"Little Taiping, what comes next is very important. Listen carefully."
She then looked at Xu Taiping with a solemn expression.
"All right."
Xu Taiping put away the seed, his expression turning serious as well.
"After the Earth Treasury Fruit undergoes its second Seed Burning transformation, its seed can produce three Gourd Fruits. Each is nurtured by absorbing the essence of the spiritual energy in this land, and even the poorest will yield a spirit treasure. As for exactly what treasure each of the three Gourd Fruits will nurture, that depends on the nourishment you provide."
Fairy Lingyue explained it to Xu Taiping in great detail.
"Like the Northwind Pearl we obtained earlier?"
Xu Taiping immediately thought of the Northwind Pearl they had seized from the Tiger Demon.
"Exactly."
Fairy Lingyue nodded, then continued:
"Since this Northwind Pearl already contains offensive magical power, after the Earth Treasury Fruit absorbs it, it will also nurture an offensive Treasure."
"Also, if you use gold, silver, and jewels as nourishment, the Earth Treasury Fruit's gourds will nurture a spiritual substance similar to Spirit Crystals, but many times more potent. That is exactly what I need right now, so I would like to reserve that Gourd Fruit."
"No problem."
Xu Taiping agreed without a moment's hesitation.
"That leaves one last gourd."
Fairy Lingyue smiled, then looked seriously at Xu Taiping again.
"From what you've said, Sister Lingyue, if I put in a weapon-type Magic Artifact as nourishment, would it also nurture a weapon-type treasure?"
Xu Taiping asked.
"Exactly."
Delighted that Xu Taiping understood with just a hint, Fairy Lingyue nodded.
"But you currently have no weapons suitable for nourishing the Earth Treasury Fruit. Rashly using an ordinary weapon would only waste a Gourd Fruit."
She offered Xu Taiping another reminder.
"I understand."
Xu Taiping nodded slightly.
"What I need most urgently right now is a treasure that can speed up my cultivation. If I use the fire spirit mushroom marked on the Tiger Demon's map as nourishment, could the Earth Treasury Fruit nurture a treasure like that?"
He then asked Fairy Lingyue.
Weapons were certainly important, but what he most needed to improve now was his cultivation speed. Because of the shackles of his mortal bone, he cultivated even more slowly than some people with white spirit bones.
"You're right. If you want to nurture a treasure that can speed up cultivation, using a three-hundred-year-old fire spirit mushroom as nourishment is indeed a good choice."
Fairy Lingyue first affirmed Xu Taiping's reasoning, then frowned. "But the problem is that you would have to risk encountering the Fire Python to gather that fire spirit mushroom."
"Sister Lingyue, do you think this fire spirit mushroom is worth the risk?"
Xu Taiping immediately understood what Fairy Lingyue meant and asked her for confirmation.
"With a three-hundred-year-old fire spirit mushroom as nourishment, the treasure nurtured within would at least allow you to reach the peak of the Qi Refining stage-what you call full mastery of the Gate Opening Realm-before the Seven Peaks Selection, Taiping. It might even allow you to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm."
Fairy Lingyue said.
The so-called Foundation Establishment Realm was actually the Nether Gazing Realm; it was simply the term used in Fairy Lingyue's cultivation world. Xu Taiping had learned this long ago.
"If that's the case, I'm willing to take the risk."
Xu Taiping thought it over carefully before answering.
Through more than half a year of cultivation, he had gained a thorough understanding of how quickly those with white spirit bones cultivated. Even five years might be considered a short time to attain full mastery of the Gate Opening Realm or break through to the Nether Gazing Realm.
But the Seven Peaks Selection took place once every three years. If his cultivation did not make substantial progress, he might fail to pass and then have to wait another three years, or even six.
"In that case, wait until you've obtained the fire spirit mushroom before planting this Earth Fruit gourd seed."
Seeing Xu Taiping's resolve, Fairy Lingyue did not object further.
In truth, she admired Xu Taiping's willingness to take risks and fight for opportunities.
In the cultivation world, most so-called opportunities were won through cultivators' own efforts. Only a very few relied on fortune and rewards bestowed by their Lineages.
The first day of the twelfth month. Auspicious for outings and hunting; inauspicious for quarrels.
The entrance to Bamboo Creek Valley in the West Ridge Mountains.
"Glug, glug..."
Hidden in a patch of shrubs, Xu Taiping drained the last mouthful of water from his waterskin, then turned his gaze into the valley again.
Within Bamboo Creek Valley, lush grasses flourished and exotic flowers bloomed, their delicate fragrance occasionally drifting out on the wind.
But the most eye-catching sight in the valley was the Fire-Patterned Python coiled beside the stream.
The enormous python had scales as red as fire and a body as thick as a bucket. Its breathing alone stirred the air in the valley, making the surrounding trees sway.
Besides that, the fire spirit mushroom sheltered within the Fire-Patterned Python's coils was particularly striking as well.
"Taiping, how many days has it been?"
Fairy Lingyue's voice suddenly sounded in Xu Taiping's mind.
With her spirit residing in the Earth Treasury Fruit, she could communicate with Xu Taiping through their divine souls as long as he carried it with him.
"Five days."
Xu Taiping said quietly.
"Five days already. The Fire-Patterned Python should be getting up to feed soon. When it does, you can seize the chance to take the fire spirit mushroom."
Fairy Lingyue said softly.
"Mm."
Xu Taiping nodded inwardly.
Before coming here, he had already learned that demonic beasts differed from human cultivators. Without food, they could not sustain their demonic bodies, and this was precisely the weakness of most demonic beasts.
Rustle!
Just then, the sound of shaking branches came from Bamboo Creek Valley ahead.
Xu Taiping circulated his true qi to sharpen his vision and looked closely. The Fire-Patterned Python, which had been lying motionless on the ground, suddenly raised its head. As it scanned its surroundings warily, its body began to slither slowly along the ground.
"It's leaving the valley."
Fairy Lingyue alerted Xu Taiping, her voice brimming with delight.
Mm, I see it too.
Xu Taiping nodded and answered inwardly, then pulled up his cloak's hood and tightened the cloth covering his face, preparing to move.
His current outfit had been pieced together entirely from the Tiger Demon's hoard of treasures. The cloak had a simple concealment effect, which would come in handy this time.
"Don't rush. With me helping to conceal you, there's no need to worry about it detecting your aura. You can wait until it has left the valley completely before making your move."
Fairy Lingyue's voice sounded again.
One reason Fairy Lingyue had agreed to Xu Taiping's risky venture this time was that, after her previous secluded cultivation, she could now use her divine soul to help conceal his aura. Otherwise, how could a demonic beast of the Fire-Patterned Python's level have allowed them to lurk in its territory for five days?
"Mm, I understand."
Xu Taiping was naturally not that impatient. He had merely been lying in the same spot for five days and worried that his body might be sluggish when the time came, so he moved his legs a little.
"Rustle, rustle..."
Just then, the Fire-Patterned Python finally stopped scanning its surroundings warily and slithered swiftly out of the valley, disappearing beyond it in the blink of an eye.
"You can move now. This Fire-Patterned Python doesn't spend long hunting."
Fairy Lingyue's voice sounded in Xu Taiping's mind once more.
Before you continue