Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

The general direction has already been established, everyone’s tone is somewhat relaxed.

There’s no ambiguity in hunting demon beasts and eliminating enemies, but many are not skilled at managing the sect and can only scratch their heads.

Daoist Master Zhengyang coughed several times and said solemnly:

”The invitations have been sent out, now we need to see how our allies will view our rise.

In principle, we avoid major conflicts, but if faced with covert provocations, we must resolutely counterattack.”

Due to historical reasons, there are no resources worth snatching within the area controlled by the Human Race, so falling out with allies is not a good choice; even rabbits don’t eat the grass near their burrows.

The only attractive place is the mountain gate of Luofeng Valley, which has a Tier Three Lower Grade spiritual vein.

However, the Golden Spirit Sect’s strength is insufficient to conquer such a mountain gate, and attacking allies would cause a bad influence.

Additionally, it would probably affect Central Continent’s attitude towards the sect; a unified Western Continent is not something some people wish to see.

Lin Qiu Bai smiled coldly, ”Understood!”

If he wasn’t belligerent, he wouldn’t have chosen to become a sword cultivator.

Master Yuxiao laughed and said, ”It’s best to limit the conflict’s scope and intensity to the Low-Tier Disciples level; if Golden Core cultivators get involved, it means completely breaking relations.”

The meeting’s objective was achieved, Daoist Master Zhengyang stood up and said:

”That’s it for today, next, we prepare for the Golden Core ceremony.”

...

The news of Lin Qiu Bai and his apprentice holding the Golden Core ceremony was released by the sect and unsurprisingly sparked widespread discussion.

Various powers speculated about the future direction of the Western Continent and the Golden Spirit Sect’s influence, which comprehensively surpassed the other two sects.

Many anticipated conflicts would arise, but with the conclusion of the Golden Core ceremony, everything returned to peace.

Three years passed in a flash, and the Golden Spirit Sect had already established two outposts, one in Red Rock Immortal City in the Far North, and Rongman Immortal City in the Southern Continent.

Red Rock Immortal City is an open Immortal City with Nascent Soul cultivators stationed there, maintaining good order.

Additionally, there are many large mines nearby, very suitable for the Artifact Refining Hall’s operation.

Zhuu Xiangrong has come here with the sect to keep an eye on things, and Guu Hongming returned with him.

Divine Fire Street, Divine Brush Spirit Armor Pavilion.

The two artifact refiners conversed happily, not exchanging their core skills, but the intellectual clash among masters made them feel greatly benefited.

Zhuu Xiangrong stood up and said:

”It’s getting late. I need to return to the sect’s outpost. I’ll visit you when there’s another chance.”

Guu Tai lamented:

”Ah, talking with fellow Daoists always makes me feel like time passes much faster.”

”Haha, I feel the same.

Hongming, you can stay home tonight and come to the Artifact Refining Shop early tomorrow.”

”Thank you, Master,” Guu Hongming replied with a smile, as he was indeed thinking of chatting with his family.

After seeing off Zhuu Xiangrong, the grandfather and grandson stayed together to catch up.

Guu Tai stroked his beard and sighed, ”I never imagined Elder Ji would break through to the Golden Core Stage so quickly; the sect is certainly thriving these years!

Do you think it might have been better if you had apprenticed under Elder Ji?”

With six Golden Cores within one sect, it is undoubtedly a sign of prosperity.

Guu Hongming shook his head, ”If I were under Elder Ji’s tutelage, I would just be a Spirit Farmer tending to the Spirit Field; Grandpa, do you want me to become a Spirit Farmer?”

Guu Tai quickly shook his head, ”Then forget it.”

The family’s artisan skills cannot be lost; his grandson would achieve much within a rapidly growing sect.

He pondered for a moment, then said:

”Do you still remember the formula I told you?”

Guu Hongming pointed to his head with his fingers, ”Every night before bed, I recall it once, as if engraved in my Sea of Consciousness.

Grandpa, what formula is this?”

He remembered his grandfather’s stern expression; it was the Guu Clan’s top-secret formula.

”It’s a formula my grandfather discovered from an ancient book, very precious.

If you ever become an Artifact Refining Grandmaster, you may try to refine it, but don’t tell anyone.”

Guu Tai looked at his grandson, who had grown much taller than before, and smiled contentedly. His grandson was already a Fourth-Layer Foundation Establishment cultivator, indicating focus from the sect’s nurturing.

