Chapter 20: Bright Eyes Night Vision, Observing the Five Elements

The flickering lamplight danced as Zhao Xing stared at the book with its wavering brightness, his vision gradually becoming clearer. Initially, he thought it was just normal fluctuations, but the sensation of clarity grew stronger until, at a certain moment, it was as bright as daylight.

"Huh?" Zhao Xing raised his head, put down the book, and scanned his surroundings. He found that it was still deep night outside, with no sign of dawn. The calendar also indicated it was midnight, with nothing unusual.

Looking again at the panel record, he was taken aback.

[You read the 'Herbal Classic' at night, absorbing the essence and comprehending the Magic Art 'Bright Eyes Night Vision.']

[Bright Eyes Night Vision: Beginner Magic Art]

[Proficiency: 20/9999]

[Effect: Ability to see at night, with vision extending kilometers.]

"A universal Magic Art, and I managed to acquire it," Zhao Xing smiled slightly. He hadn't expected that just a short reading session would yield such a practical skill.

"But I'm not far from the third stage of Gathering Essence, so it's time to acquire this Magic Art." Bright Eyes Night Vision is an adaptive Magic Art, both passive and actively deployable, able to adjust to the surrounding environment.

Most practitioners at the Ninth Grade have this standard ability, and even those not yet at that level have a chance to acquire it, especially warriors, who can obtain it at the first stage of Gathering Essence, as their essence primarily enhances their physical vitality, while Sinoong practitioners are slightly slower.

"Its practicality is strong, and it can advance to 'Keen Insight,' allowing observation of finer details, essence fluctuations, and even grasping psychological activities, though only effective against those of lower realms," Zhao Xing mused.

If facing someone of the same realm or higher, their essence would be tightly controlled, making it difficult to detect, and psychological activities even harder to capture.

"Stronger still are the insights of the Si profession, which can even judge criminals with precision."

With Bright Eyes Night Vision, Zhao Xing found reading much more convenient. He continued to study the 'Herbal Classic,' 'Grand View Wood,' and 'Compendium of Herbs.'

For Sinoong practitioners, the ultimate goal is to cultivate plants, and these three books introduce and classify the plants of the world.

Classified by utility, they are divided into medicinal, edible, and livestock categories. There are also divisions by 'family,' 'genus,' 'system,' 'order,' and 'species.'

For example, Zhao Xing was now reading a page in the 'Herbal Classic' that mentioned a miraculous plant called 'Roll Pine,' also known as 'Soul Returning Grass,' which can treat soul damage and is categorized in the 'Herbal Compendium.'

Turning a page, Zhao Xing saw another familiar name.

"In the Mushroom family, it describes a peculiar mountain in Mingdao Prefecture where a plant called 'Color-Changing Mushroom' grows. It can change color and blend with the environment, exploding upon touch, releasing toxic gas that can cause blindness, poisoning, dizziness, and even death."

Color-Changing Mushrooms, which Zhao Xing had cultivated extensively in his previous life, grow quickly, are easy to cultivate, inexpensive, and effective, making them a must-have for Sinoong players with a penchant for mischief.

Classified by origin, there are wild species (naturally occurring) and cultivated species (artificially created). There are also classifications by the Five Elements and Thunder attributes, such as the 'Purple Lightning Bamboo' Zhao Xing had once cultivated.

With a Thunder attribute, its bamboo segments can emit purple lightning attacks, making it one of the stronger offensive plants in the bamboo family.

Sinoong players' early disadvantage is that they can only engage in static battles, requiring pre-arranged defenses, as plants cannot move. But after reaching level fifty in Gathering Essence, this issue disappears.

Because they can 'Cultivate in the Dantian,' opening a small pure essence soil plot, equivalent to a mobile base. When encountering enemies, they can perform 'Pure Essence Projection' into the real world, making plants appear at a specific location, rooted in reality, allowing for near-instant deployment.

With a wave of the hand, a great army of plants appears!

As for the later versions of the revival, directly cultivating in the inner realm, possessing even more miraculous plants, even able to root in the void, completely free from geographical and environmental constraints, that is the strongest period of the Sinoong school...

"I really miss it, I wonder if I can live to see that time."

"The Qi Luck Dynasty system, the longest-lived emperor of the dynasty lived a thousand years, the longest-lived official was Peng Zu of the Yin Dynasty, who lived eight hundred years."

"This balance was broken by the Martial Emperor, with officials living longer than emperors, and emperors' lives getting shorter, because the dynasty began to decline, with everyone 'stealing life.'"

Zhao Xing tapped his fingers: "I must rely on the Qi Luck Dynasty system to extend my life to possibly see the future revival era. Emperor Jing, Martial Emperor, and then fifteen more emperors, as long as I can survive the Martial Emperor's reign, the rest are short-lived emperors."

"Each dynasty averages only a little over a hundred years... that makes longevity easier, and I'm a vigorous Sinoong, outlasting those short-lived ghosts is not a big problem."

"The hardest part is Emperor Jing's era, not only a diligent emperor but also stingy, giving officials longevity grudgingly, while Martial Emperor is generous, often granting full life to certain generals..."

Lost in thought for a moment, Zhao Xing continued reading, his immediate goal still being to change professions.

[You read the 'Grand View Wood' at night, comprehending the Magic Art 'Five Elements Observation.']

[Five Elements Observation: Beginner Magic Art]

[Proficiency: 1/9999]

[Effect: Using the principles of the Five Elements, discern the vitality of plants.]

"Haha, my luck is really good, another practical Magic Art," Zhao Xing's mind filled with profound knowledge of Magic Arts.

The world is full of strange flowers and grasses, countless in number, and even throughout the ages, Sinoong practitioners have not been able to exhaust all that exists, with many things unrecorded.

Five Elements Observation is equivalent to an advanced exploration technique for the Sinoong profession.

If encountering an unknown plant, it can observe its internal vitality from afar, using the principles of the Five Elements to discern its effects.

Combined with other Magic Arts, it can generally make accurate judgments.

Sinoong players also have many other identification skills, such as [Body Fusion Identification Technique]. Cutting off a small part and personally tasting it, using the body as a crucible, can more finely understand its specific effects.

However, this Magic Art skill is quite a pitfall, with many Sinoong players getting poisoned, as Zhao Xing often saw complaints on forums about being poisoned to death by certain herbs.

"With it, the divine farmer need not taste a hundred herbs, observation is enough."

Having acquired two practical Magic Arts in succession, Zhao Xing was quite pleased.

Even though it was already past midnight, he continued reading tirelessly.

The classics issued by the Imperial Court carry certain miraculous powers, aiding in comprehension, with each book typically allowing two insights.

After two insights, it loses its miraculous effect, only solidifying the already comprehended Magic Arts knowledge.

Time passed unnoticed by Zhao Xing, who was completely immersed in a wonderful sensation.

Though the miraculous power in the classics was weak, it occasionally allowed him to 'see the light,' a fleeting feeling of enlightenment, like a shooting star, but as long as he grasped it, it was immensely satisfying.

"Cock-a-doodle-doo~" The rooster crowed outside, the oil lamp had long burned out, and Zhao Xing looked up to find that dawn was breaking, the faint glow on the classics had completely disappeared.

"Tonight was truly rewarding, with the Dao Embryo Pill and Yan Er Qi Luck support, I was able to gain so much from these structured classics," Zhao Xing glanced at the panel.

(End of Chapter)