The one-month deadline had arrived.
During this period, [Battle Instinct] had never once been triggered. This indicated that even in the shadows, no one had harbored any killing intent toward him.
Zhao Liuyun felt a surge of surprise in his heart. Was it possible the people of Star Luo truly had no intention of retaliating? However, he quickly tossed this doubt to the back of his mind. Regardless of whether the enemy came or not, he habitually activated Psychological Invisibility every time he went out alone. Perhaps they simply couldn't find him.
On another early morning, Zhao Liuyun had just awakened from the Ice and Fire Springs. In the [Soul Power] column, a plain and unremarkable 1,000 experience points had been added. He scooped up a handful of water from the Extreme Chill Yin Spring, washed his face, and then skillfully donned his clothes.
The voice he had been waiting for finally echoed in his mind.
[The precious plant you planted is growing vigorously with gratifying progress. [Farmer] Experience +1.]
[The experience required for the [Farmer] profession has been met. Would you like to change professions?]
"Change profession!"
Among all the preset goals and professions requiring experience to unlock, this was the most worry-free one. With Ah Yin acting as a proxy, Zhao Liuyun had hardly exerted any effort in care, yet the experience grew rapidly on its own. He advocated for rewards through labor, but if one could truly get something for nothing, who wouldn't love it?
Of course, this wasn't entirely getting something for nothing. Zhao Liuyun had risked being hammered into paste to steal Ah Yin back, and he had sacrificed a great deal of blood when planting her. This was a well-deserved reward.
In the profession column, a new entry appeared: [Farmer Lv1 (1000/10000)].
A new professional trait was added: [Hardworking and Enduring]. The specific effect was [(Enhances physical endurance, accelerates stamina recovery)].
It was another physical trait, similar to the movement speed trait [Light as a Swallow Lv2] granted by [Master Thief Lv2]. What the [Farmer] provided was a type of endurance trait that did not directly increase numerical stats. Much like the [Endless Vitality] granted by the Mysterious Heaven Skill, it served to patch a weakness in Zhao Liuyun's physical body.
Furthermore, endurance—
The corners of Zhao Liuyun's mouth curled into a faint smile. The use of this ability extended far beyond just combat!
Regaining his focus and halting his straying thoughts, he continued looking at the skills.
[Professional Skill: Planting (Nourishes plants with the rhythm of vitality, activating potential, slightly increasing planting success rate, and accelerating growth speed.)]
Zhao Liuyun had previously attempted this in the nursery of the Dugu Manor. Ordinary herbs could not easily bring him experience like the Blue Silver Empress. Even if he transplanted mature herbs, the system panel refused to recognize them, and his experience remained stagnant. After repeated comparisons, Zhao Liuyun guessed it was related to the growth of the plant.
The planting of a [Farmer] mostly started from sowing seeds. To gain experience from transplanting mature plants, the plant would likely need to exhibit a growth trend that surpassed its original state after being moved. However, even in a treasure land like the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, the growth of ordinary herbs was painfully slow.
"None of them compare to the Blue Silver Empress!" Zhao Liuyun lamented as his fingertips gently brushed over Ah Yin's vibrant, gold-veined leaves.
She was special; her essence was still that of a 100,000-year soul beast, possessing the soulful foundation that only plant-system soul beasts of over ten thousand years could have. Re-walking her past path, her growth speed far exceeded ten times that of ordinary plants; it could reach over a hundredfold.
Zhao Liuyun activated [Planting] on Ah Yin. Soul power flowed into the Blue Silver Empress Right Leg Bone, activating a self-healing skill that he could not yet precisely control. The vitality, converted from soul power via the soul bone, was applied to the Blue Silver Empress.
Ah Yin's soul remained dormant, but the blades of grass actively welcomed this power. As if possessing consciousness, they gently wound around his arm with a hint of attachment.
"There, there," Zhao Liuyun soothed softly, giving the leaf a gentle flick. The Blue Silver Empress let go reluctantly and then pulsed lightly under the infusion of green light.
