Cultivation begins with earning spirit stones

Chapter 29 The Mysterious Flag

A main flag, about the size of a palm, with twisted runes drawn on its surface in the blood of beasts.

The six secondary flags were only the size of a thumb, with simple runes on them.

The Formation Flag, a superior magical artifact set.

This was purchased by Master Xiong from a traveling merchant in Hunyuan Continent at a high price. With the seven array flags in combination, a trapping array can be set up.

Once activated, a misty fog will surge out from within the range of the six secondary flags, generating a binding force that causes enemies within the formation to lose their senses.

In the battle of Black Pine Forest, Master Xiong used this set of flags to trap Zhang Lin.

If Zhang Lin hadn't possessed the third-tier Breath Concealment Technique, which allowed him to hide his presence and assimilate to his environment, enabling him to move freely even within the trapped formation, the outcome of that battle would have been uncertain.

This set of array flags is already a high-grade magic weapon with considerable power.

However, the function of the trap formation is too limited; it can only trap the enemy, not kill them.

Zhang Lin summoned the system light screen.

"The complete set of the Bewildering Array Flags is a high-grade magic artifact. It can be used to set up a bewildering array, releasing a misty fog to bind enemies within the array."

"Can be enhanced, consumes 600 low-grade spirit stones."

"Enhancement Effect: Top-grade magic artifact set, doubles the concentration of the illusionary fog, enhances the binding power, new characteristic: random."

Six hundred pieces.

Zhang Lin did not hesitate.

"Strengthen the Trapped Flag."

Three hundred rays of spiritual light surged into the seven array flags.

The beast blood runes on the main flag seemed to come alive, twisting, wandering, and rearranging themselves.

The originally simple runes became complex and intricate, with each stroke containing a mysterious rhythm.

Fine spiritual patterns also appeared on the flagpole, echoing the runes on the flag.

The six secondary flags also changed; although the flags were small, the runes became exquisite and detailed.

The pointed tip at the base of the flagpole gleamed coldly; it was the part that plunged into the ground. After being reinforced, it was even sharper and tougher, capable of easily piercing even rocks.

Once the enhancement was complete, the seven array flags lay quietly in Zhang Lin's palm, moving automatically without wind, with a faint mist swirling around them.

"The Lost Array Banner - Seven-piece Set, a top-grade magic weapon set."

"New Feature, Drawing a Circle as a Prison: A barrier is generated during the formation's activation. As long as the barrier remains intact, those within the formation cannot leave the fog's area."

"New Feature, Fog Concealment Killing Intent: The fog in the formation can create the illusion of the formation setter, making it difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion, thus disrupting the enemy's mind."

A glint of light flashed in Zhang Lin's eyes.

Two characteristics appeared at once, wonderful!

Although the enemy cannot see and their spiritual sense is suppressed in the fog, they still have a chance to escape the fog. However, with the "drawing a circle on the ground as a prison" formation, this is a true trap, and they will never be able to get out without breaking the formation.

Now, with the added threat of the fog and the ability to conjure phantoms, every shadow the enemy sees in the formation may or may not be him.

It's a mix of truth and deception, impossible to guard against.

He activated his concealment technique and merged with the mist.

He was in the shadows, while the enemy was in the open.

Killing the enemy in battle is like slaughtering pigs and dogs.

He carefully put the battle flag into his storage bag and kept it close to his body.

This set of flags will become one of his core trump cards in future battles.

The two practical magical artifacts were upgraded, consuming a total of nine hundred spirit stones.

The budget of one thousand spirit stones for enhancement has dwindled to only one hundred.

Zhang Lin's gaze fell on the palm-sized wooden box.

The Fragment of the Hundred Herbs Elixir Classic.

He opened the wooden box, took out the jade slip that was glowing with a bluish light, and placed it on his forehead.

He activated his true energy to activate the jade slip, allowing the information contained within it to flow into his mind.

The jade slip glowed slightly.

Texts and images flooded my mind like a tide.

The "Hundred Herbs Elixir Classic" is a closely guarded secret of the Danxia Sect, recording the cultivation methods of dozens of spiritual herbs, as well as various elixir formulas.

Although it is only a fragment, its contents are already extremely astonishing.

Cultivation of the Spirit Orchid: It needs to be irrigated with spiritual spring water and fertilized monthly with a mixture of wood ash and spirit beast bone powder. It can grow to a medicinal age of twenty years in three years.

If a spirit-gathering array is set up around it with spirit stones, the speed can be doubled.

Cultivation of *Trifolium repens*: It prefers shade and moisture, and should be planted in a shady place on a mountain. It should be planted in leaf mold as a base and watered with spring water every day. It can grow to the age of thirty years in one year.

