Cultivation Begins From The Desert

Chapter 646 - 631: 5 Great Divine Techniques, Inheritance Test

FD) The old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan, a Tier Three High-grade Refiner, personally refined a Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifact, naturally there was no possibility of failure.

Foundation Establishment cultivators can already convert their magical power into Foundation Establishment True Flame. Although the temperature of this True Flame is slightly inferior to Earth Fire, it still surpasses the white flames formed by the burning of Flaming Sun Wood.

Even more remarkable, True Flame itself is a transformation of a cultivator’s magical power, gathered and dispersed at will, extremely convenient to control—something that Earth Fire, Celestial Fire, and other spiritual object flames cannot compare to.

To ensure Zhouyang observed carefully, the old Clan Leader intentionally slowed down during the artifact refining process, and even used telepathy with his Divine Sense to explain key points to him—treatment reserved for direct disciples.

Evidently, in the eyes of the old Clan Leader now, Zhouyang, the junior, was his ultimate chosen inheritor of the artifact refining skill.

Zhouyang also understood the preciousness of the opportunity; regardless of whether he comprehended the old Clan Leader’s explanations, he took them to heart, intending to write notes later to prevent future forgetfulness.

Although cultivators possess a photographic memory ability, remembering too much can occasionally lead to forgetting some memories, making note-taking on important matters still necessary.

It’s said that after Nascent Soul Stage great cultivators form their Nascent Soul, they acquire the "Memory Retrospect" great divine technique, and if desired, can even recall memories from when they were in the womb, eliminating the need for note-taking.

After approximately two hours passed, the old Clan Leader completed the artifact refining.

The two refined artifacts were a defensive inner armor made from rat skin and a set of four short daggers made from four rat’s front teeth.

Since two drops of Zhouyang’s essence blood were used during the artifact refining, the artifacts could be used directly upon completion.

He didn’t stand on ceremony with the old Clan Leader; he immediately took off his outer robe and put on the defensive inner armor, then inserted the approximately seven-inch-long short daggers into sheaths attached to his waist, ready for immediate use.

After doing this, the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan spoke: "Your cultivation should soon break through to the Seventh Layer, right? Once you break through to the Seventh Layer, with these two Black Gold Armor and Armor-Piercing Daggers artifacts, along with the Silver Gang Shield I gave you before, you could even contend with ordinary Ninth-Layer loose cultivators!"

A cultivator’s cultivation determines the number and rank of magical artifacts they can command. With Zhouyang’s current Sixth-Layer cultivation, wielding two Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts is somewhat strenuous. If he breaks through to the Seventh Layer, his magical power and Divine Sense will significantly improve, allowing him to fully unleash the power of three Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts.

As for more powerful Tier Three Spiritual Artifacts, even if they were given to him for refinement, with his current magical power and Divine Sense, he couldn’t wield even half of their power, making Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts more practical for him.

Thus, the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan, being a Tier Three High-grade Refiner, although having surplus Tier Three Spiritual Artifact inventory, would not grant them to Zhouyang for refinement. Not only would it waste resources, but it could also lead to Zhouyang’s demise.

After all, many independent Foundation Establishment Cultivators, even after Foundation Establishment, still use Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts. Seeing a Qi Cultivation Stage cultivator like Zhouyang possessing Tier Three Spiritual Artifacts would surely spark killing intent.

Zhouyang understood this logic too, so even though he received the favor of the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan, he would not make such a request.

Hearing the old Clan Leader’s words at this moment, his complexion immediately became solemn, respectfully replying: "Grandson was just about to report to Great Grandfather; recently, grandson has sensed the barrier of late Qi Cultivation Stage, intending to use the abundant spiritual energy of the mountain peak cave mansion to make a breakthrough. I request Great Grandfather’s permission."

"Very well, then you may retreat in the cave mansion opposite mine to make the breakthrough. This is the array token for that cave mansion; remember to return it to me after use."

The old Clan Leader waved and handed a cave mansion token to Zhouyang.

"Thank you, Great Grandfather, grandson takes his leave."

Zhouyang took the token and eagerly bid farewell to the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan, moving into the opposite cave mansion.

At the Jade Spring Peak top, aside from the cave mansion occupied by the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan, the other two are unoccupied. If any clan member needs to leverage the abundant spiritual energy of the mountaintop cave mansion for a breakthrough, they can apply to the old Clan Leader for temporary residence for seclusion.

