Cultivation begins with harvest.

Chapter 255 Multiple Aspects of Development

Rather than putting aside other work, Chen Guang wandered around the grove of trees, then sat on the cross-section of the stone wall, staring at it for hours on end.

So that's how it is.

As Chen Guang looked at the cross-section, a complete image began to evolve and form in his mind. Finally, a strong intuition made the image in his mind truly clear. He stood up to verify his conjecture.

The slope formed by the cross-section has some very common spiritual trees below, including elm, poplar and sage. The fallen leaves have piled up into a thick layer that sinks in when stepped on. Upon closer inspection, some very poor quality rotten soil has formed inside, and some condensed, moist spiritual energy spreads along the ground and rises up the slope.

Above the slope were several spirit fruit trees, including persimmon, peach and pit fruits. Because they grew together with other spirit trees, and because they grew in this cold and shady place, the fruits were small, ugly and unripe. Chen Guang thought at first glance that their greatest use was to absorb the essence of plants.

However, as these fruits fell from the trees and rolled down the slope, some of them stopped below the cross-section. The unripe spiritual fruits piled up here, and the spiritual energy mingled. They should have formed miasma, but they were affected by the moist spiritual energy drifting from below and failed to form miasma. Instead, they collided and spread and rose along the bottom layer of the stone cross-section.

It didn't imbue this cross-section with spiritual energy, but rather caused it to collide with the water droplets falling from above. The energy that had barely managed to blend together was forcefully broken apart by the water droplets, with most of it scattering in all directions and completely dissipating into the world. A very small portion merged into the water droplets and crashed onto the stone below. Over time, changes finally occurred, and the rudimentary form of the "Pounding Stone" was born here. From then on, the spiritual atmosphere here changed. Gradually, more and more peculiar spiritual energy could merge into the water droplets, eventually leading to the scene before us.

The sacred tree, the mountain spring, the slope, and the cross-section all retain their ordinary simplicity; all the unique features are concentrated on the dripping stone.

Qi is the result of the interaction between spirit and environment. Right now, it is the result of the interaction between spirit plants and environment. Are spirit plants really just there to take root, sprout, flower and bear fruit? They are also subtly changing the environment, causing unexpected changes. Isn't their relationship with the environment similar to that of cultivators sensing heaven and earth?

Chen Guang was deeply moved.

There were no more than twenty spirit trees in total. Apart from their medicinal properties that were over a hundred years old, they were practically useless. Yet, by sheer chance, they formed an area capable of nurturing second-tier spirit creatures.

The Ice Flower Wutong has a more severe impact on the environment. It and the White Mist Duckweed led by the Purple Grass are constantly fighting. In the places where changes and harmony coexist, can't we create the same environment to obtain resources other than spiritual plants?

The largest of these extra spiritual sites, formed by the cultivation of spiritual energy in the environment, is the cliff behind the mountain, which is also the result of various coincidences. The principle behind using spiritual energy and environment to form extra resource sites is not simple. The cliff is the most stable place, which can be described as a treasure land. It is incomparable to the fragile spiritual energy of a small forest. Moreover, it has no connection with spiritual plants. It is of great value but not of much reference value.

Chen Guang boarded the Azure Cloud Boat and carefully observed the entire Shouling Mountain once again. He discovered that there were more than one place similar to the Spring Drop Stone; there were three others. One was a sunny cliff where a very ordinary Red Leaf Fire Tree was beginning to mutate towards the second stage. However, it was extremely well hidden. He wondered whether Daoist Fusong had failed to notice it that day or had chosen not to warn him. Without the warning from the Spring Drop Stone, Chen Guang would not have discovered that Shouling Mountain contained such a treasure.

One spot was by the lake. About ten feet deep, the aquatic plants were intertwined. In the sandy center of the plants, there were many fish-like monster eggs. The survival rate of these eggs was very low, or rather, the proportion of those inheriting the monster's bloodline was very low. Most eggs hatched into creatures that were only slightly larger than normal fish. But here, Chen Guang could sense that the number of individuals inheriting the monster's bloodline among the fish eggs was at least 40% higher than normal. This was undoubtedly a treasure trove for the highly fertile fish-like monsters. Perhaps because the formation was activated, including this part of the lake, which was also cut off and protected, Chen Guang had not seen the mature fish-like monsters and was able to observe them slowly.

