Faced with Wang Xianzhou's sudden appearance in Droplet Cave Heaven, Yulou felt as if he had found his core pillar of support. All the anxiety in his heart vanished completely.
Because Droplet Cave Heaven was now connected to the outside world, the regulations of the Immortal Alliance naturally extended here. The cultivators trapped at the Qi Drawing realm were the best proof of this.
Coincidentally, the Immortal Alliance's supervising steward within the grotto-heaven was Wu Jinyan, who could be considered half one of their own.
Now that Wang Xianzhou was here, no matter what Yulou wanted to do, as long as it didn't involve the Foundation Establishnt families and factions within Dripdrop Cave, he wouldn't face any restrictions whatsoever.
"Backing up? Ancestor, do you an...?"
Yulou was feigning ignorance.
"Haha, read this letter from the Patriarch first."
Taking the letter from the Patriarch that Wang Xianzhou handed over, Yulou read it carefully.
Seeing that the two shared a good relationship, Qin Churan, who was serving by Ancestor Xianzhou's side, let go of her inner trepidation, and her worry turned to curiosity.
Clearly, her imdiate superior had a massive family backing him. This was likely the reason he had been able to enter Azurewater Palace directly.
'...Do not worry about the matter regarding the vein-tracing thod. Xianzhou will handle it for you.
'Furthermore, it would be best for you to find a suitable dao companion within Dripdrop Cave when the opportunity arises. She can help you deal with any troubles and issues that might appear in the future.
'Although Elder Zhuo Chi has agreed to look after you, he is an outsider after all. My relationship with him is not particularly deep.
'Finally, as for the trivial matters in Riverbend Fishing Village, I cannot give you any advice.
'Yulou, act boldly.
'With your Ancestor Xianzhou there, there will be no problems or accidents.'
With Ancestor Xianzhou there, there would be no problems or accidents!
This was the strength and reputation of a Qi Condensation realm killing god.
Every generation of the Wang Clan produced over a hundred direct lineage children. Among the three most prominent mbers of the Xian generation, Wang Xianzhou had been the sharpest and most formidable. However, a blade too sharp chips easily, and he happened to be the only one among them who had failed to achieve Foundation Establishnt.
As for Ancestor Jingyi, she was the daughter of a live-in son-in-law. She was considered part of the direct lineage, but only on the periphery, making her situation relatively special.
Setting down the letter, Yulou looked toward the ancestor.
"Churan, go arrange for a banquet to be prepared."
Seeing Qin Churan acknowledge the order and leave, Wang Xianzhou stroked his beard and asked, "Do you want to arrange for those two to et today?"
Having co specifically to resolve Wang Yulou's problems, Wang Xianzhou assud he understood Yulou's intentions.
"Not at all, Ancestor. I can handle those two myself. It's just that regarding the Source Vein Gui Water Qi..."
Listening to Yulou's question with a smile, Wang Xianzhou said with a sigh of emotion, "Patriarch Danri asured your spirit roots for you. Such an opportunity can be encountered but not sought. You and Yu'an truly possess a fair amount of grand fortune.
"However, for you, the Source Vein Gui Water Qi is an excellent choice. It also involves the matter of your dao foundation after you establish your foundation in the future."
"The matter of the dao foundation after Foundation Establishnt?"
In the past, Yulou believed he had a chance to beco an immortal. Later, his goal changed to successfully opening a Purple Palace.
Later still, his goals lowered a bit more, and he had even entertained the thought of becoming a live-in son-in-law.
But no matter what, he remained extrely confident that he could achieve Foundation Establishnt.
With dual spirit root aptitude, the cultivation of his family, a cautious style of conduct, and the assistance of the Ruyi Golden Radiance, if he still couldn't establish his foundation, then the threshold for Foundation Establishnt cultivators would be far too absurdly high.
However, he had indeed never thought about cultivation after Foundation Establishnt. After all, he had only recently entered Qi Condensation. Establishing a foundation and reinforcing a dao foundation were simply too far away.
"Yulou, under normal circumstances, a cultivator at the Qi Condensation stage can at most cultivate spiritual energy that encompasses two types of spirit roots.
"This way, after achieving Foundation Establishnt, they can choose one of the two, using these two spirit roots as the direction for cultivating their dao foundation. Afterward, following the order of the five elents generating one another, they can complete the remaining ones one by one.
"However, you possess water and fire spirit roots. There is no Qi Condensation thod in the world that can accommodate both water and fire, harmonize the dragon and tiger, and allow yin and yang to coexist.
"But harmonizing your spirit roots with Gui Water spiritual energy will allow you to be more at ease in your choice of cultivating a dao foundation after you establish your foundation in the future.
"At that ti, you can cultivate the thods of Hongdengzhao. From the very beginning, you can rely on Hongdengzhao's thods to beco an outstanding figure among Foundation Establishnt cultivators."
Yulou was highly intelligent, so he quickly understood the twists and turns involved.
"My spirit roots are sixty percent fire and forty percent water. If I cultivate fire thods during Qi Condensation, although I can force a breakthrough to Foundation Establishnt despite the insufficient harmony of my root energy, it will affect the speed of reinforcing my dao foundation afterward?"
Wang Xianzhou nodded repeatedly. The great thing about this child, Yulou, was that he understood everything with a single hint.
