This was a remarkable item. However, its price was equally astonishing—fifty million merit points for a single sapling. It was important to note that this was merely a sapling. For it to fully mature and bear spiritual fruit, it would require several thousand years—perhaps eight to nine millennia. Such a lengthy period was daunting; even if a cultivator desired it, the thought of nurturing it for so long often made them balk.
Unless one belonged to a top-tier power confident in its ability to endure for millennia, few would make such a long-term investment.Otherwise, by the time the fruit was ripe, "the daylilies would've gone cold."
However, this was not something Yi Tianxing concerned himself with.Since it was available, and he had the strength to exchange for it, then he would. A fruit tree of immortal-grade—anywhere in the world, this would be considered a supreme medicine king. Even if it took time to bear fruit, it was worthwhile. Maybe he wouldn't taste it in the short term, but future generations would benefit immensely. This was the foundation of a true power—genuine accumulation.
"Buy it. Buy it all. Miss it this time, and who knows if I'll ever see it again. I have the Dantian Life Aperture; if I plant it there, along with the Divine Tree of Fusang, I should be able to shorten its growth period significantly. If I encounter supreme treasures like Spring of Life, I could reduce the growth time even more—a single drop could cut down ten years."
Yi Tianxing didn't hesitate. He exchanged for the sapling.With the power of the Divine Fusang Tree, and the right resources, he might even mature it quickly. Whether he could or not would depend on his needs and capabilities.
Next, he redeemed a massive batch of spiritual herbs and grains, integrating them all into the Dantian Life Aperture.Not only did they take root and flourish, but the Life Aperture expanded again—reaching the scale of a cave-heaven. Wisps of medicinal energy flowed within.
"Eh? The Zodiac Statue?"
At that moment, a particular item flashed across the screen in front of him, making Yi Tianxing exclaim in surprise.Looking closer, it was a lifelike monkey statue.
From its aura, he could tell—it was the same type as the Twelve Zodiac Statues he had obtained before. They shared the same origin, and their energies resonated with each other in a profound way.
"Not bad. With the vastness of the Divine-Demon Treasury, I might actually be able to gather the entire set of Zodiac Statues here. I already have the Iron Ox, True Dragon, Rooster, and Spirit Snake statues in Xuanhuang City—just eight more to go."
A thought flickered in his mind, and his heart blazed with excitement.
He remembered—since the Iron Ox statue gave birth to an Innate Spirit Vein, the subsequent fusion of the other statues like the Spirit Snake had caused a reaction. The innate spiritual vein within the Iron Ox statue was now nourishing the others.The result? Signs that they too were beginning to form Innate Spirit Veins.
Each additional statue increased the chance of forming a spirit vein by 10%, sped up the process by a level, and halved the time required.The more statues, the faster and more potent the result.
So when he saw the monkey statue, a strong hope welled up inside him.
If he truly completed the set, Xuanhuang City would receive a tremendous boon. With twelve Innate Spirit Veins, it would be impossible for Xuanhuang not to become a sacred land for humanity.
"Filter the items. Target: Twelve Zodiac Statues."
With a single thought, the screen quickly displayed various items.
Yes—there they were!
In fact, there were not just a few but over a hundred Zodiac Statues available.
"Excellent. So it turns out the Zodiac Statues don't belong to a single set but exist in multiple copies. That makes completing a full set significantly easier."
Yi Tianxing wasn't disappointed. In fact, he was overjoyed.It meant the cost wouldn't be outrageous and would remain within his range.
"Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig—the entire Twelve Zodiac is present."
He was very satisfied with their auras—they resonated perfectly, as if born from the same origin of heaven and earth. Each one could absorb ambient energy and foster the birth of spiritual veins.
He didn't need all twelve—just eight more.
"Twelve Zodiac Spirit Gathering Statues—each costs ten million merit points."
Even Yi Tianxing was surprised by the high price. Clearly, the Divine-Demon Treasury had recognized their true value.Once the full set was gathered, it would almost certainly give rise to twelve Innate Spirit Veins, each worth far more than ten million points. The value-for-cost ratio was incredible.
However, most cultivators on the Eternal Continent still didn't grasp the hidden potential of these statues.
Once this secret was known, every faction would go mad trying to collect them.
"Buy them. All eight. That's only eighty million—I can afford it."
Yi Tianxing took a deep breath and decisively redeemed the missing statues.
Once the eight new statues were in his hands, he finally felt secure.
"With the Twelve Zodiac Statues complete, once the Innate Spirit Veins are all formed, Xuanhuang City will become the ultimate sacred ground for cultivation—surpassing any immortal mountain or blessed land."
He reined in his excitement and continued redeeming treasure after treasure.
Even after extensive spending, he had plenty of merit points left—four billion went a long way. And the spree wasn't over yet.
"Hmm? What's this formation diagram?"
Suddenly, another item appeared before him.
Looking closer, he saw that it was a formation diagram, also an artifact of heaven and earth.On it were vivid illustrations of the twelve zodiac animals.Counting carefully—yes, they were all there.
"The Twelve Zodiac Formation Diagram"—an innate formation diagram, a genuine artifact of the heavens!
Yi Tianxing's heart raced with excitement.
This was one of the top formations in existence.The Twelve Zodiac represented the cycle of years, the passage of spring and autumn, the twelve earthly branches, and also the hours of the day—each represented by one animal.
In Taoist tradition, the Twelve Zodiac were used to match the twelve hours, but each animal had a flaw: Mouse (no teeth), Ox (no molars), Tiger (no spleen), Rabbit (no lips), Dragon (no ears), Snake (no feet), Horse (no gallbladder), Goat (no spirit), Monkey (no buttocks), Rooster (no kidneys), Dog (no intestines), Pig (no tendons). Only humans were whole and complete.
This Twelve Zodiac Grand Formation—also called the Hour Formation—once deployed, was as powerful as any great formation.It was immensely destructive.
This diagram wasn't just the method to deploy it—it was, in itself, a portable, complete formation. With cultivators operating it in unison, it could unleash terrifying power. If a formation spirit was born, it would be earth-shattering.
"A marvelous diagram. A true artifact of heaven and earth. If I arrange the Twelve Zodiac Statues based on this formation and integrate them into Xuanhuang City… could it mean the city could travel the river of time, move through space, and even manipulate the power of time itself?"
A crazy thought surged into Yi Tianxing's mind.
While the diagram and the statues were distinct treasures, their origins were aligned.If they could be fused, what kind of mutation would occur?
"It's worth a try. I must attempt it. Even if I fail, nothing is lost. But if I succeed—Da Yi will gain a trump card like no other."
He made his decision.
Looking at the diagram's price, he found it steep—fifty million merit points, and that was just for the yellow-tier version. It would require nurturing with temporal and zodiac energy to grow stronger.
Without hesitation, he redeemed it.
He searched thoroughly through the Divine-Demon Treasury and confirmed—there was only one copy of this diagram. Whether others existed outside was unknown.
He quietly stored the diagram away.Whether it worked or not, he would test it only after returning to the Da Yi Dynasty.He didn't intend to tell anyone—not even his closest advisors.This would be a hidden ace, reserved for a moment of desperate need.
"If it works—powered by the Twelve Zodiac Statues and their Innate Spirit Veins—what kind of power would that diagram unleash? Still, I hope it never needs to be used."
Yi Tianxing murmured to himself.He genuinely hoped that day would never come—for if it did, it would mean Da Yi was facing its greatest crisis.