From star gatherer to leader of humanity

With the added attributes, Xu Ai's eyes became even more lively, and she seemed to come alive.

"Thank you for your generous gift, Master!" Xu Ai bowed.

"Just get things done."

Xu Bai got up and went back to his bedroom. After washing up, he lay down on the bed and fell into a deep sleep.

The next day.

On Immortal Path Street, Xu Bai arrived at the largest magic hall.

"I'm looking for some spells related to the Soul Path," Xu Bai said to the sales assistant.

"Our shop only offers the most basic types of soul-based spells."

The sales assistant led Xu Bai to a secluded showroom, where many unorthodox magical techniques were on display.

"Soul Absorption Technique, Soul Nourishment Technique, Soul Enlightenment Technique, Soul Weapon Technique, but all of these spells require the use of specialized soul nourishment artifacts."

The sales assistant introduced each of the spells one by one, and Xu Bai bought them all after just one glance.

Unorthodox spells are very expensive; even the most basic spells in the Soul Path cost 50,000 strands of spiritual energy.

After purchasing the magic item, Xu Bai went to the Magic Treasure Hall and spent 200 million strands of spiritual energy to buy a basic Soul Nourishing Bag.

Back home, Xu Bai sat on the sofa and sighed.

"Earn money in the Stardust Sea, spend Stardust Sea flowers, don't even think about taking a single one home. Mining can't save me from poverty, I still need to pay more attention to my craft~"

Xu Ai came over with a cup of freshly brewed tea.

"Master, the personal tax rate for pills, artifacts, talismans, and arrays is 25%. If you join a listed sect, the tax rate can be reduced to 20%."

"Given Master's debt situation, reaching the level of an intermediate alchemist or weapon refiner is enough to maintain balance," Xu Ai said earnestly, half-squatting beside Xu Bai.

"What level of magical artifacts can an intermediate-level weapon refiner forge?" Xu Bai asked casually, taking a sip of tea.

"According to the records, being proficient in 36 basic runes and able to craft magical artifacts incorporating six runes is considered intermediate level."

A light screen appeared in front of Xu Bai, displaying the standards for weapon refiner ratings.

"Let's take it one step at a time." Xu Bai opened the virtual environment simulator, and the entire living room changed. Xu Bai sat on the sofa and appeared on the top of a snow-capped mountain, with a howling cold wind blowing in his face.

"The things the master wants will be packed and put into the cabin tomorrow."

"Hmm~" Xu Bai nodded slightly.

The next day at noon, after watching the items he needed being loaded into the cabin, Xu Bai boarded the spaceship.

Just as the magic weapon mining spaceship was about to take off, the personal terminal suddenly received a message from the Hundred Refinements Sect.

"The tax really did increase by 5%." Xu Bai looked at the news, feeling both angry and helpless.

After the spaceship entered the Shattered Star Sea for tens of thousands of miles, it transformed into a streak of light and flew towards the base.

Four days later, Xu Bai returned to the base and found Xu Hun.

"If crystal ore can be exchanged for spirit stones, can other things be exchanged as well?"

"Magic treasures, cultivation supplies, spells, and the like." Xu Bai looked at Xu Hun.

"Yes, but it might be a bit pricey, and the selection is limited."

"The previous owner bought from him once, and then stopped buying from him." Xu Hun said cautiously, looking at Xu Bai's expression. He sensed that his master wasn't in a good mood.

"That's good."

At this moment, a spirit soldier who had been assigned to the mining team by Xu Bai came over and whispered a report to Xu Hun, whose face immediately lit up with joy.

"Master, good news."

"The mining team has discovered a large site of spiritual jade, estimated to be tens of thousands of tons, and it is highly likely that it contains chalcedony that is thousands of years old."

"Spirit Marrow Jade! One ton contains 3000 strands of spiritual energy!!"

"Quick, tell me the coordinates, I'll go harvest it!"

