Chapter 255: Using the Wood Spirit Charm

Inside the Myriad Treasures Cave, after practicing the spells from the Pure Yang Scroll for a while to improve their proficiency, Chen Mobai began cultivating the Evergreen Scripture.

However, compared to the rapid progress he made with fire-attribute spells, his advancement in this cultivation method was unremarkable. This was partly because his wood spiritual root was nearly half as strong as his fire spiritual root, and also because he didn't put his heart into it.

But he couldn't be blamed for this, as this cultivation method would eventually merge with the Pure Yang Scroll upon reaching Foundation Establishment Perfection, becoming sustenance for the latter's Core Formation. At that point, any spells cultivated with it would have their power greatly reduced due to the different spiritual energy attributes. Thus, there was no need to cultivate it wholeheartedly.

Chen Mobai had only familiarized himself with the usage of the tree seed and the Heavenly Wood Talisman, as the "Heavenly Wood Divine Light Array" was a signature spell of the Divine Wood Sect.

However, the environment of the Myriad Treasures Cave was not suitable for practicing the "Heavenly Wood Divine Light Array." He always chose to go to another small world instead. He took out his phone and tapped 'teleport'.

The Divine Tree Secret Realm. A silver light flashed, and Chen Mobai's figure appeared. Ever since Gui Bao anchored this small world, Chen Mobai only came here to practice Evergreen Scripture spells, as he hadn't fully digested his previous gains yet.

He looked up, and an ancient, towering tree appeared before his eyes. It was the Magical Artifact Tree.

In this small world full of trees, practicing wood-attribute cultivation methods, while not as efficient as the Myriad Treasures Cave's enhancement for the Pure Yang Scroll, was still quite effective.

After placing the tree seed on the Heavenly Wood Talisman, Chen Mobai circulated the Evergreen spiritual energy within him and injected it. A Crimson Yang Spirit Tree rose from the ground beside him, forming a domain that protected him within. Chen Mobai reached out and brushed the tree trunk, and a wisp of Heavenly Wood Spirit Light was drawn out. Under the shaping of his spiritual sense, it transformed into various forms: blades, spears, swords, halberds, trains, airplanes, and so on. This was precisely the "Heavenly Wood Spirit Light" from the Evergreen Scripture, which, when cultivated to its highest realm, became "Heavenly Wood Divine Light."

If there were any other Divine Wood Sect cultivators present, they would surely be astonished to see him freely shaping and transforming the spirit light. One should know that even Mu Yuan, the foremost true disciple with extraordinary talent, could only transform the "Heavenly Wood Spirit Light" into six forms, yet even that had already made the sect's cultivators regard him as a marvel. However, Chen Mobai completed ten forms of spirit light transformation in a mere blink of an eye.

This was naturally not because Chen Mobai's talent surpassed Mu Yuan's, but mainly due to his gains in this Divine Wood Realm.

After the Heavenly Wood Spirit Light, he practiced Spirit Leaf Art, Wood Arrow Art, and other spells. After completing his routine practice, he sat down and cultivated for half a day within the Heavenly Wood Divine Light Array. This small domain could also gather wood spiritual energy to aid cultivation, making it incredibly versatile.

Although the spiritual veins in this world were not of a high grade, because it was all wood spiritual energy, the speed of cultivating Evergreen spiritual energy was actually faster than in Myriad Treasures Cave or Little South Mountain.

After finishing his cultivation, feeling the eleventh drop of liquid spiritual energy coalesced within him, Chen Mobai opened his eyes with satisfaction. The feeling of progress was utterly captivating.

According to the description in the eleventh layer of the Evergreen Scripture's cultivation method, one could attempt to break through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage after condensing thirty-five drops of liquid spiritual energy. However, due to vast differences between individuals, this number was merely a reference. It was said that in the past, Old Ancestor Zhou, due to his profound foundation, naturally broke through to mid-Foundation Establishment only after condensing fifty drops of liquid spiritual energy.

Chen Mobai, however, believed that the sooner he broke through, the better. After all, all of his Evergreen spiritual energy would eventually be merged and absorbed by the Pure Yang spiritual energy, rendering any profound foundation useless. He had a very clear understanding of himself.

