Elder Zhou Minghan, a Tier Three High-grade Refiner, personally crafted the Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifact, so there was naturally no possibility of failure.
Foundation Establishment Cultivators can already transform their magical power into Foundation Establishment True Flame. Although the temperature of this True Flame is slightly lower than that of Earth Fire, it is significantly higher than the white flame formed by the burning of Flaming Sun Wood.
More importantly, the True Flame is inherently shaped by the cultivator's magical power, and it is extremely easy to manipulate—it gathers and disperses according to one's heart. This is something that the flames of Earth Fire, Celestial Fire, and other Spiritual Objects cannot compare to.
To ensure Zhouyang could observe carefully, Elder Zhou Minghan intentionally slowed down his pace during the artifact refining process and occasionally used telepathy to explain key points. This treatment is something only direct disciples receive.
Clearly, in Elder Zhou Minghan's eyes, Zhouyang, this younger member, is his ultimate choice as the heir to the artifact refining skills.
Zhouyang also understood the preciousness of the opportunity. Regardless of whether he comprehended the explanations given by the elder, he diligently memorized them, planning to make notes later when he had the time to avoid forgetting in the future.
Although cultivators have photographic memories, occasionally they still forget some things due to the sheer volume of information. Therefore, taking notes on important matters is necessary.
It is said that after cultivating to the Nascent Soul Stage and forming a Nascent Soul, great cultivators gain the "Memory Retrospect" divine technique. At that time, with intentional effort, they can even recall memories from when they were in the womb, eliminating the need to take notes altogether.
Thus, after roughly two hours, Elder Zhou Minghan completed the artifact refining.
The two crafted Magical Artifacts were a piece of defensive inner armor made from rat skin and a set of four short daggers crafted from four rat's front teeth.
Since two drops of Zhouyang's essence blood were used to consecrate the artifacts during the refining process, they were ready for immediate use upon completion.
Without hesitation, he removed his outer robe, donned the defensive inner armor, and sheathed the four approximately seven-inch short daggers at his waist for easy access.
As he finished this, Elder Zhou Minghan finally spoke: "Your cultivation should soon break through to the Seventh-Layer Qi Cultivation, right? Once you break through to the Seventh Layer, with these two [Black Gold Armor] and [Armor-Piercing Dagger] artifacts, along with the [Silver Gang Shield] I gave you previously, you'll be able to hold your ground against a typical Ninth-Layer Loose Cultivator!"
A cultivator's cultivation level determines the number and rank of Magical Artifacts they can master. With Zhouyang's current Sixth-Layer Qi Cultivation, wielding two Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts simultaneously would be taxing. If he can break through to the Seventh Layer, his magical power and divine sense will greatly improve, allowing him to truly harness the full power of all three Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts.
As for more powerful Tier Three Spiritual Artifacts, even if given to him for consecration, his current magical power and divine sense wouldn't allow him to unleash even half of its potential. It would be more practical for him to use Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts.
Thus, although Elder Zhou Minghan, as a Tier Three High-grade Refiner, has extra Tier Three Spiritual Artifacts, he refrains from bestowing them to Zhouyang for consecration, as it would waste resources and potentially bring a deadly calamity upon Zhouyang.
After all, many Independent Foundation Establishment Cultivators still use Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts after reaching Foundation Establishment. If they saw a Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivator like Zhouyang possessing Tier Three Spiritual Artifacts, they would undoubtedly harbor murderous intent.
Zhouyang also understood this reasoning, so even with Elder Zhou Minghan's favor, he never made such requests.
Upon hearing the elder's words, Zhouyang's expression immediately grew solemn, respectfully responding, "Grandson was just about to report this to great-grandfather. Recently, I've sensed the barrier to the late-stage Qi Cultivation and plan to utilize the abundant spiritual qi in the mountain-top cave mansion for a breakthrough. I request great-grandfather's permission."
"Very well, then you may retreat to the cave mansion opposite mine for your breakthrough. Here is the array token for that cave mansion. Remember to return it after use."