"Exactly! Qi Condensation thods like the five colors, five rhythms, and five spirits are simple and easy to cultivate, but things beco troubleso after Foundation Establishnt.
"The reason it has been difficult for anyone from our Wang Clan to reach the threshold of the Purple Palace for many years is because they took the easy way during Qi Condensation. But this kind of choice is actually a form of helplessness—our Wang Clan didn't dare to gamble."
'Things beco troubleso after Foundation Establishnt?'
Yulou thought for a mont, then asked again, "Didn't Mu Changze also cultivate the Five Spirits Monster-Absorbing Qi to establish his foundation? Yet it seems to that he is sowhat stronger than the Patriarch."
Ancestor Xianzhou stood up and said with so emotion, "He achieved Foundation Establishnt in his seventies, and later he even beca a live-in son-in-law. Let's not talk about him... Moreover, you have water and fire spirit roots, so your cultivation inherently cos with troubles.
"If you want to go further, you must prepare well during Qi Condensation. Once the harmony of your root energy is properly established, after Foundation Establishnt, you can use Hongdengzhao's Foundation Establishnt cultivation techniques to achieve the effect of cultivating both the water and fire lineages of your dao foundation simultaneously.
"In truth, if your spirit roots were sixty percent water and forty percent fire, you probably wouldn't have needed to co to Dripdrop Cave. There are over a hundred thods for fire-attribute spiritual energy within Hongdengzhao for you to choose from freely."
'To think that old fox Mu Changze was actually a bit of a genius,' Yulou thought with so emotion. There truly were countless heroes under heaven.
However, he noticed that Wang Xianzhou hadn't ntioned the matter regarding the vein-tracing yet.
"Ancestor, regarding the matter of using Gui Water spiritual energy for vein-tracing, the Patriarch's letter told to ask you..."
This ti, Wang Xianzhou answered very prudently, explaining after so hesitation, "Yulou, in truth, whether vein-tracing is necessary is still unknown.
"There is a massive difference between old cultivation arts and modern thods, and Foundation Establishnt itself is becoming easier and easier.
"After Foundation Establishnt, the ridians widened by vein-tracing beco useless. At that ti, what you need to cultivate are your acupoints.
"On one hand, the more acupoints you have, the stronger your strength during magical combat.
"On the other hand, using acupoints to carry the dao foundation is also preparation for the Purple Palace.
"Furthermore, the width of your ridians will not affect the speed of cultivating acupoints. This is sothing the clan can be certain of."
'Huh?'
'So all my painstaking efforts in vein-tracing were for nothing?'
Yulou felt a bit bitter inside.
"Ancestor, but Patriarch Danri said that the Source Vein Gui Water Qi is top-tier for magical combat. If I don't trace my veins to widen them, relying solely on the spells attached to the Gui Water spiritual energy thod, it can't be considered top-tier for magical combat at all."
Looking at Yulou's complex expression, Wang Xianzhou said quietly, "Widening your ridians can indeed enhance your magical combat capabilities during the Qi Condensation stage.
"But if you achieve Foundation Establishnt directly, can't you just avoid magical combat during the Qi Condensation stage altogether?"
'Directly achieve Foundation Establishnt?'
Yulou had never imagined such a good thing. The Wang Clan had resources, an abundance of resources, but they were not so extravagant that they could let a Qi Condensation cultivator stay cooped up at ho to cultivate all the way to Foundation Establishnt.
There was no way to guarantee whether a Foundation Establishnt cultivator produced that way could bear the responsibilities of the family or establish a firm foothold in the Wunan Cultivation World.
"So, do I still need to perform vein-tracing?" Yulou smiled bitterly.
"Neither the Patriarch nor I can give you advice.
"After going out to travel for a bit a few years ago, Patriarch Danri has entered closed-door cultivation once again.
"She has no family, and her few disciples entered the grotto-heaven with her.
"Right now, even if we wanted to find Patriarch Danri to ask about the deeper aning behind letting you cultivate the Source Vein Gui Water Qi, we wouldn't be able to find her.
"Perhaps you can think of a way within Dripdrop Cave. The Source Vein Gui Water Qi is a thod from Dripdrop Cave after all, so they ought to understand it sowhat."
Wang Xianzhou offered his suggestion.
"Ancestor, I am currently twenty-three years old and have already achieved success in Qi Condensation. Because I entered Azurewater Palace directly, no one in Dripdrop Cave knows my age.
"Senior Wu might have doubts in his heart, but he hasn't asked. Perhaps he assus by default that our Wang Clan has the backing of the ancestor and possesses ways to accelerate our disciples' cultivation speed.
"But if I take the Source Vein Gui Water Qi to ask the elders or Purple Palace Grand Cultivators of Dripdrop Cave, it will cause trouble."
Yulou hadn't expected that a thod recomnded by Danri at the ti would co with so many after-sales issues.
Compared to taking risks to make deep inquiries with the people of Dripdrop Cave, he was still more inclined toward Ancestor Xianzhou's first plan.
Cultivating directly to Foundation Establishnt without engaging in magical combat along the way naturally eliminated the need to widen his ridians.
Yulou considered everything thoroughly. Wang Xianzhou remained silent for a long ti before finally speaking.
"Yulou, Patriarch Danri has cultivated for a thousand years and has had many dealings with our Wang Clan. The advice she gave must have a deep aning.
