As Qi Ping entered the state of enlightenment, that familiar sensation washed over him. The flow of the world's laws became incredibly clear at this moment, especially the movement of spiritual energy.
Qi Ping could clearly perceive the spiritual energy from all directions surging into his body. Simultaneously, under his control, the Wood-Flame Manual accelerated its circulation. Insights regarding the Wood-Flame Manual flooded his mind; parts that were previously obscure and difficult to grasp now felt within reach, and flaws in his previous cultivation were corrected one by one.
With his insights deepening and the continuous refinement of spiritual energy, Qi Ping's aura grew steadily stronger. Not long after, a powerful pressure swept outward in all directions. Qi Ping's cultivation had reached the sixth level of Qi Refinement!
"I've broken through!"
Exiting the state of enlightenment, Qi Ping looked at his new cultivation level. That powerful sense of strength and vibrant vitality left him both mesmerized and delighted. This was the charm of the path to immortality!
"The Wood-Flame Manual has also reached the stage of Small Accomplishment."
Qi Ping hadn't expected to reach Small Accomplishment with the Wood-Flame Manual so soon after starting it. This technique was far more difficult than the Wood Shield Art. He had practiced the Wood Shield Art for five years without reaching Small Accomplishment, yet the more difficult Wood-Flame Manual had reached it in just a month. The difference was staggering.
'As expected, the gap between having talent and not having it is truly immense.'
Qi Ping realized more and more that the path to longevity required not only step-by-step caution and the proper use of resources but also the aid of suitable talent.
He felt that the reason he could enter enlightenment so quickly was due to his own conscious heart-tempering, the Druid's bonus, and the new talent—or rather, the status buff—he had gained after slaying the Demon Insect King.
'Because you defended the balance of the world and eradicated a being of the deviant path, you have received the Heavenly Blessing. Druid experience increased by 32 points.'
'Heavenly Blessing: You have received a blessing from the world for defending its balance and slaying a being of the deviant path. Your probability of enlightenment is increased, and your affinity with the Dao of heaven and earth is enhanced.'
This was his greatest harvest from the venture, alongside the Demon Insect King's corpse, the Spirit-Origin Stone Pillars, and the fragmented jade pendant.
First, 32 points of Druid experience wasn't a huge amount—roughly what Qi Ping would gain in ten days—but it would allow him to reach level 4 ten days earlier. In this chaotic and dangerous environment, it was a decent gain. However, what truly surprised Qi Ping was the effect of the Heavenly Blessing.
Increased probability of enlightenment! Enhanced affinity with the Dao!
In the cultivation world, the value of these two traits was self-evident! For Qi Ping, who didn't possess high innate comprehension, this was a godsend. Not only would it make understanding Daoist arts easier, but it would also allow for occasional bursts of rapid progress. For instance, he had just jumped straight to the sixth level of Qi Refinement and brought his Wood-Flame Manual to Small Accomplishment. This single boost had saved him several months of time.
'I wonder how long this Heavenly Blessing will last?'
Qi Ping estimated it would still have a good effect even at the Golden Core or Nascent Soul stage. After all, this was something triggered by a scheme involving a Nascent Soul Venerable; it should be able to accompany him to that level. If he wanted it to last further, he would likely need to do more.
'It seems I should keep an eye out for events similar to the Demon Insect King in the future. As long as I can ensure my own safety, obtaining more things like this Heavenly Blessing would be beneficial.'
'A Druid is essentially a maintainer of ecological balance, walking a path of affinity with nature. Defending the world's balance and slaying deviant beings is inherently consistent with that.'
Qi Ping found himself quite fond of this path of cultivation. In contrast, he felt little connection to the path of slaughter, the path of heartlessness, the path of the sword, or even the "defying heaven" path that most cultivators followed. The path to immortality was diverse, and Qi Ping believed that by the time he reached the Spirit Severing realm, he would have realized a Dao that was uniquely his own.
After reflecting on the effects of the Heavenly Blessing, Qi Ping looked at his current attribute panel.
Name: Qi Ping
Level: 3 (205/400)
Class: Beast King Druid (Primary), Jungle Druid (Secondary)
Talents: Animal Companion, Nature Affinity
Animal Companions: (2/3) Golden Marrow Bee, Sun-Fire Crow
Wild Shape: (1/1) Golden Marrow Bee (Variants: Golden Marrow Bee, High-speed Ring-cutter Bee, Pot-bellied Bee, Balanced Bee, Toxic Bee, Ink-Armor Bee)
Shared Talents: Grand Brewer, Sun-Fire Physique
Special Talent: Heavenly Blessing
Skills: Level 2 Plant Growth (161/200), Level 1 Beast King's Grace (23/100), Level 4 Barkskin (15/800), Level 1 Healing Touch (20/100)
Constant Skills: Animal Speech, Befriend Animal, Heart of the Wild
(Druid experience +172, Plant Growth experience +75, Beast King's Grace experience +6, Barkskin experience +103, Healing Touch experience +18)
Over a month had passed since he contracted the Crow, and his Druid experience had grown significantly.
'The Druid level experience is over halfway. I should be able to break through within two months. Not bad.'
'Plant Growth is only 39 points away, which will take about a month. Once it reaches level 3, I should be able to cultivate five-hundred-year-old Blood Ginseng. Then I can attempt another evolution for the bee colony.'
'Barkskin is also progressing well. Level 4 Barkskin is already stronger than many defensive spells I know, and I can continue to level it up.'
Qi Ping was very satisfied with his gains during this period. Effort brought rewards. Seeing these numbers increase gave him a sense of joy and a clear understanding of how far he was from his next breakthrough. He could also adjust his focus based on how he gained experience.
In the following days, Qi Ping did not immediately head to the Qingshi Market. Instead, he found a hidden spot to cultivate and rest. Having just gone through a major battle, he needed time to organize his thoughts and decide on his next move.
Furthermore, he had left "eyes" at Peak 007. He wanted to see if anyone would come looking for him after a day had passed. If a powerful expert arrived, Qi Ping would ignore the unknown risks outside the Qingtian Domain and flee immediately with Old Man Zhou. If no one came, he could safely proceed to the Qingshi Market without the risk of moving to an unfamiliar domain, as the security in the surrounding domains was far worse than it had been in Qingtian.
On the second morning, the bees sent back word that no one had appeared at Peak 007. Hearing this, Qi Ping finally felt at ease and immediately set off for the Qingshi Market.
His goals for this trip were to exchange items for the spirit stones needed to rent a Grade B spiritual land and to restock on seeds and other supplies required to build a new territory suitable for the bee colony's growth. This time, he intended to choose a Grade B spiritual land with the right size and location to create a perfect domain for his development.
His path of farming and development was only truly beginning.