Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 860 - 5: True Grotto Immortal Court, Mid-Tribulation Crossing Stage

(Anti-theft chapter, the main text will be updated after 6:30 in the morning) Land of the Far West, within the Boundless Desert Sea.

Just like its name, the Boundless Desert Sea is a sea made of sand, vast and limitless.

The desert is harsh, with few places suitable for human habitation. Only a handful of desert oases can sustain human life.

Jade Spring Lake is one of the few habitable desert oases within the Boundless Desert Sea.

The oasis stretches over a hundred miles east to west and over seventy miles north to south. It is higher in the east and lower in the west. To the east is a mountain called Jade Spring Peak, which is hundreds of meters tall, lush with trees and shrouded in mist. At its foot lies the life source of the entire oasis—Jade Spring Lake.

Jade Spring Lake covers an area of several square kilometers. The lake is fed by an underground dark river, providing abundant, clear, and sweet water suitable for direct consumption.

On the land spanning over a thousand square kilometers of Jade Spring Lake Oasis, about ten thousand humans and countless birds and beasts rely on this lake's clear water for sustenance.

The Yuquan Zhou Clan is the owner of Jade Spring Lake Oasis.

The first person to discover Jade Spring Lake Oasis was the ancestor of the Yuquan Zhou Clan, Zhou Yuquan. Today, the tens of thousands of people living on this oasis are all related to the Zhou Clan.

The Yuquan Zhou Clan is a cultivation clan. Their ancestor Zhou Yuquan was a disciple of the cultivation sect "Yellow Sand Sect." Over two hundred years ago, he left the sect and established the Yuquan Zhou Clan at Jade Spring Lake. It has now spanned seven generations.

To this day, the ancestor Zhou Yuquan has long passed away. However, after over two hundred years of development, the Yuquan Zhou Clan has become a powerful cultivation clan with one Foundation Establishment Cultivator, dozens of Qi Cultivation Cultivators, and over ten thousand mortal dependents.

The ordinary members of the Zhou family primarily reside in three small towns around the Jade Spring Lake Oasis, engaging in farming or herding, living self-sufficient and carefree lives.

The cultivators of the Zhou Clan, however, live collectively on the aura-rich Jade Spring Peak.

Jade Spring Peak itself is a Tier Two Top-Grade Natural Spiritual Vein. After over two hundred years of nurturing by the Zhou Clan, it has now advanced to Tier Three Middle Grade, capable of supporting several Foundation Establishment Cultivators and over a hundred Qi Cultivation Cultivators.

Zhouyang is one of the sixth generation "Yuan" generation cultivators of the Yuquan Zhou Clan.

The names Yu Hua Ming Guang, Xuan Yuan Guang Tong, Blessed and Flourishing, and Evergreen, these sixteen-character generation names were personally devised by the founder Zhou Yuquan.

Only those who test positive for a Spiritual Root and have cultivation potential are eligible for the clan register in the Zhou Clan. After death, their Spiritual Tablet will be enshrined in the Ancestral Hall for future generations to honor with incense.

There are fifteen members of the Zhou's "Yuan" generation. Zhouyang is ranked ninth, but in terms of cultivation, he is the foremost among the fifteen.

At this moment, Zhouyang, known in the Zhou family as the "Little Genius," was sitting cross-legged with closed eyes, in a natural mountain cave on the mountainside of Jade Spring Peak, forming spell seals with his hands, fully concentrating on operating his cultivation technique to absorb and refine the milky white Earth Vein Spiritual Qi steaming within the cave.

Earth Vein Spiritual Qi, a refined type of qi nurtured by the combination of spiritual veins and earth veins, is highly effective for breaking through for low-tier cultivators.

However, Earth Vein Spiritual Qi is difficult to nurture and can only be found in special locations where earth veins and spiritual veins converge. On the entire Jade Spring Peak, only the "Jade Sun Cave," where Zhouyang is currently located, can nurture it.

The Earth Vein Spiritual Qi inside the "Jade Sun Cave" is produced every ten years in a quantity that can support the breakthrough of one Qi Cultivation Stage cultivator. It is only effective for cultivators below the seventh layer of Qi Cultivation.

Thus, among the dozens of Qi Cultivation families of the Zhou Clan, only a few particularly outstanding members can use Earth Vein Spiritual Qi for breakthroughs during the Qi Cultivation stage.

Zhouyang's ability to use the "Jade Sun Cave" for a breakthrough is naturally related to his status as the foremost member of the "Yuan" generation. Otherwise, even if his father were the Sixth Elder of the Yuquan Zhou Clan, he would not have the opportunity to use the "Jade Sun Cave," which opens only once every ten years, as a seventeen-year-old.

It is worth noting that among the dozens of Qi Cultivation stage members of the clan, many have been waiting for this opportunity for ten or twenty years!

Right now, Zhouyang sat cross-legged, his hands forming spell seals, breathing evenly. With each inhalation, two streams of milky white Earth Vein Spiritual Qi entered his nostrils and were refined into his own magical power.

When the amount of milky white Earth Vein Spiritual Qi in the cave decreased to less than thirty percent, Zhouyang's tightly closed eyes suddenly opened. His shoulder-length hair began to float behind him without wind, and his aura nearly doubled.

He stood up, a face full of joy, and murmured to himself, "Finally broke through, sixth layer of Qi Cultivation. The Earth Vein Spiritual Qi truly lives up to its name; this has saved me at least three years of effort!"

At seventeen, reaching the sixth layer of Qi Cultivation—the cultivation and age were on par only with a handful of elite disciples with top-grade Spiritual Roots at a sect like the Yellow Sand Sect.

Yet, Zhouyang's Spiritual Root potential was merely medium quality.

"The clan leader said I might possess some kind of special Treasure Body, which is why my cultivation speed far exceeds those of similar aptitude. Unfortunately, detecting a Treasure Body is difficult, and only large sects like the Yellow Sand Sect can reveal it through special techniques."

"Although my Zhou Clan is a vassal of the Yellow Sand Sect, asking them to help detect a Treasure Body is simply impossible unless I am willing to join the Yellow Sand Sect!"

"But once joining the Yellow Sand Sect, I would have to abide by their strict sect rules and suddenly find myself under countless sect elders capable of ordering me around—how could that be as comfortable as my current freedom in the clan?"

"Hmph, as they say, better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix. The Yellow Sand Sect is vast, and each generation lacks no geniuses with top-grade Spiritual Roots. Even if I had a Treasure Body, there I would only be another elite disciple, and the benefits I would receive might not compare to those of my current status in the clan. At least here, the elders wish for my success in Foundation Establishment and care genuinely about my well-being."

"Furthermore, once I successfully establish my foundation, the Treasure Body will naturally awaken and reveal what kind of Treasure Body I possess."

Zhouyang is not an ordinary person; he is a reincarnator with a soul from a world called Earth, carrying memories from there spanning twenty to thirty years.

Though most of that previous life's memories are unusable in this immortal world due to vastly different circumstances, some principles of life and methods and experience in dealing with matters are universal across all realms.

