Previously, Yang Zhenshanâs minimum requirement for the Divine Wood Treasure Cauldron was a mid-grade magical treasure. Now, his minimum requirement for the Green Wood Purple Lightning Sword is a top-grade magical treasure.
As Yang Zhenshanâs most important attack magical treasure in the future, the grade of the Green Wood Purple Lightning Sword absolutely cannot be lower than top-grade magical treasure.
"Once the Golden Thunder Bamboo matures, I should be able to refine a top-grade Green Wood Purple Lightning Sword!" Yang Jizhen said confidently.
"How long until the Golden Thunder Bamboo matures?" Yang Zhenshan frowned.
His cultivation has already reached the late-stage Foundation Establishment, the matter of the lifebound magical treasure cannot be delayed any longer. He canât possibly wait until after Core Formation to refine the lifebound magical treasure!
"Probably another thirty years or so!" Yang Jizhen replied.
The Golden Thunder Bamboo was something Yang Zhenshan acquired from the auction of the White Cloud Commerce after reaching Foundation Establishment. Normally, it needs to grow for a hundred years to mature, but the Spirit Source Land can enhance the growth speed of spirit plants. Additionally, over the years, Yang Zhenshan and Yang Jizhen have been using their own mana to nurture the Golden Thunder Bamboo, which shortened its growth period by about thirty years.
Yet despite this, the Golden Thunder Bamboo still needs seventy years to mature, and less than forty years have passed, so isnât there still more than thirty years left?
"I canât wait for it!" Yang Zhenshan shook his head somewhat helplessly.
He initially acquired the Golden Thunder Bamboo to prepare for refining the Green Wood Purple Lightning Sword, but at that time he didnât anticipate that he would cultivate to the late-stage Foundation Establishment in under forty years.
Now, Yang Zhenshan can only seek other materials to substitute for the Golden Thunder Bamboo.
"Leave the Golden Thunder Bamboo for you to use, Iâll find other spiritual materials!" Yang Zhenshan said.
"Alright!" Yang Jizhen laughed.
He cultivates the Wood Thunder Control Scripture, and the Golden Thunder Bamboo aligns very well with his cultivation technique, even more so than Yang Zhenshan.
Yang Zhenshan wants to refine the Green Wood Purple Lightning Sword, while he also wants to refine the Wood Thunder Sword as his lifebound magical treasure.
Now that Yang Zhenshan plans to use other spiritual materials, the Golden Thunder Bamboo is perfect for him.
...
Leaving the Immortal Artifact Pavilion, Yang Zhenshan then went to the Pill Hall.
Inside the Pill Hall, Yang Zongyuan had just completed a batch of Jade Marrow Pills.
"Not bad, you actually refined top-grade Jade Marrow Pills!" Yang Zhenshan praised as he looked at the Jade Marrow Pills.
"Hehe, my pill formation rate is still too low, not comparable to the ancestor!" Yang Zongyuan chuckled.
Yang Zhenshan gave him a sidelong glance, "Compared to me, youâre still far off!"
Over the years, the level of alchemy at the Spirit Source Land has improved significantly. First, Zhang Hexuan successfully advanced to second-rank alchemist after Foundation Establishment, able to refine the Youthful Pill, Foundation Establishment Pill, and several other second-order pills.
Next, Yang Zongyuanâs alchemy skills have advanced rapidly, and with the aid of the Furnace of Eight Trigrams, he can already refine top-grade Jade Marrow Pills and even second-order Youthful Pills, although the pill formation rate is low, itâs still touching the threshold of second-rank alchemist.
Finally, more pill masters have emerged within the Immortal Hall. While their skill levels arenât high, they can refine many first-order pills.
The Immortal Hall is no longer like it once was.
Previously, aside from Yang Zhenshanâs disciple, the hall had only a few members, but now it boasts over sixty immortal cultivators, including Yang Zhenshanâs disciples, young Taoists from Wuzhen Taoist Palace, and a few immortal cultivators whoâve persevered for decades.
Yang Zhenshanâs disciples donât need much elaboration; those favored by Yang Jizhen all have decent talent.
Young Taoists from Wuzhen Taoist Palace are the same, with Xuanzhen becoming increasingly picky.
And immortal cultivators whoâve persevered for decades may have poor talent, but after decades of cultivation, theyâve reached the Qi Refinement Middle Stage.
The growth of the Immortal Hall also signifies great improvements in the Spirit Source Land in terms of pill, artifact, and talisman array techniques.
This improvement doesnât refer to an individual but to the overall level.
"Ancestor, do you want to refine pills?" Yang Zongyuan asked.
Yang Zhenshan shook his head, "No, prepare yourself. In a couple of days, come with me to White Cloud Immortal City!"
