Chapter 369: The Mysteries of the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo
As Zhang Yu’s practice time with another cultivation art surpassed thirty hours, the Divine Spirit Root within his body trembled slightly, as if devouring the art as sustenance.
At that moment, Zhang Yu noticed the Dao Seed named Azure Lotus Sword Embryo finally appearing on the Feather Book’s Dao Seed Register.
Azure Lotus Sword Embryo (Spirit Root) - Level 2
“Finally, I’ve succeeded.”
Zhang Yu’s heart surged with excitement at this sight. This Divine Spirit Root, obtained from Bai Zhenzhen, represented his first military-grade Power, filling him with boundless anticipation.
He immediately began sensing the information contained within the Dao Seed while simultaneously testing the functions of the Divine Spirit Root in his Dantian, gradually piecing together a comprehensive understanding of its mysteries.
In truth, though Zhang Yu hadn’t actively explored the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s capabilities in recent days, he had inevitably noticed its effects while continuously circulating cultivation arts to nourish the Spirit Root.
Now, by sensing the Dao Seed, his progress accelerated exponentially, allowing him to gradually unravel the full extent of the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s secrets.
“The defining characteristic of the Level 2 Azure Lotus Sword Embryo remains its adaptability, but this adaptability far surpasses even the enhanced capabilities of the Heavenly Spirit Root era.”
“This adaptation, or rather, enhancement, involves long-term adjustments to the body. For example, as A-Zhen diligently practices the Sword Control Technique, the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo continuously refines her physique, gradually enhancing her reaction speed, mental processing, Magic Power mobilization efficiency, and other aspects, thereby continuously strengthening her sword control abilities and allowing her sword technique to advance by leaps and bounds.”
“However, if one attempts to adapt to everything — allowing the physical body to adapt to the effects of various medicinal pills, to the tempering of external forces, to the influence of daoist arts…”
“Gradually, medicinal pills will lose their efficacy on the cultivator, rendering them useless. Without physical strain during cultivation, various cultivation methods will fail to transform the body. If daoist arts cannot exert influence, their power will no longer enhance the cultivator…”
“Adapting to everything will only slow down cultivation progress, potentially leading the cultivator astray.”
Zhang Yu mused inwardly, “The Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s adaptation is by no means a blind, all-encompassing process. Rather, it is a selective adaptation.”
“The direction of adaptation is determined by the user’s state and intentions.”
“For example, A-Zhen wanted to conceal her Spirit Root, so day after day, the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo continuously enhanced her concealment abilities.”
“Later, when she focused on cultivating martial arts, the sword embryo began to enhance her martial dao aptitude.”
“During high school, A-Zhen awakened the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s deduction ability, which is another manifestation of its adaptive enhancement. At that time, she could deduce cultivation arts, modify level 10 effects, and obtain results more tailored to her needs.”
“Now that I’m using the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo, what direction will it push me towards?”
Initially, Zhang Yu assumed that the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo would gradually enhance his Civil Engineering cultivation arts as he worked overtime and took on extra shifts.
But he soon realized he was wrong.
“The Azure Lotus Sword Embryo… is enhancing my Chain Formation Diagram Set?”
At first, Zhang Yu was puzzled, but he gradually understood the reason.
“The Azure Lotus Sword Embryo adapts by enhancing the direction in which the cultivator is most focused on improving.”
“When I switch between my Chain Method Diagram Sets, does it drastically alter my physique and innate talents?”
“This dramatic shift after switching sets seems to trigger the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s adaptive enhancement, making it believe I’m evolving in that direction. As a result, the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo adjusts my body to amplify the effects of the active set.”
“The True Spirit Root couldn’t do this before. Is this a capability unlocked only after evolving into a Divine Spirit Root?”
“When I switch to the University Sacred Body, the True Spirit Root begins enhancing my cultivation art learning ability…”
“Switching to the Civil Engineering Sacred Body strengthens my various resistances and slows down my lifespan consumption…”
“Switching to Qi Meridian Everflow enhances my Magic Power recovery speed and reduces consumption efficiency…”
Zhang Yu could sense that, though the process was subtle and gradual, the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo was indeed adapting and enhancing him in accordance with the active set’s direction.
Realizing this, Zhang Yu felt a surge of elation. He understood that the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s assistance would be unprecedented.
The Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s adjustments and enhancements to the body were permanent.
“Does this mean that even if I switch from the University Sacred Body to the Civil Engineering Sacred Body, the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s enhancement to my learning ability will still remain?”
“Wouldn’t that mean… with the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo, I can retain a portion of the set effects on my body at all times?”
Zhang Yu had always placed great importance on the effects of the Chain Method Diagram Set.
However, the set’s biggest drawback was that only one set could be used at a time, with limited compatibility between them.
But if the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s enhancements allowed his body to maintain a portion of the set effects even in its normal state, it would undoubtedly lead to a qualitative leap in Zhang Yu’s strength.
Zhang Yu exhaled deeply, suppressing his excitement and joy, and began summarizing the effects of the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo.
“For me, the greatest benefit of the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo is its enhancement of my set effects.”
“Secondly, it allows me to retain a portion of the set effects even after removing the set.”
