The Elven Cultivator

At dawn, before the sky had fully brightened, a faint cyan mist rose from every corner of the forest, draping itself over the woods like a silken veil.

It was the physical manifestation of Wood Attribute Spiritual Qi at its most concentrated—the very breath of life exhaled by the forest itself.

The mist shimmered with a faint luminescence in the morning light, flowing languidly between the canopies and leaves, immersing the entire Silver Moon Forest in a temperate ocean of energy.

Ever since that faint cyan curtain of light had appeared, a similar scene had manifested daily.

The Elves had gone from initial shock and bewilderment to marveling at the sight, and now, they had grown completely used to it.

This wondrous sight, which had once sparked countless gasps of awe and endless discussion, was now a daily occurrence, as natural as the rising and setting of the sun.

Aside from the clan’s upper echelons, who understood the details of the Great Derivation Cyan Profound Array, the average clan member only knew that Anton had laid down a massive Array that covered the entire forest.

And all these phenomena were caused by the Array’s operation.

They did not understand the intricacies of the Great Derivation Cyan Profound Array, but they could directly feel the changes in the concentration of elemental energy in the air.

The high concentration of elemental energy that one could previously only enjoy by entering a Gathering Spirit Chamber could now be easily felt in any corner of the Silver Moon Forest.

This change in the overall environment had, in turn, boosted the effectiveness of the Gathering Spirit Chambers.

The concentration of elemental energy within the chambers had skyrocketed from their original levels.

In just a few short months, every Elf experienced a soaring speed of Magic Power accumulation, and they were all, without exception, ecstatic.

Another change, just as obvious but requiring more patience to observe, was occurring on the forest’s periphery.

In the borderlands where the Silver Moon Forest met regions like the Thousand Rock Hills and the Northern Wilderness, lands once so barren that even weeds grew sparsely were becoming fertile at an astonishing speed.

The soil’s color gradually shifted from a grayish-yellow to a deep brown, and holding it in one’s hand revealed a damp texture, rich with Life Force.

Weeds grew from sparse to dense.

Wildflowers, once scattered, now flourished.

But most striking of all were the saplings that had appeared out of nowhere.

They poked tender green shoots from the soil and sprouted branches and leaves at an astonishing rate. In just a few short months, they had grown into small trees, half the height of a person.

They weren’t any rare magical species, just common forest trees.

But their appearance brought a joyful smile to the face of every Elf who witnessed it.

This meant the forest was expanding.

Ever since the clan’s population boom, their settlements had expanded outward day by day, almost reaching the forest’s outermost perimeter.

The clan’s leadership had been considering planting trees to expand the forest, but now, with the Great Derivation Cyan Profound Array, they had completely set aside those concerns.

Nourished by the Great Derivation Cyan Profound Array, these new trees would rapidly grow, take root, and multiply, forming new woodland.

This new woodland would then become part of the Array, providing it with more Wood Attribute Spiritual Qi and further accelerating the forest’s expansion.

Without lifting a finger, the Elves could joyfully watch the forest’s borders expand day after day.

And all these changes stemmed from a single Elf.

Anton.

This was true for the original members of the Silver Moon Clan, of course, but now even the Elves who had only recently joined deeply felt the changes Anton had brought.

One person’s talent could change the fate of an entire people.

For the Silver Moon Clan, this was no longer an empty slogan but a reality that unfolded with each passing day.

Now, whenever the name ”Anton” was spoken, their voices would unconsciously carry a mixture of emotions.

Adoration, gratitude, awe, and a trust that bordered on reverence.

Countless young Elves looked up to him as a role model, aspiring to one day become a revered figure just like him.

...

Beneath the Eternal Tree, two slender figures stood side by side.

Romance tilted her head back, curiously studying the giant tree before her.

”Eleanor, does it seem like the Eternal Tree has gotten taller?” Romance asked suddenly.

”The Eternal Tree always grows taller and larger over time,” Eleanor replied casually. ”It’s just that the Great Derivation Cyan Profound Array is providing it with a massive amount of elemental energy, accelerating its growth.”

Eleanor, however, could see much more than Romance.

She could see faint cyan Spiritual Qi surging from the subterranean network of roots, flowing into the Eternal Tree like countless rivers returning to the sea, only to be distributed to every corner of the forest by the Array’s operation.

The Great Derivation Cyan Profound Array, which covered the entire forest, used the Eternal Tree as its core and the Spring of Life as its pivot, transforming the entire Silver Moon Forest into a single, breathing, ever-growing organism.

And the Eternal Tree was this organism’s heart.

”It’s incredible,” Romance breathed in admiration, her eyes sparkling.

No matter how many times she saw it, she still found it magical.

That a single Array could bring about such a wondrous transformation throughout the entire Silver Moon Forest.

To her, it was simply unbelievable.

”Oh, right.” Romance’s mind leaped to another topic. ”Eleanor, you switched to one of Anton’s Cultivation Techniques, right? How is it?”

