Chapter 211: Void Spiritual Root (For the Silver Grand Alliance Leader! )
Chapter 211: Void Spiritual Root (For the Silver Grand Alliance Leader! )
After the centennial birthday banquet, the guests gradually departed.
Ruan Xing Ling's Dao Heart seemed somewhat unstable; she hastily returned to Maple Leaf Island the very next day.
Regarding that Core Formation secret art, she also needed to carefully weigh her options.
Wei Yi Xi, on the other hand, stubbornly coaxed her way into staying for a few more months, even insisting on going to see the core spirit tree of the 'Nine-Nethers Profound Wood Grand Array'. Fang Xi immediately sternly reprimanded her, and then she quieted down.
...
In the Talisman Drawing Room.
Fang Xi wore a loose, long robe, his long hair draped over his shoulders, giving him a somewhat lazy appearance.
However, his expression was utterly focused. His talisman brush moved ceaselessly, drawing lines like dragons and snakes across a dark green talisman paper.
Everything was completed smoothly, and the input of spiritual energy was also remarkably stable.
A moment later, the entire talisman glowed with spiritual light, then quickly settled, transforming into a jade-green talisman paper adorned with flowing cinnabar lines.
"A first-order superior-grade 'Wood Blade Talisman,' success!"
This 'Wood Blade Talisman' was a rare offensive wood-attribute talisman, though its power was generally mediocre, far inferior to first-order superior-grade gold or fire-attribute offensive talismans.
Ordinary talisman masters wouldn't bother drawing such a low-return spirit talisman.
Only Fang Xi, in his pursuit of higher talisman mastery, specialized in these obscure types.
After all, he cultivated the Longevity Art daily and meditated on the silver runic script of the Wood Spirit Body, which provided him with a profound understanding that extended to refining wood-element talismans.
"Compared to refining a third-order magic treasure, drawing a second-order superior-grade talisman is still less difficult. . ."
"Although I already have the 'Ground-Shrinking Golden Light Boots,' it's naturally better to have more life-saving items!"
In the path of artifact refinement, Fang Xi truly lacked much talent.
After painstakingly crafting the prototype of the 'Black Wood Seal,' Fang Xi immediately set artifact refinement aside.
And because spirit medicines of several hundred years were rare, he rarely opened his furnace to refine pills.
Most of his current efforts were dedicated to comprehending the 'Heavenly Wolf Howling at the Moon Formation,' occasionally drawing talismans to relax.
He was someone who avoided trouble, and as long as he didn't seek trouble, virtually no trouble came to him.
Unconsciously, five years passed.
...
This day.
Fang Xi had just finished a second-order low-grade wood-element talisman and came out of seclusion in a good mood.
"Young Master. . ."
Xiahou Ying and Yan Hong Xiu were both present, their faces beaming with joy.
"Oh? Any good news recently?"
Fang Xi pondered for a moment: "Could it be that during the Spiritual Root Assessment Assembly, some good saplings were discovered?"
In truth, he didn't care much about expanding his influence, so even though Dragon Fish Island had many mortals, the Spiritual Root Assessment Assembly was only held once every five years, and he didn't pay it much attention.
"Precisely. . . This time at the Spiritual Root Assessment Assembly, we discovered quite a few excellent immortal saplings, and we were just about to report to Young Master."
Yan Hong Xiu replied cheerfully.
"Alright, let's take a look."
Fang Xi flicked his sleeve, and with the two women, he came to the main hall, seating himself in the principal chair.
In the living room, a dozen or so anxious children stood, all around six or seven years old.
Only children aged five and above allowed for more accurate spiritual root detection.
"Why aren't you bowing to the Island Lord? " Xiahou Ying sternly called out.
The group of mortal children immediately knelt: "Greetings, Island Lord. . ."
"Enough, all of you may rise. . ."
Fang Xi waved his hand and asked: "Which immortal sapling has the best aptitude?"
"Zhan Tu, step forward."
Yan Hong Xiu immediately beckoned a small boy forward. This boy had bright lips and white teeth, a tall and upright stature, half a head taller than his companions, clearly from a wealthy mortal family.
