Mortal Bones

Chapter 10: Obtaining Spirit Crystals, the Mystery Within the Earth Treasury Fruit

“En.”

Xu Taiping followed her instruction, plucking a single pod from the beanstalk before carefully prying it open with his thumbs.

“Fairy, what are these?”

Once the pod was split, Xu Taiping saw that it held no beans. Instead, it cradled several sparkling, translucent beads that radiated a soft, crystalline luster.

“These are Spirit Crystals, the pure crystallization of the Spiritual Qi housed within this land. In the future, when you cultivate, you can place one beneath your tongue. Combined with the medicinal formula I gave you, even a White Bone can cultivate at a rapid pace.”

Fairy Lingyue spoke with absolute, unwavering confidence.

“Truly?”

The word slipped past Xu Taiping’s lips before he could stop it.

“Cultivating with a mortal bone is not inherently difficult. It is simply that on this continent where you reside, countless ancient cultivation legacies have been severed. That is the only reason you face a reality where a White Bone cannot step onto the path.”

Fairy Lingyue gave a nonchalant nod before continuing:

“Among the myriad treasures nurtured by the Earth Treasury Fruit, these Spirit Crystals are actually of the lowest possible tier. It is merely because this land is far too barren that it can only produce treasures of such a meager grade. Even if we allowed it to grow for a longer period, it would only marginally improve the purity of the Spirit Crystals. It could never nurture true Dharma Treasures imbued with supernatural powers.”

Hearing this, Xu Taiping nodded thoughtfully. After a moment, he asked, “Then, if I were to plant this seed upon the Seventh Peak, would it be capable of nurturing those supernatural Dharma Treasures you speak of?”

“You grasp the crux of the matter instantly. If this Venerable One were not merely a remnant soul, I would be deeply tempted to take you as my personal disciple.”

The more she observed him, the more Fairy Lingyue found herself liking this Xu Taiping.

Slightly embarrassed by the high praise, Xu Taiping awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

“However, if you wish for the Earth Treasury Fruit to bear more formidable treasures, simply planting it on the Spiritual Qi-rich Seventh Peak is not enough. There is one more task you and I must complete.”

Fairy Lingyue spoke up once more, shifting the subject.

“What task?”

Xu Taiping asked immediately.

“First, pluck the remaining two pods from the stalk, pry them open, and hold them in the palm of your hand.”

Fairy Lingyue did not rush to explain. Instead, she pointed a slender finger at the two vibrant green pods still hanging from the plant.

“Alright.”

Having already chosen to trust Fairy Lingyue, Xu Taiping acted with crisp decisiveness. Without a shred of hesitation, he snapped off the two pods and split them open.

Just as the fairy had predicted, these two pods also contained a handful of soybean-shaped Spirit Crystals.

“Fairy.”

Xu Taiping securely tucked his own share of the Spirit Crystals into his robes. Only then did he cup the remaining crystals in his hands and offer them to Fairy Lingyue’s phantom projection.

He would not covet a single piece he had promised another, nor would he part with a single piece that rightfully belonged to him.

Witnessing this, Fairy Lingyue nodded in quiet approval.

Within her heart, she praised him once again:

At such a tender age, he is cautious yet entirely unafraid. He acts with a refreshing, straightforward decisiveness. He is truly cut from the same cloth as my generation.

She kept these thoughts to herself, merely offering him a nod. Opening her mouth, she drew in a sharp breath, inhaling directly toward the Spirit Crystals resting in his palm.

Sssss…

Accompanied by a soft sucking sound, Xu Taiping watched in awe as the seven or eight Spirit Crystals instantly dissolved into wisps of violet Qi. Like rivers flowing into the sea, the vapor surged directly into the mouth of Fairy Lingyue’s phantom.

After absorbing the violet Qi born from the Spirit Crystals, Fairy Lingyue’s previously translucent figure visibly solidified. She no longer swayed and flickered like mist caught in the wind.

“Thank you, little friend Taiping, for extending my fragile life.”

Fairy Lingyue did not withhold her sincere gratitude.

“There is no need for thanks, Fairy. This is simply the bargain we struck.”

Unfazed by the honor, Xu Taiping shook his head with a calm, level expression.

“Well said.”

Fairy Lingyue nodded her agreement, then pointed down at the stalk.

“Look closely. What changes have occurred to the beanstalk?”

Prompted by her words, Xu Taiping lowered his gaze. He was stunned to discover that the plant, which had been brimming with vibrant vitality just moments ago, was now completely withered and brown, looking no different from a dead weed.

“Fairy, the plant is dead. How are we supposed to retrieve the seed?”

Though startled, Xu Taiping did not panic. He knew the ancient fairy floating before him certainly possessed a method.

“That question…”

Fairy Lingyue smiled softly.

“…leads directly to the second task I mentioned earlier.”

She finished.

Hearing this, Xu Taiping instantly straightened his posture, fixing an incredibly serious and attentive gaze upon her.

Fairy Lingyue did not keep him in suspense, delivering the truth plainly:

“Once the Earth Treasury Fruit has borne its yield and all its fruits have been harvested, the stalk will wither on its own accord. Even if you left it untouched until the following spring, it would never bloom again.”

“If you want it to bear fruit a second time, you must rely on Rootless Fire to incinerate this withered husk. Only when it has been entirely reduced to ashes will the seed be reborn from within those very ashes. Therefore, within the cultivation world, we refer to this process as ‘Seed Burning’.”

Lingyue’s explanation sent another wave of profound amazement crashing through Xu Taiping.

Yet, superseding his wonder was a sharp focus on a specific term she had used—Rootless Fire.

“Fairy, what exactly is a Rootless Fire?”

Xu Taiping asked.

Fairy Lingyue seemed fully prepared for the question. A look of deep gratification graced her features before she elaborated:

“As the name implies, a Rootless Fire is a mystical flame that burns without the need for external fuel or ignition.”

“There are two distinct varieties. The first is born naturally from the heavens and the earth. The second is actively refined by cultivators, utilizing their True Qi in tandem with profound cultivation techniques. We refer to this latter variety as True Fire.”

“The Rootless Fire born of nature is commonly known as Spiritual Fire. Such divine artifacts are governed entirely by fate; they can be encountered by chance, but never actively sought.”

“Thus, the only Rootless Fire realistically within your grasp is the True Fire refined by cultivators. And such True Fire is most commonly sealed within Dharma Treasures and Talismans.”

If she were merely answering a factual question, Fairy Lingyue would not have needed to explain the mechanics in such exhaustive detail. It was blatantly obvious she was actively trying to guide Xu Taiping onto the path of cultivation.

“Thank you for your profound guidance, Fairy.”

Feeling that he had gained an immense wealth of knowledge, Xu Taiping immediately bowed in gratitude.

“So, Fairy, you are instructing me to seek out a Talisman imbued with True Fire, correct?”

He quickly confirmed his objective.

“Precisely.”

Fairy Lingyue smiled and nodded.

“Although True Fire Talismans are not considered rare commodities, and the initial Seed Burning for the Earth Treasury Fruit does not require a flame of exceptional grade… in your current impoverished state, you likely lack the funds to purchase one. Therefore, you have two paths: achieve a high enough realm in your own cultivation to refine True Fire yourself, or painstakingly manage this medicinal garden, amass enough merit, and exchange it for a Talisman. There is no need to rush.”

Fairy Lingyue laid out his options with pragmatic clarity.

“Rest assured, Fairy. I will cultivate relentlessly, and I will pour my sweat into managing this half-acre garden. I will secure the True Fire required for the Seed Burning as quickly as humanly possible.”

Xu Taiping nodded, his young face set like carved stone.