Chapter 39: The First Spiritual Resources
After discovering that the Deep Forest Spiritual Vein had evolved on its own, Alicia had come to a very important conclusion.
A very useful conclusion.
And also, unfortunately, a very expensive one.
More Life Energy = better everything.
That included:
life
regions
ecosystems
Spiritual Veins
and apparently…
resources.
Which meant Alicia had now entered a very dangerous mental phase known as:
"What happens if I poke it?"
And honestly?
That had never once ended peacefully.
Still, this time, Alicia felt justified.
Because if stronger Life Energy could improve a region enough to make a Spiritual Vein evolve—
then logically, it should also be able to help create the first real cultivation resources.
And if that was true…
then her world was about to become much more interesting.
Alicia immediately focused her awareness on the Deep Forest.
If any region on her planet was most likely to produce the first spiritual resources, it would be there.
The forest had:
the oldest developed ecosystem
the strongest biological activity
the most mature Minor Spiritual Vein
and the highest concentration of Life Energy accumulation
Basically, if any place on the planet was going to start acting like a proper cultivation zone—
it was this one.
And after scanning it carefully for a while…
Alicia found them.
Several, actually.
Tiny.
Subtle.
Still immature.
But undeniably different from ordinary plants.
Alicia's awareness sharpened instantly.
"…Oh?"
Hidden within different parts of the forest, she detected small clusters of unusual plant growth.
Not many.
Just a few scattered across spiritually rich areas.
But each one carried a faint trace of spiritual fluctuation.
Alicia immediately became interested.
Very interested.
She focused more carefully.
And one by one, the system began identifying them.
Ding!
[Natural Resource Detected]
Spirit Dew Grass
A thin pale-green grass growing near moist Life Energy-rich soil.
Effect:
Slightly nourishes vitality and strengthens the body over time.
Current Grade:
Low
Alicia blinked.
"…Okay. That's one."
Then another.
[Natural Resource Detected]
Moonleaf Herb
A soft silver-green leaf herb that absorbs gentle ambient Soul Power at night.
Effect:
Can calm spiritual instability and slightly improve mental clarity.
Current Grade:
Low
Alicia paused.
"…That sounds useful."
Then a third.
[Natural Resource Detected]
Red Root Moss
A dense reddish moss growing near spiritually enriched tree roots.
Effect:
Improves blood vitality and physical recovery in low-level lifeforms.
Current Grade:
Low
Then a fourth.
[Natural Resource Detected]
Breath Fern
A small spiral fern found in regions with smooth Life Energy flow.
Effect:
Helps improve breathing, endurance, and physical stamina slightly.
Current Grade:
Low
Alicia stared in complete silence for a few moments.
Then slowly smiled.
"…Okay."
"This is actually really good."
Because this was not just one lucky plant.
This was the beginning of a resource ecosystem.
And that was far more important.
A real cultivation world should not have just one random magical herb lying around like some suspicious side quest item.
It should naturally begin producing multiple low-level resources based on:
region
environment
Life Energy density
and Spiritual Vein influence
That made much more sense.
And honestly?
It made Alicia feel absurdly accomplished.
Her world was finally starting to produce things that had actual cultivation value.
That was huge.
Actually huge.
Still…
there was one obvious problem.
They were all very low-grade.
Useful, yes.
But not impressive yet.
Alicia floated in thought for a moment.
Then a slow, dangerous idea formed in her mind.
"…What if I help a little?"
That was usually the beginning of nonsense.
But this time, it might actually work.
Alicia immediately opened her system interface and activated one of her newly acquired rewards.
Ding!
[Skill Activated]
Advanced Life Manipulation
Available Functions:
guide biological growth
stimulate regional life density
accelerate low-level plant development
adjust local Life Energy nourishment
Warning:
Excessive interference may destabilize natural balance or reduce long-term quality.
Alicia read the warning.
Then nodded once.
"…Okay. So no reckless overcooking."
That was fine.
She had no intention of turning a baby herb into a world-ending divine lotus in five minutes anyway.
That would be stupid.
Probably.
Instead, Alicia decided to test the skill carefully.
She selected a small spiritually dense zone in the Deep Forest where several immature resource plants were already naturally growing.
Then she slowly guided green Life Energy into the area.
Not violently.
Not forcefully.
Just enough to nourish and accelerate.
Almost like gently speeding up time for that little patch of life.
The effect was immediate.