"If it were rely for harmonizing your root energy or being top-tier in magical combat, you actually have many other Qi Condensation thods to choose from, yet she specifically recomnded the Source Vein Gui Water Qi.
"For this reason, the Patriarch had co to explain these complex circumstances to you.
"In Source Vein Gui Water, vein-tracing cos first, and Gui Water cos second. Tracing veins with Gui Water is its greatest characteristic.
"If you wish to continue vein-tracing, I can concoct spiritual pills for you."
At this point, every aspect had been explained clearly.
The Source Vein Gui Water Qi was diocre or even subpar in magical combat, and it possessed no advantage in cultivation speed. Aside from vein-tracing, this ancient thod had nothing outstanding about it.
But vein-tracing itself didn't seem particularly useful. The ability to fight during the Qi Condensation stage wasn't actually that attractive.
Wang Xianmao hadn't known how to make the decision, which was why he sent Wang Xianzhou to hand the choice over to Yulou.
If you want to cultivate vein-tracing, the clan will support you.
If you don't want to cultivate vein-tracing, the clan will also do its best to help you.
"Ancestor, I plan to cultivate for a period of ti first. During this ti, I will cultivate using two different modes.
"The first mode is without vein-tracing, putting all my effort into cultivating the Gui Water Qi daily to accumulate my cultivation base.
"The second mode is to use the Gui Water for vein-tracing in addition to cultivating the Gui Water Qi.
"In the end, we can compare the costs and ti consumption of these two cultivation modes before making a decision. What do you think?"
Cultivation was a troubleso matter. The process from Qi Condensation to Foundation Establishnt took at least several decades. Yulou decided to perform a small experint first.
In his view, if balancing vein-tracing alongside cultivation didn't affect his cultivation speed too much or consu too many resources, then it was actually worth a try.
As a thod recomnded by Patriarch Danri, the greatest characteristic of the Source Vein Gui Water Qi was using the weakest, most ultimate yin Gui Water spiritual energy to widen the ridians. If he abandoned this characteristic, he might stray from Patriarch Danri's original intention when she recomnded the thod to him.
'Patriarch Danri, why are you in closed-door cultivation at a ti like this?'
'Isn't this just tornting , Wang Yulou...'
In truth, the reason Danri entered closed-door cultivation was very simple—wandering around the mortal world shortened her lifespan.
Wandering for a day ant one less day of longevity. If it weren't for her master Mangxiang attempting to attain a Golden Core, she could stay cooped up for decades before coming out once.
Not coming out unless there was a reason, and sitting in the grotto-heaven to receive offerings from their factions and the Immortal Alliance was the normal state of affairs for grand cultivators.
"This is a foolproof plan. Moreover, there is actually no upper limit to widening ridians.
"Yulou, although vein-tracing can enhance your magical combat ability, a cultivator's strength ultimately depends on their cultivation base."
At this point, both of them fell slightly silent.
Wang Xianzhou was a peak Qi Condensation cultivator who had repeatedly achieved the feat of defeating Foundation Establishnt cultivators. But precisely because of this, he possessed an incredibly deep understanding of the differences in cultivation base.
How many diocre people could easily deal with his various magical combat thods simply because their cultivation bases were higher than his?
The absolute key to this lay entirely within the height of one's cultivation base.
"Let's leave it at this for now. In a few years, when my age isn't as sensitive, I can properly make inquiries with the many high-stage cultivators of Droplet Cave Heaven."
Speaking to this point, Yulou thought of Ancestor Xianzhou's age and lifespan—the ancestor didn't have much ti left.
"Ancestor, how long do you plan to stay in Dripdrop Cave?"
Hearing this question, Wang Xianzhou looked blankly at Yulou before smiling freely and replying, "I'm not leaving, child. This ti, I'm not leaving."
Yulou's mouth parted slightly, and it took a long while before he ca to his senses.
"That's good too. The spirit fish of Beautiful Water Lake taste quite good. You can eat them every day in the grotto-heaven."
"Haha, I'm a man with one foot in the grave. Why would I eat spirit fish? You should be the one eating more."
At the welco banquet prepared for Wang Xianzhou, Wang Yulou introduced this clan elder to his two good fellow disciples as 'Wang Rongzhou.'
With an appearance of advanced age, cloudy eyes, and a head full of white hair, his cultivation base was rely at Qi Refining level six. It looked as though he would never have a chance to break through to late Qi Condensation in this lifeti.
However, even though 'Wang Rongzhou' looked this way, Zhang Xuewu and Cui Dingyi still stood rigidly at attention.
Wang Yulou and Wang Xianzhou's efforts to maintain an incredibly low profile served, in the eyes of others, as further evidence of the imnse strength of the Anbei Kingdom Wang Clan.
A clan disciple coming out to cultivate at a sect with a level six Qi Refining bodyguard by his side was sothing only a great family could pull off.
They didn't know that 'Wang Rongzhou' was no bodyguard, but a killing god—a killing god who could slaughter the likes of Wu Jinyan as easily as slaughtering a chicken.
Of course, this ignorance was perhaps a good thing. At the very least, Cui Dingyi's sleep and ntal state wouldn't be plagued by distress.
"Ancestor, what do you think of Cui Dingyi?"