"This person is named Zhan Tu, and he possesses dual superior-grade spiritual roots of wood and fire. . ."
Yan Hong Xiu introduced him.
"Dual superior-grade fire and wood spiritual roots? " Fang Xi stroked his chin.
This aptitude was indeed excellent. If he found suitable cultivation methods, his cultivation speed would surpass that of ordinary superior-grade spiritual roots.
Moreover, due to the prominence of his wood and fire spiritual roots, such cultivators were considered most suitable for training as alchemists.
And Fang Xi, in the eyes of external cultivators, was a second-order alchemy grandmaster!
Wasn't this a perfectly suitable successor?
Many cultivators had a strange obsession with their Dao lineage, successors, and descendants. In Fang Xi's view, it was merely a longing and continuation of longevity.
No wonder Yan Hong Xiu and Xiahou Ying looked as if they had rendered a meritorious service.
Uh. . . strictly speaking, they really did render meritorious service.
However, Fang Xi had always disdained these children, nor did he have any intention of making them all change their surname to Fang, forming a Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan of the Fang family, or establishing a sect.
The previous batches of immortal saplings had all been casually sent to other places.
"Zhan Tu greets the Island Lord. . ."
Though the little boy was trembling, he still managed to maintain his bow, indicating a good disposition.
Fang Xi sent out a stream of green magical power into the little boy's body, his divine consciousness tracking it simultaneously.
A moment later, he nodded: "Indeed, dual superior-grade spiritual roots, excellent aptitude. . ."
But before Xiahou Ying and Yan Hong Xiu could show their joy, they heard Fang Xi say: "Such aptitude would truly be a waste on my Dragon Fish Island. . . How about we find someone to send him to the Black Heaven Sect to become a disciple of their sect!"
This aptitude was indeed sufficient for him to become an outer disciple of the Black Heaven Sect.
Fang Xi also considered that by staying on Dragon Fish Island for too long, his information might become stale, so he needed to cultivate informants.
And in the State of Yue, the Black Heaven Sect was the only faction he truly needed to pay attention to.
He didn't need to know any deep secrets, just a general idea of their movements would suffice.
In fact, it was a tradition for some Foundation Establishment powers to send family juniors into the Black Heaven Sect to show their loyalty.
For Fang Xi, this was just a casual move.
Even if Zhan Tu perished in the Black Heaven Sect's brutal disciple competition, there would be no loss.
"Understood. . ."
Xiahou Ying felt a slight sense of dejection. The Island Lord cared so little about immortal saplings, perhaps it would be very difficult for their upper three families' cultivators to rise.
Among the previous batches of immortal saplings, apart from those surnamed Zhong, most were indeed from the Tai Shu and other upper three families.
After all, with cultivator ancestors, their descendants had a higher chance of possessing spiritual root aptitude.
Alas. . . they were all still sent away by Fang Xi, either to raise fish or farm land.
He had no intention of taking any of them as personal disciples.
Originally, Xiahou Ying thought Fang Xi had high standards, but after seeing Zhan Tu rejected, she understood that Fang Xi truly had no intention of taking disciples.
"Have Old Zhong put aside his current tasks and take Zhan Tu to the Black Heaven Sect. . ."
Fang Xi waved his hand: "Allocate fifty low-grade spirit stones from the treasury for his expenses. . ."
"Yes!"
Yan Hong Xiu's heart grew even colder: 'If a Foundation Establishment cultivator takes them to join the Black Heaven Sect, they would at least have some standing and receive some care in the future, just like my clan's Xiao Shiqi and Xiao Shijiu. . . But if they're taken by a Qi Refinement cultivator to join the sect, they truly won't receive any care at all. . . The Island Lord is indeed hard-hearted. '
"Alright, if there's nothing else, you may withdraw. . ."
Fang Xi looked at the other immortal saplings: "Send half of these children to the fish farms and half to the spirit herb valley. . ."
He genuinely only needed subordinates for farming and fish rearing. . .
After all, he was currently cultivating in a second-order superior-grade spiritual vein, had ample lifespan, and his own aptitude wasn't bad. He could slowly cultivate his magical power by meditating, so he didn't have much need for pills that increased magical power.
