Shen Yi closed his eyes and felt it out for a moment. Once the Dragon-Flame Jade Fungus was put away, the strongest thread of aura-connection in his heart vanished. Confirming there was nothing else he'd missed — this medicine hut had likely been built for the sole purpose of nurturing the Dragon-Flame Jade Fungus.

Only then did he reach out and take the spiritual root back out, holding it in his palm to study closely. Worthy of a treasure nurtured by heaven and earth — even plucked loose, it still looked full of vitality, like that squirming living thing. Its whole body was covered in magma-like sap. But with the Cold Jade Mysterious Silk Hand's protection, Shen Yi could hold it directly with no trouble.

"A pity."

An object of such utmost yang had no connection whatsoever to killing-force. It didn't suit him.

But Shen Yi wasn't too disappointed either. Earlier, inside the Eight-Direction Dining Hall, he'd seen a whole crowd of cultivators trading treasures. Once he got out, he could ask around for relevant news. Before Mixed Origin cultivators, a spiritual root ought to count as hard currency.

"You mentioned mid-grade spiritual root just now — is there some system to it?" He turned to look at Aqing.

Aqing held his paper and brush, quickly recording the features of the Dragon-Flame Jade Fungus in the young man's hand. Though he'd read a great deal of treasure-lore at home, seeing one with his own eyes was another feeling entirely. Once he'd finished writing, he lifted his head in delight. "Of course there is. Heaven-and-earth treasures that can serve as spiritual roots are many in number, and by the preciousness of their kind they divide into four grades of quality. The most formidable of all, the peerless-grade spiritual root, can even give birth to a self-awareness."

"Only..."

Aqing pursed his lips in resignation. "Once consciousness is born, with no one to guide it, most take on a taint of evil killing-force, and so become of no use to cultivators either. Which is why an ordinary peerless-grade spiritual root is far too…