246: Spiritual Land Closed-Loop Nurturing Cycle - First Phase

A glint flashed in Su Ming's eyes.

He quickly walked to the base of the cliff and pressed his hand against the exposed grayish-black rock.

It was cold and lifeless.

His Divine Sense probed into it, immediately feeling a sluggishness like moving through a swamp, and even the perceived direction showed a slight distortion.

"This is it!"

Su Ming turned to Lin Yu, a hint of excitement in his voice. "Master, the magnetic field – I mean, the Star Power field – emitted by this remnant vein of chen xing iron has a natural interfering effect on all detection Spells. It's like adding a 'blur filter' to this area."

"I want to move several key control nodes onto this remnant vein."

Lin Yu was stunned for a moment, then clapped his hands and laughed, "Brilliant! It's the 'darkness under the lamp' trick! Normal people setting up a Formation would avoid such a cursed place that interferes with spiritual energy transmission. You're doing the opposite, using its interference to conceal the fluctuations of the nodes themselves. As long as your node signals are strong enough to penetrate this interference and transmit back, then to outsiders, this will be a chaotic magnetic blind spot. Who would ever think that 'cameras' are hidden within it!"

No sooner said than done.

Su Ming immediately got to work.

It was not easy. chen xing iron was incredibly hard and repelled spiritual energy.

Su Ming had to use the concept of "Water Method Extraction," using high-pressure water jets to slowly 'grind' holes in the rock, then embed specially made nodes with increased spiritual energy output into them.

The moment the last node was embedded in the remnant vein and successfully connected to the Lesser Heavenly Cycle Water Rhyme Formation.

Su Ming clearly felt a subtle change in the entire valley's Spiritual Qi field.

The previously hidden but still traceable Formation fluctuations now became chaotic and disorganized.

If Qingxi Valley was a clean white cloth under Divine Sense scan before, now it had become a gray cloth full of noise.

Even if outsiders scanned it with their Divine Sense, they would only feel that the earth veins here were chaotic and the Spiritual Qi mixed, never realizing that beneath this chaos, a precise monitoring network was hidden.

"A natural source of interference, excellent cover."

Su Ming wiped the sweat from his forehead and nodded with satisfaction, looking at the image on the water mirror, which, though somewhat shaky due to interference, was still discernible.

"Now, I can sleep with one eye half-closed."

...The modification of the Formation came to an end, but Su Ming did not idle.

Because he discovered a pleasant surprise.

After moving some of the Formation nodes into the remnant vein of chen xing iron, due to the continuous activation of the Formation's spiritual energy, this remnant vein, which had been dormant for an unknown number of years, began to emit an extremely faint, almost imperceptible silver stardust.

This stardust seemed harmless to the human body but had a peculiar effect on plants.

Su Ming squatted at the entrance of the Immortal Cave.

Several 'clear heart orchids' he had brought back from the Repair Hall were planted here.

These orchids were originally entirely emerald green, considered only Low Grade Yellow Rank Spiritual Plants, with the only medicinal effect being a faint refreshing and invigorating property.

But at this moment, a circle of fine silver spots appeared on the edges of the leaves of these clear heart orchids.

Moreover, their fragrance was no longer a faint herbal scent, but a cool, ethereal fragrance with a biting chill.

Su Ming merely took a sniff and felt his mind clear, and the fatigue of his Divine Sense from days of setting up Formations actually faded considerably.

"Mutated?"

Su Ming carefully plucked a leaf.

"Water Refining Method, Extraction."

A mist of water enveloped the leaf, and moments later, a drop of pale silver spiritual liquid floated in Su Ming's palm.

Without hesitation, Su Ming curled his tongue and swallowed the drop of spiritual liquid.

Boom.

A wave of coolness rushed straight to his head.

It was like drinking a glass of iced sour plum soup on a sweltering summer day; the refreshing sensation made Su Ming shiver involuntarily.

