Chapter 48: Sunflower Upgrade Plan
Ten portions of Solar Essence should, in theory, grant Gu Mo the equivalent of 30 days of arduous cultivation. However, this time, he only gained about 20 days' worth—one-third less than expected. This discrepancy naturally caught his attention.
He took out another portion of Solar Essence to absorb. This portion provided him with the equivalent of two days of cultivation. He had already checked the previous portion and confirmed there was nothing wrong with it.
Since the Solar Essence itself wasn't the issue, the problem must lie with Gu Mo. The most significant difference compared to before was that he had now reached the mid-stage of the Qi Refinement realm.
This meant that while a single portion of Solar Essence could previously provide him with three days of cultivation at the early Qi Refinement stage, its effectiveness had now dropped to two days per portion after stepping into the mid-stage.
A 1:2 ratio wasn't entirely unacceptable, but Gu Mo had to consider what would happen when he reached the late Qi Refinement stage—would the effectiveness drop further to just one day per portion?
And once he reached the Foundation Establishment realm, would the Solar Essence become completely ineffective?
Gu Mo refused to believe that such a great opportunity would only last until the Foundation Establishment stage. There had to be a way to resolve this issue.
Suddenly, he thought of the attribute panel of the Sunflower.
Name: Sunflower
Grade: Tier 1, Low-Grade
Effect: Condenses Solar Essence
Planting Conditions: Tier 1 Spiritual Field
The grade was clearly labeled as Tier 1, Low-Grade. Could this mean the Sunflower could be upgraded? Or were there higher-grade Sunflowers in existence?
Since the Sunflower originated from the Black Mist Space, the answer likely lay within that space.
Pausing his cultivation, Gu Mo entered the Black Mist Space. His first stop was the vending machine, which now displayed icons for three plant types: Sunflower, Peashooter, and Potato Mine—all classified as Tier 1, Low-Grade.
He wondered if higher-grade plants would appear later.
Next, Gu Mo turned his gaze toward the door leading to another section of the space. He had no idea what lay beyond—perhaps tools to upgrade the Sunflower, or perhaps nothing at all.
The vending machine and the mysterious door represented two different paths:
The vending machine might offer a higher-grade Sunflower.
The door might hold a method to upgrade the existing Sunflower.
Both options carried uncertainties. Gu Mo had to decide which was more likely—whether the vending machine would eventually stock a higher-grade Sunflower or whether the door concealed a way to upgrade his current one.
Exploring both simultaneously wasn't realistic at the moment. He only had ten portions of Solar Essence per day, and half of that was necessary for cultivation. The remaining half could be allocated to expanding the Black Mist Space.
Since the Solar Essence still provided significant benefits—offering two days' worth of mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivation per portion—he could maintain a cultivation speed ten times faster than someone with top-tier spiritual roots while also dedicating some resources to exploration.
After careful thought, Gu Mo decided to explore the door.
He reasoned that the vending machine was more likely to introduce other plant types rather than an upgraded Sunflower. The door, on the other hand, might hold unexpected surprises.
Having made his decision, he implemented a new routine: each day, he would allocate half of his Solar Essence to cultivation and the other half to exploring what lay beyond the door.
One Month Later
A month passed, and Yuan Niya reappeared. However, this time, she had already advanced to Qi Refinement Level 2, and her aura was noticeably denser than that of an ordinary second-level cultivator.
Gu Mo estimated that her physique and spiritual energy reserves were twice those of an average cultivator at the same level. The reason she hadn't reached his own threefold enhancement was simple—Gu Mo had started using the Cleansing Technique to refine his body and meridians from the Qi Induction Stage, while Yuan Niya only began at Qi Refinement.
Naturally, the effects were weaker for her. However, that didn't mean Yuan Niya's combat strength was merely twice that of an ordinary cultivator.
Techniques, artifacts, and spells also played crucial roles in determining a cultivator's strength. As an inner sect disciple, Yuan Niya undoubtedly had access to superior resources in all these areas. As a result, her actual combat power was likely several times higher than a typical Qi Refinement Level 2 cultivator.
"Come here."
Yuan Niya beckoned Gu Mo over.
Having experienced the profound benefits of the Cleansing Technique in refining her foundation, she was now somewhat dependent on Gu Mo's mastery of the technique. After all, no cultivator could resist something that enhanced their potential.
Of course, accepting his help meant exposing her body's secrets to him, but she didn't mind. Strength was more important than modesty. Besides, she had also discovered many of Gu Mo's own secrets, so it wasn't a one-sided exchange.
"Ahhh!"
As soon as the Cleansing Technique took effect, Yuan Niya let out a startled cry.
Gu Mo had now reached the mid-stage of Qi Refinement Level 4, further enhancing the power of his Cleansing Technique. Additionally, he deliberately amplified the intensity this time, catching Yuan Niya completely off guard.
Coming once a month seemed too frequent now. The outer fields were becoming more populated, as new labor disciples had begun cultivating spirit fields. Some of these new disciples had successfully learned basic spirit farmer techniques and rented their own plots.
With more eyes around, even though Yuan Niya had methods to conceal herself, it was still too risky.
So, Gu Mo decided to increase the dosage—this way, Yuan Niya wouldn't need to visit as often.
After the Cleansing Technique
"Huff… huff…"
As the effects of the technique faded, Yuan Niya panted heavily. She looked at Gu Mo with a mix of shock and confusion.
She was already at Qi Refinement Level 2, yet she still couldn't withstand Gu Mo's Cleansing Technique—even though he was only at Level 1?!
Before coming, she had worried that her improved cultivation might weaken the effects of the Cleansing Technique, requiring her to visit more frequently. Instead, the opposite happened—she now needed to come less often.
For Yuan Niya, this was excellent news. Although the high-intensity Cleansing Technique caused immense pain, she was willing to endure it for the sake of power.
"If there's nothing else, you can leave now."
Ignoring her curious gaze, Gu Mo had no intention of explaining anything. He simply dismissed her.
"Hmph!"
Yuan Niya snorted in dissatisfaction but still obediently left. There was nothing she could do—she needed Gu Mo, so she had to swallow her pride.
A New Objective
"The one-year deadline is approaching. It's time to visit the market."
After calculating the time, Gu Mo realized it was nearly time to reunite with his team at the marketplace.
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