335: Chapter 335 Repeated Failures

Yao Guang busied herself in the Alchemy room.

Using the war soul spirit plants cultivated by Chu Lan as raw materials, she concocted batches of Spirit Condensing Pills.

Those pills were crystalline throughout, emitting a faint, refreshing fragrance; consuming them allowed one's Spiritual Qi to become more condensed, reducing the consumption during compression.

Su Ning arranged a small Spirit Gathering Formation in Gao Feng's cultivation room.

That Formation used the power of space as a guide, gathering all the Spiritual Qi in the Immortal Cave here, increasing the concentration of Spiritual Qi in the cultivation room by a full factor.

Tian Xin drew dozens of Mind-Clearing Talismans and pasted them onto the walls of the cultivation room.

Those Talismans flickered with a faint golden light, emitting an aura that calmed the mind and spirit, which could prevent Heart Demon invasion during cultivation.

Lin Yue set up a sturdy Defense Formation at the entrance of the Immortal Cave, blocking anyone who attempted to intrude.

With the full assistance of everyone, Gao Feng began another attempt.

He consumed Yao Guang's Spirit Condensing Pill and felt the Spiritual Qi in his Dantian instantly become more condensed.

He guided that Spiritual Qi, causing it to slowly rotate in his Dantian, forming a vortex.

This time, the vortex was more stable than any time before.

Under the effect of the Spirit Condensing Pill, it slowly contracted and condensed, gathering towards a single point at the center.

One day, two days, three days...

Gao Feng sat for seven full days and seven nights, without moving.

The vortex was already much more stable than before, slowly rotating in his Dantian and emitting a faint light.

He could feel that his Spiritual Qi was purer than before, and his cultivation level had faintly improved a little.

But when he tried to compress it further, that familiar resistance appeared again.

He tried several times but could not break through that barrier.

He slowly opened his eyes and stopped attempting.

Although he did not succeed, he was not discouraged.

Because he could feel that this attempt had yielded much.

His Spiritual Qi was purer, and his understanding of the Golden Core chapter was even deeper.

He walked out of the cultivation room, and everyone was already waiting outside.

Seeing him come out, they immediately surrounded him.

"How was it?" Luo Li asked eagerly.

Gao Feng looked at them, a smile appearing on the corner of his mouth, and said, "Although I did not succeed, it was not without gains. Thanks to your help."

Hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Chu Lan smiled and said, "That's good. Take your time, don't rush."

Gao Feng nodded, but his brows furrowed slightly, as if he were pondering something.

Luo Li noticed his anomaly and asked, "What is it?"

Gao Feng was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "I was thinking, perhaps I am too anxious."

Everyone looked at him in confusion.

Gao Feng continued, "For the past three months, I have been single-mindedly wanting to break through to the Golden Core Stage, but I neglected the most basic principle—the Dao of cultivation, haste makes waste. My current cultivation is at the Foundation Establishment Fourth Layer Perfection, and there are still the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Layers of Foundation Establishment to cross before the Golden Core Stage. I have not even reached the Fifth Layer of Foundation Establishment, yet I am delusionally trying to comprehend the Golden Core chapter directly. If this isn't reaching for the stars, what is?"

Hearing this, everyone was lost in thought.

Chu Lan nodded and said, "You are right. We were previously shocked by your record of slaying a Golden Core Middle Stage commander and forgot that you are still only at the Foundation Establishment Fourth Layer. You can slay enemies across ranks because your Physical Body and combat skills far exceed those of the same rank, but cultivation itself still requires step-by-step accumulation."

Gao Feng said, "That is exactly it. So I have decided to temporarily put aside the comprehension of the Golden Core chapter and first proceed steadily, raising my cultivation to the Fifth and Sixth Layers of Foundation Establishment first."

Luo Li said, "Then what do you plan to do next?"

Gao Feng looked outside the Immortal Cave and slowly said, "Although closed-door cultivation can improve Spiritual Qi, true Breakthroughs are often only obtained through tempering in the outside world. I plan to go out for a walk, gain experience for a period of time, and look for opportunities for a Breakthrough in actual combat."

Hearing this, everyone looked at each other.

Lin Yue scratched his head and said, "You are going out alone?"

Gao Feng nodded and said, "Being alone is more flexible and convenient. You all stay in the fief and continue to Cultivate. The fief has just been established and needs people to look after it. Chu Lan's spirit plant garden and Luo Li's music room all need you."

Luo Li opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, she only said softly, "Then you take care."

Gao Feng smiled slightly and said, "Rest assured, I will. But I am not leaving now; I still need to prepare for a few days, and by the way, see if there is anything useful in Chu Lan's spirit plant garden."

Hearing this, the atmosphere instantly relaxed.

Chu Lan smiled and said, "Then you will have to wait a few days. My batch of meteor star fruit will mature in a few days, so I can just give them to you to take along."

In the following days, Gao Feng did not rush to leave but walked around the fief, familiarizing himself with this territory that belonged to him.

Chu Lan's spirit plant garden was becoming more lush day by day; those war soul spirit plants and Meteor Star plants were growing gratifyingly, and the first batch of fruits had already matured.

She picked those fruits, gave part of them to Yao Guang for Alchemy, and stored the rest for emergencies.

Luo Li's music room also attracted several young Cultivators.

Those Cultivators were all youths from nearby villages with quite a bit of musical talent, who came seeking her reputation, wanting to become disciples and learn the art.

