Ling Xiao looked upon the orb of Saint Essence Blood (Saint Essence Blood) before him, a satisfied glint in his eyes. The concentrated energy within this substance far surpassed almost any immortal fruit or Innate Spiritual Root (Innate Spiritual Root) in existence. Spiritual roots could be found with effort, but who in their right mind would dare to hunt a Saint for their blood?
With a thought, Ling Xiao summoned the Hongmeng Cauldron (hongmeng cauldron) and tossed the essence blood inside to refine away any lingering Saintly will. Once purified, he took out the Sky-Swallowing Gourd (sky-swallowing gourd), stroking its smooth surface with a chuckle.
"I'll let you taste something truly exquisite today."
"Since you are said to be capable of swallowing the heavens themselves, surely the blood of a Saint won't be too much for you," Ling Xiao whispered, half to himself and half to the artifact.
He took a cluster of the refined blood and fed it into the mouth of the gourd.
"If I convert this Saint Essence Blood into spiritual nectar, it might finally push the Chaos Green Lotus toward maturity..."
Even as he had struck Yuanshi down, Ling Xiao had already been calculating this move. Now was the time to test it. Despite his refinement, the blood still possessed a trace of the Saint's willpower—a primal, instinctive urge to resist. But their "masters" were no match for Ling Xiao; their blood stood even less of a chance. He forced the essence into the gourd's maw.
Upon consuming the blood, the gourd froze for a heartbeat. Then, it began to shake violently, twisting its body into impossible angles as if performing a series of high-intensity gymnastics. The struggle lasted for quite some time before the artifact finally settled.
"Is the conversion complete?"
Ling Xiao sent his Divine Thought (Divine Thought) into the gourd. He saw a literal ocean of nectar shimmering with Innate Indestructible Light. The power contained within was staggering; a mere whiff of it could likely cause a mortal to ascend to immortality instantly. It was fundamentally different from nectar converted from ordinary treasures—there was a gap as wide as the heavens between them.
Ling Xiao lifted the gourd. Though it appeared only a foot long, it now carried the weight of a billion tons. He walked over to the Chaos Green Lotus (chaos green lotus).
The lotus was currently about half the height of a man. As he tilted the gourd, the thick, divine nectar poured down, drenching its roots. The plant immediately erupted with a boundless divine light that reflected throughout the vast landscape of the Chaos Pearl. It looked rejuvenated, its leaves dancing as if in joy.
Ling Xiao watched in amazement as the green lotus began to grow at a pace visible to the naked eye. He then distributed the remaining nectar to his other treasures: the Yellow Core Plum (yellow core plum), the Immortal Apricot (immortal apricot), and the Peach Tree.
Each plant underwent a rapid transformation, blooming and fruiting until they reached the brink of maturity. The Immortal Apricot, which already had fruit, saw its crop ripen instantly. Ling Xiao plucked two of the apricots, letting them fall into his palm.
In legend, eating these would grant a person "Wind and Thunder Wings" and transform them into a monstrous form—the fate of Lei Zhenzi. Of course, for someone at Ling Xiao's rank, they were just sweet desserts. They could provide a few elemental fragments, but they lacked the power to actually alter his physique. Their transformative "passive" only worked on lesser beings.
He stowed the fruits for future use. Additionally, a new batch of Yellow Core Plums had ripened. These were precious; he intended to save them for Zi Wei to use when he "carved out his kingdom"—a surprise for both the Human Race and the Great Desolation. Ling Xiao then plucked a peach and took a bite, the juice filling his mouth with fragrance. To him, these were just snacks to satisfy a craving.
The Human World
Since Laozi began spreading the Dao, the Human Race (Human Race) had formally stepped onto the path of cultivation. This provided the frail race with a necessary level of self-defense.
Ever since the first generation of Innate Humans (Innate Human Race), the bloodline of subsequent generations had become increasingly diluted. They lacked the innate ability to absorb spiritual Qi and cultivate instinctively, leading to a natural cycle of aging and death. Now that cultivation was widespread, even if they were far from Immortal Ascension (Immortal Ascension), they had enough power to manage their daily lives.
During these years, the reincarnated Zi Wei had displayed a talent that bordered on the terrifying. While other humans were still struggling with Qi Refining (Qi Refining) and Foundation Establishment (Foundation Establishment), he had already climbed to the ninth major realm, standing at the very peak of human potential. By the time others were attempting to form their Golden Core (Golden Core), he had already achieved Immortal Ascension. His speed surpassed even the most gifted of the first-generation Innate Humans.
Zi Wei's rise shocked the tribes. His Clan Chief (Clan Chief) walked with his head held high, his heart filled with pride. His "young boy" had achieved greatness, and by extension, the entire tribe had risen to become one of the most powerful factions among the humans.
As heroes often recognize one another, Zi Wei soon became friends with several elite Innate Humans, often sitting with them to discuss the Dao.
On this day, at the foot of Shouyang Mountain:
"Brother Xuan Du, hearing your insights has been most beneficial. I feel I am on the verge of breaking through to the Earth Immortal (Earth Immortal) realm."
"Though, I must ask... why does cultivation feel so simple?"
Wreathed in a faint, noble purple Qi, Zi Wei smiled at the man sitting across from him. The man, Xuan Du, froze, a wry smile touching his lips.
"Your talent... it is truly unreasonable. It's better than us Innate Humans. If anyone said you were an Acquired Human (Acquired Human Race), no one would believe them."
Xuan Du looked at Zi Wei with complex emotions. He had never seen an Acquired Human whose speed turned the Innate elite into "slags" by comparison. Xuan Du had known Zi Wei since he was a novice and had initially admired the boy's potential, but he never expected to be overtaken so quickly.
Zi Wei waved a hand dismissively. "We must hurry. When Nuwa created us, she granted us a ten-thousand-year period of protection. Once that time expires, the world won't be this safe anymore. The monsters and demons outside are already watching us with hunger."
"If we don't have enough power to resist by then, our race will become nothing more than food for their bellies."
Xuan Du's face grew solemn. He had wandered the borders of the human lands and seen those terrifying beings. Some were so powerful they could destroy him with a single breath, their eyes red with a predatory hunger.
"We must cultivate well," Zi Wei said firmly, looking at Xuan Du. "When that day comes, we will protect our people together."
Xuan Du nodded slowly. Just as he was about to reply, an elderly man riding a Green Ox appeared on the horizon, arriving before them in the blink of an eye.