Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation-Chapter 43 - 9: Full of Hope

"Give up on the thought of cultivation!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the four of them turned visibly pale, especially Zhu Linxian.

"What do you mean by that?"

Feeling the sudden change in the four’s emotions, Chen Zhaohu hesitated slightly, reflecting on whether he had been too blunt.

His younger brother Chen Qingling spoke straightforwardly, "Cultivation requires a spirit root! In that desolate place you’re from, the spiritual energy is completely depleted. Even if you were born with a spirit root, without spiritual energy to nourish it all these years, it would have already withered away!

Thinking of cultivation without a spirit root? Wishful thinking!"

"Spirit root?" The four of them looked at each other, their faces visibly panicked.

"A spirit root is... it’s the bridge on the dantian that connects with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. Without this bridge, even if enveloped by spiritual energy, one cannot sense, absorb, or even refine it into one’s own magical power!"

"Absorbing and refining Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to transform it into one’s own magical power? Is that cultivation?" As potential Immortal Seedlings, the four of them naturally had extraordinary talent and quickly grasped the principle of cultivation.

"Yes, that’s cultivation! With magical power, one can learn immortal techniques. Moreover, magical power can also nourish the body, extending life." Chen Qingling, eager to teach, felt very satisfied.

Seeing their faces turn dim and their eyes lose light, Chen Zhaohu glared at Chen Qingling: "Shoo, shoo, you’ve only eaten spirit rice for a few years, and you think you know everything?"

"Ladies and gentlemen, don’t listen to him."

"The cultivation you wish to pursue does indeed differ from body refining. It’s not something you can enter into by merely stimulating your own qi and blood, but requires absorbing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. As for the spirit root... it is indeed necessary."

"However, among all creatures under heaven, the Human Race is the head of all spirits, and we’re born with the complete Five Elements. Anyone born here has a spirit root."

"The only difference is the degree to which the spirit root can sense the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi."

"The more strands of Spirit Charm a particular spirit root can sense, the faster it can absorb and refine that element of spiritual energy. Sensing fewer than ten strands is relatively slow, considered Lower Grade Spirit Root; ten to twenty strands means a faster absorption and refining speed, being a Middle Grade Spirit Root; over twenty strands signifies a favored child of heaven, an Upper Grade Spirit Root, with Foundation Establishment within reach and the Golden Core as a hopeful goal..."

"Like me, I was naturally born sensing only two strands for Gold Spirit Root, three strands for Wood Spirit Root, four strands for Water Spirit Root, and one strand for both Fire and Earth Elements, placing me at the very bottom among Lower Grade Spirit Roots, and this is where the majority in the world stand.

But even so, it’s not impossible to cultivate. It’s just slow, yet... in the ever-changing cultivation realm, who can guarantee I won’t encounter some fortuitous opportunity?"

After saying this, Chen Zhaohu looked at everyone again: "So, even if your spirit root is poor, there remains a sliver of opportunity. It’s just that... it might require a bit of luck."

"Are you so sure our spirit roots are poor?" Zhu Linxian stood up, supporting himself on the table, his shoulders trembling, unwilling to accept it.

Chen Zhaohu smiled awkwardly: "Well... coming from the Absolute Spirit Land, it’s naturally not great. One could even say very poor, as my brother mentioned, he’s not wrong there."

"Human spirit roots, like their body and bones, have a growth process, and aren’t fixed at birth. Besides natural inheritance, it’s mainly the postnatal nourishment and growth, with spiritual energy being the crucial nutrient.

Spirit roots truly set at fifteen years old, and during this period, without the nourishment of spiritual energy, without the ability to sense Qi intuitively, their growth is bound to be poor.

Especially in a Desolate Land, not only does it lack the pure spiritual energy of a Spirit Vein Dao Field, it’s even worse than our Spirit Starved Land, truly devoid of a single trace of spiritual energy—a Land of Absolute Spirit. Even a born prodigy with Celestial Spirit Root, living in such a place long enough, would have their spirit root devolve, perhaps even completely wither away."

