Chapter 166: Future Artifact Refining
"It’s difficult."
Huang Datong was considering things more realistically.
He and his wife were both cultivators at the Qi Refining Stage, so any child they had would only have a fifty percent chance of testing for a Spirit Root.
And even if his son tested for a Spirit Root, he would need Three Spirit Roots like his daughter to become a disciple of the Celestial Cloud Sect.
The number of cultivators with Mixed Spirit Roots was far, far greater than those with True Spirit Roots.
"If your mother and I were both disciples of the Celestial Cloud Sect, your brother could join the sect even with Four Spirit Roots after testing for one. But his older sister being a disciple doesn’t qualify him for that."
Huang Datong still knew a thing or two about the Celestial Cloud Sect’s rules.
"As long as I can make a great contribution to the sect, it’ll be possible."
Huang Mengzhu now clearly had a better understanding of the Celestial Cloud Sect’s rules and knew just how great a contribution she would have to make.
Before Huang Datong could speak, Huang Mengzhu’s gaze turned back to Huang Mengyang.
"How could my little brother have Mixed Spirit Roots? You have to have better Spirit Root Talent than your big sister, okay?"
"Goo..."
"Dad, and Mom, listen! My little brother answered me."
"Yes, he did," Zhang Chuzhen said with a happy smile.
"..." Huang Datong thought for a moment before finally nodding.
He knew the chances of his son having better talent than his daughter were minuscule, but as a father, he couldn’t help but hope for that possibility.
The family of four spent half the day together.
Seeing that it was about time, Huang Mengzhu prepared to leave.
After these three years, she would have plenty of opportunities to come out and visit her parents in the future.
"Mengzhu, take these Spirit Stones. Cultivate well within the sect."
As Huang Mengzhu was about to leave, Huang Datong took out the Spirit Stones he had saved up over the years.
Huang Mengzhu refused outright. "I can already start taking sect missions now. The cultivation resources I get in the future will only increase. Dad, you and Mom should keep the Spirit Stones for yourselves. You can use them to break through to the mid-Qi Refining Stage, just like I did."
"What’s there for me to break through to?"
"If Brother Fang Yun were here, he would definitely say, ’After breaking through to the mid-Qi Refining Stage, Uncle Datong, you’ll be able to earn much more.’" Huang Mengzhu even imitated Fang Yun’s tone as she spoke.
In the end, Huang Mengzhu didn’t accept the Spirit Stones and returned to the Celestial Cloud Sect.
...
Artifact Casting Peak.
Inside the rented Superior Artifact Refining Room One.
Fang Yun had just completed the refining of an Upper Grade Magical Artifact, but it had been a difficult process.
This was the most difficult Upper Grade Magical Artifact he had ever refined.
"Fusing the materials really was tough. Good thing it succeeded in the end."
Looking at the Long Sword in his hand, which was dotted with red specks, Fang Yun nodded in satisfaction.
This Artifact Refining session had been a test for him, and having passed it, the sense of accomplishment he felt was different.
At the same time, this refinement had also allowed him to accumulate more experience, and new combinations of materials now formed in his mind.
If he were to refine another one with the same materials, Fang Yun still couldn’t guarantee success. He could only say that the probability would be much higher than it was this time.
’Magical Artifacts that counter other powers... I should think about and refine more of these in the future...’
He thought about how he would definitely have to face more opponents who used other powers in the future, so it was necessary to start preparing now.
The high difficulty of the refining led to a long process.
Compared to refining other Upper Grade Magical Artifacts, this one had taken a full four hours longer.
After leaving Superior Artifact Refining Room One, Fang Yun didn’t return to his residence but instead headed for the D-Character residential area of the Outer Sect.
According to his agreement with Huang Mengzhu, today was the day she was to go to Smoke Cloud Peak to accept a mission.
It would also be a chance to see if Huang Mengzhu had the potential to become a Spirit Chef.
Fang Yun knew that Huang Mengzhu genuinely wanted to become a Spirit Chef. If she could do something she loved, she would be able to go further down that path and create more innovative Spiritual Food in the future.
Soon, Fang Yun arrived in front of house number one hundred thirty-seven in the D-Character area.
"Brother Fang Yun!"
Hearing a knock on the door, Huang Mengzhu opened it and immediately called out.
"How did things go after you went back yesterday?" Fang Yun asked.
"Great, really great!" Recalling yesterday’s events, Huang Mengzhu was overjoyed and couldn’t help but share, "Brother Fang Yun, my mother gave birth to my little brother!"
"Oh, that’s wonderful news."
It was much more difficult for cultivators to have children than it was for mortals, and this became truer the higher their Realm.
For Huang Mengzhu’s parents to be able to have another child was quite a stroke of good luck.
"I hope Mengyang has good Spirit Root Talent and can also become a sect disciple in the future." Huang Mengzhu mentioned her little brother many times in front of Fang Yun.
Watching the little girl’s excitement, Fang Yun listened and nodded along.
When they had chatted for a while, he finally took Huang Mengzhu to Smoke Cloud Peak.
To accept missions from Smoke Cloud Peak, Huang Mengzhu first had to pass a relatively simple test.
Led by a Steward from Smoke Cloud Peak, Huang Mengzhu went to the testing area.
Fang Yun, waiting outside, didn’t stay idle.
He began to flip through a notebook. It was a gift from his master, Xiong Xingfeng, and it contained Xiong Xingfeng’s insights on Artifact Refining.
Since Fang Yun needed almost no guidance in refining Magical Artifacts anymore, the notebook mostly recorded Xiong Xingfeng’s insights on refining Spiritual Artifacts.
Time ticked by.
When Huang Mengzhu came out, Fang Yun closed his notebook and asked the Steward who was behind her.
"Steward, how did the test go?"
"Her initial judgment of ingredients is quite good. With further study, she has the potential to make Spiritual Food," the Steward commented.
This preliminary judgment wasn’t completely accurate, but it was still very high praise.
One had to understand that working at Smoke Cloud Peak didn’t require the talent to become a Spirit Chef. If one performed well in service, they could also take a position at the Smoke Cloud Pavilion.
Of course, the best job on Smoke Cloud Peak was naturally that of a Spirit Chef, as the mission rewards were plentiful.
The Management Elder of Smoke Cloud Peak was the best Spirit Chef in the Celestial Cloud Sect.
"Brother Fang Yun, I told you I have the talent to become a Spirit Chef!" Huang Mengzhu was ecstatic.
She had been nervous during the test.
But as the test progressed and she heard the Steward’s assessment, she grew more and more confident, until her nervousness vanished completely.
"Excellent. I hope that the next time my birthday comes around, I’ll be able to eat Spiritual Food made by you, Mengzhu."
"Brother Fang Yun, I’ll work hard!"
Right now, Huang Mengzhu was brimming with confidence.
It was currently the beginning of the seventh month, so there were still ten months until Fang Yun’s next birthday.
Although it wasn’t a long time, Huang Mengzhu not only said it aloud but also told herself in her heart that she had to redouble her efforts.
"Don’t let your cultivation fall behind, either," Fang Yun reminded her.
Cultivation is fundamental; you can’t put the cart before the horse in anything you do.
With Fang Yun’s reminder, Huang Mengzhu promised that she would cultivate diligently and would reasonably arrange her time between studying the way of the Spirit Chef and cultivating.
The two chatted for a little while longer, and then Fang Yun left Smoke Cloud Peak by himself.
After passing the test, Huang Mengzhu could now take on duties at Smoke Cloud Peak, starting today.