"So, in the future, as long as I drink the wine steeped with the gentian stone, I can increase my cultivation speed?"
Xu Taiping's eyes lit up at the words.
Xianzi Lingyue smiled and nodded, then continued:
"But the gentian wine is not inexhaustible. One gentian stone can steep at most three thousand gourds of wine. And with your current constitution, even a cup of wine might be hard to bear. You need to be mentally prepared."
"Is it similar to the bone-washing and marrow-renewing soup?"
At these words, Xu Taiping immediately recalled the scene of soaking in the bone-washing and marrow-renewing soup.
"The suffering you need to endure is similar, but the medicinal power of the gentian wine is even more intense. After drinking it, the true dragon's essence in the wine will continuously impact your limbs and bones. If you can't control it, you will die from internal injuries."
Xianzi Lingyue shook her head.
"But you don't need to worry too much. As long as you control the dosage, this won't happen."
Seeing the serious look on Xu Taiping's face, she added:
"Sure, I'll start with half a cup when the time comes."
Xu Taiping did not retreat because of the side effects mentioned by Xianzi Lingyue.
"Actually, besides increasing cultivation speed, using gentian wine to water spirit herbs can make them grow rapidly. For ordinary herbs, one cup of wine can add ten years of growth."
Xianzi Lingyue looked at the herb garden and smiled.
"Is it really that effective?"
Xu Taiping was surprised.
"However, unless it's a precious herb, it's best not to use it. One gentian stone can only steep three thousand gourds of wine, and each gourd used is one less."
Xianzi Lingyue nodded and warned Xu Taiping.
"In any case, obtaining the gentian stone makes your last adventure very worthwhile."
Xianzi Lingyue was very pleased.
After all, if it weren't for Xu Taiping's insistence on retrieving the fire spirit mushroom, the earth fruit would not have been able to extract the gentian stone buried underground for ten thousand years from this mountain range.
Just as the two were talking, the third gourd fell from the gourd vine.
"Come, let's see what the third treasure the earth fruit has given us is."
Xianzi Lingyue, who had already received good things from the gourds, became even more excited about the third gourd.
Just like before, the gourd, which was as dark as black iron, fell to the ground and automatically flew into Xu Taiping's arms, as if it already knew that Xu Taiping was its master.
Xu Taiping opened the gourd with ease.
As soon as the gourd was opened, a silver light shaped like a flying bird burst out, circled the yard once, and then flew straight toward Xu Taiping.
Xu Taiping instinctively raised his hand to block it, but the light suddenly turned into golden threads, continuously wrapping around his index finger.
In the blink of an eye, Xu Taiping's index finger was adorned with a silver ring, and upon closer inspection, the ring was carved with a lifelike flying bird pattern.
Just as Xu Taiping was wondering what this treasure was, information about its name and purpose flooded his mind.
"This should be a spirit treasure conceived by the earth fruit using the north wind pearl as a catalyst, combined with the mountain and river's spiritual energy. Once you wear it, your divine soul can automatically sense its usage."
Seeing Xu Taiping standing there in a daze, Xianzi Lingyue immediately understood what had happened and reminded him.
"Sister Lingyue, it's called the Azure Phoenix Ring. It is a high-quality spirit weapon conceived by the earth fruit using the essence of the mountain and river as iron and a divine essence of the fierce beast, the Azure Phoenix, as the ring spirit."
After digesting all the information sensed by his divine soul, Xu Taiping suddenly opened his eyes excitedly and looked at Xianzi Lingyue.
"The fierce beast Azure Phoenix? Wasn't it an extinct fierce bird from ancient times?"
Xianzi Lingyue's eyes lit up.
"An ancient fierce beast?"
Xu Taiping was somewhat surprised. He had never heard of the Azure Phoenix and thought it was just an ordinary fierce beast.
"In ancient times, fierce beasts ravaged the world, and the Azure Phoenix was one of the most ferocious. It is said that they were later exterminated by the dragon clan."
To have such a ferocious reputation in the terrifying ancient times, even a trace of divine essence is enough to inspire fear.
"But I feel that the ring spirit doesn't seem that fierce."
Xu Taiping couldn't associate the little blue sparrow in his mind with the ferocious Azure Phoenix.
As he said this, a bird-shaped light once again flew out from the ring on his hand, circled him happily, and then returned to the ring.
"Hmm... indeed, it's a bit strange, but your divine soul's perception must be correct. The ring spirit must be the Azure Phoenix. In any case, a high-quality spirit weapon with a spirit is a rare treasure even in the cultivation world I originally came from."
Xianzi Lingyue also found it a bit strange but didn't intend to delve into the issue. After all, anything conceived by the earth fruit wouldn't be too bad.
Xu Taiping nodded in agreement with Xianzi Lingyue's words.
"I can sense that this ring contains a very powerful divine force."
He looked down at the ring in his hand.
"What kind of divine force?"
Since this was a new spirit treasure conceived by the earth fruit, it was Xianzi Lingyue's turn to ask Xu Taiping.
"The divine force has two aspects: defense and attack. When the thumb and index finger of the right hand form a circle, it is for defense."
Xu Taiping demonstrated as he spoke, raising his right hand, forming a circle with his thumb and index finger, and channeling true qi into the circle using the true qi circulation method he sensed with his divine soul.
With a burst of air, a wall of swirling wind enveloped Xu Taiping.
It was very similar to the north wind pearl used by the tiger demon.
"Unlike the tiger demon's north wind pearl, this wall of wind will accompany you as you move and will not hinder your punches or sword strikes."
Xu Taiping then moved around a bit and performed a few moves of the Blue Ox Fist, and the wall of wind remained with him without dissipating.
With her discerning eye, she could see that the wall of wind around Xu Taiping was strong enough to withstand a full-force attack from the fire-patterned python.
After all, Xu Taiping, who was currently at the Opening Gate stage, could perform such a feat.
Moreover, it could always accompany the user, which made it even more powerful than the north wind pearl.
"Let me see the ring's offensive power."
She then said to Xu Taiping.
"The offensive power of the Azure Phoenix Ring has three forms: one finger to pierce the clouds, two fingers to shatter mountains, and three fingers to split the sea."
Xu Taiping first raised his index finger, then made a snapping gesture with two fingers, and finally made a chopping gesture with three fingers.
Although Xu Taiping's movements were somewhat clumsy, Xianzi Lingyue immediately understood that these were the three forms of power of the Azure Phoenix Ring.
Xianzi Lingyue looked at Xu Taiping with anticipation.