The culmination of Lin Qi's accidental exploits—his purification of the Tainted Peak, his stabilization of space-time, and his vindication by the Mirror Array (Chapter 22)—resulted in a massive, unprecedented spiritual boom for the Whispering Willow Sect. The environment was now so pure and stable that the spiritual energy within the sect had become hyper-concentrated.
Sect Master Wu faced a new problem: the spiritual energy was too dense. It was beginning to choke the sect's vital Spiritual Herb Garden, causing the rare plants to wither from an overdose of pure Qi.
"Disciple Lin Qi," Wu pleaded, pointing at the wilted garden. "Your purity has made the air too rich! We need to disperse this hyper-concentrated energy, but slowly, without causing a spiritual drought! It must be subtle! This is a test of Qi management!"
Lin Qi was promised a freshly baked Sweet Potato Pie—his favorite—if he fixed the problem.
The Problem of the Spiritual Overdose
Lin Qi walked into the suffering garden. He looked at the wilting herbs and then at the shimmering, thick air. He didn't understand "dispersal" or "Qi management." He just knew the plants looked unhappy.
He remembered that when his house plants looked unhappy, Old Man Zhou always told him to give them a little shake to loosen the soil.
Lin Qi crouched down beside a wilting Eight-Precious Grass. He couldn't shake the ground, but he could shake the plant.
He gently grabbed the base of the plant and gave it a small, quick wiggle.
The sealed Core of Infinite Density, perceiving the intent to "loosen" and "fix the wilting," triggered a unique ability of G-EVS's original power: the Dao of Vitality Resonance.
The gentle wiggle, imbued with the immense, subtle power of the Core, instantly caused the over-concentrated spiritual energy surrounding the plant to vibrate at its perfect, optimal frequency. This vibration didn't disperse the Qi; it perfected it.
The Divine Elixir Field
The spiritual energy surrounding the Eight-Precious Grass was instantly stabilized, purified, and then compressed into its most potent form. The entire area immediately transformed into a Divine Elixir Field.
The wilting plant didn't just recover; it instantly matured by ten thousand years, transforming into a rare, mythical Supreme Life-Source Herb. Its aura immediately spread, stabilizing and perfecting every other wilting plant in the garden.
In a chain reaction, the entire Spiritual Herb Garden instantly matured into a Field of Supreme, Mythical Elixirs. The soil itself began to glow, and the air filled with the scent of true immortality.
Lin Qi stood up, looking around. The garden was now thriving, radiating dazzling light. "Oh. They look better now. I guess they just needed a little shake."
The Ultimate Apotheosis
Sect Master Wu and Princess Lianhua rushed into the garden. They were confronted by a miracle of creation—a garden of immortality that should not exist in the mortal realm.
Wu collapsed onto the glowing soil, weeping with disbelief. "He didn't disperse the energy! He matured the entire ecosystem into an ultimate state! The gentle shake was the 'Mudra of Vitality Acceleration!' He showed us that the best management is the ultimate transformation!"
Princess Lianhua stared at the mythical herbs. "The field itself is now a divine formation! He taught the Qi how to become Elixir! His methods transcend time and alchemy!"
Wu, overwhelmed by the sheer, unearned magnitude of the wealth and power Lin Qi brought, carved his final, most bewildered maxim onto a nearby, ten-thousand-year-old root:
> "If you are tasked with subtle Qi management, do not overthink it. Simply give the surrounding life a gentle wiggle, and the entire ecosystem will be compelled to transcend to its ultimate, divine form."
>
Lin Qi was instantly declared the Grandmaster of Life-Source Apotheosis and the Wielder of the Vitality Mudra. He returned to the sect, accepted his sweet potato pie, and tried to enjoy it while contemplating whether he should give his Thunder Dragon, Sparky, a little shake as well.