So, it's been three days since I landed in this world, and guess what? Three days since I joined the Dragon Blossom Sect. Everything's been smooth, but there's this one big issue—I haven't laid eyes on Mu Lingxi since that day she stormed off. I honestly thought she'd chill out after a few hours, but who am I to assume? I don't know much about her, after all.
Currently, Yang Wei was in the courtyard doing his daily stretches.
He hadn't stepped out of his courtyard even once. So, rather than wearing the robes Mu Lingxi gave him, he wore the casual attire he found inside the house—It was an ordinary blue robe that had apparently been washed so many times it was nearly worn through and equally work out slippers.
"One, two, three..."
"One, two, three..."
"One, two, three..."
Yang Wei did back, leg and arm stretches; it had now become an early morning routine.
Simply because Mu Lingxi decided not to be my cultivation mentor doesn't mean I won't figure it out on my own. The courtyard's got its own stash of practice manuals covering everything from herbs and pill refinement to the ABCs of cultivation. There's even this guide for total beginners, and while it's a brain workout, it's not mission impossible. Been diving into these manuals for the past few days, and I'd be lying if I said the power system in this world isn't a hot mess. It's way bigger and more complicated than how magic works.
He had finished his stretches for the day and the first thing he did was to exhale a sigh of relief.
"Yeah, that feels good!"
He brushed off his robe and strolled toward the small garden in the courtyard.
"Alright, [Water Magic: Sprinkler]..."
Placing his hands together, he created several tiny droplets of water, bending them into a harmonious dance that culminated in the formation of a water sphere.
Gently, he widened the distance between his hands, causing the spheres to multiply rapidly until there were approximately fifteen in total.
"To think this spell would come in handy some day."
A snap of his fingers triggered an autonomous shower, resembling a sprinkler, that revitalized the garden.
Yang Wei then picked up a basket of flowers he had gathered from the garden and proceeded toward the opposite end of the courtyard.
Also, I've been soaking up info for three days straight, and just now stumbled upon a game-changer: Spirit Roots. They're like your inborn spiritual mojo, deciding how fast and deep you can dive into the whole cultivation gig. In a nutshell, no spirit root, no cultivation. It's the core difference between regular folks and hehe~ us cultivators; although I'm not sure I have one. Just like mana, your spirit root's type, grade, and shape are set from the get-go, but of course, put in the elbow grease, and you can upgrade that root of yours.
Yang Wei looked at flowers in the basket and then back at the garden he'd just left.
"Am I missing something?"
He tilted his head and observed his Cultivation Garden closer. Giving up, he shrugged and resumed walking in the opposite direction.
Let's talk spirit roots. So, they got these six grades. Earth-grade ones are the regular Zhang Weis—common, but you'll be required to train harder in order to level up. Spirit-grade and Royal-grade spirit roots are your standard deal, decent potential, good for making strides. Now, the good stuff—the rare ones. Saint-grade, Emperor-grade, and Heaven-grade spirit roots? Like finding a two-horned unicorn, seriously. For a person to have one of them from the start is considered a super rare, once in a century sort of thing— mostly for Saint-grade and Emperor-grade spirit roots. So, all the lower class cultivators and regular folks dreaming of becoming cultivators? They're all eyeing those Spirit and Royal-grade spirit roots for a boost in their Cultivation Base.
Yang Wei sighed and then dropped the basket of flowers next the the other basket full of herbs and several other plant-like resources.
"Finally, I'm done with the garden for today."
He smiled and then used his forearm to wipe off the sweat on his forehead.
Alright, still on spirit roots. Check it, three types and shapes for each category. Types first—Elemental Roots, tapping into natural elements like fire, water, earth, wind and wood. Then, Rare Roots, handing out cool affinities like lightning, time or space. Lastly, Pure Roots, the clean slate ones boosting your spiritual connection and cultivation efficiency. Now, shapes—Single Core Root, flexing one dominant spirit root for a specialized vibe. Dual Core Root, a dynamic duo of intertwined spirit roots for some versatile cultivation action. And the cream of the crop, Multicore Roots, the legendary ones packing multiple spirit roots for a whole buffet of abilities.
