Chapter 18: Acquired Spiritual Root

Gu Li’an sighed and shook his head.

To be honest, he had no idea where he should go.

In the three years since he had crossed over, all the places he had visited were mortal territories.

He had never seen a single sect, market, or city of cultivators.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go—he simply couldn’t find the way.

Those places were either hidden in deep mountains and vast swamps unreachable by mortals, or concealed by formations that mortals couldn’t detect even when walking right past them.

Thinking about this, Gu Li’an felt a mix of emotions.

He had finally obtained the capital to cultivate, yet he couldn’t even find the threshold of the cultivation world.

What kind of situation was that?

‘Oh well, I’ll take it one step at a time.’

He took out the Silvermoon Grass from his bosom, intending to get a good look at what it actually was.

The moment his Spiritual Sense touched it, a massive amount of information flooded into his mind without warning.

Silvermoon Grass, a century-old spiritual herb. Nature: cold, taste: pungent. Grows in places dense with yin energy. On every full moon night, the leaves absorb Lunar Essence. It takes a hundred years to mature. Once mature, the entire plant is lustrous white, with a silvery sheen flowing across the leaf surface—hence the name.

This information wasn’t something he actively thought about; it was as if it had been carved into his brain, automatically surfacing the moment he touched the spiritual herb.

Gu Li’an froze for a moment, then quickly realized what was happening.

It was the Ancient Pill Scripture.

He had always thought that the Grand Grade Pill Book gifted to him by the System was trash, just like those unusable techniques.

But now, this piece of “trash” was automatically operating in his mind, presenting all the details of the Silvermoon Grass without any error.

And Silvermoon Grass’s effects didn’t stop there.

The most unique aspect of this herb was that it could be refined into a spiritual substance called “Moon Essence Liquid.”

After consuming it, there was a certain chance of opening an Acquired Spirit Root within the body.

Spirit Root!

Those two words struck Gu Li’an’s heart like a heavy hammer.

A Spirit Root was something innate.

For most people, you either had one or you didn’t—that was the immutable Iron Law of the Cultivation World.

For three years, he had always known deep down that he was a Mortal without a Spirit Root.

No matter how much he tempered his physical body through the System’s feedback, he could never touch true cultivation.

But now, the Ancient Pill Scripture told him that Silvermoon Grass could break that Iron Law and create an Acquired Spirit Root.

Even though it wasn’t a hundred percent success.

Even though the refining difficulty was extremely high.

This kind of spiritual herb was exceptionally special, with extremely complex processing methods.

The slightest deviation in the heat would ruin everything.

Most alchemists wouldn’t even attempt it.

But Gu Li’an was no ordinary alchemist.

The Ancient Pill Scripture in his mind was a Grand Grade Pill Book, capable of automatic operation.

He knew exactly what to do.

The refining method for Silvermoon Grass, the heat control, the Spiritual Power guidance—every step and every detail was crystal clear in his mind.

What he lacked now were only a container capable of withstanding the spiritual herb’s energy, and a flame that could precisely control the heat.

If he could successfully refine this Silvermoon Grass, if he could open an Acquired Spirit Root, then his cultivation wouldn’t be just an empty shell anymore.

Those Grand Grade Techniques lying unused in the System Warehouse would finally be cultivatable.

Thinking this, Gu Li’an’s heartbeat suddenly quickened.

Alchemy required an Elixir Furnace, required a Spiritual Flame, required various auxiliary materials.

Although refining Silvermoon Grass didn’t need other supplemental herbs, it at least required a container.

But the next second, a bucket of cold water poured over his head.

He had no refining tools.

Alchemy needed an Elixir Furnace.

Gu Li’an’s mouth twitched.

Even the cleverest housewife can’t cook without rice.

He possessed the Grand Grade Pill Dao inheritance, yet he didn’t even have the most basic alchemy tools.

Then, his gaze involuntarily fell on Su Wan’er beside him.

The girl was quietly following him.

Sensing his look, she slightly raised her head, showing a slightly puzzled expression.

“Miss Su.”

Gu Li’an withdrew his gaze, pondered for a moment, and asked casually,

“Can you refine pills?”

“Junior… knows nothing about alchemy.”

Gu Li’an sighed inwardly, but his face remained calm.

He asked again,

“Do you happen to carry an Elixir Furnace or a Spiritual Flame on you?”