He wouldn't bother with the concept of spiritual energy overflowing leading to a natural breakthrough. After all, his talent was ordinary, and his cultivation speed wasn't fast to begin with. Once the conditions for breakthrough were met, he would first focus on elevating his realm with the aid of the various breakthrough elixirs available from the Immortal Sect.

After clarifying his thoughts, Chen Mobai put away the tree seed beside him and looked up again at the towering tree in the distance. He walked up to the Magical Artifact Tree and tried again, reaching out his hand. The newly condensed drop of liquid spiritual energy was injected into the tree trunk, but after a long wait, there was still no reaction. "Just as I thought," Chen Mobai murmured to himself.

Over the past half-year, he had conducted many experiments with this Magical Artifact Tree. Once spiritual energy had been injected, regardless of whether one's realm increased or regressed, it was as if it had been certified, and would no longer be guided to the treetop to pick fruits. Unless, that is, he cultivated a new method.

Chen Mobai had also tested this idea. After realizing this method, he specifically practiced the Black Water Cultivation, cultivating a wisp of Black Water spiritual energy. There was an effect. He was once again teleported to the canopy of the Magical Artifact Tree and received a black fruit. However, upon opening it, it was merely a drop of Evergreen Tree Sap.

He tried a few more times and finally drew a conclusion. The fruits provided by the Magical Artifact Tree were based on the injected spiritual energy, supplemented by factors like spiritual roots, to give the spiritual item most suitable for the cultivator's development.

For instance, when Chen Mobai cultivated the Evergreen Scripture and had strong spiritual sense, he was given the extremely precious "Jade Wood Spirit Heart." The Pure Yang spiritual energy was of extremely high quality, encompassing almost all properties of fire spiritual energy, so the Magical Artifact Tree gave him the "Green Yang Fire Seed." In the history of the Divine Wood Sect, he was the first to obtain such a gain. However, Chen Mobai speculated that if he had injected Pure Yang spiritual energy at the Foundation Establishment level, he might have directly received genuine "Green Yang Fire," instead of just a wisp of fire seed that he still needed to find a way to enhance.

The Black Water spiritual energy he cultivated in one night, though of decent quality, was, in the Magical Artifact Tree's view, the weakest spiritual energy ever injected into it. Therefore, it only yielded a single drop of "Evergreen Tree Sap." While this was also a good item, an unparalleled spiritual substance for body tempering capable of strengthening any part of the body, it was simply too little.

Chen Mobai later tried again, spending three days cultivating the Black Water Cultivation to the fourth Qi Refinement layer, hoping to gain something more from the Magical Artifact Tree. But since the spiritual energy had already been injected before, there was no reaction. After drawing this conclusion, he could only regrettably abandon his grand plan of cultivating more Qi Refinement methods to harvest all the fruits from the Magical Artifact Tree.

In contrast, the Talent Tree was much more sensitive. Any slight change in spiritual roots would yield different rewards.

During his cultivation of the Pure Yang Dharma Body, from the Three Yang Body to the Four Yang Body, each time his spiritual roots changed, he would visit the Talent Tree. On the previous two occasions, he obtained the Myriad Transformations of Spirit Light Art, the Sky-Searching and Earth-Locating Method, the Fire Repulsion Art, and the Fire Snake Art.

Among these, the "Myriad Transformations of Spirit Light Art" was meant to be used in conjunction with the Heavenly Wood Spirit Light from the Evergreen Scripture. Within the Divine Wood Sect, the shaping and transformation of Heavenly Wood Spirit Light relied on the cultivator's own experience and combat insights. Although the scripture pavilion contained records of predecessors' experiences in this regard, they were generally tailored to the specific cultivator, serving only as a reference for others. However, the "Myriad Transformations of Spirit Light Art" that Chen Mobai obtained was different; it was the authentic version from the Evergreen Sect. Perhaps in ancient times, the "Heavenly Wood Spirit Light" was originally meant to be cultivated in conjunction with the "Myriad Transformations of Spirit Light Art" to unleash its full power.

