[…]
[You harvested the Tier-2 spiritual plant [Qingxuan Rice]. Understanding deepened. Solidified Essence +0.1%...]
[[Qingxuan Essence] fully solidified converted into corresponding trait…]
[Your skill [Planting] has gained Trait Enhancement: [Vitality] Level 2!]
[[Vitality (Lv.2)]: Spiritual plants personally planted and nurtured by you will have their vitality maximized. Their resilience and life force will be significantly enhanced, improving the efficiency of life essence accumulation.]
Vitality! It's that trait again!
This was one of the very first trait bonuses Li Ye had ever obtained something that not only helped him catch the eye of Ji Qing and become a spirit farmer under her command but also played a key role in earning his very first "pot of gold."
It even contributed to his successful cultivation of a Voidrealm Tree sapling granting him a spiritual root of heaven and earth of his very own and thereby set him firmly on the path of cultivation.
"Vitality, Level 2… Is there any spiritual plant in this realm I can't grow now?"
A playful glint appeared on Li Ye's face, and an unexplainable surge of confidence welled up in his chest.
Even though his actual planting skill was only at Tier-2 High Grade, the power granted by the trait bonuses made him feel like even Tier-4 plants might be worth a try!
Of course, jokes aside, a flicker of doubt still lingered in his mind.
"But even at Level 2, this Vitality trait still doesn't apply to my own body… So how exactly are the targets of these trait effects determined?"
"Don't tell me the easier a trait is to obtain, the higher level it has to be before it can affect me directly?"
After all, the [Tongtian] trait he had obtained from the Voidrealm Tree a spiritual root of heaven and earth was only Level 1, yet it directly benefited his cultivation.
That thought made Li Ye pause mid-train of thought.
Could it be that traits capable of enhancing his own body must originate from the unique essence traits of heaven-and-earth spiritual roots?
"If that's the case… then it's way too hard…"
A rare wry smile surfaced on Li Ye's face.
Heaven-and-earth spiritual roots were practically mythical in rarity.
Even the Voidrealm Tree he currently owned had been obtained through a series of lucky coincidences and even that was just a sapling.
Other than his Voidrealm Tree, the number of such spiritual roots in this entire world probably wouldn't exceed five!
"Forget it… I don't even fully understand how this works. Whether it's traits that strengthen me or the spiritual roots themselves, I'll just let fate decide. No point stressing over it…"
Shaking his head, Li Ye casually pulled up his status panel:
[Name]: Li Ye
[Spiritual Root]: Mid-grade Earth-Wood Dual Root
[Age]: 31
[Lifespan]: 185 years
[Skills]
Planting: Tier-2 High Grade (6,294 / 40,000)
Alchemy: Tier-2 Mid Grade (3,816 / 40,000)
Artifact Crafting: Tier-1 Mid Grade (1,972 / 5,000)
Talismans: Tier-2 Mid Grade (4,317 / 20,000)
Gu Arts: Tier-2 Low Grade (3,769 / 15,000)
Formations: Tier-2 Mid Grade (1,137 / 90,000)
Puppetry: Tier-2 Low Grade (2,116 / 15,000)
[Herbal Spirit Essence]
Qingxuan Essence ×500
[Essence Traits]
Vitality Lv.2
Absorption Lv.1
Wood Spirit Lv.1
Tongtian Lv.1
[EXP]
51,000
.....
Over the past year, to make quicker progress in the Lava Palace, Li Ye had poured all his earned experience into improving his array mastery. With the support of a Tier-2 array inheritance, he finally managed to break through.
After reaching Tier-2 Mid Grade in array arts, he saw significant improvements whether in embedding large formations to construct safe zones or in unraveling complex array restrictions.
Without that progress, he probably wouldn't have been able to push through the many layers of defenses and make it to the ruined Assessment Hall and Mechanism Pavilion in just one year.
And this time, Li Ye had already gained something of value. Aside from a few hopeful Golden Core spiritual items, he had no further pressing needs within the lava palace.
The deeper he explored, the more densely packed the Tier-3 and possibly even Tier-4 array restrictions became.
