Chapter 31: World Seed
A World Seed was something that might form after the destruction of a minor world. It was the condensed form of the Dao and Laws that gathered in the world during the years it existed. Due to being the condensed form of numerous laws, it was a treasure lusted after by many cultivators. But of course, Heifeng Jiansui would not consume this seed simply to comprehend the minor laws gathered in it.
A World Seed could eventually form a World Tree, a pillar for a world to build on! While Heifeng Jiansui had formed a chaoseed within himself, it was far away from a world due to its inability to sustain life. But if Heifeng Jiansui planted this seed within it, the world would slowly evolve into a true world capable of sustaining life.
Of course, ‘slowly’ meant hundreds of thousand years at the least for a lifeform capable of cultivation be born. However, if Heifeng Jiansui formed a cultivation art capable with the Dao of the World as the foundation, the required amount of time would drastically lessen!
The World Seed had been sealed with some bindings to mask its aura. Heifeng Jiansui finding it anyway was due to his understand of pure World energy. Now, he had to find a way to keep it away from Ninebless’s eyes…
“Oh, are you interested in the World Seed?” At the exact moment, the voice of the formation spirit resounded behind him.
Ninebless’ voice was pleasant as always, but she was clearly scheming to extract benefits from Heifeng Jiansui in exchange. “Oh, you don’t have to be so defensive. That seed is useless to me, you can keep it if you want. However—”
Heifeng Jiansui suddenly interrupted her speech. “You are a formation spirit, an existence born from the Dao, thus you have high compatibility with that Seed. Why hand it over without qualm?”
“Formation Spirits are born from Dao, thus the type of Dao is also important for us. If it were a World Seed containing Fire, Ice or heaven-forbid, Rebirth laws, I would have wasted no time in consuming it. But it is actually a seed containing ‘Evergreen Perennial’ Wood laws. It is utterly useless to me, so you might as well take it.” Hearing Ninebless’ explanation, Heifeng Jiansui understood everything.
“So what do you want in exchange? I need this World Seed.” Saying this, Heifeng Jiansui looked at the Formation Spirit.
Ninebless thought for a moment and said, “While I would like you to concentrate on forging the Phoenix Formation pillars, the whole process in going to take years so we might as well increase your proficiency at the earliest. As for something else… well, can you give me nine drops of your blood essence?”
Hearing her words, Heifeng Jiansui decisively shook his head. “The only reason I will hand over this much blood is for a Magical Beast Contract… Well, some of the treasures here have Fire Phoenix blood essence, so I can extract it for you. We could probably squeeze out 9 drops or more if we are lucky.” A Magical Beast was a Beast cultivator who bound his soul into a submissive contract with a human cultivator. This ability of forming contracts could be said to be a bloodline ability of the human race; no beast with could use this technique without some human bloodline.
“So be it… As expected, this much blood essence is hard to part from. As for becoming a contracted Magical Beast, let’s think about it after I refine a fleshly body.” Ninebless said this with a ponderous expression.
“I am surprised you are actually considering it.” Heifeng Jiansui was truly surprised by her words.
“You are a Phoenix cultivator with an illustrious heritage, have supreme talent and luck and can supply resources for my growth. I don’t find you particularly hateful, you are easy to talk to and do not seem like a person who will oppress me with the Contract Seal… If the fleshly body I form allows for a contract, my first choice will definitely be you!” Hearing her words, Heifeng Jiansui felt his heart warm a bit as well as some guilt.
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While he had been scheming against her from the beginning, she had unknowingly granted such huge trust to him! Heifeng Jiansui calmly replied, “Well, I would certainly like having a Magical Beast like you as well.”
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After this, Heifeng Jiansui began reading the Matriarch’s collection. The entire collection spanned six bookshelves, so Heifeng Jiansui finished the task in six hours. He would usually take lesser time, but the manuals were filled with Dao Engravings in their strokes so Heifeng Jiansui had to carefully copy them down.
Seeing Heifeng Jiansui flip through his final book, Ninebless was overjoyed. “Are you done now? Let’s get on with your forging already!”
“You don’t have to be so excited… Also, here is a book for you.” Heifeng Jiansui took out a book from the shelf and tossed it to Ninebless.
“’A Record of the Phoenixrune Barbarian Tribal Arts’… These techniques are barbarian arts that begin with cutting runes over the body with knives! What do I do with this?” Ninebless sounded as if Heifeng Jiansui played a joke on her.
“Flip to the 16th page, concentrate your eyes on the diagram and start chanting.” Hearing Heifeng Jiansui’s instructions, he decided to humor him and obeyed. For five minutes, the soothing voice of a spirit reciting an incomprehensible but distinct chant could be heard. After this, Ninebless had a amazed expression on her face.
“My spirit… this is a soul cultivation art that can even be used by spirits!” She had searched for such arts for 500 years and only found some low-grade technique which she mastered anyway. But this boy… On his first visit over, he accurately picked out a peak-level art for her!
“Their entire technique’s beginning involves casting spiritual pathways on the body. Those barbarians probably chanced on a cultivation art for spirits and modified it for their use.” As Heifeng Jiansui explained this, Ninebless’ face brightened. Of course, a cultivation technique designed for spirits would definitely suit her!
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After this, both of them went to the forging corridors near the Spirit Spring he had chosen as their base. Ninebless sat down and began chanting while focusing on the drawings on her manual.
As for Heifeng Jiansui, he sat down and mentally entered a vast library. After receiving a peak mental cultivation art from Ganwu Aina, he modified his ‘Boundless Scriptures Seeking Dao’ into a greater art, fusing it with his self-created battle spirit soul attack art. The library had widened in size and scope, and sword auras shone everywhere.
In this library, time would pass slower than reality. Thus, this was the ideal space to comprehend books and manuals.
After picking out quite a few manuals on the Eight Bagua along with the Ninebless Sect’s forging arts, he began reading through them. For forging that sword formation, he needed to build up a good foundation.
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Heifeng Jiansui gained some insights while reading the manuals. Perhaps due to this or some accompanying good fortune, no failures occurred while forging the swords.
Thus, the ‘Heaven and Earth’ swords were forged in a day. The ‘Fire and Water’ swords required another. The ‘Wind and Thunder’ swords took the third day. And the ‘Mountain and Lake’ swords were done the fourth day.
Harmonizing the understanding gained by forging the sub swords into his comprehension of the ‘World’ took the final day. Usually, the main sword was easier than the rest, but Heifeng Jiansui cared about Ganwu Aina, so he poured the entirety of his skill into forging the main sword.
After sending away his completed works, Heifeng Jiansui lost all desire to forge and simply spent time reading through various interesting fictions in his mental library. However, he didn’t get to enjoy this rest for long.
The rewards for successfully completing the mission, the complete top-grade Earth-Rank forging technique, the Ice-Fire Divine Forging Art arrived a few hours later.