Chapter 329: Metal Spirit Root (2) |
Jiang Chen dared not waste a moment. With Fire Spirit Qi flaring from his left hand and Earth Spirit Qi flowing from his right, he began the dual process of tempering and refining.
Fire melts metal; Earth begets metal. Under the seamless coordination of these two elemental forces, the infant-fist-sized Geng Gold Essence began to dissolve before his very eyes.
He guided the molten essence into his sea of qi, immediately enveloping it in Fire Spirit Qi. This not only purged the last traces of corrosive properties from the Geng Gold Essence but also kept it in a volatile, active state. Next, he mobilized his Earth Spirit Qi, forming a thick, ochre barrier around the essence. This both constrained the wild Geng Gold Qi and prevented it from rampaging through his spiritual core.
Finally, he drew upon his Wood Spirit Qi, which transformed into countless fine green threads that wrapped around the Geng Gold Essence. The life force of Wood nourished the essence, promoting its fusion with his body while allowing him to gradually acclimate to this foreign metallic power, thus minimizing rejection.
Under the synergistic assault of three Spirit Roots, the Geng Gold Essence steadily contracted and condensed, ultimately transforming into a single, golden point of light no larger than a grain of rice.
Though its size had diminished, the light it radiated grew blindingly intense. It seemed to erupt from within, blanketing his entire body in a golden sheen and expelling every last impurity with tyrannical force.
At last, with a sharp, metallic *clang* that resonated through his soul, the point of light vanished. The Metal Spirit Root was born.
Almost instantly, Jiang Chen could sense the faint traces of Metal Spirit Qi in the surrounding air. Lacking any corresponding cultivation techniques, he could only allow the new Spirit Root to absorb it naturally, unable to forcibly refine it.
He now possessed four Spirit Roots: Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal. Only Water remained to achieve the Perfection of the five elements.
The Fire Spirit Qi surged with renewed dominance, attempting to devour the Wood Spirit Qi. When he had one, two, or even three Spirit Roots, the balance had been manageable. But with the addition of the Metal Spirit Root, the system had been thrown into chaos.
The generative cycle of the five elements was broken. The Wood Spirit Root’s vitality was cut off from its source.
In the cycle, Water generates Wood. The gentle nature of Water allows the vitality of Wood to flourish, just as plants need rain and dew to remain evergreen. But now, among his other three roots, Earth was heavy and accommodating, making it stable. Fire was volatile and aggressive, ready to erupt at the slightest provocation. And Metal was indomitably sharp. Without Water to act as a buffer, Metal directly suppressed Wood.
The result: his Wood element was overwhelmed by yang energy, losing its inherent pliancy.
Jiang Chen took a deep breath, his voice low and steady. “In this situation, my only option is to use Earth to nurture Wood, temporarily substituting for the role of a Water Spirit Root. At the same time, I’ll leverage Fire’s ability to melt Metal to blunt its aggressive edge.”
In truth, he had anticipated this very outcome. There was no way around it; this was the fundamental nature of elemental opposition. Only by achieving the Perfection of the five elements could he establish a self-sustaining, unbreakable cycle.
The best solution was to Awaken a Water Spirit Root as soon as possible.
Fortunately, even if he failed to find a treasure capable of birthing one, he still had the option of dual cultivation. Though it would take two hundred years to generate a second Spirit Root this way, for Jiang Chen, it was a mere two hundred years.
He could afford the wait.
Snapping back to the present, Jiang Chen turned to the Dragonized Insect Mother. It had already sucked the fungus core dry, leaving behind nothing but a shriveled husk. It had now moved to another corner of the nest, ravenously gnawing on a venom sac. Eight days without food had clearly left it famished.
Jiang Chen frowned. To raise this thing, my five fire crows won’t be nearly enough. I may have to place it in my portable space and use my Earth Spirit Root to provide a continuous supply of terrestrial energy.
For the Dragonized Insect Mother, to feast was to breed. Eating was its primary instinct.
Seeing this, Jiang Chen didn’t rush it. Instead, he began to wander the nest, waiting patiently.
The lair of the Spirit-Eroding Fungus King wasn’t massive, but it wasn’t small either. It paled in comparison to the Dragonized Insect Mother’s previous nest, yet it was far larger than any normal beast’s den.
Still, there was little left to explore or excavate. Fungal threads, venom sacs, and gold sand—that was all.
An unknown amount of time passed before the Dragonized Insect Mother, having consumed every last venom sac, was finally sated. Its movements grew languid, its hunger satisfied.
Jiang Chen shook his head. With a single thought, he stored the creature in his Square Inch Ring and turned back toward the tunnel he had entered through. The path was simple enough that he had no fear of getting lost.
As he retraced his steps, his mind was already racing.
Now that I’ve Awakened the Metal Spirit Root, I need metal-attribute techniques and spells. Luckily, I have that bone sword pellet, so I won’t have to spend spirit stones on a weapon.
He had long heard that Mystic Heart City was superior to Green City’s Loose Cultivator market in every conceivable way. The upcoming century-scale Thousand Sails Event was the perfect opportunity to see it for himself and purchase some more powerful techniques.
Mystic Heart City will also have a greater variety of high-quality water-attribute arts. I’ll buy them at the same time and save myself a future trip.
By the time Jiang Chen emerged from the ground, night had fallen.
It was the cusp of late summer and early autumn. The air carried both the lingering warmth of the day and the first crisp coolness of the coming season. The moon hung high in the sky—not the blazing white orb of midsummer, but a lustrous disc of jade steeped in autumn waters, exuding a gentler glow.
A faint, ethereal mist clung to the night, veiling the distant landscape in shadow and mystery. A soft breeze whispered through the fields. The chirping of insects and the croaking of frogs had grown lazy, their calls lacking the frantic energy of summer.
Jiang Chen channeled his Earth Spirit Qi, and the pit before him sealed itself shut. He turned and walked toward his stone house. He had no intention of cooking; Da Huang, Gege, and even the turtle and fish in the pond were all resting peacefully.
He climbed to the second floor and collapsed onto the soft, comfortable nanmu bed. He closed his eyes and was asleep almost instantly.
He didn’t know how much time had passed when a sudden vibration roused him from his slumber.
Jiang Chen’s eyes snapped open. He looked down and saw that the source of the vibration wasn’t his Jade Green Gourd, but the Spirit Cultivation Envoy token.
Surprised, he snatched it up and infused it with his Wood Spirit Qi. The moment he did, however, his Fire and Metal Spirit Qi flared violently in response. He was forced to simultaneously channel his Earth Spirit Qi just to neutralize the internal conflict.
Just then, Elder Mu’s voice echoed from the token.
“The formal disciple competition is over. The Return to Ruins Secret Realm will open next month. The higher-ups’ stance is that you should participate if you can. What’s your decision?”
“I’m not interested,” Jiang Chen replied flatly. “I won’t be participating.”
“Good. In that case, find an opportunity to survey the formal disciples in the Spirit Farm. I need a list of who wants to enter the Return to Ruins Secret Realm. We need to prepare in advance.”