With a wave of his hand, Elder Zhou Minghan produced a cave mansion token and handed it to Zhouyang.
"Thank you, great-grandfather. Grandson takes his leave."
Holding the token, Zhouyang eagerly bid farewell to Elder Zhou Minghan and moved into the cave mansion opposite.
Atop Jade Spring Peak, aside from the one occupied by Elder Zhou Minghan, the other two cave mansions are unoccupied. Clan members seeking to leverage the abundant spiritual qi of the mountain-top cave mansions for breakthroughs can apply to Elder Zhou Minghan for temporary residency.
However, the Zhou Family has few late-stage Qi Cultivation cultivators, and those attempting to advance by one layer often take over a decade, so these two unoccupied mountain-top cave mansions remain vacant for about eight out of every ten years.
Each cave mansion is equipped with a Dust Cleaning Array, ensuring cleanliness regardless of long periods of vacancy. With the cave mansion control token in hand, Zhouyang entered, briefly examining the layout before heading straight to the seclusion chamber deep within the cave mansion.
This seclusion chamber directly connects to the spiritual eye of Jade Spring Peak's spirit vein, making it the place with the densest spiritual qi on the entire peak. Each seclusion chamber also features a Cold Jade Bed carved from a Tier Two Spiritual Object, Cold Jade.
The cold air emanating from the Cold Jade Bed aids cultivators in calming their minds and preventing deviation during cultivation. Most Foundation Establishment Cultivators with some resources would furnish their cave mansions with such treasures when constructing them.
Moreover, affluent Foundation Establishment Cultivators would also prepare auxiliary cultivation treasures such as Heart-Clearing Meditation Mats and Concentration Incense for personal use in addition to the Cold Jade Bed.
Sitting cross-legged on the Cold Jade Bed, Zhouyang instantly felt a bone-chilling cold rise from the bed and permeate his body, rushing straight to his head.
The shock of the cold invigorated him, allowing him to enter a meditative state almost twice as quickly as normal.
For the next several months, Zhouyang did not step out of the mountain-top cave mansion, wholeheartedly focusing on his seclusion. When hungry, he cooked himself a bowl of [Golden Pearl Rice], and when thirsty, he conjured clean water with magic, vowing not to leave the cave mansion until reaching the Seventh-Layer Qi Cultivation.
With such resolve, on a day three months later, the doors of the seclusion chamber creaked open from within, revealing a fatigued Zhouyang, now at the Seventh-Layer Qi Cultivation, stepping out.
Three months of meditation, with sitting replacing rest, had exhausted Zhouyang to the limit.
It was through sheer determination that he broke through the barrier from mid-stage to late-stage Qi Cultivation. With the barrier shattered, he could no longer endure and stumbled into the adjacent bedroom, collapsing onto the warm jade bed, and fell into a deep sleep.
After sleeping for three days and nights, Zhouyang finally awoke, feeling an indescribable comfort throughout his body—he felt as if he had never slept this well in his entire life.
That was only natural.
Setting aside the fact that this was the first time in both his past and present life that he had slept so long, the warm jade bed he slept on was a treasure he previously had no right to enjoy.
Warm jade, like cold jade, is also a Tier Two Spiritual Object. The difference is that the cold energy emitted from cold jade helps cultivators clear their minds and avoid Qi deviation, while the heat from warm jade aids in calming the spirit, significantly enhancing sleep quality.
"No wonder everyone wants to become a high-tier cultivator. Compared to low-tier cultivators, the differences aren't just in lifespan and divine techniques, but also in the treatment they receive in daily life—it's practically the difference between nobility and commoners!"
Zhouyang looked at the smooth, warm jade bed beneath him and couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
Luxury breeds waste, while bones freeze on the street.
In the world of cultivation, issues of resource inequality are much more severe than they were in the world of his past life.
Individual cultivators fiercely compete for merely one low-grade spirit stone, unaware that after decades of struggle, they still cannot afford even the bed where high-tier cultivators sleep.
"Fortunately, now I'm the one sleeping in the bed!"
