“Hahaha. I had a feeling that a druid’s curse wouldn’t work on another druid. Turns out I was right.”
As Aksai reveled in the joy of his improved lifespan, another notification appeared on his Spectral Screen.
[Heart Gate has been completely opened due to recent changes in the user’s physique and soul. Spirit Root Aptitude has been improved.
Earlier Spirit Root Aptitude: Low-grade (with three Gates opened)
Updated Spirit Root Aptitude: Mid-grade (with four Gates opened)]
“Mi— Mi— Mid-grade aptitude?”
“Mid-grade?”
“It is mid-grade Aptitude. Am I reading this right?”
“MID-GRADE APTITUDE!”
“Hahahaha! Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha!” Aksai laughed like a madman, a joyful pain in his guts.
It took him a while to calm down. Eventually, he did.
“I… I finally did what was considered impossible in Dadangar. I managed to improve my Spirit Root Aptitude,” Aksai said, sighing as if he had vented all his excitement in the laughter session a few minutes ago. He felt proud of his achievements.
A lone man with no backing had managed to break the norms established in the Dadangar five-kingdom subcontinent. There was no way he wouldn’t feel prideful about his progress.
Aksai had already sensed that his Heart Gate had been partially opened when he broke into the Argent Body realm. His body cultivation path had paved the way for his improved aptitude. The assimilation with the druid bloodline gave it the much-needed final push to completely open the Heart Gate.
***
What did it mean to have an improved Spirit Root Aptitude?
With the fourth Gate opened Aksai’s speed on the path of Spirit cultivation would improve significantly.
It was said that low-grade Spirit cultivators could only achieve the Foundation Building realm in their lifetimes. There was no way for them to become Core Formation Lords unless they encountered extraordinary luck.
However, after Aksai successfully upgraded his Spirit Root Aptitude, he stood a chance to become a Core Formation Lord in the future. The upper limit of his Spirit cultivation potential had been raised with the opening of the fourth Gate.
One had to note that the probability of finding a Spirit cultivator with the potential to become a Core Formation Lord was less than one in a million. This was why the number of Core Formation Lords in the Dadangar five-kingdom subcontinent could be counted on one hand.
Of course, having a mid-grade Spirit Root did not guarantee that a Spirit cultivator would become a Core Formation Lord by breaking through to the third Spirit cultivation realm. However, the journey became much easier for those with mid-grade or better Spirit Root Aptitude.
“Heart Gate… is it related to one’s vitality?” Aksai mumbled to himself, thinking of many things at once.
“I’m sure the druid bloodline has a role in increasing my lifespan. But I feel like the Heart Gate has also given me a bonus by adding some more years,” Aksai thought as he felt his heartbeat by placing his right hand over his left chest.
The island owner of Emerald Cove knew that the benefits of having four opened Gates weren’t just limited to Spirit cultivation. He could also use the fourth Gate to release and absorb ambient Qi essence.
This naturally benefited his martial arts, and overall Qi flow within his body, and increased his chances of breaking into higher realms in body cultivation.
Ideally, Aksai should have been able to upgrade his Spirit Root Aptitude after attaining the later stages of the Argent Body realm. However, the assimilation with the druid bloodline had expedited that process in ways Aksai couldn’t have imagined in his wildest dreams.
***
“So this is what my bloodline transformation looks like,” Aksai murmured to himself as he looked at his hands before turning them into fists.
He felt that the life force within him was now so potent that it had changed the properties of his blood. If, before the transformation, Aksai’s blood had the consistency of water, then now it had turned thick and heavy, like liquid metal.
“Hehehe. Let me see how useful this new bloodline transformation is to me,” Aksai thought, eager to test his new physique.
In the next moment, Aksai began performing a series of martial arts moves.
[ Celestial Harmony Model: Qi Flow Arts ]
[ Celestial Harmony Model: White Golden Palm Arts ]
[ Celestial Harmony Model: Qi Fist Arts ]
Each motion felt effortless.
Aksai’s movements more fluid and powerful than ever before. He executed a series of punches, kicks, and complex stances, feeling the strength in his newly enhanced muscles and the agility in his elongated limbs.
Despite his pro-testosterone physique, Aksai was very nimble on his feet and agile in his movements. Every strike and stance resonated with a vitality that was both invigorating and intoxicating.
With a wave of his hand, Aksai conjured a large, mirror-like surface of water before him. He stepped closer, peering into the mirror and observing his own reflection.
The Spirit farmer couldn’t help but admire his muscles, flexing them like a bodybuilder. He turned slightly, examining every angle, and marveled at the sheer transformation he had undergone.
“Alright. Enough playing around for now.”
With a deep breath, Aksai began to retract the bloodline transformation. His body shivered as the changes he had undergone started to reverse.
His bright copper-colored hair darkened, returning to its original jet-black hue. The runic tattoos that had marked his torso and limbs slowly faded, leaving his skin unmarked and smooth. His pale, almost translucent skin regained its normal, healthy tone.
The golden eyes shifted back to their familiar amber color.
Aksai felt his muscles’ definition soften, the exaggerated bulk diminishing as his physique returned to its previous, more streamlined form.
His heightened stature decreased, bringing him back to his usual height, and leaving him with his normal human appearance. Even his presence returned to that of a human.
He exhaled, feeling the last remnants of the transformation hidden deep within him.
“Hmm. This is more like it.”
Looking into the water-element mirror once more, he saw his familiar face staring back at him—no longer the mysterious druid, but the Aksai he had always known.