Chapter 390 - 384: Taking Stock of the Harvest, Cultivation Soars
"The Golden Fruit!"
Staring at the brilliant golden light in the very center of the Rotting Tree Dragon’s skull, Su Ye’s eyes flashed with excitement and elation!
He had already learned from the Wisdom Goddess Metis that the final product of this divine kingdom’s Orbit was this very fruit of the World Tree!
Ever since the destruction of the Far South Continent’s World Tree after the Second Age, its many derivative species and symbiotic Spirit Plants had all died out.
This golden fruit was very likely the only one of its kind left in the world—a natural treasure so rare that even an ancient being like the Nether Mirror desperately coveted it!
’The Fog Forest laid its plans, and the Nether Mirror entered the game to seize the prize... but in the end, I’m the one who reaped the rewards.’
Su Ye grinned. With a slight stir of his Magical Power, he carefully extracted the golden fruit from within the Rotting Tree Dragon’s skull.
The golden fruit was covered in a skin of brilliant gold, etched with many strange and profound interwoven patterns that faintly outlined the facial features of a child, giving it an honest and endearing look.
"It’s a bit like a Mandrake, or maybe a Ginseng Fruit?"
Su Ye remarked as he examined the golden fruit. Those two mythical fruits from the legends of his past life were just the same, possessing human-like facial features!
Beyond that, Su Ye’s Divine Sense could clearly perceive the rich spiritual energy and life essence contained beneath the brilliant golden skin!
’This can advance my cultivation and extend my lifespan.’
Both Su Ye’s own assessment and the information provided by Metis confirmed these two points.
However, at this moment.
Now that it was separated from the Rotting Tree Dragon’s body, the unripe and under-nourished golden fruit’s spiritual energy and life essence began to dissipate at a rapid pace!
Su Ye’s eyes narrowed. ’This won’t do!’
He immediately sat down cross-legged, used his finger like a sword to pierce the golden fruit’s skin, and began to absorb and refine its essence!
BUZZ!
Instantly, a golden light flared!
An extremely abundant surge of spiritual energy, carrying with it life essence, rushed in like a roaring tsunami and poured into Su Ye’s Dantian Qi Sea!
WHOOSH!
As the spiritual energy poured in, the Dantian Qi Sea trembled violently, dyeing it into a brilliant golden ocean!
The azure Magic Power Crystal at the very center shone with great brilliance. On its blue surface, streaks of Glazed Golden Patterns emerged as it began working at full capacity to refine the spiritual energy!
Hum.
Su Ye’s cultivation level skyrocketed!
In a single instant, the amount of Magical Power he gained was equivalent to a year and a half of meditation in the outside world!
His cultivation level was rising at an unprecedented rate, as if he were riding a rocket!
「Twelve breaths later.」
’Crystal Perfection, just like that?!’
Su Ye opened his eyes, an irrepressible look of pleasant surprise appearing in them!
In just twelve short breaths, his Magical Power accumulation had gone from the Late-stage Crystal to Crystal Perfection!
’In the outside world, this would have required at least two Tier-Three Spiritual Springs!’
Su Ye thought, elated.
And yet, at this point.
After pushing Su Ye’s cultivation to the Crystal Perfection realm, the golden fruit had only expended twenty percent of its spiritual energy. A tidal wave of power still dyed his Dantian Qi Sea a brilliant, surging gold!
But this surging spiritual energy was limited by the degree to which his divine seed had been nurtured. It couldn’t be used to break through to the Golden Core Realm, nor could it further increase his cultivation. Instead, the rampant energy began to scour his Qi Sea!
CREAK.
A faint, strained sound came from his Dantian Qi Sea, as if it were about to break!
’Not good!’
Su Ye’s expression hardened, and he quickly reacted.
He used his Divine Sense to guide the surging spiritual energy out of his Dantian Qi Sea.
He split the rich spiritual energy into two streams. One flowed along his meridians, nourishing his entire body, while the other surged into the space between his brows to temper his soul!
It was true that Su Ye’s cultivation was only at the Crystal realm!
But his physical body and his soul were both at the Tier Four level!
BUZZ!
The spiritual energy circulated.
A brilliant golden radiance swirled around Su Ye, filling even the air with a hint of life force!
The rich, pure spiritual energy and life essence began to push Su Ye’s physical body and soul, strengthening them and driving them toward a higher realm!
Moreover.
As the golden light swirled around him, the fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were gently smoothed away.
The skin on the back of his hands grew smooth again, regaining a delicate, fair, and jade-like luster!
His lost lifespan was being replenished!
The two hundred years of life he had expended to activate the Quasi-Technique [Reversing Destiny and Returning to Life] were completely restored by the golden fruit’s power!
And.
After restoring his lost years, the golden fruit’s life essence continued unabated, further supplementing Su Ye’s vitality and extending his life!
Physical Realm!
Divine Sense Realm!
Lifespan!
All were improving at a rate visible to the naked eye under the nourishment of the golden fruit!
...
Hum.
「Ten minutes later.」
Su Ye opened his eyes, a brilliant golden light shooting out from them!
The power of his Divine Sense pierced through the land for nearly a thousand li!
He then looked down at his palm, rotating his wrist and feeling the surging power it contained. His heart swelled with exhilaration!
"Hooo..."
Su Ye let out a long, clear breath and murmured to himself with a sigh.
"This time..."
"I’ve really hit the jackpot!"
First!
His maximum lifespan had directly doubled!
It went from six hundred years straight to one thousand two hundred!
Even a Golden Core cultivator, without using life-extending methods, only has a lifespan of eight hundred years. Su Ye’s was now half again as long!
Second.
Both his Physical Realm and Divine Sense Realm had advanced to Tier Four Mid Stage!
He was just one step away from the late stage of Tier Four!
It wasn’t that the fruit’s power was insufficient.
Rather, Su Ye had intentionally suppressed the breakthrough.
’An overly powerful physical body and soul would be out of sync with my current cultivation level.’
’Before I advance to the Golden Core Realm, it’s not a good idea to strengthen my physical body and soul any further...’
’However...’
Su Ye chuckled lightly. He could sense a brilliant golden gleam flowing over the jade bones throughout his entire body!
The golden fruit’s power had not been completely depleted. Thirty percent of it remained, which Su Ye had sealed within his jade bones, storing it deep within his body as a reserve!
’When I break through to the Golden Core Realm, I can release it and use it in tandem with my transformation to strengthen myself!’
’At that time, it will be easy to push my physical body and soul to the late stage of Tier Four... and if I concentrate all of that golden power into one of them...’
’Perhaps...’
’...when I first enter the Golden Core Realm, either my physical body or my soul might be able to reach the Perfection Realm?’
Su Ye’s eyes gleamed, his spirits soaring with ambition!
His mind raced with possibilities.
’A body or soul at Tier Four Perfection, combined with a Nine-Method Golden Core, plus the boosts from my status panel, and on top of that, the Ghostly Flood Dragon, upgraded to a Tier Four spirit vessel...’
’With a loadout like that, completely maxed out!’
’Even against a cultivator at Golden Core Perfection, my odds of winning would be 50-50, right?’
"Or... maybe 60-40?" Su Ye chuckled to himself.
"Hooo..."
He calmed his racing thoughts and settled his emotions.
Su Ye turned his gaze toward the corpse of the Nether Mirror.
’The divinity of this member of the Four Pillar Gods will be perfect for refining into a divine seed!’