Placing a hand on his abdomen, Yang Wei sighed.
There's no guarantee that I have a spirit root, or even a good one at least, but I can't really worry about that until I've actually checked. And as it is, the only way I can use for spirit root assessment is the Moonlit Water Divination Method. But in a questionably convenient turn of events, there's going to be a full moon tomorrow which means I'll be able to do the assessment then.
...
The following night arrived.
As Yang Wei predicted—a full moon graced the sky.
Positioned at the back of his courtyard, Yang Wei was beside a small pond.
The luminous moon illuminated the surroundings and gave it a peaceful, cultivation-encouraging atmosphere.
Alright, time to see if I've got the chops for this whole cultivation thing. If it turns out I don't have a spirit root, well, maybe I'll just hit the reset button and pop up in another universe. Preferably one with a simpler power system, 'cause seriously, understanding this cultivation gig feels like you need a Ph.D. in ancient dictionaries. It's still better than the other universe's power system that deals with physics and the other complicated science thingies...
Yang Wei engaged in a series of stretches, preparing for his impending meditation session.
Seated on the ground by the pond, Yang Wei assumed a meditative posture, clasping his hands together.
Now, I just need cultivate my mind and try to understand the intricacies of my own soul. Let's do it.
For nearly ten minutes, he focused inward, attempting the Moonlit Water Divination Method—a technique among numerous ways to self-assess for the presence of a spirit root.
It's not working...
Despite initial lack of progress, Yang Wei persisted in his diligence.
An hour passed, and a subtle transformation began.
I can feel it...
Spiritual energy particles enveloped him, causing ripples to dance upon the pond's surface.
I'm unable to directly cultivate my mind with spiritual energy to comprehend my soul. However, this is what distinguishes the Moonlit Water Divination Method. Through meditation near a body of water, the full moon orchestrates the process by coordinating spiritual energy from the surroundings. Personally, meditating serves to anchor my body and mind to nature. The synergy with nature ensures that spiritual energy flows through my body, whether I actively will it or not.
Not yet possessing direct control over spiritual energy, Yang Wei allowed the full moon's radiance to channel its energy into him. This passive cultivation facilitated a profound exploration of his mind, a search for the elusive spirit root.
Normally, the presence of impurities in a cultivation body is a common aspect of the cultivation journey. But for some reason, it feels like my meridians are close to impurity-free...
While Yang Wei's new body was a harmonious blend of Yin and Yang energies, there were minor impurities during the infusion process. They were remnants of cosmic fluctuations which didn't align perfectly with the intended balance.
Pinpointing the exact impurity percentage in this body of mine is tricky. See, the whole impurity deal is somewhat subjective and context-dependant. Still, we're talking maybe 1-5%, so not that heavy on the impurity scale.
Finally, as the energy particles converged, Yang Wei opened his eyes.
His eyes glowed white.
In that moment, a materialization resembling a small manual emerged, adorned with luminous ancient texts on its cover.
That's my Inheritance, it's like a record that's registered into my soul only after I touch it. When I become one with it, I'll instinctively know my spirit root's grade, shape and type... Hopefully, I get a good one.
Yang Wei cautiously reached out, and upon contact, the manual transformed into energy, seamlessly merging with his soul.
He stood up from his meditative position and placed his hands on his waist.
No shocker, I got a spirit root. When I reincarnated here, I set up this fail-safe magic thing to sync my body perfectly with whatever power system this world's got. Now, what's hanging in the balance is crossing my fingers that my spirit root is top-notch.
Then, he looked at his hands and analyzed them, and then he used his hands to search his body slowly.
"So, uh, what do I do now?"
Yang Wei read everything in the spirit root manual, but he didn't exactly grasp what would happen next after fusing with his inheritance. There were no clear directions as to what he would do next.
"Do I just meditate again, or..."
But then Yang Wei got an abrupt vision and immediately went unconscious.