As for Core Formation Spiritual Items?
That wasn't something he could find by having a few more Qi Refinement or Foundation Establishment subordinates.
Therefore, Fang Xi had always been very 'Buddhist' about the development of Dragon Fish Island.
Specifically, he was just 'lying flat,' since the tiger wasn't leaving its den. He had completely delegated the Myriad Islands Lake to Ruan Xing Ling, so he had no worries or weaknesses whatsoever.
"What's wrong?"
Fang Xi saw the two maidservants hesitating and couldn't help but ask.
"Everyone else is fine, but there's one more immortal sapling whose aptitude we can confirm, but as for her spiritual root, we're completely baffled."
Xiahou Ying replied with a bitter smile, beckoning a girl forward.
"Oh?"
Fang Xi grew interested and sent another stream of magical power into the female immortal sapling's body.
Beside him, Yan Hong Xiu's voice continued: "This girl should possess a spiritual root, and it's beyond low-grade. . . But as for what kind of spiritual root it is, neither I nor Xiahou Ying can tell. We need Island Lord to take a look."
A moment later, Fang Xi withdrew his magical power and fell into thought.
He had spent a long time in White Peace Immortal City and had far more experience than ordinary Qi Refinement cultivators, and he also enjoyed reading miscellaneous books, so he genuinely recognized it.
"This girl. . . she has a mid-grade 'Void Spiritual Root'!"
In this world, as long as one was a cultivator, they would certainly possess all five elements. Most had a prominent element among the five, while 'variant spiritual roots' were primarily wind, lightning, and ice.
In reality, if it were a low-grade variant spiritual root, it would be inferior to even a mid-grade five-element spiritual root!
Among variant spiritual roots, besides the mainstream 'minor three oddities,' there were even more obscure types.
For example, 'Yin Spiritual Root,' 'Blood Spiritual Root'. . . these were all excellent prospects for cultivating demonic arts.
As for 'Void Spiritual Root'?
Fang Xi had only read about it in an ancient text. It was said that cultivating certain void-escaping techniques with it was extremely powerful.
Other than that, it was just average.
The key was. . . suitable cultivation methods were hard to find!
Cultivation methods for wind, lightning, and ice spiritual roots were relatively easy to find, but 'Void Spiritual Root' was too rare, so its cultivation methods were also extremely scarce.
If one cultivated other incompatible methods, their magical power progression might even be inferior to a low-grade five-element spiritual root.
"Void Spiritual Root?"
Yan Hong Xiu and Xiahou Ying exchanged bewildered glances.
"Come here, what's your name?"
Fang Xi looked at the little girl and casually asked.
"I. . . my name is Zhong Hong Yu. . . " Zhong Hong Yu replied timidly.
The Zhong Clan was a large family on Dragon Fish Island, and many immortal saplings shared the surname Zhong, which Fang Xi found unsurprising.
'What a pity. . . why isn't her name Ling'er? '
He mused inwardly, then spoke softly: "You possess a mid-grade Void Spiritual Root, which isn't suitable for cultivating five-element methods. I have the 'Profound Sound Art' Qi Refinement chapter here, which I will impart to you. . . Hmm, you won't need to go farming or fish rearing either. Just stay in the Evergreen Pavilion and serve as a maidservant. . ."
If a rare spiritual root couldn't find a suitable cultivation method, the only option was to cultivate a neutral, attribute-less method.
Like Ruan Xing Ling's 'Profound Sound Art'!
This cultivation method was suitable for any spiritual root. Although its cultivation speed wasn't as fast as methods tailored to specific spiritual root attributes, it was still quite good.
Legend had it that within the Hunyuan Sect in the southern Yuan Kingdom, the vast majority of Qi Refinement disciples cultivated the 'Hunyuan Art'!
This 'Hunyuan Art' was suitable for any spiritual root attribute, and its magical power progression speed was also decent. The magical power cultivated was stable and balanced, and after Foundation Establishment, it could be transformed into any other cultivation method, offering extremely high compatibility.
For large sects, having disciples cultivate the same method naturally made management and teaching more convenient, offering many benefits.
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