich aura of vitality, and every leaf contained pure innate origin power. It was precisely the Innate Spiritual Root Xuan Chen and Nüwa had been searching for—the Flat Peach Tree Seedling!
The Flat Peach Tree was one of the top Innate Spiritual Roots of the Primordial World. Legend had it that the Peaches of Immortality borne by a mature Flat Peach Tree could increase one's lifespan, advance one's cultivation, and even help one break through realms. It was a supreme treasure dreamed of by countless cultivators. Though the one before them was merely a seedling, it still contained incomparably pure innate origin, and its value far surpassed that of an ordinary mid-grade Innate Spiritual Root.
"It is actually a Flat Peach Tree Seedling!" Wild joy surged through Xuan Chen's heart, and disbelief flashed in his eyes. He had originally thought they would only find a mid-grade Innate Spiritual Root such as the Kunlun Snow Lotus. He had never expected to encounter the seedling of a top-grade Innate Spiritual Root. This was truly an unexpected delight.
Nüwa also recognized the seedling, and excitement flashed through her eyes. "Master, is this the legendary Flat Peach Tree? It is so wondrous!" She could sense that the seedling's aura of vitality was exceptionally compatible with her Creation Dao. If she could collect it, it would bring immense benefits to both her cultivation and the improvement of her foundation.
Xuan Chen nodded, suppressing the excitement in his heart. "That is right. This is the seedling of the Innate Spiritual Root, the Flat Peach Tree. Though it is only a seedling, the innate origin it contains is exceptionally pure, far exceeding our previous expectations. With it, our task is basically complete."
He stepped before the Flat Peach Tree Seedling and examined it closely. Its roots were deeply embedded in the jade beside the spirit spring, absorbing Spirit Vein essence and spirit spring water. Beside the spirit spring, the Flat Peach Tree Seedling grew exceptionally robustly. A faint trace of restrictive power still lingered around it. Though it could no longer provide any effective defense, it showed that the seedling had once been carefully protected.
"This restriction may have been naturally formed by the Flat Peach Tree Seedling itself, or perhaps it was set down by some Primordial Divine Being in ancient times to protect it," Xuan Chen analyzed. "But it poses no threat now. We may collect it without concern."
He turned around and looked at Nüwa with a smile. "Disciple, this Flat Peach Tree Seedling is most compatible with your Creation Dao. You should collect it with your own hands. That way, you will be able to absorb its origin power more effectively and forge a deeper connection with it, which will benefit its future cultivation."
Delight flashed through Nüwa's eyes, and she quickly nodded. "Thank you, Master!"
She walked before the Flat Peach Tree Seedling and, following the method Xuan Chen had taught her earlier, extended her hand. A strand of pure Creation Power flowed from her fingertips and gently touched the seedling. When the Creation Power came into contact with it, the seedling gave a cheerful hum. The golden radiance on its leaves grew brighter, as though it had sensed Nüwa's goodwill and the Dao resonance that matched its own.
Nüwa carefully circulated the Heaven-Mending Genesis Scripture, guiding Creation Power to slowly envelop the Flat Peach Tree Seedling's roots. Her movements were gentle and unhurried, for fear of damaging the seedling's origin. Xuan Chen silently guarded her from the side while releasing a strand of divine sense to assist Nüwa in collecting the seedling.
Nourished and guided by Creation Power, the Flat Peach Tree Seedling's roots slowly pulled free from the jade, carrying a little soil and spirit spring water with them. Nüwa carefully held it in her hands. The moment the seedling left the ground, it automatically released a faint green radiance that wrapped around itself, protecting its origin from being eroded by the chaotic currents outside.
"Success!" Nüwa's face bloomed with a joyful smile as she carefully held the Flat Peach Tree Seedling and walked over to Xuan Chen.
At that moment, a system notification sounded in Xuan Chen's mind:
[Detected that the host's disciple has successfully collected the top-grade Innate Spiritual Root Flat Peach Tree Seedling (immature). Task progress has increased to 80%!] [Notice: The Flat Peach Tree Seedling contains a small amount of Chaos Turbid Qi impurities. They must be purified as soon as possible, or they will affect the spiritual root's growth and the disciple's absorption, reducing the effectiveness of foundation enhancement.] [Purification methods: 1. Purify it with the host's Primordial Unity Origin Power (consumes 5% of origin power); 2. Purify it using Spirit Vein essence (must be left beside a high-grade Spirit Vein for seven days); 3. Slowly purify it with the disciple's Creation Power (requires half a month; best results).]
