Because the yellow cocoon was flying, its energy source was cut off from the hidden arrangement underground that gathered vitality from the forest.
So, occasionally, the yellow cocoon would land for a short time to absorb more vitality, replenishing its energy and hastening its transformation.
Niu Chang was overwhelmed by the various findings about his physical body. His head was filled with more questions than answers, and he kept murmuring, "What is this?"
The various body cultivation techniques that he had read in his first life evolved from his original intention and were incorporated into the impossible idea.
'The Ultimate Tyrant Body Art should make my body stronger than steel, heavier than mountains. Impregnable and impervious to anything. But what is this? Why did this characteristic go missing? Where did it go?'
'The Heavenly Emperor Indestructible Body, which was meant to create a holy body filled with vitality and the domineering aura of the emperor, has also changed. Why hasn't the vitality of my body become apparent as I deduced?'
'The Innate Primordial Vessel and Chaotic Cosmos Scripture, which focus on energy reserve, haven't created any aperture or energy storage inside my body. The five viscera are empty, and the heart is hollow.'
'It's normal for those two copied techniques, but my self-created Heart Aperture Energy Storage hasn't done its job at all!'
'My Supreme Sword Bone also hasn't changed my bones as intended. This is my self-created technique that turns the bones into swords and nurtures them with the excessive vitality of the body. But why is it absent?'
'And the innate energy is still the same, elusive and ignoring my control. Dude, my body is literally dying, and you still choose to be dormant? Why are you even here?'
Frustrated by his unreasonable body, of which he was once proud, Niu Chang helplessly waved his white flag and chose to use qi cultivation techniques to restore his body. It wasn't that he hadn't examined his body before and was oblivious to these changes, but due to his special condition, it should be easier for him to distinguish his body from a normal human body.
'I hope my Verdant Tree Under the Bright Sky will not disappoint me.'
Ignoring the explosions occurring outside, Niu Chang recalled the feeling and nuance of the towering tree under the sunny sky.
The dim white qi became tainted with a green hue and slowly spread more, creating a refreshing feeling running through Niu Chang's body.
The more he activated Verdant Tree Under the Bright Sky to heal his crippled body, the more conflicted he felt from the bottom of his heart.
'The Verdant Tree Under the Bright Sky that I first created only focused on its surroundings—the falling leaves and the blowing wind. But now, I don't need this aspect. Instead, I want the aspect of the tree's own vitality, its ability to grow endlessly and be full of life as long as the sun shines brightly in the sky.'
Changing his perspective from a traveler seeking refuge under a towering tree, Niu Chang's mind entered the tree trunk and began to feel the running vitality of the tree.
He recalled the facts about trees that he had learned in his first life and selectively used them according to his needs.
'As long as the roots still exist, this tree will forever exist. With the caring sun sharing its power, the tree will keep growing without hindrance.'
However, he was unable to reach that level of immersion of watching the smiling shrine maiden who had left a big impression in his heart and mind.
Niu Chang opened his eyes and watched the verdant green qi freely circulate around his body, some of it moving and fusing into the open wounds.
'Although it's not a proper technique or skill, this kind of qi utilization that heavily depends on its nature or attributes alone will be very wasteful for any martial artist. Well, this is what I can do for now.'
Niu Chang pushed his heart and mind to feel the essence of Verdant Tree Under the Bright Sky, transforming his qi into verdant green qi.
The updated verdant green qi began to act accordingly and slowly heal Niu Chang's body.
But the healing was painfully slow, even with the endless amount of qi he had.
Sensing the qi fluctuation, Feng Ning cast a side glance at Niu Chang. "What a weird boy. This feeling is like a profound cultivation technique, but this boy is able to activate it with very low control, which is very difficult. Did he also encounter a hidden cave that contains profound cultivation techniques in this small place?"
Feng Ning was only an ordinary old man a year before, but he had found a hidden cave around his village, Yellow Rock Village, during winter. There, he found the Three Phase Mystical Life technique, which allowed him to begin his cultivation journey.
From the short amount of time he had, it was evident how profound and powerful this cultivation technique was.
"Maybe this small place actually hides many cultivation caves of experts? Mine is just one of them, and this boy is also one of them? How many cultivation caves are out there if this is true?"
Excited by his own thoughts, Feng Ning suddenly snapped out of it, alerted by the sudden change from the flying yellow cocoon.
The yellow cocoon was slightly above the ground now, connected to the ground by an intricate bridge made of yellow tree branches. The pulsating yellow qi gave a weird feeling to those who saw it.
It was like the beating heart of the forest itself.
