Chương 15

The modified Metal Gathering Art was unquestionably one of Elara's greatest trump cards—a devastating finishing move capable of killing enemies far above her current level. For now, however, its weaknesses were just as obvious. The art required a long preparation period. Once she began gathering and compressing the iron sand, she couldn't afford to stop. She couldn't even spare the concentration to defend herself while the technique was taking shape.

But those weaknesses only exist because my cultivation is too low and my control over qi isn't refined enough. They can all be overcome. Elara recalled the legendary combat-oriented Spirit Gardener from her previous life. According to the stories, on the very day he broke through to the Golden Core Realm, he had clashed with three veteran Golden Core cultivators. The gap in experience and overall strength had been enormous, but the battle had taken place in a region riddled with mineral veins.

With a single sweep of his hand, more than a thousand iron swords had formed in the air. When he brought his arm down, those thousand swords merged into a raging black dragon and tore toward the three cultivators with unstoppable force. The explosion that followed severely wounded all three of them. That battle had shown the entire player community just how terrifying a combat-oriented Spirit Gardener could become.... As Elara meditated and recovered her qi, she opened her status screen.

[Elara Lin] [Cultivation: Qi Refining Tier 2 — 11/100] [Race: Human] [Fortune: 2] [Talents] [Practice Makes Perfect — White] [Spirit-Touched Foundation — Green] [Skills] [Basic Arts] [Raincall — Level 2: 56/100] [Soften Earth — Level 2: 74/100] [Pest Ward — Level 2: 10/100] [Grassweaving Art — Level 2: 5/100] [Metal Gathering Art (Modified) — Level 1: 10/100] [Basic Talismans] [Soul-Calming Talisman — Level 1: 77/100] [Basic Cultivation Methods] [Minor Origin Breathing Art — Level 1: 10/100] Metal Gathering Art had officially appeared on her interface.

That meant she could continue raising its proficiency simply by practicing the modified technique. Because her version differed so drastically from the traditional gardening art, however, the interface had added the Modified designation.

"My cultivation is still the most urgent problem. But even if I spend all my time cultivating inside the Ember Sanctum, three days of training only raises my progress by about ten points. Advancement will only get slower as my cultivation rises." Elara had no intention of relying entirely on secluded cultivation. The Ember Sanctum's abundant spiritual qi and altered time flow made it an extraordinary place to train, but focusing solely on those advantages would mean neglecting the Sanctum's most valuable feature.

The treasures awarded for clearing its trials. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. The first level alone had given her a Dao Embryo Pill. What kinds of rewards might be waiting on the second and third levels? They could only be more valuable.

"I didn't attempt the second trial before because I didn't have an offensive art. Even if the opponent is only at Qi Refining Tier 1 and I can choose the battlefield, once they manage to cast a combat art, a Spirit Gardener like me will almost certainly lose." That had been true before. Based on Elara's memories from her previous life, however, the duel trials contained a small loophole she could exploit.

"Not only can I choose the battlefield, but the opposing cultivator remains frozen like a puppet until I confirm that I'm ready. I can't move from my starting position either, but nothing prevents me from forming hand seals or circulating my qi." That gave Elara all the time she needed to prepare Metal Gathering Art. With this loophole, any early trial based on a direct duel should pose little difficulty. Once her qi had fully recovered, Elara stepped onto the second stair.

The same cool voice sounded beside her ear. [A Qi Refining Tier 1 cultivator with whom you have formed a bitter grudge has challenged you to a duel to the death. Do you accept?] It was presented as a choice, but Elara didn't truly have one. If she refused, she would be expelled from the Ember Sanctum immediately. The second trial would count as a failure, and she would have to wait through another one-day cooldown before attempting it again.

"I accept. For the battlefield, I choose fertile ground rich in metal-aspected mineral deposits." The scene before her shifted rapidly. When Elara's vision cleared, she found herself standing in an arena of densely packed black earth. Mountains surrounded the battlefield, their exposed slopes veined with mineral deposits. A steady wind swept through the valley and tugged at her robes.