Anyone who underwent a baptism of vitality would live longer. How much more so for the Blue Silver Empress Right Leg Bone that originally belonged to Ah Yin? This was her own life energy!
Zhao Liuyun opened his Magic Dragon Silver Pupils. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, as if she were about to wake. However, her body could not yet support the awakening of her soul. She had just passed the hundred-year mark, but a hundred years wasn't enough—she needed at least a thousand. According to natural growth rates, it would take about another year before she could regain initial consciousness.
[Planting] had a miraculous effect, accelerating Ah Yin's growth. By grinding the [Planting] skill more, she would grow faster. Vaguely, Zhao Liuyun sensed a joy born of instinct coming from the Blue Silver Empress.
Did [Planting] also increase a plant's favorability? He was reminded of Xiao Yan raising the Heaven-Swallowing Python; once consciousness awakened, there would be an inherent affinity. The two were perhaps not far apart.
In that case, he would grind it more!
The advancement and experience gain of the [Farmer] relied primarily on Ah Yin. Zhao Liuyun would only promote her rapid growth, not hinder it. Out of respect for the favor of the soul bone, he would not brainwash her or twist her personality. However, to avoid raising an ungrateful wolf, using [Planting] to build favorability was essential.
It wasn't just for Ah Yin; Zhao Liuyun would also use [Planting] on other seeds. After undergoing a baptism of vitality, the survival rate of seeds planted in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well would surely be higher, allowing his [Farmer] experience to grow faster. It just wasn't feasible at the moment, as he had nothing on him. He would wait until tomorrow.
After casting [Planting] on Ah Yin once more, Zhao Liuyun stepped onto the mountain wall, his figure soaring upward lightly. The Blue Silver Empress Right Leg Bone granted him the skill of flight. As a 100,000-year soul bone skill, its consumption was very low and could be used for travel.
However, unless it was absolutely necessary, Zhao Liuyun would not use it in the short term. He couldn't let it become a habit. If Tang Hao noticed the slightest clue due to a moment of carelessness, the consequences would be unthinkable. Relying on his trait buffs, he could run almost as fast as he could fly.
Five months passed in a flash.
Ending a busy day, Zhao Liuyun returned to his faithful Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. This treasure land had undergone earth-shattering changes. Many of the nearly withered herbs originally planted by Dugu Bo had been forcibly pulled back from the brink of death by Zhao Liuyun's occasional use of the [Planting] skill to nourish them with vitality.
These reborn herbs were naturally counted into the [Farmer] experience pool by the profession panel. Through this, Zhao Liuyun finally understood why the [Farmer] gave a trait like [Hardworking and Enduring].
The experience provided by ordinary plants was pitifully small. Even in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, which increased growth by ten times, most herbs took two or three months to provide a measly 1 point of experience. Perhaps it was because the herbs themselves were special, but the more likely reason was that this was a path intended to be won through sheer scale!
Fortunately, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and Ah Yin existed, allowing him to take shortcuts.
For five months, when Zhao Liuyun cast [Planting] on other herbs, he was merely extending a thread of life to those dying seedlings like a sprinkling of dew. He also raised the favorability of all the immortal herbs and precious plants, but their growth was minimal.
The most significant change was solely in Ah Yin. He cast it when he arrived, and again when he left; he cast it when he was happy, and especially when his cultivation broke through. He did it every day without fail, never once interrupting the cycle.
Under the accelerated effect of [Planting] and the tenfold growth of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Ah Yin's growth far exceeded expectations. In just half a year, her broad grass blades were nearly a foot wide and over five meters long. The golden veins on the leaves, which originally had only one line, had now increased to three. Her soul beast instincts were becoming increasingly active, nearly reaching the minimum threshold to sustain a soul.
Ah Yin was about to become a thousand-year soul beast again!
The Blue Silver Empress's instincts could clearly perceive Zhao Liuyun's arrival. Every time, she would extend her blades of grass to his side, gently winding around him and wrapping his entire body within them. It was like raising a pet, yet it held a hint more of indescribable warmth than a typical animal.