However, there are few late Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators in the Zhou family, and since advancing a layer in the late Qi Cultivation Stage often takes over ten years, these two unoccupied mountaintop cave mansions are vacant for about eight years out of ten.

Each cave mansion is equipped with a Dust Cleaning Array, keeping them pristine no matter how many years they are uninhabited. Holding the cave mansion control token, Zhouyang entered and briefly toured the interior before heading directly to the seclusion chamber at the deepest part of the cave mansion.

The seclusion chamber of this mountaintop cave mansion is directly connected to the spiritual eye of Jade Spring Peak’s spirit vein, representing the area with the densest spiritual energy throughout Jade Spring Peak. Each seclusion chamber houses a Cold Jade Bed carved from a Tier Two Spiritual Object cold jade.

The cold air emitted by the Cold Jade Bed aids cultivators in clearing the mind and concentrating, preventing Qi deviation. Those with some foundation at the Foundation Establishment stage generally include such treasures when constructing their cave mansions.

Some wealthy Foundation Establishment cultivators also prepare Heart-Clearing Meditation Mats, Concentration Incense, and other auxiliary cultivation treasures to carry with them in addition to Cold Jade Beds.

On the Cold Jade Bed, Zhouyang sat cross-legged, immediately feeling a comforting chill spreading from the bed beneath him into his body, rushing straight to his head.

The chill instantly refreshed him, doubling the speed at which he entered meditation compared to usual times.

In the next few months, Zhouyang did not step out once and peacefully entered closed-door cultivation in the mountain top cave mansion. When hungry, he would cook a bowl of [Golden Pearl Rice]; when thirsty, he would directly use magic to condense clear water for drinking. He vowed not to leave the cave mansion until he reached the Seventh-Layer Qi Cultivation.

With such determination, one day after three months, the door to the seclusion chamber creaked open from the inside. Zhouyang, who had reached the Seventh-Layer Qi Cultivation, came out with a face full of exhaustion.

Three months of closed-door cultivation, every day substituting meditation for rest; Zhouyang’s spirit was exhausted to the extreme.

He relied on this breath to break through the barrier from Mid-Stage Qi Cultivation to Late-Stage Qi Cultivation. Now that the barrier broke, he could no longer hold on and walked into the bedroom next to the seclusion chamber, collapsing onto the warm jade bed and falling into a deep sleep.

He slept for three days and nights before waking up. Upon awakening, Zhouyang felt indescribably refreshed, feeling he had never slept so well in his entire life.

This was to be expected.

Not to mention that this was the first time in both past and present lives that he had slept for so long, even the warm jade bed he was sleeping on now was a treasure he previously had no right to enjoy.

The warm jade, like cold jade, is also a Tier Two Spiritual Object. The difference is that the cold jade emits a cold aura that helps cultivators focus and stay clear of mind, preventing deviation, while the warm jade emits heat, aiding in relaxing the spirit and greatly improving sleep quality.

"No wonder everyone desires to become a high-tier cultivator. The difference between high-tier cultivators and low-tier cultivators is not just lifespan and divine techniques but also the treatment they enjoy in terms of food, clothing, housing, and transportation. It’s the difference between aristocrats and commoners!"

Looking at the smooth and warm jade bed beneath him, Zhouyang couldn’t help but sigh wistfully.

Within the world of cultivators, the issue of uneven resource distribution is even more severe than the world he was from in his previous life.

Low-tier loose cultivators fight desperately for a piece of low-grade spirit stone, unaware that even if they struggle for decades, they still couldn’t afford a bed that high-tier cultivators sleep on.

"Fortunately, I’m now the one sleeping on the bed!"

Thinking of something unknown, he muttered with a peculiar expression, then elegantly stood up and exited the cave mansion.

After leaving the cave mansion where he stayed for three months, Zhouyang planned to visit old clan leader Zhou Minghan to share his good news of breaking through to Seventh-Layer Qi Cultivation.

Unexpectedly, just a few steps out of the cave mansion, he found that Grandpa Qi, Zhou Yun, who usually sat under the [Dragon Scale Tree], was unexpectedly missing. Moreover, a white cloth was hung on the tree.