Others may only see the Yellow Sand Sect's grandeur, with a Golden Core Ancestor overseeing the sect, and dozens of desert oases like Jade Spring Lake providing auxiliary support. They lack nothing in terms of cultivation techniques and treasures, striving eagerly to join as members.

However, they do not realize that although a sect's benefits and treatment are excellent, its rules are equally stringent. Once in a sect, one has little control; ordinary Qi Cultivation disciples must complete annually assigned mandatory tasks. Failure to do so results in benefits being withheld or, worse, cultivation being abolished, and expulsion from the sect!

Internal factionalism within the sect is severe, with low-tier disciples vying to perform before the upper echelons or to compete for certain Spiritual Lands, leading to intense competition.

When the Zhou Clan's forebear was a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the Yellow Sand Sect, information about the sect was chronicled in the clan's annals. Consequently, unless a person of the Zhou Clan possessed a particularly poor Spiritual Root and wished to take a gamble, no one willingly became a disciple of the Yellow Sand Sect.

Zhouyang was quite weary of office disputes in his previous life; having finally gained the opportunity to escape such conflicts in this life, he certainly would not allow himself to be drawn into them again.

Thus, he had long made up his mind: Even if the great Dao is beyond reach and longevity unattainable in this life, he absolutely refuses to live a life of constant scheming and contention.

Innate, Qi Cultivation, Foundation Establishment, Purple Mansion, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Crossing the Tribulation, Returning to Void, Harmonization Dao—these are the nine great realms of cultivation, and only by becoming a Harmonious Celestial Immortal can one truly attain eternal life.

However, as far as Zhouyang knows, since the world of cultivators began, none have been rumored to truly achieve immortality; the division of the nine realms is said to be handed down by celestial immortals beyond this world and hasn't been verified.

Therefore, for ninety-nine percent of cultivators, achieving a lifespan of a thousand years as a Golden Core Stage cultivator is the highest pursuit of their cultivation.

This is why he refuses to compromise himself by participating in those cunning scheming stories for the sake of that illusory immortality legend.

Cultivation is also about cultivating the heart, so given that his heart is unwilling to engage in such schemes, Zhouyang naturally chooses to act according to his heart's desire.

Just after breaking through his realm, Zhouyang's mind was excited and wandered a bit before he managed to suppress his chaotic thoughts and turned his attention to the remaining milky-white Earth Vein Spiritual Qi in the cave.

"Though each time the Jade Sun Cave opens, the Earth Vein Spiritual Qi inside can be absorbed thoroughly, since I've already successfully made a breakthrough, further absorption will only help me solidify my realm, not much use.".

"As it is, it's better to reserve these Earth Vein Spiritual Qi and let the next opening of the Jade Sun Cave come a few years early to benefit other clan members."

Draining a pond to catch fish is unwise; the generation of Earth Vein Spiritual Qi is not easy, and using it solely for boosting cultivation power is indeed too wasteful. As Zhouyang has decided to develop within the clan, he certainly won't commit such deeds that undermine public interest for personal gain.

With his decision made, he promptly opened the cave door, exited the cave, and explained the situation to the clan elder stationed outside.

"Jade Sun Cave" is a vital ground for the Zhou Clan, and there's always a clan elder stationed to guard it. Currently guarding outside is Zhou Xuanhe of the "Xuan" generation, who is also Zhouyang's fourteenth clan uncle.

Seeing Zhouyang successfully break through and walk out, and hearing him speak of the situation inside, Zhou Xuanhe, wearing a Daoist robe with embroidered white cranes and auspicious clouds over a cyan base, nodded repeatedly with a gratified smile, saying: "Not bad, not bad. Yang'er, you definitely are the most promising among our Zhou Clan's Yuan generation. To have such a broad perspective at a young age; if the Clan Leader and elder brother heard of this, they'd be very pleased!"

The "Clan Leader" he mentioned is Zhou Minghan, the sole Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator currently alive in the Zhou Clan and the only survivor from the "Ming" generation, while "elder brother" refers to Father Zhou Xuanhao, one of eight late-stage Qi Cultivation elders in the Zhou Clan, holding the position of sixth elder of the "Xuan" generation.

In the Zhou Clan, cultivators of the same generation address one another as brothers, whereas others are addressed as uncles, nephews, or nieces based on generational hierarchy.

Faced with praise from his fourteenth uncle, Zhouyang humbly expressed this as something he should do as a Zhou Clan member, without any arrogance due to his status and cultivation.

This display led Zhou Xuanhe to regard this young man even higher.

To have Sixth-Layer Qi Cultivation prowess at such a young age is already rare, yet what is more exceptional is his unarrogant, calm demeanor and broad outlook; perhaps the future hopes of the Zhou Clan might truly rest upon this lad.

At this thought, he remembered something and quickly said: "Since you've successfully broken through, head up to the mountain top cave mansion to visit the Clan Leader. He previously instructed, if you successfully breakthrough, you're to visit him."

"Has it come to this? Then I won't disturb my fourteenth uncle any longer. Thank you for guarding me," Zhouyang replied gratefully to Zhou Xuanhe, immediately speeding towards the Clan Leader's cave mansion atop Jade Spring Peak.

The Jade Spring Peak, hundreds of meters high, gets increasingly rich in spiritual energy as one goes upward. Generally, Zhou Clan members in the Qi Cultivation Stage cultivate on the mountainside, where comfortable palaces and pavilions are built for living and leisure, attended by secular clan members for daily life activities.

Only Foundation Establishment cultivators reside in caves at the peak of Jade Spring Peak, utilizing the rich spiritual energy for cultivation.

The entire Jade Spring Peak is enveloped by a Tier Three Middle Grade Array "Array of Ten Thousand Trees Holding Up the Heavens." Since the array can absorb the spiritual energy of plants within, the peak is densely forested from base to peak, save for cultivated spirit fields and medicinal gardens, featuring some ancient trees older than even a millennium.

The crowns of these towering trees merge, blocking sunlight, causing mountain temperatures to be several degrees cooler than outside, and with cooling mountain breezes, strolling amid brings an indescribable freshness.

With an elegant white robe fluttering, Zhouyang swiftly deployed the Light Body Technique racing upward along the stone steps cut through the forest, soon reaching the peak.

The peak was flattened by human hands, spanning merely tens of acres in size, and besides three areas with cultivator cave mansions built upon them, the rest serves as spirit medicine fields planted with various grades of spirit medicine, owing to its rich spiritual energy.

On arriving, a blend of spirit medication aroma filled the air, invigorating anyone inhaling it, accelerating their magical power flow significantly.

Likely the case, if one could cultivate here year-round, the speed surely would be faster than staying at the mountainside.

But this simply isn't possible.

The Spirit Medicine Garden is a vital Zhou Clan ground featuring numerous precious species nurtured over one to two centuries, and any loss would have the Clan Leader Zhou Minghan distressed for decades.

Hence, only the two Tier Two Spirit Plant Cultivators are permitted within the peak, even Zhouyang, being the prominent genius clan disciple, is forbidden entry without summons from the Clan Leader.

