The cauldron was no bigger than his palm, yet it felt immeasurably grand.
Its entire body glowed with a dark cyan luster, Daoist charm flowing around it. It faintly exuded an ancient, profound aura, as if it bore the weight of all living things.
It stood on three feet shaped like dragon claws, firmly rooted in the void of his sea of consciousness.
Lin Changheng simply watched. Through the cyan light, he could faintly make out all sorts of strange, ancient, beast-shaped patterns carved onto the cauldron's body.
Sketched with simple lines, they densely covered this side of the cauldron.
On the other side of the cauldron was a massive humanoid figure occupying the central space. Its head touched the top of the cauldron and its feet stood on its belly, giving it an indomitable air, as if it could hold up the heavens and stand firm on the earth!
To its sides, the space was filled with images of all kinds of beings—some looked human but weren't, some looked beastly but weren't, and others were chimeras of half-human, half-beast: human faces on snake bodies, human bodies with bird heads, fleshy wings sprouting from backs...
But the longer Lin Changheng stared, the more each pattern seemed to ripple slowly, breathing in and out a mysterious aura as if they were alive.
[Primordial Cauldron]!
Two words inexplicably surfaced in Lin Changheng's mind, making him aware of its name!
"Is that the name of the Small Bronze Cauldron?"
His expression flickered. Just as Lin Changheng was about to investigate further, he saw a cyan light shimmering at the Tripod Mouth. Clouds began to roil and churn within it, as if something was wrapped inside.
It was a tremendous, irresistible attraction.
Lin Changheng subconsciously wanted to reach out and touch it, but before he could, the Small Bronze Cauldron seemed to sense his intent and trembled slightly.
Suddenly, a cluster of mysterious Runes transformed into a stream of light and shot directly into the depths of his Divine Soul.
Instantly, Lin Changheng understood its meaning.
[Tripod Master: Lin Changheng]
[Origin Treasure Seed · Spirit Stealing Metamorphosis in progress]
[Spirit Stealing: 100/100]
...
[Essence Blood Full. Spirit Stealing Success!]
[Origin Treasure Seed · First Layer]
[Choose one to Refine into a Human Race Lifebound Talent: Clear Heart, Wisdom, Enhanced Enlightenment]
...
'Is this my golden finger?'
'It's been almost thirty years. Has my golden finger finally arrived?'
After Lin Changheng's memories awakened, he could detach himself and look back on the past thirty years with a completely different mindset.
But the bitterness, hardship, and despair he had experienced were still crystal clear, felt with his own body!
'Wait! It mentioned Spirit Stealing and drawing Essence Blood... Could that be the reason why I was so frail as a child and why my body broke down after I started Cultivation?'
'Was it all absorbed by this little cauldron and then cultivated into this Origin Treasure Seed?'
'And it's precisely because the Treasure Seed was successfully formed that the Primordial Cauldron was activated and revealed itself?'
Lin Changheng's deductive reasoning, honed by solving problems in his past life, was extremely strong. After making deductions based on the available information, he instantly understood.
'[Origin Treasure Seed · First Layer]? Does that mean it also has a Second Layer and a Third Layer?'
'Human Race... I wonder if the Essence Blood of Demon Beasts can also be absorbed? To be refined into a Treasure Seed, used by me, to empower me?'
'It mentions Spirit Stealing, but what about Metamorphosis?'
...
Without letting his thoughts wander too far, Lin Changheng promptly reined them in, focused his mind, and stared intently at the Tripod Mouth.
Inside should be the so-called Treasure Seed.
At the same time, the cyan mist at the Tripod Mouth receded slightly at his will, revealing three illusory golden seeds that bobbed up and down.
A single glance told him that these three represented [Clear Heart], [Wisdom], and [Enhanced Enlightenment]!
After a moment of thought, Lin Changheng made his choice. "Enhanced Enlightenment!"
Right now, the only thing that could solve his urgent problem was [Enhanced Enlightenment].
With enhanced comprehension, his understanding of the Alchemy Skill would deepen. Once he reached Entry Tier, he could stay peacefully with the Xu Family without having to venture into the wilderness, and he would have enough time to cultivate safely!
With Lin Changheng's decisiveness, once he made a decision, he didn't hesitate. He focused his will.
The other two Treasure Seeds withered instantly. Their hazy energy and Daoist charm flowed into the Treasure Seed representing [Enhanced Enlightenment]. Immediately, this seed became rounder, and its golden light grew thirty percent more brilliant!
The next moment, the Treasure Seed detached from the Tripod Mouth and settled within his Divine Soul.
It was like a sudden, profound enlightenment; a mysterious transformation was brewing.
