According to the information he had read. Spiritual roots determined everything.
How fast a person could cultivate, their odds of breaking through bottlenecks, and their potential to reach the highest realms.
Spiritual root grades are initially categorised from grade one to grade nine.
Low-grade roots are grades one to three. They are barely useful, and you will struggle to cultivate them.
Mid-grade roots are grades four to six. They are decent, and with enough effort and resources, you will be able to make progress.
People with these roots can go a long way on the path of cultivation if they work hard enough, alongside decent resources.
High-grade roots are grades seven to nine. They are rare and prized, and the hallmark of elites.
Cultivators with high-grade spiritual roots are the leaders in the world of cultivation. Each person with such spiritual roots can single-handedly create a large sect and build a strong foundation in the world of cultivation.
Beyond the ninth grade were the legendary Earth, Sky, Universal, and Anicent-grade roots.
Earth-grade spiritual roots are said to be one in a billion, and only one or two will appear in a cultivation world every thousand year or so.
Heaven-grade spiritual roots? They are incredibly more scarce, with one person appearing every ten thousand years to be seen, and once they appear they break the limits set and stand at the top of the world.
Universal and Ancient grade spiritual roots are said to only exist in legends and are considered a myth.
"Ancient-grade?" Lin Fang whispered, his voice filled with awe.
He couldn't help but grin. With a talent like this, cultivation would be effortless, his progress faster than anyone could imagine.
The idea of immortality didn't seem like a lie anymore, everything he saw so far solidified that thought.
Still, he forced himself to calm down.
"Don't get ahead of yourself," he muttered calming his swirling thoughts. "You just entered the game, you are nothing but a toad in a small pond.."
His gaze shifted to the next attribute.
Special Physique: Dao Body
"Dao body??" Lin Fang frowned. The term wasn't something he remembered from the game's descriptions. "Is it special?"
Shrugging, he moved on to the next attribute.
Luck: Maximum Fortune.
Lin Fang laughed. "Well, at least this world seems to like me."
The skills section caught his eye.
When he first entered Dao Online, a strange sensation had filled his mind, as if knowledge had been downloaded straight into his brain. That must've been the Qi-Gathering Art, the foundational cultivation technique.
As for his realm? Still mortal. Naturally, there weren't any magical abilities or techniques unlocked yet. He wasn't exactly expecting rainbows and sunshine on day one.
Satisfied with his quick overview, Lin Fang closed the attribute panel and decided to explore the game system further. It was simple, with only three functions.
Personal Attribute Panel
Chat Channel
Log Out Option
Switching to the Chat Channel, Lin Fang was immediately bombarded by a rapid flood of messages. The single-channel system combined with nearly twenty million players worldwide made it a chaotic storm of text.
Looking at the Log Out option, Lin Fang sighed in relief. 'Luckily the people behind this aren't as evil as the people who made a certain game with swords. I can log out without worrying about dying from malnutrition.'
"Damn, these guys are really spamming already?" Lin Fang muttered, scrolling through the endless chatter.
"This isn't a game at all—it's a real world!"
"Are you serious? Who in their right mind is thinking about science and its laws when we are cultivating?"
"My spiritual root is third-grade fire. Guess I'm doomed."
"Third-grade? That's fine. I've got first grade. Just kill me now, why wait for beasts or whatever swarms this world to do it."
"Hahaha, I've got sixth-grade fire! Girls, Come find me if you want to hitch a ride to immortality!"
Lin Fang chuckled at the mix of excitement and complaints. For a moment, he considered joining the conversation but decided against it.
'There's no need to show my hand,' he thought. 'Let them think the best spiritual root here is sixth grade. I don't want to hurt their feelings so early on, and most will ignore my comments, thinking I'm lying to them.'
All the players seemed to have been dropped into a wooden hut on top of a mountain.
No one had yet reported interacting with Dao Online's native inhabitants, which struck him as a strange phenomenon.
The lack of useful information was disappointing, so he closed the chat channel and focused on his immediate surroundings.
Outside the wooden hut, dense forests seemed to lengthen for hundreds of meters. The calls of unknown beasts echoed through the trees, sending a chill down Lin Fang's spine.
"Just me, alone, in the middle of nowhere. A perfect way to die." He muttered, glancing over his shoulder.
He took a deep breath, calming himself.
"No use worrying about it. First thing's first—start cultivating."