Once the banquet concluded and the guests dispersed, Yulou asked for advice.
"Impressive. But it's not him who is impressive, but rather the rules that allowed him to cultivate all the way from a mortal to Qi Refining.
"Yulou, you might not be very sensitive to what the post-natal martial artists within the grotto-heaven represent behind the scenes.
"Whether Di Shui Xianzun is dead or alive is debated by many within the Immortal Alliance, but now that I have personally entered Droplet Cave Heaven, I am certain instead.
"The Immortal Venerable has definitely not vanished completely!"
Yulou nodded slowly. Regarding the possibility that the Immortal Venerable was still alive, he had actually harbored so conjectures in his heart as well.
Within Droplet Cave Heaven, the faith and worship directed toward the Immortal Venerable could be described as fanatical.
Certain systematic designs within Dripdrop Cave were explicitly centered around reinforcing the faith and glorious na of the Immortal Venerable.
However, listening to Ancestor Xianzhou's words, he thought of another question.
"It is still best for us not to speak of the Immortal Venerable's matters.
"However, the cultivation path of martial artists returning from the post-natal to the innate stage is indeed extraordinary. It doesn't exist outside and is exclusive to the grotto-heaven.
"But Ancestor, the cultivators within the grotto-heaven are all disciples of Dripdrop Cave. If you stay long-term, will you be noticed or driven away by others?"
Wang Xianzhou poured himself another cup of spirit wine and said with a smile, "Haha, why do you think I arrived so late?
"Before coming here, I made a trip to Lotus Immortal City to find an old friend and rearrange a position as an Immortal Alliance Emissary. My superior is none other than the Immortal Alliance Steward, Wu Jinyan.
"To think that with one foot in the grave, I've managed to beco an Immortal Alliance Emissary again. It's quite amusing when you think about it."
Yulou was sowhat tongue-tied. Good grief, Wu Jinyan acting as Wang Xianzhou's superior—when those two stood together, who exactly was the leader?
Setting aside the gap in strength, Wang Xianzhou's connections to casually arrange an emissary position for himself was sothing Wu Jinyan couldn't hope to match even if he wanted to.
"Yulou, coming back to that Cui Dingyi, if you ask , there's no need for us to wait for him to show his flaws. We should directly suppress him with force. He's just a minor early-stage Qi Refining cultivator; I wouldn't even need to make a move, you could take him down yourself.
"Strength is everything. You asked the Patriarch how to handle him, and you asked how I view him, but you are actually far too cautious. When it is ti to be decisive, you must be decisive!"
Regarding Cui Dingyi, Wang Xianzhou provided his guiding opinion.
Yulou would charge forward while he stood guard in the background. This would both train Wang Yulou and ensure that no accidents occurred—perfect.
"Let's wait a bit. He is still working for right now. A few days ago... using a person's utility is better than using their faults. Old Cui is doing quite well, so there's no rush."
"Haha, good, good, good. You brat, you have a talent for this, a real talent."
Wang Xianzhou didn't specify what talent Yulou possessed, but Yulou assud it was nothing more than praise.
"Then Ancestor, you should rest well first, while I continue with my daily cultivation?"
Faced with the ancestor, Yulou felt boundless reverence. His reverence was probably over a dozen tis greater than what he felt for the Immortal Venerable, perhaps even more.
"Rest? Rest for what? I'm not so old that I can't move. I'm going out for a stroll... no, a walk as an emissary."
After lecturing Yulou a bit, Wang Xianzhou picked out his most low-profile flying artifact, mounted it, and flew off to roam Dripdrop Cave.
The Crimson Sparrow, which was at the peak of the Small Demon Realm, remained behind in Yulou's courtyard, serving as an assistant for Yulou in tis of danger—though there was no danger for Yulou to face within Dripdrop Cave.
However, the Crimson Sparrow possessed an incredibly overbearing temperant. The mont it arrived, it seized He Laosan's nest and even clamored for Wang Yulou to quickly find a few female spirit chickens to keep it company.
With nowhere to turn, the weeping He Laosan sought out Wang Yulou to complain. Wang Yulou could only comfort it properly and instruct Qin Churan to prepare a spirit fish for the Crimson Sparrow every week.
Blood essence pills were things that only a lesser bird like He Laosan would treasure. Senior Crimson Sparrow had seen the grand world alongside Wang Xianzhou, so it naturally looked down on such things.
Now that the Crimson Sparrow had moved into Yulou's estate, the jobs in the estate could only be left to mortals who understood nothing and Qin Churan, so the job of raising the bird fell upon her shoulders.
Toward this, Qin Churan felt nothing but deep awe.
The unfathomable Wang Xianzhou casually tossed out a spirit bird that was at the peak of the Small Demon Realm. She was gradually forming a concept of the grandeur of the Anbei Kingdom Wang Clan.
This was an existence that wouldn't lose out to any Foundation Establishnt family within the Dripdrop Cave sect.
If the Anbei Kingdom Wang Clan hung around with the Mangxiang lineage, yet couldn't even compare to a Foundation Establishnt family within a small sect like Dripdrop Cave, then why would they follow Mangxiang and Hongdengzhao?
Late at night, Yulou, who had cultivated for an entire day, didn't see the ancestor return, but he wasn't worried at all.
What kind of concept did Wang Xianzhou represent?
