Chapter 17 Spirit Crystal

Just like loot in games, the Land of Origin had its own version.

However, unlike in games, you couldn't simply touch a monster's corpse, shout "loot," and watch materials spill out. 

While it was possible for a monster corpse to occasionally burst out some loot, more often than not, the corpse itself was the loot, and to get what you wanted, you had to manually dismantle it.

That said, there was one common type of loot that usually appeared from slain monsters.

[Unranked Spirit Crystal]

"I actually got a Spirit Crystal on my first kill! So lucky!"

Michael eagerly picked up the transparent crystal.

Spirit Crystals, said to be superior to Mana Crystals, which themselves were the advanced version of Mana Stones, were highly valuable. They were materials that could only be found in abundance in the Land of Origin.

Mana Stones were cultivation resources that both Cultivators and Awakeners could use for their growth. 

A single Mana Stone could increase cultivation speed by up to three times. 

This meant that using a Mana Stone for one month of cultivation was equivalent to three months of normal cultivation.

The value of a Mana Stone was indisputable.

Then there was the advanced version: the Mana crystal, which could boost cultivation speed by up to five times.

Five times the cultivation speed meant that one month of cultivation with the help of a Mana Crystal was equivalent to five months of normal cultivation.

Given how valuable Mana Crystals were, one could just imagine the value of Spirit Crystals, which were placed above them.

The two could hardly be compared.

A Spirit Crystal could boost someone's cultivation speed by a staggering ten times!

Ten times meant that one month of cultivation with a Spirit Crystal was nearly equivalent to an entire year of normal cultivation.

However, something as valuable as a Spirit Crystal was unsurprisingly rare and in short supply.

But what really excited Michael about the appearance of this Spirit Crystal wasn't because of its cultivation benefits.

Like most Awakeners, Michael wasn't too much focused on the strength brought by cultivation.

The real reason he was thrilled about the Spirit Crystal was its monetary value.

For someone like Michael, red-eyed with poverty, the money-making potential of being an Awakener was a major motivator. One way he planned to make a profit was by selling loot to the Supers Association.

As a common loot dropping from roughly every three to four kills—though sometimes even less out of every 10 kills—Michael had paid close attention after learning of its existence.

In the Supers Association store, a Mana Stone was priced at $1,000, while a Mana Crystal could fetch $5,000 due to its rarity and ease of absorption. Outside the association, these prices climbed even higher.

But a Spirit Crystal? Thanks to its rarity and the pure, easily absorbable mana it contained, it was valued at an astounding $20,000.

Twenty thousand dollars!

Though the selling price would differ from the store price, Michael estimated he could still sell it for at least $15,000.

It was clear why he was so thrilled with this find.

"To think I'd make my monthly allowance from the Supers Association on my first outing! Truly, being an Awakener is a fast track to riches!"

Michael was pleased, but he quickly grew a bit conflicted upon remembering another potential use for the Spirit Crystal.

Aside from their renowned ability to boost cultivation speed, Mana Stones, Mana Crystals, and Spirit Crystals could also help replenish depleted mana—though this practice was often considered wasteful.

However, certain energies, like Soul Energy, couldn't be replenished by Mana Stones or Crystals.

Michael had come across some posts on the Supers Association forum that mentioned souls, but the topic felt distant and complex.

Michael figured that such topics would be covered in an Awakener Academy—perhaps something he would learn if he ever managed to get into one.

Though Michael didn't think much on the subject of souls, he knew Soul Energy was directly tied to something he possessed—a talent. 

Talents were considered an advanced form of spells but were more powerful, as most skills couldn't match their capabilities due to their sheer potential.

Unlike skills, talents didn't require mana; instead, they relied on Soul Energy, a resource no Awakener could ever have enough of, making talents a sort of pseudo-trump card.

And since Soul Energy wasn't the same as Mana, it couldn't be restored by Mana Stones or Crystals either. If an Awakener didn't want to wait for long to slowly recover their Soul Energy on its own, they could rely on Spirit Crystal to replenish it. This unique property made Spirit Crystals especially valuable to not just Awakeners or talent holders, but to any Supernatural who relied on Soul Energy.

Michael had a talent, which was why he hesitated, feeling conflicted about whether he should be using the Spirit Crystal or not—even though he'd never actually used his talent.

Talents were powerful abilities, and though Michael tried not to be bothered by his current inability to access his own, he couldn't shake the sense of discomfort.

'Would I be able to finally use my talent if I were to absorb this Spirit Crystal?'

Michael was uncertain. This hesitation made him take a while to come to a decision.

'Michael, look at the bigger picture. Money is good, but strength is better! If I can get one Spirit Crystal, I can certainly get another. If there's even a chance of using my talent, it's better to use this Spirit Crystal. With more strength, I'll be able to hunt more monsters and collect even more Spirit Crystals!'

Gritting his teeth, Michael finally made his choice. He would absorb the Spirit Crystal.

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Author's Note:

Apprentice Cultivators face significant limitations. They can only passively absorb mana through breathing exercises or meditation techniques, with the rate of absorption depending on their innate talents. Unlike official Cultivators, they are unable to actively draw mana from external resources like Mana Stones until they advance to official Cultivator status.

This limitation makes resources that accelerate cultivation for Apprentice Cultivators—with little to no side effects—highly valuable. Unfortunately, Mana Stones, Mana Crystals, and Spirit Crystals are excluded from this category, as Apprentice Cultivators lack the ability to access the mana contained within them.

Also, even after advancing to official Cultivator status, apprentice Cultivators are still referred to as Apprentices—though now in a more formal sense. Interestingly, those in the pre-advancement stage were originally called "trainees," but this term has largely fallen out of use over time.