Chapter 266: Chapter 265: Drawing the Source, Assimilation by the Spiritual Spring

A high-grade, third-tier Spirit Vein.

If left unrestricted to dissipate freely, the Spiritual Qi it produced could cover an area over fifty miles across!

This was a testament to the sheer density of its Spiritual Qi!

However, all of that dense Spiritual Qi had been concentrated into a Spiritual Spring just a hundred feet across!

One could only imagine the benefits it offered for cultivation!

HUUU...

Su Ye let out a clear breath and, with a flick of his sleeve, sat down on the ground.

He formed a hand seal for a Technique and raised a protective ward around himself. Then, he began to circulate the Taiqing Cold Jade Skill, absorbing the Spiritual Qi!

HUMMM!

As Su Ye circulated his Cultivation Technique and drew upon his Magical Power, the iridescent, viscous Spirit Liquid in the Spiritual Spring suddenly began to boil, its surface churning violently.

WHOOSH.

Like a great whale drinking the sea, the Spirit Liquid was drawn up by his Magical Power and surged toward Su Ye.

As this was the core of the Spiritual Spring, every drop of Spirit Liquid here could be considered a lesser form of Holy Spring Spirit Liquid!

Su Ye absorbed the Spiritual Qi and circulated his Cultivation Technique.

Such pure Spirit Liquid converted into Magical Power with extreme speed!

Feeling his Magical Power rising rapidly, a look of pleasant surprise appeared in Su Ye’s eyes!

"A single day of cultivation here is comparable to several months in the outside world!"

"At this rate, I can break through to the Mid-stage Crystal realm within half a month!"

With the assistance of the Ghostly Flood Dragon’s Harmony, Su Ye faced no bottlenecks in breaking through to the Mid-stage Crystal realm. He just needed to follow the process, absorb Spiritual Qi, and accumulate Magical Power!

"Mid-stage Crystal is just around the corner!"

Su Ye’s eyes flashed with excitement!

Once he broke through to Mid-stage Crystal, he would undergo another minor-realm transformation. Setting everything else aside... his Divine Sense would surely ascend to the fourth tier!

At that point, in coordination with the quasi-fourth-tier spirit ship, the Ghostly Flood Dragon, he would possess true fourth-tier combat strength even without using Quasi-Techniques!

"Fourth-tier!"

The corners of Su Ye’s mouth lifted slightly.

Whether in the Yaoguang Islands or the Far South Continent... reaching the fourth tier was enough to dominate a region!

Just then, Genvieve’s expression flickered, a mixture of hesitation and anxiety.

After a long moment, she raised a hand and timidly reminded him,

"Master, cultivating by drawing on the holy spring’s origin will cause the holy spring’s grade to decline..."

"Oh?" Su Ye’s gaze shifted slightly.

As he absorbed the Spiritual Qi, the surface of the viscous, slurry-like Spirit Liquid in the Spiritual Spring had indeed lowered slightly.

It was clear Genvieve was right. If he recklessly absorbed the Spiritual Qi and drew from the Spiritual Spring Origin, the grade of this Spiritual Spring would indeed decline.

But...

"What does that have to do with me?"

Su Ye’s expression was cold and indifferent. He ignored Genvieve’s reminder and continued to absorb the Spiritual Qi.

He hadn’t forgotten his fundamental purpose for coming to the Far South Continent!

—To plunder resources and increase his strength!

Devouring the Spiritual Spring could accelerate his cultivation. That was all that mattered.

As for the possible consequences, such as the Spiritual Spring weakening or drying up?

Su Ye didn’t care.

"Very well..." Genvieve lowered her gaze and bowed her head, speaking softly.

"However, I implore you, Your Highness, when you draw from the holy spring’s origin, please do not completely devour the most condensed Holy Spring Spirit Liquid at its core."

"As long as some Holy Spring Spirit Liquid remains, the holy spring can still recover slowly..."

