After that small conversation between the two regarding the unfortunate cow that decided to eat something that was actually inedible, Arthur focused all of his attention on converting his qi into System Points. Of course, now that he had access to [Spirit Sense], he would use the skill from time to time, gazing out at what lay beyond where he currently was, which was a whole load of nothing.

Nevertheless, he was still satisfied with what he could see, rather than being stuck staring at a rotating white cube for a very long time while chatting with Sisa. Then again, he quite enjoyed talking with Sisa. However, there would eventually come a point where the two of them would just think up of random topics, bringing nothing interesting to the conversation.

In any case, he continued to convert qi up to the night of the very next day, transforming qi into Inferior Spirit Slag for 24 hours straight.

Letting out a long sigh as he stared at the large pile of Inferior Spirit Slag that laid near the white cube in his very mind, Arthur could not help but feel a sense of achievement and pride on what he had done. After all, now that he thought about it, he was now on his second day in this new world as a spirit vein. Compared to yesterday, where he would only be making 10 grams of the stuff every conversion, he was now making 40 grams of it. On top of that, he also had the choice to look at the outside world if he wanted to or not.

“I think I’m becoming more and more used to being a spirit vein,” Arthur could not help but say, letting out a chuckle that slightly turned somber at the end. At that point, he realized that he had more or less become desensitized to the fact that he had been reborn as a spirit vein and not as a human.

“Well, there’s no point mulling over what I can’t change,” he said soon after, trying to psych himself up as he commanded the system to convert the Inferior Spirit Slag he had produced into System Points. The first time, he exchanged 100 grams of Inferior Spirit Slag for one System Point. Then, just a day ago, he exchanged 400 grams of Inferior Spirit Slag for four System Points. And right now? He was about to trade over a kilogram’s worth of Inferior Spirit Slag.

Ding!

You have exchanged 1.1 kilograms of Inferior Spirit Slag for 11 System Points. Due to not meeting the necessary requirements, 20 grams of Inferior Spirit Slag remain.

As the voice of the system resounded throughout the area, the large pile of Inferior Spirit Slag in his mind instantly disappeared, leaving what could only be said to be a smattering of the stuff when compared to how it was before.

“Now how should I spend these System Points I just got?” Arthur asked himself once more, just like the previous times he had obtained System Points. Naturally, the only choices he had were to upgrade his stats or his skills. However, it was at this moment that he recalled something else related to the system. “Hey, Sisa. I want to ask something.”

“What is it?” Sisa asked back.

“What do I have to do in order to obtain another skill?” Arthur said in response.

Indeed, that was the thought that surfaced in his mind just a while ago. Recalling how upgrading his Qi Purity to Tier 0, Grade 1 allowed him to obtain the skill [Spirit Sense], then it would make sense that there were other skills he could obtain as long as he met the necessary requirements. As he thought about this, he could not help but think that he was a sorry excuse of a spirit vein if he compared himself to what actual spirit veins could do.

Then again, he was still a Spirit Seed.

“Unfortunately, the system doesn’t allow me to tell you what you should exactly do,” Sisa replied, making Arthur slightly disappointed. However, this quickly changed as she continued, “However, that doesn’t mean I can’t give you advice. Try to focus on upgrading your Qi Capacity and Qi Recovery Rate. That’s all I’ll say.”

“Well, I could upgrade Qi Capacity, no problem,” Arthur said in response, mentally nodding in agreement. “Qi Recovery Rate, on the other hand…”

Even if he didn’t bring up a screen with the list of upgrades he could do, he could still remember how much points it cost to upgrade Qi Recovery Rate to its next level.

10 points.

Sure, he did obtain 11 points from the exchange just now, but Sisa told him that he had to upgrade both his capacity and his recovery rate. Eventually, after pondering over it for a bit, he went ahead and spent 10 points on upgrading Qi Recovery Rate to the next level, effectively doubling the length of time that he could use [Spirit Sense]. After all, he just had to convert more qi if he needed more points.

Ding!

Would you like to upgrade [Qi Recovery Rate]? This will cost 10 System Points.

“Well, it’s not like I have a choice. Haah… sure.”

Ding!

Whoosh!

Surprisingly, now that he had increased his recovery rate, a slight change was happening to the insides of his mind again. Unlike before, where Qi Purity made the cube a bit more blue with every level as the ground turned more solid, the upgrade to Qi Recovery Rate instead focused far up above the white cube, bringing a bit of light to the dark world that his mind previously portrayed. Sometime later, a small strand of blue from up above connected to the bluish-white cube, slightly increasing the speed at which it rotated.

