Cultivation is just so scientific!

Li Shiming placed the five prepared array banners into the Gathering Spirit Array next to the Low Grade Spirit Vein, where they required a great amount of Spiritual Energy to nourish them.

He took out the Spirit Turtle Shield, which he had not refined since he acquired it.

Previously, he lacked a sense of urgency, but now he urgently needed to improve his own strength as swiftly as possible.

The Dragon Drawing Technique was activated, and the Spirit Turtle Shield flashed with incredibly complex patterns, including both the Mid Grade Magical Artifact patterns originally on the Spirit Turtle Shield and the Array Diagram patterns he had developed together with Yin Shilan.

Having received the Array inheritance, he was no longer a complete novice to these patterns.

Four light points appeared on the Spirit Turtle Shield, indicating that its quality surpassed that of a top-grade magic tool.

Of course, although the Spirit Turtle Shield exceeded the quality of a top-grade magic tool, its limitations significantly reduced its actual value—it was only in Li Shiming's hands that the Spirit Turtle Shield could exert its greatest effect.

As for value, perhaps the Spirit Turtle Shield's portable carrying array was of greatest worth to an Array Master.

Li Shiming no longer chose the sequence of the four light points carelessly as before, a method that would still allow refining but was much less efficient.

He sorted the four light points from lowest to highest and refined each one with the "Drawing Technique," quickly establishing a connection with the Spirit Turtle Shield.

At this point, the Spirit Turtle Shield could be used, but to handle it with supreme flexibility, he still needed to refine it completely.

He discovered that at the Qi Refining Fourth Level, his speed in refining the Spirit Turtle Shield was much faster than it was during the Early-stage Qi Refining period.

He estimated that fully refining the Spirit Turtle Shield would take about two months.

This was already incredibly fast, as previously it had taken him nearly a year to refine the top-grade magic tool, the Qingyuan Wood Sword.

Emerging from his cave dwelling, Li Shiming arrived at the spirit field and cast the Spring Breeze and Rain Skill. This time, he noticeably felt the skill's range had increased to over three hundred square meters.

One mu of spirit field required only two castings of the Spring Breeze and Rain Skill. This was a significant breakthrough for the skill.

Previously, he had repeatedly practiced the Spiritual Plant Cultivation Skill, but upon reaching a certain level, his progress became extremely slow.

Now he finally understood that the reason was a lack of sufficient cultivation realm.

The Spring Breeze and Rain Skill involved the use of Spiritual Power, and naturally, if the quality of internal Spiritual Power wasn't up to the mark, the spells it activated would be limited.

He also displayed the Spirit Soil Technique and the Geng Metal Skill, which, with the help of IBMz15, he had also trained to the pinnacle of the Early-stage Qi Refining realm.

Now when he cast them, both spells had greatly improved as well.

"It seems I can apply for the Intermediate Spirit Plant Cultivator assessment! Just in time to inquire about the implications of the disappearance of that cultivator at the sect," Li Shiming contemplated. Experience more on My Virtual Library Empire

He took out a paper crane, leapt onto it, and flew towards the Nine Peaks of the sect.

After half a shichen, the familiar sight of the Nine Peaks came into view.

This time, with the Array inheritance he had gained, the Nine Peaks appeared quite different than before.

In front of him was an unimaginably large array, with web-like Spiritual Power lines protecting the entire Nine Peaks within it.

Within these Spiritual Power lines, only an Array Master could perceive the nine Array Eyes that were channeling terrifying amounts of Spiritual Energy into the grand array, the lines themselves being nearly one meter in diameter.

Despite the complexity of the Sect Protection Array in front of him, it was still fundamentally based on the Eight Diagrams, with other arrays arranged around it.

Of course, what Li Shiming saw was just the tip of the iceberg; the Sect Protection Array in its current state was yet to be fully activated. A fully activated Sect Protection Array would consume even more but would also be more formidable.

This was the profound foundation of a great sect. Without a Spirit Vein of exceedingly high quality, such a Sect Protection Array could not be laid out.

With his Identity Jade Disc, he easily entered the Sect Protection Array.

The Thunder Rain Pavilion on Xun Peak was one of the few pavilions open to outsiders, and his status as a low-level Spirit Plant Cultivator registered on his Identity Jade Disc was his pass to enter the Thunder Rain Pavilion on Xun Peak. It wasn't necessary to be a disciple of Xun Peak.

Li Shiming landed in front of the Thunder Rain Pavilion, feeling the vitality in the air. This time his perception was much clearer.

Different from the previous sense of amazement during his first visit, what had taken its place was his sense of the gap between his Spring Breeze and Rain Skill and the life force here—just one step away from an Intermediate Spiritual Plant Cultivation Skill.

He confidently walked into the Thunder Rain Pavilion; it was still the same elder, Master Cheng, inside.

"You're that disciple who had a keen understanding of the 'Spring Breeze and Rain Skill,' what's your name again?" Master Cheng saw Li Shiming, nodded thoughtfully, and spoke as he pondered.

"Master Cheng, my name is Li Shiming!" Li Shiming did not expect that after so long, Master Cheng would still remember him and quickly responded.

"My memory isn't poor; I remember your name!" Master Cheng was displeased to be thought of as forgetful and waved his hand dismissively before asking, "You've come to join Xun Peak this time, right, to make your mark in the profession of Spirit Plant Cultivators? You have to join Xun Peak to achieve that!"

"Err, Master Cheng, I am here to apply for the Intermediate Spirit Plant Cultivator assessment!" Li Shiming reminded, somewhat embarrassed.

Master Cheng was slightly taken aback. He emitted a fluctuation that swept over Li Shiming's body.

"You've only recently advanced to Qi Refining Fourth Level. Don't set your sights too high; indeed, one needs the power of the Qi Refining Middle Stage to reach the Intermediate Spirit Plant Cultivator level. With a bit more effort, you can achieve it!" Master Cheng advised while shaking his head.