"Otherwise, this holy spring will dry up completely, and the resources Aino City can provide for you will be drastically reduced..."

Genvieve bowed deeply, her words a tactful persuasion.

"I see..." Su Ye nodded in understanding.

’So I just need to leave a drop, is that it?’

’Fine.’

’Sustainable development, right!’

...

「By the edge of the Spiritual Spring.」

Genvieve watched Su Ye as he absorbed the Spiritual Qi and cultivated.

Her eyes were clear, and her face held a smile.

Unconsciously, her hands moved behind her back, her fists slowly tightening until her nails dug into her flesh...

’The Divine Son is supreme!’

’I must be completely loyal to the Divine Son!’ 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

’Patience, obedience, loyalty... It’s the only way to survive!’

Countless similar thoughts were constantly being generated in her mind.

She ruthlessly suppressed her anger and hatred, filling her mind with these thoughts as if hypnotizing herself, creating a ’protective layer’!

’This way...’

’Even if his mental power is far stronger than mine, it will be difficult for him to read my thoughts, right?’

Genvieve murmured to herself.

Based on a few faint clues, she had already guessed that Su Ye might possess some kind of mind-reading ability.

After all, Aino City had a long history, and its successive royal families were descendants of gods, possessing superior bloodlines.

Over the long course of history, ancestors with astonishingly powerful Divine Sense had naturally been born... Therefore, it was only normal for Genvieve to be on guard against the mind-reading capabilities of a high-level Divine Sense.

Or rather, given the patience and caution she had honed over many years in the royal court...

Whether Su Ye could read minds or not, she had to act as if he could!

’Only then might I have the slightest, most insignificant chance of success...’

Genvieve thought.

She glanced at Su Ye, who was currently absorbing the Spirit Liquid.

Apparently, the Spirit Liquid at the edge of the Spiritual Spring was not quite concentrated enough for him.

Su Ye had moved to the center of the spring’s eye, where he now sat hovering in the air, rapidly absorbing the Spiritual Qi!

He had also begun to draw upon the Holy Spring Spirit Liquid.

Seeing this, Genvieve lowered her head, a flash of delight crossing the depths of her eyes.

Drawing on the Holy Spring Spirit Liquid could accelerate one’s cultivation.

The Aino royal family had, of course, known this for a long time!

But... this Spiritual Spring had remained safe and intact to this day.

Aside from sustainable use and avoiding the folly of draining the pond to get the fish, there was another very important reason.

And that was...

’This holy spring... it eats people...’

Genvieve murmured to herself.

Of course, this wasn’t to say the Spiritual Spring was poisonous.

However, such pure Spiritual Qi possessed a natural ability to assimilate!

If one were to recklessly devour the Spiritual Qi at the center of the spring, it was highly likely... that they would be assimilated into the Spiritual Spring itself!

’This is also... the only possible way to kill him!’

Genvieve was incredibly nervous. She lowered her eyes, not even daring to glance at Su Ye.

She was terrified he would sense her emotional turmoil...

「Half an hour later.」

SPLASH.

As Su Ye continued to cultivate, the Spirit Liquid boiled more and more furiously.

HUMMM.

A rosy mist filled the air, shimmering with iridescent light!

Waves of Spirit Liquid surged, rising into the air!

It was a magnificent sight.

But hidden within it was a deadly crisis!

SPLASH.

Like a tidal wave swallowing a reef, torrents of Spirit Liquid surged toward Su Ye’s body.

And finally... completely engulfed his figure!

DRIP.

The Spirit Liquid scattered. Above the Spiritual Spring, Su Ye was nowhere to be seen!

’Did it work?!’

Genvieve raised her head, her spirits soaring, almost jumping for joy.

However, just at that moment, a calm and indifferent voice slowly sounded out from right beside her.

"Genvieve, you seem quite pleased."

"What has you so happy?"

"Why don’t you tell me about it."

Genvieve’s pupils contracted violently.