The method Aksai and Yelia had jointly developed was simple but effective.
Yelia would create ethereal runic streams from the accumulated emotions in the Demon Tree, then send them to Aksai through the Myriad Worlds Painting.
The Demon Tree acted like a power source, the painting was the conduit, and Yelia served as a regulator, ensuring the energy didn’t overwhelm him.
Of course, it wasn’t a perfect system. The limitations were many.
Firstly, Aksai could only handle so much of the filtered intent-based energy at once. It wasn’t strong enough to force a breakthrough in his current Foundation Building realm, but it still helped him stabilize his cultivation and refine his Spirit essence at a faster rate and also more effectively.
Secondly, the emotional energy from the farm wasn’t infinite. He had to wait days for it to build up again after each session. After all, the plants would generate emotions every second but the level of emotions was limited by their intelligence. Compared to humanoid beings, the level of emotions and the range of the same was very limited.
Even though the plants in the Everwood Farm released emotions consistently throughout the day, there were only so many of them. Aksai had hoped for a larger number, but for now, the limited supply had to suffice.
Under normal circumstances, the accumulation of the emotions released by the plants would have been more than enough for Aksai to use the intent-based energy everyday to expedite his cultivation practices. However, the conversion rate of Aksai actually making use of the accumulated emotions was very low. Thus, it had to be compensated by larger quantities of the same.
Yelia could only send him small doses of the purified energy at a time, ensuring that it didn’t overload his system or cause instability.
***
‘This should be how druids are supposed to cultivate right?’
A part of Aksai was watching his own progress in a neutral manner. His thoughts drifted to the corrupted druid from whom he had obtained the Demon Tree.
That druid had harnessed negative emotions, feeding off fear, anger, and despair from trapped people within his Devil’s Den.
Aksai, however, didn’t have such a macabre setup. Nor did he want one for the time being. The energy they were working with came from the faint, almost gentle emotions of the plants—nothing like the darkness the druid had relied on.
This energy seemed to temper the Spirit essence he absorbed on its own. If the Spirit essence before was like a nutritious supplement for his body and soul, under the influence of the intent-based energy, it had been turned into a superfood.
Of course, a typical superfood in itself wasn’t that omnipotent. A lot of its potential benefits were still dependent on a consumer’s ability to digest it and make the most of it.
Still, this technique had its advantages.
First, the intent-based energy was discreet, leaving no physical manifestations. Aksai could use it without drawing attention, a crucial factor given the delicate situation he found himself in. This was why he had dared to start his intent-based cultivation officially while he was still inside a major demonic sect’s territory.
Secondly, he didn’t need to be physically present in the farm to make use of the energy. His bond with both the Demon Tree and the Myriad Worlds Painting was strong enough that his soul could receive the energy directly, no matter where he was.
Aksai regulated his breaths as the ethereal runic streams flowed into him. He could feel the subtle shift in his Spirit essence, the emotional energy blending seamlessly with the moonlight’s cooling power. It wasn’t a dramatic surge of power, but a slow, steady build up—a quiet strengthening of his foundation.
Yelia watched over the process, making minor adjustments to the flow as needed. ‘The method is stable,’ she murmured to herself. ‘Though not perfect, it’s enough to keep him progressing at a much faster rate than before.’
Aksai felt the connection deepen. His soul resonated with the Demon Tree, the Myriad Worlds Painting, and the farm itself. It was like being part of a vast network, one that allowed him to tap into a unique, subtle power source that no cultivator in Dadangar Subcontinent should have access to.
As the session continued, the moonlight mingled with the emotional energy, casting soft shadows across his face.
What had initially seemed like a gathering of fireflies now transformed into something more striking—like strips of LED lights coming together in intricate patterns, bright and eye-catching.
The increased concentration of moonlight around him made Aksai appear like a prodigious Spirit cultivator, as though he was practicing a technique uniquely tailored to him. It was as if his Spirit Root Aptitude had been temporarily enhanced.
If Haitin saw Aksai now, he would likely redouble his efforts to recruit him into his sect. While Haitin might not mistake him for a once-in-a-thousand-years genius, he would certainly believe Aksai’s talent rivaled that of the late-stage Foundation Building experts who served as grand elders in his sect.
After all, there were not many grand elders in Haitin’s sect even when it acted as one of the three major demonic organizations. The fact that Aksai had the potential to become a late-stage Foundation Building Expert would make him even more recruit-friendly.
Aksai, however, knew there was still much to improve. Even with the Myriad Worlds Painting’s passive support and Yelia’s assistance, he felt like he was wasting a significant amount of intent-based energy—like using jet fuel to power a toy car. It was unavoidable for now.
Still, with Yelia’s guidance, Aksai felt confident they had found a stable method that worked. A technique that would allow him to progress steadily without drawing unwanted attention, and one that compensated for the limitations of his Spirit Root Aptitude to some degree.
Slowly, the ethereal runic streams faded, and the flow of energy subsided.
Aksai opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and more attuned to his cultivation than before.
He could still sense the faint heartbeat of the farm, reassuring him that this connection, though limited, would continue to support him on his journey.
“This… this is not bad, right?”
Aksai murmured to himself as he checked his stats on the spectral screen. The numbers on the spectral screen that had popped in front of Aksai at this point confirmed that the intent-based cultivation session had been at least 10 percent more effective than before.
“It IS bad… not terrible, but still bad,” Yelia’s voice echoed in his mind.
“The conversion rate of intent-based energy into your cultivation progress isn’t even 3 percent. Sure, you’ve achieved a 10 percent boost, but that’s after accumulating the plants’ emotions over many days.
It means you can only get this kind of boost once a week at most,” Yelia concluded. Although pleased with the initial success, she clearly wanted more efficiency.
“I see,” Aksai replied thoughtfully. “Maybe we can increase the efficiency a bit by designing a suitable Array Formation,” he suggested, though with some doubt.
“No need,” Yelia responded quickly. “I’m sure my lord could create a formation given enough time, but there’s something far better you can do. Something much much better.”
“Hmm? And what’s that?” Aksai asked, puzzled.
“The opportunity Haitin mentioned,” Yelia said, smiling.
“This opportunity will be very beneficial for you.”
“So the feeling I had before wasn’t just a figment of my imagination? There’s indeed something here in the Wild Devil Lands that can be beneficial for a druid?”
Her confidence left Aksai both surprised and eager, filling him with anticipation for the dawn of the next day.