"You contemptible coward! Today, one of us will die!" A furious cultivator in green robes was stepping onto the dueling platform with a sword in hand. Beyond the arena, a crowd of cultivators cheered and shouted, eager to witness the duel. The cool voice spoke again. [Are you ready?] Elara gave no answer. She knew the rules of the Ember Sanctum. Until she confirmed that she was ready, her opponent would remain frozen in the middle of stepping onto the platform.

"This place really does feel real." Elara felt the mountain wind brush across her skin and watched it ripple through the robes of the cultivators gathered below. The crowd, the arena, and the distant mountains all seemed completely genuine. To create an illusion this convincing, the Ember Sanctum truly deserved to be called a treasure of the Divine Sects. After that brief moment of appreciation, Elara stopped wasting time.

She closed her eyes and divided her qi into dozens of separate threads, guiding them deep into the ground beneath the arena. Her full concentration went into gathering metal-aspected substances, particularly iron sand and similar materials infused with spiritual qi. The confirmation prompt repeated every thirty seconds. By the time it sounded for the third time, countless grains of iron sand were seeping from the ground like streams of black water.

They gathered before Elara, compressed together, and gradually formed a deep-black iron sword suspended in the air. [Metal Gathering Art (Modified) successfully cast. Proficiency +5.] [15/100]"I'm ready." Elara breathed heavily, holding the final hand seal so she could launch the iron sword at any moment. Everything was prepared. She looked at the enemy across from her, unable to suppress a trace of excitement. A trial opponent this convenient was hard to find.

"You contemptible coward! I'll—" The instant the duel began, the green-robed cultivator raised his sword and took a single step forward. A black blur flashed across the arena. The iron sword struck him before he could finish speaking. His body immediately dissolved into spiritual qi and vanished from the dueling platform. That's it? A Qi Refining Tier 1 cultivator didn't even have a chance to struggle. Elara was somewhat disappointed.

She had wanted to test the second stage of the technique and see whether the explosion could reduce the puppet to dust. Apparently, she wouldn't get that opportunity here. She could only hope the later trials would provide sturdier opponents. [Congratulations. You have cleared Level 2 of the Stairway of the Great Dao.] [Rewards acquired:] [Minor Breakthrough Pill] [Origin-Nurturing Pill] Once again, she had received two rewards.

The first was the standard reward for clearing the trial: a Mid Basic-grade Minor Breakthrough Pill. Any cultivator at Qi Refining Tier 4 or below could use it to advance by one Tier without side effects. The second was a High Arcane-grade Origin-Nurturing Pill, awarded because Elara had established a new completion record. A Minor Breakthrough Pill is exactly what I need right now. But this record reward is even more valuable than I expected.

Elara gave the pale yellow Minor Breakthrough Pill only a brief glance before focusing on the Origin-Nurturing Pill. It was the same grade as the Dao Embryo Pill. Both were exceptionally valuable treasures capable of improving a cultivator's long-term potential. Once consumed and fully refined, an Origin-Nurturing Pill could expand the amount of qi a cultivator's dantian could contain.

That effect might not sound as remarkable as the complete foundational transformation produced by a Dao Embryo Pill, but its value was no lower. Pills like this were considered essential for the most promising disciples of powerful sects and the direct heirs of great cultivation clans. The earlier someone took one after beginning cultivation, the greater the long-term benefit.

An ordinary cultivator's qi reserves might double—or even triple—after a breakthrough, depending on their Talent, cultivation foundation, and potential. The Origin-Nurturing Pill worked differently. It expanded the cultivator's existing dantian capacity by roughly ten percent. That meant every future increase would be calculated from the expanded foundation. No matter how many times her qi reserves multiplied after future breakthroughs, each increase would begin from that larger base.

"A cultivator can only take one Origin-Nurturing Pill in their lifetime, and the earlier it's taken, the greater the benefit. I couldn't have received it at a better time."