Seeing the white cloth, Zhouyang’s face suddenly changed. Hanging a white cloth on the [Dragon Scale Tree] means a clan elder has passed away.

"Which elder passed away?"

His heart sank, and the joy of breaking through to the Seventh-Layer Qi Cultivation was instantly dispersed by the bad news.

The Zhou family only has eight elders in total, losing one suddenly doesn’t just mean losing a senior; it also means losing a high-end combat force whose absence can’t be compensated by an additional Seventh-Layer Qi Cultivation cultivator.

Daring not to delay, Zhouyang immediately changed his course towards the ancestral hall at the foot of the mountain.

When he arrived at the ancestral hall, he found that all clan cultivators at Yuquan Lake Oasis, including the old clan leader Zhou Minghan, were there handling the funeral affairs for the deceased elder.

It was then he learned that the deceased elder was none other than Grand Elder Zhou Qian of the Zhou family, who had failed to establish foundation despite having consumed the "Foundation Establishment Pill," and was a Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer Great Perfection cultivator.

Zhou Family’s Grand Elder Zhou Qian was the eldest of the "Light" generation, a middle-grade spiritual root cultivator, and a rare Tier Two High-grade Array Master.

Due to Zhou Qian’s high talent in arrays and decent spiritual root aptitude, the Zhou family had bet everything on him, giving him the "Foundation Establishment Pill" bought using their collective savings.

If he could successfully establish a foundation, the Zhou family would gain not only a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator but also a rare Tier Three Array Master, doubling the family’s overall strength.

Unfortunately, he failed!

His failure not only wasted a precious "Foundation Establishment Pill" but also clouded his Dao Heart, rendering him unable to break through to Tier Three Array Master. He spent the rest of his life repaying the family’s debt, unable even to leave behind offspring.

"Your Grand Uncle was only three years older than me, with his cultivation at Qi Cultivation Great Perfection, he should have endured a few more years. Sadly, knowing the family intended to develop that Red Flame Iron Ore, he resolutely gambled his entire lifespan to forcibly breakthrough to Tier Three Array Master realm, hoping to leave a Tier Three array and Tier Three Array Master’s legacy for the family!"

Outside the ancestral hall, after paying his respects to Elder Zhou Qian, Zhouyang saw Elder Zhou Quan, eyes red, and heard him hoarsely describing the reason for Elder Zhou Qian’s death.

Zhouyang originally didn’t have a deep impression of this grand uncle, because unlike Elder Zhou Quan or Elder Zhou Yun, this grand uncle seldom appeared before the younger generation of the clan to guide their cultivation.

Counting carefully, over the past twenty-two years, he has seen this grand uncle less than five times, and each meeting was at important family gatherings, where he just followed his parents’ instructions to pay respects; there was truly little interaction between them.

However, now, after hearing Elder Zhou Quan talk about the reason for this grand uncle’s passing, he felt deep respect and admiration for this elder who had silently contributed from behind the scenes.

Then, seeing Elder Zhou Quan with reddened eyes, as if he had been crying, Zhouyang comforted him in a low tone, "Third Grandpa, please accept my condolences. Although Grand Uncle has passed away, his contributions and achievements for the clan will always be remembered by us who are still living!"

He didn’t ask whether Elder Zhou Qian succeeded or not, because that was no longer important.

Many people often only value the result, but what they don’t understand is that sometimes the process is more important than the result.

If Elder Zhou Qian had not determined to break through to Tier Three Array Master, how would there have been a result?

Therefore, sometimes the result is truly unimportant; what matters is having a heart set on achieving a result!

Grand Clan Leader Zhou Minghan, a Tier Three High-grade Refiner, personally crafted a Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifact, naturally with no possibility of failure.

A Foundation Establishment Cultivator can already convert magical power into Foundation Establishment True Flame. Although this True Flame is not as hot as Earth Fire, its temperature surpasses the white flame produced by burning Flaming Sun Wood by quite a bit.

Even more valuable is that True Flame is transformed from the cultivator’s magical power, controlling it is easy, unlike the flames of Earth Fire, Celestial Fire, and other spiritual objects.

To ensure Zhouyang could observe carefully, the grand clan leader deliberately slowed down during the artifact refining and even took the time to explain by telepathy using divine sense during key moments, a privilege reserved for a direct disciple.

