Chapter 78: The Walnut
In Qinglu Sect, there were peaks dedicated to alchemy, artifacts, talismans, and formations. However, the hall dedicated to spiritual plants was merely called the Spiritual Plant Hall, not the Spiritual Plant Peak. This was because the sect lacked a lineage of spiritual plant cultivators. Without such a heritage, how could it be worthy of being called a peak?
Now, Qinglu Sect had five official Tier 1 spiritual plant cultivators, and with Qi Chunde, a Tier 3 guest elder, they were fully capable of establishing the Spiritual Plant Peak.
"Haha, just as expected!"
When Shan Yu heard this news, he was so excited that his whole body trembled. With the sect establishing the Spiritual Plant Peak, the current head of the peak would naturally be Elder Qi. But since Elder Qi was merely a guest elder, he would eventually leave Qinglu Sect.
When that time came, the position of Peak Master would be chosen from among the five spiritual plant cultivators. As an inner sect disciple, Shan Yu believed it was a foregone conclusion that he would become the new Peak Master.
As for Gu Mo, who had become a spiritual plant cultivator in just over a month, Shan Yu admitted that his comprehension was astonishing. However, with inferior spiritual roots, Gu Mo would find it difficult to step into the Foundation Establishment stage.
Shan Yu, on the other hand, had mid-grade spiritual roots. While he wasn't guaranteed to achieve Foundation Establishment, he had a seventy to eighty percent chance. Compared to Gu Mo's inferior roots and the other three outer sect disciples with low-grade spiritual roots, Shan Yu held an absolute advantage.
At the same time, Song Xing, Li Jinmei, and Mai Yunfa—who had just become a spiritual plant cultivator—gathered to discuss how they could seize control of the Spiritual Plant Peak. Four of the five spiritual plant cultivators were from the Spiritual Plant Hall. If Shan Yu, an outsider, were to take the position of Peak Master, it would clearly be unfavorable for the hall.
Shan Yu might have stronger spiritual roots and talent, but the others had numbers on their side, and none of them were afraid of a little competition.
As for Gu Mo, he wasn't involved in these matters. For Gu Mo, as long as he could advance to the Foundation Establishment stage, he would immediately become a direct disciple of a Core Formation elder. At that point, even if Gu Mo wanted to give up the position of Peak Master, the sect master probably wouldn't allow it.
Thus, after registering the yield of the Water Spirit Rice, Gu Mo made a trip to the market to deliver fifty catties of Water Spirit Rice to Gou Youyu. After receiving a few bottles of spirit wine, he returned to his cultivation.
Previously, upgrading the Sunflower had prevented him from cultivating, causing his progress to stall and allowing Yuan Nia to catch up. Now that he could finally cultivate with his full focus, Gu Mo wasn't about to slack off.
One by one, Gu Mo absorbed Tier 2 Sun Essences, converting them into wisps of mist-like spiritual energy that expanded the microcosmic circulation within his body.
Suddenly, Gu Mo's body trembled slightly as the fourth microcosmic circulation was fully opened. What followed was the meridian cleansing and marrow refinement that came with a breakthrough. However, this time, the process felt a bit different.
At this moment, all the spiritual energy in Gu Mo's body had transformed into mist-like energy. With his microcosmic circulation opened, the energy flowing through his meridians was denser and more refined than ordinary spiritual energy. This prolonged the usual six-hour meridian cleansing and marrow refinement process.
Gu Mo's improvement exceeded that of cultivators at the same stage by sixfold, reaching nine times the usual effect. Such a boost typically only appeared in the late stages of Qi Refining, yet Gu Mo achieved this in the mid-stage. By the time he reached the late Qi Refining stage, his foundation would be even more solid.
Feeling the surging power within, Gu Mo once again felt grateful for his decision to upgrade the Sunflower first. Without that upgrade, which allowed him to attain mist-like spiritual energy at the mid-Qi Refining stage—a level usually reserved for those at the peak—he wouldn't have been able to enhance his foundation further.
At this rate, Gu Mo wondered if he might be able to challenge a cultivator at the early Foundation Establishment stage once he reached the peak of Qi Refining.
Hmm, that thought was a bit risky. Still, crushing Yuan Nia should be a breeze.
With the fourth spiritual circulation complete, Gu Mo was now a fifth-layer Qi Refining cultivator, ready to open the fifth spiritual circulation. However, since his cultivation had just broken through, he needed time to adjust and familiarize himself with the power that was nine times stronger than that of his peers.
Coincidentally, during this period, Gu Mo had used the ten mid-grade Tier 1 Sunflowers to clear more of the black mist around the vending machine, and new results were just around the corner.
With ten fresh portions of Tier 1 Sun Essence in hand, Gu Mo entered the black mist space and approached the vending machine. At this moment, a fourth icon had appeared on the machine.
Crushing the ten portions of Sun Essence in his hand, the black mist around the vending machine receded further, fully revealing the new icon.
As the icon materialized, the fourth type of plant sold by the vending machine appeared before Gu Mo.
Name: Walnut
Grade: Low-grade Tier 1
Effect: Fortification, Self-Healing
Planting Conditions: Tier 1 Spirit Field
"Hmm~~~"
Spending fifty portions of Sun Essence, Gu Mo purchased the newly revealed plant from the vending machine. Staring at the palm-sized, round walnut in his hand, he fell into deep thought.
Compared to the Peashooter and Potato Mine, this Walnut was clearly a defensive plant. Of course, it was currently in seed form and not actually palm-sized yet. Even if it grew large, it would only be able to defend a small area.
Once planted, the plant couldn't be moved, so Gu Mo couldn't use the Walnut as a shield. Enemies could easily bypass the stationary Walnut and attack Gu Mo directly.
Especially for cultivators who could fly on swords—Gu Mo could build a wall of Walnuts, but they'd simply fly over it.
"Let's plant it and see."
Although Gu Mo felt the Walnut might not be very useful, he believed in testing it first to be sure.
Leaving the black mist space, Gu Mo found a spot in the spirit field and planted the Walnut seed. Almost immediately, the Walnut swelled at a speed visible to the naked eye. In just a few breaths, a large, round, yellow Walnut the size of Gu Mo himself appeared in the field.
Thump, thump, thump!
Knocking on the Walnut's rough surface, it emitted a solid, thudding sound. Then, Gu Mo brought his fingers together, and a sharp blade of energy shot from his fingertips.
Since the Walnut was a defensive plant, the best way to test its effectiveness was to attack it and assess its durability.
Shing!
With a wave of his hand, Gu Mo's Minor Geng Metal Sword Qi slashed at the Walnut, tearing open a massive gash that cut nearly two-thirds deep. Gu Mo was momentarily stunned.
What surprised him wasn't that he managed to damage the Walnut, but that it had withstood his attack to such a degree.
The Walnut was only a low-grade Tier 1 plant, but Gu Mo, with his fifth-layer Qi Refining cultivation, his Minor Geng Metal Sword Qi at the proficient level, and his mist-like spiritual energy, had combined these factors into an attack equivalent to a full-power strike from a seventh-layer Qi Refining cultivator.
Yet, despite all that, the Walnut had only been cut two-thirds deep. This meant that, under extreme conditions, the Walnut could likely withstand a full-power attack from an eighth or even ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivator.
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