Li Xue picked up the scrolls. One of them detailed the uses of each item in the storage bag. The jade pendant was actually a "jade slip," containing an introductory cultivation manual and various spells, which were also recorded in the other two scrolls. The bottles contained two vials of Spirit Supplementing Pills, two of Spirit Gathering Pills, and one of Detoxification Pills. Spirit Gathering Pills could be taken during cultivation to directly absorb the spiritual energy within the medicine; Spirit Supplementing Pills allowed for rapid recovery when one's spiritual power was depleted; and the Detoxification Pills could neutralize most poisons, especially those from spirit beasts.
There were twelve low-grade spirit stones, which could be used during cultivation, for restoring spiritual power, or as currency in the cultivation world. The beaded flower was a low-grade defensive artifact that could be used once she reached the second level of Qi Condensation; by channeling spiritual power into it, it would release a protective light screen. The two bracelets both had the effects of gathering spiritual energy and calming the mind, making them ideal for wear during cultivation to improve absorption. The two small swords were low-grade offensive artifacts, usable only at the third level of Qi Condensation.
The five-colored jade disc was called a Spirit-Testing Plate, used to determine one's spirit roots. The dozen or so yellow papers were known as talismans in the cultivation world; they included both offensive and defensive types and could be activated with a burst of spiritual power. All of them were low-grade talismans. The token was undoubtedly the symbol of Li Ran’s status as a core disciple of the Yunjin Sect. Finally, the brocade pouch contained fifteen gold bars. Their brilliant yellow glint left Li Xue speechless for a moment. This was mortal gold; Li Ran had likely placed it in the storage bag for safekeeping.
After finishing her inventory, Li Xue let her thoughts wander. According to Li Ran’s letter, he had likely perished. If their son possessed spirit roots, Li Ran hoped both mother and child would cultivate. Regardless of whether her son had the talent, Li Xue was determined to pursue it herself. Having traveled to this world and learned of the existence of immortality, she could not simply give up. She packed everything back into the storage bag, leaving out only the five-colored Spirit-Testing Plate. She intended to test her own roots first to see if she truly possessed the "Five Elements Spirit Root" Li Ran had mentioned.
She picked up the plate and placed her right hand on the center point. She felt a sudden numbness, a tightening, and a sharp prick of pain in her palm. The plate immediately flared with light. First came white, followed by crimson, green, black, and yellow—all of them lit up in a beautiful display. When she moved her hand away, the light faded.
It really was a Five Elements Spirit Root. Li Xue was pleasantly surprised. As for whether it was considered "inferior" talent, she didn't care to dwell on it. As long as she could cultivate, she wouldn't ask for more.
With her roots tested, Li Xue began to make plans. Her son was still small. Since she was going to cultivate regardless of his potential, she needed to arrange her life properly. First, she would understand the manual, then begin her practice. She would wait until her son was a bit older—perhaps in three months—to test his roots. He was too young now, and she didn't know if that sharp pain would affect him. For now, she would set it aside. With Mrs. Liu and the wet nurse looking after him, she had no cause for worry. She checked the silver in the cabinet; there were about eight hundred taels left, enough to sustain this small household for several years. From now on, she would focus on her cultivation and leave all domestic matters to Mrs. Liu and her husband, Liu Dashan.
The manual was an introductory text called the *Nanhua Scripture*. It was the most famous and fundamental manual in the cultivation world, a set of incantations that almost every cultivator could practice. The manual was divided into three stages, covering the first to the third levels of Qi Condensation: the Drawing Incantation, for drawing Qi into the body; the Transformation Incantation, for refining Qi into spiritual power; and the Technique Incantation, for outputting spiritual power as spells. After the third level of Qi Condensation, one could choose a higher-level manual to continue.
For her practice, Li Xue specifically chose a sun-facing room to serve as her cultivation chamber. Every morning, she faced the rising sun to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, then used the Transformation Incantation to refine that energy into spiritual power to be stored in her dantian. She then used that power to continuously temper her meridians. The stage before the first level of Qi Condensation was primarily a process of accumulating spiritual power. Only when the power reached a certain point of saturation could one achieve a breakthrough.