Furthermore, not just anyone can tread here; "Array of Ten Thousand Trees Holding Up the Heavens" guards the core formation area, protected by formidable array power, and without the guardians operating the array, even Foundation Establishment cultivators face the sole option of breaking through forcibly.

"Junior Zhouyang here, ordered to visit the Clan Leader, humbly requests entry," he respectfully saluted toward the array-covered white mist area ahead.

"Ah, Xiao Jiu, the Clan Leader already instructed long ago. Enter quickly," an elderly voice emitted from within the white mist, followed by churning vapor revealing a safe passage one could traverse.

Zhouyang acknowledged promptly, "This grandnephew thanks Grandpa Qi," and traversed the path deeply into the area, reaching an elderly old man seated beneath a towering tree.

The seated elderly, Zhou Yun, with Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation prowess, is the Zhou Clan's Fourth Elder ranked seventh among the "Guang" generation, being one of the only two Tier Two Spirit Plant Cultivators they have.

The youngest among Zhou Clan "Guang" generation cultivators are over eighty years old, and Fourth Elder Zhou Yun is nearly a century old, nearing the lifespan limit of one hundred twenty years for Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators.

Although the combat abilities of a cultivator do not significantly decline with age, typically, those elderly cultivators of the Qi Cultivation Stage nearing a hundred years old within major cultivation clans retreat to the clan's ancestral lands to spend their twilight years in peace. Unless facing a catastrophic clan event, no one disturbs these individuals who have served the clan for a large part of their lives.

Moreover, Zhou Yun is a Tier Two Spirit Plant Cultivator. Letting him reside secluded at the mountaintop perfectly allows him to tend to the spirit medicines in the tens of acres of the medicinal garden.

Upon seeing Zhouyang approach, the old man waved his large sleeves, and a tea table appeared out of thin air before him, along with a set of tea utensils and a mat. He gestured to the empty mat without further ado, saying, "The Clan Leader is currently taking in spiritual power. Xiao Jiu, have some tea with the old man here and chat a bit."

Ordinary clan juniors rarely have the opportunity to come to the peak, and the Clan Leader, who ranks higher in seniority, often engages in solitary cultivation, leaving the old man by himself on the mountain with no one to converse, inevitably feeling lonely.

Now upon seeing Zhouyang, the exceptional junior of the clan's younger generation, come to visit, he naturally felt delighted.

Young individuals often misunderstand the elderly's mentality, but Zhouyang, having lived two lives, understands well and is willing to engage with these elders without hindering important matters, listening to their tales and oddities of the cultivation realm.

"The self-crafted medicinal tea by Grandpa Qi is not easy to savor whever one desires. Today, I must drink my fill!"

He smiled as he walked over to the mat and sat down, picking up the tea utensils to begin brewing tea.

Cultivators brewing tea differ from mortals; the fire used is conjured through spiritual power, with the tea water boiling within moments and without any smoke or fire flavor.

A pot of tea brewed, Zhouyang poured tea for both of them, eagerly picked up his aromatic steaming cup, and drank it in one gulp.

If mortals were to drink hot tea in this manner, their throats would likely be scalded. However, for a cultivator whose body has been refined by magical power, this level of heat is akin to an ordinary person sipping warm water, inconsequential.

The old man, witnessing Zhouyang's voracious tea-drinking manner, was not displeased but instead happily watched him and asked with a smile, "How is it? Is this new medicinal tea pleasing to you?"

Not waiting for Zhouyang to respond, he gently lifted his tea cup to sip, then pleasurefully closed his eyes, and says with an air of vanity, "This is newly crafted by me, composed of the withered leaves from Tier Two Spirit Medicine, Immortal Cloud Grass, combined with the twenty-year-old roots of White Jade Ginseng, Fragrant Leaf Chrysanthemum, and five other spirit medicines. The entire concoction yielded only three portions, and even the water used was spirit dew collected from the medicinal garden's spirit medicines this morning."

"Indeed, it is fine tea. Whether in flavor or efficacy, Grandpa Qi's medicinal tea rivals any spirit tea I've tasted before. If we could produce it in large quantities, our Zhou Clan could add another stream of income!"

Zhouyang set down the tea cup, silently sensed the change in his internal spiritual power, sniffing the lingering medicinal aroma between his lips, with a face full of praise.

Upon hearing his admiration, the old man was initially pleased but later shook his head with a face of bitterness and helplessness, saying, "I have thought of this too, but alas, Immortal Cloud Grass is the main ingredient for concocting Tier Two Spirit Elixir, Immortal Cloud Pill. To use it for tea-making is too wasteful. Merely relying on naturally withered leaves isn't enough even for me!"

"This..."

Zhouyang lowered his head awkwardly, wisely choosing not to pursue the elder's words further.

In the family, there's only one Tier Two Alchemist—his father Zhou Xuanhao. Once the Immortal Cloud Grass matures, it is reserved for his father's alchemy practices. Were he to suggest using the spirit grass for tea, his father would definitely not spare him.

"Heh, you little rascal are quite cunning. Don't worry, I am not one to ignore the big picture. I was merely talking!"

The old man chuckled, undoubtedly understanding Zhouyang's thoughts, reassuring him a few words, then continued sharing amusing anecdotes from his youth to ease the recent awkwardness.

As the two chatted for about fifteen minutes, the doors to the Clan Leader's cultivation chamber on the mountain peak suddenly swung open, echoing the elderly Clan Leader's deep, resonant voice: "Is Xiao Jiu here? Come in."

Upon hearing the voice, the two interlocutors halted their conversation. Zhouyang promptly stood up to bow to Zhou Yun: "Grandpa Qi, I must first pay respects to the Clan Leader."

"Go on, go on, don't keep the Clan Leader waiting."

After bidding farewell to Zhou Yun, Zhouyang followed the opened doors of the chamber and walked inside, soon reaching the cultivation chamber inside where he saw Zhouse Family's current Clan Leader, Foundation Establishment Cultivator Zhou Minghan.

Zhou Minghan is already over 150 years old, yet he appeared younger than Zhou Yun outside, with not all his hair turned white and his complexion as rosy as a newborn.

This is natural; Foundation Establishment Cultivators have a lifespan of over two hundred years. Barring unforeseen events, Zhou Minghan still has at least forty or fifty years of life, and his high cultivation further accentuates his youthful appearance over Zhou Yun.

Upon meeting Zhou Minghan, this Clan Leader of Zhou's Race was cross-legged in meditation on a Cold Jade Bed. Zhouyang dared not look any longer and, upon entering, deeply bowed and performed the grand ceremonial salute, saying, "Grandson pays his respects to great-grandfather."

As the sole "Ming" generation left in the Zhou Clan, and a Foundation Establishment Cultivation practitioner, Zhou Minghan serves as the great-grandfather for all members of the "Yuan" generation.

"Xuan Hao has conveyed to me via communication talisman your commendable performance in Jade Sun Cave. Xiao Jiu, you've handled it excellently. In terms of broader perspective, even I could hardly compare to you at your age back then!"