Xuan Chen's heart tightened. He had not expected this Flat Peach Tree Seedling to contain Chaos Turbid Qi impurities. Looking at the seedling in Nüwa's hands, he indeed discovered a faint wisp of black mist around its roots. It was precisely the Chaos Turbid Qi mentioned by the system.
"Master, what is wrong?" Nüwa noticed the change in Xuan Chen's expression and asked worriedly.
Xuan Chen informed Nüwa of the system's notification. "Although this Flat Peach Tree Seedling is a top-grade Innate Spiritual Root, it contains a small amount of Chaos Turbid Qi impurities and must be purified quickly. Otherwise, not only will its growth be affected, but the enhancement it provides to your foundation will also be reduced."
Upon hearing this, anxiety flashed through Nüwa's eyes. "Then how should we purify it?"
Xuan Chen pondered for a moment. "The system has provided three purification methods. The first is to use my Primordial Unity Origin Power. It is the fastest, but it will consume five percent of my origin power. The second is to use high-grade Spirit Vein essence, which requires leaving it beside a high-grade Spirit Vein for seven days. The third is to slowly purify it with your Creation Power. It takes the longest, but it yields the best results and will also allow you to forge a deeper connection with the spiritual root."
He paused briefly before continuing, "I believe the third method is the most appropriate. Though it takes longer, it benefits you the most. Besides, we are now deep within the Kunlun Ruins, where it is relatively safe. We can find a hidden place and let you purify the spiritual root in peace."
Nüwa nodded, determination flashing in her eyes. "This disciple will follow Master's arrangements. So long as the spiritual root can display its greatest effect, this disciple is willing to spend the time purifying it slowly."
Xuan Chen nodded in satisfaction. "Good. This valley has an excellent environment, dense spiritual energy, and both a spirit spring and jade. It is perfectly suited for purifying the spiritual root. We will remain here for half a month. Once you have purified the impurities from the Flat Peach Tree Seedling, we will continue searching for other Innate Spiritual Roots and complete the system task."
After saying this, Xuan Chen set down several concealed restrictions and warning runes throughout the valley to prevent interference from outside cultivators or ferocious beasts. Then he had Nüwa sit cross-legged beside the spirit spring, place the Flat Peach Tree Seedling before her, and begin circulating the Heaven-Mending Genesis Scripture to purify the spiritual root's impurities with Creation Power.
Nüwa sat down cross-legged as instructed and closed her eyes. She sank her consciousness into her body and guided Creation Power to slowly flow into the Flat Peach Tree Seedling. Like a gentle, clear spring, the Creation Power gradually washed over the Chaos Turbid Qi around the seedling's roots, stripping it away and refining it bit by bit.
Xuan Chen sat cross-legged nearby. While cultivating the Primordial Dao-Seeking Formula to restore his own aura, he remained constantly attentive to Nüwa and the Flat Peach Tree Seedling. He could clearly sense that as Creation Power continued to flow in, the black mist around the seedling's roots was slowly dissipating, while the vitality it emitted became increasingly pure and dense.
At the same time, he could sense that Nüwa's Creation Power was steadily becoming purer during the purification process, and her comprehension of the Creation Dao was gradually deepening. Clearly, this method of purification would not only make the Flat Peach Tree Seedling purer, but would also benefit Nüwa immensely.
Xuan Chen secretly nodded to himself. It seemed choosing the third purification method had been correct. Though it took longer, it was greatly beneficial to both Nüwa and the Flat Peach Tree Seedling—a single stroke that gained two birds.
Within the valley, spiritual energy permeated the air and Dao resonance flowed. Nüwa immersed herself in purifying the spiritual root, her expression focused and devout. Xuan Chen silently guarded her at her side, like the most steadfast support. Master and disciple began a new period of cultivation and waiting within this hidden valley deep in the Kunlun Ruins. They understood that once the Flat Peach Tree Seedling's impurities were completely purified, Nüwa's foundation would surely undergo a tremendous improvement, and their system task would also reach the moment of final completion.
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