He had beco an Immortal Alliance Emissary by passing through magical combat selections and had once spread his na across Wunan. Although the ti of his rise was incredibly brief compared to the grand display of those grand cultivators who had ruled for centuries or millennia, he was undeniably a heavenly genius-tier figure.
A peak Qi Condensation cultivator of this caliber was strong to the point of slaughtering Wu Jinyan like a chicken. Even if he encountered a Foundation Establishnt cultivator targeting him, Ancestor Xianzhou would still be able to escape if he wanted to.
Therefore, rather than worrying about the ancestor running into trouble, Wang Yulou might as well pray that no accidents occurred during his first ti using the Green Ear Water-Fire Furnace for artifact refining.
The Green Ear Water-Fire Furnace was a mid-grade magic artifact-tier refining furnace with seventeen layers of restrictions.
However, for a refining furnace, restrictions were actually not the most important aspect. After all, it couldn't possibly be used for magical combat.
Its functionality relied primarily on two aspects: material and structure, with restrictions coming last.
The 'Green Ear' referred to its inner lining, which was crafted from eighth-grade spiritual material refined green-die iron. Extending from the inner lining were two green furnace ears, resembling pot handles.
Green-die iron was a combination of three spiritual materials refined together: eighth-grade green pool lead, eighth-grade layered rock, and eighth-grade black steel. This mixture was applied over ninth-grade spiritual material fire-repelling wood to form the inner lining.
Water-fire referred to the furnace's design structure, which allowed for the use of both water and fire artificing thods to refine artifacts.
With the fire thod, the fire-repelling wood could prevent the influence of spirit fire, and the refined spiritual material green-die iron was even less afraid of spirit fire. Consequently, this furnace could be used to refine artifacts via fire thods.
With the water thod, the Green Ear Water-Fire Furnace possessed an inlet below its left ear. After spiritual water entered, it would spiral downward along a track made of fire-repelling wood closely attached to the inner lining, flowing out from the center of the furnace bottom.
During the flow of spiritual water, the artificer could use special water-thod artificing path purification techniques to perform artifact refining.
Of course, the water thod of artificing was highly unique, and it was far less broad than the fire thod in terms of the types of materials it could handle and the types of artifacts it could refine.
However, Yulou noticed that Dripdrop Cave's rit Hall possessed corresponding water-thod artificing path techniques, which could make up for the deficiencies in An Ning's Artificing Notebook at the basic introductory stage.
It was just that if those thods were exchanged, Yulou could only practice them himself and could not pass them down.
From Wu Faxian's place, aside from purchasing the refining furnace, Yulou had also prepared a batch of auxiliary materials for artifact refining.
He placed the remaining human-faced snake scales into the refining furnace in pairs, activated the Red Lantern Fire, and began refining.
He was already relatively familiar with the refining of small Snake Scale Shields. Depending on the size of the scales, Yulou would refine four to seven layers of restrictions into them.
He refined fourteen snake scales in succession, and in the end, only six scales exploded during the process, which could be considered a massive success.
Yulou naturally wouldn't use these small Snake Scale Shields himself. He refined them to prepare for enhancing the combat capabilities of the cultivators in Riverbend Fishing Village.
This kind of artifact, which could be considered trash, could also exert excellent effects if used well.
The idea of an army of ants biting an elephant to death was completely impossible when the gap in cultivation base was massive, but in battles between cultivators and demon beasts, a cultivator's wisdom was far more important than their artifacts.
Coordinating spells, coordinating movents, and so forth were all where the advantages of cultivators lay.
For instance, with the human-faced snake from that day, if it had attacked after Yulou had properly trained and organized the cultivators of Riverbend Fishing Village, it would have only died a miserable death.
Things like collective Fire Shot Spells and a chaotic ss of artifacts restricting movent were just the basics. Yulou or Zhang Xuewu could secretly manipulate a small flying sword or a Jade Blade coated in ink amidst a cluster of wildly flying small Snake Scale Shields to directly execute a massive sneak attack.
A demon beast might be able to react, but trying to see clearly which item among nurous artifacts was trash and which was a hidden killing weapon would consu its energy and attention.
Magical combat was a systematic thing. Outnumbering and coordinating could, under certain conditions, create massive battle results.
This was also the reason Yulou believed that as long as he could organize and prepare the Qi Drawing cultivators of Riverbend Fishing Village, he could logically obtain the authority over personnel matters.
Military rits and victories were always the fastest ans to gather the hearts of the people.
"How high is your current level of artifact refining?"
Seeing Wang Yulou halt his spirit fire and begin ditating to recover, Ancestor Xianzhou, who had returned long ago and watched for a long ti, asked.
"No matter how I refine low-grade artifacts, I won't lose money. Refining mid-grade artifacts can guarantee a small profit. As for high-grade artifacts, I haven't tried them yet. I'll accumulate a bit more experience first."
Yulou answered extrely conservatively, primarily because he didn't have any materials for high-grade artifacts on hand.
Those pieces of Alligator Dragon Iron Armor were good things, but he didn't plan to refine them into high-grade artifacts. Instead, he intended to fashion a special set of iron armor to wear on his body as a bulletproof vest.
"Not bad. Sending you boys to Hongi was indeed the right choice. With An Ning's Artificing Notebook here, Yulou, your future is boundless.