The trees in this forest had already reached their end. Their leafless crowns, shriveled trunks, and fragility were such that even a touch would make them crumble and fall apart.
Six palms made of purple qi rushed at great speed, but they were unable to shake the yellow cocoon.
The fragrance, full of life and vitality, spread in this dead forest, so alluring and powerful that even the half-dead snake felt its wounds starting to heal.
The mysterious fragrance worked wonders for any living beings except plants.
Niu Chang also breathed in this fleeting fragrance like a whale swallowing seawater. His eyes closed, and his mind was very active.
The image of his towering verdant tree sprouted rapidly, creating various big branches on its side.
Niu Chang's self-created techniques were like this—he needed a chance to kick up his mind to truly capture the essence and turn it into a skill.
The chance could come from his own dreams, desires, memories, or encountering beautiful and impactful events or things in the outside world, which could trigger his mind to create an essence that left an everlasting mark on his heart and mind.
The mark was like a lighthouse that could be easily found in his vast sea of knowledge with a single thought. This was why Niu Chang could use the skill easily with just one thought.
The lonely towering tree grew rapidly, its branches splitting into more branches, filling the surroundings with green and brown colors. The shade it provided expanded, and the refreshing feeling no longer needed the ever-changing wind to blow.
Deep in his own mind, Niu Chang was unaware of the changes in his body. The open wounds around his torso began to tremble, and a small sprout made of verdant green qi wiggled around.
As Huang Zhi approached its limit, the fragrance also grew stronger.
Five breaths later, the yellow cocoon dimmed and revealed a round cage made of thick yellow branches that looked like it was made of pure gold, full of metallic luster.
At the same time, the fragrance disappeared completely.
Niu Chang frowned and opened his eyes.
'Just a little more, and I will be able to create a healing skill.' Niu Chang was disappointed but then made a sudden realization.
'Maybe the true meaning of tree vitality is not their endless growth, but rather the persistent will to live.'
The forest that had expanded from the main towering tree began to collapse on its own. The tree branches around Niu Chang's wounds also began to wither away and turn into flesh and bone.
Looking at his body, which had somehow transformed into tree bark, Niu Chang was shocked, but thanks to his timely realization, he was able to stop this wrong development.
'That was very dangerous. It was the same with the first skill of Shrine Maiden Under the Sacred Tree. Her captivating smile almost drove me to become a mindless slave.'
'Maybe this is the main reason why not many choose this path that I am taking. One small mistake can lead to irredeemable consequences and endless regret.'
Being a curious person like he was, Niu Chang immediately reflected on this problem that filled his path of cultivation.
Just because it was dangerous, Niu Chang didn't choose to give up. Instead, he would learn from his mistakes and take a bigger leap after this.
This was the beauty of cultivation for Niu Chang. The path of the unknown is full of danger and uncertainty, but it is also filled with endless possibilities.
Emerging from the blossoming yellow cage, Huang Zhi unfolded like a flower in vibrant spring. Petal by petal, she revealed herself, her silky black hair cascading down her back like a majestic waterfall. Her exposed shoulder, neck, and upper chest glistened like freshly fallen snow, radiating ethereal purity. As the cage continued to bloom, it became apparent that she had nothing to conceal, for her newly transformed body shone with resplendence.
With her eyes opening for the first time, a pair of bright yellow orbs met the world, radiating unfiltered light. Her mature womanly form boasted generous curves, accentuated by ample breasts and captivating buttocks. The captivating sight of her hourglass figure held an entrancing allure.
As she raised her delicate hand, Huang Zhi reveled in her newfound womanhood, her giggles dancing softly in the air. The cage of interwoven tree branches caressed her long, graceful limbs, gradually transforming into a natural dress that accentuated her already perfected form.
Crafted from various plant elements, the dress allowed her to proudly display her body, revealing glimpses of her chosen exposed areas. Each reveal spoke of her confidence and acceptance, a testament to her journey of self-transformation.
Unknowingly, Niu Chang dropped his jaw while watching Huang Zhi exit her yellow cocoon. "Damn. What a vixen."
Shaking his head to wake himself up, Niu Chang swallowed the saliva collected in his mouth. 'One day, one day I will have my own servant who outmatches her beauty. But damn, look at those twin peaks above the large mountains, and look at that hidden waterfall between those valleys.'
'I really need to create a technique that allows me to transform my immature body into a mature one, so I can do what I want and no longer be confined together with this distracting desire.'
Niu Chang kept his mind running through various thoughts, but his eyes were unable to leave Huang Zhi's new body.