435: Spiritual Root Cultivation

Xiao Zhuo, hidden among the crowd, could clearly perceive through the floating light screen in front of him that the Cultivators of this world, even those from such a small country, were significantly stronger than their counterparts in the Immortal-Demon Realm.

Whether it was the subtlety of their spells or the profoundness of their Cultivation Techniques, all had their unique aspects.

Yet, he still couldn't understand the true purpose of the Saint who, according to legend, created this Realm.

Why did he open a passage every million years or so, enticing powerful individuals from the outside to enter this place?

What mystery lay behind those powerful individuals having their memories erased, yet departing with numerous treasures?

"I know too little! To uncover the secrets of this Realm, I must reach a higher position," Xiao Zhuo mused, his thoughts racing as he observed the competition on the stage.

Just then, a panel appeared before his eyes:

Name: Original identity of the body (Xiao Zhuo);

Realm: Foundation Establishment Early Stage;

Divine Sense: Foundation Establishment Early Stage;

Physical Body: Mortal Body (Not yet entered the Realm);

Cultivation Technique: Frigid Ice Art;

Skills: Spring Chill Flowing Snow Thirteen Swords Minor Achievement (Low Grade profound rank); Great Frigid Ice Palm Minor Achievement (Low Grade profound rank); Profound Ice Art Minor Achievement (Low Grade profound rank);

Spiritual Root: High Grade ice spiritual root;

Attribute Points: 0.

The panel displayed all the information about his current body.

His cultivation and Cultivation Technique were ordinary, but there was an additional entry: "Spiritual Root."

According to his memories before his Awakening, cultivation in this world relied on Spiritual Roots.

About one-tenth of people were born with Spiritual Roots, but most were miscellaneous Spiritual Roots.

However, his current body possessed a mutated Spiritual Root of the water Spiritual Root—an ice spiritual root.

Among many Spiritual Roots, it was considered High Grade, making him a Genius in a million.

The outside world had no concept of Spiritual Roots; everyone could Cultivate. However, the Cultivation Techniques in this Realm were all created based on Spiritual Roots, clearly a result of that Saint's deliberate propagation of the Dao and the shaping of a new Spiritual Root cultivation system.

Xiao Zhuo subtly sensed the ice spiritual root within his body and fell into contemplation.

This Spiritual Root was, in essence, a spiritual organ capable of receiving and filtering Immortal Qi.

Compared to the Cultivation Techniques outside that didn't require Spiritual Roots, this method of cultivation was easier to get started with and progressed faster, indeed a great innovation.

He just hadn't yet comprehended: How did Spiritual Roots come into being? Why did some people have them and others not? And why were there differences in quality and strength?

For him, while this High Grade ice spiritual root was good, it had become a restriction.

His The Way of Freedom was about controlling all Daos with his own Dao, achieving freedom and unfetteredness in heaven and earth.

However, ascending the Dao of Ice to the Dao level was ultimately just a branch of the Great Dao of Water, merely a lower-level Dao, with no possibility of controlling all Daos.

Thinking of this, Xiao Zhuo no longer had the heart to continue watching the battle.

Since only by rising higher could he glimpse the truth, the most pressing matter was to resolve the limitation of this ice spiritual root and quickly increase his strength.

He immediately bid farewell to Li Jin and returned directly to the Prime Minister's Residence.

This action greatly surprised Li Jin—in his impression, Original identity of the body, though diligent in his cultivation, always watched the annual Dao Competition from beginning to end, calling it "observing and learning, inspiring thought." He had never left early like this before.

Xiao Zhuo followed his memories back to the Prime Minister's Residence and headed straight for the accounts office.

According to the rules of the residence, a legitimate son could advance a year's allowance.

Coupled with the portion he had already received this month, it should be enough for him to disperse his cultivation and recultivate.

Unexpectedly, just as he reached the entrance of the accounts office, he saw a Beautiful Woman sitting inside, checking the ledgers. Three accountants were diligently going over the books at a long table beside her—it was Jiang Yuzhen, Prime Minister Zhou Tianxiang's current wife and the younger sister of Consort Jiang, the favored concubine of the King of Xudu (Capital City).

Xiao Zhuo secretly thought, "This is bad."

Since Jiang Yuzhen married into the Zhou residence ten years ago, she had given birth to four sons for the Prime Minister's Residence. Moreover, relying on Prime Minister Zhou Tianxiang's favor and her family's influence, she had brought all the other concubines in the residence to heel.

