Cultivation of Immortality: Start by Improving Spiritual Root Qualifications

Chapter 1001 Strange Spirit Wood, a Sixth-Order Spiritual Object?
Wuzhen Island is the northernmost island in the Lu clan's territory.

The island is small, spanning only a few hundred miles, but it possesses a mid-grade fifth-order spiritual vein. The island is filled with spiritual energy, and exotic flowers and rare herbs grow everywhere, making it a veritable paradise.

The one in charge here is Lu Yuanqing, a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Lu clan.

This person is cautious by nature, spends most of his time in seclusion, and rarely concern himself with worldly affairs.

He was also Zhou Xun's last target in the first stage.

At this moment, deep within a cave on Wuzhen Island.

Zhou Xun sat cross-legged on the ground, holding two storage rings in his hands.

The rings, one blue and one purple, have an antique style and are engraved with intricate cloud patterns.

"Finally, the inventory is complete."

He let out a long sigh, his face showing signs of fatigue.

Half an hour ago, Zhou Xun arrived at Wuzhen Island.

He disguised himself as Lu Xiuyuan and, under the pretext of inspecting the islands, was successfully invited by Lu Yuanqing to enter one of them.

Lu Yuanqing was completely unprepared for this and even hosted a banquet in his honor.

The two chatted happily during the banquet.

Just as Lu Yuanqing got up to pour the wine, Zhou Xun suddenly sprang into action!

The power of the fifth-order physique erupted in full force, combined with the Yin Lightning, and Lu Yuanqing was subdued in an instant. The whole process was as fast as lightning, and Lu Yuanqing didn't even have time to react.

Zhou Xun quickly sealed his nascent soul and took the storage ring.

The entire operation was swift and efficient, without causing any disturbance.

Then came the much-anticipated inventory of the treasures.

The same thing happened three days ago.

The third target, Lu Hongyu, was also easily captured.

"These two are nothing special; they're just ordinary people."

Zhou Xun shook his head slightly.

"That adds up to about 1,400 spirit crystals, which is about the combined wealth of two early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators."

He sorted and organized all the items and put them into his storage ring.

That's true. Not many cultivators get unexpected good fortune. Most people are just ordinary cultivators, and owning a spiritual treasure is already a remarkable thing.

This was because Lu Yuanqing and his companion were from the Lu family, a powerful clan of cultivators.

Even if one were a rogue cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage, like Leng Wuyai, their wealth would not be comparable to these two.

After resting for a while, Zhou Xun began to wander around Lu Yuanqing's cave.

The cave dwelling was simply furnished, with almost no unnecessary decorations besides the necessary cultivation facilities.

It's clear that Lu Yuanqing is a person who practices asceticism.

Upon entering the inner room, Zhou Xun immediately sensed something was amiss.

He keenly sensed that something seemed amiss with the stone wall beside him.

Although it looks exactly the same as the surrounding walls, something just doesn't feel right.

He then unleashed his full divine sense, examining every inch of the area meticulously.

Scanning the surface of the stone wall with my divine sense, I sensed an extremely faint fluctuation of spiritual energy.

"This is... a restriction!"

A hint of surprise flashed in Zhou Xun's eyes.

The restriction was set up in an extremely well-hidden way. If his divine sense hadn't been so powerful, even stronger than that of an ordinary peak Nascent Soul cultivator, he wouldn't have been able to detect it at all.

He immediately recalled a token in Lu Yuanqing's storage bag.
So he immediately started searching.
A few breaths later, an inconspicuous black token appeared in his hand.

The token felt warm and smooth to the touch; it was neither gold nor jade.
It was entirely black, with no patterns on its surface, appearing quite ordinary. However, the patterns on it were consistent with the design of the restriction.
Clearly, there is some connection between the two parties.

Zhou Xun then enveloped the token with his divine sense and easily refined it.

"I didn't expect there to be a hidden cave. Now, I'm going to see what secrets it holds!"

With a wave of his hand, the jet-black token floated up into the air.

Infuse with magic power

The token hummed and emitted a white light, which struck the stone wall in front of it.

Then,

A ripple spread across the surface of the stone wall, like water rippling.

Then, an entrance as tall as a person slowly appeared.

Behind the entrance was a hazy light curtain, obscuring the view inside.

