"This is no ordinary pool, but a spiritual pool imbued with divine creation," Yi Tianxing muttered to himself.
With a thought, he once again consulted the Wordless Heavenly Tome.
In an instant, a stream of information appeared in his mind:
Spirit Transformation Pool: A rare treasure of heaven and earth. It can naturally condense the world's essence—vital energy, obsessions, desires, fragments of souls, and more—into Spirit Transformation Liquid. This liquid possesses the miraculous ability to awaken true spirits, granting dead matter sentience and will.
This is the place where the Scarecrow True Spirits reside. It condenses their collective will and can bestow ordinary scarecrows with wisdom, soul, and an unyielding will to protect. The Spirit Transformation Liquid can also strengthen the soul, refine the true spirit, and empower the nascent soul. It is an extraordinary and rare treasure.
The information naturally surfaced in his mind, making Yi Tianxing's heart burn with excitement.
This Spirit Transformation Pool was clearly the very foundation of the scarecrows' propagation. Without it, given their inability to reproduce naturally, it would be nearly impossible for their kind to flourish. Without the pool, extinction would be inevitable.
This must be a mystical treasure born alongside this scarecrow race—a true guardian artifact of the tribe.
Their intense vigilance around this place surpassed even that of the valley's rice fields.
Soon, Yi Tianxing witnessed a series of scarecrows being thrown into the pool. As they soaked, they gradually transformed into true scarecrows, emerging on their own and solemnly proclaiming oaths of protection, exuding a dignified aura.
He also noticed the liquid in the pool depleting visibly with every birth. In just a short while, more than half had been consumed.
When the last of the scarecrows gained sentience, the Spirit Transformation Pool had been reduced to a shallow layer of liquid.
The newly awakened scarecrows knelt in reverence toward the pool, showing their respect and admiration for the miracle that had granted them life.
After their ritual, they followed the Golden Scarecrow in orderly formation, exiting the cave.
The cave quieted down, guarded only by the loyal sentries patrolling diligently, watching for any sign of disturbance. Their vigilance regarding the pool could not have been higher.
"Finally gone. My turn now."
Yi Tianxing's eyes gleamed. With a swift motion, he retrieved several gourds. Once in his hands, the gourds became hidden in the void—completely invisible to the outside world.
He cautiously approached the pool. Seeing the shallow Spirit Transformation Liquid remaining, he quickly submerged the gourds, channeling force through them to draw in the precious liquid.
Once one gourd was full—each capable of holding around four to five jin—he swapped in the next.
He filled three gourds, draining the pool even further before quietly retreating.
The scarecrows hadn't noticed the theft. Slipping past undetected, he exited the cave. Outside, the newly born scarecrows patrolled the rice fields in earnest.
"Let's go. We can't linger. We've already gathered enough Golden Wheat—more than enough for both planting and consumption. The missing grain shouldn't raise alarm, but the Spirit Transformation Liquid might. That much disappearing could be noticed."
With that thought, he departed swiftly, leaving the valley without alerting a single scarecrow—not even the Golden Scarecrow.
In the darkness, some predatory birds swooped down toward the rice fields, attempting to steal the spiritual grain. The scarecrows responded in fury.
Cries of "Catch the grain thieves!" echoed through the valley.
Yi Tianxing took one final look at the valley before summoning a spatial gate and stepping through it. In a flash of divine light, he vanished.
After several quick teleportations, he arrived back at Xuanhuang Town.
It was still nighttime. The Dawnlight Lanterns had been lit, their gentle glow bathing the streets in brightness, dispelling the shadows.
Evening was a time of rest and leisure. Townsfolk chatted and joked, creating a lively atmosphere, especially in the market district. Villagers from nearby settlements roamed the town in awe.
Many gazed at Xuanhuang Town with admiration.
The light of the Dawnlight Lanterns was soft and radiant, illuminating everything clearly and casting a beautiful scene across the dark.
Whoosh!
In the rear courtyard of the estate, a spatial gate suddenly opened. Yi Tianxing stepped through naturally.
"Master, you've returned."
Cao Zhengchun appeared immediately, bowing in greeting.
"Did Elder Huang and the others come by?" Yi Tianxing nodded.
"Yes, they did, but after learning you were out, they decided to postpone tonight's council until tomorrow morning," Cao Zhengchun reported. "Also, Lady Mu has been settled in. Doctors Qiu and Wang have already examined her. They administered Moon Well Water. According to them, Lady Mu's internal organs are gravely injured. Her coma wasn't just due to physical trauma and exhaustion—but more critically, her soul was damaged. The beast that attacked her had the ability to harm the soul."
Such injuries were no joke.
Physical wounds could be treated with elixirs and recovered with time. But soul damage was elusive and far harder to heal. In ancient times, such injuries would've required priests or shamans.
Restoring the soul had no shortcuts.
Still, a strong body could nurture the soul. Physical strength often translated into strong will and spirit.
"To think her soul was harmed..." Yi Tianxing frowned. This wasn't trivial.
But then again, with so many strange beasts in the wild, creatures capable of harming the soul weren't unheard of.
"I acquired Spirit Transformation Liquid this time. According to the Heavenly Tome, it can strengthen the soul. Perhaps it could help with spiritual wounds?"
Yi Tianxing pondered.
But he still didn't fully understand the liquid's effects.
"No matter. I'll try it first. Since it's meant to enhance the true spirit, a small amount shouldn't be dangerous."
With no council meeting tonight, he had time to test.
He dismissed Cao Zhengchun and entered a meditation chamber.
"This Spirit Transformation Liquid can be consumed—but I'll only understand its effects after tasting it myself."
Sitting down, he retrieved a gourd and opened it. He extracted a single drop—a golden droplet, clear and radiant like a gem or pearl. Just looking at it brought a deep sense of peace.
He consumed the single drop.
It melted instantly in his mouth, flowing into his abdomen—and then a miraculous change occurred.
The liquid began to release a strange cooling energy, not into his muscles, but directly into his soul.
It felt like an ice cube had formed in his mind—refreshing and clear.
His mental clarity surged. He could feel his soul and willpower expanding rapidly.
The sensation was profound. Almost overwhelming.
"Such powerful Spirit Transformation Liquid! I can feel my soul nearly manifesting physically—taking shape and breaking free. As if I'm about to open the Sea of Consciousness!"
This spiritual expansion brought overwhelming joy and clarity.
His spiritual power surged, building to a breaking point.
BOOM!!!
Suddenly, a thunderous sound erupted inside his mind—like a bolt of lightning exploding within his skull. His entire consciousness trembled. For a moment, his mind went completely blank.
If someone had seen him then, they would've noticed a ball of golden light blooming at his brow, exuding invisible pressure across the chamber.
The blankness lasted for a quarter of an hour before he came to.
Eyes wide, Yi Tianxing was stunned.
"I... I've actually opened the Sea of Consciousness Life Aperture! How is that possible?!"
At the center of his brow, a new Life Aperture had opened—not just any aperture, but the ancestral aperture known as the Sea of Consciousness—the root of all willpower and spiritual strength in the human body.