”If your cultivation progresses well in the Chao Origin Stage realm, you can contribute the formula to the sect; it would surely earn their full support.”

”Grandpa, what kind of formula is it, I’m a bit skeptical.”

Guu Hongming didn’t think it was a formula for refining rare resources, as the family would have prospered long ago if they had such a formula.

”You brat, doubting your grandfather’s judgment! Once you break through to the Chao Origin Stage and refine a spiritual object, you’ll know.”

Guu Tai waved his hand, changed the topic and asked:

”Do you usually keep in touch with Elder Ji?”

”Elder Ji sends me some Jade Dew Golden Bud Tea, Cloud Peak Silver Tea, and Soul Incense made from Soul Nourishing Wood leaves every year.”

Guu Tai nodded slightly, ”If you decide to contribute the formula, you can inform Elder Ji.”

Guu Hongming questioned, ”Shouldn’t I inform my master instead?”

Although Elder Ji is a Golden Core Daoist Master, he cannot override the master.

Guu Tai softly sighed, saying sadly:

”Your master, like me, doesn’t have many days left; I estimate just about twenty or thirty years.”

He possesses a secret technique to sense the qi and blood power of cultivators and can perceive the faint signs of decline in Zhuu Xiangrong’s qi and blood.

...

These years, Ji An has stayed at Red Flame Peak, cultivating and planting; his task is to take good care of the Spirit Field.

Everyone knows that the quantity of Tier Three spirit plants directly influences the sect’s Golden Core cultivators’ treatment.

To him, the time was quiet and beautiful.

Despite his cultivation growing slowly, watching the Spiritual Mechanism accumulated by the Stone Turtle daily, his sense of happiness remained.

Ji An rode the cloud to the summit of Red Flame Peak, took out the Fireproof Bead, then leapt downward.

Rich Gold and Fire Spirit Mechanism continuously spewed forth, he could clearly feel the increase in Spiritual Mechanism’s concentration compared to before; it was even more intense in recent days.

Perhaps the day the spiritual vein’s grade would rise was already near.

Ji An skillfully reached each Fire Coral growth point and harvested spirit plants of Tier Two Upper Grade or higher.

A double hour passed, and he landed at the deepest part of the Earth Vein.

Crimson magma continuously surged within the Magma Lake, occasionally producing Fire-elemental Spiritual Objects at the edges.

Ji An once picked up a Tier Two Top-Grade Li Huo Crystal the size of a broad bean, pocketed it.

He rode the Fire Element Cloud for low-altitude flight, eyes scanning like search radar, focused entirely on searching every inch.

This was the final reserved session; finding high-tier spiritual objects brought jubilance to him, different from cultivating high-tier spirit plants.

Suddenly, an eye-catching golden flash emerged from the magma to the left front, and Ji An instinctively unleashed Spirit Roar.

As the Spirit Soul Attack was coordinated, he turned his head towards the origin of that golden flash and discovered a haunting silhouette.

The shape was akin to a carp, adorned with lustrous red-gold scales, with two pairs of meat whiskers at each corner of its mouth, one long and one short.

A sharp red-tipped small horn grew atop its lips, distinguished by dazzling Spirit Light—it was the Red Gold Carp!

Ji An urged the red spirit cloud and swiftly accelerated towards the place where the spirit fish dropped.

He enacted the Object Control Technique, capturing the unconscious spirit fish in his hand.

As he examined the full belly of the Red Gold Carp, he instantly extended his Divine Sense inside, discovering eggs—twelve of them.

”Buy one, get many; so generous is it?”

Ji An’s heart was thrilled about the new residents arriving in the Gourd World.

Red Gold Carp, Treasure Dragon Fish—Taoist Ancestor above—knowing he loves eating fish, fearing one wouldn’t satisfy, graciously bestowed more.

No longer in the mood for treasure searching, he promptly rode the cloud upward for Flying Escape.

Uncertain how long the spirit fish could survive away from magma, Ji An found a fork road nearby, entering there; he retrieved the Sealing Array from the Grotto Void Stone to seal the entrance.

He extended his Divine Sense into the Gourd Stone, contacting the silver spot.

Upon entering the Little World, he promptly flew to the lava abyss within the red spirit field and released the Red Gold Carp in.

The spirit fish seemed ’white-bellied’ as though dead, but Ji An was unworried.

The life force strength of this spirit fish reached the Fifth Transformation of the Chao Origin Stage; although the spirit soul attack was powerful, it couldn’t deal a fatal blow.

The situation now was merely a brief coma.