“Heaven’s misfortune.”
“Spiritual roots.”
“Aura.”
“So that’s how it is… so that’s how it is…”
Within the area under the Heavenly Sword Sect’s influence, in the bustling Xiuxianfang City, Xu Xi stood in a quiet corner, flipping through an ancient manual.
He read its contents carefully, word by word, and then closed his eyes.
A bitter expression crossed his face after a long silence.
He never imagined that his decision to bring Xu Moli to the Heavenly Sword Sect would put her life in danger.
The manual stated clearly: spiritual energy exists everywhere. Even in places where spiritual energy is sparse, the calamity of heaven ensures that those afflicted do not live beyond 40 years.
Mo Li, with her gentle and trusting nature, would never blame him.
But none of that mattered now.
“Wrong is wrong.”
Xu Xi sighed deeply. His face, already worn from years of struggle, looked even more haggard.
Guilt…
Regret…
Self-recrimination…
If he blamed others for his mistake, who could he possibly rely on?
This was his sister, the one who had trusted him completely since childhood.
Spiritual energy, which seemed harmless and natural, had become her silent executioner.
“It’s absurd…”
Xu Xi muttered to himself before leaping into the air, flying on his sword directly back to the Heavenly Sword Sect.
Though the calamity had struck, the ancient text offered a glimmer of hope.
The calamity arose because certain individuals, despite lacking spiritual roots, were innately attuned to spiritual energy. This talent became a curse, as their bodies could not withstand the energy’s effects.
The solution was clear: grant these individuals spiritual roots, allowing them to channel and refine the energy instead of being consumed by it.
“I’ve never heard of creating spiritual roots for mortals. I hope my master has a solution,” Xu Xi thought as he soared through the sky, his brows furrowed and his heart heavy.
Creating spiritual roots from nothing seemed impossible. Even body-seizing techniques, common in the cultivation world, only allowed one to inhabit another body with existing spiritual roots.
If mortals could truly gain spiritual roots or have them transplanted, cultivators would no longer be so rare.
[After discovering the cause of your sister’s illness, you rushed back to Forest Sword Peak without delay. Instead of returning to your cave, you headed straight to the Forest Sword Palace atop the mountain.]
[This was your master Li Wanshou’s retreat for cultivation and your second visit there.]
[The first time, you had sought answers about the cause of your sister’s illness. This time, you hoped to learn how to create spiritual roots and save her life.]
[Upon meeting Li Wanshou, you explained your purpose without hesitation and begged for guidance on shaping spiritual roots.]
[Your master, who regarded you as his heir, listened patiently. Yet, despite his Nascent Soul Realm cultivation, he could not provide the answer you sought.]
“I have lived for more than a thousand years,” Li Wanshou said solemnly, “and I’ve never heard of a method to create spiritual roots. Spiritual roots are innate and cannot be altered by human hands.”
“Perhaps only the legendary immortals could achieve such a feat.”
Within the Forest Sword Palace, Li Wanshou stroked his long beard and sighed deeply.
“Disciple, it’s not that I refuse to help you. Even a cultivator at the God Transformation Realm might not have the means to solve this.”
Xu Xi remained silent, bowing respectfully.
After a pause, Li Wanshou added, “There is an ancient method, though… a way to create external spiritual roots. Using rare treasures infused with the essence of heaven and earth, one could replace innate spiritual roots and enable cultivation. But this method is almost impossible to achieve.”
Why impossible?
Because it required treasures of unimaginable rarity.
Even cultivators with great power barely had enough such treasures for themselves, let alone to grant spiritual roots to mortals. Not even the prestigious Heavenly Sword Sect possessed such resources.
Xu Xi understood the difficulty.
It was an impossibility—but it was also a glimmer of hope.
“Thank you, Master,” Xu Xi said sincerely before leaving. As he walked away, the old man sighed again, watching his disciple’s back with a mix of regret and wistful memories.
[Learning about the existence of external spiritual roots filled you with cautious hope.]
[Upon returning to your cave, you set up a spirit-locking formation for your sister, alleviating her pain and extending her life.]
[She continued to look at you with warm, trusting eyes, her reliance on you unwavering.]
[You began searching for the rare treasures required to create external spiritual roots.]
[The journey was grueling. Lesser-grade treasures proved useless, while higher-grade ones were far beyond the reach of a cultivator like you, even with your quasi-Golden Core Realm strength.]
[You sought alternatives, exploring formations and artifacts that might replicate the function of spiritual roots.]
[You overworked yourself, triggering flashes of inspiration that enhanced your skills in alchemy, artifact crafting, formations, and talismans.]
[You overextended your vitality, refining your craft further.]
[You overstrained your soul, pushing the limits of your abilities.]
[You kept overdrawing everything—your energy, your health, your very essence…]
Despite countless failures, you persisted. Every time despair threatened to consume you, you thought of your sister’s trusting gaze, reigniting your resolve.
Yet reality remained merciless.
The method of external spiritual roots was like a piece of driftwood to a drowning man—offering hope, only for the waves to drag him under again.
With your current strength, acquiring such treasures was a pipe dream.
If there was one extraordinary treasure within your reach, it was yourself.
Your Heavenly Spiritual Root, a gift of the heavens, stood in stark contrast to the calamity that plagued your sister. Thanks to it, your cultivation progressed rapidly. Without much effort, you were already approaching the Golden Core stage.
But even with your mastery of the Four Arts of Immortal Cultivation, your skills fell short of creating external spiritual roots.
“Perhaps I need to grow stronger first,” you finally concluded after countless failures.
Shifting your focus, you immersed yourself in cultivation. You practiced relentlessly, consumed elixirs obsessively, and entered a state of seclusion.
In less than two years, you broke through to the Golden Core stage.
At only 30 years old, you became the youngest Golden Core cultivator in the sect’s history.
Upon breaking through, you awakened a unique innate ability—Wood Rebirth.
This extraordinary power allowed you to channel immense vitality through your Golden Core mana, healing broken limbs and even restoring hidden wounds. At its peak, it could nourish Golden Core and Nascent Soul Realm cultivators alike.
It was a miraculous ability, one that could dominate the cultivation world.
Yet to you, it symbolized something far greater—a chance to save Xu Moli.