Feeling down and not in the mood for cultivation, Xu Bai suddenly realized that he hadn't been mining for a long time. Taking this opportunity, he decided to stretch his muscles and bones.

After obtaining the coordinates, Xu Bai immediately took Xu Hun and flew the magical mining spaceship to that location.

Half a day later, on a broken celestial body stretching for thousands of miles, the magical mining spaceship came to a steady stop, its robotic arms extending out on both sides and firmly attached to the ground.

"Although the base does not have mining ships, each exploration ship is equipped with a mineral exploration fluctuation instrument. When there is nothing to do, I send out all the mining teams to explore for minerals."

"I'll remember your contribution."

Thirty earth-dragon-shaped mining robots emerged from the spaceship and began excavating mineral veins inside the fractured celestial body.

Watching the mining robots at work, Xu Bai, having nothing else to do, used the Spirit Gathering Technique in the control room, condensing one billiard ball-sized spirit orb after another into mid-air.

Xu Hun, who was standing to the side, was drooling.

After Xu Bai finished condensing the spirit pearl in his hand, he casually tossed it to Xu Hun, who was eagerly waiting nearby.

"Master, your Spirit Gathering Technique is truly a marvel of nature. This spirit pearl, after absorbing all the spiritual energy, is now equivalent to two spirit stones." Xu Hun exclaimed in amazement, and then swallowed the spirit pearl in his hand.

With Xu Bai's strength at the second level of Qi Refining, he can now gather a thousand strands of spiritual energy when condensing a spirit pearl, and the spirit pearl can then autonomously absorb another thousand strands.

Most importantly, given Xu Bai's current dantian spiritual energy and spiritual power recovery speed, in an environment with spiritual energy, as long as his mental power can keep up, Xu Bai can continuously cast spells to produce spiritual pearls.

"It's a pity I can only use it myself, and I can't exchange it for spirit stones."

Xu Bai then used the Spirit Gathering Technique to condense a spirit pearl.

"If the master wants to sell them, one spirit bead can sell for one spirit stone, and there will still be buyers." Xu Hun said, then looked at the spirit beads placed in the box.

Xu Bai waved his hand, and three spirit orbs flew out of the box and flew towards Xu Hun.

"Thank you for the gift, Master." Xu Hun happily stuffed all three spirit orbs into his mouth.

Just then, the surrounding surveillance drones suddenly detected a Golden Core stage celestial beast crawling out of a shattered celestial body hundreds of miles away.

Looking at the screen in the spaceship's main control room, Xu Hun quickly swallowed the spirit pearl in his mouth and stared sharply in the direction of the alien beast.

"Leave this Golden Core stage star beast to me. I will capture its soul and use it to build up my master's Soul Dao Minor World."

"Is it okay if I cripple him before you go in?"

After Xu Bai finished speaking, Hakimi controlled the direction of the heavy twin-barreled machine gun on the top of the spaceship.

"It's just a jade centipede at the Golden Core stage, Master, just you wait and see!" Xu Hun said confidently.

"As long as you're confident, that's fine. Hakimi, open the hatch."

The hatch opened, and Xu Hun used his spiritual magic to condense a soul chain in his hand before stepping out of the spaceship.

As soon as Xu Hun stepped out of the spaceship, he transformed into a three-meter-tall giant, clad in blue armor and wielding a soul spear. He became a streak of blue light between the shattered celestial bodies and flew towards the distant Golden Core stage star beast.

A light screen on the data panel in the spaceship's main control room magnified, and within the light screen, two beams of light, one blue and one white, collided.

Xu Bai had expected a head-on fight, but to his surprise, Xu Hun dragged the Golden Core stage Starry Sky Beast Jade Centipede into his soul space for a duel right away.

The battle didn't last long; before Xu Bai could even see the hundred-meter-long jade centipede, it had already lost its breath.

Xu Hun returned to Xu Bai's side carrying the hundred-meter-long jade centipede.

"Master, all done!" Xu Hun patted the jade centipede's smooth, jade-like head.