Three years had passed. Aside from Zhuo Chengdao and Jia Ren, who were in closed-door cultivation for their advancent to the Divinity Transformation Stage, the other survivors from the Heiyuan Secret Realm had already headed to the Secret Realm Battlefield.
"Without pressure, one feels light!" Jia Ren thought. The stress of crafting Spiritual Treasures in the Refining Palace was not significant; it was far better than going to the Secret Realm Battlefield to fight and kill. Having just beco a Spirit Treasure Refiner, he had not received any assignnts and was relatively relaxed.
He left the Refining Workshop, and only then did the communicating Magical Treasure convey a ssage. The Refining Workshop had a restriction that isolated ssages. Sound Transmission... It took three years for it to be received. A ssage from Ancestor Ji Kong? No matter what, this is my master, after all. The Lingbao Sect has always revered masters and valued the Way; one cannot neglect the proper rites.
Jia Ren hurried nonstop to the Northern District, heading for Ancestor Ji Kong’s Cave. A Sound Transmission Talisman was sent inside, and shortly after, a reply ca, "Co in!"
Ancestor Ji Kong’s voice was transmitted, and monts later, the Cave’s Formation opened. Jia Ren followed the path into the Cave, only to see Ancestor Ji Kong appear before him as if by Instantaneous Movent.
His face was grim, and his gaze unfriendly as he stared at Jia Ren. "Rebellious disciple! You have completely disgraced !"
Ancestor Ji Kong fud internally. He avoided becoming a True Disciple, and after much difficulty, he finally established so rit in the Secret Realm and could hold his head high. Yet, to evade the war, he entered the Refining Palace! Does he really think it’s easy to beco a Spirit-level Refiner? The Lingbao Sect’s cultivation of Artifact Refiners is extrely profound; very few Spirit-level Refiners erge in a century. A Cultivator who entered the Sect by donating treasures, without the Lingbao Sect’s guidance in Artifact Refining, still wants to craft Spiritual Treasures? Why doesn’t he just try to ascend to the heavens?!
Familiar Ancestors hadn’t spared their disdain, and Ancestor Ji Kong, who cared greatly about his image, had recently been too ashad to et others. Naturally, he would not show Jia Ren a pleasant expression.
"Eh, you stayed in the Refining Palace? You didn’t enter the Secret Realm Battlefield?" Ancestor Ji Kong had been so consud by his anger that only now did he notice sothing amiss. Outer Path Peak True Disciples must enter the Secret Realm Battlefield; there are no exceptions. You didn’t go? The Law Enforcent Elders would forcibly send people into the Secret Realm; there’s no choice in the matter. If the heterodox forces are not vanquished, the Sect will not perish.
"What kind of clever sche did you use to avoid the Sect war this ti?" Ancestor Ji Kong stared at Jia Ren, forced to admit this fellow had many tricks up his sleeve. How did I end up with such a disciple? Of course, if I had to choose again, I’d still make the sa decision. My foster son, Ma Tianbao, has brought so much glory! Every ti I think of my old rival’s face twisted with jealousy, I can’t help but feel a secret thrill.
"Master, from now on, I am a Spirit-level Refiner of the Refining Palace."
A Spirit-level Refiner?! Ancestor Ji Kong was taken aback, looking at Jia Ren in disbelief. At this mont, he doubted his own ears. How did he suddenly beco a Spirit-level Refiner? Did the idea of avoiding war inspire his potential? Did his talent explode, turning him into a Spirit Treasure Refiner?
As an Artifact Refining Sect, being an ordinary Artifact Refiner was one thing, but once one beca a Spirit-level Refiner, their status underwent a drastic change. Aside from the Heaven-reaching Refiners and the Refining Void Ancestors of the five lineages, they were the Cultivators of the highest esteem.
"Not bad, not bad at all! You are indeed my disciple!" Ancestor Ji Kong’s expression changed faster than one could flip through a book. His anger dissipated, replaced by a gentle smile, as if he were looking not at his rebellious disciple but at a prized student.
There was another, more important reason for Ancestor Ji Kong’s change in attitude. As the creator of the Spirit Devouring Treasure Art, I and my disciples have always been unpopular among Artifact Refiners. When Spirit-level Refiners see , it’s as if they’ve seen an on of disaster, their faces turning grim. For a thousand years, I’ve received plenty of cold shoulders from Artifact Refiners and had many doors shut in my face. The cultivation of the Spirit Devouring Treasure Art cannot stop, yet to obtain Spiritual Treasures, I’ve had to lower my stance and rely on the Spirit-level Refiners within the Sect. Now that one of my disciples has beco a Spirit-level Refiner, the Spiritual Treasures needed for my cultivation and that of my disciples are finally within reach! Why would I need to curry favor or bow and beg others anymore?