The "Sky-Searching and Earth-Locating Method" was a technique for utilizing spiritual sense. Theoretically, with limitless spiritual sense, it could scour every speck of dust in a world's heavens, earth, mountains, and rivers, making it an essential ultimate technique for pursuing enemies. Of course, the prerequisite was that the opponent had no means of blocking spiritual sense.

As for the Fire Repulsion Art and Fire Snake Art, they were much simpler; with Chen Mobai's current spiritual roots and realm, he learned them all with just a glance.

He wondered what he would gain from this spiritual root change. With this thought, Chen Mobai controlled the Crimson Cloud Mist Silk to soar into the sky, like a fiery cloud.

He had also conducted many experiments with the Talent Tree. He had once tried injecting the faint, almost imperceptible wisp of Black Water spiritual energy within him, but the Talent Tree showed no reaction. It seemed to be implying that such mediocre talent was unworthy of receiving the great legacies of the Evergreen Sect.

After landing, Chen Mobai, familiar with the process, directly infused his essence, qi, and spirit into the Talent Tree. Before long, he obtained two more cultivation methods from the Evergreen Sect: Spirit Light Weapon Assimilation Art, and Fire Chain Art.

After closing his eyes and reading them, Chen Mobai couldn't help but marvel. The Evergreen Sect truly lived up to its reputation as an ancient grand sect; its ingenious and wondrous techniques were countless.

This "Spirit Light Weapon Assimilation Art" represented another direction for enhancing the Heavenly Wood Spirit Light. It involved using the Heavenly Wood Spirit Light to absorb the essence of various wood-attribute magical artifacts, transforming them into the cultivator's natal artifact, a method theoretically capable of infinitely leveling up as the cultivator's realm improved. This reminded Chen Mobai of an ancient lineage within the Immortal Sect.

After reaching Foundation Establishment, he had gained the authority to access information about some ancient lineages in the library of the Weapon Dance Daoist Academy. Among them was a lineage called the "Ruyi Sect." Cultivators of this lineage would refine a core of "Chaos Primordial Essence," gathering the primordial energy of heaven and earth, all metals and stones, and the vital essence of living beings, which could transform into any magical artifact, making it arguably the foremost wondrous art.

The concept of the "Spirit Light Weapon Assimilation Art" was similar to that of the Ruyi Sect. However, compared to the Ruyi Sect's indiscriminate absorption, this one seemed only capable of absorbing wood-attribute magical artifacts. Chen Mobai took out his Divine Wood Sword, intending to try it, but ultimately put it back. Because he felt that after the Heavenly Wood Spirit Light absorbed the Divine Wood Sword, its power might not even surpass the sword itself. Furthermore, he didn't have many Tier 2 magical artifacts on him, and the Divine Wood Sword was his overt disguise, so it was better not to waste it.

He then looked at the Fire Chain Art, a spell that twisted flames into the shape of ropes or chains to bind enemies. After practicing it once and feeling that he had mastered it, Chen Mobai began today's main task.

He took out the Wood Spirit Talisman from his storage bag. He had wanted to try it for a long time, but he never had the time. Now that he had achieved the Four Yang Body, it was the perfect opportunity to find out.

Without further hesitation, he injected spiritual energy, and the Wood Spirit Talisman transformed into a vibrant green light that enveloped his entire body. In an instant, he gained new insights into the Evergreen Scripture. His previous understanding seemed too superficial; it should be like this... Moreover, Chen Mobai also realized that his practice direction for the spells related to this cultivation method might have been flawed, leading him astray. "Is this the Heavenly Wood Spiritual Root!?" It's incredible.

As Chen Mobai marveled at the talisman's effect, he didn't forget to take out his spiritual root testing device to check his current spiritual root attributes. Spiritual Roots: Metal 23, Wood 100, Water 19, Fire 53, Earth 10.

According to the owner of the Wood Spirit Talisman shop, activating this Wood Spirit Talisman would directly grant the user 80 points of wood spiritual root. Since Chen Mobai originally had 28 points, the total should have been 108 after accumulation. However, the spiritual root testing device's display limit was 100, so it showed Wood 100.

Although he knew its effect would only last for an hour, Chen Mobai still felt a surge of satisfaction when he saw the wood spiritual root fully displayed on the screen.