He muttered this with a strange expression, perhaps recalling something, before rising gracefully and exiting his cave mansion.
After spending three months in seclusion, Zhouyang initially planned to visit old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan to share the good news of his breakthrough to the Seventh Layer of Qi Cultivation.
Unexpectedly, shortly after leaving the cave, he noticed that Grandpa Qi Zhou Yun, who usually sat under the Dragon Scale Tree, was nowhere to be found, and there was white cloth hanging from the tree.
Seeing the white cloth, Zhouyang's expression changed abruptly—the hanging of white cloth from the Dragon Scale Tree was a family tradition marking the passing of an elder.
"Which elder has passed away?"
His heart sank, as the joy of his breakthrough to the Seventh Layer was instantly dispersed by this grim news.
The Zhou family had only eight elders; suddenly losing one was not merely losing a senior family member, but it also meant losing a high-tier cultivator whose absence could not be compensated by adding a Seventh-Layer cultivator.
Without delay, Zhouyang immediately altered his course toward the family's Ancestral Hall below the mountain.
Arriving at the hall, he found that all the clan cultivators at the Yuquan Lake Oasis, including old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan, were present to handle the funeral arrangements for the deceased elder.
Only then did he learn that the deceased elder was none other than Grand Elder Zhou Qian, the Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer Great Perfection cultivator who once consumed a Foundation Establishment Pill but failed to establish his foundation.
Grand Elder Zhou Qian was the eldest of the "Light" generation and a cultivator with a middle-grade spiritual root. He was also a rare Tier Two High-grade Array Master.
Due to Zhou Qian's outstanding talent in the field of arrays and decent spiritual root aptitude, the Zhou family had placed their hopes on him, giving him the Foundation Establishment Pill purchased with the entire clan's savings.
Had he succeeded in establishing his foundation, the Zhou family would not only gain a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator but also a rare Tier Three Array Master, doubling the family's power.
Unfortunately, he failed!
His failure not only wasted an invaluable Foundation Establishment Pill for the Zhou family but also clouded his Dao heart, leaving him unable to ever break through to the Tier Three Array Master level. He spent the rest of his life working relentlessly to repay the family debt, not even leaving behind any descendants.
"Your granduncle was only three years older than me, and with his cultivation at Qi Cultivation Great Perfection, he should have been able to endure for a few more years. Sadly, when he learned the family was preparing to develop that Red Flame Iron Ore, he gambled his entire lifespan, forcibly attempting to break into the Tier Three Array Master realm, hoping to leave behind a Tier Three array and a Tier Three Array Master legacy for the family!"
Outside the Ancestral Hall, after Zhouyang finished paying respects to the deceased Elder Zhou Qian and stepped out, he encountered Elder Zhou Quan with reddened eyes. He then heard the elder's hoarse voice explaining the reason behind Elder Zhou Qian's passing.
Zhouyang hadn't had a strong impression of this granduncle, as he did not appear before the family's younger generations like Elder Zhou Quan or Elder Zhou Yun did to instruct them in cultivation.
In fact, he could only count less than five times he had seen this granduncle in his twenty-two years of life, and those meetings were always during significant family gatherings, where he would only greet him according to his parents' instructions. The interactions between them were truly few and far between.
However, after hearing Elder Zhou Quan recount the reason for this granduncle's passing, Zhouyang felt a profound respect for the old man, who had quietly contributed behind the scenes, growing immense admiration for him.
Then, looking at Elder Zhou Quan, whose eyes hinted at tears, Zhouyang solemnly stated, "Third Uncle, please take solace. Although Granduncle has passed, his contributions and achievements for the family will forever be remembered in the hearts of those of us who still live!"
He did not ask whether Elder Zhou Qian succeeded, because it no longer mattered.
Many people focus only on the results, yet they fail to realize that sometimes the process can be more important than the outcome.
If Elder Zhou Qian hadn't resolved to strive for the Tier Three Array Master realm, how would there even be a result?
Thus, sometimes the result is truly unimportant; what matters is the heart set on achieving the result!