Chapter 437 - 411: Netherworld Moss

Chapter 437: Chapter 411: Netherworld Moss

The first stage of the Jade Bead’s repairs was complete. All the shallow cavities had sealed, and the surface cracks had closed by seventy percent.

But the damage to the middle and deep layers remained completely untouched.

In his stone house, Li Yuan pored over the Jade Bead’s crafting archives, identifying the key materials needed for the second stage of repairs.

The core support material was Netherworld Moss, along with a few others, such as Jade Tide Sand and Sea Pearl Powder.

The key support material needed for the second stage was called Netherworld Moss, and it could only be found growing in deep caverns. Its greatest value wasn’t its potent Spiritual Qi. Rather, its Spiritual Mechanism frequency was a natural match for the Profound Nether Sect’s system, which was what would allow the restorative energy to reach the Jade Bead’s deeper layers.

Li Yuan could think of only one suitable place.

Mozhou.

The Remnants had lived underground in Mozhou for centuries, and their knowledge of the deep cavern systems far surpassed that of any outsider.

He arrived in Mozhou via a Teleportation Array and found Elder Shen on the outskirts of the Remnants’ settlement.

Compared to his last visit, there were visibly more newly cultivated Spirit Fields in the settlement. The children were much better dressed, and freshly dried herbs and animal hides even hung at the entrances of a few stone chambers.

"Netherworld Moss?" Elder Shen pondered for a moment after hearing his request. "We have it. But it’s not in the areas we usually frequent. You have to go deeper."

He turned and called for Ah Cheng. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ

"Take him to the lower cavern system. You know the area—the one where you got lost as a child and almost didn’t make it back."

A flicker of something crossed Ah Cheng’s face, but he didn’t object, just nodded.

The two descended via an extremely narrow natural passage behind the Remnants’ settlement. The slope grew steeper and the air grew heavier with moisture, yet, the concentration of Spiritual Qi continued to rise. The path of a Spirit Vein tributary ran not far beneath their feet, providing this deep region with a constant supply of Spiritual Qi.

After walking for about an hour, the passage suddenly opened up.

A massive subterranean space appeared before them.

The cavern ceiling soared over two hundred feet high, covered in a dense forest of stalactites. Droplets seeping from their tips collected below, forming a shallow, subterranean river. The rock walls on both banks were covered in large patches of bioluminescent moss, casting a soft, ethereal blue glow that made the entire cavern feel like an underwater world.

On the stony bank of the subterranean river grew a few clumps of unidentified Spirit Plants, their broad, fleshy leaves digging their roots deep into rock crevices. In a recess on the opposite rock face, a few fist-sized white insects were slowly crawling, feeding on the bioluminescent moss.

It was a complete underground ecosystem.

"We call this place the Blue Grotto," Ah Cheng said in a low voice. "I snuck in here to play with a few other kids when I was little. We got lost and wandered around for three days before we found the exit. After that, Elder Shen forbade any children from coming here."

Li Yuan scanned the area.

"Where’s the Netherworld Moss?"

Ah Cheng pointed to a rock face farther in on the opposite bank of the subterranean river.

"Over there. It’s that black layer growing close to the ground, in the dampest spots."

The two waded across the subterranean river. The water was shallow, barely covering their ankles, but it was bone-chillingly cold.

At the base of the opposite rock face, there was indeed a thin layer of black moss. The moss clung tightly to the rock, its surface damp to the touch. Touching it with a finger revealed an extremely faint ripple of Spiritual Mechanism.

Li Yuan used his permanent trait, Spirit Plant Affinity, to perceive the moss’s attributes.

The Spiritual Mechanism frequency was a perfect match for the description in the Jade Bead’s crafting archives.

He carefully harvested the moss along the edge of the rock face, taking only small patches at a time and leaving the root systems intact so it could regrow. His precise control over Spiritual Power, a benefit of the Golden Core Stage, made the process immaculate. Each patch was peeled away perfectly intact, without damaging its Spiritual Mechanism structure.

After harvesting about half a pound of it, Li Yuan straightened up and noticed a corner farther along the rock face.

From a crevice in the corner, a transparent, finger-thick plant poked out. The stem was completely translucent, as if carved from crystal, its roots buried deep within the rock strata.

His trait-perception ability triggered within a three-foot radius.

Li Yuan walked over and reached out to touch it.

[Detected Equippable Item: Earth Core Crystal Root (Complete)]

[Equippable Trait Preview: Earth Vein Resonance (Green)]

[Effect: When cultivating near an Earth Vein node, Spiritual Power absorption efficiency increases by thirty percent; Earth Magic power increases by twenty percent.]

[Permanence Condition Preview: Meditate on an Earth Vein node for a total of 100 hours (0/100)]

’A green trait.’