After a moment's hesitation, Zhou Xun deftly took out Xiao Qing and tossed it inside.

next moment,
Xiaoqing's surprised voice rang out.
"Master, come quick! The spiritual energy is too dense!"

Hearing this, Zhou Xun knew there was no danger inside, so he stepped inside.

The moment you enter, the scenery changes, and suddenly you are in a completely different world.

This is a separate stone chamber, about a hundred feet in diameter.

A giant tree, as green as jade, enveloped the entire stone chamber.

The tree has a canopy like a magnificent roof, and its branches and leaves are lush and green, exuding a rich spiritual energy.

Each leaf is crystal clear, with natural patterns growing on it, like runes of the Great Dao, mysterious and unfathomable.

"This level of spiritual energy concentration is at least at the sixth level!"

It should be noted that even the core spiritual vein of Xingyuan Island, the ancestral home of the Lu clan, is only at this level.

The giant tree before us is so amazing that it can reach this level on its own. Could it be that this spiritual plant is a sixth-order spiritual plant?
It's like getting a free Tier 6 training room.
"If we stay here to cultivate, our cultivation speed will probably increase considerably."

Thinking of this, Zhou Xun immediately sat down cross-legged and began to circulate the Purple Heaven Thunder Technique.

As soon as the technique was activated, he felt the spiritual energy around him surging in like a tide.

The pure essence of heaven and earth flows into the body through the pores of the skin, filling the meridians. After circulating through the body once, it transforms into spiritual energy and merges into the dantian.

Half an hour later, Zhou Xun opened his eyes and carefully experienced the changes within himself.

"Hmm, not bad. Compared to before, Xiu Lian's speed has increased by about 20%!"

This is an extremely impressive achievement, as it is known that the higher one's cultivation level, the more difficult it is to increase one's cultivation speed.

Such a treasure would probably make even a Void Refinement cultivator green with envy.

No wonder Lu Yuanqing wanted to build a hidden cave dwelling.

"This spirit tree is definitely not of ordinary origin."

He decided that after this trip, he would begin to investigate, searching for ancient texts and secret strategies to see if he could find out the origin of this tree.

Just then, a rustling sound came from below.

A small blue ape, about a foot in size, emerged from a hole in the tree root.

It was Xiaoqing.

At this moment, it is holding a strange fruit in its arms.

The fruit is about the size of a head, green all over, with a Taoist aura flowing on its surface.

Upon closer inspection, it appears as if liquid is flowing inside the fruit, emanating a rich sense of life.

"Master, look at this!"

Xiaoqing excitedly handed over the fruit.

Zhou Xun took a look and immediately sensed the pure wood elemental energy contained within.

The richness of this essence far surpassed that of any spiritual object he had ever seen.

"If it were given to the main body to consume, it might be able to break through to the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm."

The energy contained in this spiritual fruit is enough to elevate a Nascent Soul cultivator's cultivation by a major realm.

"Master, there's one more inside!"

Xiaoqing pointed to the tree hole she had just crawled out of and said.

It turns out that a natural cavity had formed inside this giant tree at some unknown time.

Zhou Xun made a hand seal, and his body quickly shrank to about a foot in size before he followed Xiao Qing inside.

The interior of the tree hollow is not large, and can only accommodate a few people.

But the spiritual energy here is even more concentrated, almost solidified.

Sure enough, in the center of the tree hollow, a slightly smaller fruit was developing.

The fruit was only the size of a fist, with a bluish sheen flowing across its surface, flashing as if it were breathing.

It seems that the fruit just now was already ripe.

"I never expected that Lu Yuanqing, a mere early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, would have such an opportunity."

Zhou Xun sighed.

Suddenly, he remembered Lu Yuanqing's qualifications.

This person achieved the Nascent Soul stage with a mid-grade spiritual root and was known as the luckiest person in the Lu clan. Logically speaking, Core Formation was already the limit, let alone Nascent Soul.

"Could it be that his advancement to the Nascent Soul stage was due to this spirit tree?"

Zhou Xun guessed so.

The spiritual energy emanating from this tree is not only pure, but also seems to contain a special rhythm of the Great Dao.

Long-term practice here might truly improve one's aptitude and help break through bottlenecks.

After a while, he left the tree hole and went outside.

Looking up at this towering tree, my thoughts wandered.

"Such a treasure cannot be left here."