"However, water and fire spirit roots are also quite good for pill refining. Are you interested in learning pill refining?"
Ancestor Xianzhou was highly proficient in pill refining, formation arrays, and rearing spirit birds. The Tie family behind Tie Qinhuo had been brought into the Wang Clan by him.
Seeing that the ancestor had the intention of nurturing him, Yulou said with absolute sincerity and reverence, "Ancestor, Yulou has taken far too much favorable treatnt from the family, yet I haven't made even a single shred of contribution to the family. Now you want to teach pill refining as well..."
For the Wang Clan to pass down its heritage for so many years, it also possessed a small, closed economic system within its ranks, similar to exchanging rit points and military rits. However, the specific transaction currency was called contribution points.
Over the years, Yulou had taken too much favorable treatnt from Uncle Rongyuan and the Patriarch, but he hadn't given back even a single contribution point to the family, which actually made him quite ashad.
"Don't talk about contributions or lack thereof between us. The contributions I've made to the family beca impossible to calculate long ago, so what harm is there in sharing so with you?
"Moreover, rit points, military rits, and contributions—no matter where you are, these things displayed out in the open are used to fool diocre people.
"Truly scarce things must always be strived for by oneself, rather than waiting for others to exchange them with you.
"Yulou, don't tell you don't understand this."
Standing at the entrance of the quiet room, Wang Xianzhou looked at Yulou with a half-smile.
Yulou naturally understood the ancestor's aning. He stood up with a bitter smile, put away the refining furnace and the Red Lantern, and said, "Ancestor, you should still take a look at the room I prepared for you. Churan busied herself for the entire afternoon. Let's go."
"Do you truly not intend to practice the art of pill refining?"
"Didn't you also refrain from practicing the art of artifact refining?"
Pushing open the bedroom door, Yulou saw a trace of incomprehension on the ancestor's face, so he continued, "I spent ten years learning artifact refining. Do I have to spend another ten years learning pill refining?
"Besides, with you here now, Ancestor, and with other brothers and elders of the clan in the future, I don't need to refine pills."
Raising his hand to point at Wang Yulou, Wang Xianzhou said helplessly, "You brat are exceptionally gifted in the artificing path. Talisman crafting, artifact refining, and pill refining are actually all interconnected. I simply find it a pity to waste your talent."
After so thought, Yulou gave a serious reply. Although he had been serious just now, his current seriousness carried far more candor.
"Ancestor, I wish to place more of my ti on cultivation.
"From childhood to adulthood, it was only within An Ning's grotto-heaven and within Dripdrop Cave that I felt like I truly set foot upon the path of cultivation.
"The grand cultivators restricted the cultivation speed of Qi Drawing stage cultivators. Compared to the disciples of many great families and grand sects, I have already fallen too far behind.
"Now, I can only rise early and sleep late, grasping every single day's ti to catch up as much as possible."
A millennium was too long; one had to fight for every day and night.
Only after fighting for one day and night after another would a millennium have a chance to beco a real, tangible, and reachable thing.
For this reason, even if he had to endure bone-eroding pain, Wang Yulou could still persist with vein-tracing.
Cultivation, cultivation—these past nearly four months were the ti Wang Yulou had truly set foot upon the path of cultivation.
Looking at the serious Yulou, Wang Xianzhou felt a bit dazed. He felt as though he were looking at his past self.
Back then, when he had just stepped into Qi Condensation, he similarly wished he could use all of every day's ti for cultivation.
It could be said that every cultivator who had just entered Qi Condensation experienced such a period of ti. Often, they would only wake up when their cultivation resources were completely exhausted.
Cultivating frantically, watching one's cultivation base grow bit by bit with the passage of ti—spiritual energy was like water, and he was like a sponge; as long as he absorbed it, there would be limitless growth.
'To think that over a hundred and forty years have already passed.'
After coming to his senses, Wang Xianzhou smiled and ruffled Yulou's head, saying, "Fine. Pill refining is actually very simple, nothing more than a stacking of resources. Artifact refining and pill refining have the effect of understanding one through the other. It won't be too late for you to practice it after you establish your foundation.
"Of course, by that ti, you might master it within two years, so you won't need ten years at all."
Ancestor Xianzhou possessed a burly stature and was much taller than Yulou, so ruffling Yulou's head ca very naturally and easily to him.
But Yulou was a big kid after all, so he took a step back, bowed, and saluted, saying, "Then Ancestor, please rest first, while I go continue my cultivation."
Glaring at Yulou for not letting him ruffle his head, Ancestor Xianzhou closed the door, walked ahead, and said, "Rest? Rest for what? I've been completely derailed by you.
"Let us grandfather and grandson study what kind of spiritual pills you should use. Now that you are at Qi Condensation, all sorts of potent dicines can be used as well.
"Haha, I'll let you experience the feeling of a soaring cultivation base."
"You should still rest. You've traveled such a long distance to get here..."
"I am rely old, not dead. Haven't you heard the saying? One will sleep long enough after death.
"Here, this is a Resting Pill. After eating one and sleeping for an hour, it equates to six hours of sleep.
"Back when I first entered Qi Condensation, I didn't have Resting Pills to eat. Didn't you brat want to place more ti on cultivation?
"Eat it, and you'll be able to cultivate for eleven hours a day, haha."
