As the atmosphere reached its peak, Wei Zhong bowed deeply. "Senior, please enlighten this junior. I will be eternally grateful and offer a substantial reward."
Miao Lishan sighed, then gently lifted Wei Zhong with a flick of her sleeve. "Your bows are wasted on me. If you have questions, ask Qin'er."
Wei Zhong turned to Shan Qin, whose expression shifted before she finally relented. "Very well. It's just some general knowledge, nothing about specific cultivation techniques. I'll share it with you, Fellow Daoist, since you'll learn it sooner or later anyway."
"A cultivator's aptitude is largely determined by their Spirit Root, which is innate and difficult to alter. Or perhaps our understanding is limited, and we simply haven't discovered the method. At least, Aunt Miao and I have never encountered a way to modify a Spirit Root through cultivation during our years of practice. Of course, body possession doesn't count. Besides Spirit Roots, there's also the concept of a Spirit Body."
"Spirit Body?" Wei Zhong had heard the term before but didn't grasp its significance. He allowed her to continue.
"The origins of Spirit Body lore are ancient and lost to history. The prevailing belief in the Cultivation World is that Spirit Bodies, like Spirit Roots, possess elemental affinities and hierarchical tiers, but are far rarer."
Among cultivators with Spirit Roots, those possessing Spirit Bodies are as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. These individuals are invariably paragons among their peers, some exhibiting extraordinary cultivation speed, while others possess innate mastery of specific skills.
In essence, those with Spirit Bodies consistently demonstrate talents far beyond the norm in at least one aspect.
Noticing Wei Zhong's rapt attention, Shan Qin revealed the crucial point:
"Most Spirit Bodies are transcendent, innate gifts, but some can also be acquired through mortal means."
Wei Zhong's heart skipped a beat. "Does the Cloud Gathering Merchant Guild possess a method for creating Acquired Spirit Bodies?"
Before Shan Qin could answer, Miao Lishan interjected, "Naturally, they do. But don't get your hopes up too high."
Wei Zhong's spirits dampened. Shan Qin elaborated:
"Creating a Spirit Body is an act against the natural order. The cost varies depending on the strength of the resulting Spirit Body.
Even the price for some ordinary Acquired Spirit Bodies is beyond the reach of most cultivators. For example, Aunt Miao once encountered a technique for forging Acquired Spirit Bodies, but she hasn't even managed to grasp its fundamentals to this day."
Wei Zhong glanced curiously at Miao Lishan, who said with a hint of resentment, "It's not that I haven't tried hard enough. The requirements of that technique are simply astonishing. I've only ever read about such rare treasures in legends—where am I supposed to find them?"
"Treasures from legends? Are we talking about mythical artifacts like Primordial Heavy Water or the Heaven-Piercing Jianmu Tree?"
"Not quite that outlandish, but still incredibly rare treasures that haven't been seen in the Cultivation World for centuries. They're only occasionally discovered in Secret Realms.
In short, most Acquired Spirit Bodies require the aid of such rare treasures, combined with specific techniques, to be successfully cultivated. Fellow Daoist, instead of dwelling on this, you'd be better off focusing on your cultivation. At least reach the Core Formation or even Nascent Soul realm before considering this matter again."
Seeing Shan Qin's reluctance to elaborate further, Wei Zhong didn't press the issue.
It seems I'll need to improve my own standing and become a Guest Elder before I can inquire about this technique. There's no need to rush. If even a Nascent Soul Senior like Miao Lishan can't find a way, what hope does a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like me have? I'll just focus on diligent cultivation.
During the banquet, Wei Zhong finalized the Jade Forest Green collaboration with Shan Qin, agreeing to split the spirit wine's profits evenly.
Shan Qin then produced a golden Spirit Contract, noticeably more elaborate than the one Wei Zhong had signed with the Li Family. By signing this contract, Wei Zhong officially sealed the partnership.
"I wish you abundant prosperity, Fellow Daoist," Shan Qin said. "Aunt Miao and I must take our leave now."
"Farewell, Seniors!" Wei Zhong replied.