Once the third stage begins, this cave will inevitably be reclaimed by the Lu clan cultivators, and at that time, the spirit tree will naturally be exposed.

"No, I have to move him away."

After a moment's thought, Zhou Xun decided to move it to the island in the middle of the lake in the human realm.

Placing it in the human realm is the safest approach.

After all, the mortal realm has now been refined by him, and he can return to the mortal realm from the immortal realm with just a thought.

If it were planted on the island in the middle of the lake,

For future cultivation, you can simply return to the Lake of Oblivion.

Thinking of this, he no longer hesitated.

He formed hand seals and began to perform the migration technique.

Streams of spiritual light flew from his fingertips, transforming into countless runes that enveloped the entire giant tree.

"Rise!" Zhou Xun shouted, channeling his full magical power.

But the next moment,
The thing that Zhou Xun was worried about happened: the giant tree remained motionless, but the runes on its surface began to flicker.

Immediately after
"boom--"

A force of recoil came, and Zhou Xun was forced back several steps.

"It seems that divine objects possess a spirit, and ordinary methods of relocation are insufficient to move them!"

Zhou Xun frowned slightly. He was really unwilling to leave such a spiritual object here for nothing.

Suddenly, he remembered Lu Yuanqing.

So he took out his nascent soul without hesitation.

With a flash of inspiration, Zhou Xun released part of the restriction, and Lu Yuanqing's nascent soul slowly opened its eyes.

Upon seeing Zhou Xun, the Nascent Soul immediately showed a look of terror on its face.

"Fellow Daoist, please spare my life! I truly have no idea when I offended you. Please forgive me!"

Lu Yuanqing's voice trembled, choked with sobs:

"If you are willing to spare my life, I am willing to offer up all my treasures. I will agree to any request you may have. I only ask that you spare my life!"

Lu Yuanqing was born with a mid-grade spiritual root and had low aptitude. He suffered all kinds of hardships and scorn at the bottom and finally managed to cultivate into a Nascent Soul cultivator after going through countless difficulties.

Having enjoyed so many years, they naturally don't want to die like this.

He was willing to do anything as long as he could live.

"Tell me, where did that giant tree come from?"

Zhou Xun got straight to the point.

"A giant tree? What giant tree?"

Lu Yuanqing's eyes darted around, and he stammered a reply.

This item is related to his path to enlightenment and is the greatest secret to his ability to become a deity, so naturally he is unwilling to let go of it easily.

Zhou Xun sneered, lightning flashing at his fingertips.

A bolt of white lightning struck out and precisely entered the nascent soul's body.

"what--!"

Lu Yuanqing let out an extremely shrill scream.

The Yin Lightning directly affects the soul, causing pain far exceeding that of the physical body.

It felt as if countless needles were piercing his soul, or as if he were being roasted on a raging fire.

The nascent soul trembled violently amidst the lightning, its face contorted and deformed.

This pain lasted for several dozen breaths before Zhou Xun withdrew the lightning.

"Can you answer now?"

Zhou Xun said calmly, his tone eerily so.

"Yes, yes! I'll tell you! I'll tell you everything!"

Lu Yuanqing dared not hide it any longer and quickly confessed:

"I discovered this tree when I was still in the Core Formation stage, after being chased by demonic beasts and accidentally wandering into a cave."

Cave?

Zhou Xun immediately grasped the key point.

Doesn't this prove that the spirit tree wasn't originally located here?

Therefore, Lu Yuanqing must have a way to relocate!

"Then tell me, how did you move it here?"

Zhou Xun immediately pressed for details.

It turns out that after Lu Yuanqing discovered this tree, he cultivated in the tree hole space.

With the help of the tree's rich spiritual energy, he successfully condensed his nascent soul.

In the following few hundred years, his cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, reaching the peak of the Nascent Soul stage.

Later, with the help of the spiritual fruit on the tree, he broke through to the Nascent Soul stage in one fell swoop!
In order to possess this sacred tree, he began searching far and wide for a way to relocate it.

I tried hundreds of methods and spent countless hours on it.

Finally, in an ancient ruin, they discovered a secret technique called "Wood Spirit Migration Technique".

Using this method, he successfully transferred the spirit tree to his cave.

Zhou Xun immediately inquired about the details of this method.

He had carefully examined all the jade slips in Lu Yuanqing's storage ring before, but had not found this secret technique.

