irit Fox!
'I can actively choose my talents now!'
The significance of this success was immense. The probability of gathering the Five Elements talents had skyrocketed.
For the next two years, Qi Ping focused entirely on his cultivation. Having experienced so much, he knew how hard it was to find a stable environment and sufficient resources. A single Rank 2 herb in his territory could start a war among rogue cultivators; if all were revealed, it would be a bloodbath. But with talent, comprehension, and resources, his progress was staggering.
Two years later...
Qi Ping's cultivation finally broke through to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment!
'Finally, the middle stage! My foundation is solid and deep; the breakthrough came naturally.'
Feeling the surge in power and life force, his joy was indescribable. This was why he cultivated—for longevity and power! And now, he was taking it step by step.
Beyond his own growth, the progress of his companions was equally satisfying. The Little Spirit Fox and the Three-Colored Deer, under the regime of abundant resources and constant training, had both reached Rank 2 Early-stage. Now, only the Golden Marrow Queen Bee and the Cloud-Dream Immortal Tiger remained below Rank 2. However, both were at the peak of Rank 1; they would break through within a few years.
The tiger was progressing so fast because it had already been at the late stage of Rank 1 when he bought it. With specialized honey from the Apothecary Bees and medicinal herbs bought by the Treant Clone, its growth was guaranteed. In Qi Ping's plan, the tiger's priority was even higher than Crow-Crow's. Only when the tiger reached Rank 2 would the Treant Clone be truly safe to walk the world and perhaps join the Qing Yuan Sect to steal... er, acquire more knowledge.
After breaking through, Qi Ping didn't slack off. He took a few days to rest and then dived back into cultivation and the study of Rank 2 High-grade arrays. With his increased spiritual power and soul strength, coupled with his law comprehension, he was finally qualified to set up such arrays. Once he mastered Rank 2 High-grade formations, few Foundation Establishment cultivators could threaten him.
Just when he thought he could peacefully cultivate until the late stage, something happened a year later that interrupted his seclusion.
He had already successfully set up the Rank 2 High-grade [Six-Ding Flame Snake Array] several times and was becoming quite proficient. After a session of cultivation, he wanted to set up another array to keep his skills sharp. However, halfway through, he made a mistake at a node where he shouldn't have failed. The entire array collapsed instantly.
'What happened?' Qi Ping frowned. That step shouldn't have been a failure. He recalled his actions; he hadn't made a single error. 'Wait... it wasn't my fault?'
He had a bad premonition. He merged his consciousness with the natural world. In the next moment, his expression changed drastically.
'How is this possible? The power of Heaven and Earth has weakened so much?!'
With his identity as a Druid and his Grace of Heaven and Earth, he sensed it immediately. It had been normal just two months ago. At the same time, his Treant Clone in Area C of the Cloud Mist Mountain Range also discovered a thorny problem...