After leaving the Ministry Hall, Zhouyang went straight to the top of Jade Spring Peak.
Guarding the peak was still Grandpa Qi, Zhou Yun. The old man, as always, sat under the tall Dragon Scale Tree at the summit. Upon seeing Zhouyang, he eagerly pulled him down to enjoy some newly brewed medicinal tea.
Such warm invitations from an elder were hard to refuse, and besides, Zhouyang indeed enjoyed the medicinal tea made by the old man.
However, while having tea with the elder this time, Zhouyang's gaze often fell on the Dragon Scale Tree beside him.
The Dragon Scale Tree is a rare and special Spirit Wood, named because its scales resemble dragon scales.
The scales of a hundred-year-old Dragon Scale Tree are black, as hard as Refined Iron, capable of being refined into Tier One Defensive Spiritual Artifacts, thus considered Tier One Spirit Wood.
For a Dragon Scale Tree over five hundred years old, the scales turn silver-grey, harder than Profound Iron, suitable for refining Tier Two Defensive Spiritual Artifacts, thus regarded as Tier Two Spirit Wood.
If the Dragon Scale Tree can grow for over a thousand years, its scales will turn silver, allowing them to be used in the refinement of Tier Three Defensive Spiritual Artifacts, classified as Tier Three Spirit Wood.
It's said that once the age of a Dragon Scale Tree exceeds five thousand years, its scales become golden like real dragon scales, usable for forging Tier Five Defensive Spiritual Artifacts, treasures fiercely contended for by Golden Core Stage Ancestors.
This particular Dragon Scale Tree of the Zhou Family is about eight hundred years old, not far from becoming Tier Three Spirit Wood. When the ancestral founder Zhou Yuquan discovered Jade Spring Peak, this Spirit Wood was already growing on the mountain.
Since then, approximately every ten years, the Zhou Family has harvested a few scales from the Dragon Scale Tree to refine into Magical Artifacts. The main material of Zhouyang's Silver Gang Shield Artifact was indeed a scale taken from this tree.
While Zhouyang knew the origins of this tree, having seen various centuries-old and millennia-old giant trees on the mountain, he didn't feel much for the Spirit Wood that looked like a pine tree.
At that time, in his eyes, this Tier Two Spirit Wood didn't hold much more value than the few Tier Two Spirit Fruit Trees, the Fire Crystal Jujube Trees in the mountain's Spirit Fruit Garden.
At least the Fire Crystal Jujube Trees bore fruit every five years, and for Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators like him practicing the Yang Gang Technique, eating just one jujube would benefit them as much as ten days of hard cultivation, not to mention the jujube's taste far exceeded any fruit he had eaten in his past life.
However, now as an Artifact Refiner, the value of the Dragon Scale Tree in Zhouyang's eyes skyrocketed.
"Hehehe, Xiao Jiu, are you planning on targeting the Dragon Scale Tree? It's not that this old man underestimates you, but even though you've become a Tier Two Refiner, the scales of the Dragon Scale Tree are not something you're qualified to use. Each of these scales in the hands of the old Clan Leader becomes a Tier Two Top Grade Spiritual Artifact. Even if the old man holds you in high regard, he won't let you waste such precious materials. Wait until you've become a Tier Two High-Grade Refiner!"
Seeing Zhouyang's gaze frequently fixed on the Dragon Scale Tree, Elder Zhou Yun immediately understood what he was thinking and chuckled, unreservedly mocking him.
For the elder, seeing such a talented young junior like Zhouyang eat humble pie was an achievement in itself.
However, the smile on the elder's face didn't last long before it was frozen by what Zhouyang said next.
"Grandpa Qi is right. With my current strength as a Tier Two Middle-Grade Refiner, I indeed am unfit to use the scales of the Dragon Scale Tree for refining artifacts. For such treasures, I'll wait until I've improved my Artifact Refining Skill to Tier Two Top Grade and have the confidence to refine them safely before taking action."
"What? You've already advanced to being a Tier Two Middle-Grade Refiner?"
Elder Zhou Yun looked at Zhouyang with a face full of shock, even his voice wavered.
Wasn't it said that this kid only became a Tier Two Lower-Grade Refiner last year?
How could he have advanced to a Tier Two Middle-Grade Refiner in just one year's time?
Could it be that the old Clan Leader secretly went down the mountain to tutor him?
The elder stared at the young junior before him in shock, feeling somewhat at a loss.
Could this young junior be not only a genius in cultivation but also have an even greater talent in artifact refining?
Otherwise, how could he have transformed from a complete novice to a Tier Two Middle-Grade Refiner in less than five years?
If he recalls correctly, even the old Clan Leader, the most talented Tier Three High-grade Refiner in the clan's history, spent a full twelve years progressing from learning to refine artifacts to reaching the level of a Tier Two Middle-Grade Refiner!
"Grandpa Qi? Grandpa Qi?"
Zhouyang looked at Elder Zhou Yun, who was stunned by the information revealed in his words, and felt a sense of pride. To claim he wasn't proud would be a lie.
