Cultivation Starts from Farming-Chapter 738 - 343: Accelerating the Growth of Flame Prison Purple Wood; The Transformation of the Withered Wood
Light flows, time flies, and in the blink of an eye, a month has passed.
On this day, Xu Ping, dressed in a blue-green Taoist robe, walked slowly into the depths of the medicinal garden.
His complexion was rosy, eyes bright, breath as steady as a mountain, clearly his cultivation technique had thoroughly stabilized. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎
At the deepest part of the medicinal garden, a spirit wood entirely purple-red quietly grew, approximately three meters high with lush branches and leaves.
The trunk was covered with flame-like red patterns, each leaf carved like purple jade, emitting a faint red light.
Xu Ping slowly walked around the Flame Prison Purple Wood, Divine Sense enveloping it, keenly feeling the life rhythm within.
"Begin the maturation!"
Xu Ping stood still, took a deep breath, eyes flickering with resolute light.
Maturing the spirit wood to the level of ten thousand years was no ordinary feat.
Ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators at most mature it to hundreds or thousands of years, but across ten thousand years.
Even with his robust Nascent Soul stage cultivation and lengthy lifespan as the foundation, it would be an extremely consuming endeavor.
But for the possible secret concerning the Profound Celestial Embryo, such sacrifices were worthwhile.
Xu Ping’s hands formed a seal, lowly chanting esoteric incantations.
Suddenly, countless tiny green raindrops descended from the azure sky, like nectar, falling on each leaf and section of the Flame Prison Purple Wood.
This was Xu Ping converting his life essence into the force of maturation, each green raindrop containing extremely astonishing vitality.
A day passed.
The changes to the Flame Prison Purple Wood were astonishing.
The originally three-meter-high tree had grown to over five meters, the sturdy trunk a hug in thickness, the red patterns on the bark flowed like living creatures, emitting dazzling red light.
"It’s done... finally reached the ten thousand-year level!!"
Xu Ping halted his magic technique, letting out a relieved sigh.
Maturing the Flame Prison Purple Wood to the ten thousand-year level in one go had cost him greatly.
His mana was nearly exhausted, and the lifespan sacrifice placed immense stress on his body, even a strand of prominent white hair sprouted from his hair tip.
"It consumed a full 789 years of my lifespan..."
Feeling the loss of life source within him, Xu Ping shook his head with a wry smile, but with a heart full of distress.
Such lifespan depletion for ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators was akin to a catastrophic disaster, enough to cause their foundation to collapse, turning to dust on the spot.
Even for Divinity Transformation cultivators with long lifespans, it would take half a life and severely damage their primordial qi.
His lifespan had plummeted from the original 3761 years to 2972 years, nearly losing one-fifth of his lifespan.
For him, though heart-wrenching, it remained bearable.
"Fortunately, this time’s effort wasn’t in vain, the Flame Prison Purple Wood not only reached the ten thousand-year level but as predicted, dropped jade stones."
Xu Ping looked down at the two suddenly appeared gray jade stones in his hands, an involuntary faint smile flashed at the corner of his mouth.
Last time, the withered wood swallowed these two jade stones, not only transforming itself but also skyrocketed Xu Ping’s fortune.
Now, the effect generated wouldn’t be weaker than last time, perhaps even stronger.
After all, the current withered wood compared to the previously half-dead state, was overwhelmingly stronger.
"However, now’s not the time to act recklessly."
Xu Ping rationally suppressed the impulse in his heart, twisted his palm, and the two gray jade stones instantly disappeared into the storage ring, cutting off that faint sensing.
Should the withered wood absorb these two jade stones and undergo any unforeseen changes, in his current weakened state, he wouldn’t be able to control the situation.
Moreover, the suspected Profound Celestial Embryo within the withered wood might concern changes to the entire heaven and earth’s great dao, not allowing any carelessness.
Immediately, Xu Ping returned to the secret chamber, sat in meditation to restore the consumed primordial qi.
...
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, another month had passed.
On this day, three figures appeared in the depth of the underground cavern’s secret chamber.
Xu Ping’s complexion had regained its former rosiness, white hair hidden, clearly his meditation was complete, returning to peak condition.
Beside him, a man-high Water Rat and a giant purple Spirit Worm stood respectfully, the three surrounding a withered wood in the center of the chamber.
Over the years, with Xu Ping’s nurturing in the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons, the Spirit Worm had reached the peak of third-rank upper grade, one step away from breaking through the fourth rank.
However, the breakthrough of a Demon Beast like the Spirit Worm was undoubtedly more difficult than ordinary demon beast breakthroughs.
After all, the capability of a fourth-rank Spirit Worm far exceeds that of ordinary Demon Beasts, able to cultivate a fifth-rank Spirit Vein, which plays a significant role for Divinity Transformation sects.
"You two, if any mutations occur later, do not act without my command."
Xu Ping’s eyes were like the point of a spear, sharp gaze on the two beasts, his tone severely authoritarian with undeniable majesty.
"Rest assured, Master! The Spirit Worm and I definitely won’t act rashly."
The Water Rat’s face was plastered with a fawning smile, pressing the Spirit Worm’s head down, forcing it to bow in submission.
The Spirit Worm, gigantic in size but with cultivation far below that of the now-nascent soul Water Rat, dared not show any hint of defiance.
Its body trembled slightly, managing only to smile, expressing obedience through body language.
Xu Ping watched the Water Rat and Spirit Worm before him, nodding slightly, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.
The reason he specially summoned these two beasts, besides their unwavering loyalty, ensuring no secret is leaked, was primarily to help disperse the imminent risk.
This was a decision Xu Ping arrived at after careful consideration.
If the withered wood once again provokes a change in fortune, with their assistance, perhaps the impact on himself could be reduced.