’A thirty percent boost to Spiritual Power absorption efficiency and a twenty percent boost to Earth Magic power... an excellent bonus for a Cultivator like me who relies on Earth Veins and earth-element Cultivation Techniques. The condition to make it permanent—accumulating one hundred hours of meditation on an Earth Vein node—wasn’t harsh, but it would take time.’

Li Yuan pulled out the Earth Core Crystal Root, roots and all, and put it into his storage bag.

Ah Cheng glanced over from the side but didn’t recognize the plant.

"What is that?"

"A type of Spirit Plant. It’s somewhat useful for cultivation," Li Yuan said without elaborating.

The two returned the way they came.

As they reached the outskirts of the Remnants’ settlement, Ah Cheng suddenly slowed his pace.

"Mr. Li, there’s something I need to tell you."

Li Yuan glanced at him.

Ah Cheng scratched the back of his head, choosing his words carefully.

"Since you started visiting, you’ve brought in a steady stream of supplies. Spirit Stones, medicinal pills, Spirit Grass seeds... for us, these were things we couldn’t even dream of having before. People might not say anything, but everyone is grateful."

He paused.

"But because of this, a few of the elders are starting to get ideas. They think that since there’s someone from the outside willing to help, maybe we should actively contact the outside world and find a major power to seek refuge with. After all, we’ve been hiding underground for centuries, and life has been too hard."

"What does Elder Shen say?"

"He shut them down," Ah Cheng said, his tone complex.

Li Yuan nodded.

"Understood."

Ah Cheng said no more. He led Li Yuan back to the entrance of the settlement, and they went their separate ways.

Li Yuan returned to Liangzhou with the Netherworld Moss and the Earth Core Crystal Root.

After returning to the market district, he didn’t immediately begin the second stage of repairs. The Netherworld Moss was only one of the core support materials, and a few other items on the list for the second stage in the crafting archives were still unaccounted for.

He went to find Xu Zhang.

"Can your association get its hands on these?" Li Yuan asked, handing him a list of materials.

Xu Zhang took the list and read it over, his brow gradually furrowing.

"The first few items are easy enough to find. But these last two, Jade Tide Sand and Sea Pearl Powder, are only found by the sea. They aren’t rare, and they’re cheap, but the problem is preservation. Their spirituality fades rapidly once they’re out of a saltwater environment. If you don’t use them within three days, they become useless. That’s why no merchant bothers transporting them inland. They’d never sell."

"Where on the coast?"

"The closest is eastern Shuizhou." Xu Zhang put down the list, pulled out a yellowed, hand-drawn map from behind the counter, and pointed to a location on it.

"Shuizhou is east of Liangzhou. There’s a high mountain range where the two provinces meet. Once you cross it, you’re in Shuizhou territory. But inland Shuizhou is almost entirely a Spiritless District, just like Mozhou. It’s all dead land. In most places there, a Cultivator can’t even recover their Spiritual Power."

His finger traced eastward across the map.

"But Shuizhou’s coastal region is different. There are Spirit Veins under the sea, and Spiritual Qi seeps up from the seabed, making the concentration of Spiritual Qi in a narrow coastal strip just barely high enough for cultivation. As a result, all of Shuizhou’s cultivation factions are squeezed into that one coastal strip."

"Does the Commerce Association have contacts there?"

"We do. There’s a family on the coast of Shuizhou, the Su family. They’ve been in the marine products business in Luoxia Port for generations. The Mingyuan Commerce Association has worked with the Su family for many years. Jade Tide Sand and Sea Pearl Powder are regular goods for them." Xu Zhang glanced at Li Yuan.

"If you want them, I can write you a letter of introduction. You can take it to the Su family and buy from them directly. If you harvest and use it on the spot, without transport, there won’t be any issue with spirituality decay."

"How long is the journey?"

"From Liangzhou, you cross the high mountain range, traverse the Spiritless District of inland Shuizhou, and arrive at Luoxia Port. For a typical Foundation Establishment Cultivator on foot, the journey would take about seven to eight days." Xu Zhang paused.

’Seven to eight days. Through a Spiritless District.’

’That wasn’t too far for a Golden Core Cultivator, but the Spiritless District was certainly a problem. You couldn’t replenish your Spiritual Power from the environment and had to rely entirely on the self-sustaining nature of the Golden Core in your Dantian. Fortunately, I have the ’Spiritual Essence Generation’ trait, which lets me generate Spiritual Power out of thin air.’

’Coupled with my powerful control over Spiritual Power, I can prevent any leakage, allowing me to maintain a basic internal circulation even in a Spiritless District.’

"Alright, I’ll head out shortly," Li Yuan said.

Xu Zhang nodded and turned to write the letter.

Li Yuan returned to his stone house and began preparing for the long journey.