"This Spirit Shell is infused with the power of Deep Water. To fully unleash its potential, it would be best to pair it with another fire-elemental heavenly material."
"Fire-elemental heavenly material?"
The Patriarch frowned. The family currently did not have any purely third-rank fire-elemental treasures.
The family treasury did contain the Purple Essence Azure Gold, which possessed water, metal, and fire attributes. However, its mixed nature made it unsuitable as an auxiliary material. While it could serve as a primary ingredient, using it otherwise would be wasteful.
Lacking a suitable fire-elemental heavenly material, Elian furrowed his brow and said, "In thirteen years, the Purple Mansion Exchange Gathering of the Chu Kingdom will take place. At that time, I plan to purchase some treasures, so I will also try to procure one."
"Moreover, our collaborative efforts to refine this life-bound magical treasure will require some time."
The Patriarch nodded with a smile.
"That seems to be the only option."
With this matter temporarily set aside, Elian remembered the pills he had brought back.
He first handed over the Profound Jade Pills to the Patriarch for safekeeping in the family treasury. Then he distributed a few Violet Essence Pills and Spirit Nourishing Pills to the Patriarch before finally taking out the Vital Energy Pills and explaining their use.
"These Law Essence Pills can enhance cultivation by thirty years."
"You and I should each take one. It may help us advance to the next realm."
The Patriarch nodded and carefully stored a Law Essence Pill. He did not intend to consume it immediately.
Having broken through to the Purple Mansion nine years ago, the Patriarch had refined three third-rank Spirit Peaches, each granting him ten years of cultivation. As a result, he was now close to advancing to the second tier of the Purple Mansion.
He planned to wait until his breakthrough before consuming the pill, which he believed would bring him close to reaching the third tier of the Purple Mansion.
The next day, Elian consumed a pill. Without the Spirit Peaches, it might have taken him fifty or sixty years to advance a single tier in cultivation. Thanks to the pill, however, he broke through to the second tier of the Purple Mansion in just a few days.
After his breakthrough, Elian's life gradually returned to its usual rhythm.
In the following days, he continued his cultivation while working with the Patriarch to deduce the refinement method for his life-bound formation artifact.
Elian's role was not particularly taxing. The Patriarch handled the research and experimentation on life-bound formation patterns and various runes, while Elian's job was to provide inspiration and evaluate the Patriarch's progress.
This task did not take much time, requiring Elian to visit Pingyang City occasionally. Fortunately, with the Violet Blood Boat at his disposal, the six-thousand-mile journey took only an hour and did not interfere with his cultivation.
In the blink of an eye, six years passed. Elian successfully mastered the Fire Element Divine Lightning and the Jade Spirit Eye, while the Patriarch advanced to the third tier of the Purple Mansion.
Over the years, the spiritual veins of Pingyang City have quietly risen to the third grade.
In the Grand Spiritual Hall, two figures sat opposite each other, contemplating the illusory formation patterns before them.
"The refinement method for this life-bound formation artifact is just one step away."
"Unfortunately, we lack a technique for fusing water and fire attributes."
The Patriarch shook his head. Their deduced life-bound formation artifact required the integration of three types of divine abilities. However, the family lacked techniques combining water and fire runes, making it impossible to fully harness the power of the Spirit Shell and the fire-elemental heavenly material.
After a moment of thought, Elian said, "The Wei Immortal Clan of Tian'e Mountain has sent an invitation. Wei Xuyuan has successfully broken through to the Purple Mansion and is hosting a celebratory banquet." (Wei Xuyuan is the one who failed to breakthrough to Purple Mansion two times, but with the help of the Spirit Apricot that mc gave him, he successfully reached the Purple Mansion realm)
"His life-bound magical treasure, the Yin-Yang Treasure Vase, contains the 'Yin-Yang Annihilation Vase Aura,' a top-tier area-of-effect divine ability with rare power for its rank."
"I plan to attend and see if I can negotiate for his life-bound magical treasure."
"The refinement of a life-bound magical treasure is crucial to our family's heritage. Moreover, Wei Xuyuan's cultivation is centered on the Yin-Yang Treasure Vase."
The Elder Uncle frowned, hesitant.
"I fear he may not agree."
"No matter," Elian replied, not one to boast, but still confident.
"Wei Xuyuan and I have been friends for many years. There is some goodwill between us."
A few days later, Elian boarded the Violet Blood Boat and departed from Linghu Isle, heading straight for Tian'e Mountain.
The journey from Linghu Isle to Tian'e Mountain covered just under twenty thousand miles, passing by Black Iron Mountain. It took only a few hours before Elian reached the foot of Tian'e Mountain.
At this moment, Tian'e Mountain was bustling with activity. The cultivators of the Wei Immortal Clan wore expressions of pride, while many noble clans from Yang Region gathered in celebration.
Before Elian even reached the mountain, a figure approached, accompanied by hearty laughter.
"Elian, my dear brother! I've been looking forward to seeing you."
The newcomer was none other than Wei Xuyuan. Grasping Elian's sleeve, he warmly pulled him forward.
"Come, let me introduce you to some fellow Daoists from Yang Region."
Elian smiled faintly and followed him to the peak of Tian'e Mountain.
The summit was already crowded with dozens of Foundation Establishment cultivators and three Purple Mansion cultivators.
Among them, Elian recognized one: Pan Boyuan, a man in a purple robe. The other two were unfamiliar, though he had heard of them by reputation.
Wei Xuyuan introduced Elian to the others, beginning with a familiar face. "You likely need no introduction to Brother Pan here."
"And this is Fairy Qingxuan, the Grand Elder of the Wang Clan, a Purple Mansion lineage in Boyang County."
Elian raised an eyebrow upon noticing Fairy Qingxuan's refined features, appearing to be in her late twenties.
Wang Qingxuan was a cultivator at the fifth tier of the Purple Mansion, reputed to be nearly three hundred years old. Her youthful appearance was undoubtedly the result of profound cultivation.
This was typical for cultivators. Those at the Purple Mansion and beyond continually nourished their bodies with spiritual energy, increasing their physical resilience to rival that of demons of equivalent rank.
Righteous cultivators, with their pure and luminous spiritual energy, achieved increasingly flawless physiques as they advanced. Their bodies became comparable to those of ordinary demons at the same rank. Consequently, they often retained youthful appearances for most of their lives, only aging rapidly in their final years.
The last person introduced was a burly man, a Purple Mansion cultivator from the Yun Clan of Yunyang County. His cultivation was at the third tier of the Purple Mansion.
After the introductions, the group exchanged courtesies. Wang Qingxuan smiled and said, "I've long heard of the Sword Immortal of Bianzhou. Meeting you today, I see your reputation is well deserved."
"You flatter me," Elian responded modestly with a faint smile.
Though Wei Xuyuan was the host of this gathering, Elian inevitably drew much of the attention.
After the battle at Sky Python Lake, Elian's illustrious future was widely recognized. Even late-stage Purple Mansion cultivators treated him as an equal.
Although the attendees were all Purple Mansion cultivators, they instinctively deferred to Elian.
...
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I need POWAAA! Gimme Power Stones :D