[Spirit Root]Five Elements Spirit Roots (Gold 9, Wood 9, Water 9, Fire 9, Earth 9)
All are nines!
Jiang Yuebai opened her eyes wide in surprise. Manager Hong said among the three prodigies directly entering the Inner Sect, besides Lu Nanzhi, who has an Innate Spiritual Body, the one with the best talent is Xie Jingshan.
He has a Single Fire Spiritual Root, with a root value of nine, but I have four more Spirit Roots with a value of nine. Doesn't that make me more formidable than him?
However...
[Cultivation Technique]Energy Introduction Technique (3/45)
Originally, it only required 21 points to fill up, but now with the increased root value, it requires 45 points. Benefits come with a cost.
By this calculation, Xie Jingshan only needs nine points of Spiritual Energy to reach the Qi Cultivation First Layer, while I need four times more than he does.
Jiang Yuebai didn't feel disheartened. Her cultivation time has quadrupled, but she is confident that in the future, she will be a hundred times stronger than Xie Jingshan, as long as she can put in five times or even ten times the effort!
There are no free gains in this world without effort.
"Consolidate what you just obtained here. When I finish the work in the field, we will return together."
Tao Fengnian set up an isolation array and went off on his own to the rice fields to weed and remove pests with his hoe.
Jiang Yuebai wiped her face with her sleeve, then immediately sat in a meditation pose with her five hearts facing the sky, attempting to sense the spiritual energy.
The gentle breeze lightly brushed Jiang Yuebai's delicate face, her brows slightly closed, and her eyelashes quivered lightly. Amidst the rustling of leaves, she suddenly 'saw' a strange world.
Green waves swelled like rippling rivers.
It was the Spiritual Field's rice paddies, vast like an ocean, endless. Behind them, the outline of an old acacia tree was interwoven with tiny green spiritual lights.
With each breath, the tree's crown swayed, and the green spiritual light drifted down like snowflakes, gracefully and leisurely.
Besides this, beneath the rice field, she 'saw' yellow Earth Spirit Energy mixed with white Golden Spiritual Energy.
Under the blazing sun, scarlet Fire Spirit Energy gathered into clouds, colliding with the hauntingly rising black Water Spirit Energy.
This world entirely composed of Five Element Spiritual Energy left Jiang Yuebai in awe. Could Huaxi Valley truly have so much spiritual energy?
She had taken an Energy Introduction Elixir last night and barely 'saw' six or seven groups of energies; the difference due to varied root values is just too huge, isn't it?
Before she could regulate her breathing, two clusters of spiritual light descended from the tree onto her shoulders, permeating her body.
[By meditating and introducing energy, your root value's increase has greatly enhanced your spiritual sense, skyrocketing your spiritual energy affinity, Energy Introduction Proficiency +2]
Compared to last night when she carefully controlled her breathing, fearing even minor fluctuations and only absorbing three clusters of spiritual light in the entire night, this instant experience where two clusters flew directly to her without her doing much made Jiang Yuebai tingle with excitement.
She swallowed and quickly calmed her mind, regulating her breathing according to the Energy Introduction Technique.
The spiritual light surged, rushing in like moths to a flame.
[By meditating and introducing energy, being focused, the spiritual energy comes forward relentlessly, Energy Introduction Proficiency +1]
[By meditating and introducing energy... Energy Introduction Proficiency +1]
[... Energy Introduction Proficiency +1]
[... Energy Introduction Proficiency +1]
Tao Fengnian, while performing the Sharpness Technique to exterminate the black-hair bugs in the Spiritual Grain, suddenly had his spells disrupted by a gust of wind and looked up in surprise.
The fierce wind howled, causing the old acacia tree crown to tremble, leaves swirling around and enveloping the little girl seated calmly.
Her expression was serene, breath smooth, sitting cross-legged, hands over her dantian, while her messy hair fluttered in the wind.
The surrounding spiritual energy continuously rushed towards her, like starlight enveloping her, making her radiate even in broad daylight.
Tao Fengnian, with his heart racing, felt his mouth dry, unable to close his jaw.
Could Hong Tao have been mistaken? Such talent and comprehension, how could she be a Five Spirit Roots? Seems more like an Innate Spiritual Body in harmony with nature—an initial energy introduction scene so astonishing as this.
Just now, by how much did her root value increase?
Jiang Yuebai silently drew in the energy, Tao Fengnian observed quietly until the sun was high past noon, and there was no sign of Jiang Yuebai breaking through.
Only now did Tao Fengnian believe she was indeed a Five Spirit Roots; otherwise, she should have stepped into the Qi Cultivation First Layer by now.
The strong wind gradually subsided, leaving Jiang Yuebai feeling restless; leaves fell all over her body.
She wanted to continue, but her body inexplicably itched and swelled, her mind agitated, unable to concentrate, forcing her to stop.