Even with puppets acting as a scouting team, the risk of triggering something was still too great. A single misstep could cause a chain reaction that even the safety zone around his main body might not withstand.
Suppressing the greed in his heart, he made a decision.
Until his cultivation base made a substantial leap allowing him to escape faster in case of danger he would no longer delve deeper. Instead, he'd expand his exploration laterally at his current depth.
With a core disciple token in hand granting him access to many key locations, and his current level of array mastery being sufficient for now, Li Ye decided it was time to shift his focus.
"Next, it's time to work on Alchemy and Puppetry…"
Alchemy was Li Ye's primary source of income at the moment. It sustained him during the long years it would take for his spirit fields to yield alchemy-grade plants and allowed him to buy the herbs he needed.
It also ensured he could craft the cultivation pills he needed for himself. Since he still lacked main-ingredient spiritual essences and had to rely on Qingxuan Essence as a substitute, improving his alchemy was the only way to ensure his success rate and increase the chance of producing patterned pills.
The volatile threat of the Lava Palace looming beneath the Chidi Mountains kept Li Ye under pressure he couldn't afford to neglect any aspect of his cultivation.
As for puppetry, its mastery was deeply tied to the Heavenly Craft Scripture. If he wanted to finish crafting his life-bound puppet soon, then this path needed to be advanced quickly as well.
With this decision made, Li Ye began pouring experience points into the two skills.
As enlightenment surged through him, transforming into spiritual depth, he felt his craftsmanship rapidly elevate to new heights.
When he returned to himself, the doubts he previously had had all but vanished replaced by newfound clarity.
"I can finalize the crafting plan for my life-bound puppet now…"
Li Ye wore a relaxed smile, exuding quiet confidence and ease.
However, with the breakthrough came a sharp increase in the experience needed for further advancement:
Alchemy: Tier-2 High Grade (0 / 90,000)
Puppetry: Tier-2 Mid Grade (1,932 / 40,000)
"At this point, I can put alchemy on hold for a while… From now on, the experience I gain from farming can go toward raising my other crafts to Tier-2 High Grade first."
Li Ye made a long-term decision for his cultivation.
After all, no one in the cultivation world had ever heard of a master alchemist crafting a pill that could aid in Golden Core.
Improving the odds of forming a core would rely solely on rare and powerful natural treasures. As long as his alchemy met the basic needs of Foundation Establishment cultivation, there was no need to rush it to Tier 3 just yet.
Just then, Li Ye's expression shifted slightly. He opened the formation channel and retrieved a storage pouch filled with spirit rice, then headed toward the palace at the mountain's summit.
"Thank you for your protection. I'm truly grateful for your help during my recovery."
Yang Yuqing's expression held sincere gratitude as she offered a light bow.
This time, she wore no veiled hat, and her attire had been replaced by an elegant and refined dress completely different from the distant, unapproachable aura she gave off at the auction. She now seemed like a fairy untouched by the mortal world.
But before she could fully complete her bow, a surge of powerful magic gently lifted her upright.
Her face changed slightly, her eyes wide with surprise.
"Such profound cultivation, Fellow Daoist Li…"
Yang Yuqing had entered the Foundation Establishment years before Li Ye. Though still at the early stage, her cultivation was the result of years of steady accumulation.
And yet, now she realized… she couldn't even match him.
But the more astonished she felt, the more it confirmed her previous assumptions and she was delighted.
"No need for formalities, Daoist Yang. What happened back then was hardly worth mentioning."
Li Ye simply smiled and deflected the thanks with polite indifference.
However, Yang Yuqing's expression turned solemn.
"Fellow Daoist Li, your righteousness is admirable. But I am not one to accept a kindness without returning it…"
"I heard that you acquired the Myriad Beast Physique body refinement technique at the auction. As it happens, I know the whereabouts of a Tier-2 Tiger Demon. Its blood would be a perfect foundation for that technique…"
"I propose we work together to slay it. All of the tiger demon's materials will be yours. I only want one spiritual herb from its den and in addition, I will pay you to refine it into a pill for me."
"What do you think, Fellow Daoist Li?"
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