Su Wan’er’s expression grew even more ashamed.

“Junior… does not. Junior only brought her Personal Sword and a few bottles of Healing Pills. An Elixir Furnace—such a valuable item—Junior has never possessed one.”

Of course.

Gu Li’an’s last shred of hope was extinguished.

He was silent for a moment, his mind rapidly flipping through the content of the Ancient Pill Scripture regarding Silvermoon Grass refining.

Refining Silvermoon Grass was different from ordinary alchemy.

Although it didn’t require supplemental herbs, it was essentially an “Extraction” rather than a “Refining.”

The key was to slowly boil out the Moonlight Power from the Silvermoon Grass at a specific temperature, then use Spiritual Power to guide it into liquid form.

Since it didn’t need supplemental herbs, an Elixir Furnace wasn’t actually necessary.

The Ancient Pill Scripture recorded that in the ancient golden age of alchemy, the ancestors used stone as cauldrons and earthfire as fuel, yet they could still refine spiritual medicines.

Later, vessels like Elixir Furnaces and Spiritual Flames were just tools to make alchemy more precise and efficient.

The true core lay with the alchemist’s control of the flame and understanding of the herbs.

And Gu Li’an precisely possessed the top-tier understanding of Herb Lore and heat control granted by the Ancient Pill Scripture.

No Elixir Furnace?

Then use stone.

No Spiritual Flame?

Then use mortal fire.

The finished product’s quality might be a bit inferior, but refining Silvermoon Grass wasn’t about pursuing some ultimate Spirit Liquid anyway.

If he could successfully open a Spirit Root, even if it was a low-grade one, he would accept it.

With this thought, Gu Li’an gradually formed a plan.

He raised his head, scanned the surrounding forest, and soon spotted a rocky mountain not far away, with a pitch-black cave visible at its base.

“Follow me.”

Gu Li’an strode in that direction.

Su Wan’er didn’t understand but obediently followed.

The cave wasn’t large.

Gu Li’an walked around inside, then nodded in satisfaction.

It was secluded enough that they wouldn’t be disturbed, and the interior space was sufficient to work.

He turned to Su Wan’er and asked,

“Do you see that boulder outside?”

Su Wan’er followed his gaze.

Not far from the cave entrance, there was a greenish-black boulder as tall as two people.

“I see it, Senior.”

“Carve it into a pot.”

Su Wan’er froze.

She opened her mouth, suspecting she had misheard.

“Senior… what did you say?”

“Carve it into a pot.”

Gu Li’an’s tone was calm.

“As long as it can withstand the burning of a strong fire. The shape doesn’t need to be too neat—it just needs to be usable.”

Su Wan’er’s expression shifted from confusion to blankness.

Carve a stone into a pot?

What was Senior planning to do?

She instinctively wanted to ask, but the words died on her lips.

Seniors always have deeper meanings behind their actions.

If she couldn’t see through it, it was because her cultivation was insufficient, not because the Senior was wrong.

But…

Using a sword to carve stone into a pot?

Su Wan’er looked down at the long sword at her waist.

It was a decent Magic Artifact, not a divine weapon by any means, but using it to carve stone…

She pursed her lips, but ultimately didn’t ask further.

She simply replied respectfully,

“Yes, Senior.”

Su Wan’er walked up to the boulder, took a deep breath, and drew her long sword.

A flash of sword light—stone chips flew everywhere.

Standing at the cave entrance, watching Su Wan’er’s back as she swung her sword to carve the stone, Gu Li’an inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

‘Thank goodness this girl is here.’

Otherwise, he wouldn’t even have a tool to carve stone.

As for why he wanted a stone pot…

Of course, he couldn’t say he didn’t have an Elixir Furnace.

A Great Master, after all, must have his own reasons for doing things.

Once Su Wan’er finished carving the pot, he would slowly “explain” things to her.

A slight smile tugged at the corner of Gu Li’an’s mouth, then quickly faded back to calm.

Outside the cave.

Su Wan’er’s sword swings grew increasingly skilled.

From the initial careful strokes to bold, sweeping cuts, the boulder’s outline was visibly approaching the shape of a pot.

As she carved, she silently told herself:

‘Senior must have his reasons for making me carve stone.’

‘Senior must have a special purpose in having me make a pot.’

‘I just need to do as I’m told and not ask questions.’

As time passed, a rough but sturdy stone pot gradually took shape.