Chapter 130: Revealing the Spirit Seed

Chapter 130: Revealing the Spirit Seed

Not far to his left, Luo Hongping sat with a straight back, and the two had even exchanged greetings earlier.

When Meng Zhengong left some of his disciples behind, Chu Ning had thought that he was clearing out the Yin Demon Sect members.

But upon seeing Luo Hongping, who was in the same group as him, he dismissed the idea.

"It's rather strange that they're allowing these Yin Demon Sect disciples to participate in this grand formation so easily."

Countless thoughts swirled in Chu Ning's mind.

Unfortunately, he couldn't find any answers at the moment.

After observing for a while without noticing anything out of the ordinary, Chu Ning began to feel a bit bored.

So, he sat down cross-legged and started to cultivate.

It was clear that maintaining the formation would affect his cultivation, making it inconvenient for both body and spirit cultivation. Only physical training seemed feasible under the current circumstances.

However, with so many people watching, Chu Ning didn't dare to take out the Spirit Nurturing Pills to aid his cultivation.

Thus, he could only cultivate using the most basic method without any enhancements—the Green Wood Eternal Spring Art.

"Fortunately, the spiritual energy here is dense. If I persist in my cultivation every day, with my rate of absorbing spiritual energy, I should still have a good chance of increasing my cultivation by 1 to 2 points each day."

With that in mind, Chu Ning began to circulate the Green Wood Eternal Spring Art.

As time passed, people in their group gradually began to take turns channeling their spells.

This mainly involved the disciples at the seventh and sixth layers of Qi Refinement, as their lower cultivation levels meant they had less abundant spiritual energy.

Since only one person was being replaced at a time, the impact wasn't significant, and the requirements weren't as stringent as before.

However, every time someone was replaced, either the strict Mr. Yan or Mr. Liu, both of whom had perfected their Qi Refinement, would give instructions to ensure everything went smoothly.

After withdrawing from his cultivation state, Chu Ning also observed the rotation situation.

At this moment, he realized that the pairings had been carefully arranged.

For example, he was currently at the sixth layer of Qi Refinement and had been paired with a cultivator at the ninth layer.

Some at the eighth layer were paired with cultivators at the seventh layer who had recently entered the Spiritual Realm.

This way, the overall duration of the dual spellcasting within each group could be kept roughly the same.

It prevented situations where a team had to frequently change casters.

"Chu Ning, prepare to replace the caster."

About three and a half hours after entering the formation, Chu Ning suddenly heard a mental message from the strict Mr. Yan.

Chu Ning nodded and extended his palm, circulating the Green Wood Eternal Spring Art.

He glanced at Wang Weizhong, who nodded slightly in response. Chu Ning swiftly pressed his palm against the stone pillar.

At the same time, Wang Weizhong's hand quickly withdrew.

Spiritual energy flowed into the stone pillar and then into the peak below them.

However, once it passed the base of the pillar, Chu Ning could no longer sense it.

"The amount of spiritual energy required by this stone pillar isn't actually that high. If I were to use my true cultivation level, I should be able to maintain it for three to four hours without any issues.

However, since I've only revealed my cultivation at the sixth layer of Qi Refinement, I'll need to be replaced after one and a half hours at most."

Chu Ning made his judgment and turned his head slightly.

He saw that Wang Weizhong had already taken out a Recovery Pill and swallowed it, beginning to cultivate to restore his energy.

Chu Ning relaxed, knowing that with Wang Weizhong's cultivation at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, even without the Recovery Pill, this amount of time would be sufficient for him to recover his spiritual energy. Not to mention, he also had the pill to aid him.

However, it was only because of the strict requirements set by Mr. Yan and Mr. Liu that most people were using recovery pills.

For example, Wang Weizhong had just finished casting his spell for four hours. Even if Chu Ning were truly at the sixth layer of Qi Refinement, that would be more than enough time to recover his spiritual energy.

Chu Ning calculated the approximate time and spiritual energy consumption. When it was almost time for him to be replaced, he signaled that he needed a change.

Then, under Mr. Yan's instructions, he and Wang Weizhong swapped places once more.

This pattern continued in the following days.

It was fine for the first day or two, but as time went on, by the third day, many people started to feel a sense of fatigue.

For the disciples at the sixth layer of Qi Refinement, such frequent high-intensity spellcasting and recovery took a toll on their spiritual sense and mental endurance.

Mr. Yan and Mr. Liu naturally noticed these issues. They frowned as they looked at the flowing lights below, which showed no signs of changing.

Then, they began to send mental messages to different individuals.

"Chu Ning, have you recovered your spiritual energy? If so, go ahead and get some rest. I'll call you when it's time for your turn again."

Chu Ning heard Mr. Yan's voice in his mind and nodded slightly, stopping his cultivation.

He lay down right there and rested.

In truth, Chu Ning wasn't as exhausted as the other disciples at the sixth layer of Qi Refinement.