"Creak~" Zhu Linxian’s entire body went limp, collapsing back into his seat, his face pale.

The other three shared the same lifeless expression.

Chen Zhaohu felt a tinge of bitterness and wanted to offer some comfort, but couldn’t find the words.

Until he saw Li Ji’an, he was rather astonished.

Li Ji’an, at this moment, remained calm and composed, his eyes even brimming with hope...

Seeing Chen Zhaohu looking over, Li Ji’an returned a smile.

He indeed wasn’t disappointed, even somewhat eager.

If spirit roots were fixed from birth, then he would be disappointed. But if they need growth, then for him, that holds great hope.

In this life, he’s already twenty-eight, and according to Chen Zhaohu, his spirit root is certainly poor, but this doesn’t hinder starting anew in the next life, nourishing his spirit root from the age of eight.

Moreover, with so many divine abilities in the Cultivation Realm, countless immortal techniques, as well as Alchemy Tools and Talisman Arrays, the Hundred Arts of Cultivation—if he walks through life after life, there’s so much potential!

"Ah, Tiger, here you are again taking care of my shop’s business; that’s a pleasant surprise!" At this moment, the shopkeeper, full of smiles, walked over.

Chen Zhaohu turned his gaze from Li Ji’an and the others, greeting him with a smile.

"Ashamed, ashamed, the tasks for this month from the Celestial Immortal Tower aren’t enough with me to supply you anymore, but my brother has caught some good stuff, and I introduced it to you at the first moment. Surely you must give a good price."

"Hahaha, why speak of two households? That the Celestial Immortal Tower of the Immortal Pavilion has taken a liking to you is your fortune; maybe one day you’ll get internal rewards from them." The shopkeeper laughed while patting Chen Zhaohu’s shoulder, then brought up the Purple Gold Mink.

"Two pieces of Spirit Stone! How about it?"

Chen Zhaohu looked at Li Ji’an, nodding with a smile: "This has to be decided by Brother Li here."

Li Ji’an returned a smile: "Thank you, Shopkeeper, I’ll let you have it then."

The shopkeeper smiled and had a young assistant take the Purple Gold Mink away, then pulled two pigeon egg-sized, sunlit green Spirit Stones from his chest.

"How about exchanging them for Spiritual Sand?" However, Chen Zhaohu spoke up again.

The shopkeeper looked at Li Ji’an, and seeing him nod, he put away the Spirit Stones and handed over a small bag of Spiritual Sand from his chest.

After the shopkeeper’s departure, Chen Zhaohu explained, "You’ve just arrived, and for a long while, you’ll hardly use Spirit Stones. Spiritual Sand will suffice for your living needs."

Over the course of their meal, Li Ji’an found it delicious, its taste unique and the qi and blood contained within the Demon Beast Meat even several times richer than that of Treasure Beasts he had in the Immortal Dynasty, giving him infinite anticipation for body refining in this Cultivation Realm.

As for the other four, they found it hard to swallow.

Afterwards, accepting Chen Zhaohu’s invitation, Li Ji’an returned with him to the residence.

"How is it? Built by a middle-stage Qi Cultivation practitioner from the Yellow Mountain Wei Family proficient in Earth Element Technique, it cost a whole ten pieces of Spirit Stone."

The ten-acre land boasted a two-story building with ten rooms, a beast pen, and a training yard. The entire earth-stone structure appeared sturdy and imposing.

"Brother Li, if you don’t mind, you can stay temporarily. As for joining us, there’s no rush; take your time to consider. You can also learn more about the place. Many cultivators come and go in the plaza, and you can consult them. However, the place is mixed, so be cautious and avoid being fooled."

"Moreover, on the plaza’s north side, the Immortal Pavilion has a Spirit Testing Stone set up, requiring ten taels of Spiritual Sand per test. If you’re not resigned, you can give it a shot." Chen Zhaohu said generously.

Upon hearing this, the other four immediately grew restless and all looked at Li Ji’an.

"Alright, let’s go test ourselves then." Understanding their eagerness, Li Ji’an did not hesitate and led them back to the plaza.