However, he didn't forget the main task. He reached out again and touched the Talent Tree.

"Wood spiritual energy without pill toxins, top-grade. Single-attribute Heavenly Wood Spiritual Root, immortal-grade. Spiritual sense stable, Purple Mansion expansive, top-grade. Overall evaluation: top-grade, eligible to be a Saint Son/Saintess candidate. Reward: complete set of the 'Two Phases Reversal Art'."

A vibrant green light descended from the sky, landing between Chen Mobai's eyebrows. When he saw that the reward was actually the Two Phases Art, he almost couldn't help but curse inwardly. He had already exchanged for this item at the Divine Wood Sect.

However, his realm was higher after all, and his temperament had improved. Noticing the two extra characters, and thinking it might be slightly different from the Divine Wood Sect's Two Phases Art, he carefully read it.

After finishing, Chen Mobai opened his eyes, which gleamed brightly, and his expression was invigorated. It was indeed different.

This "Two Phases Reversal Art" had an additional upper volume compared to the Divine Wood Sect's "Two Phases Art," completing a very crucial missing piece. That was, how cultivators could cultivate both Foundation Establishment cultivation methods to perfection while their lifespan was limited and before their essence, qi, and spirit peaked.

According to the Immortal Sect's research, the success rate for breaking through major realms was highest before half of one's lifespan had passed. For instance, while Foundation Establishment cultivators had a lifespan of four Jiazi (240 years), it was best to form a core before the age of 120, as their essence, qi, and spirit would be in peak condition, leading to the highest probability of breakthrough.

However, the Two Phases Art, an unparalleled profound technique capable of increasing the probability of Core Formation, was generally only valued and practiced by true disciples of the Divine Wood Sect lineage within the Five Elements Sect. This was because the additional sixty years of lifespan after Foundation Establishment with the Evergreen Scripture was too crucial. Without these sixty years of lifespan, practically no cultivator in the Eastern Desolation could cultivate two Foundation Establishment cultivation methods to perfection while their essence, qi, and spirit were at their peak.

But even so, from the Five Elements Sect to the Divine Wood Sect, those who could cultivate the two methods linked by the Two Phases Art to Foundation Establishment Perfection before the age of 180 were few and far between.

As an ancient grand sect, the Evergreen Sect naturally also discovered this issue. And they placed the cultivation solution in the upper volume of the Two Phases Reversal Art. Or, to put it another way, this upper volume documented the prerequisites for cultivating the Two Phases Art.

It was similar to Chen Mobai's own approach. First, use all means to rapidly advance the cultivation method that would eventually be swallowed and merged as sustenance, disregarding any unstable foundation or shallow spiritual energy, as it would be consumed by the other circulating method anyway.

So how did the Evergreen Sect achieve rapid advancement? By consuming Evergreen Tree Fruits!

This presented a problem: after consuming Evergreen Tree Fruits, although the realm would break through, the power of this spiritual item would consume lifespan and even keep the cultivator confined to the new realm for a long time.

The Evergreen Sect's solution was simple. If lifespan was consumed, then take elixirs and wondrous medicines that prolonged life. If the spiritual energy realm boosted by the tree fruits was confined, then consume higher-grade tree fruits to override it. This was what was recorded in the upper volume of the Two Phases Reversal Art.

From early Foundation Establishment to mid-Foundation Establishment, one would consume a small Evergreen Tree Fruit to break through. From mid-Foundation Establishment to late-stage, consume a medium Evergreen Tree Fruit. From late Foundation Establishment to the perfected False Core stage, consume a large Evergreen Tree Fruit. Small fruit, medium fruit, large fruit. The advancement path was incredibly clear and straightforward.

Finally, upon reaching Core Formation, the Foundation Establishment Perfection realm spiritual energy obtained via the Evergreen Tree Fruit shortcut would be devoured by the spiritual energy cultivated legitimately through the other method of the Two Phases Art. With the spiritual energy gone, the Evergreen Tree Fruit's confinement on the realm would naturally also disappear.

Chen Mobai couldn't help but deeply admire the Evergreen Sect for devising this method.