Chapter 73: Fame Points Skyrocket

Su Yuan had Little Qian take a look at his sea of consciousness. Then Little Qian fell silent for a long time before speaking, "Just which great master reincarnated as you? How could you integrate a natural formation restriction into your body? I've never heard of such a thing in all my years! This natural formation restriction feels like it's at the sixth tier! Didn't you consider the risk of your body exploding when you put it inside yourself?" Su Yuan waved his hand dismissively, "When I established my foundation, it felt like heaven and earth were cooperating with me. I just got lucky!" "Heaven-defying! No wonder I ended up in your hands!" Little Qian seemed to start feeling happy about falling into Su Yuan's possession. "I have one too, I have one too!" Xiao Li finally found an opportunity to interject, "I also have a natural formation restriction inside me, and it's quite similar to Su Yuan's!" Little Qian was surprised, "You have one too? Aren't you just a storage artifact? What would you need a natural formation restriction for?" "Hmph! I'm a grotto-heaven spiritual treasure! Do you even know what a grotto-heaven is?!" Xiao Li huffed angrily and turned away to leave. Su Yuan chuckled but didn't make anything of it. He continued supplying his spiritual sense as the Soul Nourishing Wood's aura grew increasingly vigorous. This piece of Soul Nourishing Wood acted as if encountering sweet rain after a long drought, not only greedily devouring the Fasting Spiritual Liquid, Big Dipper starlight, and earth vein spiritual energy, but also voraciously absorbing Su Yuan's spiritual sense. After a full hour, the Soul Nourishing Wood finally stopped its frenzy. The entire piece had grown ten times larger, expanding from palm-sized to a meter tall, with Su Yuan's likeness appearing on its bark, though covered in wood grain patterns. "This is a century-old Soul Nourishing Wood, not just a year-old one! The old valley master misjudged it!" Su Yuan said cheerfully. "Without your abundant supply, this Soul Nourishing Wood couldn't have recovered to its peak state. Now it has completely fused with your spiritual sense and retained a wisp of your soul within. If you were to die unexpectedly, this soul wisp could gradually recover into a complete entity, restoring soul power at the Golden Core level. You've gained another life-saving measure!" Little Qian praised. Su Yuan nodded in satisfaction as well. This was an extra life-saving trump card, and Su Yuan naturally wanted as many as possible. If he could cultivate it to become millennium-old Soul Nourishing Wood, it might even be able to restore a Nascent Soul-level soul body, which would be even more perfect, as a Nascent Soul-level soul body could leave the wood to perform body possession and live again. Thus, the value of fourth-tier millennium-old Soul Nourishing Wood was at least a hundred times greater than century-old wood. In the cultivation world, Soul Nourishing Wood was extremely rare. Even year-old pieces were quite valuable, more than sufficient to repay the kindness of the spiritual water Su Yuan had gifted. But now that it was century-old Soul Nourishing Wood with practical use value, it had become something comparable in worth to a life-bound magical treasure. "Is my luck really this good? To casually obtain such treasures from others, though having too many karmic ties isn't ideal either." After brief contemplation, Su Yuan's gaze sharpened, "What does karma matter? With sufficient cultivation, I can bear any amount of karmic entanglement!" Su Yuan calmly looked at the Soul Nourishing Wood before turning back to the courtyard, leisurely drinking tea. Half his field of vision was occupied by the silver light waterfall from the Floating Light Pot, while the other half wandered through various scenes via Mind Echo. On one hand, he observed the profound mysteries of heaven and earth, comprehending the natural Dao and universal principles;on the other, he observed the various states of human affairs, experiencing the fickleness of the world and diverse experiences. As he sipped spiritual tea, tasting its bittersweet flavors, countless wisps of spiritual energy automatically entered his body, transformed by the natural formation restriction into Su Yuan's spiritual power, merging with his body, soul, and true essence. Every single moment, Su Yuan was growing stronger—and this was during his resting state. After accumulating for some time, his strength would make another rapid leap forward! The Ten Thousand Treasures Heaven-Earth Cauldron stood beside Su Yuan, watching him with an inexplicable gaze. "Is he cultivating? Comprehending the Dao? Or just slacking off? This new master is really strange, but undeniably impressive!" ... Ten days later. [Ding, fame points +5000] "What?" Su Yuan was shocked awake and hurriedly checked his system panel. [Name]: Su Yuan [Region]: Green Vine Continent [Level]: Widely Known (89,425/100,000) [Realm]: Early Foundation Establishment Stage (70/100): Late Golden Sand Stage [Trait 1]: Balance Work and Rest: Current rest time: 22.3 days [Trait 2]: Daoist Techniques Naturally [Trait 3]: Seven Stars Shine Bright [Trait 4]: Mind Echo "My heavens, without noticing, my fame points have increased by about forty thousand, almost reaching ninety thousand!" Su Yuan instantly focused on the fame points notification. The next moment, Mind Echo instantly projected into a secluded cultivation chamber. Elder Nangong Xianweng had a dark expression as he spat out something, the remnants of a pill visible in his saliva. With a gloomy face, he cursed, "This is supposed to increase breakthrough success rates by ten percent for any realm? What nonsense! It's just an ordinary Fasting Pill with a weird aftertaste! Who on earth