The three Adamantine Bamboos were quickly cut down after they matured.
Zhao Xing patiently began crafting Adamantine Puppets.
Ever since he defeated Zong Shichang in the autumn assessment, his Puppet Spell had not fallen behind; its Cultivation accounted for a significant portion of his time, and he spent two to three hours every day in Xue Wenzhong's backyard crafting Puppets.
Among them, the Adamantine Puppet progressed the fastest, because Zhao Xing felt that the Adamantine Puppet was quite useful; not to mention fighting, even for moving bricks or plowing fields, the Adamantine Puppet was his first choice.
Currently, among Zhao Xing's five Puppet Spells, the Revitalization Puppet was Rank Six.
The Entangling Puppet was Rank Five.
The Swiftness Puppet was Rank Three.
The Thorny Puppet was only Rank Two.
But the Adamantine Puppet had already reached Rank Seven!
"Three Adamantine Bamboos can probably make 15 Adamantine Puppets, but since more than two hours have passed, I might as well plant them again."
"The Green Vines are certainly enough; three Green Vines are enough to make forty to fifty Entangling Puppets."
Zhao Xing once again took out three Adamantine Bamboo saplings from the bamboo box and planted them, then performed 'Cloud and Rain' and 'Vigorous Growth'.
The soil fertility of East Lake Mountain was quite sufficient; even after planting once, Zhao Xing estimated that these three Adamantine Bamboo saplings would mature in at most four or five hours.
The clouds enveloped the area below the cliff, and Zhao Xing began to focus on crafting Puppets.
You have created a Puppet (Adamantine), Proficiency +5.
Puppet (Adamantine)
Proficiency: 7201 / 9999
Effect: Indestructible, boundless strength.
You have created a Puppet (Adamantine), Proficiency +8.
Puppet (Adamantine)
Proficiency: 7209 / 9999
Effect: Indestructible, boundless strength.
The Puppet Spell is easy to learn but difficult to master; after the Adamantine Puppet reached Rank Seven, it no longer provided Proficiency for 【All Things Are Soldiers】.
Even when using Adamantine Bamboo Materials, the Adamantine Puppet itself only gave single-digit Proficiency.
Zhao Xing's comprehension of Spells entered a gentle transition period.
To achieve Perfection with the Adamantine Puppet in a short time, he had to use more and better Materials.
"Go hide on the periphery."
After four Adamantine Puppets emerged, Zhao Xing had them lie in the soil nearby, acting as 'crawling demons'.
Then he pulled two more Green Vines, made two Rank Five Puppets, and hid them in the trees, blending with the environment.
With protection, Zhao Xing became even more focused on crafting Puppet Puppets.
Completely engrossed, he lost track of time.
Zhao Xing reached behind him, but found nothing.
He realized that the Materials had been used up.
"Hoo~"
Zhao Xing let out a long breath, straightened up, and rubbed his eyes.
"It took an hour, but fifteen Adamantine Puppets are finally complete."
Slow work produces fine products; these fifteen Adamantine Puppets were all exceptionally well-made, possessing considerable charm.
"Crack~"
Zhao Xing picked a handful of Green Vine fruits to sate his hunger, lying on the Green Vine and looking at the sky.
The Heavenly Origin Pears had to be eaten at a critical moment; eating them now would be too wasteful.
"I wonder if Zi Yu and Qian Dong went into the mountains; I don't seem to have seen them in the morning. Shen Zhui of the Martial Division is a Seventh Rank Gathering Origin Martial Artist, and he has good connections in the Martial Division, even inviting people to accompany him, so there shouldn't be a big problem."
In his leisure, he unconsciously thought of his friends, and Zhao Xing even worried about Zong Shichang for a moment.
"I wonder if that young master has come down the mountain. Hmm? Why am I thinking about him? Is it really a case of 'eating someone's food makes you soft-mouthed, taking someone's things makes you short-handed'?"