"You did well, my disciple. Don’t go to the Secret Realm Battlefield and take risks; stay safely within the Lingbao Sect. As Cultivators, we should not stand beneath dangerous walls!"
Jia Ren was speechless. That’s not what you said before!
"Master only passed on to you the Spirit Devouring Treasure Art, but I have a few other Unique Divine Abilities. Which one would you like to learn?"
The treatnt was completely different from before, as different as night and day. Jia Ren had guessed that his situation would improve after becoming a Spirit-level Refiner and that his "cheap" master wouldn’t let him participate in the Sect war. The facts were as he surmised: Ancestor Ji Kong’s attitude had changed rapidly, and he was even offering Divine Skills.
Divine Skills passed down by Void Level powerhouses far surpassed those found in the Spirit Law Pavilion. Divine Skills also had tiers: Minor Divine Skills, Divine Skills, and Great Divine Powers. Techniques like Mirror Flower Water Moon and Azure Finger were actually classified as Minor Divine Skills. They were far beyond Spells and Secret Techniques but not so potent as to render opponents utterly helpless. Most of the Divine Skills in the Spirit Law Pavilion were Minor Divine Skills as well. Only the likes of the Spirit Devouring Treasure Art and Heart-Mind Sensing (Technique) qualified as true Divine Skills. When Mirror Flower Water Moon reached the level of Mirror Flower Divine Moon, while it might not surpass a Great Divine Power, it was definitely far above a true Divine Skill.
"Aside from the Spirit Devouring Treasure Art, I have other Unique Divine Abilities," Ancestor Ji Kong continued. "One is called the Ji Kong Palm, which is also the source of my na. I gained a great reputation relying on this Divine Skill, and it’s considered the strongest offensive Divine Skill in the Lingbao Sect. Mastered to a profound level, it’s barely any less powerful than a Great Divine Power. The Ji Kong Palm possesses unparalleled power; when cultivated to its extre, one can shatter the Void with a single palm and pulverize enemies. This is my signature Divine Skill, and I hope you’ll carry it to even greater heights."
Ancestor Ji Kong started by transmitting his strongest Divine Skill to , Jia Ren thought. This is enough to prove his joy over my becoming a Spirit-level Refiner. This matter brings him far more prestige than performing well in the Secret Realm Battlefield; it’s significantly better. It concerns the future of his lineage, no longer needing to rely on others. My connection to his foster son, Ma Tianbao, coupled with my new status as a Spirit-level Refiner, ans the future looks promising. When Ancestor Ji Kong is pleased, the benefits he offers are very generous.
"Thank you, Master!" Jia Ren hadn’t expected such a delightful surprise, and his face blood with joy.
Ancestor Ji Kong wasn’t famous for the Spirit Devouring Treasure Art, but for the Ji Kong Palm. Rumor had it that Ancestor Ji Kong once destroyed an entire Void Refining Level Demon Path Sect with a wave of his palm; when the Ji Kong Palm struck, the Demon Sect, along with its Void Refining Demon Cultivators, was obliterated into nothingness. From this, one could see just how terrifying the power of the Ji Kong Palm was.
"This is the Divine Skill Jade Slip; you must not divulge it to others!" Ancestor Ji Kong tossed the Jade Slip to Jia Ren, who hurriedly caught it. "Go and practice Artifact Refining now; don’t disappoint . Once the Sect war is over, rember to refine a few trinkets for ." Having tossed the Jade Slip, Ancestor Ji Kong quickly ushered him out.
He still had so old fellows’ faces to slap. The mory of those who mocked him just days ago was still fresh. Ancestor Ji Kong never let a grudge last overnight and was eager to see those old fools lose face. Fighting among fellow Sect mbers was forbidden; even if one felt aggrieved, it had to be suppressed, only allowing for battles without smoke or fire. If the Sect ever lifted the ban on internal fighting, Ancestor Ji Kong, who flaunted his foster son and disciple everywhere, would surely be ganged up on and killed by the infuriated High-Order Cultivators of the Lingbao Sect.