Looking at the large clay jar in his hands, which was filled with a massive heap of Resting Pills, Yulou felt sowhat overwheld.
'Ancestor, we're starting a grueling schedule imdiately?'
'Your efficiency is far too fast!'
"Could there be so issue with this thing? I noticed that Dripdrop Cave's rit Hall doesn't have Resting Pills?"
Yulou was naturally willing to have more ti for cultivation, but he feared that this kind of Resting Pill might possess so hidden issues.
Foundation Establishnt cultivators could replace sleep with cultivation. At the Qi Condensation stage, Qi Condensation cultivators could replace als with spiritual energy, but they still had to sleep to replenish their essence and recover their state.
"The Qi Condensation cultivators of Grand Cultivator Qingrui's family also eat this pill, so how could there be an issue? I even exchanged for the pill recipe with fellow daoists within the Immortal Alliance.
"As for why the rit Hall doesn't have it, that doesn't prove anything. Let alone Dripdrop Cave, many people within Hongdengzhao can't afford this Resting Pill either."
Speaking to this point, Wang Xianzhou recalled his past glorious years, feeling sowhat emotional.
"Why don't the children of Grand Cultivator Qingrui's family cultivate within the Immortal Venerable's grotto-heaven?"
Dripdrop Cave was Di Shui Xianzun's grotto-heaven. Since Grand Cultivator Qingrui was noble enough to occupy a spot in the very first row of the Gathering Immortals Platform within the Immortal Alliance, she must certainly possess a grotto-heaven as well.
Compared to letting the children of the clan take risks outside, wasn't it safer to use a corresponding mode to eliminate and screen them within the grotto-heaven?
"That female cultivator liked , but I was infatuated with another female cultivator back then, sigh.
"If I had been willing to beco a live-in son-in-law back then, I would definitely be doing much better than that dog Mu Changze right now.
"Yulou, female cultivators are all fierce tigers and Great Demons. If you want to achieve the Dao, you must stay far away from those female cultivators who look beautiful.
"However, Little Qin is fine. This girl looks foolish at a glance, and her cultivation base is lower than yours, so she is just right."
Suddenly bringing up past romantic affairs, it was clear that the ancestor was feeling nostalgic, though he was rely reminiscing about his youth.
"Ah... the Patriarch even told to find a female cultivator from a Foundation Establishnt family in Dripdrop Cave for a marriage alliance."
Yulou felt a headache whenever he thought about this matter.
Troubleso, far more troubleso than cultivation.
"Child, you don't understand. A marriage alliance is a marriage alliance, and staying far away from female cultivators is staying far away; they don't conflict.
"Little Qin is so good—intelligent but not too intelligent. She is just right to warm your bed."
In the quiet room, drawing a large pill furnace from his storage ring, Wang Xianzhou's expression turned solemn.
"Alright, these matters must ultimately be considered by yourself. Right now, I will refine Qi Transformation Pills for you.
"An ordinary Qi Transformation Pill increases cultivation speed by five days. Within those five days, cultivating for one day equates to three days.
"But if I abandon the durability of the pill's dicinal force, I can refine a Qi Transformation Pill that only lasts for two days. Within these two days, cultivating for one day equates to four and a half days.
"The charm of pill refining lies precisely in this. For the exact sa pill, by adjusting the materials and techniques slightly, the effects will differ.
"Tonight, I'll refine two bottles for you to eat first. As for other auxiliary pills and pills to stop the pain of vein-tracing, I will slowly customize them for you later."
A high-grade magic artifact pill furnace with thirty-six layers of restrictions was like a toy in Wang Xianzhou's hands, manipulated with absolute fluidity.
Watching Ancestor Xianzhou refine pills was like watching an artist create a masterpiece. Yulou's heart, which originally didn't want to practice pill refining, almost wavered.
The ancestor's cultivation base wasn't high, being rely at the peak of Qi Condensation, but to Wang Yulou, he was no different from so old man inside a ring.
He was even much better than an old man inside a ring; refining pills didn't require Yulou to provide spirit stones.
If Yulou insisted on giving them, he would even get a flick to his head.
This was Yulou's Dao protector, a protector the Patriarch had specifically chosen for him.
At tis, Yulou would even feel bewildered. He could be considered to have mingled in the cultivation world for many years, yet aside from being frightened once by Hongi, he had actually never encountered any danger.
You ask about the iron crocodile dragons?
Those three iron crocodile dragons were indeed stronger than the human-faced snake. Perhaps after forty blasts of the Alligator Dragon Water Whip, Yulou's spiritual belt would be finished, but could they be considered a threat?
Absolutely not!
Forty blasts of the Alligator Dragon Water Whip—Yulou wouldn't even need to run before they themselves would have already dropped dead on the ground long ago.
As the guarding cultivator of Riverbend Fishing Village, Yulou possessed only one mission: to protect the safety of the fishing village.
However, minor demons were handled by martial artists and Qi Drawing cultivators, and Great Demons didn't co every day; arriving once every six months was already considered frequent—Beautiful Water Lake didn't possess that many powerful demon beasts after all.
When all was said and done, the system of gratitude within Droplet Cave Heaven was designed to squeeze out every drop of gratitude. Sustainable extraction of gratitude was the fundantal principle.
Demon beasts had to exist, but they couldn't be too nurous or too strong.