Yang Zongyuanâs eyes lit up, "Going to White Cloud Immortal City!"
"Yes, you should go broaden your horizons!" Yang Zhenshan laughed.
"Alright! Iâll go prepare right away!" Yang Zongyuan seemed impatient.
He rarely goes out; apart from a few visits to Qingli Immortal City, he hasnât traveled the outside world, making him still like a young boy in his thirties.
Yang Zhenshan intends to take him to White Cloud Immortal City to expand his experience, and also to let him experience some training.
Not just him, but also Li Jianning and Li Jianâan, the two sisters.
This time, Yang Zhenshan plans to take them all and stay in White Cloud Immortal City for a while.
...
Two days later.
Amid swirling green mist, a Jade Cloud Boat broke through the clouds, gliding over the Yunxiao Mountain Range.
The boat gleamed with glistening waterlight, like a solidified jade-colored wave, leaving rippling wind patterns behind, parting and quickly merging the clouds. As the flying boat glided by, it left a translucent jade-colored trail, akin to a brush stroke of ink outlined lightly amidst the cloud cluster, vanishing into the horizon in an instant.
On the flying boat, two stunning women dressed in blue vestment robes stood at the rail, pointing at the magnificent mountains and ridges beneath the clouds.
Li Jianning carried an air of briskness, her brows arching into her temples, with natural light grey lines at the corners of her eyes. Her petite nose was delicately exquisite, and the slight upward curve of her lips seemed to hold a rebellious smile, like a bamboo fresh with morning dew, emanating lively spiritual energy.
Li Jianâanâs features were gentle, her eyes slightly tilted as a new moon, holding misty soft light akin to morning fog in a forest. Below her elegant nose, her pale pink lips curled into a soft smile, resembling pear blossoms about to bloom on a spring branch.
Though the sisters looked remarkably alike, one glance was enough to tell who was the elder and who was the younger.
They stood side by side, their blue vestment robes lightly fluttering in the wind, their hair loosely gathered with blue silk ribbons into a simple bun, with a few strands falling around their ears, seeming like twin lotuses emerging from the water side by side.
Calculating their age, they are already forty years old now, yet they still exude a youthful aura, pointing and chattering nonstop about the scenery.
In the cabin, Yang Zhenshan casually sipped tea, enjoying the lingering faint aroma in his mouth, as the warmth of spiritual energy gently circulated in his abdomen, giving him a sense of relaxed pleasure.
"Ancestor, how much longer until we reach White Cloud Immortal City?" Yang Zongyuan poked his head out of the cabin, looking at the ethereal cloud sea outside.
"Another two or three hours!" Yang Zhenshan responded casually.
"What is White Cloud Immortal City like? Iâve heard that White Cloud Immortal City has many Second-Order puppets. Can those puppets compete with Foundation Establishment cultivators?" Yang Zongyuan showed great interest in White Cloud Immortal City.
"Indeed, Second-Order puppets have combat capabilities not weaker than Foundation Establishment cultivators, but compared to cultivators, there are many deficiencies in puppets!"
Yang Zhenshan didnât know much about puppets, as he never studied them.
At the Spirit Source Land, there are some inheritances regarding puppetry, and some people are studying puppet creation techniques. However, the puppets they currently produce are more like toys, not useful for major tasks.
"Can we buy some puppets?" Yang Zongyuan asked.
Yang Zhenshan looked at him curiously, "What do you want with those things?"
"I read a journal that said puppets can not only fight but also perform many tasks, like serving as assistants in pill refining!" Yang Zongyuan seemed quite interested in puppets.
Yang Zhenshan thought for a moment, then said, "Buying some is possible, but puppets arenât cheap."
Second-Order puppets are valued above Second-Order mutant beasts, and even the most ordinary Second-Order puppet costs millions of low-grade Spirit Stones.
Moreover, operating puppets is costly, as Second-Order puppets require mid-grade spirit stones as energy sources, and some even need top-grade spirit stones.
Puppets may bring convenience, but the cost of using them is also high.
For ordinary cultivators, puppets arenât very cost-effective, so puppets are rarely found amongst immortal cultivators; only some major forces treat puppets as a form of combat power reserve.
"How many Spirit Stones does a Second-Order puppet require?" Yang Zongyuan asked.
"Around a million and a half!"
"So expensive!" Yang Zongyuan exclaimed, his eyes widening.
"For puppets rivaling Foundation Establishment cultivators, this price isnât high!" Yang Zhenshan chuckled.
"What about First-order?" Yang Zongyuan opted for a cheaper alternative.
"From a few thousand to tens of thousands."
Puppets can be toy-like at lower quality levels, naturally inexpensive, but at higher quality, they represent powerful combat potential, thus prices arenât low.