Watching the pair depart on an Auspicious Cloud, Wei Zhong instructed his servants to clear the remnants of the feast before retreating back into his Grotto-Heaven.
Whether it's enhancing my Spirit Root or acquiring a Spirit Body through Mortal means, these matters are beyond my current capabilities. I should focus on cultivation—nothing else.
Wei Zhong retrieved another Jade Marrow Mushroom, intending to brew another batch of Azure Ganoderma Intoxication before resuming his secluded training. Alas, his attempt failed.
Could it be that the recent discussion about Spirit Bodies has unsettled my mind?
"Never mind," he muttered. "Best to return to cultivation."
Clutching two jars of spirit wine, Wei Zhong immersed himself once more in his practice.
Two years passed in this manner.
Spring and Autumn Water Refinement Manual - Grandmaster (1%)
After successfully mastering the Spring and Autumn Water Refinement Manual, Wei Zhong spent several more Jade Marrow Mushrooms refining Azure Lingzhi Wine to aid his cultivation.
Yet, even after two years, he remained stuck at the first layer of Foundation Establishment. He then secluded himself for another four years, finally breaking through to the second layer. By then, he had lost count of the spirit stones he had spent.
He's truly throwing spirit stones at his cultivation!
Wei Zhong watched the Jade Marrow Mushrooms on the Spirit Wood dwindle one by one, feeling a pang of heartache with each one consumed. Anyone witnessing his extravagance would undoubtedly call him a spendthrift.
But to Wei Zhong, it was all worth it. Advancing his Foundation Establishment cultivation meant unlocking a higher level of Core Formation combat prowess and laying the groundwork for an extended lifespan.
"Regressing from the second layer of Foundation Establishment to the first grants eighteen years of lifespan."
Eighteen years for Early Foundation Establishment? That's more than what Late-stage Qi Refining offered, but the difference is marginal. Still, it's a net gain for me.
After harvesting a Jade Marrow Mushroom over five hundred years old, Wei Zhong decided to test how much stronger the Azure Lingzhi Wine refined from it would be.
Following careful procedures, and fortunately without incident, a jar of Azure Ganoderma Intoxication was successfully brewed.
However, the resulting brew was no longer azure blue. Instead, it had a milky-white hue, resembling polished jade.
"Jade Nectar" seemed a more fitting name for this spirit wine.
A single sip unleashed a surge of spiritual energy far surpassing anything Wei Zhong had previously experienced, flooding directly into his crown chakra. Its concentration dwarfed even that of the mid-grade Qi Harmonizing Pills he had acquired.
Wei Zhong barely had time to sit cross-legged before the overwhelming influx of spiritual energy forced him to focus entirely on refining it.
By the time he finished, four hours had passed, yet the effect was nearly equivalent to a full day of his usual cultivation practice.
"This spirit wine's potency is astonishing. If I could sustain this level of cultivation, my progress would accelerate by at least thirty percent."
The thought had barely formed when Wei Zhong's gaze drifted back to the sole Jade Marrow Mushroom, over five hundred years old, atop the Spirit Wood. A pang of regret pierced his heart.
The spirit wine's power came at a steep price. Leaving aside the mushroom's intrinsic value, the auxiliary spiritual treasures alone had cost him six to seven thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones—a sum he had painstakingly amassed.
Roughly estimating, this single jar of spirit wine had cost over ten thousand spirit stones, making it only slightly less expensive than the Soul Nourishing Pill from the auction.
Looking at the spirit wine in his lap, Wei Zhong marveled at the potency of the five-hundred-year-old Jade Marrow Mushroom. What wonders awaited when it fully transformed into jade? If a partially jadeified mushroom yielded such potent effects, what heights might a fully jadeified one reach?
Wei Zhong resolved to save this single mushroom for later, allowing it to mature further.
Checking his system panel, he saw:
Second-Tier Brewing Technique - Proficient (2%)
His brewing technique had successfully advanced from Novice to Proficient. This progress stemmed from years of brewing Azure Ganoderma Intoxication, further accelerated by the creation of this new "Jade Nectar."
This single brew had pushed his progress by over 10%, surpassing even the potency of the Second-Tier Azure Spirit Brew.