Eventually, the upgrade process was finished as everything stabilized, with the insides of Arthur’s mind now looking more like a bluish landscape of sorts.

Ding!

[Qi Recovery Rate] has been upgraded to 2 points per hour.

[Qi Recovery Rate] has met the minimum requirements to unlock the next skill.

[Qi Capacity] does not meet the minimum requirements to unlock the next skill. Please upgrade.

“One upgrade in Qi Recovery Rate was all I needed, huh,” Arthur could not help but say. “As for Qi Capacity, although I don’t know how much I would have to upgrade it, at the very least, I now have a concrete goal in mind.”

“So, Sisa… mind accompanying me once again as I absentmindedly convert qi into System Points?” he said not long after, to which Sisa replied, “Does it look like I have a choice?”

“Well, you could always stay silent,” Arthur replied, letting out a chuckle.

“I’d rather not,” said Sisa, laughing as well soon after.

And with that, Arthur started to convert his qi into Inferior Spirit Slag once more. Though, now that he had effectively doubled his qi recovery rate, he now activated [Spirit Sense] more often, gazing at the idyllic nothingness while staring at the pile of Inferior Spirit Slag he had produced that laid above him. As no one passed by where he was, except for a few animals from time to time, most of the stuff he had produced from day one was still above him. Then again, he was certain that someone would eventually come across it.

While converting, he also looked at the amount of System Points he would need to buy the next upgrade for Qi Recovery Rate. Seeing that the next upgrade cost 20 points, he surmised that the progression of cost for Qi Recovery Rate followed the Fibonacci sequence, but increased to a factor of 10.

With that, the only stat where he had no clue what the progression of cost was would be Qi Capacity. Sure, the next upgrade also cost one point after he bought two, but when would it stop costing only one point?

And so, another day had gone by, with Arthur exchanging another batch of Inferior Spirit Slag for 11 System Points. By now, the remaining dust in his mind now amounted to 40 grams.

Leaving that aside, he opened up the upgrade screen and allocated all of his hard-earned points towards upgrading Qi Capacity. In less than an instant, 8 points were deducted from his balance, increasing his maximum capacity for 12 to 20. Surprisingly, the 12 points he had were not fully used up, making him wonder as to why that was the case. Though, it did not take long for the answer to appear.

Ding!

[Qi Capacity] has been upgraded from 12 points to 20 points.

[Qi Capacity] has met the minimum requirements to unlock the next skill.

With [Qi Capacity] and [Qi Recovery] meeting the minimum requirements, you have unlocked the passive skill [Spirit Aura].

“Oh?” Hearing the system’s consecutive notifications, Arthur was slightly surprised. After all, the requirements to unlock this skill was as basic as unlocking [Spirit Sense]. “To think I just had to double both my capacity and my recovery rate.”

“In any case, it’s time to check what this skill does,” he said, commanding the system to show him the skill’s description. Naturally, the system quickly obliged.

Ding!

[Spirit Aura Lv. 1]

Any being and object in the world would normally have a limit as to how much qi they can hold at once. However, for spirit veins, although they also have a certain limit, once the amount of qi in them starts to overflow, they become what we know as the beacons of cultivation, infusing more qi into the surroundings to facilitate a better cultivation environment.

The skill conjures a domain with increased qi density, allowing those inside it to achieve more in their cultivation in less time.

To increase the range and effectiveness of the domain, one could opt to upgrade the skill, or one could opt to increase the user’s Qi Capacity to increase the skill’s range, or increase the user’s Qi Purity to increase the skill’s effectiveness.

Current range: 2 meters (20 points)

Current boost: 4% (Tier 0, Grade 3)

Upgrade cost: 10 System Points

“So basically, I’ve unlocked what’s considered the bread and butter of a spirit vein,” Arthur said as he finished reading through the description. “The part where the spirit vein increases the density of qi in the surroundings, allowing people to cultivate faster.”

“With this skill, you’re becoming more and more like a spirit vein, Arthur,” Sisa could not help but say. “However, I’m pretty sure you forgot something.”

“Hmm?” Arthur found it quite odd. “I’m pretty sure I already checked through all of my notif—“

Ding!

You have obtained a system quest.

“Ah. So that’s what you mean.”