Chapter 225 – Spirit Root Transformation: Second Rank

In the Alien District, the secret meeting concluded. Some left, yet others remained filled with worry.

“Elder, are we truly going to do this? If we are discovered, the humans will never let it go…”

Hearing this, the old man addressed as Elder showed no concern, only ruthlessness and determination.

“Hmph! Do you think if we don’t act, the humans will spare us?”

“Uh…”

The young man who spoke was taken aback. Instinctively, he replied, “Aren’t the humans about to face a crisis? They should be consolidating their forces to protect themselves…”

“Foolish! Precisely because a crisis is imminent, they will strike against us. Don’t you understand the principle of securing the inside before dealing with external threats?”

…

While the foreign races were plotting, the Cultists, who intended to collaborate with them to stir trouble, arrived at a room after a thorough disguise.

Had Mu Lin been there, he would have noticed that these people also wore expressions of concern.

At the same time, low murmurs and inquiries began to arise in the room.

“…Are we really going to do this? Many will die, and it will enrage those Aristocratic Families…”

“…This sacrifice is necessary. I want them to see the true face of *** and abandon their illusions… Besides, Xue Ying and the others might not necessarily die…”

…

Unaware of the events outside, Mu Lin had already opened the box sent by his teacher, Dongfang Ya, and laid eyes on the Treasure that could transform his Spirit Root.

It was a small Seven-Colored Antler.

To Mu Lin’s surprise, it was not meant to be consumed.

After receiving the Jade Scroll inside the box, Mu Lin learned that to trigger the transformation of his Spirit Root, he needed to grind the Seven-Colored Antler into powder, mix it with water to create a pigment, and then use it to inscribe a character on his forehead. Only then could he open his Heaven-Earth Root, or the Mysterious Gate, to connect with the world and enhance his innate talent.

By this point, Mu Lin was already satisfied.

However, whether it was at Teacher Dongfang Ya’s request or because the Anping Dao Palace, recognizing Mu Lin’s exceptional talent, sought to curry favor, the Seven-Colored Antler they provided not only improved his Spirit Root but also came with an additional peculiar effect.

—By inscribing characters on the Mysterious Gate using the Seven-Colored Antler pigment, depending on the character written, Mu Lin could also gain special abilities.

“Indeed, as long as you are strong enough, you’ll find the world full of wonders.”

Generally speaking, upon learning this, most people would choose to write characters like metal, wood, water, fire, or earth, or at most add thunder, ice, or wind.

The Jade Scroll sent by Dongfang Ya also recommended this.

But the first thing that came to Mu Lin’s mind was the Source Rune ‘Stabilize.’

Once the idea formed in his mind, Mu Lin did not hesitate and immediately set to work.

“Rustle…”

Relying on his powerful Mana, Mu Lin easily ground the Seven-Colored Antler into powder. He then fetched some clean water and mixed it with the seven-colored pigment to create ink.

Without using a brush, Mu Lin dipped his finger directly into the seven-colored ink and began writing a character on his forehead.

Unsurprisingly, the character was ‘Stabilize.’

“Swish…”

The character was written in a single, fluid stroke.

As the seven-colored ink appeared on Mu Lin’s forehead (the Heaven-Earth Root), a peculiar sensation arose within him.

He inexplicably felt as if a hole had been opened on his forehead.

“Hum…”

This cave was connected to heaven and earth, and a gentle breeze blew from the highest and farthest reaches of the sky.

“Whoosh…”

In the next moment, that special breeze flowed through the opening at the center of his brow and began to blow into his body.

“Huff…”

Under the influence of that special breeze, Mu Lin felt all the impurities within his body being swept away completely.

“No, it’s not just blowing them away. The ink ground from the Seven-Colored Antler is also being carried by the breeze into my body. This seven-colored ink is replenishing what I have lost.”

Gradually, Mu Lin understood: replacing the impurities within his body with the seven-colored ink was the key to the transformation of his Spirit Root.

