Free Web NovelChapter 395: Chapter 343: Phoenix Wood
On the summit of Ningcui Cliff, Daoist Master Zhengyang was controlling the Fire Cloud for a smooth landing, and with a smile, he said:
"How is the speed?"
Golden Core Stage cultivators in the Sixth Layer, flying at full speed, how can one describe it as anything short of fast?
If it weren’t for the fact that the Profound Yellow Tower isn’t adept at the Flying Escape Technique, he would have used a Magical Treasure, which would be faster than riding the cloud.
Ji An earnestly offered a compliment:
"Ancestor, your skill is like riding the clouds, if it were me, it’d be like climbing them."
Bodhi Ancestor once said Wukong was climbing the clouds; he compares himself to climbing, hoping to have the potential to stand equal to the heavens in the future.
"Haha," Daoist Master Zhengyang was quite pleased, and he strode into the grotto mansion of the Teleportation Array.
Ji An hurriedly followed behind him, activating the Magic Array to depart.
Light and shadow twisted, revealing a gray spatial passage.
In the next instant, the two arrived at Red Flame Peak, with Ji An walking in front, pointing to a rock formation and saying:
"Ancestor, let’s first go to the Earth Cave to see the Top-grade Earth Spirit Fruit Tree."
His Earth Spirit Tree was nurtured to Tier Two Upper Grade a few months ago and is currently "shedding its skin."
He cast a spell, opening the Mimic Array, and the rock formation dispersed like smoke, revealing a narrow entrance just enough for two people to walk side by side.
"Yes, Zhang Zizhao reported that you have a Cyan Leaf Red Lotus here; is it inside as well?"
Daoist Master Zhengyang inquired. The last time he visited Red Flame Peak, he didn’t enter the Earth Cave, only flew around in the air for a brief look.
Tier Two Middle-grade Spirit Plants aren’t worth much of his attention.
However, this time his mood was different. He would carefully inspect every Top-grade Spirit Plant, not because he distrusted his disciples but out of habitual diligence.
Tier Two Upper Grade resources could be used for trading with Central Continent cultivators.
The Golden Core Pills of various sects in the Western Continent were all obtained through vast amounts of resources.
Ji An slightly shook his head and said:
"The Cyan Leaf Red Lotus is in the Red Cloud Pine Forest area; the two Earth Caves do not connect.
Senior Brother Li Haoran brought back a Spirit Plant from the Canglan Secret Realm to gift to me, but I couldn’t discern exactly what it is, so I’ll need your help, Ancestor, to have a look later."
"I can take a look, but I might not recognize it either."
Daoist Master Zhengyang chuckled. His understanding of Spirit Plants wasn’t extensive and might not be broader than his disciples’.
The two walked into the grotto mansion and proceeded downward, with Daoist Master Zhengyang scanning the ground, noticing a layer of shallow loose soil, and he observed:
"This passage hasn’t been traversed in a long time."
"Since I broke through to the Chao Origin Stage and learned the Earth Escape Technique, I’ve been traveling to the Earth Cave using Magic Techniques. Inside the Earth Cave, there’s a Spirit-Seeking Rat that also uses Earth Element Skill to move between the cave and the surface."
Ji An led the way to the innermost part of the Earth Cave and pointed to an Earth Spirit Tree over four feet tall:
"This is the one."
The Earth Spirit Tree was shedding its skin, revealing a fine, jade-like texture similar to Tianhuang Jade, with ancient and mysterious patterns on it.
The bare branches were sprouting small protrusions, resembling the budding branches of trees in early spring in the mortal world.
Originally, the Earth Spirit Fruit Tree didn’t have leaves, and the signs of growing leaves quite exceeded Ji An’s expectations.
The sect had never cultivated a Top-grade Earth Spirit Fruit Tree before, and there was no documentation in the inherited texts.
Daoist Master Zhengyang placed his hand on the Spirit Tree, sensing the vigorous life energy coursing through it and nodded with a smile:
"The life fluctuation at Tier Two Upper Grade level, very good!"
He then shifted his gaze, pointing to a black sapling, and his smile grew even more gentle:
"It even hides a Soul Nourishing Wood; then it’s all the more important to enhance the quality of the Spirit Vein."
The sect’s Soul Nourishing Wood isn’t sufficient, as spiritual objects that nourish the Spirit Soul are sought after by all cultivators.
This Spirit Wood is his private property, but the higher the grade of a Spirit Plant, the more difficult it is to transplant once it has been nurtured to a high tier.
If the Spirit Plant reaches Tier Two Top Grade or higher, it will be deeply connected to the Earth Vein, making relocation impossible unless the entire Earth Vein is relocated.
The consequence of a forced transplant is that the Spirit Wood will most likely wither.
Therefore, the eventual beneficiaries of these Spirit Plants will be the sect and future disciples.
This is also the reason he invested resources unconditionally to enhance the Spirit Vein grade at Red Flame Peak; the benefits are long-term and still to come.
The lifespan of Golden Core Cultivators cannot outlast these Top-grade Level Spirit Plants.
Daoist Master Zhengyang probed the Soul Nourishing Wood with his Divine Sense and said:
"Currently, it’s at the Tier One Upper Grade level; you can harvest the leaves to make low-grade Soul Incense."
Tier One Upper Grade Soul Incense can meet the needs of Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators for Divine Sense recovery.
"I plan to nurture it to Top-Grade Level before harvesting the leaves." freēwebnovel.com
If only the leaves are harvested, the Spirit Wood will channel more nutrients into growing new leaves, and excessive pruning of branches will slow the growth of new branches.
Ji An believes that the sect’s current Soul Nourishing Wood is only at Tier Two Lower Grade in part because there are too many cultivators needing its sustenance.
"You are a Spirit Farmer, and surely you have insight.
What I hope for in the future is that you can allocate more of the Soul Nourishing Wood’s yield to the sect."
"This is something I’ve always been doing; Ancestor, you can check my exchange records to know."
Ji An laughed; he currently holds very few resources for himself, and apart from those closely tied to his own cultivation, the vast majority have been exchanged for Small Merit.
Whenever he needs resources, he relies on the sect to negotiate with other factions, which is quite worry-free.
"I’ve heard Jia Yu mention it," Daoist Master Zhengyang said earnestly:
"One’s energy is limited, and cultivation takes up most of our time.
Even when you reach the Golden Core Stage in the future, the sect can assist in resource gathering.
With the efforts of all disciples, the sect will prosper, and in turn, the sect will provide more support to the disciples."