Initially, she was quite generous to the children of the original wife, but her attitude quietly changed after her biological son, Zhou Linghao, who ranked seventeenth, was found to possess a Heavenly Spiritual Root.

His seventeenth younger brother, now only six years old, had already reached Foundation Establishment, displaying astonishing talent. Jiang Yuzhen, from the moment she learned of his Spiritual Root, began to withhold resources from the other children, channeling them towards the young seventeenth.

To this day, the cultivation resources Original identity of the body received each month were less than thirty percent of what they used to be.

Prime Minister Zhou Tianxiang turned a blind eye to this, clearly favoring his seventeenth son in his heart.

Advancing one's allowance was originally a right enjoyed by direct descendants, but today, coincidentally encountering Jiang Yuzhen personally checking the accounts, it would likely be difficult to get what he wanted.

Since he had already been seen, Xiao Zhuo could only step forward and bow: "Greetings, Second Mother."

Jiang Yuzhen had specifically come to check the accounts today, intending to allocate a sum of resources to recruit new Guest Elders for the Prime Minister's Residence. Seeing Original identity of the body's sudden arrival, her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, then she displayed her usual amiable expression:

"Sixteenth, why are you at the accounts office at this time?"

Xiao Zhuo sighed inwardly.

The monthly allowance was issued at the beginning of the month, and he had already received his. Coming in the middle of the month now was difficult to explain, so he could only tell the truth:

"Second Mother, Yuan'er has made some slight progress in his cultivation recently and wishes to advance a year's allowance to purchase Medicinal Pills to aid his cultivation."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuzhen's brow visibly furrowed: "Sixteenth, the Dao Competition is nearing its end, and four Guest Elders in the residence are preparing to retire. I just paid out a sum for their retirement, and I also need to hire several new Guest Elders during the Dao Competition. For you to ask for a year's advanced allowance at this time is truly a bit difficult."

Her tone was earnest, portraying herself as someone entirely devoted to the Prime Minister's Residence.

Xiao Zhuo sneered inwardly—the Prime Minister's Residence had a vast fortune; an entire street of shops in Xudu (Capital City) belonged to the Zhou family. Not to mention him, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, even supporting ten or eight more Nascent Soul or Soul Transformation Cultivators would be no problem.

She was simply stingy with resources for him.

Xiao Zhuo remained impassive, about to agree and take his leave, when he suddenly saw a short, stout figure rush in impetuously—

It was Zhou Linghao.

The little fatty didn't even look at Xiao Zhuo, brushing past him directly and shouting loudly:

"Mother! I just saw the newly arrived high-grade profound rank Falling Feather Armor at the Imperial Delicacy Pavilion, but Old Man Hang insists on a thousand Spirit Stones, and Hao'er didn't bring enough..."

"A thousand Spirit Stones?" Jiang Yuzhen immediately beamed, her face full of doting affection, "A high-grade profound rank spiritual armor, that price is fair. Come, Hao'er, let Mr. Zhang accompany you to buy it."

With that, she took out an exquisite Storage Pouch from her Huai and directly placed it into Zhou Linghao's hand without a second thought.

She completely disregarded the fact that Xiao Zhuo had not yet left.

One moment she was crying poverty and refusing, the next she casually handed out a large sum of Spirit Stones, not even bothering to hide it.

Xiao Zhuo's current monthly allowance was only fifty Spirit Stones, and that Storage Pouch contained far more than a thousand!

Zhou Linghao was usually protected by Nascent Soul Guest Elders and lived in Xudu (Capital City), so he had no use for spiritual armor that could withstand a Void Refining strike. Such extravagance was merely his willfulness.

A trace of coldness flashed through Xiao Zhuo's heart, but he said nothing, departing silently.

Returning to his secluded small courtyard, he closed the door, and the outside clamor was immediately shut out.

The furnishings inside were quite luxurious, though they hadn't been changed in several years, making them appear somewhat old-fashioned, but they were exceptionally clean and tidy.

He sat quietly on the couch, his gaze deep in thought.

With his Heart-Nature, he didn't dwell on today's minor incident. However, since he couldn't obtain enough resources for him to recultivate, his plan had to change.

Originally, he had intended to first disperse his cultivation and recultivate, practicing the Free and Natural Heavenly Art, and then hunt for Attribute Points.

With his abilities, even without the panel, he had countless ways to quickly absorb Spirit Stones and recultivate.

But now, it seemed there was only one path if he wanted to recultivate quickly.