Clearly, in the eyes of the current grand clan leader, Zhouyang, this junior, was his ultimate choice for inheriting the artifact refining skill.

Zhouyang also knew how precious this opportunity was, so he meticulously memorized everything the grand clan leader explained, regardless of whether he understood it or not, and would later make notes to prevent forgetting in the future.

Although cultivators have a photographic memory, when they remember too many things, they still tend to forget some memories, so taking notes on important matters is necessary.

It’s said that after a Great Cultivator at the Nascent Soul Stage forms their Nascent Soul, they acquire the great divine technique of "Memory Retrospect," enabling them to recall even the memories from when they were in their mother’s womb if desired, thus eliminating the need for note-taking.

After about two hours, the grand clan leader completed the artifact refining.

The two artifacts refined included a defensive inner armor made from rat skin and a set of four short daggers crafted from four old rat’s front teeth.

Since two drops of Zhouyang’s essence blood were used during the refining process, the artifacts could be used immediately upon completion.

He did not stand on ceremony with the grand clan leader and immediately took off his outer robe to wear the defensive inner armor and sheathed the four roughly seven-inch-long daggers at his waist for easy access.

After he finished these preparations, Grand Clan Leader Zhou Minghan said, "Your cultivation should soon break through to the seventh layer of Qi Cultivation, right? Once you break through to the seventh layer of Qi Cultivation, with these two [Black Gold Armor] and [Armor-Piercing Daggers], plus the [Silver Gang Shield] I gave you before, you can even face off against a typical ninth-layer Loose Cultivator in Qi Cultivation."

A cultivator’s level determines the number and rank of magical artifacts they can master. With Zhouyang’s current sixth-layer Qi Cultivation, simultaneously mastering two Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts is somewhat taxing. If he can break through to the seventh layer of Qi Cultivation, both his magical power and divine sense would improve greatly, allowing him to truly unleash the power of the three Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts on him.

As for more powerful Tier Three Spiritual Artifacts, even if given to him for refining, with his current magical power and divine sense, he couldn’t exert half the power of the spiritual artifact, making Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts more practical.

Thus, even as a Tier Three High-Grade Refiner, Grand Clan Leader Zhou Minghan, although possessing extra Tier Three Spiritual Artifacts, would not bestow them to Zhouyang for refining. It would not only be a waste of resources but also might bring disaster to Zhouyang.

After all, many independent Foundation Establishment Cultivators continue using Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts even after their breakthrough; if they see a Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivator like Zhouyang holding a Tier Three Spiritual Artifact, it’s natural they would covet it.

Zhouyang understood this reasoning, so even though he received favored attention from Grand Clan Leader Zhou Minghan, he would not make such a request.

Hearing the grand clan leader’s words, his expression immediately became respectful, and he said gratefully, "Grandson was just about to report this matter to Great-Grandfather. Recently, grandson feels he is about to break through the late-stage Qi Cultivation barrier and seeks to complete the breakthrough using the abundant spiritual energy at the mountaintop cave mansion. I ask for Great-Grandfather’s permission."

"Very well, then go and seclude yourself in the cave mansion opposite mine for the breakthrough. This is the array token for that cave mansion. Remember to return it to me after you’re done using it."

The grand clan leader waved his hand, taking out a cave mansion token and handing it to Zhouyang.

"Thank you, Great-Grandfather. Grandson takes his leave."

Zhouyang, holding the token, eagerly bade farewell to Grand Clan Leader Zhou Minghan and moved into the cave mansion opposite.

On the Jade Spring Peak, there are three cave mansions at the summit. Apart from the one occupied by the old Clan Leader, Zhou Minghan, the other two are unclaimed. If anyone in the family wishes to harness the abundant spiritual qi of the mountaintop cave mansions to break through their realm, they can apply to temporarily reside therein for seclusion retreat.

However, there aren’t many late-stage Qi Cultivation cultivators in the Zhou family, and it’s common for late-stage Qi Cultivation cultivators to take over ten years to advance a single layer. Thus, these two unclaimed mountaintop cave mansions remain vacant for about eight out of ten years.

Both cave mansions are equipped with dust-cleaning arrays, ensuring they stay as spotless as new even after years of non-occupancy. Zhouyang, holding the cave mansion control token, entered, briefly surveyed the arrangements inside, and proceeded directly to the most secluded chamber within.

