The Programmer Cultivator

When Zhang Deming noticed that peculiar core point of light, it pulsed a few times. He was dazed for a moment, and then his vision returned.

The unusual vision vanished. He was still sitting in the Cultivation Room, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.

However, some inexplicable information had appeared in his mind. Roughly translated, it said:

Spirit Root: Lv21 (0/20)

When he sensed what the ’20’ in the data represented, Zhang Deming was stunned. It actually required Merit!

’In other words, I can spend twenty Merit to re-edit—to force an upgrade and raise my Spirit Root by one point? Or is it like my other Skills, where the Merit cost increases with every level?’

’If that’s the case, where am I supposed to earn that much Merit?’

Staring at the newly unlocked function, Zhang Deming was momentarily baffled. He mulled it over for a long while, then, seeing he still had 28.4 Merit, decided he might as well try raising it by one point.

”Consume twenty Merit to recompile and upgrade Spirit Root?”

”Yes!”

The same sensation washed over him as before, and Zhang Deming once again found himself within the vision of light points.

This time, Zhang Deming clearly felt it. Within the cluster of light that represented him, the peculiar core point was enveloped by an endless golden radiance. As the radiance merged into it, the peculiar point of light grew slightly stronger.

A moment later, when the golden light had finished merging, the light point pulsed again, and Zhang Deming’s vision returned once more.

The instant his vision returned, Zhang Deming clearly felt that he was different. He first checked the Spirit Root information on his panel.

Spirit Root: Lv22 (0/20)

His Spirit Root had strengthened by one point, and the Merit cost hadn’t increased, which made him breathe a small sigh of relief. He couldn’t be certain if the cost would always be twenty, but as long as it didn’t increase with every single point, it was a massive weight off his shoulders.

This one-point change in his Spirit Root wasn’t just a small change in the data. Zhang Deming could clearly feel that his entire being was different.

His perception of the surrounding Spiritual Power suddenly felt several times denser. Of course, he knew this was an illusion.

His Spirit Root hadn’t been very high to begin with, so even a one-point increase felt like a significant change, creating this sensation.

Still, the one-point improvement to his Spirit Root had a significant impact. He felt as if his mind had become much clearer. In terms of data, the most direct change was to his Cultivation script.

Cultivation Technique: Five-Star Secret Scripture ● Remnant (Pseudo Seven Tier)

Cultivation: Duality Lv1 (12.3/4,000,000)

Rune Core: ...

Branch Rune: Omitted...

Skill: Omitted...

Spiritual Power Recovery: 350 Spiritual Power/1 minute

Experience Growth: 35 Experience/1 minute

The most direct effects were visible in his Spiritual Power Recovery and Experience Growth. Of course, there were many other changes beyond what the data showed.

The impact this would have on his future cultivation breakthroughs was especially profound.

After sensing the changes for a long time, Zhang Deming finally looked at the energies in his repository. Merit: 8.4, Qi Fortune: 11.5, Karma: 1.4.

’I haven’t even really started anything, and it’s already gone. It feels like no amount of Energy is ever enough!’

After wrestling with his thoughts for a long time, Zhang Deming finally composed himself, stood up, and walked over to the Magic Room. He carefully began his first attempt at the Splitting Dao.

With a thought, a Spirit Species flew out. It rapidly stretched and reshaped itself in front of him, transforming into a Bean Soldier that looked exactly like him.

Because he needed to test the Splitting Dao, Zhang Deming didn’t imbue this Bean Soldier with a single Technique. It was just a basic soldier, like a super minion.

Looking at the Bean Soldier before him, which was like his very own clone, Zhang Deming focused on the Splitting Skill and tentatively activated the Technique.

Instantly, Zhang Deming’s perspective shifted, focusing on his Dantian. After a brief moment of surprise, he inexplicably knew what to do next.

He reached out with an incorporeal hand and casually grabbed the Tier Three Sword Control Technique from his script.

The moment Zhang Deming grasped it, his vision returned to normal. A peculiar ball of light now rested in his hand. It was an incandescent white, and a small sword floated within it.

It looked somewhat like a Magic Rune Ball, but with some differences. After observing the orb for a moment, Zhang Deming tossed it at the Bean Soldier. The orb of light merged directly into the Bean Soldier’s body.

At this moment, Zhang Deming was completely stunned. Although nothing seemed to have changed, he could clearly feel that he had lost the power of the Sword Dao.

His comprehension, experience, and so on were all still there, but he simply couldn’t use the Sword Control Skill anymore. It felt as though some crucial, core component was missing.

He tried for a while, but it was all in vain. He was completely unable to use the Sword Control Skill.

Zhang Deming stopped trying. He closed his eyes, and as he shifted his consciousness, the Bean Soldier’s eyes opened. He gave it a try; the Sword Control Skill that was previously unusable now worked without a problem.

The only thing was, this Bean Soldier’s body could currently only use the Sword Control Skill. After testing through the Bean Soldier’s body for a long while, Zhang Deming got a general grasp of the effects.

He then took a deep breath. Now came the most crucial test. Whether or not he could use this Skill on a regular basis all depended on this next step.

The Bean Soldier’s eyes closed once more. With a slight twitch of his main body, Zhang Deming’s consciousness entered the Spirit Nurturing Space. Within the Spirit Nurturing Space, he could sense the aura of the Bean Soldier’s Dao Mark.

In the Spirit Nurturing Space, he beckoned toward the ethereal Dao Mark, and the Rune Core activated.

In the outside world, the Bean Soldier’s body instantly disintegrated into a shower of Spiritual Light, dissipating just like a Mirror Image Incarnation.

At the same time, the Spirit Nurturing Space fluctuated slightly, and a runic ball of light appeared in his hand as Zhang Deming beckoned.

Feeling the familiar orb of light, Zhang Deming’s face lit up with joy. After he reabsorbed the orb into his body, he found that he had reclaimed the Sword Dao he had split off.

’It really works! After fusing the two Skills, Scattering Beans into Soldiers and Spirit Nurturing Summoning, my summons now possess the combined traits of a Bean Soldier and a Mirror Image Incarnation.’

’I used to be able to use people like Li Shifan as anchors to remotely control my Mirror Image Incarnations. Now, it’s clear I can do the same with my Bean Soldiers.’