After all, his actual spiritual energy cultivation had reached the eighth layer, and his spiritual sense was stronger than anyone else present.

Moreover, even if he felt tired, cultivating spirit cultivation techniques would be the most effective way to recover for him.

However, to avoid standing out, he chose to follow the arrangement and get some sleep.

After sleeping for a few hours, Chu Ning was awakened by Mr. Yan again.

Chu Ning sat up, and soon, he heard Mr. Yan's voice in his mind once more.

"Adjust your state with cultivation. Prepare to replace the caster after burning a stick of incense."

In the following days, Chu Ning repeated the same routine as everyone else—channeling spells to drive the formation, cultivating to restore his energy, and sleeping.

Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

By now, Chu Ning could clearly sense the restlessness in the air.

Unlike high-level cultivators who could easily seclude themselves for decades, the disciples at the Qi Refinement stage lacked the necessary cultivation level and mental fortitude to endure such prolonged isolation.

Being confined to one place for ten consecutive days, even with the ability to cultivate and rest, was a challenging ordeal for many.

"Everyone, focus on your spellcasting and cultivation. Before long, the Spirit Seed will manifest in this world, and your contributions to the sect will not go unrewarded.

It's best not to have any other thoughts, or else..."

Instead of transmitting his message mentally, the strict Mr. Yan chose to speak aloud so that everyone could hear him clearly.

His words were both an encouragement and a warning.

As Mr. Yan finished speaking, Mr. Liu, who had left earlier, returned with another person and stood at the back of the group.

Upon seeing their arrival, Mr. Yan's figure flashed, and he appeared beside someone who was preparing to meditate after their turn.

Then, to this person's astonished gaze, Mr. Yan's hand glowed with golden light, and he struck the disciple on the head.

This Refinement Layer six cultivator didn't even have a chance to react before he died.

"This is the consequence of trying to be sneaky and slippery!"

As Mr. Yan spoke, his cold gaze swept across several people.

Instantly, the restlessness in the group subsided, and everyone calmed down.

Mr. Yan threw the disciple's body to the back, and the new cultivator, also at Refinement Layer six, took the deceased's place.

Only then did Chu Ning realize that those who hadn't been mentioned earlier were actually kept as backup replacements.

If Chu Ning could think of this, then others surely could as well.

Furthermore, among the remaining few dozen people, there were cultivators at various stages, including Refinement Layer nine and those who had perfected their Refinement.

This move clearly conveyed to everyone that no one here was irreplaceable.

Those who couldn't contribute to the formation would meet the same fate.

Although everyone was shocked by Mr. Yan's ruthless and merciless action, his killing served as a warning to the rest. Soon, everything inside the mountain peak returned to normal.

In the following days, everyone obediently took turns driving the formation.

Five more days passed in the blink of an eye.

By now, Chu Ning and the others had been in the Spirit Realm for a month and a half, and half a month had passed since they started driving the formation.

Outside the Spirit Realm, the four Golden Core cultivators remained on guard.

The only difference was that there were initially five of them, and now there were four.

The plump Elder Xie, the red-robed Elder Gui, the black-faced Elder Zhu, and the silver-haired Elder Mu were all present.

The only one missing was the silent, blue-robed elder.

The four Golden Core cultivators sat cross-legged on stones, each meditating with their eyes closed.

At that moment, Elder Xie, the plump elder, suddenly opened his eyes and slowly spoke, "It's been a month and a half since this batch of disciples entered, hasn't it?"

As he spoke, the other three elders also opened their eyes.

"Indeed, it has been a month and a half," Elder Mu, the silver-haired elder, said as she glanced at the area where the restriction was located, her face showing a trace of concern.

"According to the plan, the Five Elements Cosmic Formation should have been driving wood-attribute spiritual power for about half a month now. I wonder how things are going."

Hearing Elder Mu's words, Elder Xie smiled and said, "Elder Mu, there's no need to worry. I'm sure your junior has plenty of good things on him, so even if the spiritual energy bursts forth, he should have the means to withstand it."

"That's true," Elder Mu acknowledged without denying her concern.

"But we don't know the true power of the spiritual outburst when the Spirit Seed manifests. We can only wait and see."

The red-robed Elder Gui joined the conversation, his eyes fixed on the restricted area, anticipation flashing in his eyes.

"It's a blessing to witness the emergence of a Spirit Seed in this lifetime. It would be a shame to miss such an opportunity.

The last time we heard about someone obtaining a Spirit Seed was over a hundred years ago."

Elder Gui continued, "Indeed, after the spiritual energy in the Spirit Seed is absorbed, it lies dormant for at least a few hundred years before reappearing.

It's rare even to hear about such an event, let alone have the chance to witness it."

"It's strange, though," Elder Xie mused. "The Spirit Seed is obviously formed from spiritual energy, but why can't it be refined? I've heard that once the spiritual energy in the Spirit Seed is absorbed, it goes into hiding."

