Planting the Seed

180. Planting the Seed

My idea was actually quite simple. Since it was all about Harmonization and Spiritualization, if I could form and harmonize one, I might as well form and harmonize a pair.

The worst that could happen was that the Infant of Love and the Redeemed Spirit would feel cramped for space.

Others, with their limited lifespans, must naturally focus on a single path and strive to break through.

However, by using the lifespan of vampires—as long as I killed enough of them—these difficulties would naturally resolve themselves.

The true challenge lay in giving both of them consciousnesses.

Being a Ward of Nature meant I couldn't spare any extra consciousness to couple with the Redeemed Spirit.

However, I could try using the Soul Crucible to reshape a vampire's soul and couple that with the Redeemed Spirit.

Even if I failed, I would only waste power of faith that I couldn't use in the first place.

Based on my previous experience, the vampires I had personally killed could indeed help me deduce techniques. This suggested that the Soul Crucible's description of "an eternally bound follower—one who cannot transcend," was likely no exaggeration.

Of course, my primary focus remained on the Path of Nature.

I always felt the Vessel of Redeemer in the Martial Abbey was rather senile, and I had no desire to wander the world as a golden statue.

"Any other questions?" Aisha Patani asked, waiting patiently. "If there's anything I can help you with, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Yes..." I paused thoughtfully and looked at her. "Could you lend me some vampire cores?"

"Sure." Aisha nodded. With a wave of her palm across her storage tool, a dozen fully crystallized cores appeared silently on the table.

"These are all I have—they should be enough for you to form the Seed of Hope."

Having witnessed my use of vampiric power firsthand and being the one who recommended Cosmic Devouring Crystallization to me, she naturally understood my purpose for the vampire cores.

As for the question of whether I was transformed from a vampire...

The fact that I had walked out of the Martial Abbey alive was proof enough.

"I'll return these to you later."

Without much ceremony, I placed all the vampire cores into the silver bell.

Now that I had an excess of vampire lifespans, I urgently needed to go out and find a few harmonizing vampires to have a chat with—and to be on the safe side, I would first improve myself as much as possible.

"It doesn't matter—I use the Frozen Resolve to spiritualize the Infant and practice the Will Embodiment of Ice Dragon, so I have no need for these things."

Aisha Patani rose slowly and then recalled something. "Oh, by the way, General Grant asked me to tell you before he left—if you have time, go find him in Vancouver... I'll be going now."

"Got it, have a safe trip." I nodded in farewell.

If I have time means I don't have to make time.

Vancouver only had a group of old Leviasaurs hiding in the Strait of Georgia. How could I find them if they refused to come out?

After Aisha Patani left the house, I retrieved from the silver bell an aura that belonged to General Albany Laurent—one I had obtained from Arnold Stark.

If I remembered correctly, during my last visit to Surrey, I'd heard that there were three harmonizing vampires in the area. Wouldn't dealing with them be more efficient than reporting to General Grant in Vancouver?

With this thought in mind, I stood up and headed to the bedroom.

I poured myself a cup of warm water and opened the panel. As I gazed at the ten-thousand-year lifespan—part of which I had acquired on my return journey—my eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

I didn't expect that I could bring back so much lifespan after going to the capital.

How long would it take to use it all?

[Remaining Absorbed Lifespan: 10,047 years]

I mobilized the absorbed lifespan and poured it into the Cosmic Devouring Crystallization technique.

Having previously filled the Vampire Devouring External Crystal with the essence of the foxvamp from Fox Wonderland, I decided to use that first.

[In the first year, you command the Cosmic Devouring Crystal to consume all the energy from the external crystal and begin forming the Seed of Hope. This task demands the utmost patience and precision—qualities you possess in abundance.]

As soon as the prompt appeared, I saw that the Vampire Devouring External Crystal in my sea of essence had been completely drained, its ferocious vampiric power turning the inner crystal core a deep crimson.

The absorbed lifespan quickly diminished.

The prompts on the panel were indeed true. I was really patient, without any complaints from beginning to end.

After consuming 112 years of absorbed lifespan, I finally succeeded in harmonizing all the vampiric power.

Evidently, reaching the fully crystallized stage wasn't enough to advance directly to harmonization—there remained a significant gap between the two.

At this rate, I would need about nine more repetitions to fully form the Seed of Hope.

But...

I took a sip of water from my glass as I suddenly realized something was wrong.

Hadn't Aisha Patani mentioned that General Grant planted the seed at age two hundred, entered the second stage of Harmonization at age eight hundred? Even that was considered extremely poor talent.

Yet based on these prompts, it would take me over a thousand years just to plant the seed?

If I only relied on myself, wouldn't I have used up all my lifespan before even entering Harmonization?

"…"

This was likely because the Cosmic Devouring Crystal was far too large in volume. It was also because the Path of Nature posed a much greater challenge than Skyler Grant's Path of Redemption—the two paths simply couldn't be compared.

I retrieved another fully crystallized vampire core. Now flush with resources, I decided to spend a year of absorbed lifespan to consume it, hoping to gain some talent.

However, besides the Vampire Devouring External Crystal eating a full meal, nothing else happened.

The only function of the external crystal was to help absorb vampiric power and feed it to the Cosmic Devouring Crystal.

The absorbed lifespan continued to decrease.

A crimson pinpoint of light slowly materialized within my inner crystal.

Though forming the Seed of Hope was challenging, at least there was a clear path to follow, and was less emotionally taxing.

One by one, I consumed the vampire crystals.

[In the 873rd year, you swallow the core of the golden-haired griffin vampire, absorbed the dregs in it, and gained the talent of Treasure Sensitivity.]

[Treasure Sensitivity: You have an unparalleled keen sense for natural treasures, and you can always find precious things hidden under ordinary appearances.]

It was another talent without a realm prefix. It was better than nothing.

I turned my attention back to the Cosmic Devouring Crystallization technique.

The crimson point of light grew increasingly solid while spider web-like veins radiated outward.

Finally, I consumed the ninth vampire core.

[In the 1370th year, you successfully planted the Seed of Nature, entered the harmonization stage.]

[Ceystal Realm — Cosmic Devouring Crystallization (angelic grade): Journeyman]

[Remaining Absorbed Lifespan: 8677 years]

Suddenly, a powerful burst of vitality erupted from the core—the scarlet spot of light began pulsing like a heart.

Simultaneously, powerful and ferocious vampiric energy surged within the core, threatening to overflow!

Without hesitation, I activated the Melting Sun Furnace and slammed down its suppressing power!

In a single instant, the scarlet spot of light yielded completely to the suppression.

I slowly opened my eyes—the aura emanating from my body was both violent and powerful!

Even with the Turtle Aura-Suppressing technique at full power, I could only contain the energy within the boundaries of the house, preventing it from leaking beyond.

Never before had I experienced such overwhelming power.

Compared to this immense vampiric power, the fully filled Vampire Devouring External Crystal now seemed like a mere child's toy.