This secluded chamber at the mountaintop cave mansion has direct access to the spiritual eye of the Jade Spring Peak’s spirit vein, making it the area with the densest spiritual qi on the entire peak. Each chamber also contains a Cold Jade Bed sculpted from Tier Two spiritual objects.

The cold emitted by the Cold Jade Bed assists cultivators in calming the heart and focusing the mind, preventing deviation in cultivation. Generally, Foundation Establishment cultivators with some wealth add such treasures when constructing cave mansions.

Moreover, affluent Foundation Establishment cultivators often carry treasures like Heart-Clearing Meditation Mats and Concentration Incense in addition to the Cold Jade Bed.

Zhouyang sat cross-legged on the Cold Jade Bed and immediately felt a chilling aura permeate his entire being from the bed beneath, directly striking his head.

This surge of cold invigorated him greatly, almost doubling the time it took him to enter meditation compared to usual.

For the following months, Zhouyang remained inside the mountaintop cave mansion in focused seclusion. When hungry, he cooked himself a bowl of Golden Pearl Rice; when thirsty, he gathered water directly through magic for drinking. He resolved not to leave the mansion until he reached the seventh-layer Qi Cultivation.

With such determination, on a certain day three months later, the door of the secluded chamber creaked open from within, and Zhouyang, now at the seventh-layer Qi Cultivation, emerged looking thoroughly exhausted.

Three months of seclusion, resting every day through meditation, drove Zhouyang’s spirit to its limit in fatigue.

Relying solely on determination, he broke through the barrier from mid-stage Qi Cultivation to late-stage Qi Cultivation. Now, with the barrier shattered, he could no longer persist, and staggered into the adjacent bedroom of the secluded chamber, collapsing onto the Warm Jade Bed and slept profoundly.

He slept for three full days and nights before awakening. When he awoke, Zhouyang felt indescribably refreshed, as though he had never enjoyed such a good sleep in his life.

That’s natural.

Not to mention this was the longest sleep between his past and present lives, the Warm Jade Bed he slept on was a treasure he had previously no right to enjoy.

Like Cold Jade, Warm Jade is also a Tier Two spiritual object. The difference is that while Cold Jade’s coldness helps cultivators focus and prevent deviation, Warm Jade’s heat aids in relaxing the spirit and greatly enhancing sleep quality.

"No wonder everyone wishes to become high-tier cultivators. Compared to low-tier cultivators, it’s not just the disparity in lifespan and divine techniques, but even the quality of life concerning food, clothing, shelter, and travel reflect the treatment of nobility versus commoners!"

Looking at the smooth, warm Warm Jade Bed below him, Zhouyang couldn’t help but sigh with sentiment.

The luxury of aristocracy reeks of riches, while along the roads lie bones frozen to death.

In the world of cultivators, the issue of uneven resource distribution is even more severe than in the world he once knew.

Loose cultivators at the bottom often fight to the death over a single low-grade spirit stone, unaware that even after decades of struggle, they could never afford the bed on which high-tier cultivators sleep.

"Luckily, I am the one sleeping on the bed now!"

As if reminded of something, he murmured this with a peculiar expression before cheerfully rising and exiting the cave mansion.

Having been within the cave mansion for three months, Zhouyang intended to visit the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan and share the joy of his breakthrough to the seventh-layer Qi Cultivation.

Unexpectedly, after just a few steps out of the mansion, he noticed that Grandpa Qi, Zhou Yun, who usually sat under the Dragon Scale Tree, was nowhere in sight. Furthermore, there was white cloth hanging on the tree.

Seeing the white cloth, Zhouyang’s expression changed abruptly. White cloth hanging on the Dragon Scale Tree signifies the passing of a clan elder.

"Which elder has passed away?"

His heart sank, and the joy from breaking through to the seventh-layer Qi Cultivation instantly faded at this bad news.

The Zhou family only had eight elders in total. The sudden loss of one signifies not just the absence of a senior figure but the loss of formidable strength, a deficit that a seventh-layer cultivator could never amply compensate.

With urgency, Zhouyang altered his path and proceeded towards the family ancestral hall down the mountain.

Upon reaching the ancestral hall, he realized that all family cultivators residing in the Yuquan Lake Oasis, including the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan, were gathered there to attend the deceased elder’s final rites.