'Heavenly Blessing, Nature Affinity, Sun-Fire Physique... if I add a soul or comprehension talent to that, mastering Fire Intent should be a breeze.'
'Especially since I've already opened the door. I'm no longer wandering in the dark.'
Those who comprehended Sword Intent or Fire Intent before reaching Foundation Establishment were absolute rarities, even in the elite sects. The difficulty was so high that most people would rather fight to the death for a pill than even attempt it. Many tried, only to turn to pills in despair. Even Qi Ping had subconsciously dismissed the idea until he sensed Lin Qingshu's sword.
'The path of Intent-based Foundation Establishment is the one I must take, for both power and stability.'
'To be safe, I'll contract a soul-type animal companion. With an extra talent in that area, my success will be guaranteed.'
A comprehension talent spoke for itself, but soul talents were equally useful. The stronger the soul, the more easily one could perceive the laws of the world. This was why many cultivators only began to grasp "Intent" in the late stages of Foundation Establishment.
'From now on, I'll make spirit stones while searching for news on soul or comprehension-type spirit beasts in Qingshi County.'
'The Shadow Moon White Fox is good, but if there's something better with higher bloodline potential, I should aim for that. Like the Crow—as long as it has enough fire-attributed treasures, its potential for further evolution is massive.'
And as long as he had the seeds and the land, the one thing Qi Ping didn't lack was high-grade fire-type spirit herbs.
'Perhaps I should pay a visit to Meng Yan?'
As an inner disciple with the background of a Qingyuan Sect Elder and a master craftsman with vast connections, Meng Yan would have no trouble finding information on a specific spirit beast. Qi Ping had asked the Crow about the man's character, and the bird confirmed that Meng Yan was indeed an upright person, not the type to act two-faced. He was someone who could be tentatively trusted.
'The question is how to get him to help...'
Regardless, he had to utilize this channel for his path to immortality. Even if it cost a significant amount of spirit stones, it would be worth it.
With his next steps decided, Qi Ping returned to his routine of cultivating Blood Ginseng. He remained vigilant, ready to transform and flee at the first sign of trouble from those white-robed disciples' associates. Fortunately, several days passed with no visitors. Lin Qingshu had evidently cleaned up the mess thoroughly. To the outside world, he was just an unremarkable bee-farming rogue cultivator.
He spent most of his time trying to sense Fire Intent. It was the foundation of his future. Swarm numbers could wait, but this had to be prioritized. He meditated on the Wood-Flame Manual, trying to recall that special state of mind... he sensed the energies within the Fire Spirit Grass... he even had the Crow summon Sun-Fire for him to observe.
The progress was slow. Although his understanding of fire-type energy grew, he still lacked a clear breakthrough point. The legendary difficulty of Law Intent was no exaggeration. But he wasn't discouraged; he had prepared himself for a long journey. These efforts were the accumulation of foundation for a future breakthrough.
He also didn't forget his [Heavenly Blessing] talent, which increased his chances of enlightenment. As long as he kept building his foundation, he would eventually trigger a moment of clarity. This would be even more likely once he shared a soul or comprehension talent from a new companion.
He thought of Lin Qingshu. She seemed like a singular-minded person, likely focused and persistent in her training. For such a person, it wasn't strange to comprehend Sword Intent at the edge of death. Sword Intent was heavily tied to one's state of mind, and the border between life and death was the ultimate test of one's core.
The Five Element True Meanings were different. They relied less on a specific mindset and more on the understanding of the laws of nature—a process that suited Qi Ping's personality perfectly. He enjoyed studying the fundamental essence of the world.
As he immersed himself in these studies, time flew. Before he knew it, the first batch of Hundred-Spirit Grass was ready for harvest. Most of it was used as food for the bees, mixed with various pollens they gathered, so the initial output of marketable Spirit-Nurturing Honey was small.
He discovered another advantage of being deep in the mountains: most of the area was untrodden by cultivators, so his bees could forage freely for diverse pollens and food. Some bees had even found tiny pockets of spiritual land in the mountains. Though they weren't even low-grade, they were hidden and rent-free. He gave the bees some seeds to plant there, providing extra food for the swarm.
He also found time to visit Sister Nan and bought forty spirit stones' worth of Spirit-Nurturing Fruit.
Just as he was about to harvest the first batch of grass, something truly wonderful happened.
His Druid level reached 4!
(TN: The author notes that the title of the book in China was changed to "You're a Druid and You Went to Cultivate?" to attract more readers.)