From the Cold Jade Bed, Zhou Minghan, with eyes slightly opened, revealed a gaze filled with appreciation for Zhouyang, praising him profusely, his joyful sentiment barely contained.

Zhouyang, upon hearing this, was indeed genuinely pleased. He was the first among the "Yuan" generation to receive such high praise from Clan Leader Zhou Minghan. With such words spreading, his stature among clan elders would undoubtedly elevate.

However, despite his joy, he refrained from succumbing to hubris, immediately responding respectfully, "Great-grandfather overestimates me; I merely did what was necessary and cannot bear such lavish praises from you."

"Well said for doing what's necessary! If every member of the Zhou Clan were as discerning as you, Xiao Jiu, how could we not prosper?"

Zhou Minghan couldn't suppress a cheerful smile, clearly satisfied with Zhouyang's answer.

He smiled while lifting a hand, an invisible force pulled Zhouyang's bowing form upright.

"Come, stand up straight, let me see our Zhou Clan's Qilin child properly!"

This elder's exuberance led him to proclaim "Qilin child," revealing the high regard he holds for Zhouyang.

Zhou Minghan has high expectations for Zhouyang.

Yuquan Zhou Clan, since its establishment by Zhou Yuquan, has maintained the presence of Foundation Establishment Cultivators, thereby reaching its current scale in over two hundred years.

However, after reaching where they are now, Yuquan Zhou Clan seems to have run out of luck. After Zhou Minghan, no new Foundation Establishment Cultivators have emerged for over a century.

This poses a grave danger.

A cultivation clan's greatest fear is the sudden loss of their high-tier cultivators.

Without the protection of Foundation Establishment cultivators, the Zhou Clan would struggle not only to develop and expand but might even fail to defend their ancestral grounds at Yuquan Lake Oasis and Jade Spring Peak.

Thus, under Zhou Minghan's discreet direction, the Zhou Family's development has quietly slowed down in recent years, fearing that further expansion might provoke envy and lead to calamity after his fall.

However, this is not a fundamental solution. The best approach is for the Zhou Clan to produce new Foundation Establishment cultivators before he perishes to secure family leadership.

As long as there is a Foundation Establishment cultivator, supported by the Tier Three Array 'Array of Ten Thousand Trees Holding Up the Heavens' on Jade Spring Peak and assistance from dozens of Qi Cultivation Stage clan members, even multiple Foundation Establishment cultivators attacking would not shake the Zhou Clan's foundation.

Zhou Minghan originally pinned his hopes on the 'Xuan' generation juniors. He even resolved that if no one advanced to Foundation Establishment before his demise, he would willingly offer Yuquan Lake Oasis and most of the Zhou Family's output to the Yellow Sand Sect for protection rather than risk extinction due to envy over occupying too many benefits.

But now, Zhou Minghan realizes perhaps he should change his mind.

Given Zhouyang's potential as a 'Yuan' generation junior, given another twenty or thirty years, his hope for Foundation Establishment likely exceeds that of the 'Xuan' generation.

He scrutinized the youth standing before him, not focusing on the youth's handsome and ethereal appearance but rather his poised demeanor in the face of Zhou Minghan's scrutiny, exhibiting a steadfast composure.

After observing, only one thought crossed his mind.

This child is of great use!

Of course, as an elder, despite being exceptionally pleased and elated internally, he would not express it excessively on the surface, for it might inflate the young man's arrogance.

Hence, despite his immense joy, he maintained a calm demeanor, looking serenely at Zhouyang as he asked, "Do you know the purpose for which I summoned you here?"

"Grandson does not know," Zhouyang replied honestly.

"According to the clan's rules, young cultivators in the clan must descend the mountain for training and serve the clan for a period of time before returning to cultivate in peace once reaching twenty years of age."

"However, your case is special. You are only seventeen yet already at the Sixth-Layer Qi Cultivation stage, a level no one in the past hundred years of the clan has achieved before descending the mountain at twenty."

"Having just used Earth Vein Spiritual Qi for breakthrough, you would need at least five years to temper your magical power; keeping you at the mountain would indeed be a waste of manpower."

"Therefore, I decided to make a special arrangement for you to descend the mountain early for service; this will be a valuable experience beneficial for your future cultivation."

Zhou Minghan, noticing Zhouyang's attentive posture, slightly smiled, explaining his plans.

As expected, upon hearing those words, Zhouyang's complexion changed, clearly not anticipating such an assignment when summoned here.

Yet, whether pleased or dismayed, Zhouyang swiftly calmed himself after the initial change in expression, respectfully bowing before complying with the family's decision.

Seeing this, Zhou Minghan asked curiously, "Aren't you curious where I plan to send you?"

"Grandson believes that whatever arrangement great-grandfather makes, it's ultimately for my benefit."

Zhouyang internally chuckled, offering the statement that left Zhou Minghan speechless momentarily.

After a while, Zhou Minghan chuckled, half-grumbling, "Certainly a sly one! Xuan Hao's both parents are upright; how could they produce a sly kid like you!"

Before Zhouyang could protest, he revealed his assignments.

"Your spirit root attributes lean towards metal and fire. Practicing the 'Golden Sun Fiery Flame Technique', a forceful cultivation technique, means that aside from needing more battle experience, your combat capability is certainly not inferior to any contemporaries."

"Coincidentally, the cultivator stationed at Qingping Mountain has completed his term, and you'll take over the position for five years. After that, I'll arrange for someone else to replace you."

"Additionally, I wish for you to learn artifact refining among the Hundred Skills of Cultivation during this period. There are no promising candidates for artifact refining within the clan to succeed me, and excelling in this skill will greatly benefit the clan."

After explaining his plan, Zhou Minghan waved a hand, tossing a gray storage bag and a small silver shield to Zhouyang.

"Inside the storage bag are some low-tier artifact refining materials and my own insights on artifact refining, along with a copy of the clan's 'Artifact Refining Truth'. Take good care of these and don't disclose them externally."

"As for this 'Silver Gang Shield' artifact, it's among the finest Tier Two artifacts I've crafted, serving as compensation for your early descent from the mountain."

"Very well, if there is nothing else, you may depart. Ensure your Qingping Mountain assignment is complete within a month."

Zhouyang listened, utterly bewildered, almost instinctively clutching what was handed to him, acknowledging, "Then I shall take my leave, grandson."

Upon exiting the cave mansion and hearing the door close, he startled, coming to terms with the situation.

Recalling Zhou Minghan's instructions, confusion flooded his eyes as he murmured to himself, "What happened earlier? I felt like I lost myself without any reaction at all. That's unlike me!"

Before those words faded, a bold suspicion crept up.

"Could it be that the clan leader cast a spell on me?"

In the next instant, he quickly dismissed the reckless thought.

Even if the clan leader used some spell, it must've been a jest, and speculating too much would only cause unnecessary trouble.

Considering this, he carefully secured the storage bag and artifact, and sought Grandpa Qi, steeped in tea under a tree, to request help in opening the array and descending the mountain.

Before exiting the array, Zhouyang glanced back at the mountain peak, seeing Grandpa Qi smiling under the tree, waving him farewell.

