Chapter 48: Centenary Spirit Ring

At this moment, Ling Yi was not in his room but rather in a hidden chamber three meters below the bed.

The secret room was equipped with over thirty slender bamboo tubes running from the chamber to various parts of the house — the upper room, the main hall, the kitchen, the courtyard — ensuring it did not feel suffocating.

While the concealment of the chamber was only average, it wasn't designed to fend off enemies. It merely served to buy Ling Yi some time to react to unexpected events.

Ling Yi now moved 800 Blue Silver Grass plants he had gradually transported from the academy over two years, once more bringing them down to this secret chamber.

The initial batch of 204 Blue Silver Grass plants had, after a year of spirit power nurturing, spontaneously absorbed the life force dispersed by other Blue Silver Grass, accelerating their growth. After two years, 198 of them stopped progressing at a new critical point, with the life force accumulated within no longer growing.

The remaining six, through Ling Yi's relentless nurturing of spirit power, mental resonance simulation, and martial spirit interaction, broke through an invisible barrier over a month, allowing them to continue growing.

For these pioneering six Blue Silver Grass plants, Ling Yi ceased extending his efforts on the ones cultivated afterward at the academy, halting all nourishing practices when they reached the second threshold.

Two more years have passed, and now, those six plants stand in Ling Yi's room like six small shrubs; calling them grass would stretch the imagination of most.

As for their age, based on Ling Yi's previous experience with Old Master Jin, who attended a banquet at Duke Mu Feng's mansion two years ago, there he saw a tree in the palace court that was said to be over two hundred and eighty years old— the "Rose of Sharon." Ling Yi could sense that the energy fluctuations from the six "Blue Silver Grass" he cultivated surpassed that of the tree!

It's quite extraordinary to think that in just three or four years, Ling Yi, with his mere Soul Master level spirit power, managed to cultivate six nearly three hundred-year-old "Blue Silver Grass," along with thousands of others with varying ages.

If this news were to spread across the Douluo Continent, it would inevitably create a sensation across the entire land.

However, to Ling Yi, it wasn't really much.

"Blue Silver Grass," no, not just "Blue Silver Grass," but spirit beasts in the Douluo Continent's worldview, their rules, although they might have ages and energy, were akin to livestock in his previous life waiting to be butchered.

All they had was excess fat, eventually only to be slaughtered one by one, roasted or steamed in myriad ways to be consumed.

Therefore, when Ling Yi used his own spirit power to stimulate the "Blue Silver Grass" to absorb the vitality of their surroundings, speeding up their growth, it wasn't something unbelievable.

In his past life, ornamental plants could also be made to grow faster with the right fertilizer application.

In this extraordinary world brimming with spiritual power, everything progresses at an accelerated pace.

The "Blue Silver Grass," in terms of energy accumulation, is indeed much easier to cultivate compared to the other spirit beasts of this realm.

As for whether the essence of a century-old cultivated "Blue Silver Grass" falls short of that of its wild counterpart, which has withstood the elements for a hundred years, this thought only crossed Ling Yi's mind briefly before he dismissed it.

"Having it is already quite fortunate; why ask for more?"

Besides, the silky smoothness of his self-cultivated century-old "Blue Silver Grass" during absorption is far beyond compare to those flamboyant wild ones out there.

Without needing to sever the root, Ling Yi merely summoned his spirit, the "Blue Silver Grass," placing it next to the plant with the most intense energy aura. With a gentle infusion of spiritual power, countless sparkling dots of yellow, blue, and green began to float and coalesce in the air.

It was the legendary spirit ring of the "Blue Silver Grass" over three hundred years old—!!!

With just a slight movement of Ling Yi's spirit power, the spirit ring was drawn to and settled obediently onto the Blue Silver Grass spirit in the palm of his right hand.

As soon as they made contact, Ling Yi sensed a vast yet gentle cooling energy begin to flow gently through the Blue Silver Grass spirit, coursing into his meridians.

Ling Yi immediately collected his focus, keeping a part of his awareness on the external surroundings while directing most of his attention inward.

Cooling, gentle, powerful...these were the immediate impressions of the spirit power emanating from the three-hundred-year-old Blue Silver Grass.

At this moment, Ling Yi felt as if his meridians and body were akin to a parched field suddenly greeted by a perfectly timed, endless spring rain, reviving a vigorous vitality, making him feel more alive and real.

Due to the compliance of the spirit power, the entire process of absorbing the spirit ring proceeded with unbelievable smoothness, rendering all the contingency plans Ling Yi had prepared unnecessary.

Of course, those contingency plans weren't a waste. It's always wise to be cautious.

Once the last trace of spirit power from the bright yellow spirit ring merged into Ling Yi's body, the stationary Blue Silver Grass burst into a stream of light, merging into the Blue Silver Grass spirit in Ling Yi's hand.

In place, a handful of pale blue, fine ash-like dust slowly drifted down. A small, azure, thumb-sized round object landed with a soft thud, resting quietly in the pale blue ashes.

Ling Yi, not sparing a moment to care about what the loyal "Blue Silver Grass" had left behind, suddenly found himself entering a unique state—mystical and delightful!

At first, as his spirit power surged in, he could feel that vibrant and powerful energy expanding through every meridian, nourishing his muscles, bones, and every part of his body. Ling Yi could sense that his entire being was becoming stronger with every passing moment.

As the century-old "Blue Silver Grass" merged fully into his "Blue Silver Grass" martial spirit, Ling Yi only managed to flick a stone with his left hand, activating a trigger mechanism in the corner of the chamber. His entire consciousness then fused with his martial spirit.

When Ling Yi felt himself transform into a stalk of "Blue Silver Grass," he was not alarmed. This scene had been simulated in his mind countless times before.

Initially, he planned to absorb the spirit ring almost fully, then pluck out and weigh the roughly two-jin body of the three-hundred-year "Blue Silver Grass," to chew and eat it.

Compared to those in Douluo Continent, who, after absorbing the spirit ring, are preoccupied only with searching for spirit bones or cutting up precious materials—activities Ling Yi viewed as wasteful—he had a different perspective.

Of course, Ling Yi was aware that in the perilous regions where spirit beasts roamed, carrying around the bloody carcass of a spirit beast without a storage soul guide was a terribly reckless move.

"But... it feels like such a waste!"

While spirit rings embody the essence and core of spirit beasts, their bodies still hold an abundant reserve of energy that, if left untapped, would be akin to discarding a treasure, something Ling Yi, who loves to gnaw big bones and savor the marrow, can't bear to see go to waste.

Now, in this moment, his cherished creation selflessly burns and gives its all, and Ling Yi feels that faint, almost imperceptible affection and attachment from it.

(End of Chapter)