”It’s wonderful.”

A genuine smile spread across Eleanor’s face at the mention of it.

The Cyan Emperor’s Profound Celestial Record had given her an unprecedented sense of exhilaration as her power grew.

Especially with the Great Derivation Cyan Profound Array active, her speed of refining Spiritual Qi had soared even higher.

For her, the current Silver Moon Forest was, without a doubt, a peerless Cultivation Holy Land.

She could feel herself improving almost every moment.

The feeling was intoxicating.

”How is it different from before?” Romance pressed, her curiosity piqued.

Eleanor chose her words carefully, explaining the difference between refining Spiritual Qi and condensing Magic Power to Romance in the simplest terms she could.

Romance listened, nodding intermittently as if she understood, but her eyes betrayed a dazed expression that said, ’I don’t get it, but it sounds impressive.’

”It sounds really impressive,” Romance concluded, scratching her head. ”But I don’t think I’ll ever experience that. The Eight Desolates Prison-Suppression Scripture follows a different path. I still don’t completely understand all that stuff about the Qi Sea and meridians. I just do whatever Anton tells me to.”

Eleanor glanced sideways at her, a flicker of a smile in her eyes.

That was just like Romance. She never bothered with things that didn’t interest her, but once she decided something was right, she would pursue it single-mindedly and without hesitation.

Of course, that simplicity wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, it was a rare form of clarity.

According to Anton, it was called having the ”heart of a child.”

People with the heart of a child often went further on the path of strength.

”Speaking of which, it’s incredible that Anton could come up with this entire system,” Romance said in admiration. ”I have no idea how he did it.”

”He is incredible,” Eleanor agreed with a slight nod, a flash of admiration in her eyes. ”The deeper I study, the more I appreciate the subtleties and profundities of cultivation. The fact that Anton could create such a complete system... his insight and comprehension are truly breathtaking.”

The Elf Race is one of the oldest races on the Dawn Continent, having accumulated vast amounts of knowledge since ancient times.

It was hard to imagine that a power system could exist in this world that was completely unknown to the Elves.

The only explanation was that Anton had truly created it all himself.

It was hard to believe, but Eleanor couldn’t think of any other reasonable explanation.

Therefore, the more she learned about the cultivation system, the more she admired Anton.

What she had encountered so far was merely the tip of the iceberg.

Aside from refining Spiritual Qi, she was learning the Dao of Talismans. She hadn’t even begun to touch upon the Techniques, Alchemy, and Artifact Refining that Anton had mentioned.

Even so, she was already deeply shaken by the unprecedented and profound knowledge she had encountered.

Noticing the change in Eleanor’s expression, a mischievous glint appeared in Romance’s eyes.

”Eleanor, you never used to speak in that tone.”

Eleanor froze. ”What tone?”

Romance grinned. ”Everyone says I hang on Anton’s every word, that I think everything he says is right. I’d say you’re about the same now. You get this look of utter adoration every time you mention him.”

Eleanor’s cheeks flushed, and she turned her head away. ”I do not.”

Romance didn’t argue, simply watching her with a grin.

This only made Eleanor feel more flustered, and she quickly changed the subject. ”Do you really have time to worry about that? My strength is improving so fast, it won’t be long before I catch up to you. Don’t let me leave you in the dust.”

Romance’s attention was successfully diverted. She broke into a wide grin. ”That’s great! Then I’ll finally have a sparring partner.”

At this, Romance’s floodgates opened, and she began to pour out her woes.

”You have no idea. Ever since I advanced to the Golden Tier, I can’t find a single sparring partner in the clan.”

”Anton’s busy cultivating and researching all day. I can never even catch a glimpse of him.”

”And don’t even get me started on the three elders. They’re all run off their feet.”

”Cedric and the others are the same. They’re either in the Dark Nether Realm or in the mines. The rare times they do come back, they’re always in a hurry.”

”Now, I can only ask Anton for some of his Five Camp Divine Soldiers to spar with. They’re just puppets, but it’s better than nothing.”

Romance ticked them off on her fingers, finally spreading her hands in a gesture of resignation. Her face was practically screaming the four words, ”I am so helpless.”

Eleanor couldn’t help but smile at her woeful expression.

”Don’t worry. Once I reach Foundation Establishment, I’ll spar with you.”

”Then it’s a deal!” Romance grabbed her arm and pulled her forward. ”Come on, let’s go cultivate in the Gathering Spirit Chamber.”

”I wonder what Anton’s been busy with lately. He’s been holed up in his treehouse for over half a year. I haven’t been able to bum a spot in his Gathering Spirit Chamber for ages.”

”Luckily, the clan has built a bunch of new Gathering Spirit Chambers recently. The elders even set one aside just for me, so now I have my own private Cultivation Field.”

The two walked side by side, their steps light as they headed toward the Gathering Spirit Chambers.

Sunlight slanted down from behind, casting their two long, slender shadows across the leaf-strewn path, where they moved in a slow, steady rhythm.