Elder Xie shook his head in wonder, but his question didn't elicit a response from the others. Apparently, they didn't have an answer either.

"Elder Yang is back!"

Just then, the four elders' gazes shifted to a figure approaching them.

As Elder Mu's words fell, a blue-robed figure appeared before the four elders. It was the silent, blue-robed elder who had helped them break the formation earlier.

Without saying a word, he nodded slightly to the group, acknowledging their presence.

Then, he flew directly to a stone and sat down cross-legged, just like the others.

"Elder Yang, why didn't the Sect Master come with you?" Elder Xie, the plump elder, was the first to speak.

Elder Yang nodded and replied, "The Sect Master thought it would be better for me to come here and keep watch while he remains in the sect.

He will come when the Spirit Seed manifests."

As he spoke, Elder Yang's gaze shifted to Elder Gui, the red-robed elder.

"Elder Gui, according to the disciples who came out of the Spirit Realm earlier, your youngest disciple, Shang Rui, initially seemed to have obtained the spiritual energy as well.

But later, he didn't leave the Spirit Realm with the others, which is a bit strange."

Hearing this, Elder Gui paused for a moment, then sighed, "I suppose he didn't obtain it after all. This disciple has a fire-wood dual spirit root and has always been quite fortunate.

If he had obtained the spiritual energy, his future achievements might have surpassed those of his senior brothers."

Realizing this, excitement flashed across the faces of many disciples, and some even took a few steps toward the formation.

However, just as a few individuals ventured away from their residential area toward the formation, a group of over ten stern-faced monks clad in identical sect robes abruptly appeared.

Surprisingly, this group consisted entirely of disciples at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement or above, and the one leading them had even perfected his Qi Refinement.

"The Enforcement Hall."

Upon seeing this group, the few who had dared to move toward the formation froze in their tracks, their faces reflecting a hint of fear.

Evidently, these Enforcement Hall disciples carried a formidable presence among the crowd.

The would-be trespassers immediately turned around and headed back.

"Everyone must stay in their designated residential areas. Anyone who leaves without permission will be killed without question!"

The leading monk, who had perfected his Qi Refinement, delivered this chilling message, effectively deterring any further attempts to approach the formation.

Nevertheless, everyone's eyes remained fixed on the formation.

Inside the formation, both those driving the formation and those resting displayed expressions of excitement. With the radiant light now visible even from outside, there was no way they could ignore it.

Among the peaks, the two elders, Yan and Liu, exchanged a glance, their faces revealing a hint of joy.

However, they quickly regained their composure.

"Stay calm and keep driving the formation. Do not stop," Elder Yan instructed, his voice carrying an air of authority that discouraged any dissent among the crowd.

Chu Ning watched these developments with a mixture of surprise and curiosity, his eyes darting around.

He, too, had realized that the Spirit Seed was likely about to manifest.

As the disciples continued to channel their spiritual power into the stone pillars, the radiant light grew more and more intense.

Faintly, a bluish luminescent mass seemed to be forming within the radiant light.

Time ticked by, and another hour passed.

"Chu Ning, prepare to replace the caster," Chu Ning suddenly heard Elder Yan's voice.

He turned his head and noticed that Wang Weizhong's forehead was glistening with a faint layer of invisible perspiration, a sign of intense spiritual power consumption.

It seemed as if Wang Weizhong was determined to keep driving the formation for as long as possible.

"I wonder what's going on," Chu Ning thought to himself, a hint of confusion crossing his face. He had never seen this senior brother push himself so relentlessly before.

Clearly, the imminent manifestation of the Spirit Seed had spurred Wang Weizhong to extraordinary efforts.

Chu Ning's hand instinctively gathered spiritual power, but his eyes betrayed a hint of confusion.

Wang Weizhong nodded reluctantly, and Chu Ning swiftly placed his hand on the stone pillar, completing the personnel change.

Only then did Elder Yan, who had been intently observing the situation, turn his gaze away from Wang Weizhong.

At this critical juncture, he was vigilant, keeping a close eye on everyone's movements. He even ignored the radiant light below.

Under his watchful gaze, several disciples who attempted to emulate Wang Weizhong's endurance were forced to step down and be replaced.

In the blink of an eye, another hour passed.

The azure radiance emanating from beneath the ground grew more dazzling, bathing everyone's faces in a bluish hue.

At that moment, they witnessed the bluish luminescent mass, resembling a seed, emerging from the ground. It seemed poised to break free of its earthly confines at any moment.

Just as the disciples believed that a final push would seal their success, the azure radiance surged violently, colliding with the massive azure pillar of light generated by the formation.

The pillar shattered instantly, and the azure light rays connecting the five peaks collapsed, rebounding back toward the peaks.

Several streams of azure light seemed to penetrate the collapsing light rays, shooting toward the five peaks.

Simultaneously, the bluish luminescent mass soared into the sky, rapidly ascending toward the heavens.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end