One day, wearing the Spirit-Gathering Bracelets and having swallowed a Spirit Gathering Pill, Li Xue held a spirit stone in her hand. She slowly absorbed and refined the energy gained from the pill and the stone. The spiritual power in her dantian grew more abundant and pure. She slowly compressed the energy until she could sense it taking the form of a fist-sized bead. Under the continuous tempering of spiritual power, it grew brighter and brighter until it reached saturation.
Suddenly, it felt like a ripe, dripping vermilion fruit—a shell that burst at the first bite, releasing sweet, pure juice. The sensation instantly flooded her meridians, filling every channel with spiritual power. Every pore felt fresh and comfortable; her entire body was brimming with vitality.
"I broke through! Haha!" Li Xue shouted in excitement. After three months of hard work, she had finally reached the first level of Qi Condensation. She had officially entered the ranks of cultivators. Li Xue was overjoyed. Her skin felt sticky—impurities expelled from her body after the breakthrough. She hurriedly called for Mrs. Liu to prepare bathwater.
After reaching the first level of Qi Condensation, retrieving items from the storage bag became much easier. With a trace of spiritual power in her hand and a flicker of her divine sense, the desired item would appear instantly. Happily, she picked up her son and tried to teach him to speak.
"Son, say 'Mama.' I am your Mama. Say 'Mama'!"
The only response she got was "Ya, ya," which left Li Xue speechless and caused Mrs. Liu to shake her head. Li Xue realized it had been over three months and she should finally give her son a name. His father’s surname was Li, and her own surname was also Li, so there was no conflict there. She decided to take the "rain" radical from her own name (Xue) and call him Li Lin. Poor baby, only getting a name after three months.
Li Xue carried her son into the cultivation chamber, dismissed the wet nurse and the others, and closed the door. She took out the Spirit-Testing Plate, preparing to test the boy's roots. Little Li Lin looked at the plate with curiosity, grabbing it with his small hands and trying to shove it into his mouth. Li Xue laughed; every infant was the same, trying to eat whatever they could get their hands on. She held him close and placed the plate against his left hand. She stared at the device, tense with worry.
Very quickly, a crimson light flashed from the plate.
As the pain hit his small hand, Li Lin puckered his lips, about to burst into a loud sob, but he froze when he saw the brilliant red glow. Li Xue’s eyes widened. Red represented fire. Aside from the red light, there was no other color on the plate.
Could this be... the so-called Fire Heavenly Spirit Root?
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 玉简 | Jade slip | A common medium for storing information/manuals in cultivation novels. |
| 补灵丹 | Spirit Supplementing Pill | Used to restore depleted spiritual energy. |
| 聚灵丹 | Spirit Gathering Pill | Used to aid in the absorption of spiritual energy during cultivation. |
| 解毒丹 | Detoxification Pill | A pill used to neutralize poisons. |
| 下品灵石 | Low-grade spirit stone | The lowest tier of spirit stones, used as currency or for energy. |
| 法器 | Magical artifact | A general term for weapons or tools imbued with spiritual power. |
| 测灵盘 | Spirit-Testing Plate | A tool used to detect the type and quality of a person's spirit roots. |
| 符篆 | Talisman | Paper slips inscribed with spells that can be activated with spiritual power. |
| 南华经 | Nanhua Scripture | The name of the basic cultivation manual Li Xue uses. |
| 引字诀 | Drawing Incantation | The first stage of the Nanhua Scripture (Drawing Qi into the body). |
| 转字诀 | Transformation Incantation | The second stage (Refining Qi into spiritual power). |
| 术字诀 | Technique Incantation | The third stage (Using spiritual power for spells). |
| 天灵根 | Heavenly Spirit Root | A rare and superior single-element spirit root. |
| 李霖 | Li Lin | The name Li Xue gives her son. |
| 朱果 | Vermilion Fruit | A spiritual fruit often used in metaphors for breakthroughs or energy. |