concocted this thing? And who spread word of it to me? I actually believed it!" Elder Nangong waved his hand, turning the filth before him to dust. He recited an incantation, sending a message afar. Nangong Huoyu hurried over and respectfully bowed, "Greetings, Ancestor!" "I ask you—who told you this pill could increase breakthrough success rates?" Elder Nangong produced a multicolored Fasting Pill in his hand. Nangong Huoyu exclaimed in surprise, "Ah? How did you know about this, Ancestor?" Elder Nangong stiffened, having forgotten he'd originally eavesdropped on this information. "I'm asking you!" Elder Nangong glared at her. "Uh, I heard it from the old valley master! He highly praised this pill, and many disciples have indeed broken through realms using it. Compared to previous data, the success rate really has increased by ten percent! This is something everyone has witnessed, not just empty words from the old valley master." Elder Nangong looked surprised, "Really?" "Yes, it's true!" Nangong Huoyu nodded. Elder Nangong frowned, sensing this couldn't be so simple! He immediately contacted the Seven Extremes Sect's formation spirit. The formation spirit promptly appeared and, at Elder Nangong's request, replayed all events that had occurred in the sect over this period before him. Thousands of scenes played simultaneously at accelerated speed, yet Elder Nangong accurately observed each one while performing hand seals to deduce the reasons behind the recent changes. Gradually, numerous books repeatedly appeared in the images. Elder Nangong's eyes gleamed as he locked onto those texts. <Primer on Qi Refining: Su Yuan's Revised Edition> <Seven Stars Mystic Truth Body Tempering Art: Su Yuan's Simplified Version> <Seven Stars Mystic Truth Spirit Tempering Art: Su Yuan's Simplified Version> <Primer on Formations...> <Primer on Talismans...> <Primer on Alchemy...> Volume after volume gradually coalesced into the image of a calm, gentle-smiling young man. Elder Nangong fell silent. Nangong Huoyu was stunned, seemingly understanding Elder Nangong's deduction results. She said in a trembling voice, "Could it be... all this is due to Su Yuan's teachings?" Elder Nangong slowly nodded, "Exactly. It's not that weird-tasting Fasting Pill having any miraculous effect—well, not entirely, as it does somewhat temper one's willpower—but the greater effect comes from Su Yuan's teachings!" "He provided detailed explanations on Qi Refining and even Foundation Establishment realms, offering thorough discourses on body tempering, spirit forging, qi refinement, alchemy, artifact forging, formations, talismans, spells, sword techniques, universal principles, and more. This has made realm breakthroughs much easier for disciples who studied his teachings." "Thus, the credit belongs to Su Yuan's teachings, yet it was mistakenly attributed to some pill!" Elder Nangong explained slowly. "Then I should inform the old valley master to stop spreading rumors! I must set the record straight for Su Yuan!" Nangong Huoyu said immediately. "Wait!" Elder Nangong shook his head, wisdom flashing in his eyes. "Originally, our sect's disciple breakthrough rate was already high. An additional ten percent would undoubtedly alert and interest other sects. But now, with this weird-tasting Fasting Pill, we can mislead other sects with false information, concealing the truth about Su Yuan's teachings. Su Yuan is still young—it's not yet time for full exposure." "This excuse comes perfectly! One might say it's exquisitely timely, wonderfully fortuitous!" Elder Nangong nodded approvingly. "I must find the alchemist who made these pills and have them produce more. The timing of these pills' appearance is impeccable! And the old valley master's promotion was thorough and timely—perfectly coordinated, as if everything was prearranged..." Elder Nangong again had the formation spirit display the identity of the disciple who concocted the weird Fasting Pills. Then a familiar young man's figure appeared before both their eyes. It was Su Yuan again! Elder Nangong was shocked, "Su Yuan again? I wouldn't be surprised if he could make flawless Fasting Pills, but why would he make so many? There's an entire alchemy chamber full—how many is that?" He searched the formation spirit's images for the old valley master's figure, soon spotting the old valley master visiting Su Yuan. Though the interior of the cave dwelling wasn't visible, it was clear that after leaving Su Yuan's residence, the old valley master intensified his promotion efforts, even making special trips to other peaks while frequently mentioning being Su Yuan's mentor. Everything had clear traces. "This is the work of a founding ancestor! Seeing the grand scheme in small details, planning long-term with careful consideration, coincidences aligning perfectly—marvelous, absolutely marvelous!" Elder Nangong praised endlessly. Nangong Huoyu was equally amazed. "So that's how it is! That's how it is!" Nangong Huoyu showed admiration, "I never realized Elder Su had considered things so thoroughly! I didn't notice any of this! Couldn't even begin to think this deeply!" Hesitating, she added, "Though I can't help feeling it might be coincidence? I know the old valley master's personality somewhat." "Precisely because of his personality that it's even more seamless! And if it truly is coincidence, that's even more terrifying!" Elder Nangong said solemnly, "This would mean Su Yuan's fortune is so strong it can turn misfortune into blessing, danger into safety, accumulating endless good fortune—truly worthy of celebration! Quickly, bring me some food—a roast chicken, make it tasty, to cleanse my palate!" "Uh, yes!" Nangong Huoyu complied with her ancestor's request, though she suspected the elder just wanted an excuse to enjoy good food.