Immediately after, he felt the slight throbbing pain in his glabella, which was due to excessive use of Divine Sense, instantly smoothed away.

The recovery speed of his Divine Soul power in his Sea of Consciousness was actually 30% faster than meditating!

"Good stuff!"

Lin Yu's phantom figure leaned over, sniffing (though he couldn't smell). "chen xing iron contains Star Power, which governs the soul; clear heart orchid governs the spirit. After this remnant vein was activated by the Formation, Star Power overflowed and was absorbed by these orchids. This mutated clear heart orchid's medicinal effect is probably close to High Grade Yellow Rank, specifically for treating Divine Sense depletion."

Su Ming looked at the silver-spotted orchids swaying in the wind, his eyes full of pleasant surprise.

As a practitioner of The Way of Cautious Survival who aspired to become a Great Master of Formations, Divine Sense was his ammunition, his mana bar.

Previously, his biggest headache was that Divine Sense recovered too slowly; he often had to rest for half a day after drawing a few complex runes.

Now with these "silver-spotted heart-clearing orchids," his endurance would be greatly enhanced!

"Is this... an ecosystem?"

This word suddenly popped into Su Ming's mind.

He stood up, looking at Qingxi Valley before him.

Spiritual Plants did not grow in isolation; they absorbed the Star Power from the remnant vein and the water vapor gathered by the Formation.

The Formation was also not inanimate; it operated relying on the Spiritual Vein, and at the same time activated the remnant vein, nourishing the Spiritual Plants in return.

And he, Su Ming, as the manager of this ecosystem, used the Spiritual Plants to restore his Divine Sense, and then used his Divine Sense to optimize the Formation and maintain the Spiritual Vein.

A closed loop.

A miniature, positive, self-reinforcing cycle.

Su Ming quickly walked into the Immortal Cave, took out his thick notebook, and on a fresh page, solemnly wrote the title:

"Qingxi Valley Immortal Land Closed-Loop Nurturing Cycle - Initial Version"

"1. Formations are no longer mere defensive structures, but 'organs' that regulate the environment."

"2. Utilize abandoned remnant veins (chen xing iron) as natural interference sources and special nutrient sources."

"3. Spiritual Plants (Silver-Spotted Clear Heart Orchids) serve as Divine Sense supply stations, supporting high-intensity Formation activation."

"4. Conclusion: This place is no longer dead land, but a slowly growing 'organism'."

After writing this, Su Ming put down his pen and walked out of the Immortal Cave.

Night fell.

Moonlight, like water, poured into the valley.

Under the effect of the Lesser Heavenly Cycle Water Rhyme Formation, the entire Qingxi Valley was enveloped in a layer of faint blue water vapor, imperceptible to the naked eye, intertwining with the moonlight, creating a dreamlike illusion.

The few silver-spotted plants swayed gently in the breeze, emitting a faint, cool fragrance.

The stream gurgled, flowing with silent messages; the underground remnant vein pulsed slightly, weaving an invisible protective net.

Su Ming took a deep breath, feeling this small world that completely belonged to him.

This was no longer just a cold dwelling, no longer a temporary stronghold ready for escape at any moment.

It had roots.

"Master."

Su Ming called softly.

"Hmm?" Lin Yu's voice sounded lazy, yet it carried a sense of peace.

"I think we can stay here longer."

"Nonsense." Lin Yu scoffed, "With such a good nest, I wouldn't leave even if you chased me away. Alright, stop being sentimental. Hurry up and divide those orchids. Are three or five plants enough to fill anyone's teeth? If you want to get rich, have more children and plant more trees, understand?"

Su Ming chuckled, the touch of literary sentimentality that had welled up in his heart instantly vanishing.

"Yes, I'll plant them now."

The young man rolled up his sleeves, and the moonlight elongated his silhouette.

The sound of the hoe falling seemed particularly solid in the quiet valley.