"This kid seems to have discovered something; it seems I can no longer use these little tricks to tease him in the future to avoid causing misunderstandings."

In the mountaintop cave mansion, Zhou Minghan was somewhat embarrassed, tugging at his beard with a hint of regret flashing across his face as he watched Zhouyang's expression change through his divine sense after leaving.

Earlier, while speaking, he did quietly use a Soul Capturing Technique he had acquired years ago to influence Zhouyang's mind.

It's not that he was afraid Zhouyang would resist his arrangements; he simply couldn't tolerate Zhouyang's precocious demeanor and wanted to tease him a little.

It's like those elders among mortals who, to play tricks on children, intentionally give them a bit of strong liquor to watch them, acting mature, tear up with stinging noses while laughing heartily.

Such teasing may give the elders a sense of success in the moment, but when they realize their teasing causes the younger ones to psychologically resent them, they regret it immensely later.

Zhou Minghan is now in this situation.

Fortunately, Zhouyang is truly mature mentally, rather than merely pretending, and hasn't harbored resentment toward this elder devoted to the family due to this small joke.

After descending from the mountaintop, he quickly returned to his own pavilion on the mountainside, closing the door to arrange today's gains.

First is the storage bag given by the old clan leader. This storage spiritual artifact made of Spirit Void Mouse skin is almost standard for every cultivator, even the poorest loose cultivators would find ways to obtain one.

Of course, storage bags also come in various sizes. The kind used by Qi Cultivation Stage loose cultivators usually only has a space of three feet square, barely enough to hold a few sets of clothes and a few miscellaneous items.

And for a cultivation clan like Yuquan Zhou Clan, every clan member who reaches the Qi Cultivation Stage can receive a five-foot square storage bag from the clan for free. Due to having a good father, Zhouyang's everyday storage bag is one yard square.

However, his storage bag has now been upgraded.

The seemingly gray storage bag given by the old clan leader surprisingly holds a space of three yards square, and besides a refining artifact cauldron and a few artifact refining classics inside, it's filled with low-tier artifact refining materials like Profound Iron, Red Copper, and Centennial Iron Wood.

Zhouyang roughly calculated that if he were only refining materials for blades and swords which require less material, these materials would suffice for hundreds of refinements.

"Generally, when clan members learn artifact refining skills, although the clan provides free material for practice, the opportunity is capped at around a hundred times. The old clan leader gave me so much material; even the least talented could succeed two or three times!"

Looking at the abundant materials in the storage bag, Zhouyang's heart would be lying if it said he wasn't moved.

He knows the old clan leader has always been impartial even though he has extraordinary talent, doesn't provide special treatment regarding this.

The only reason he now has so much material for practicing is the old clan leader used his personal wealth to exchange these materials from the clan's warehouse.

"It seems the old clan leader really wants me to inherit his artifact refining skills. As the family's only Tier Three Refiner, he must have seen something; perhaps I do have good talent in artifact refining."

Thinking of his cultivation technique "Golden Sun Fiery Flame Technique," Zhouyang suddenly had an epiphany, a smile of understanding appearing on his face.

Then he carefully put away the storage bag and turned his attention to the other item given by the old clan leader, the Tier Two Spiritual Artifact "Silver Gang Shield."

Tier Two Spiritual Artifact "Silver Gang Shield" is crafted using dragon scale fallen from "Dragon Scale Tree" as the main material, mixed with Tier Two Spiritual Object "Silver Gang Stone."

Cultivation has nine realms, and the artifacts, elixirs, arrays, and talismans used by cultivators are thus classified from Tier One to Nine. Tier Two artifacts correspond to Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators.

Similarly, Tier Two artifacts are divided into Upper, Middle, and Lower Grade. "Silver Gang Shield," carefully crafted by Zhou Minghan, a Tier Three Refiner, is naturally the highest, Upper Grade.

Before refinement, this artifact appears palm-sized, yet once refined by Zhouyang, in battles it can transform into a door-sized shield protecting him and can be adjusted at will.

Moreover, due to the integration of "Silver Gang Stone" during refinement, this artifact can not only easily block attacks from flying swords or sabers of the same tier but also has remarkable effects against spells of cultivators or demon beasts, greatly reducing damages from Tier Three and below spells.

"My family has a Tier Two 'Dragon Scale Tree,' which can be harvested every decade for several pieces of mature dragon scale, self-sufficient, but 'Silver Gang Stone,' a Breaking Spiritual Object, isn't commonly seen. Even a fist-sized piece costs at least five hundred Lower-grade Spirit Stones. This gift from the old clan leader is indeed hefty!"

In the room, looking at the palm-sized silver shield in his hand, Zhouyang suddenly felt the artifact became much heavier.

As a cultivation family, every Zhou family member reaching the Qi Cultivation Stage can annually receive spirit stones until they surpass sixty years in age.

According to current family regulations, Zhou family members at Qi Cultivation Stage First-Layer can receive ten Lower-grade Spirit Stones per year, increasing by ten stones with each layer, up to Ninth-Layer when changes occur.

Since ordinarily, Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation is the limit for Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators, current family rules are that Zhou family cultivators promoted to Ninth-Layer become family elders, receiving 150 Lower-grade Spirit Stones annually without age restrictions, indefinitely until their demise.

Zhouyang has remained in Fifth-Layer Qi Cultivation for two years, receiving fifty stones per year; thus, even if saving all the spirit stones, it takes ten years of offerings to exchange for a fist-sized "Silver Gang Stone."

Actually, due to entering Qi Cultivation Stage at age seven, without counting treasures given as gifts by parents, all his assets add up to just over three hundred Lower-grade Spirit Stones.

Clearly, by offering the "Silver Gang Shield" as a reward for Zhouyang's early descent, the old clan leader Zhou Minghan is giving a grand gesture!

The old clan leader valuing him so highly, Zhouyang must not disappoint him, whether learning refining skills or guarding Cyan Ping Mountain, he should do both splendidly!

Feeling warmth in his heart, Zhouyang firmly grasped the artifact, vowing to work earnestly to repay the elder's trust.

In the following days, Zhouyang shut himself off, focusing on refining the newly acquired "Silver Gang Shield," until the artifact was perfectly refined and ready for use before preparing to head down the mountain.

First, he went to another important location of the Zhou family, the Scripture Cave, to learn the Qi Cultivation Sixth-Layer Cultivation Technique from "Golden Sun Fiery Flame Technique," then selected five spells beneficial for magical combat from the cave's collection.

The five spells are: Tier Two attack spells "Golden Saber Technique" and "Fire Snake Technique," Tier Two defense spell "Golden Light Body-Protecting Technique," and Tier Two auxiliary spells "Celestial Eye Technique" and "Earth Escape Technique."

The Qi Cultivation Stage cultivation techniques and spells in the Zhou family's Scripture Cave are not restricted for clan members to access, but cannot be taken out, nor taught to outsiders privately.

In the past, Zhouyang followed the teachings of his parents and elders, and apart from learning some simple Tier One auxiliary magic, he did not distract himself by learning those battle spells conducive to magical combat, focusing all his efforts on enhancing his cultivation.