Not daring to delay, upon realizing this, Mu Lin repeatedly dipped his fingers into the ink and placed it at the Xuanmu Gate on his brow, allowing the breeze blowing from the distant heights to continuously carry the seven-colored ink into his body.

As time passed, gradually, a foul stench emanated from Mu Lin’s body, and numerous impurities were expelled from his pores.

Unlike the filth on the surface, within his body, due to the cleansing breeze and the seven-colored ink, his form gradually began to shimmer with a rainbow of colors.

This seven-colored radiance carried an endless sense of tranquility and peace.

Their infusion made Mu Lin feel as if he had returned to infancy, his entire body warm and comfortable.

In this warmth, he gradually sensed a great source gently enveloping him.

“That is… heaven and earth. Such a familiar feeling…”

The serene and peaceful seven-colored radiance gave Mu Lin the sensation that he was a favored child of heaven and earth.

This was no illusion. The Seven-Colored Deer was itself an auspicious beast beloved by heaven and earth. By fusing with a trace of its essence, Mu Lin also received a heavenly blessing.

The only regret for Mu Lin was that this sensation was temporary. As the seven-colored ink was exhausted and the stimulation of this essential power ceased, his connection with heaven and earth would also be severed.

Although, because a trace of the Seven-Colored Deer’s essence had been integrated into his body, Mu Lin’s connection with heaven and earth would be closer than before, it still could not compare to the present.

“The constitution of the Seven-Colored Deer is at least a First-Class Spirit Root, perhaps even transcendent.”

As his fusion with heaven and earth gradually faded, Mu Lin felt a sense of loss.

Fortunately, he had another gain—when the breeze carried the seven-colored ink from the Xuanmu Gate into his body, the character written on his brow was also blown inside.

Moreover, this character, along with the seven-colored ink, completely merged into Mu Lin’s muscles, bones, and internal organs.

By this point, Mu Lin understood that even with the use of the seven-colored ink, simply writing a character on his brow would not directly grant him a talent.

This ink and character needed to deeply integrate with his body for him to obtain special abilities.

…

Once the fusion was complete, Mu Lin first went to wash up. Then, he closed his eyes and deeply sensed his own being.

This time, what Mu Lin felt first… was lightness.

In his perception, his former self was like wearing a heavy suit of armor weighing a thousand pounds, isolating him from heaven and earth.

Now, that isolation was completely gone.

As if walking naked between heaven and earth, Mu Lin could clearly feel the caress of the breeze and the pulse of the earth…

“Is this the experience of a Second-Class Spirit Root? Comfortable.”

With his eyes closed, Mu Lin remained in a state of bliss for a long while before finally shifting his attention to the “Stabilize” character between his eyebrows.

It was then that he discovered he no longer needed to deduce the workings of his Yin Seal.

As the character “Stabilize,” along with the seven-colored ink, integrated into his body, Mu Lin had already gained the abilities of Fixation and Refresh. Now, he could record his body’s optimal state. Once his body suffered damage, he could immediately activate his contingency plan, refreshing his condition and restoring himself to peak form.

Beyond that, the “Stabilize” character brought Mu Lin another pleasant surprise.

“Now, I can not only record my body’s optimal state, but it seems I can also record the special states my body has experienced in the past.”

At this thought, Mu Lin’s pupils instantly contracted.

He was somewhat startled.

Since he had already experienced those past states, it might not seem unusual to refresh them now through Fixation. After all, he had managed them before, and it would be strange if he couldn’t do so now with his enhanced strength.

But one thing had to be remembered: aside from optimal condition, injury, and overexertion, Mu Lin had also experienced… enlightenment in the past!

“Could it be that, through recording and Fixation, I can even make the state of enlightenment—where my thinking speed increases a hundredfold and sparks of inspiration continuously ignite—a normal state?”

At this thought, an excited Mu Lin immediately closed his eyes and began experimenting.

…

While Mu Lin was eagerly conducting his experiments, outside, thanks to Yan Yunyu’s efforts in spreading the word, people gradually learned the secret behind his rapid rise in strength.

This revelation caused a significant uproar among the major Aristocratic Families.

(End of Chapter)