The Jianmu Dao Seed's self-formed void space slowly expanded like the embryonic membrane of heaven and earth, enveloping the entire Inner Scene.
The Inner Scene became an Inner World.
Then came a thunderous rumble, as if heaven and earth were being split open—but this thunder was full of vitality.
The clear qi rose, the turbid qi descended!
The Earth-element fetal breath evolved into a palm-sized spirit field, the Water-element fetal breath became a miniature spring, and the Wood-element fetal breath merged with the Jianmu Dao Seed, taking root in this soil and water.
The Metal-element fetal breath transformed into the atmosphere, and with each breath of his lungs, it sounded like rolling thunder.
The Fire-element fetal breath became the light of the Inner Scene, like a phantom sun.
The Dao Seed took root in this palm-sized blessed field, and its spore-like leaves finally unfurled.
Among the three root tendrils, the one representing the Qi-Guiding Art began to turn five-colored and grow thick and sturdy. This was the spirit root Dao Seed—Lin Donglai no longer needed to actively cultivate it. Once the time came, it would automatically practice these five qi-gathering arts on its own.
As for the root tendrils representing the Foundation-Nurturing Breathing Art and the Tendon-Changing Marrow-Cleansing Stake Method, one rooted into the void, continuing to draw in the void's primal qi, while the other rooted into Lin Donglai's navel. Faintly, Lin Donglai felt that through his navel, he had formed some wondrous connection with the outer world.
An invisible void umbilical cord was delivering nutrients to him—and those nutrients were precisely the vitality of life. His squeezed-dry spirit marrow and bones, his depleted blood and qi, like a long-drought meeting sweet rain, wildly converted the life essence drawn from heaven and earth to replenish themselves.
Like a premature infant slowly growing strong, or like a hundred-year-old man gradually returning to youth.
Inspiration struck Lin Donglai, and he understood—this was the "Immortal Navel," the proof of successfully forging an Inner Blessed Land.
The Inner World drew nutrients from the outer world precisely through the Immortal Navel.
"Hoo—"
"Hah—"
"Hoo—"
"Hah—"
As the spirit root Dao Seed took root in the blessed field and the cultivation art revolved, spiritual qi flowed. The middle dantian, the lower dantian, and even the upper dantian—together, the entire human body, bounded by the skin, became a single embryonic membrane of heaven and earth.
And Lin Donglai's pitiful little cultivation began to grow.
The spirit root Dao Seed started feeding cultivation back to him. It seemed that the spirit stones he had fed it earlier, or perhaps the spirit qi of other attributes that the Dao Seed had extracted while cultivating the Five Elements Qi-Gathering Arts, was released in a single surge.
The spiritual power in Lin Donglai's dantian began growing rapidly from its initial thirty-odd wisps.
One wisp, two wisps, three wisps!
Ten wisps, twenty wisps, fifty wisps!
It wasn't until his spiritual power reached one hundred and fifty wisps that the feedback finally stopped.
The threshold for Qi Refining Second Layer was one hundred and twenty wisps of spiritual power. Lin Donglai had already broken through.
He was now a Qi Refining Second Layer cultivator.
However...
Breaking through so suddenly—if anyone noticed, it would be trouble. With a slight thought, the spiritual power was drawn back into the spirit root Dao Seed.
After taking root in the blessed field and opening up the Inner World, the spirit root Dao Seed could be used as an extra dantian.
Only exactly eighty wisps of spiritual power remained—about the same level as any inferior five-attribute spirit root farming disciple.
Perfect. Over the coming days, he could stage the appearance of someone who had worked hard cultivating by consuming spirit grain and finally succeeded in breaking through to Qi Refining Second Layer.
After concealing his aura, Lin Donglai closed his eyes and carefully observed his inner self.
Sure enough, with only the Yang Five Elements, even though the spirit root Dao Seed continuously drew in the spiritual qi of the five elements and condensed the essence of the five elements, it could not use this palm-sized blessed field as a "seed" to keep expanding—it could only increase its thickness, making it no longer thin and frail.
"I still need to complete the Yin Five Elements Qi-Gathering Arts!"
While listening to lectures at the Dharma Hall, Lin Donglai had once heard the outer sect's Art Transmission Elder say that in the ancient Hunyuan Five Elements Sect, at the Golden Core realm, one could cultivate the Hunyuan Golden Core with the Yin and Yang Five Elements.
The Hunyuan Golden Core could split open heaven and earth and establish a blessed land.
One golden core—one blessed world!
It was just that Lin Donglai had not recorded the cultivation methods for the Yin Five Elements. He would have to make a trip to the Scripture Repository.