Luo Li selected the three with the best Aptitude among them, accepted them as Named Disciples, and began to teach the basics of musical Spells.

Su Ning set up several Space Folding teleportation Formations around the fief, connecting Meteor City and several important strongholds.

In this way, whether it was the movement of personnel or the transportation of supplies, it became much more convenient.

Tian Xin drew a large number of Talismans, filling half a stone room.

Defense Talismans, attack Talismans, auxiliary Talismans—there was a wide variety, and everything one could need was there.

Medicinal fragrance drifted out of Yao Guang's Alchemy room every day, and all kinds of Medicinal Pills were continuously born from her hands.

Lin Yue set up defense Formations on the mountains around the fief, forging the entire Meteor Star Valley into an impregnable fortress.

Everything was proceeding in an orderly manner.

This day, Gao Feng was regulating his breath in the Immortal Cave when Chu Lan suddenly came to visit.

Her expression was somewhat complex, hesitant to speak.

Gao Feng saw that she had something to say, so he said, "What is it? If you have something to say, just say it."

Chu Lan hesitated for a moment, then opened her mouth and said, "Senior Brother Gao Feng, I have a difficult problem and would like to hear your opinion."

Gao Feng said, "Speak."

Chu Lan sat down opposite him and slowly said, "It is about the spirit plant garden."

Gao Feng raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "Isn't the spirit plant garden doing quite well? I see those spirit plants are growing gratifyingly, and the first batch of fruits has already matured."

Chu Lan nodded and said, "On the surface, it does look good. But have you ever thought about how long it took for these spirit plants to go from being planted to maturing?"

Gao Feng recalled for a moment and said, "war soul spirit plants seem to be about a month, and meteor star fruit is also about a month."

Chu Lan said, "That's right, one month. This speed is already considered extremely fast in the outside world. But for the needs of our fief, it is far from enough."

She paused and continued, "Think about it, how many people are in our fief now? Although there are only a few of us, what about in the future? The Sect Master enfeoffed the Meteor Realm to you, wanting you to establish a force here, Cultivate Cultivators, and prepare for the great war three years from now. By then, how many Cultivators will be in the fief? Hundreds? Thousands? Even tens of thousands?"

Gao Feng fell silent. He knew that Chu Lan was right.

Chu Lan continued, "With so many people cultivating, how many Medicinal Pills are needed? How much cultivation resources are needed? My spirit plant garden can only supply the few of us now; once there are more people, it will not be enough at all. Moreover, the growth cycle of many high-level spirit plants is extremely long; some take years, and some even take decades. I can afford to wait, but the fief cannot afford to wait, and the great war in three years cannot afford to wait."

Gao Feng said, "Can't you use the Spirit Plant Array to accelerate their growth?"

Chu Lan shook her head and said, "The Spirit Plant Array can indeed accelerate growth, but the effect is limited. Moreover, long-term acceleration of spirit plants will consume a large amount of the Spiritual Vein's power. That Spiritual Vein is the Foundation of our fief; once it is excessively consumed, the cultivation environment of the entire Immortal Cave will be affected. Sacrificing the Spiritual Vein to accelerate spirit plant growth is not worth the loss."

Gao Feng frowned tightly and said, "Then what method do you have?"

Chu Lan took a deep breath and said, "In the ancient Jade Slip I obtained in the Battlefield of Ten Thousand Races, a treasure is recorded called 'Time Spirit Spring'."

"Time Spirit Spring?" Gao Feng's eyes lit up.

Chu Lan nodded and said, "It is said that this spirit spring contains the power of time and can be used to water spirit plants. Spirit plants watered by the Time Spirit Spring will have their growth speed significantly increased, and it will not consume the Spiritual Vein's power. If we can find the Time Spirit Spring, the problem in our spirit plant garden can be completely solved."

Gao Feng said, "Where is this spirit spring?"

Chu Lan hesitated for a moment, then truthfully said, "In the territory of the 'Time Race' among the Ten Thousand Races, a place called the 'Time Secret Realm'."

Gao Feng frowned: "Time Race?"

Chu Lan nodded and said, "The Time Race is the most mysterious race among the Ten Thousand Races, skilled in manipulating the power of time. It is said that the time flow in their territory, the Time Secret Realm, is different from the outside world; one day inside might be only one hour outside, or it might be a year. There are a large number of rare spirit plants and resources in the Secret Realm, but there are also Time Race experts guarding it. For outsiders to break in, it is a life-of-nine-deaths situation."

She looked at Gao Feng and said earnestly, "Senior Brother Gao Feng, I am telling you this not to have you take risks. I just want you to know that our fief has this problem. I will find a way to solve it, for example, by researching the Spirit Plant Array more, or finding other alternatives. The Time Secret Realm is too dangerous; do not go."

Gao Feng was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Where exactly is that Time Secret Realm?"

Chu Lan was stunned and immediately said, "Don't ask about this; I won't tell you."

Gao Feng looked at her, a smile appearing on the corner of his mouth, and said, "Didn't you come to find me just to have me help you find the Time Spirit Spring?"

Chu Lan said anxiously, "I just wanted you to know about this problem, not for you to take risks! If something happens to you, how can I explain it to the others?"

Gao Feng stood up, walked in front of her, and said, "Chu Lan, listen to me."

Chu Lan looked up at him.

Gao Feng said, "You are doing this for the fief, for everyone. The problem you encountered is the problem of all of us. Bearing it alone and not telling us is what is wrong. Now that you have told me, it is no longer your problem; it is our problem."