Chương 31: Chapter 30

In Seed of Ascension, the Dao Realm served as a dungeon, a competitive ladder, and a tutorial for new players. The first step taught talisman crafting. Steps two through five tested combat skills. Each fight was harder than the last, helping players get comfortable with the game's mechanics as quickly as possible. But here, where the game had become reality, the fourth trial meant a real fight. The projection would behave just like a living cultivator.

And Elara had no great advantage over other Tier 4 Qi Refining cultivators. Her profession certainly wasn't helping. Spirit Gardeners were hardly known for their combat prowess. …

Personal Status Race: Human Cultivation: Qi Refining, Tier 4 (15/100) Fortune: 8 Talents: [Practice Makes Perfect (White)], [Spirit-Touched Foundation (Green)] Skills: Basic Arts: [Raincall] (Level 3: 5/100) [Soften Earth] (Level 3: 11/100) [Pest Ward] (Level 2: 62/100) [Grassweaving Art] (Level 2: 15/100) [Metal Gathering Art (Modified)] (Level 2: 12/100) Basic Talismans: [Soul-Calming Talisman] (Level 2: 5/100) Basic Cultivation Methods: [Minor Origin Breathing Art] (Level 2: 1/100) …

She opened her interface, considered the line reading Qi Refining, Tier 4 (15/100), then moved straight on to her equipment, items, and pets. She was a player. If her cultivation couldn't measure up to an NPC's, she had two options: grind harder or spend money. After taking stock of everything she owned, Elara concluded that her best option was the Rank Two talisman [Flamewyrm Ruin]. She was less than pleased. Of course. It's a game.

Equipment and pets come back intact after a dungeon run, but talismans and medicine are consumables. Here, that meant using a talisman or medicinal item inside the Dao Realm would drain the spiritual energy from its counterpart outside, rendering it worthless. She was not about to waste a Rank Two talisman powerful enough to threaten a Foundation Establishment cultivator's life on the fourth step. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Rank One talismans, though?

Those she could stock up on. Elara decided the Dao Realm could wait until tomorrow. The next morning, she took the hundred Spirit Stones Alistair had paid her and headed to Dawnmere Trading House. [Thunderbolt Talismans], Rank One. Ten Spirit Stones each. She bought three. [Golden Halberd Talismans], also Rank One. Another ten Spirit Stones apiece. Three of those, too. [Flame Serpent Talismans]. Same rank, same price. Another three. The last of her money went toward two [Gale Talismans].

Her coin pouch was empty again. There was no time to mourn her Spirit Stones. Once back at her cottage, she drew a [Soul-Calming Talisman]. [6/100] Then she prepared to enter the Dao Realm.

"Student Elara seeks to carry on the legacy of the Seeds of Ascension. Grant me entry to the Dao Realm." The familiar Stairway of the Great Dao appeared before her. She stepped onto the fourth stair. This time, no notification warned her that her Fortune was too low. [Do you wish to challenge the fourth step of the Stairway of the Great Dao? Please note: Your opponent is at Tier 4 Qi Refining.] Elara took a deep breath.

"Yes." Her surroundings rippled like disturbed water. When they settled, she stood in a rain-soaked forest. She immediately searched for her opponent. Ahead, a sword cultivator in blue robes was taking shape among the trees. In another moment, he would be fully formed. This time, Elara didn't bother with Metal Gathering Art. She pulled out a [Thunderbolt Talisman], a [Golden Halberd Talisman], and a [Gale Talisman].

By the time her opponent finished materializing, the [Thunderbolt Talisman] was already active above the trees.

"Begin!" Elara announced the start herself. With her spiritual sense, she guided the talisman's qi and directed its lightning at him. A bolt cracked through the rain.

"You cheating coward! I'll—" The lightning struck before he could finish. Elara threw her second talisman. With his limbs still sluggish from the lightning, the sword cultivator couldn't avoid the short golden halberd that hurtled through the air and buried itself in his body. He's still alive? Sword cultivators really are terrifying. He was badly battered, but clearly hadn't given up the fight. Elara's unease deepened.

Back in the game, the NPCs on the second, third, and fourth steps had barely been worth a thought. Only now did she realize how formidable these trials were. Whoever the Dao Realm had modeled this Tier 4 sword cultivator on, it certainly hadn't been an ordinary Moonwatch Sect disciple. Wincing at the expense, she drew another talisman. A second bolt of lightning struck him. Thirty Spirit Stones gone in moments. If the fourth step didn't give her something good, she might actually lose money on this attempt.

Fortunately, the third talisman finally left her opponent unable to fight back. Elara released the Spirit-Eater Beetles from her Swarmkeeper Ring. With their help and Metal Gathering Art, she finished him off. [Congratulations! You have cleared the fourth step of the Stairway of the Great Dao.] [Rewards: Foundations of Talisman Craft (Rank One), Spiritwell Flask (Low Arcane-grade).]"Yes!" Elara threw her arms up. Both rewards were exactly the sort of thing she wanted.

First, Foundations of Talisman Craft (Rank One) contained the methods used by the immortal realm's sects to craft Rank One talismans. In the game, that would have been at least a blue-grade reward. A skill book! Once she could make her own talismans, she wouldn't have to pay ten Spirit Stones every time she needed one. And the [Spiritwell Flask (Low Arcane-grade)] was even better. Players of Seed of Ascension had a nickname for it: the Spirit Gardener's Miracle Flask. As for what it did…

[Spiritwell Flask (Low Arcane-grade): Draws in ambient spiritual energy and condenses it into small quantities of spirit liquid.] That liquid was primarily used to accelerate the growth of spirit plants. Back in the game, practically every Spirit Gardener owned a [Spiritwell Flask]. Some even kept several spares. They stockpiled the liquid and used it to speed up their crops' growth before game events, then made a handsome profit when demand surged. Elara could use her own [Spiritwell Flask] the same way.

But with her "new-player bonus," every crop she brought to maturity also meant reward orbs. Two payoffs from every harvest! The best way to boost its output would be to put it inside something like a Qi-Gathering Formation. Already making plans, she hurried to claim her rewards. An aged book appeared in her hands, along with a flask carved entirely from translucent, moon-white spirit jade. Elara couldn't have been happier. With the [Spiritwell Flask], she would soon earn back every Spirit Stone she had spent.