After all, being a twenty-two-year-old Tier Two Middle Grade Refiner was indeed something worth boasting about. Even in the Zhou Family, with just over two hundred years of history as a Foundation Establishment Clan, and even in the Yellow Sand Sect, with a legacy spanning over two thousand years, such speed would be among the top in history.
Even he himself never imagined that his talent for artifact refining would be so exceptional.
Initially, when he was a Tier One Refiner, he didn't show any peculiarities. But after advancing to a Tier Two Refiner, which required mixing various materials to refine magical artifacts, he discovered his outstanding abilities in managing the quantities of metal solutions and controlling the temperature and timing precisely.
Later, comparing his abilities with other refiners' stories recorded in the Artifact Refining Classics, and the notes on refining insights given by the old clan leader, he realized his talent in these areas was multiple times stronger than most other refiners of the same level.
If it weren't for his insufficient cultivation and lack of materials to refine a Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifact, he felt he could already attempt refining one now.
"Is Xiao Jiu here? Come into the cave quickly. I happen to have something to tell you,"
The call from the old clan leader, Zhou Minghan, fortunately relieved Elder Zhou Yun from his awkwardness. The elder's previously tense expression due to shock immediately relaxed, and he quickly said with relief, "Xiao Jiu, did you hear that? The old clan leader is calling you. Hurry over and don't keep him waiting."
Knowing when to speak and when not to, truly a good grandson.
Zhouyang, of course, wouldn't embarrass the elder over a moment's pride. He respectfully bid farewell with a restrained smile and walked briskly toward the cave of the old clan leader, Zhou Minghan.
"Ah, getting old, getting old, can't keep up with the young ones anymore!"
Under the Dragon Scale Tree, the elder watched Zhouyang's departing figure, shaking his head and sighing.
However, the sigh lasted only a few seconds before the elder's expression changed, his face beaming with happiness as he laughed heartily, "Haha, young people these days are truly extraordinary. A twenty-two-year-old Tier Two Middle Grade Refiner, tsk tsk, I never thought I'd live to see such a genius appear in the Zhou Family. Truly, it's heaven's blessing on our Zhou Family, heaven's blessing on the Zhou Family!"
For a family elder like Zhou Yun, who dedicated his life to the clan, nothing was more joyous than witnessing the emergence of an outstanding junior in the family.
Those large clans with Golden Core Stage ancestors or even Nascent Soul Stage great cultivators sitting at their helm, with heritages spanning hundreds or thousands of years, might experience internal conflicts over lineage and resource allocation.
But for a small clan like the Zhou Family, with a lineage of only five or six generations and a history of less than three hundred years, supported by just one Foundation Establishment cultivator, unity was the sole path. Uniting everyone's strength, concentrating all resources to nurture the few talented members with Foundation Establishment potential, was essential.
In a scenario where the clan must exhaust its savings to purchase a single "Foundation Establishment Pill," if internal strife and factionalism broke out, the inevitable result would be failure to achieve Foundation Establishment, leading to the severing of the clan's legacy.
Cultivators possess far superior longevity and wisdom than mortals; surely, they wouldn't make such foolish mistakes.
In this environment, even if a few were driven by greed to act selfishly and harm the public for personal gain, once discovered, they would undoubtedly be overwhelmed by collective opposition, reinforcing family rules.
Therefore, seeing Zhouyang as such an outstanding descendant, even though he wasn't a direct lineage descendant, elders like Zhou Yun genuinely felt gratified and joyful from the heart.
A strong clan ensures better lives for their descendants, increases future cultivation resources, and enhances the likelihood of Foundation Establishment. It's that simple.
Meanwhile, after entering the mountain-top cave and meeting the old clan leader, Zhou Minghan, Zhouyang didn't even have time to greet him before he was taken directly to the artifact refining chamber.
"I heard everything outside just now. Now, refine a Tier Two Middle Grade Spiritual Artifact for me to see. Tell me what materials you need, and I'll provide them abundantly!"
The old clan leader, Zhou Minghan, indeed lived up to his position as the head of the clan; he spoke with confidence and authority. To him, the Tier Two Spiritual Objects over which ordinary late-stage Qi Cultivation cultivators fought fiercely seemed like mere cabbages, available in abundance.
What more could Zhouyang say?
Of course, he rolled up his sleeves and got to work immediately.
After wasting three sets of materials in succession, he successfully refined a Tier Two Middle Grade Spiritual Artifact flying sword on the fourth attempt.
"Not bad, not bad. Your refining skills have indeed improved greatly. This flying sword, even if placed in marketplace shops, would meet the standard. It seems your artifact refining talent is even higher than I initially anticipated."
After inspecting the magical artifact flying sword newly refined by Zhouyang, even the old clan leader, usually stern and unsmiling in front of other family juniors, couldn't help but show a satisfied smile this time.
The elder in high spirits naturally bestowed rewards. Stretching out his hand with a smile, he said to Zhouyang, "Now, watch me refine the artifact. Take out the skin and teeth of that Gold-Eating Rat you obtained earlier. I'll refine two Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts, one offensive and one defensive, for you, free of charge, as a reward for becoming a Tier Two Refiner."