[You have tended to a fourth-tier spiritual plant, (Jianmu Variant: Subsapling of the Void Realm Tree), using a blood-refinement technique, increasing its foundational accumulation. Experience +1000…]
[…]
[The fourth-tier spiritual plant (Jianmu Variant: Subsapling of the Void Realm Tree) has gained an additional growth ring. You have obtained (Void Realm Spiritual Essence) ×2…]
[…]
[The fourth-tier spiritual plant (Jianmu Variant: Subsapling of the Void Realm Tree), with which you have established a bond, has grown further. Your comprehension deepens. Fixed spiritual essence accumulation +0.1%…]
[…]
Upon returning to Pingyang Mountain, the first thing that greeted Li Ye was feedback from the Void Realm Tree.
Even if a false Golden Core cultivator was weak in terms of true ability, their body had still transformed a breakthrough, infused with genuine Golden Core mana.
And upon death, when their core collapsed, a significant portion of their mana was absorbed into the corpse.
For demonic cultivators, such remains were premium materials whether for refining flesh, extracting bones, or creating zombie fiends.
Likewise, for spiritual plants, such remains were an exceptionally potent fertilizer.
Even now, the corpse of Jiuding Zi had yet to be fully absorbed by the Void Realm Tree, yet it had already produced growth feedback.
Even more notably, due to the limitations of the spiritual veins, the Void Realm Tree had yet to break through to the third tier. Normally, it shouldn't have even begun its third cycle of fixed spiritual essence accumulation, yet it triggered feedback once again.
By this calculation, once Jiuding Zi's corpse was fully assimilated, it might yield another two or three rounds of feedback.
"But if a single false Golden Core corpse only provides this much progress, then hoping to reach level three Tongtian just by composting is unrealistic...
Where am I supposed to find that many Golden Core cultivators to kill?"
"Even pushing the Void Realm Tree to the third tier still requires more. At the very least, I'd need to throw in another Golden Core cultivator. Otherwise, without a third-tier spiritual vein, it's impossible to achieve a breakthrough... But given the current state of spiritual energy in Pingyang Mountain, once it reaches the peak of the second tier, energy won't be lacking to support its breakthrough."
Retracting his hand from the Void Realm Tree, Li Ye calculated the odds and shook his head. He had no real hopes of obtaining Golden Core fertilizer.
Bi Hu Sanren had been dead for years, and Jiuding Zi followed shortly after.
Currently, the only surviving Golden Core cultivators in the Four-Nation Cultivation World were Daoist Feiyu and Master Zixuan.
Unlike the previous two, these were genuine Golden Core cultivators, but both were old and had suffered considerable losses over the decades, both from conflicts and dealings with the demonic tribes.
Compared to their younger selves, they had grown exceedingly cautious, rarely making a move.
According to intelligence gathered over the past decade, they had adopted a similar approach to Li Ye avoiding leaving their sects whenever possible.
Even as the Wu and Jing nations waged brutal war, neither of them showed any intention of getting involved.
They were playing it safe.
Had even one Golden Core cultivator appeared at Thousand Island Water City that day, Li Ye would never have revealed himself, lest he put himself at risk.
With both of the remaining Golden Core cultivators acting this way, trying to kill them for fertilizer was nothing more than wishful thinking.
"This might be for the best… If they remain holed up in their sects, the Four-Nation conflict won't escalate in a way that affects me. I only need a decade to complete my cultivation."
Li Ye mused, "Once I reach the Golden Core stage, I can start hunting third-tier fire beasts and Golden Core demonic beings. With the Void Realm Tree's capabilities, it will have no problem digesting them, deepening its foundation, and swiftly completing its third cycle of fixed spiritual essence accumulation…"
Having set his plans in motion, Li Ye made a few adjustments to his formation and planted the Cold Sun Pear Tree and Yuanhua Fruit Tree around the Void Realm Tree.
Over the years, the proliferation of Qingluo Silvergrass had reached a critical mass, significantly enhancing its ability to regulate and concentrate spiritual energy.
With these plants acting as formation nodes, the spiritual energy of all Pingyang Mountain had increased. And at the very center of the grand formation, where the Void Realm Tree resided, the concentration had reached the threshold of a pseudo-third-tier spiritual vein.
If needed, he could redirect the energy from other areas to fully elevate this spot to the third tier.
As long as he didn't engage in mass planting, there was no need to cultivate in designated spiritual fields adding two more third-tier trees was completely feasible.
[You have planted a third-tier spiritual plant (Cold Sun Pear Tree) with expert technique, maximizing its vitality. Experience +10…]
[…]
[You have planted a third-tier spiritual plant (Yuanhua Fruit Tree) with expert technique, maximizing its vitality. Experience +10…]
[…]
Holding his breath, Li Ye watched as the panel updates concluded. His anticipation faded.
"As expected, hoping for a miracle from a single pull was unrealistic..."
He let out a small sigh.
Both of these spiritual plants were stable producers of spiritual fruits. If either had triggered a Tongtian or Wood Spirit evolution, their final form would have been immensely beneficial to him.
But clearly, that had been wishful thinking.
However, this was only the beginning the trees' unique traits would take time to manifest as they took root and adapted to their surroundings.
For now, he still needed to adjust the formations to create an optimal environment.
Once their growth stabilized, these issues would resolve naturally.
"Also… these two plants not only absorb the spiritual energy of the formation but also enhance its spiritual resonance…"
"The Cold Sun Pear Tree holds yin inside and yang outside, while the Yuanhua Fruit Tree's energy is pure and abundant. While neither has direct offensive capabilities, incorporating them into the grand formation will refine the elemental balance of the Green Vine Verdant Wood Formation, strengthening it further…"
"Without realizing it, I've already embedded quite a few spiritual plant nodes into this formation…"
A thought took shape in Li Ye's mind.
"If I continue down this path, my Formation Dao will revolve around spiritual plants harnessing the infinite power of nature."
"At its pinnacle… perhaps I can cultivate an entire world of flora, a self-sustaining realm, where boundless spiritual plants exist alongside me."
This was a concept described in ancient texts as a distant and near-mythical state.
Yet as Li Ye pondered it, a deep sense of aspiration and excitement surged within him.
If he truly reached such a level, he would never lack fertile land for cultivating spiritual plants again.
.......
Thousand Island Water City ultimately couldn't swallow that grudge.
Less than a year after the battle had ended and before recovery was complete, under the rallying call of Thousand Island Water City, the Jing Nation launched a full-scale war, mobilizing the entire country to strike at the Wu Nation.
Their goal was revenge, not conquest or profit.
Led by Thousand Island Water City, the cultivator army marched directly toward Jiuding Valley, their target crystal clear.
Meanwhile, the various other factions summoned to join the campaign were left unchecked, and instead ran rampant throughout the Wu Nation raiding, attacking, and looting at will.
They plunged the Wu Nation into utter chaos.
Battles erupted daily across the land, and even though Jiuding Valley attempted to mobilize its subordinate forces to block Thousand Island Water City's army, no one answered their call in such a state.
It was just like when Wu Nation had invaded Jing Nation only now, the tables had turned.
There were even collaborators and locals who took the initiative to provide information, helping Thousand Island Water City expose and dismantle many of Jiuding Valley's hidden bases.
Thus, the cultivator army advanced like an unstoppable force and soon arrived at the gates of Jiuding Valley.
Having long awaited such an opportunity, Li Ye also arrived in person, lying in wait from a hidden position on the distant outskirts of the battlefield.
-support me on Patreon for more chapters, 505+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LordoftheReader