Tiny roots deepened into the soil.
Leaves thickened.
Spiritual fluctuations became slightly stronger.
Growth that should have taken years…
began unfolding within a much shorter span.
Alicia watched closely, deeply focused.
The Spirit Dew Grass grew taller and clearer, its blades becoming slightly translucent with concentrated vitality.
The Moonleaf Herb became fuller, its leaves smoother and more refined.
The Red Root Moss spread across roots in denser clusters, pulsing faintly with stored Life Energy.
The Breath Fern curled more elegantly, its inner spiral becoming more vibrant and stable.
Alicia stared.
Then immediately grinned.
"…No way."
"It actually worked."
That was exciting.
Very exciting.
But Alicia did not celebrate too early.
Because the system immediately reminded her to stay humble.
Ding!
[Life Manipulation Feedback]
Result:
Resource growth successfully accelerated.
Current Effect:
maturation speed increased
vitality improved
spiritual density improved slightly
Limitation:
Low-level acceleration is currently efficient.
Attempting to force high-grade growth too quickly may:
damage root stability
reduce purity
cause energy collapse
Alicia folded her arms.
"…Right."
"Of course there's a catch."
Still, this was more than good enough.
Actually, this was amazing.
Because Alicia had just proven something incredibly valuable:
She could use Life Manipulation to accelerate natural growth —
but only if the foundation already existed.
That was balanced.
And more importantly—
it meant Alicia could not just "spawn treasures out of nowhere."
She had to:
create proper regions
nurture Life Energy
let natural development begin
and then accelerate it
That was much better for the story.
Much smarter too.
And honestly?
Much more satisfying.
Because it meant her power wasn't lazy.
It was useful.
Alicia observed the growing herbs again and quietly thought.
If this worked on plants…
then in the future, it might also help with:
forests
crop development
medicinal resources
regional vitality
and maybe even future rare lifeforms
That was a very important tool.
Not broken.
But very powerful when used properly.
Exactly the kind of ability she needed.
Then Alicia began checking the entire Deep Forest more carefully.
And to her surprise—
the first four were not the only ones.
There were more immature spiritual plants beginning to form in hidden pockets.
Not enough to call the forest "full of treasures."
But enough to show a trend.
The Mid-Grade Minor Spiritual Vein was already beginning to change the region.
Alicia smiled at that.
Because this meant the forest had officially entered a new stage.
It was no longer just a place where life existed.
It was becoming a place where resources were born.
And that mattered.
A lot.
Then Alicia looked toward the Central River Plains and the Highlands.
Neither region had formed spiritual resources yet.
But now she knew why.
The answer was simple.
They needed more time.
And more Life Energy.
That realization only strengthened her earlier conclusion.
The more Life Energy her planet had—
the better everything would become.
Not instantly.
But naturally.
And now, for the first time, she could actually see that truth taking shape.
Not just in creatures.
Not just in ecosystems.
But in the land itself.
Alicia slowly looked back toward the growing spiritual herbs in the forest and smiled.
"…Good."
"Very good."
Then, after a short pause, she added:
"…Now I just need more of everything."
A deeply reasonable goal.
Absolutely not dangerous at all.
Then suddenly—
the system chimed again.
Ding!
A new notice appeared before her.
[Regional Mutation Notice]
Deep Forest Resource Zone Forming
Current Status:
A low-level natural spiritual resource cluster has begun forming.
Effects:
increased chance of herb formation
improved plant vitality
slight increase in beast attraction
Alicia's smile slowly faded.
Then she looked back toward the forest.
"…Beast attraction?"
There was a short silence.
Then somewhere in the distance—
the silver fox appeared near one of the growing herb zones.
Alicia immediately deadpanned.
"…Of course you would show up."
The fox sniffed the air once.
Then calmly sat down near the cluster of herbs.
Like it had every right to be there.
Alicia stared at it.
"…You are not helping your reputation."
The fox, naturally, ignored her.
As always.
But Alicia's attention had already shifted elsewhere.
Because if beasts were beginning to notice spiritual resources…
then this would create something new.
Something important.
Something potentially troublesome.
Competition.
Conflict.
And territory.
Alicia slowly narrowed her awareness across the forest.
Because if the first spiritual resources had already appeared—
then her world had just taken another step toward becoming a true cultivation planet.
And that meant one thing.
Things were about to get much more interesting.
Author Note
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Alicia's world is finally producing its first real spiritual resources