Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 26 Communication

Following their successful trade, a newfound sense of camaraderie developed between Li Shiming and Fan Yiyang.

"Fellow Daoist, since you are traveling toward the Central Capital, do you intend to participate in the upcoming year's Ascension Conference?" Fan Yiyang inquired while lightly sipping his tea.

Li Shiming was caught off guard; he hadn't expected such a significant piece of information to be the first thing Fan Yiyang mentioned.

He offered no verbal confirmation, choosing instead to smile enigmatically while refilling Fan Yiyang’s tea cup.

"Provided your history is untainted, your current age combined with a Qi Refining Second Level Cultivation should make entering a Sect through the Ascension Conference relatively simple. However, the source of your Cultivation technique must be clearly explained, and it has to withstand the Sect's rigorous background checks!" Fan Yiyang remarked, feeling confident in his assessment of the young man.

Li Shiming reflected on this; his Five Elements Qi Absorption Technique originated from the Weiyuan Escort Agency—specifically, he had found it in his own family garden. This gave him little cause for concern.

Even if the Sect utilized specialized investigative methods, he could truthfully disclose exactly how he had come into possession of the Five Elements Qi Absorption Technique.

"It appears you have set your sights on the Sky Sea Sect. That is the primary choice for most individuals possessing spirit root seeds. The quality of your spirit root seeds will ultimately be determined at the Ascension Conference, but considering your age and your progress to the Qi Refining Second Level, it is highly probable that your potential is quite good!" Fan Yiyang said, his voice trailing off as he seemed to drift into his own thoughts.

This was Li Shiming's introduction to the concept of spirit root seeds. He had previously understood that the path of Cultivation required innate talent, which clearly referred to these seeds.

"How is the quality of spirit root seeds measured? Are there methods to test them outside of the Ascension Conference?" he questioned.

"Naturally, fewer spirit root seeds are preferred. Possessing only a single or dual spirit root marks one as a true genius, though such individuals are incredibly scarce. Next are those with three spirit roots, who form the backbone of the Cultivation World. Most people, however, possess four or five; these two categories make up the bulk of discovered spirit root seeds.

Having four spirit roots offers a glimmer of hope. But five spirit roots are generally deemed worthless; those burdened with them usually remain trapped in the early stages of Qi Refinement for their entire lives.

As for testing, there is a practical way. If someone practices a fire-based technique and can perceive fire-attribute spiritual energy, it confirms the presence of a fire spiritual root.

Be warned, however: Cultivation techniques are not things to be toyed with, particularly during the Foundation Establishment phase. A single error can lead to total ruin," Fan Yiyang cautioned with a grave expression.

Li Shiming suddenly realized the sheer magnitude of his own luck.

He had possessed only a single manual, the 'Five Elements Qi Absorption Technique,' and had managed to acquire a Gathering Spirit Plate, which allowed him to successfully establish a spiritual energy vortex.

Had he been aware of the dangers of reckless Cultivation earlier, he likely would never have dared to attempt the 'Five Elements Qi Absorption Technique.'

Furthermore, he suspected he had at least three spirit root seeds, as he had detected three distinct types of spiritual energy while practicing his technique.

"If you manage to join the Sky Sea Sect, I hope you'll look out for me. That is my lot in life!" Fan Yiyang sighed deeply.

"Are you a member of the Sky Sea Sect?" Li Shiming asked, finally uncovering the man's origins.

"I am merely a servant disciple, sent to the mortal realm to collect various worldly resources!" Fan Yiyang confessed.

Li Shiming’s respect for the man did not diminish. A servant disciple was still a part of the Sky Sea Sect, and being entrusted with procurement tasks suggested some level of influence or backing.

Procurement roles were typically considered profitable positions in any world, and the Cultivation World was likely no exception.

Perhaps because he lacked peers to talk to or because Li Shiming’s youth made him seem non-threatening, Fan Yiyang shared nearly everything he knew about the Cultivation World, withholding only the most guarded secrets.

Through this, Li Shiming discovered that the Ascension Conference was scheduled for early October of the following year.

Once their conversation ended, he refrained from returning to his room to use the Gathering Spirit Plate. It wasn't just a matter of needing spirit stones; he also needed to understand the mechanics of the device.

Now that he possessed Spirit Stones, figuring out the Gathering Spirit Plate was only a matter of time.

More importantly, he had gathered from Fan Yiyang that any magic artifact capable of concentrating Spiritual Energy was considered a high-value treasure.

Li Shiming hadn't asked about the plates directly. Instead, he had subtly steered the conversation toward methods of accelerating Cultivation. He learned of many techniques, with the Gathering Spirit Plate being one of the more prominent ones.

Such plates were exceedingly costly, at least for those still in the Qi Refinement Realm.

Armed with this knowledge, Li Shiming decided against using the Gathering Spirit Plate while aboard the official vessel.

The thin wooden walls between the cabins would offer no protection against the Spiritual Energy disturbances the plate would create.

He had no intention of testing Fan Yiyang’s integrity; human nature was too fragile to be gambled with in such a way.

That evening, as he stood by the ship's edge looking out, he learned that the waterway they traveled was known as the Immortal Cutting Canal.

Legend claimed a powerful master had sliced the earth with a sword to create it. Initially, Li Shiming had dismissed this as mere folklore.

However, after traveling it for some time, he noted the canal's unnatural precision.

The Immortal Cutting Canal was perfectly straight, lacking the natural curves and bends of a typical river dictated by geography.

Looking forward, he saw the water stretching in a flawless line toward the horizon.

The aroma of Spirit Rice drifted toward him, suggesting Fan Yiyang was preparing a meal.

Li Shiming allowed himself a small smile. He felt incredibly fortunate to have encountered a cultivator like Fan Yiyang.

While he couldn't accurately gauge Fan Yiyang’s power level, Li Shiming inferred from his mannerisms that the man wasn't particularly formidable.

The shadow of disappointment in Fan Yiyang’s eyes when discussing the Four Spirit Roots was telling.

Li Shiming surmised that Fan Yiyang himself likely possessed Four Spirit Roots, which explained why he remained a servant disciple even in his thirties.

Of course, appearances were deceiving in the Cultivation World; even without youth-preserving arts, cultivators aged far more slowly than the common folk.

Li Shiming had concealed his Low Grade Magic Robe beneath a standard Confucian Robe and had stowed his Lower Grade Longsword inside his storage bag.

This followed Fan Yiyang’s counsel. While ordinary people wouldn't recognize a magic artifact, the Central Capital would be teeming with cultivators for the Ascension Conference—some of whom would not hesitate to kill for profit.

Though the robe and sword were considered basic gear, they were still highly coveted by Loose Cultivators. For them, a double murder for two Low Grade Magical Artifacts was a profitable trade.

Li Shiming mentally reviewed the 'Concealing Breath Skill.' Because of the local scarcity of Spiritual Energy, he hadn't yet practiced the Geng Metal Skill or the Earth Spirit Technique, despite them being his first acquisitions.

The Concealing Breath Skill, however, was a vital spell designed to mask one’s Spiritual Energy signature.

Fan Yiyang had warned him that his current Spiritual Power Patterns were as conspicuous as a bright flame in the dark, visible to other cultivators from a great distance.

In the Cultivation World, many powerful figures allowed their Spiritual Power Patterns to radiate openly as a show of strength, signaling to any potential threats that they were not to be trifled with.

By letting their patterns leak, they effectively warded off those with malicious intent, saving themselves from unnecessary trouble.