Chapter 200: Tiny is also Cute
Chapter 200: Tiny is also Cute
"Got it!"
"My understanding of the 'Four Seasons Sword Art' may not be profound enough, but don't I have the best tool in my hands?"
"Nurturing the Profound Sword Sheath can temper the sword qi, enhance its power. So, I can inject the corresponding sword qi from the 'Four Seasons Sword Art' into the sheath, nurture and purify it for a short time, and then release it to nourish and stimulate the sword grass."
"This way, the mediocre sword qi can be elevated to above-average levels, albeit taking a bit more time. However, with proper preparation and staggered cultivation times, it can be achieved."
Lu Xuan looked excitedly at the ancient sheath tightly enveloping the Crimson Flame Sword beside him.
The 'Four Seasons Sword Art' had four basic sword qis, and he planned to cultivate two sword grasses for each type based on the nature of the sword qi.
The Spring Rain Sword Qi, continuous and endless, suitable for planting by a spiritually abundant small lake.
The Summer Sword Qi, violent and frenzied, could be used with earth manipulation techniques to build a suitable spiritual field on a lava river, planting two sword grass seeds.
As for the Autumn Wind and Winter Snow sword qis, the former could be planted at the entrance of the Black Wind Cave, and the latter inside the stone cave.
Under the nourishment and stimulation of different sword qis, Lu Xuan aimed to provide a similar spiritual environment for the sword grass seeds, ensuring mutual enhancement for faster growth.In this way, he would have two sword grass seeds left out of ten.
Just as Lu Xuan hesitated on how to handle them, his gaze swept over the Profound Sword Sheath, and he had a sudden idea.
"Why does it have to be after planting to stimulate improvement? It can be induced during the seedling stage to create anomalies."
"When improving the Spirit Firefly Grass before, inducing during the seedling stage resulted in a much higher probability of getting anomalous spirit plants compared to inducing during the planting stage."
"Similarly, inducing during the seedling stage of the sword grass might also increase the probability of its anomaly. The only difference is that you'll completely lose the sword grass seed, unlike in the planting stage, where there is room for recovery."
"As for how to induce and stimulate the seed... the Profound Sword Sheath in front of me is a ready-made tool."
"Putting the sword grass seed into the Profound Sword Sheath, would the sheath temper the seed as well?"
"The Crimson Flame Sword has been inserted in the sheath for a long time, leaving behind relevant sword intent inside. After pulling it out, I can use this sword intent to stimulate and induce the sword grass seed."
Lu Xuan thought and acted immediately, grabbing the ancient sheath and forcefully pulling out the Crimson Flame Sword.
The fiery red sword slowly emerged, faint mist oozing from the cracks between the sword and the sheath. When fully drawn, a few drops of fiery red spiritual liquid remained on the sword tip.
The sheath trembled slightly, adapting to the state after the Crimson Flame Sword was withdrawn.
"The traces left inside the sheath are quite heavy this time from the Crimson Flame Sword being inserted for a period."
Lu Xuan's divine sense entered the inner wall of the sheath, sensing a rich fire elemental aura inside, intense and hot.
He grasped a slender sword-like spirit seed and inserted it into the crack of the Profound Sword Sheath.
Perhaps due to the Crimson Flame Sword widening the sheath, the sword grass seed slid into the interior smoothly.
Initially resistant to the sword sheath being inserted, it hadn't sensed anything when the seed had already entered.
The slightly trembling Profound Sword Sheath instantly calmed down, hovering in the air as if challenging Lu Xuan.
"Is that it?"
"Uh... even small things are cute."
Lu Xuan uttered casually, looking at the ancient sheath, deciding to bring a giant sword next time to let the Profound Sword Sheath experience the feeling of cracking.
He explored the interior of the sheath with his divine sense, sensing the sword grass seed peacefully floating inside, surrounded by a faint fire elemental aura that gently nourished it.
"Eight sword grass seeds seek stability. Stimulate and cultivate two each with the four basic sword arts, ensure the maturity of the sword grass, and obtain the light cluster. Then, slowly stimulate the sword grass to induce anomalies."
"As for the remaining two seeds, one will use the sword intent left by the Crimson Flame Sword, combined with the tempering of the Profound Sword Sheath. The other will use the Thunder Sword Pill from the dantian and induce it together with the sheath."
"This way, the possibility of anomalies is higher. However, if it fails, it becomes a waste, and there is no room for recovery, unlike in the planting stage."
Lu Xuan pondered to himself.
In the following days, he planted the eight sword grass seeds in various places on the mountain peaks, occasionally checking the spirit seeds left in the sheath.
Of course, he still had to expend a considerable amount of spiritual power daily, spending time cultivating other spiritual plants.
The days were simple yet ample, and as long as he thought about the rewards from the matured spiritual plants, Lu Xuan felt a bit eager amidst his busy schedule.
One day, while he was carefully cultivating spiritual plants, a crisp chirp came from the foot of the mountain.
The direction of the chirping was the convenient nest built by the grass puppet for the Wind Falcon's egg incubation.
"Could it be that the egg of the Fire Dragon is about to hatch?"
This thought flashed through Lu Xuan's mind as he swiftly glided through the forest like floating light. In a few moments, he arrived at the nest of the Wind Falcon where the egg was being incubated.
Seeing Lu Xuan appear, the Wind Falcon, which had been tense, quickly relaxed.
Under its round belly, the pale red eggshell had more and more intricate patterns, forming various fiery red designs.
A series of faint cracking sounds like mosquito cries came one after another, and as Lu Xuan focused his gaze, he saw cracks gradually spreading on the delicate patterns of the eggshell.
The sound grew louder and more frequent, and the number of cracks on the eggshell increased.
"Roar~"
With a nascent dragon's tender roar, the eggshell burst open, leaving only shards scattered on the ground.
A small, fiery red dragon emerged.
The young dragon was about one and a half feet long, dripping wet all over. Its body, back, and sides had faint red scales. Its eyes were half-open, observing its surroundings in a naive manner.
After sensing that there was nothing unusual, the young dragon bit down on the fiery red eggshell fragments on the ground.
As it consumed more and more fragments, its breath continuously rose. Along with the gradually evaporating mucus on its body, the young dragon's majestic appearance slowly revealed itself.
Lu Xuan concentrated his mind on the young dragon, and a thought flashed through his mind.
【Fire Dragon, juvenile stage, feeds on demonic beast meat and spirit fruits, with the potential to grow into a third-tier dragon.】
【Strong physique, as strength increases, it can automatically comprehend low-level fire elemental spells.】
"A third-tier spirit beast, the first time I
've raised one with such a high rank. When it breaks through, I estimate I can get more light clusters."
Starting with the non-ranked Red Whisker Carp, then the first-tier Iron Claw Crab, the exotic Cloud-Stepping Lynx, the second-tier Wind Falcon, and now the third-tier Fire Dragon.
Although the rank of spirit beasts did not increase as rapidly as spiritual plants, it barely kept up with Lu Xuan's cultivation progress.
Just as he was contemplating, the young dragon ate faster and faster, and in no time, it had swallowed all the fragments of the large eggshell.
With a milky and satisfied roar, it sluggishly moved under the round belly of the Wind Falcon.
Closing its eyes, it leaned against the soft belly.
"... Isn't this Wind Falcon still underage? Yet, it's being taken as a mother by this young dragon?"
Lu Xuan couldn't help but sigh as he supported his forehead.