Chương 296: Chapter 295: Just Two or Three More?

"A clear conscience is enough!" After the detoxification, Ye Chen and An Miaoli went through their familiar routine of question and answer.

"Senior An, if you can elevate to a Heavenly Spirit Root before your breakthrough, the quality of your Nascent Soul will surely be higher," Ye Chen said. An Miaoli's robes were pristine, her serene eyes fixed on him as she replied earnestly, "Then I must thank you, Fellow Daoist Ye." She didn't refuse. Ye Chen had revealed a treasure as monumental as Soul-Swaying Mountain—how could she reject such sincerity? There was no need for formalities with him.

All she had to do was repay him with her utmost effort when he needed it. Ye Chen smiled lightly, waving his hand. The Soul-Swaying Divine Stones from the entire mountain gathered into his grasp and floated before An Miaoli.

"Refining the stones here on Soul-Swaying Mountain yields the best results. Stay here until you've finished." The small world's rules were incomplete, lacking even moons or stars, rendering many lunar and stellar techniques unusable, not to mention higher laws. It wasn't ideal for long-term stays by high-level cultivators and still needed refinement. But for refining the Soul-Swaying Divine Stones, it was more than sufficient. An Miaoli nodded, her gaze drifting to a floating peak to the right of the main peak.

It exuded a strong water-based aura, shrouded in mist and brimming with spiritual vapor.

"May Yuyi and I reside on that peak for the time being?" she asked. Ye Chen glanced at it and nodded.

"If you like it, Senior, that peak is yours." An Miaoli, ethereal in her white robes, didn't refuse.

"Does it have a name?" Ye Chen shook his head.

"Name it as you wish, Senior." After a moment's thought, she said, "Then let's call it Clear Conscience Peak." Ye Chen had no objections. After a brief chat, An Miaoli settled cross-legged atop Soul-Swaying Mountain and began refining the divine stones. Ye Chen watched for a moment before his figure vanished, returning to An Miaoli's cave abode. He strolled leisurely toward his own cave, anticipation bubbling within him. An Miaoli was on the cusp of breaking through to Nascent Soul.

If she could achieve a Heavenly Spirit Root before then, her reward multiplier would likely soar. Once they were both at the Nascent Soul stage, gifting would be even more fruitful. An Yuyi, meanwhile, could serve as a substitute when An Miaoli was in seclusion, making her worth nurturing. After reaching Nascent Soul, Ye Chen planned to return to Green Cloud Sect, bringing Lu Jing, Senior Sister Yao Xi, and others to his side. Then, they'd head to the Holy Land together.

Though his small world was imperfect, with its flaws and incomplete rules, it was more than adequate for Foundation Establishment cultivators like Lu Jing, Lin Ke'er, and Yao Xi. Its spiritual qi density even surpassed that of Green Cloud Sect. Moments later, Ye Chen set aside these thoughts and sat cross-legged in his cave. With great care, he retrieved the Shakyamuni Fruit from his storage bracelet. As it hovered before him, a radiant Buddhist holy light emanated from it, inspiring an urge to bow in reverence.

Shaped like a seated Buddha, the fruit exuded boundless mystique. Stolen story; please report. Ye Chen couldn't help but wonder—having received so many Buddhist-related treasures, was the system backed by Buddhist sponsors? Dismissing the stray thought, he calmed his mind, channeled his spiritual power, and activated the Shakyamuni Heart Refining Art. He began refining the Shakyamuni Fruit. Soon, he entered a profound, mystical state.

With the fruit's power, the Shakyamuni Heart Refining Art underwent a dramatic transformation. Whenever Ye Chen activated the Shakyamuni Heart Refining Art, a majestic Buddha figure materialized above his head, radiating profound divine light. It tirelessly tempered his spiritual sense, repeatedly shattering its limits. His progress in the technique surged at an astonishing pace, leaving him in awe of the Shakyamuni Fruit's miraculous effects. This deepened his yearning for the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land.

The treasures he'd obtained through his system were already on par with those coveted by such top-tier factions. What incredible rewards might he gain by joining the Holy Land, gifting their treasures, and triggering the system's feedback? The thought made him increasingly eager to break through to Nascent Soul and head to Heavenly Evolution. It wasn't that the Divine Will Sect was lacking—it was simply that Heavenly Evolution Holy Land was far more suited to his ambitions.

A week later, Ye Chen visited his small world. The Star Pool's effects were remarkable. An Yuyi had already broken through to mid-Golden Core. However, she wasn't soaking in the spiritual liquid, instead diligently refining her cultivation. Rapid advancement could destabilize one's foundation, so, under An Miaoli's guidance, she'd paused her immersion to consolidate her progress. In a month, she planned to use the Star Pool to push for late Golden Core.

An Miaoli, meanwhile, was still on Soul-Swaying Mountain, refining the divine stones. The process wasn't difficult—someone in a hurry could refine six or seven stones a day. But An Miaoli took her time, refining three daily before practicing the Sword Peng Heart Refining Art. Ye Chen gifted her a treasure to aid her Nascent Soul breakthrough, requested another detoxification session, and then departed. In that moment, he deeply appreciated the convenience of his small world.

Having giftable female cultivators residing within it meant he could present treasures anytime, utterly practical. He also recalled how dual cultivation with the little demoness had upgraded his system, unlocking a multiplier for Dao partners. Could further upgrades be possible? What if he dual-cultivated with a 500x or 1000x multiplier cultivator? Might the system evolve again, unveiling new functions? The possibilities intrigued him greatly.

A month later, Ye Chen's already formidable spiritual sense had made astonishing strides. He could faintly sense that in just three more months, his spiritual sense would reach its absolute limit. At that point, he could enter seclusion and break through to the Nascent Soul stage. It was now the fifth week, and Ye Chen returned to his small world. An Yuyi had finished stabilizing her cultivation and reentered the Star Pool.

Her soaked spiritual robe clung to her body, accentuating her generous and curvaceous figure. Ye Chen inspected the pool's water, confirming it was more than sufficient to propel her to the peak of Golden Core, and nodded in satisfaction before heading to Soul-Swaying Mountain. Upon arriving, he raised an eyebrow. An Miaoli stood with her dark hair gently swaying and her white dress ethereal. Her eyes radiated spiritual light, and the red mole on her forehead gleamed with divine brilliance.

She exuded an aura of flawless perfection, clearly having reached the point of breaking through to Nascent Soul. However, her reward multiplier remained unchanged, and the system gave no response. It seemed the hundred Soul-Swaying Divine Stones hadn't been enough to elevate her to a Heavenly Spirit Root—a pity.

"How close are you to achieving a Heavenly Spirit Root, Senior?" Ye Chen couldn't help but ask. An Miaoli replied softly, "I'm at the critical threshold. Perhaps just one or two more stones would trigger a qualitative transformation." Her innate talent was already exceptional, so the spiritual sense required to reach a Heavenly Spirit Root was less than expected. Ye Chen's mouth twitched.

When he'd first acquired Soul-Swaying Mountain, he'd casually tested a few stones himself—had he known, those could've made the difference. The gap between an Earth Spirit Root and a Heavenly Spirit Root was immense. If An Miaoli achieved it, her multiplier might soar to 500x. He couldn't resist suggesting, "Why not delay your breakthrough until next year, Senior? In eight months, the next batch of Soul-Swaying Divine Stones will be ready."