Dual Cultivation of Two Arts (Please Keep Reading)

In Azure Stone Village.

After Ling Pengyun and Ling Ruxian, the two immortals, had left, the villagers who had witnessed the anomaly at Azure Stone Lake were gathered together by Village Chief Ling Dong.

Using clan affairs as his pretext, he told the villagers who had seen the phenomenon to bury what they had witnessed in their hearts. Any who disobeyed would violate clan rules and be beheaded.

The warning indeed had its effect. Almost no one spread word of the anomaly at Azure Stone Lake.

Only a few sly and dishonest individuals told commoners from other clans about the anomaly at Azure Stone Lake and the gathering of four immortals there, in exchange for money.

Though these people were ultimately tracked down root and branch by Ling Dong, who personally led the Azure Stone Village Lingxiao Guard to execute them, they still brought considerable trouble to Azure Stone Village.

Less than three days after the matter ended, more than ten cultivators from the other four great Foundation Establishment Families of Huai River County disguised themselves as mortals and came to Azure Stone Village, seeking out villagers to ask whether the anomaly at Azure Stone Lake was real.

Several bold clan cultivators even slipped into Azure Stone Lake to investigate.

In the end, Ling Ruxian, who was stationed at the Profound Water Mineral Vein, took action and killed several cultivators who had infiltrated Azure Stone Lake, establishing his authority through bloodshed.

Afterward, he no longer concealed the matter and directly informed everyone that this place possessed a spirit iron mine, and that Hundred Spirits Sect also held a share of the mine's rights.

Only the prestige of Hundred Spirits Sect frightened off those great Foundation Establishment clans that coveted the mineral vein beneath Azure Stone Lake.

On the fifth day after the matter of Azure Stone Lake had concluded.

Ling Yunhong, the Ling Clan Head, came to Azure Stone Mountain once more and found Ling Pengyun, informing him that the clan intended to groom him as a prospect in the path of weapon refinement.

"What? You want me to learn weapon refinement?" Ling Pengyun was truly startled by what Ling Yunhong told him, and he cried out in surprise.

"That is right. Steady yourself; do not make such a fuss!" Ling Yunhong said with a smile when he saw Ling Pengyun's expression. "I naturally know your circumstances. Like you, I first entered the path of spirit planting before studying weapon refinement. I even attempted alchemy, cultivating three of the Hundred Arts at once. Yet did I not still cultivate to my present level? My spirit planting has even reached the Second Rank. As for weapon refinement and alchemy, had I possessed complete inheritances earlier, I would have long since reached the First Rank High Grade."

"When all is said and done, no matter which of the Hundred Arts one pursues, the hardest thing is comprehension. Talent in a particular art comes second. Your comprehension and the strength of your divine sense are no weaker than mine. If I could do it, you certainly can as well!"

"The clan is presently short on talent, and Yun An does not have much lifespan remaining. Within twenty or thirty years, the clan will face a situation where no Weapon Refiner remains to refine weapons for us. Only you have any hope of shouldering this duty!"

"I do not require you to reach First Rank High Grade in weapon refinement, nor do I require you to become a Second Rank Weapon Refiner. I only hope that you can take Yun An's place and become a First Rank Middle Grade Weapon Refiner!"

"Besides, do you think the spirit stones earned through the path of spirit planting are plentiful? Among the Hundred Arts, Spirit Plant Farmers have the hardest time earning spirit stones, and their returns come slowly. If you can master weapon refinement, then in the future you can earn vast amounts of spirit stones, use spiritual objects to support your cultivation, and make up for the shortcomings of having less time to cultivate. You may even save enough to join the clan in purchasing that inferior Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object!"

"Of course, if you are still unwilling, I will not force you. But if you agree, the clan will spare no effort in providing you with Weapon Refinement Materials. Likewise, you must not be lazy. You must treat this seriously!"

Hearing this, Ling Pengyun saw that Ling Yunhong had even more confidence in him than he did himself, and he dearly wanted to complain. He truly wanted to say, If I had cultivation talent like yours, I would definitely agree to this. But I am only someone whose cultivation talent can barely compare to a Three Spirit Roots cultivator.

For a moment, he was deeply conflicted.

If he agreed to become a weapon refinement prospect, he would have to divide his attention toward the path of weapon refinement and reduce his already limited cultivation time.

It would be fine if he became a Weapon Refiner. He truly could earn a great deal of spirit stones through weapon refinement, purchase cultivation resources, and make up for the flaw of having too little cultivation time.

But if he failed to become a Weapon Refiner, or ended up neither high nor low, he would instead have wasted much time on weapon refinement. That would be a matter of regret both for Ling Pengyun and for the clan that had invested vast weapon refinement resources in him.

Yet if he refused to become the clan's weapon refinement prospect, then with the clan's shortage of talent and no successor for weapon refinement, after Ling Yun An died decades later, the clan's magic artifacts would likely have to be purchased externally. That would be another enormous expense, and the Weapon Refinement Clans would surely butcher them for a hefty sum.

Ling Pengyun took some pride in his own comprehension and had some confidence in himself, but he did not have much confidence in entering the path of weapon refinement and did not dare agree lightly.

After hesitating for several breaths, Ling Pengyun finally made his decision and replied, "Third Grandfather, I will pursue two of the Hundred Arts."

When Ling Yunhong saw Ling Pengyun agree, there was no joy on his face. He immediately understood that Ling Pengyun had likely not chosen to cultivate two arts at once for his own sake, and so he explained, "Peng Yun, do not blame the clan for placing all this pressure upon you. The clan truly faces a difficult situation with no way to begin resolving it!"

Ling Pengyun said, "I understand, Third Grandfather. The clan raised me and has treated me well. I will certainly devote all my heart and mind to weapon refinement. I will not slack off!"

Ling Yunhong nodded lightly, took out a Storage Bag he had prepared long ago from his robes, and handed it to Ling Pengyun. "This Storage Bag contains the weapon refinement insights and inheritances left behind by the Ling Clan's Weapon Refiners throughout the generations, one thousand jin of Mortal Iron for refining mundane ironware, fifty jin of Kindling Wood, one First Rank Low Grade Refining Furnace, and ten Image Recording Discs. A few days ago, I recorded myself refining seven different kinds of mundane ironware, as well as the First Rank Low Grade magic artifacts Azure Bamboo Sword, Light Body Daoist Robe, and Round Iron Shield. Watch them often; they will benefit your understanding of the path of weapon refinement!"

"As for that Mortal Iron, it is for you to practice with!"

"Half a year from now, I will come to Azure Stone Mountain and stay for a month to teach you how to refine magic artifacts! If, after that month, you can refine a magic artifact, you may formally become a key prospect in the Ling Clan's path of weapon refinement and receive the clan's support in weapon refinement spiritual materials!"

"Good!" Ling Pengyun accepted the Storage Bag and answered solemnly.

Ling Yunhong patted Ling Pengyun on the shoulder, then left the cave and rode the Immortal Spirit Crane King away from the area.

Ling Pengyun walked to the cave entrance and watched Ling Yunhong leave. Then he blankly stared at the Storage Bag Ling Yunhong had just given him, lost in thought for a time.

The path of weapon refinement had truly thrown all his plans for the future into a tangled mess.

Since I have accepted this matter, I must properly plan out this path of weapon refinement!

Now, the only road left to me is to achieve something in weapon refinement, attain an extremely high success rate in refining magic artifacts, and use that to earn vast cultivation resources to nourish my cultivation.

Otherwise, breaking through to Qi Training Completion before the age of sixty will certainly be impossible!

I can only succeed. I cannot fail!

Ling Pengyun's expression gradually hardened with determination.