Unaware of Ancestor Ji Kong’s intentions, Jia Ren put away the Jade Slip for the Ji Kong Palm Divine Skill and left jubilantly.
I should change my dwelling place, he thought. Xiao Mang Mountain holds very little value for now. There are too many Divine Skills, and I can’t learn them all. My main focus for now still needs to be on Artifact Refining and cultivation. I haven’t had enough ti to learn the newly acquired Yama Heavenly Child and its associated Divine Skills, including the Ji Kong Palm and Heart-Mind Sensing (Technique).
Having witnessed the power of Yama Heavenly Child, Jia Ren decided to shift his focus from quantity to quality. With that in mind, he might as well relinquish the corpse-guarding task and move to the Northern District to establish a Cave.
He had another, even more important reason for changing his mind. It’s too conspicuous! An Inner Sect Disciple guarding corpses could still be understood. At most, it would be seen as lacking ambition, a lost cause. Oh, and perhaps a touch of necrophilia. But with the dual identity of an Outer Path Peak true disciple and a Spirit-level Refiner, still holing up in Xiao Mang Mountain? That might attract the attention of those with ulterior motives. Once the Corpse-Eating Bizarre Pill is exposed, the trouble will be imnse. It’s not worth risking it all for such insignificant gains.
Jia Ren went to the Internal Affairs Pavilion at Punishnt Peak to arrange for his Cave. The Internal Affairs Pavilion belonged to the Heavenly Punishnt Lineage and was divided into external and internal sections. The external section handled the affairs of the Outer Gate, Inner Sect, and Handyn, while the internal section managed matters for True Disciples and Ancestors, as well as issuing tasks and rewards.
Punishnt Peak was only slightly livelier than Heterodox Peak, and not by much. The entire Heterodox Lineage had mobilized, while the Heavenly Punishnt Lineage and Suppressing Trickery Lineage had also dispatched a portion of their True Disciples to participate in the Secret Realm Battlefield.
"Senior Brother, you’re a Spirit-level Refiner? Are you looking to construct a Cave?" the Cultivator at the Pavilion asked. "There aren’t many places to choose from in the Northern District. They are a bit far from the Earth Vein Divine Spring, so the Spiritual Energy is sowhat weaker."
The Cultivators of Punishnt Peak were much more courteous than those on Heterodox Peak; of course, this was a benefit of Jia Ren becoming a Spirit-level Refiner.
"With several True Disciples having fallen in battle, quite a few Spirit Lands have opened up," the Cultivator continued, swapping the initial map he had brought out for one with several new red dots. "Please take a look and see if there’s a suitable place for you."
The Earth Vein Divine Spring was far superior to Spirit Lands and Spirit Veins, endlessly emitting a rich concentration of nature’s spiritual energy. The dense Spiritual Energy within the Lingbao Sect owed much to the Earth Vein Divine Spring, and this was even after many Ancestors and Cultivators had already claid their shares. The closer one’s Cave was to the Earth Vein Divine Spring, the more nature’s spiritual energy one could acquire, and the faster one’s cultivation progress would be. Shortly after the death of several True Disciples, the well-positioned Spirit Lands had already been claid. If Jia Ren weren’t a Spirit-level Refiner, and if this person hadn’t intended to foster good relations, he would never have been shown this new Cave map.
Choose a region with dense Spiritual Energy? The denser the Spiritual Energy, the closer one would be to the Caves of Ancestors at the Lianxu Stage and the Body Integration Realm. Safe? No, it would actually increase the unpredictability. I have too many secrets. If my Cave is too close to that of a Fusion Ancestor, it would be easy to draw unwanted attention. Who knows what unforeseen problems might arise? Why invite trouble for a little more Spiritual Energy?
"The Cultivation Technique I practice doesn’t have a great demand for Spiritual Energy, and Artifact Refining requires quiet. I’ll choose a secluded place," Jia Ren said, finding an excuse to deflect attention.
"The selection of a Cave is Junior Brother’s freedom. Any available spot is yours to choose," the Cultivator replied.
Many Artifact Refiners liked to live reclusively, so this request wasn’t surprising.
Jia Ren’s gaze swept over the Cave options, and he casually picked the most remote one. I can’t guarantee this will definitely be effective, but at least it offers so peace of mind.
"Once a choice is made, it cannot be changed. Junior Brother, are you sure you want to pick this place?"
"I’ll choose this place!" Jia Ren declared, pointing to a remote location, a secluded area far from the other Caves.
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