But now, since he would be stationed in a place by himself, he might encounter magical combat. If he couldn't perform battle spells, relying solely on a few magical artifacts would be too limited, making it easy to be restrained and targeted by others.

Magic spells are easy to learn but hard to master; just learning to use them initially does not take too long. With Zhouyang's Sixth-Layer Qi Cultivation, it took him about half a month to master all five spells.

At this time, the deadline given by the old clan leader was approaching, so he wrote a letter to report the situation, asking elders in the clan to deliver it to his parents who were stationed in a cultivator marketplace thousands of miles away. Then, he bid farewell to familiar elders and peers on the mountain and descended alone.

Once down the mountain, Zhouyang borrowed a camel—a necessity for traversing the desert—from the clan members at the foot of the mountain, and directly immersed himself into the Boundless Desert Sea.

This was his first time leaving the Jade Spring Lake Oasis at seventeen years old, and also his first time setting foot in the desert after two lifetimes.

The desert is boundless and vast; it's easy to lose direction while traveling through it.

Once lost in the desert, even cultivators equipped with a storage bag containing ample water and food might die hungry and thirsty if they can't reach an oasis before their supplies run out.

Cultivators are much stronger than mortals, but unless one reaches the Golden Core Stage, one cannot completely fast. Even Purple Mansion Stage cultivators need to regularly consume meals made of spirit grain or spiritual flesh from demon beasts to sustain their body's needs.

In fact, even Golden Core Stage cultivators capable of fasting do not dare to fly around aimlessly in the Boundless Desert Sea.

Golden Core Stage cultivators might not fear losing direction, but the desert holds threats beyond just losing the way, like terrifying natural disasters and powerful demon beasts capable of killing even Golden Core Stage cultivators.

For example, the famed "Black Sand Storm" can isolate divine sense and block the five senses of a Golden Core Stage cultivator trapped within, eventually grinding them to death by exhausting their magical power through the endless storm force.

Or the most famous Tier Five demon beast in the desert, the "Sand Worm," with a body length reaching a thousand feet, bearing terrifying sharp teeth capable of crushing Tier Five defensive spiritual artifacts with great force. A Golden Core Stage cultivator who inadvertently falls into the mouth of a Sand Worm can easily lose their life.

With these risks present, unless there's an imperative reason, Golden Core Stage cultivators would never easily venture deep into the desert.

Fortunately, neither the horrific "Black Sand Storm" nor the Tier Five demon beast "Sand Worm," which only sleeps in certain underground spiritual veins deep in the desert, appears near the oasis. Otherwise, Zhouyang would not dare venture into the desert alone.

Alone with a camel, he strictly followed the family-provided map, journeying through the desert for about five days, successfully reaching his destination—Qingping Mountain.

Qingping Mountain is also an oasis, but it is an artificial one.

This oasis is very small, only about a few dozen square kilometers. The oasis's emergence relies entirely on the Zhou Family's significant investment of over ten thousand low-grade spirit stones, forcibly creating a Tier Two Low-Grade spiritual vein here.

The reason the Zhou Family spent such substantial costs to create an oasis here is due to a medium-sized refined iron ore vein discovered fifty years ago by a Zhou clan member lost in the desert.

Refined iron ore is a spirit ore containing a trace of spiritual energy. After smelting and processing, it can be refined into Tier One spiritual object refined iron and Tier Two spiritual object profound iron, which are the main materials for important buildings such as ancestral halls, scripture pavilions, and treasure vaults in cultivation clans or sects, as well as the primary materials for artifact refiners to craft most Tier One and Tier Two spiritual artifacts. Demand in the market is substantial.

To mine refined iron ore veins, the Zhou Family had to build an oasis for miners to live while also arranging cultivators to protect miners from attacks by low-tier demon beasts in the desert.

Whether constructing the oasis or ensuring stationed cultivators continue their cultivation, the Zhou Family had no choice but to artificially create spiritual veins here.

Of course, all these investments are worthwhile.

The refined iron mined yearly from this medium-sized refined iron ore vein, after processing and selling, brings over five hundred low-grade spirit stones in pure profit to the Zhou Family. Over fifty years later, the initial investment has long been returned several-fold.

Moreover, based on the ore vein's reserves, it can continue to be mined for at least another fifty years.

Qingping Mountain Oasis is very small, most areas have become miner living areas, and only a hundred-meter-high hill at the center of the spiritual vein is separated as the residence for stationed cultivators and finished material warehouse.

It can be said that the small hill is the real Qingping Mountain.

Due to the current Grand Elder of the Zhou Family being a Tier Two Array Master, a Tier Two Array "Cloud Sea Light Splitting Array" is arranged above Qingping Mountain's spiritual vein, the array's power enveloping the small hill in clouds and fog year-round, making it difficult to see the setup within.

As Zhouyang approached the array outside, he shouted with magical power, and the clouds and fog surged, opening a path for him to ascend the mountain.

Following the array path inside, he quickly saw the stationed cultivator, a middle-aged scholar with a lean face. This person ranks sixteenth among the Zhou Family's "Xuan" generation cultivators, named Zhou Xuanjin.

"Oh, why is it you, Yang'Er, coming to replace me? You aren't even twenty yet, are you?"

The scholarly-dressed Zhou Xuanjin, seeing Zhouyang enter, couldn't help but gasp lightly, asking first before Zhouyang could greet him.

"Replying to Sixteenth Uncle, this is the arrangement by the old clan leader, saying that my cultivation has reached the standard for descending the mountain, granting me an exception to descend the mountain early for training." Zhouyang honestly replied.

Zhou Xuanjin's face froze, and he muttered softly in bewilderment, "Reached the standard for descending the mountain? Since when does our Zhou Family have this standard?"

After speaking, a thought seemed to occur to him, and he quickly used the "Celestial Eye Technique" on himself, looking at Zhouyang with gold in his eyes from top to bottom.

It was not a big deal to look, but having done so, he couldn't help but open his mouth in shock, exclaiming, "Oh my! You've broken through to the Sixth Layer of Qi Cultivation!"

"I had a breakthrough from closed-door cultivation in the Jade Sun Cave last month."

Zhouyang smiled slightly, admitting unabashedly.

In the cultivation realm, directly employing the "Celestial Eye Technique" to observe someone's cultivation is a major taboo, often leading to conflicts among cultivators.

But Zhou Xuanjin, being a family elder, Zhouyang chose not to mind such trivial matters.

"Tsk, tsk, truly remarkable, truly remarkable, how old are you?"

"I've, as an uncle, painstakingly cultivated for forty to fifty years to reach my current Seventh Layer Qi Cultivation, but you, incredible, reaching Sixth-Layer Qi Cultivation at seventeen. In another decade or so, you might surpass me in cultivation!"

"Alas, I'm getting old, can't compare with the young ones anymore. Both have medium-grade spiritual root talents, but why is there such a big gap!"

Zhou Xuanjin put away his magic, looking at this outstanding junior with complex emotions. He didn't know whether to be happy that the family had produced such a genius, or to feel ashamed and lost that his own cultivation was about to be surpassed by a junior several decades younger.

