Within his sea of consciousness, the Origin Cauldron trembled gently, green radiance swirling around a new emerald treasure seed as it bobbed up and down.
[Wooden Puppet Fox Treasure Seed · Spirit-Seizing Transformation in progress] [Spirit Seizure: 99/100] [Effect: mixed-grade demon beast bloodline, innate wood affinity, possesses the innate talents Camouflage, Cage Trap, and Self-Healing. Upon completing spirit seizure, one may be chosen for refinement]
"Whew, that feels good!"
As Lin Changheng received the information fed back by the treasure seed, a sense of comfort washed through his body and mind.
"Ninety-nine points of spirit seizure in one go! The [Wooden Puppet Fox Treasure Seed] is practically complete already. Whew, this feels incredible."
An unusual brilliance burst from Lin Changheng's eyes. The satisfaction of watching a progress bar shoot up until it was almost full was something anyone could get hooked on.
It also meant he could complete spirit seizure tonight and receive the treasure seed's blessing.
Such speed was unprecedented, exhilarating beyond measure.
"Then which of the three talents should I choose?"
Lin Changheng began to ponder.
[Camouflage] was most likely what the Wooden Puppet Fox used to disguise itself in the forest, changing its body's color to blend into its surroundings and evade natural enemies.
Lin Changheng's assessment was that it might be useful, but it would not necessarily suit him particularly well.
He had his doubts.
Besides, he was cautious, disliked going out, shunned conflict and fighting, and treated others kindly. He probably would not need [Camouflage] anytime soon.
As for [Cage Trap], it was presumably an innate control ability that formed something like a wooden cage to trap natural enemies or prey.
It should work wonders when enhancing the Wood Element-based [Entangling Technique], so it was worth considering.
"Self-Healing!"
After some deliberation, Lin Changheng's eyes flashed, and he made his decision.
The Wooden Puppet Fox was of the Wood Element, and the Wood Element was enduring and full of vitality, able to nourish the body and nurture injuries.
It was an excellent means of preserving his life.
"Once spirit seizure is complete and I have [Self-Healing], tsk, tsk, I'll feel even more secure, with a little more confidence in surviving in the cultivation world."
With that thought, Lin Changheng took two bottles of essence blood used as pill-refining ingredients straight from his Storage Bag.
"Absorb it!"
He could wait no longer.
Whoosh!
[Wooden Puppet Fox Treasure Seed · Spirit-Seizing Transformation in progress] [Spirit Seizure: 100/100]
Then, beneath Lin Changheng's expectant gaze, green radiance flashed at the cauldron's mouth, and a solid emerald treasure seed instantly split into three illusory treasure seeds.
[Wooden Puppet Fox Treasure Seed · First tier] [Choose one innate Demon Race talent to refine: Camouflage, Cage Trap, Self-Healing]
"Refine [Self-Healing]!"
Without hesitation, Lin Changheng touched the third illusory seed.
Profoundly mysterious energies and Dao resonances flowed straight from the two discarded seeds into the [Self-Healing] treasure seed.
[Refined: Self-Healing Art · Path-Peeking]
The next instant, an intensely comfortable sensation arose, as though his entire body had been submerged in a hot spring. He almost could not suppress a moan.
[Effect: grants preliminary self-healing ability; minor wounds heal rapidly]
"I need to test just how far this preliminary self-healing ability goes."
Crack!
Unable to wait, Lin Changheng smashed the teacup in his hand, picked up a porcelain shard, and drew it across the pad of his finger.
A long, narrow wound instantly appeared, and blood welled from the split flesh.
"Hiss, that actually hurts."
After instinctively grumbling, Lin Changheng watched the wound and stirred his thoughts slightly. A miraculous sight unfolded: the edges of his wound actually began to close together.
The bleeding stopped, the split flesh joined, and the cut healed until it looked no different from before, except that the skin over the wound seemed a little more tender.
Fortunately, Lin Changheng feared pain and had no inclination toward self-harm. Otherwise, he would have insisted on testing the limits of this [Self-Healing Art]...
