Just as Xiao Shou was repeating these thoughts like someone possessed, the sound of water suddenly came from the nearby earth spirit spring.
Silver fish leapt above the surface and fell back into the water.
He stared blankly at the water surface.
His unfocused gaze gradually became more concentrated, then brighter and brighter, and the corners of his mouth slowly lifted.
He placed the top-grade spirit stone beside the eight ten-thousand-year spiritual herbs and shouted in wild joy: "Ten-thousand-year spirit spring, how could I have forgotten you! You were even formed here earlier than the spiritual herbs! You are entirely liquefied spiritual energy condensed from the spirit vein itself! If I had thought of you earlier, I would not have needed to dig the spirit vein at all. You are also a ten-thousand-year existence!"
Excited, he took out a jade bottle from his pouch and ran to the ten-thousand-year earth spirit spring and scooping it full of spirit spring water.
He even accidentally scooped a small silver fish into the bottle.
Xiao Shou was afraid that delaying would bring complications and was too anxious about upgrading his ability to care about removing it.
He immediately ran back to the spiritual herbs and spirit stones and set the jade bottle down.
He then took out a half-meter-wide jade box from his storage pouch, placed the eight ten-thousand-year spiritual herbs and the top-grade spirit stone inside, and poured in the ten-thousand-year spirit spring water.
Worried that the amount of water might not be enough, he went back to fill another bottle and poured it in again.
Only after pouring did he realize he had once again scooped up another silver fish.
Two silver fish were now swimming inside the spirit spring water within the jade box.
Looking at the precious items inside the jade box, he had a feeling that this fusion would definitely succeed.
Xiao Shou took a deep breath and activated his Absolute Fusion ability, concentrating his spirit to control the golden light erupting from his hands as it bypassed the jade box and enveloped the spiritual items inside.
For the first time… he felt his ability surge out wildly.
In just a few breaths, his ability was nearly drained dry.
So the consumption required to advance to the fourth level was this enormous?
If only he had known earlier, he would have fusion more items and stored more ability energy.
Xiao Shou felt regret while at the same time trying his utmost to release his ability.
In an instant, ten-thousand-year… the ability output suddenly stopped.
The golden light returned into his body and a more surging and vast stream of ability poured into his sea of consciousness in his mind.
As he covered in sweat, Xiao Shou supported himself on the ground and revealed a joyful smile.
In his mind flashed several golden words announcing that he had successfully advanced to the fourth level.
After a long while, he finally calmed down from his joy and looked toward the jade box.
Inside the half-meter-wide jade box, at its center, a silver-white pill with green patterns the size of a knuckle stood upright, emitting an extraordinary fragrance.
Just smelling it made the soreness in his muscles and meridians feel much more comfortable, and the flow of spiritual energy became smoother as well.
Without even needing appraisal, he already knew it must be an extremely high-grade healing pill.
However, he still needed to check what it was called and what its effects were.
After all, anything fused by his ability would immediately reveal detailed information once he touched it.
Xiao Shou picked up the pill and immediately a stream of information flowed into his mind.
Name: Lower Grade Creation Pill.
Effect: Can heal all injuries below the Nascent Soul stage, regenerate severed limbs, and possesses regenerative creation power.
Usage method: Oral consumption.
Xiao Shou was shocked.
It was actually a Lower Grade Creation Pill.
In the Heaven Origin Realm, such pills were extremely scarce because they could not be refined within this world.
The original book had mentioned that only the major sects possessed them and it was gifted down from the upper realms.
They were considered extremely valuable treasures of the sect.
They were high-efficiency healing pills that only Nascent Soul and above cultivators could normally afford.
Although their effects were even better for those below Nascent Soul, very few people were willing to use such a precious pill on juniors.
After all, one Creation Pill was equivalent to an extra life.
He had unintentionally created such a valuable fusion formula.
Delighted, Xiao Shou carefully placed the Lower Grade Creation Pill into an empty jade bottle for safekeeping and sealed it with a restriction talisman to prevent the medicinal effect from dissipating. Then he took out a blank jade slip and recorded the fusion formula he had just discovered, in case he ever forgot it.
After finishing everything, he lay powerless on the ground, finally realizing just how exhausted his body was.
As his gaze shifted, the scattered fragments of stones and spirit stones around him reminded him of everything that had happened during this period.
His whole body trembled and cold sweat broke out.
That person who had nearly gone mad just to advance his ability to the fourth level, was that really him?
Confirming this fact, Xiao Shou's eyes turned slightly red.
Fortunately, the cultivation technique he practiced did not fear inner demons and did not require tempering the state of mind.
Otherwise, during this period he would have likely gone into deviation at least ten times.
He gave a faint bitter smile and said, "Sigh. The survival pressure in this world is too great. Xiao Ran, Yu Lin, and those high and mighty cultivators… I must guard my true heart, become stronger, but I also cannot turn into a coward just because I am weak."
After a moment of clarity, his mind became sharp for an instant.
In the next second, his overexhausted body fell into deep sleep.