There is another place where normal quality blue-and-white soil can be formed. It is in the gravel under a [Brown Pine] plant. There are no other spiritual plants, but this rare soil can be formed. Blue-and-white soil is also a rare soil. In terms of category, it is more similar to Xixu soil. Xixu soil has a chance to increase the production of spiritual plants in November every year, while blue-and-white soil has a chance to make flower spiritual herbs maintain a long flowering period when they bloom. The probability is much lower than that of second-tier Xixu soil.

Chen Guang still hasn't figured out how these three types of changes occur. Changes in Qi are the most difficult type of change in the world to comprehend.

These three treasure lands should have made Chen Guang happy, but they also made him feel more troubled. Cleaning up the first spiritual mountain was imperative, but would such an action change the spiritual atmosphere and destroy its nurturing ability?

The aquatic plants at the bottom of the lake are cleverly located at the best confluence of the valley's outlets. Although the red leaves and fiery trees on the other side of the valley have a small impact, the spiritual atmosphere is a manifestation of the changes and state of spiritual energy in the environment. The removal of so many wild spiritual plants will inevitably have a significant impact on the spiritual atmosphere. Can we really stay out of it?

Would using an array to isolate it also have an impact?

The other two places are one thing, but it would be a real shame if the Red Leaf Fire Tree were affected. It's a future second-tier spiritual plant. Even if the Red Leaf Fire Tree is just an ordinary fire-attribute spiritual plant, its value would increase several times over once it reaches the second tier. However, since the information within such a reborn spiritual plant is unclear, its final value cannot be determined yet.

Half happy and half worried, Chen Guang could only suspend the removal of the spiritual plants and begin to ponder the effect of the spiritual atmosphere. He prioritized preserving the Red Leaf Fire Tree and did his best for the rest, especially the grove. Although it was a pity, it was less than thirty feet away from the Ice Mist Array. Unless the Ice Mist Array was kept closed, the spiritual atmosphere of the grove would be broken no matter what.

It's a pity that the spring-dripping stone has been damaged, but it has only developed one-third of its potential. How long it will take for the remaining two-thirds to develop is still unknown.

In comparison, the Ice Flower Wutong, freed from the constraints of the Ice Mist Array, can create a more unique spiritual atmosphere. Du Linggen, on the other hand, only has the ability to kill the surrounding spiritual plants, but it is not completely unable to survive.

Since things have come to this, let's plant some flowers first.

Upon arriving at the land of supreme yang, take out the seeds of Black Horn Grass and Foot Vine that you have prepared beforehand. The Black Horn Grass seeds can be sown directly. Like White Flower Spring Grass, this is a spiritual plant that can mature normally without much care. As for the Foot Vine, you will prepare to supplement it with Starry Night Flower. The pollen of this spiritual flower of the universe can allow the spiritual plant to enter a "semi-ethereal" state, so that the Foot Vine will not burn itself. High-quality Foot Vine has the characteristics of flames that never go out and flowers that never fade.

The Starry Night Flower needs the Starry Night Tree's star power, and there are two in total. The star power from just one Starry Night Tree is enough for the Starry Night Flower, and the other one will be used by the Heavenly Star Tiger Bees to protect their extraterrestrial meteorites with star power. In this way, Chen Guang can occasionally borrow some star power as well.

The Star-Gathering Tree is a rare spiritual plant that can grow very well on its own without needing any care.

This time, Yue Ni Chang prepared thirty seedlings. She didn't arrange them deliberately and planted them on a gentle hillside. She didn't intentionally guide them to change direction.

Spiritual plants such as Red Ginseng, Spirit Rice, and Blood Polygonum multiflorum were all planted on this gentle slope. At the same time, some areas were selected to make Black Thistle Soil and Purple Spirit Soil using Black Thistle Rotten Stone and Purple Spirit Earth Root.

"Perhaps this secret technique can help me?"

Chen Guang suddenly remembered that he still had the Zi Hua Qing Yin Wind Transport Technique given to him by the peak master of Zi Ling Peak.