By now, Lin Changheng's wood spiritual root had also unknowingly reached ten strands. One more step would bring it into the range of a low-grade spiritual root.
A few days later.
After seeing Tantai Feiyue off, Lin Changheng turned and noticed a gift basket on the stone table.
Tantai Feiyue had given it to him, but it was not a customary gift to celebrate some happy occasion of his.
Rather, with the help of the Premium Pills Lin Changheng had provided, she had finally broken through to the fourth level of Qi Refining.
She had become a mid-stage cultivator.
Remembering the source when drinking the water, she had come specifically to thank him.
Lin Changheng had originally intended to refuse.
First, they were both immortal seedlings, sharing the bond of the same cohort. They had subsequently become friends and mutually beneficial allies. Such a small matter was hardly worth mentioning.
Second, although he had helped Tantai Feiyue, he had also benefited from her. Her regular monthly supply of [Rockmountain Tortoise] essence blood had never once stopped. Each of them was getting what they needed.
Thus, Lin Changheng told her there was no need and declined.
"Is that so?"
Tantai Feiyue carried a regal air in every gesture, graceful and magnificent. Sitting in her chair, she lifted her starry eyes slightly toward Lin Changheng and teased with apparent nonchalance, "Then obedience is better than courtesy, and this humble woman will take the gift basket back. I only hope Brother Lin won't..."
At the same time, she made to reach for the basket with her fair, slender hand.
Having heard the first half of her remark, Lin Changheng refused to play along with her teasing. He reached out, gently brushed aside Tantai Feiyue's delicate hand above the basket, and lifted the brocade covering in the same motion.
"Huh?"
Tantai Feiyue's red lips were still moving, her teasing words unfinished, when she saw Lin Changheng depart from the expected script. Surprise filled her starry eyes, and her towering, peak-like bosom heaved sharply.
She had repeatedly come off worse in front of Lin Changheng. The mortal emperor had issued edicts praising her many times as "gifted with keen understanding and a clever mind, possessed of unparalleled intelligence; openhearted and unbound by worldly conventions, a truly forthright spirit; outstanding among her peers, noble and self-possessed, a heroine among women." Yet now, she could do little about him.
Tantai Feiyue had met no shortage of extraordinary men, but Lin Changheng was one of a kind.
Even she could not fathom him. Her past experience in managing people and her imperial methods proved utterly ineffective.
A sense of defeat immediately began to grow slowly in her heart.
Was this... the cultivation world? Or was he simply too unusual?
Yet Lin Changheng did not notice the fluctuations and changes in her expression at all. His gaze was fixed squarely on the gift basket.
Inside were a full twelve bottles of Talisman Ink.
Usually, there had only been four.
"This quantity..."
Only then did Lin Changheng turn his eyes toward Tantai Feiyue. A thought stirred, and he cupped his hands with a smile. "Fairy, why is there so much more? Please enlighten me."
Seeing him behave so courteously, Tantai Feiyue silently muttered, Be magnanimous. She pressed her red lips together before saying, "A month ago, this humble woman helped two Talisman Masters sort out a few small problems. Here, this is their thanks."
"They helped me purchase their allotted share of this Talisman Ink. Mm, it will be like this from now on."
"Sorry for putting you to so much trouble, Fairy."
Lin Changheng's expression grew solemn, and he thanked her sincerely.
"Does Brother Lin want this humble woman to repeat what you just said, to test how good my memory is?"
Tantai Feiyue blinked her starry eyes and smiled.
She was, of course, referring to the words Lin Changheng had used earlier to refuse her thank-you gift.
Lin Changheng naturally understood, and accepted it with an amused laugh.
After the female cultivator left, Lin Changheng immediately began seizing spirit from the [Rockmountain Tortoise] essence blood.
Whoosh!
[Rockmountain Tortoise Treasure Seed: Spirit-Seizing Transformation in progress] [Spirit Seizure: 27/100]
"It really is slow."
Even Lin Changheng could not help grumbling, though fortunately, he would be able to speed things up a little more from now on. That offered some consolation.