Zhouyang wasn't encountering this situation for the first time. Since he broke through to the sixth layer of Qi Cultivation, his peers and elders on Jade Spring Peak had expressed a mix of amazement and happiness at his cultivation speed, yet also displayed a hint of loss and melancholy similar to Zhou Xuanjin.

To this, he could only remain silent, not saying much.

Zhouyang truly didn't have much to say.

The more his cultivation increased, the more he felt the growing gap in cultivation with his peers in the clan, making him realize the importance of talent for low-tier cultivators.

Among mortals, perhaps only one or two out of ten thousand might have spiritual roots. The offspring of cultivators have a slightly higher chance, but still only about one in several dozen.

Among those with spiritual roots, the vast majority have low-grade roots. Only one in about ten might have a medium-grade spiritual root, and as for top-grade spiritual roots, they are even rarer, with fewer than one in a hundred cultivators having it.

The Zhou Clan at the Yuquan Lake Oasis has over a hundred thousand people, yet the total number of Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators in the clan is less than a hundred, including seven or eight who are married into the clan.

Among the existing dozen or so cultivators in the Zhou Clan, not a single one has a top-grade spiritual root, not even the old clan leader Zhou Minghan in the late Foundation Establishment stage.

And how significant is the quality of spiritual roots for cultivators?

Consider two cultivators both at the first layer of Qi Cultivation, practicing the same cultivation technique in the same place. The effect of ten days of meditation for a low-grade spiritual root cultivator is barely equivalent to the effect of one day of meditation for a medium-grade spiritual root cultivator.

And the effect of more than ten days of meditation for a medium-grade root cultivator might not match the effect of one day for a top-grade root cultivator.

Besides faster cultivation speed, top-grade root cultivators have a much higher probability of overcoming the first major hurdle of cultivation, "Foundation Establishment," compared to medium and low-grade root cultivators. Even without using a "Foundation Establishment Pill," a rare spirit pill that significantly increases the success rate, they have a thirty percent chance of breaking through.

It's said that above top-grade spiritual roots, there are body cultivators and Dao Body cultivators.

Any body cultivator, as long as they don't fall prematurely, is destined to become a Golden Core Stage Ancestor without encountering any bottlenecks along the way.

As for Dao Body cultivators, they are a legendary existence. Since the advent of cultivation in this world, fewer than five Dao Body cultivators have emerged, each reigning as a superpower of their era.

Besides body and Dao Body, there is another special physique in the cultivation realm called "Treasure Body."

A "Treasure Body" is an extremely unique physique that any spiritual root cultivator might possess. Those with a Treasure Body who practice cultivation techniques aligned with their Treasure Body can cultivate much faster than cultivators with spiritual roots of the same quality and eventually acquire unique Treasure Body divine techniques.

Zhouyang, for instance, might possess some form of Treasure Body with a yang attribute. Therefore, even though he has a medium-grade spiritual root talent, by practicing the Golden Sun Fiery Flame Technique, a cultivation method with dominant yang properties, his cultivation speed is on par with top-grade root cultivators.

If nothing unexpected happens, Zhouyang should be able to raise his cultivation to the ninth layer of Qi Cultivation before he turns forty.

An ordinary medium-grade spiritual root cultivator like Zhou Xuanjin might take until sixty or seventy years old to reach the ninth layer of Qi Cultivation.

For an ordinary low-grade spiritual root cultivator, even living to the life expectancy limit of a Qi Cultivation Stage cultivator might not be enough to reach the ninth layer!

A harsh reality is that the older the Qi Cultivation Stage cultivator, the more difficult it is to establish a foundation. Cultivators over sixty years old have less than half the success rate of those below sixty. For those over eighty, the rate drops further, and Zhouyang hasn't heard of any remarkable figures succeeding past one hundred.

Given Zhouyang's age and cultivation speed, his odds of establishing a foundation are indeed much higher than average, which is why the old clan leader Zhou Minghan values him so highly.

Unfortunately, a Treasure Body doesn't increase the success rate of establishing a foundation; otherwise, Zhouyang could attempt it after reaching the ninth layer of Qi Cultivation.

Both of them understood these circumstances, so seeing Zhouyang's silence, Zhou Xuanjin quickly adjusted his mindset and began instructing him on his duties.

"Stationed at Qingping Mountain, you have three main responsibilities: First, upon receiving an alert from the clan-appointed steward at the mine, go down and help the miners fend off any Tier One or Tier Two demon beasts that occasionally intrude; Second, guard the miners' camp to ensure the refined finished materials are stored safely in the mountain's warehouse, awaiting collection by the clan; Lastly, take care of these ten or so acres of spirit fields on the mountain, as they impact whether you'll have enough to eat."

"Additionally, if strong demon beasts or human cultivators attack and you can't handle them, never leave the array's range lightly. The best course of action is to hold your ground within the array and activate this Tier Three Communication Talisman with your essence blood to await clan rescue." 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"Lastly, here is the control banner and the method to operate the Qingping Mountain array. Only after you refine the banner and familiarize yourself with the array's operation can I leave."

While speaking, Zhou Xuanjin handed Zhouyang the items needed for stationed cultivators and taught him how to use them personally.

Several more days passed this way, until Zhouyang fully mastered the "Cloud Sea Light Splitting Array," a Tier Two array, after which Zhou Xuanjin returned to the clan with nearly a year's production from the Qingping Mountain ore vein.

After Zhou Xuanjin left, Zhouyang became the highest-ranking Zhou family member at Qingping Mountain.

First, he summoned the several stewards responsible for mining and refining at Zhou Clan's operation to get a preliminary understanding of the process and provided them with several Sound Transmission Talismans imbued with his aura for easy communication.

These individuals, eligible to serve as Zhou Clan stewards, were all Martial Arts cultivators at the Innate Realm, but lacking spiritual roots, they could not develop magical power and become Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators, and would remain at the Innate Realm all their lives.

Yet for mortals, the strength of Innate Realm cultivators remained something to admire.

As soon as they become Innate Realm cultivators, mortals can extract innate true qi from their bodies, achieving feats of running like galloping horses, lifting cauldrons easily, and fending off a hundred foes on their own while having significant resistance to various diseases.

However, mortals are still mortals, and without spiritual roots, they cannot perform even the simplest Tier One magic spells despite cultivating innate true qi.

The genuine cultivators with spiritual roots outright refuse to acknowledge these mortals as fellow cultivators and disdain associating with them.

Zhouyang had no prejudice against these mortal cultivators, but given their long-term subjugation to discrimination from true cultivators, they have ingrained notions of hierarchy. Even if he took the initiative to talk with them, nobody dared to engage with him as an equal clan member, leading him to eventually dismiss them out of boredom.

In the following days, Zhouyang's routine was simple.

Every morning, he would face the morning sun and practice breathing techniques for three hours. Then, he would spend three hours practicing the five spells he learned from the Scripture Pavilion. By evening, he would allocate half an hour to weed and de-weed the thriving spirit grain in the mountain's spirit fields.

