Chapter 882 - Maya's Heart

All wood-attribute plants and other forms of vegetation are capable of producing spirit energy in varying amounts depending on their quality.

Because the world lacked high-quality plants, spirit energy had always been scarce. 

But of course, there were exceptions like the bottom of the Bone Sea.

The rich lifeforce in the Black Turtle God Beast's blood essence enabled spirit herbs to prosper and create a spirit energy-rich environment down there.

'There were a lot of things going on; I must have overlooked the slight detail. That being said, it's great to have you back, Maya. It's been rough without you," Leon said with heartfelt relief. 

Given the sheer number of untranslated scriptures lying around, the timing of her awakening couldn't be more perfect.

'Hmph, ungrateful bastard. I've just recovered my consciousness, but you already want to give me translation work,' Maya snorted.

'Hahaha, don't say that. It's true that I missed you,' Leon chuckled dryly.

"This ruin contains a lot of research value; any destruction to it will be put on hold for the time being. So let us take everything of interest and value first," Leon said to the others. 

"Alright," Aria and Darlene nodded. 

Shortly after, they wandered off into different parts of the ruin to collect relics and scriptures. 

"There's nothing good about the primordial era; the gods and devils were destroyed for a reason. So it's better to destroy everything and extract the True Grandmist Energy out of them instead of following in their footsteps," Duna spoke. 

"That's not true," Leon smiled slightly and argued.

"The Great War indeed destroyed the gods and devils, but there's much to learn from the primordial era. You might say that I am following in their footsteps, but I say I am learning about them to avoid the same mistake."

"Whatever," Duna uttered nonchalantly. 

She couldn't be bothered to enter a debate with Leon and ended their discussion right there and then and became silent once more.

Leon shook his head helplessly. 

Shortly after, he pushed aside Duna's matter and focused on collecting the scriptures, scrolls, and manual lying around in the ruin. 

'Maya, can you scan all the runes engraved on these walls and start translating the primordial heritage in the Archive,' Leon requested.

However, Maya rolled her eyes in the Worldspace. 

'Do you even have any consideration for me? I've only recovered my consciousness; it's not like I have a lot of spiritual strength to do these menial tasks yet. So at least let me recover a bit more first,' Maya stated. 

Leon paused for a moment before he sincerely acknowledged his mistake, 'You're right; that was inconsiderate of me. I'm sorry.'

'Apology accepted,' Maya replied. 

After a brief moment of consideration and contemplation, Leon made a suggestion, 'If you're lacking spiritual strength, then… shall we try dual cultivation for faster recovery?' 

'Hm? Have you finally lost your mind?' Maya couldn't believe what she had just heard. 

'I don't know what possessed you to make such an outrageous suggestion, but let us not forget that I am a spiritual lifeform without a physical body. And not just any spiritual lifeform either, but an artifact spirit; I don't have the same receptors as you humans.'

In other words, she was built differently; dual cultivation would not have the same intended effect on her.

'Furthermore, dual cultivation does not replenish spiritual strength. If anything, it'll expend it instead. For you to make such a suggestion… you've finally fallen under the charms of my beauty, huh?'

The more Maya thought about it, the more she felt that was the case. 

'Ahem, that's not it,' Leon replied awkwardly.

'You might have forgotten, but I've developed a spiritual dual cultivation technique. It was a bit rough at first, but I've made improvements to it. W can transfer spiritual strength to each other by copulating in the spiritual world with our spiritual forms.'

'Furthermore, the amount of spiritual strength transferred can be controlled. The ultimate goal of spiritual dual cultivation is to benefit both parties. However, since you require spiritual strength, I will transfer all of mine to you through spiritual dual cultivation.'

'How about it? Would you like to give it a go?' Leon inquired.

Maya was skeptical of the whole notion of dual cultivating with an artifact spirit like her. However, Leon's explanation of spiritual dual cultivation quickly attracted her interest.

An artifact spirit's recovery of spiritual strength cannot compare to other beings with physical bodies; it was much slower. 

At the same time, artifact spirits require spirit energy to replenish their spiritual strength.

On the other hand, other beings with physical forms like humans can simply recover spiritual strength with time like they have an infinite power source.

'You have my attention. How do we begin?' Maya replied. 

'One of us need to enter the other's spiritual world, but you shouldn't have the ability to do this, so it is up to me to enter your spiritual world,' Leon said.

'Heh, well, isn't that a problem,' Maya snickered at once. 

'Artifact spirits don't have dreams, so it's questionable whether a spiritual world even exists for artifact spirits. Not to mention, we don't have the soul cores as you humans do.'

'You don't, but you all have a heart, which is the essence of your being. It might be different from a human's soul core in appearance, but I think it can be considered as your soul core,' Leon stated.

'You think, huh?' Maya uttered. 

'So basically, there's no guarantee that you can enter my spiritual world, let alone perform this so-called spiritual dual cultivation with me…'

'Nothing ventured, nothing gained; we'll know once we try,' Leon replied with a smile. 

'Go on then.'

'Alright.'

Shortly after Leon informed the others of his short meditation, he found a spot to sit before diving into the Worldspace with his condensed spiritual avatar. 

'My heart is hidden below ground, but it shouldn't be a problem for you to reach it in your spiritual form,' Maya informed him.

Leon nodded.

It didn't take long for him to locate Maya's heart in the Worldspace's subterranean space with her guidance.

However, the crystalized divine energy was rather dim compared to the realm spirit's divine crystal heart.