He turned over, and Zhao Xing looked at the distant mountain stream.
Suddenly, a black dot appeared in the sky, attracting Zhao Xing's attention.
Activating his 'Bright Eyes' Spell, Zhao Xing looked into the distance.
He saw someone riding a horse through the air above the mountain stream; the figure held a long spear and wore armor, looking quite heroic.
"Hmm? Bamboo horse leaping over the stream, galloping through the air, which expert is this?"
"What is he jumping around for?"
Zhao Xing watched in confusion.
The bamboo horse rider repeatedly leaped across the mountain stream; he had already made three or four round trips just while Zhao Xing watched.
In mid-air, the rider even stood on the horse's back, looking around, seemingly searching for something.
"Is he collecting spiritual essence?"
"I wonder what he discovered."
Spiritual essence in the mountains could be a tree, an item, even a handful of yellow earth, or a cloud.
Zhao Xing's eyes flickered as he stared at that part of the sky, but he found nothing unusual.
"It's too far; I can't sense it."
A moment later, he withdrew his gaze, no longer paying attention.
Among High Grade, Medium Grade, and Low Grade spiritual essences, the higher the grade, the more ambiguous the sensation, making it even difficult to identify.
This person's strength might already be Ninth Rank, given that he could defeat the Eighth Rank Gathering Origin Martial Artist invited by Zong Shichang.
It's better to watch less.
Twilight arrived in a blink of an eye; at this time, the three Adamantine Bamboos Zhao Xing had newly planted were already nearing maturity.
"The destructive power of 'Wild Growth' is still too great. Even though East Lake Mountain is rich in Origin Qi, replanting in the same spot makes the second growth much slower," Zhao Xing thought to himself.
"Fortunately, they're almost mature. Once I finish crafting the Puppets after they mature, I'll move to a different spot. Tonight, I'll rest well, recover my Origin Qi, and then ascend the mountain tomorrow morning."
He was patiently waiting for the Adamantine Bamboos to mature.
Suddenly—
"Splash~"
The branches of the Adamantine Bamboo swayed, and the rustling sound of bamboo leaves reached his ears; something seemed to have fallen.
"No way, something fell again?" Zhao Xing became alert, but the next moment he realized that whatever fell shouldn't be large.
At least not a person.
"Maybe a rock fell from the cliff?"
Zhao Xing approached the Adamantine Bamboo and followed the sound.
He saw a fist-sized, bright red fruit caught on a branch of the Adamantine Bamboo.
"Thump~ Thump~"
Upon seeing this fruit, Zhao Xing's heart began to beat involuntarily.
A sudden whim!
It was the sensation after encountering spiritual essence!
"Damn, spiritual essence falling from the sky? This fruit, it's actually formed from the spiritual essence of the mountain?"
However, before Zhao Xing could get closer.
"Splash~"
"Splash~"
There were two more sounds.
Two vermillion fruits fell at Zhao Xing's feet.
One was only fist-sized, while the other was as large as a baby's head!
"..."
Looking at the three vermillion fruits before him, Zhao Xing couldn't help but feel a bit bewildered.
From the sensation, these three vermillion fruits were at least Low Grade spiritual essences, and the largest one even had the potential to reach Medium Grade.
"Is the Luck of the 'Derived Rank Two' so strong? I haven't even gone up the mountain, just at the foot of it, and I can pick up spiritual essence?"
Zhao Xing's heart pounded uncontrollably; the fragrance emitted by the fruits, just by smelling it, made him feel refreshed, and the Origin Qi consumed while crafting Puppets actually recovered by half a percent.
"Thank goodness for nature's bounty," Zhao Xing said, grinning from ear to ear. He bent down to pick up the vermillion fruits.
However, just then, the 'Amulet Against Evil Calendar' in his arms suddenly turned a page.
At the same time, a soft female voice came from the other side of the stream.
"Brother, so you're here. This humble one has had such a hard time finding you~"