In any case, Leyvi was happy with this development. Setting aside the scary world domination fantasy, this was a wonderful thing for Lilian. The more powerful demonic plants she could recruit, the safer she would be. It was just too bad that this world did not seem to have any other high-level demonic plants for her to recruit.
"Senior Lapin, shall we begin?" Leyvi said, setting his other thoughts aside and focusing on the rabbit.
"Ah, yes," Lapin replied, his long ears twitching and standing straight as he, too, returned to the matter at hand.
"Human Leyvi, you must create the strongest Spiritual Imprint you possibly can," Lapin instructed, his tone losing its usual lightheartedness and becoming completely serious.
"As you know, the level difference between us is vast. My Sea of Consciousness is far too powerful for any Spiritual Imprint created by a Core Formation Realm cultivator to handle. In fact, I did my best to relax my mind when Human Anda attempted it back then, but her Spiritual Imprint only lasted for a few moments. You are already aware of this."
Leyvi nodded gravely. He understood the seriousness of the situation perfectly. Even though he knew his own Sea of Consciousness was far stronger than that of any other Core Formation cultivator, and his recent practice in Spiritual Cultivation had improved it even further, there was still no guarantee of success. The truth was, he had no clear reference point to gauge exactly what level his Sea of Consciousness had reached.
Lapin continued, his voice earnest. "I hope your Spiritual Imprint will be strong enough that I do not have to consciously exert effort to protect it from my own Sea of Consciousness. Having to constantly safeguard it would be mentally exhausting."
"Senior Lapin, I don't know how strong it will be, but I will certainly try my best," Leyvi replied.
"It is just that you might have to wait for a little while." He had an idea he wanted to test, a method that might require more time.
"Kekeke! Good. That is no problem. Take all the time you need," Lapin assured him.
Lilian, understanding the importance of the moment, released Leyvi's arm and took a few steps back to give him space, ensuring he could concentrate on condensing the Spiritual Imprint without any interruption.
Leyvi closed his eyes and focused inward. He did not begin the condensation process immediately. Instead, he took a moment to prepare himself mentally.
A Spiritual Imprint originates from one's Sea of Consciousness, or more simply, one's mind. Any ability involving the mind is deeply affected by its current state, which can result in the imprint being significantly stronger or weaker than usual.
In the past, it would have been difficult for Leyvi to intentionally enhance his mental state on demand. But now, that was no longer the case.
As a Spiritual Cultivator, he could achieve this by simply engaging in cultivation. The act of reciting a Spiritual Cultivation mantra was precisely the method to elevate his state of mind whenever he desired.
Since creating a Spiritual Imprint involves the mind, it is categorically an innate ability of a Spiritual Cultivator. Therefore, the cultivation manual Dastan had given him previously described the optimal method for condensing a powerful Spiritual Imprint. Leyvi had studied this section carefully and now intended to follow its instructions.
In the next moment, the rhythmic, resonant chant of the mantra escaped Leyvi's lips. His voice was low, yet it carried with a strange clarity, reaching the ears of everyone below, even from their position high in the sky.
"A Spiritual Cultivation mantra," Tamina muttered, her gaze fixed on the celestial cloud above.
"A mantra? Is this how Spiritual Cultivators cultivate? But why is he cultivating right now?" Ava asked, her curiosity piqued as she observed Leyvi meditating and chanting. She had once been interested in Spiritual Cultivation herself and had even taken the aptitude test, only to discover she possessed absolutely no talent for it.
"He is not cultivating," Dastan explained. "He is trying to create a Spiritual Imprint. Spiritual Cultivators have a specific method to create a much stronger one." As the crown prince, he was naturally familiar with the contents of the Howling Kingdom's Royal Family Complete Spiritual Cultivation Manual.
Hearing Dastan's explanation, the entire group became more intrigued, watching the unfolding process with heightened attention.
After half an hour, Leyvi was still chanting.
Dastan, now wearing a different face, showed a confused expression. "Weird. Why has he not started condensing the Spiritual Imprint yet? It is not supposed to take this long."
Usually, cultivators could condense their Spiritual Imprints within a few seconds, or slightly longer if they were aiming for a stronger one. For Spiritual Cultivators using their specialized method, the process should take at most five minutes. Dastan was genuinely baffled, wondering what Leyvi could possibly be doing.
After another half an hour had passed, a soft glow began to emanate from Leyvi's head. At first, it was faint, nearly overshadowed by the bright sunlight. But the glow quickly intensified, becoming brighter and more distinct. Soon, it was clearly visible even against the backdrop of the sun.
"What? The Zenith State? How is he able to enter the Zenith State in just an hour, and under these conditions? What kind of monster is this guy?" Dastan exclaimed, his voice full of surprise and disbelief.
It was not just Dastan. Everyone from the Protogaea Continent was deeply shocked by the sight, with the exception of Bodo, who was completely unfamiliar with the intricacies of Spiritual Cultivation.
Although they were not Spiritual Cultivators themselves, they all knew that entering the Zenith State was a monumental achievement within the Spiritual Cultivation community. This state was supposed to be extremely difficult to attain, requiring long, flawless, continuous chanting and the utmost, unwavering focus.
Yet Leyvi had achieved it in just one hour. This was unheard of. It placed Leyvi's talent on an entirely different level compared to all the Spiritual Cultivators they had ever known from their continent.
Of course, Dastan and the others were unaware that, in addition to Leyvi's incredible innate talent, Barbara had modified the cultivation manual. She had refined its flaws and tailored it more precisely to Leyvi's brain network, improving its effectiveness many times over.
Watching them stare in shock at what her husband was capable of, Anda smiled a proud, deeply satisfied smile.
"So he is trying to condense his Spiritual Imprint while in the Zenith State! He is going all out for this. Is he trying to create an invincible Spiritual Imprint or something?" Dastan said, his voice a mixture of awe and disbelief.
It was exactly as Dastan had guessed. Leyvi reasoned that if reciting the mantra could produce a stronger Spiritual Imprint, then performing the condensation while in the heightened Zenith State would yield an even more powerful result. He was pulling out all the stops.
Lapin did not know much about the intricacies of Spiritual Cultivation, but hearing the astonished conversations from the group below, he realized Leyvi was attempting something extraordinary. A sense of anticipation grew within him.
The moment Leyvi fully entered the Zenith State, he did not hesitate. He immediately began the process of condensing the Spiritual Imprint.
In front of his glabella, a stylized letter 'L' quickly materialized. It glowed with a rhythmic, pulsing golden light.
This stylized 'L' was Leyvi's personal signature. Every cultivator's Spiritual Imprint is unique, its final form shaped by their own will and preference.
"A Golden Spiritual Imprint! How?" Dastan exclaimed, his voice even louder and more shocked than before.
His surprise was justified. While others might not know the significance, he was aware that only a Dao Manifestation Realm powerhouse, like his grandfather, was capable of condensing a Golden Spiritual Imprint. Standard Spiritual Imprints typically glowed with an azure light. As far as he knew, a Golden Spiritual Imprint could only be formed by someone who had already developed a Dao Heart.
What exactly was a Dao Heart? He was not entirely sure himself, but he knew it was the single most important requirement to break through to the Dao Manifestation Realm. In the future, this would be his own greatest hurdle, as there was no reliable, teachable method to achieve a Dao Heart. Even the existing Dao Manifestation Realm powerhouses, including his grandfather, had only managed to develop theirs by chance after thousands of years of cultivation, a process that could not be replicated.
Fuck! No wonder his Spiritual Cultivation talent eclipses everyone else's! This country bumpkin has already developed a Dao Heart! The realization hit Dastan.