Ti passed without notice in the mountains. When one imrsed himself in cultivation, ti flowed incredibly fast, to the point where one wouldn't even feel it.
Over a period of two months, Yulou silently cultivated, while Wang Xianzhou rode He Laosan to fly here and there. He primarily gathered spiritual herbs while simultaneously seeing if he could pick up so wild spiritual materials around the villages, living a thoroughly comfortable life.
However, when Cui Dingyi truly completed the construction of the Golden Platform, Wang Xianzhou ca up with a new idea instead.
"We ought to maintain a low profile, but Yulou, the war between Hongdengzhao and the Sky Serpent Sect is practically a certainty.
"Once the fighting begins, whether Patriarch Mangxiang can attain a Golden Core is one thing, but our Wang Clan drifting through the storm is sothing we cannot avoid.
"The Patriarch sent you into Dripdrop Cave and sent Yu'an to Hidden Dragon Abbey. On one hand, it was to conceal the issues with your cultivation bases, and on the other hand, it was also to leave a fallback path.
"If you want to move upward within Dripdrop Cave, Riverbend Fishing Village is where your foundation lies. This is sothing you surely understand."
Yulou was offering incense to the statue of the Immortal Venerable, while Wang Xianzhou stood by the side, urging him forward.
This little qilin of his own family was excellent in every aspect, save for being far too cautious.
He was clearly the one who had ordered Cui Dingyi to build the Golden Platform, and he liked that high platform very much too.
Yet when things reached the final step, he hesitated instead, fearing that being too high-profile would cause trouble.
Wang Xianzhou simply couldn't fathom what Wang Yulou had to be afraid of.
In this grotto-heaven, as long as Foundation Establishnt didn't appear, Ancestor Xianzhou could protect him for twenty years.
According to Wang Yulou's current cultivation speed, twenty years later, he might very well be at late Qi Condensation already, at which point there would be even less to fear.
A disciple of a great clan—the Anbei Kingdom Wang Clan, the Mangxiang lineage—the ancestor was about to attain a Golden Core, extraordinary talent—dual spirit root aptitude, profound artificing path—An Ning's inheritance.
With such conditions, he could pick any Foundation Establishnt faction within Dripdrop Cave at will, and the factions of the three Dripdrop Cave Purple Palace masters were not beyond negotiation either.
If he were willing to enter a marriage alliance, he wouldn't even need to wait twenty years; he could imdiately beco a joining partner of the Zhuo family, the Lin family, or the Yuan Clan right now.
Wang Yulou's starting point dictated that his life could never be ordinary. If he only possessed the level of Wang Xianmao or Wang Xianzhou, it would an he hadn't grown properly.
"But Ancestor, what if Old Cui refuses to submit?"
What distressed Yulou was precisely this. The Golden Platform had been built to this point, the hearts of the people were mostly gathered, and Old Cui's task was also complete.
Pity Yulou had lived two lives, yet this was his first ti playing at power struggles to suppress soone. He felt conflicted and twisted, completely lacking his usual composure.
A novice experiencing their first ti was just like this.
Ancestor Xianzhou's eyes widened, filled entirely with a fierce light.
"He dares!
"Paint the Crimson Sparrow's body with blue feathers, let it masquerade as a demon beast, and slaughter that fellow.
"If others can rear iron crocodile dragons, we can naturally rear a Blue-Winged Great Roc!"
Good, good, good—the ancestor indeed possessed thods.
Although Yulou didn't quite agree with this dangerous thod of the ancestor's, with the ancestor around, what was there to fear?
As a Dao protector, although the ancestor wouldn't directly make a move and Yulou had to step up himself, the ancestor's presence alone was his backing.
"Fine. Churan!"
"Senior Wang, Ancestor!"
"Go gather the people. The water gate is built, the Golden Platform is mostly ready, and they have practiced controlling beasts for so long.
"Whether it's a thoroughbred or a donkey, it's ti to pull it out and see—to see if they are truly willing to choose !"
"Yes, Churan will go arrange it imdiately!"
Personnel matters equated to power.
By turning Old Cui into a beast of burden for engineering construction and organizing the Qi Drawing cultivators to practice beast-controlling coordination, Yulou had used personnel arrangents to secure genuine leadership power.
Now, it was ti to test the magnitude and quality of this power.
Cultivating immortals could not be detached from the help of resources and forces. No matter how powerful one was when fighting alone, it was impossible to break away from the Immortal Alliance system to cultivate.
Wang Xianmao had been correct; Riverbend Fishing Village was the true starting point of Wang Yulou's cultivation path, rather than those few shops and the racetrack in Clear Stream Market that relied on the family platform and the Hongdengzhao platform.
The relationship between Riverbend Fishing Village and Dripdrop Cave was akin to that of a local region and the central authority.
The baseline for handing over managent costs restricted the upper limit of Yulou's harvesting of spirit fish and spirit stones, but it also gave him clear room to maneuver.
As long as he guaranteed that the sect maintained the average revenue of about nine spirit stones per day from the Riverbend Fishing Village system, everything else could bear the surna Wang!
Of course, Yulou wouldn't eat alone.
After all, as a leader—even if only the leader of a tiny fishing village, the smallest unit of power in the cultivation world—he also possessed the authority to distribute favors within a localized scope.
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