One Ripple Wondrous Wood producing Ripple Spirit Dew could significantly enhance a Water cultivator's cultivation and talent. One Dark Moon Soul Wood producing the Heart of the Dark Moon could substantially increase soul strength and potentially improve comprehension.
The Ripple Wondrous Wood was specifically prepared for the Cloud-Dream Immortal Tiger; its growth was directly tied to the safety of Qi Ping and his territory, so the faster it broke through its realms and evolved its bloodline, the better.
The applicability of the Dark Moon Soul Wood was much broader. Both Qi Ping and his animal companions could use it—including the Golden Marrow Queen Bee—and the boost to comprehension would be beneficial to all of them.
"It's good to have money!"
Looking at these two spirit trees with their amazing effects, Qi Ping's eyes were full of pleasure and joy. And this was not the end; once he engraved suitable spells onto these trees, their strength and effects would surely grow even further!
In the past, he wouldn't have dared to dream of such high-level spirit trees. Two seeds costing two hundred and eighty thousand spirit stones and twenty-eight thousand black market points was a fortune. That amount could buy a rare spirit beast nearly on par with the Cloud-Dream Immortal Tiger.
Yet now, this expenditure didn't even account for one-tenth of his black market points! It was a pity he could only contract this many high-level trees for now; otherwise, he might have bought even more rare specimens.
"But this is already very good. Rational use of current resources to improve is the correct path. I shouldn't be overly ambitious."
Maintaining his Dao-heart and clarifying his path of cultivation was what mattered most.
"As for a pet beast, I can afford to choose a better one now!"
"I have 318,785 black market points. After buying the Ripple Wondrous Wood and Dark Moon Soul Wood, I'll have about three hundred thousand left. That means I can still buy things worth three million low-grade or thirty thousand mid-grade spirit stones."
"The tree seeds are bought. Aside from buying some currently missing Rank 2 spirit herbs and seeds in the short term, I don't need anything else. I should plant more spirit herbs and trees. Herbs provide for cultivation and give the bees more choices for honey research. More trees, even if not contracted, benefit the growth of the Three-Colored Deer and the Shepherd of Trees profession!"
"But I should decide on my eighth animal companion first! Let's go straight for a three-million-stone spirit beast with a comprehension talent!"
"Anyway, it won't be long before I reach level 8 as a Druid. I can buy it now and wait a bit before starting the contract."
There were limits in his territory that prevented him from planting trees of too high a rank, but there were no such restrictions on spirit beasts! So, rather than letting these points and stones sit idle, he might as well get a Rank 4 spirit beast in the two-to-three-million range to gain a super comprehension talent!
He didn't dare think about Rank 5 beasts yet. Those were equivalent to Soul Transformation stage cultivators, and his few tens of thousands of mid-grade stones wouldn't be enough to secure one.
As Qi Ping currently needed to create his own spells, no talent was more appropriate than a powerful boost to comprehension.
"Let's try searching. I wonder what kind of spirit beasts can be found near the Qingtian Domain."
[Searching for Rank 4 Comprehension-type Spirit Beasts!]
[This search requires 20,000 Black Market Spirit Stones. Proceed?]
"Yes!"
Though it stung a little, information on such rare beasts was indeed worth the price. Soon, as Qi Ping confirmed, the product information appeared before him. There weren't many entries—only three.
"It's actually more than when I searched for heavenly secret type beasts!"
Last time, he had only found two Rank 3 beasts. It was clear just how rare the heavenly secret types were.
[Spirit-Devouring Beast, Rank 4 High-grade. Price: 5.7 Million Spirit Stones + 570,000 Black Market Points]
[Dream-Illusion Moth, Rank 4 Low-grade. Price: 2.2 Million Spirit Stones + 150,000 Black Market Points]
[Clear-Manifestation Green Snake, Rank 4 Mid-grade. Price: 2.8 Million Spirit Stones + 280,000 Black Market Points]
"Spirit-Devouring Beast, Dream-Illusion Moth, Clear-Manifestation Green Snake... each of them is extraordinary!"
The Spirit-Devouring Beast went without saying; it was a legendary existence in the cultivation world, known for devouring souls without a trace, leaving behind only domains of withered bone. Ancient records mentioned a terrifying Spirit-Devouring Beast that had devoured every living being in an entire domain, including several Nascent Soul experts. Its combat power was ferocious!
However, such a beast was extremely difficult to tame and nurture. Even Qi Ping lacked confidence, and the Druid philosophy differed greatly from the nature of such a creature. Besides, the price was beyond what he could currently afford.
"That beast has strength, but it isn't suitable for me!"
Next, he turned his gaze to the Dream-Illusion Moth.
"The Dream-Illusion Moth: a dream of a thousand years, a life like death!"
This phrase was the best description the cultivation world had for the Dream-Illusion Moth. Although it had "illusion" in its name, its methods actually had little to do with traditional illusions and were instead related to the much rarer and more eerie Dream Dao!
This was an extremely rare and bizarre method that could kill a person directly within a dream or leave them in a state between life and death! In the knowledge Qi Ping currently possessed, there weren't many ways to counter such methods; even those with powerful souls could perish under the moth's influence.
Most cultivators facing a Dream-Illusion Moth might die mysteriously without even knowing what happened. This was why, despite being a Rank 4 low-grade beast, its price was nearly the same as the Rank 4 mid-grade Clear-Manifestation Green Snake.
The only downside was that this beast was also very difficult to contract. Most beast-taming cultivators failed when trying to bond with a creature proficient in Dream Dao. Qi Ping had a bit more confidence, however, because the Dream-Illusion Moth was naturally gentle, preferring to plant various spirit flowers and drink nectar. In this regard, it was very similar to a Druid and to Qi Ping himself.
If he bought the moth, he was fairly certain he could succeed in the contract. However, Qi Ping hesitated and ultimately gave up on the Dream-Illusion Moth. Although he craved the Dream Dao methods and liked the idea of a flower-planting pet, the moth's comprehension talent was mostly focused on the Dream Dao, which wasn't the path he wanted to cultivate.
But the more important reason was that the Clear-Manifestation Green Snake's talent was even more suited to him!
The cultivation world's evaluation of the Clear-Manifestation Green Snake was: "If you cannot beat it the first time, never fight it a second time!"
This was because, while its soul and physical talents weren't exceptionally outstanding, it possessed an extraordinary ability to learn. Almost any move performed in front of it once would have its flaws exposed to the snake—simpler ones could even be learned directly!