"I can naturally reveal the secret technique, but only if you, fellow Daoist, swear a great oath against your inner demons and let me leave!"

Lu Yuanqing said.

He knew this was his only bargaining chip.

Zhou Xun didn't speak, but unleashed another bolt of lightning.

This time, the Yin Lightning was even more violent than before.

The nascent soul trembled wildly amidst the lightning, emitting inhuman screams.

Surprisingly, Lu Yuanqing managed to withstand it.

He knew that only by persevering to the end would he have a chance to survive.

Half an hour later, the lightning dissipated.

Lu Yuanqing's nascent soul was already weak and almost dissipated, but he still insisted on not speaking and demanded that Zhou Xun agree to his conditions.

At this moment, Zhou Xun couldn't help but be amazed by his perseverance.

You should know that his Yin Lightning directly affects the soul.

Ordinary cultivators simply couldn't withstand it for that long.

"I underestimate you."

Zhou Xun said calmly.

However, he never acted under any threat throughout his life.

After a moment's thought, he summoned the Soul-Eating Beast, Xiao Qing.

"Master, is this for me to eat?"

Xiaoqing was extremely excited.

It twitched its huge nose and stared intently at Lu Yuanqing's nascent soul.

Lu Yuanqing felt that gaze and his expression changed drastically.

"This is a Soul-Eating Beast! How is this possible!"

He screamed in terror.

He had long heard of the terrifying nature of soul-devouring beasts.

Once devoured by it, there is no chance for the true spirit to be reincarnated!
Zhou Xun spoke coldly:
"Throughout his life, Zhou has never been threatened by anyone."

"If you hand over this technique, I may give you a chance to be reincarnated!"

"Otherwise, we can simply leave this spirit tree with your Lu family for now, and retrieve it when my cultivation improves in the future."

Once he breaks through to the Void Refinement stage, he will come to find the Lu family and demand an explanation!
At the same time, Xiaoqing punched her nose a few times.

A gray light emanated from its body, enveloping Lu Yuanqing's nascent soul.

He felt an immense terror descend upon him.
"No—! I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"

At the last moment before his soul was about to be pulled into the belly of the soul-devouring beast, Lu Yuanqing finally broke down.

He no longer cared about any conditions.
"I'm willing to hand over the secret technique! Please spare my life, fellow Daoist!"

Zhou Xun signaled to Xiao Qing to withdraw the gray light.

"explain."

He took out a blank jade slip to record.

Lu Yuanqing dared not try any more tricks and obediently recited the incantation of the "Wood Spirit Migration Technique".

This secret technique is quite complex, involving a large number of wood-attribute spells and runes.

Zhou Xun took careful notes, occasionally asking about the key points.

After all the recording was completed, he then said:
"If the secret technique is fake, you'll be sorry!"

He then resealed the nascent soul and took it back.

Next, Zhou Xun began to examine the secret technique.

Upon careful study, this secret technique is indeed profound.

Unfortunately, the requirements for cultivation are quite high. Firstly, the cultivator needs to be at least at the Nascent Soul stage, and secondly, this technique can only be cultivated by wood-attribute cultivators.

Moreover, the cultivation process is quite risky, and the slightest carelessness could damage one's very essence.

"The content does indeed look genuine."

"But it's better to be cautious."

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Xun decided to find someone to test it out first.

He scanned the entire Wuzhen Island with his divine sense and quickly locked onto a Nascent Soul cultivator with the wood attribute—Lu Wanfeng.

This person is the island's steward elder, responsible for managing various administrative affairs.

Zhou Xun flashed and appeared outside Lu Wanfeng's cave.

He ignored the restrictions and went inside.

Lu Wanfeng was meditating when he saw Zhou Xun suddenly appear and was greatly surprised.

"Senior!"

He felt the pressure from Zhou Xun's Nascent Soul level and was so frightened that he quickly stood up and bowed.

Without saying a word, Zhou Xun subdued him directly.

"Senior, spare my life! I have no idea where I have offended you!"

Lu Wanfeng was terrified.

Zhou Xun took out the jade slip containing the "Wood Spirit Migration Technique" and tossed it to him.

"To cultivate this secret technique."

He commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Lu Wanfeng dared not disobey, so he had no choice but to accept the jade slip and begin to study it.

(End of this chapter)