“But how much it can ultimately enhance and retain remains unknown. It will take months, perhaps even years, of gradual cultivation to determine the results.”
“Also, some abilities that have already reached the Foundation Establishment Limit after switching sets, such as the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s adjustments to my body, seem impossible to further enhance.”
“For example, the peak Foundation Establishment medicinal pill tolerance granted by the University Sacred Body, and the peak Foundation Establishment digestive capacity, appear to be beyond the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s ability to improve.”
Zhang Yu could sense that due to the diverse effects of different sets, the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s adaptive enhancements would vary greatly depending on the set. He would need to gradually familiarize himself with these nuances through future cultivation and personal insight.
Yet, a faint smile curled at the corner of Zhang Yu’s lips. Wasn’t this kind of “blessed burden” — discovering the profound mysteries of his own power — a form of happiness in itself?
“With the Feather Book and the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo, how strong will I become in a few years?”
“The anticipation is truly exhilarating.”
Of course, there were also the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s hidden capabilities and deductive abilities. The former granted formidable combat prowess and stealth, while the latter elevated cultivation arts to a higher level.
Another matter that piqued Zhang Yu’s curiosity and anticipation was the next upgrade of the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo.
“To advance the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo to the 3rd-tier, it requires nourishment from ten Level 30 cultivation arts.”
“Hah… This is something only achievable during the Golden Core Stage, right?”
Zhang Yu shook his head. Though he eagerly anticipated this advancement, he understood it was far from being accomplished in the short term.
Moreover, without sufficient strength…
“Prematurely upgrading A-Zhen’s Azure Lotus Sword Embryo again, exposing it under the Divine Monarch Seven Emotions’ watchful gaze, might not be a wise move.”
At the simulated construction site, Gongshu Jin, Ying Xin, and the others slowly departed as class ended.
Gongshu Jin glanced at the crowd, his curiosity piqued. “Zhang Yu has been taking leave for the past few days. What’s he been up to?”
“And at yesterday’s banquet, he was only focused on eating, not even seizing the opportunity to make friends from other universities.”
“While eating is important, yesterday was a rare chance…”
Gongshu Jin couldn’t shake the feeling that Zhang Yu’s behavior seemed rather listless.
“Yesterday’s banquet was filled with top-tier university competition participants, each one an academic overachiever among academic overachievers. They control rare resources from their respective universities, and many are even more formidable than Zhang Yu and Ji Yuanshu.”
In Gongshu Jin’s view, each such acquaintance represented a boost to one’s Immortal Dao Potential.
Beyond exchanging resources between universities, it also meant having more potential lenders.
He himself had added over a dozen new contacts yesterday, a modest increase to his Immortal Dao Potential.
Just then, Gongshu Jin’s gaze sharpened as he spotted a figure standing outside the simulated construction site.
“That person is…”
He recognized the person: Wen Wuya from Heavenly Sword University, an academic overachiever who, like Bai Zhenzhen, had participated in the Flying Sword Competition, and another disciple of a Spirit Transformation Divine Monarch.
Although Wen Wuya hadn’t generated as much buzz on the Spirit Realm Network as Bai Zhenzhen, Gongshu Jin remembered that Wen Wuya had actually ranked higher than her in the competition.
“Wasn’t he around 15th place?”
“What’s he doing at the simulation construction site?”
Wen Wuya had come looking for Bai Zhenzhen.
Just before the Heavenly Sword University delegation was about to leave, Bai Zhenzhen had vanished again.
So he found Zhang Yu’s classroom, hoping to see if Bai Zhenzhen was nearby.
As Wen Wuya’s gaze swept over the students in the Foundation Establishment Class, a figure stepped forward to greet him: Ji Yuanshu from the Sixth Layer.
As the student with the highest grades and most prestigious background present, Ji Yuanshu considered himself the most suitable person to approach Wen Wuya.
He also wanted to seize this opportunity to… forge a connection with Wen Wuya, a Spirit Transformation Disciple from the Tenth Layer.
“If I can add him as a friend, or even take a photo with him and post it on my Spirit Realm Moments, my Qi Luck should increase significantly.”
Ji Yuanshu recalled a method from the Qi Luck Dao Techniques.
There had once been a senior from the Finance Department who went around taking photos with powerful figures. This led many to believe he had deep connections and knew many wealthy people, causing his Qi Luck to surge and his cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds. The only unfortunate thing was that he ultimately couldn’t withstand the backlash…
Ji Yuanshu spoke up, “Hello, I’m Ji Yuanshu from the Civil Engineering Department at Myriad Laws University. Is there something I can help you with?”
In Wen Wuya’s eyes, Ji Yuanshu, Gongshu Jin, and even Ying Xin standing nearby were all the same. Once they entered the Civil Engineering Department, they were nothing more than workers.
Even if Wen Wuya knew about their so-called Second Layer, Fourth Layer, or Sixth Layer origins, he wouldn’t care.
To someone from the Tenth Layer like him, weren’t they all from the lower layers anyway?
Whenever he heard these lower-layer people distinguishing themselves from each other, he found it amusing and lamented the severe class discrimination among them.
In contrast, the First Layer people held a special place in Wen Wuya’s eyes, like rare animals, exuding a primal, untamed aura.