The Elven Cultivator

The newcomers looked at each other upon hearing this.

One of the girls mustered the courage to ask, ”Senior Sister, how do we earn Contribution Points?”

Mia smiled and explained, ”Earning Contribution Points is simple. You just have to complete tasks.”

”Taichu City regularly posts all sorts of tasks. For example, refining specific types and quantities of Pills, creating Talismans, crafting Daoist Soldiers, modifying Spirit Stones, or repairing Magical Treasures. There are also tasks like tending to the rare plants in the Spirit Plant Garden, taming the Spirit Beasts in the Beast Garden, and organizing the texts in the library... Things like that. The variety is endless, so there’s always something for everyone.”

”After you complete a task, you’ll be rewarded with Contribution Points based on its difficulty and the time it takes.”

”Besides being used to exchange for medicinal ingredients, you can also use these Contribution Points to get various Cultivation Resources, Cultivation Techniques, Magical Treasures, and Talismans.”

The disciples’ eyes lit up as they listened.

They understood the importance of Contribution Points almost instantly.

This currency was directly tied to the future pace of their cultivation; its importance was self-evident.

Some were already starting to plan in their minds, ’Once I’m settled, what kind of task should I take on first?’

After passing through the Pill Room Area, the group arrived in a much more open space.

”This is the Artifact Refining area.”

This time, Lucius took over the explanation.

He was a man of few words, his speech concise.

”The artifact refining rooms are also divided into three tiers—high, mid, and low. The distinction is based on the grade of the refining forge inside.”

”That’s the Material Warehouse. Just like with the alchemy supplies, every disciple gets a monthly quota of artifact refining materials. Anything beyond that you’ll have to exchange Contribution Points for.”

As he spoke, a squad of humanoid figures clad in Dark Gold Armor rounded the street corner ahead.

They marched in perfect unison, their armor gleaming. The weapons in their hands swayed gently with their steps, creating a faint sound of scraping metal.

”It’s the Five Camp Divine Soldiers!”

One of the newcomers recognized the Daoist Soldiers and blurted out in excitement.

The newcomers’ gazes were instantly drawn to them.

”So those are the Five Camp Divine Soldiers?” Ryan couldn’t help but whisper, his eyes fixed on the Daoist Soldiers in the distance without blinking.

”Yeah.”

Evan nodded.

He’d heard stories about the Five Camp Divine Soldiers.

These Daoist Soldiers, personally crafted by the Clan Leader, each possessed power equivalent to the Silver Peak. They could also form arrays of five to surround and kill Golden Tier enemies.

They had earned great distinction in the war that led to the fall of Kresol Dragon City.

”I heard they once killed a Golden Tier member of the Dragon Race.”

”If only I had one of the Five Camp Divine Soldiers.”

”Once you’re living in the inner city, you can do tasks, earn Contribution Points, and exchange them for one.”

Whispers filled with envy and longing spread through the group.

The newcomers didn’t look away until the soldiers had vanished at the end of the street, their gazes filled with reluctance.

Laine and the others didn’t rush them, waiting until the newcomers snapped out of their daze before signaling them to keep moving.

Beyond the Artifact Refining area, the view opened up dramatically.

Vast, orderly fields stretched into the distance, sectioned off into plots of various sizes by low-lying vine fences.

Each plot was planted with different kinds of vegetation.

Some plants were as low as moss, growing close to the ground.

Others grew taller than a person, with lush, tangled branches and vines.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of plants and earth, mingled with a faint medicinal aroma that was wonderfully refreshing.

A few Elves were crouched between the rows, holding jade spades as they carefully tilled the soil, pulled weeds, and watered the plants. Their movements were as gentle as if they were caressing an infant.

”This is the Spirit Plant Garden.”

Furlo led the group between the plots of land.

”The Spirit Plant Garden is currently divided into two sections. This one you’re in now is the cultivation area, where we mainly grow all sorts of rare plants.”

Evan scanned his surroundings, his gaze landing on one particular plot.

A patch of low shrubs grew there. Their leaves were deep purple, and the branches were laden with translucent, pea-sized berries through which one could see a network of fine veins.

They were Purple-Vein Berries.

Evan had seen illustrations of this plant in the archives.

It was an excellent ingredient for making mind-calming potions, with a remarkable ability to stabilize one’s Spirit and dispel distracting thoughts.

However, the plant had extremely strict environmental requirements. It needed stable temperatures and humidity, and the soil’s pH and nutrient levels had to be precisely controlled. The slightest mistake could cause a massive die-off.

Due to the difficulty of cultivation, a single mature Purple-Vein Berry often sold for the high price of several Gold Coins on the open market, and even then, it was often unavailable for purchase.

But here, Purple-Vein Berries were planted in vast, dense patches. There had to be at least several hundred of them.

And they all appeared to be thriving.

’Is it because an Array is regulating the environment?’

Evan recalled something he had read in the archives.

Looking deeper into the gardens, he recognized several other rare plants.

Golden-Vein Grass, Starlight Moss, Ice Crystal Flower, Fire Scale Fern... All of them were priceless and rare varieties. Out in the world, finding a single stalk was a challenge, yet here they were planted in vast fields, covering the landscape.

Even with his limited experience, Evan realized the immense value these gardens represented.

As they went deeper into the Spirit Plant Garden, the plots became sparser, and the distance between individual plants grew.

The air ahead grew humid and heavy. A faint, white, gauzy mist shrouded the area, obscuring the view and making the scenery within seem to appear and disappear.

Through the haze, they could only make out vague silhouettes.

The silhouettes were of all shapes and sizes—some looked like low shrubs, others like climbing vines, and still others resembled giant, umbrella-like fungi—but it was impossible to identify the specific plants.

”Those are the experimental fields,” Furlo explained. ”It’s an area specifically for directed cultivation experiments.”