[Cultivation Technique]Energy Introduction Technique (28/45)
At this rate, in no more than a day, she'll be able to step into the Qi Cultivation First Layer!
Filled with joy, Jiang Yuebai opened her eyes and swept the fallen leaves from her head, noticing Tao Fengnian standing by her side, having withdrawn the isolation array with a wave of a small flag.
Jiang Yuebai then realized there were people in the fields, casting discreet glances in her direction. The familiar Song Pei'er was standing not far away, meeting her eyes with a smile and raised brows.
Tao Fengnian tensed up, instinctively placing himself in front of Jiang Yuebai.
"Grandpa, I..."
"We'll talk back home!"
Tao Fengnian, carrying the hoe and wearing a conical hat, walked ahead. Jiang Yuebai restrained her urge to share her joy and quickly got up to follow behind.
All the way, Tao Fengnian remained silent, only nodding or giving a faint reply to greetings from passersby.
Jiang Yuebai suddenly ran in front of him, walking backward. "Grandpa, I discovered something amazing about you."
Tao Fengnian glanced at her, seeing the gradually intense spiritual light around her, like the midday sun, hot and dazzling!
At such a young age, even with Five Spirit Roots, her future holds boundless possibilities.
"What's so amazing about me?" Tao Fengnian responded grumpily.
Jiang Yuebai smiled lively, eyes full of sincerity.
"Everywhere you're amazing! Grandpa plants more fields than others, and your grain is taller and plumper than others'. I just saw others conjuring clouds and rain, and ha~ they pale in comparison to you! Also, everyone respects you a lot, that's certainly because your cultivation is high and you're capable, so, grandpa, are you the village chief?"
Tao Fengnian's lips curled. "In the Immortal Sect, there's no such thing as a village chief, but you weren't entirely wrong. They do respect this old man because I'm the only Spiritual Cultivation Master in Huaxi Valley, equivalent in status to an Outer Sect disciple."
"What's a Spiritual Cultivation Master?" Jiang Yuebai curiously asked.
Mentioning this, Tao Fengnian's face turned stern again; Hong Tao brought her here intending for her to take his place.
"Such flattery at such a young age! Who taught you?"
Jiang Yuebai chuckled, "Figured it out myself last winter at Xingshan Temple, begging for food. Dozens of little beggars all claiming famine and tragedy, compete in such pitifulness, but who has the heart to pity everyone? So, I didn't play the pity card, but instead praised those ladies and madams, praised them more than others, they were happy and rewarded me. I even got a Golden Melon Seed once, though I couldn't keep it and nearly lost my life, ha ha."
Tao Fengnian suddenly halted, looking at the six-year-old girl before him with a complex expression.
With the sweetest smile saying the bitterest experiences.
So at such a young age, she already understood that destiny is unpredictable and that heavenly decrees cannot be defied, yet being so young is what gives her the courage to defy the heavens and destiny, touching the Daoist Rhyme.
Tao Fengnian suddenly ridiculed himself internally with a chuckle, engaging in a duel of wit with a child, not even as good as a child.
Afraid she feared he'd drive her away, she tried hard to please, while he resided in self-abandonment, waiting for death, venting his anger.
The small courtyard with green bricks, under the tree, a stone table.
Two bowls of white rice, one plate of pickles, and Tao Fengnian set two pairs of chopsticks on the table.
Seeing this, Jiang Yuebai couldn't help but laugh.
"Grandpa, Manager Hong didn't lie, you're a kind man."
"Speak no words at meals, no words at sleep, no manners!"
A pair of chopsticks reaching for pickles was stopped by another pair.
"From now on, apart from Spiritual Rice, do not consume anything touched by mortal smoke and fire. Avoid Elixirs unless necessary, it is beneficial for your future cultivation to cleanse internal impurities early."
"Also, during the Golden Crow's rise and at midnight when Yin Yang Qi is at its peak, never neglect practicing energy introduction. During initial Dao entry, meditate for an hour then rest briefly, gradual progress, not too much nor too little, got it?"
Jiang Yuebai's lips were speckled with rice grains, her eyes wide with a pleasant surprise. Grandpa was guiding her?
So, he's not going to drive her away?
Tao Fengnian, expression unchanged, calmly and methodically ate the pickles and white rice.
"Old Tao, my sister called me to drink with Elder Lin, and I leave the watering and weeding of my twenty acres to you, do it carefully, you hear!"
A bossy voice suddenly came, Jiang Yuebai turned to see a rat-faced man at the courtyard entrance, with a token of miscellaneous tasks hanging at his waist just like hers.
Grandpa just said he's the highest-ranking person in Huaxi Valley, how can this man dare to have grandpa do his work?
Jiang Yuebai looked towards Tao Fengnian, only to find his eyes dim.
"Got it."
The man strutted off, Jiang Yuebai frowned in confusion.