Moreover, in Spirit Rhinoceros Peak, there were only cultivation arts for the early stage of Qi Refining for the Five Elements Art.
To obtain the later stages for free, he would have to break through to Qi Refining Fourth Layer.
"Better to focus on mastering the Sprouting Life-Gestation Art first. At Qi Refining Second Layer, I can also exchange for a spell at the Scripture Pavilion—I'll choose the Sweet Dew Rain-Scattering Art. Once I've learned the Sweet Dew Rain-Scattering Art, I'll trade in the Sweet Dew Gourd for an Earth-Shaking Spirit Hoe."
"Ding Zhen could also study the Earth-Shaking Spirit Hoe and learn a thing or two from it. Maybe she could imitate it and forge one herself."
With his mind made up, Lin Donglai now had goals.
Short-term goals: successfully cultivate the Sprouting Life-Gestation Art and the Sweet Dew Rain-Invocation Spell, and carry these two spells on the Jianmu spirit leaves. After all, once it had taken root, the initial spores had already unfurled, and a new segment of sprout had even grown.
Lin Donglai guessed that each time his cultivation broke through, the Dao Seed would grow another segment, sprouting two more leaves.
When the Spirit Plant Hall's assessment came, while others stumbled through casting one spell, Lin Donglai would cast two—he could surely count as a "spirit plant little genius" then.
Mid-term goals: break through to mid-stage Qi Refining, head to the outer sect's Arts Hall, and study the complete Five Elements Qi-Gathering Arts.
As for long-term goals—breaking through to Foundation Establishment before the age of sixty.
Huang Yue had put it nicely, saying Lin Donglai might become an outer sect elder in the Spirit Plant Hall in the future. But if one could become an inner sect elder, who would willingly waste away in the Qi Refining stage, and, with no hope of breakthrough, helplessly turn to seeking advancement through crafts instead?
Lin Donglai did not consider himself a true genius, but with this opportunity, he certainly would not be content to merely circle within the Qi Refining stage.
Sometimes, after spending so long in the immortal sect, Lin Donglai would occasionally think of his family back home.
If he could become an inner sect disciple, he could bring his father and mother to live in Qingmu Immortal City and enjoy the good life.
A few days later, Lin Donglai made some inquiries about the cultivation levels of this year's immortal sprouts. Learning that four or five had already broken through to Qi Refining Second Layer, he was finally at ease and went to register his cultivation level.
After all, after reaching Qi Refining Second Layer, the monthly stipend would be four spirit stones—a bit more presentable than Qi Refining First Layer.
Fortunately, Lin Donglai didn't need spirit stones for cultivation at all, so these could all be invested in his spirit plant enterprise.
Lin Donglai's spirit root Dao Seed was constantly drawing in the void's primal qi and converting it into spiritual qi, while also drawing in the life essence of the outer world to nourish his body.
Although this was currently only about half the speed of active cultivation.
But Lin Donglai could only actively cultivate for one hour at a time, whereas the spirit root Dao Seed could cultivate for five hours a day.
And the Foundation-Nurturing Breathing Art in particular could run nonstop for all twelve hours of the day.
After receiving his spirit stones, Lin Donglai first made a trip to the Spirit Plant Hall to share the good news with Huang Yue, and asked, "Senior Sister, does the Spirit Plant Hall let us learn five spirit plant spells for free upon breakthrough? If so, I'll choose a different spell when I exchange for one at the Arts Transmission Hall."
"You've already exchanged for the Sprouting Life-Gestation Art. To obtain more spells, you'll need merit within the Spirit Plant Hall itself—only completing spirit plant tasks earns that."
"You have the Sweet Dew Gourd, so there's no need to exchange for another spirit plant spell. Master the one you have first. Actually, I'd suggest learning the Spirit Eye Art."
"The Spirit Eye Art can see through a cultivator's cultivation level, and it can also check a spirit plant's condition. If a spirit plant falls sick or its state declines, the Spirit Eye Art can detect it early, giving you time to find a solution."
"Most importantly, without learning the Spirit Eye Art, you can't cultivate the Morning Glow Qi-Gathering Art. Gathering purple qi is done with the eyes, not through breathing."
"The Spirit Eye Art, then?" Lin Donglai cupped his hands. "Thank you for the guidance, Senior Sister!"
It seemed trading the Sweet Dew Gourd for the Earth-Shaking Spirit Hoe was out of the question. He would just have to find a way to spend less and buy a secondhand one—or wait until Ding Zhen became a Rank-One Low-Grade Artifact Refiner and have her forge one.