The spiritual vein of Qingping Mountain is only Tier Two Lower Grade, and it's an artificial spiritual vein. After supplying the daily cultivation needs of a Late-Stage Qi Cultivation cultivator, there are only two or three tenths of spiritual energy remaining.

Therefore, only about fifteen acres of spirit fields have been developed here, where spirit grain is grown exclusively for the cultivators stationed here, and there is no need to supply it to the clan.

The spirit grain planted in these fields is called "Golden Pearl Rice." It resembles cotton trees from Zhouyang's previous world, ripening once a year. Each plant produces dozens of fruits, and when the fruit is peeled after ripening, golden grains resembling pearls are harvested, hence the name "Golden Pearl Rice."

This "Golden Pearl Rice," grown in spirit fields, requires spiritual energy to mature, making the grains not only rich in nutrients and excellent in taste but also containing traces of spiritual energy, which is highly beneficial for cultivators to absorb.

For Qi Cultivation stage cultivators who consume "Golden Pearl Rice" regularly, just a small bowl can provide enough nutrition for two or three days and can even slightly enhance their cultivation.

Even Foundation Establishment stage and Purple Mansion stage cultivators often consume meals primarily made from this "Golden Pearl Rice."

Zhouyang began cultivation at the age of four and completed the Ninth-Layer of the Innate Realm in just three years, thanks to his decent talent and the fact that his parents often gave him extra portions of "Golden Pearl Rice" and some Low-Tier Demon Beast meat.

Since he is not a Spirit Plant Cultivator, Zhouyang doesn't know the spells essential for Spirit Plant Cultivators to increase yields, so he tends to the spirit fields like an ordinary farmer, watering, weeding, and de-worming the "Golden Pearl Rice" to ensure they don't die.

As long as they don't die, the yield from these dozen or so acres of spirit fields is more than enough for his daily needs, with even some surplus.

Zhouyang understands that this surplus is a benefit given by the clan to the stationed cultivators. After all, completing clan tasks down the mountain is every adult clan member's obligation but does not earn extra rewards from the clan.

After spending half an hour each day tending to the spirit fields on the mountain, Zhouyang dedicates the rest of his evening to learning artifact refining techniques.

He doesn't immediately start refining artifacts. Instead, he meticulously studies the artifact refining classics and the refining notes given by the old clan leader while practicing the basic material refinement with the ores mined from the refined iron ore vein.

This simple and fulfilling routine went on for three years.

Three years later, after thoroughly understanding the knowledge from the Artifact Refining Classics and mastering the art of material refinement, Zhouyang finally took out the materials given by the old clan leader and officially began refining artifacts.

To conserve materials, he chose to refine the simplest Tier One Sword Spiritual Artifact, the "Cyan Blade."

The main material for the Tier One Spiritual Artifact "Cyan Blade" is refined iron. The sword hilt can be made from Centennial Iron Wood and other Spirit Wood. Innate realm cultivators can infuse innate true qi into the artifact, releasing sword light ranging from three inches to a foot long depending on the infuser's cultivation level, to harm enemies.

Refining this artifact is relatively simple: first, refine refined iron with spiritual fire to forge a sword embryo. While keeping the flame temperature high, use the cultivator's magical power and divine sense to inscribe a "Sharpness" restriction within the sword embryo.

Once the restriction is complete, it's time to quench the sword. If the sword embodies the unique spiritual light of artifacts after quenching, it indicates successful refining. If not, it's nothing more than a sharp mortal weapon.

Although this sounds straightforward, it is not easy to execute. Even though Zhouyang had envisioned the refining scenarios countless times and practiced the "Sharpness" restriction process numerous times, his first attempt at artifact refining ended in failure without even reaching the quenching stage.

With a "bang" from the artifact cauldron, his first refining attempt ended, not even making it to the quenching phase.

The first failure in artifact refining didn't dampen Zhouyang's enthusiasm because he never expected to succeed on the first try.

If mastering artifact refining were so easy, the profession wouldn't be the most sought-after in the cultivation realm.

No artifact refiner, not even the most talented ones, could succeed in their first artifact-refining attempt.

Most artifact refiners have some refining talent, relying on accumulating materials to develop refining skills over time.

Therefore, among those without a sect or clan, and among unaffiliated cultivators, artifact refiners and alchemists are rare because they can't afford the material expenses needed to master these skills.

Even for a Foundation Establishment Clan like the Zhou Family, cultivating a profitable Tier Two Refiner is challenging. It requires selecting talented descendants and investing significant funds.

Before Zhouyang, several "Xuan" generation cultivators from the Zhou Family learned artifact refining, but only his Seventh Uncle Zhou Xuanlin barely advanced to a Tier Two Refiner. This was under the hands-on guidance of Zhou Minghan, a Tier Three Refiner, with materials worth thousands of spirit stones invested.

However, the maximum potential for Qi Cultivation stage cultivators is to become Tier Two Refiners. To become a Tier Three Refiner, one must first become a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Zhou Minghan's hope for Zhouyang to inherit his refining skills implies a hope that he can succeed in Foundation Establishment.

As long as Zhouyang succeeds in Foundation Establishment and shows some refining talent, even spending spirit stones, Zhou Minghan is confident in molding him into a Tier Three Refiner!

Zhouyang, of course, is unaware of these expectations. He only feels that artifact refining materials are precious and wasteful if squandered. Therefore, after failing, he did not rush to try again but tidied up the waste in the artifact cauldron, carefully summarizing his experiences and lessons learned.

Only when he felt more confident did he begin a new attempt.

Thus, with failure and reflection, and then failure and reflection again...

After seventeen failures, Zhouyang finally successfully refined a "Cyan Blade," officially becoming a Tier One Refiner.

With the experience of the first success, Zhouyang's success rate improved significantly in subsequent refining attempts. He could succeed once in every ten refining attempts.

After refining over a hundred times and controlling the success rate at two out of ten, he stopped refining "Cyan Blade," switching to another Tier One Spiritual Artifact, the "Flaming Saber."

The "Flaming Saber," another Tier One Spiritual Artifact, requires inserting 20% Fire Attribute Spirit Gold Red Copper into the refined iron. Once refined, Innate realm cultivators can infuse innate true qi to ignite the blade with flames, burning enemies and affecting ghosts immune to physical attacks.

The refining process for the "Flaming Saber" is similar to the "Cyan Blade," with the distinction of inscribing a "Fiery Flame" restriction instead of "Sharpness" within the blade.

Despite Zhouyang's success in refining the "Cyan Blade," his first attempt with the "Flaming Saber" also failed.

However, after reflecting on his failure, he succeeded on his second attempt and, after numerous attempts, maintained a success rate of over 20% for refining the "Flaming Saber" as well.

At this point, he still had a substantial amount of the basic refining materials given by the old clan leader, but he decided not to continue refining. Instead, he handed over the finished artifacts, his refining insights compiled during artifact refinement, and letters to his parents to his fellow clan member Zhou Qi, who was there to collect the refined iron ore output, asking him to deliver them to the old clan leader and pass on to his parents residing far away.