When Xiao Xue realized the effect of the buff released by the ancient tree, her first feeling was absurdity.
Absurd, utterly absurd.
The mechanism of this buff should be similar to the [Enlightenment Beneath the Bodhi Ancient Tree].
Its effect is to increase the cultivation speed and comprehension of targets within a certain range, essentially a youthful version of the Bodhi Ancient Tree.
After all, Xiao Yan experienced a hundred lifetimes of reincarnation beneath the Bodhi Ancient Tree, and his cultivation speed multiplied countless times.
It seems that any buff of this type can boost cultivation speed.
As for other aspects, they vary widely, each having its own merits.
The buff released by the ancient tree can even increase the cultivation speed and comprehension of a Dou Zong like Medusa by thirty percent.
In that case, its effect already far surpasses the Fallen Heart Flame of the Jia Nan Academy.
One must know that the boost from the Fallen Heart Flame in the Jia Nan Academy is only effective for those below the Dou Wang rank!
If the ancient tree could apply this buff to everyone around it, the place where it resides would become the cultivation holy land of the entire continent!
Dou Zongs, and even Dou Zuns, would fight tooth and nail for a spot to meditate beneath this tree.
Then, this peach tree would either be dug up and monopolized by a major power;
Or, the area where this ancient tree is located would form an existence similar to the [Heavenly Tomb].
Major powers would balance each other out, and every faction would have an allocated quota.
As for how many spots they could secure, that would depend entirely on their leverage and strength.
However, after checking the detailed description of this buff within the system, Xiao Xue felt relieved.
The strength of this buff was not as overpowered as she had imagined.
Firstly, activating this buff requires a considerable amount of consumption from the ancient tree.
Therefore, this buff is generally not activated.
Furthermore, even when activated, only those recognized by the ancient tree can benefit from the buff.
In other words, even if others came near the ancient tree right now,
As long as they haven't gained the ancient tree's recognition, they won't be able to leech off the buff's benefits.
If it recognizes you, you only have a chance to benefit, but whether the tree activates it is another matter entirely.
Even if it's activated, it might not let you benefit, and even if it's willing to let you benefit, there's no telling when it will activate.
It might never activate even until the day you die, or it might activate after you've already moved on and the opportunity has passed.
Secondly, the effect of this buff actually varies from person to person.
If your talent is high, the benefits gained will be greater; if your talent is lacking, the benefits gained will be smaller.
Furthermore, among individuals with similar talent, the lower the strength, the stronger the benefit received.
In essence, the ancient tree is currently hosting a dinner for its recognized "guests."
The host provides enough food, but how much you can eat depends entirely on your own appetite.
Because it is difficult to enjoy this benefit, and the effect of the benefit is not stable.
In addition, the number of such ancient trees is not very large.
Therefore, as time passed, this buff gradually faded from memory.
Perhaps only the ancient texts of the primordial races still retain some related records.
However, for Xiao Xue, the effect of this buff could only be described as "heaven-defying."
After all, for her, the benefit of this buff was—doubled comprehension!
Sure enough, anything that can cultivate itself to the Dou Zun rank is no ordinary entity.
Could an ordinary tree provide a buff of this magnitude?
Even if it wanted to, it would likely be powerless to do so.
This buff was perfectly suited for Xiao Xue right now.
The increase in Dou Qi cultivation speed was negligible for Xiao Xue; what she valued was the boost to her comprehension!
After all, the [Heart Sword] she was cultivating, a Soul Dou Technique, relies most heavily on comprehension.
In other words, the only thing she needed to quickly master the [Heart Sword] was time.
By accumulating time, like water dripping through stone, she would fully grasp it.
With this buff, her cultivation of the [Heart Sword] would definitely yield twice the result with half the effort.
Xiao Xue and Medusa exchanged a look, immediately found a nearby spot, and sat down cross-legged.
Go back to the Jia Ma Empire? Why the hell would they go back? Is cultivating there better than cultivating here?
Tell Xun'er, the Little Doctor Fairy, and Qing Lin that I won't be returning this year; I'll be staying in the underground world with Medusa.
While Xiao Xue was busy "sending messages" to her family, stating that she would be entering seclusion for a year or two and should not be easily disturbed;
Medusa waved her hand and set up a barrier around them, enclosing herself, Xiao Xue, and the ancient tree.
The strongest of the surrounding Magical Beasts were only Tier 6, making it impossible for them to break through the barrier.
Even if they teamed up, Medusa would notice and easily take care of them.
For a Dou Zong like Medusa, killing a Tier 6 Magical Beast was no different from killing a mere chicken.
Then, Medusa and Xiao Xue began cultivating, seizing every minute.
Meanwhile, those far away in the Jia Ma Empire and the Jia Nan Academy had various reactions upon receiving the news.
Jia Ma Empire, Xiao Manor.
Xiao Zhan had successfully broken through to the Dou Ling rank.
After receiving the message, he sighed, realizing that since Xue'er was already so outstanding yet still worked so hard, he, as her father, couldn't afford to fall behind.
Thus, in his capacity as the Xiao family patriarch, he began to supervise the cultivation of the other Xiao family members.
He also took the opportunity to vigorously develop the Xiao family, leveraging their cooperation with the Primer Clan.
With the support of the various major clans in the Imperial Capital and the Jia Ma Royal Family, coupled with the Xiao family's own efforts, the Xiao family was thriving.
Jia Nan Academy, Inner Academy.
This year's Inner Academy competition had already concluded, and, unsurprisingly, the Little Doctor Fairy and Xun'er entered the Inner Academy with the first and second ranks, respectively.
As for Qing Lin, she was directly admitted without competition.
After checking the message sent by Xiao Xue, Xiao Xun'er drove away the forty-seventh person who tried to strike up a conversation that day and entered the Blazing Sky Refining Tower.
"Since Sister Xue'er is working so hard, Xun'er can't fall behind."
She wanted to be behind Xiao Xue, but she didn't want to be left far behind due to too great a cultivation gap.
Being behind meant something entirely different in this context.
"Given Sister Xue'er's cultivation speed, she might already be a Dou Wang now, right? Xun'er, oh, Xun'er, you need to work harder..."
Xiao Xun'er composed herself, stopped overthinking, and began to cultivate with focus.
On the other side, in a rather inconspicuous medical clinic.
Although the clinic wasn't large, the entrance was packed with people lining up.
Inside the clinic, Qing Lin was assisting the Little Doctor Fairy.
The Little Doctor Fairy was primarily a physician, and only later became an alchemist under Xiao Xue's guidance.
Therefore, the Little Doctor Fairy opened this clinic to help the Inner Academy students clear the fire poison they accumulated while cultivating in the Blazing Sky Refining Tower.
As for the fees, she naturally only accepted [Fire Energy] and medicinal ingredients.
Nevertheless, patients seeking treatment continued to arrive in an endless stream.
The Little Doctor Fairy currently possessed the strength of a six-star Dou Ling, making her a notable powerhouse in the Inner Academy.
Coupled with her outstanding appearance and her alchemy skills, which had already reached the Tier 3 level,
She was doing quite well within the Inner Academy.
As for Xun'er, just like in the original novel, she had been surrounded by a pack of wolves ever since she joined the Jia Nan Academy.
What differed from the original novel was that the Little Doctor Fairy had also become one of the goddesses in the hearts of the Inner Academy students.
What remained the same as the original novel was that no one had succeeded in winning them over.
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