Cultivation of Chalcedony Fungus: It grows near spiritual stone veins, using spiritual stone powder as soil, and can grow to a medicinal age of ten years in three years.

In addition, there are cultivation methods for seven or eight kinds of spiritual herbs, each with detailed requirements for soil, water, light, fertilizer, and auxiliary formations.

There are six types of pill formulas: the three common ones are Peiyuan Pill, Huiqi Pill, and Healing Pill; the three secret formulas are Baoxue Pill, Qiqi Pill, and Pojing Pill.

Zhang Lin had already seen two of the secret formula pills, but the Spirit Awakening Pill, which he hadn't seen before, was specifically used to awaken the intelligence of beasts.

Besides the daily feeding, Master Xiong must have also fed that blue-scaled python Qi-enhancing pills after obtaining the Hundred Herbs Elixir Scripture, otherwise it wouldn't have been so obedient.

Zhang Lin wrote down all of this information, secretly marveling at it.

The Danxia Sect truly lives up to its reputation as the foremost sect of alchemy in the world. Leaving aside their alchemy formulas, their methods for cultivating spiritual herbs alone have taken the growth patterns of natural treasures to the extreme.

Ordinary cultivators can only try their luck in deep mountains and forests to find wild medicinal herbs.

However, the disciples of the Danxia Sect are able to cultivate their own spiritual herbs.

But a fragment is still a fragment.

This jade slip contains only the cultivation methods for the most basic spiritual herbs and the formulas for first-grade pills.

Higher-grade elixirs and pill formulas, and truly rare items over a hundred years old, all lack cultivation methods.

Moreover, the time required to cultivate elixirs can easily be several years or even more than ten years.

Zhang Lin put down the jade slip and summoned the system light screen.

"The Hundred Herbs Elixir Classic - Fragment," a fragment of the Daoist alchemy tradition. It records the cultivation methods for seven low-grade spiritual herbs. It can be enhanced, consuming one hundred low-grade spirit stones.

"Enhancement Effects: Completed some missing content, added three new methods for cultivating intermediate-level spiritual herbs, and added: Basic Second-Grade Alchemy Techniques, which allows you to learn the refining methods for second-grade pills."

One hundred.

It happened to be all the remaining enhancement budget he had, but since it could produce a second-grade alchemy technique, it wasn't a loss.

Zhang Lin did not hesitate.

"strengthen."

One hundred spirit stones transformed into spiritual light and surged into the jade slip.

The blue light on the surface of the jade slip suddenly shone brightly, and a massive flow of information surged into Zhang Lin's mind.

The three newly added methods for cultivating intermediate-level spiritual herbs are the advanced cultivation methods for Crimson Sun Fruit, Cold Tobacco Grass, and Jade Marrow Fungus.

And, the basics of second-grade alchemy.

In the path of alchemy, elixirs are divided into nine grades. Grade one is the lowest, and grade nine is the highest.

Most of the pills that cultivators in the Qi Refining stage can access are first-grade pills, such as Qi Cultivation Pills, Qi Recovery Pills, and Healing Pills.

Second-grade pills are used by Foundation Establishment stage cultivators. Foundation Establishment Pill, Yuan Gathering Pill, and Marrow Cleansing Pill are all second-grade.

After the fragments of "The Classic of Herbs and Elixir" were completed, it also included the basic methods of second-grade alchemy, such as how to control the fire, how to select materials, how to condense the elixir, and how to start the furnace.

Although it is only the most basic foundation, it is invaluable to a rogue cultivator who has never systematically studied alchemy.

Zhang Lin opened his eyes, a hint of satisfaction flashing in them.

One hundred spirit stones for three methods of cultivating mid-level spirit herbs and the basics of second-grade alchemy – this deal is incredibly profitable.

He put the enhanced jade slip back into the wooden box and kept it close to his body.

At this point, the entire budget of one thousand spirit stones for enhancement had been exhausted.

The Azure Gang Sword is a superior-grade magical artifact.

The Trapping Flag, a top-grade magic weapon set.

The incomplete version of "The Classic of Herbs and Elixir" has been completed, and a new second-grade basic alchemy technique has been added, which can be used up to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Zhang Lin stood up, walked to the spring, scooped up a handful of the spiritual spring water, and drank it all in one gulp.

A gentle, spiritual energy rose from the abdomen and flowed to the limbs and bones.

He sat cross-legged by the spring, closed his eyes, and looked inward.

Within his dantian, true qi and mist swirled like a sea of ​​clouds.

At the very core of this sea of ​​clouds, a drop of liquid true energy floats quietly, like a glistening dewdrop.