[Acquired: Enhanced Enlightenment Celestial Gift: General Knowledge]
[Utility: Deepen understanding of Basic Techniques, accelerate reproduction of Basic Skills]
As the Treasure Seed fully merged with his Divine Soul,
"HSSSS..."
An incredibly pleasant sensation shot through his Divine Soul and spread throughout his entire body, like eating ice-cold watermelon on a hot summer day, or like being tickled from within the bone marrow by the softest feather.
Lin Changheng couldn't help but recall the Lower Grade Technique, the Flowing Fire Technique, which he once had to ponder over repeatedly to understand. Now, in his eyes, it had become completely transparent.
Every detail of Magical Power circulation in the Cultivation Technique, every critical point in the paths of his meridians, was now as clear as if it had been disassembled for him. Many of the cultivation problems that had blocked him were mostly resolved with ease.
'It's just as I thought!'
Lin Changheng murmured to himself in his heart. 'It's like I'm self-taught, understanding things without needing them explained!'
'Is this the power of comprehension?'
'No wonder those chosen sons of heaven can master a Cultivation Technique as soon as they get it. It's only possible with the support of powerful comprehension!'
Lin Changheng was exhilarated!
He was confident that even though he had been stuck at the Skilled level of the Flowing Fire Technique for ten years, he could now fully grasp it and reach Mastery in less than half a year!
And this was just the initial boost to his comprehension from a First Layer Treasure Seed. What would happen if he continued to accumulate Treasure Seeds?
Keeping up with those prodigies might not be so difficult after all! It wasn't such a distant dream anymore!
For Lin Changheng, a man approaching thirty whose sharp edges had been worn smooth by time, the passion in his blood, long dead, began to boil and surge once more. A heroic spirit swelled in his chest!
At this rate, the chance to strive for eternal life and become an immortal ancestor was no longer impossible!
RUMBLE!
A sudden clap of thunder roared outside the window.
Lin Changheng felt a resonance in his heart. He looked up and saw the thick, dark clouds being torn apart by a flash of lightning.
Just like his own bleak future, a tear had been ripped open, letting the light shine in!
'Unfortunately, this body's Spirit Root is too poor. It's a Mixed Spirit Root. Otherwise, with the help of the [Primordial Cauldron], my progress would be even faster, and my path to the Dao would be much smoother.'
Lin Changheng suddenly remembered the foundation of a Cultivator—the Spirit Root!
Innate and unchangeable! It is also the basis for judging one's cultivation aptitude.
A trace of helplessness couldn't help but show on his face.
According to the recognized rules of this Cultivation Realm, Spirit Roots were divided into Mixed Spirit Root, Lower Grade Spirit Root, Middle Grade Spirit Root, Upper Grade Spirit Root, Earth Spirit Root, and Celestial Spirit Root!
This was because every Cultivator in this realm possessed all Five Elements Spirit Roots!
Therefore, the grade was determined by the amount of Spiritual Charm contained within the best of these Spirit Roots.
Those with less than a single wisp of Spiritual Charm were basically unable to perceive Spiritual Qi, could not cultivate, and could not step onto the path of the Dao. They were mortals.
Spiritual Charm not exceeding ten wisps was a Mixed Spirit Root!
Spiritual Charm above ten wisps but not exceeding thirty was a Lower Grade Spirit Root!
Spiritual Charm above thirty wisps but not exceeding fifty was a Middle Grade Spirit Root!
For example, the Spirit Root results Lin Changheng had gotten at the Spirit Testing Conference in the past:
His Fire Spirit Root was the best, with eight wisps of Spiritual Charm!
His Earth Spirit Root was second, with only seven wisps!
Next was his Wood Spirit Root, with just six wisps!
His Gold and Water Spirit Roots both had five wisps!
In this situation, they looked at his Fire Spirit Root. Since its Spiritual Charm did not exceed ten wisps, he only received a "Mixed Spirit Root" evaluation, and thus lost the opportunity to enter a Sect, Noble Family, or Foundation Establishment Clan.
Only Qi Cultivation Clans were willing to accept him.
The reason was that those with a Mixed Spirit Root found it very difficult to cultivate Cultivation Techniques and Magic. Their path to the Dao had a visible, early end, and they could not go far.
They could not catch the eye of the major powers, which had no shortage of Low Tier Cultivators.
As for Qi Cultivation Clans, their standards were not high. Their main strategy was to seek quantity and gamble on the future. They would promise a cultivator multiple mortal women to take a chance on producing an heir with a good Spirit Root.
If, by some miracle, one was born, it would be a huge profit.
...
Lin Changheng subconsciously used the [Spirit Detecting Skill] to probe the Spirit Root within his body, but he was suddenly stunned.
He discovered—
[Fire Spirit Root, nine wisps of Spiritual Charm]!