Seventh Grandfather's Shock

Leaving the Hall of Miscellaneous Affairs, Zhou Yang headed straight for the summit of Jade Spring Peak.

The cultivator stationed at the summit was still Seventh Grandfather Zhou Yun. The old man sat as always beneath the tall Dragon Scale Tree on the peak. As soon as he saw Zhou Yang ascend, he pulled him over to sit down and try his newly brewed medicinal tea.

With such a warm invitation from an elder, Zhou Yang naturally couldn't refuse. Moreover, he genuinely enjoyed the medicinal tea the old man made.

However, while drinking tea with the old man this time, his gaze was mostly fixed on the Dragon Scale Tree beside them.

The Dragon Scale Tree was a very rare, special Spirit Wood, named for the tree scales that grew on it, which resembled dragon scales.

The tree scales of a hundred-year-old Dragon Scale Tree were black and as hard as Fine Iron. They could be used to forge First-tier defensive Artifacts, making it a First-tier Spirit Wood.

For Dragon Scale Trees over five hundred years old, the tree scales would turn silver-gray. Their hardness surpassed Profound Iron, and they could be used to forge Second-tier defensive Artifacts, making them Second-tier Spirit Wood.

If a Dragon Scale Tree could grow for over a thousand years, its tree scales would turn silver. At that point, the tree scales could be used to forge Third-tier defensive Artifacts, making it Third-tier Spirit Wood.

It was said that once a Dragon Scale Tree's age exceeded five thousand years, its scales would turn golden, like real dragon scales. They could then be used to forge Fifth-tier defensive Artifacts, treasures that Golden Core Stage ancestors would fight tooth and nail to obtain.

The Zhou Family's Dragon Scale Tree was about eight hundred years old, not far from becoming a Third-tier Spirit Wood. When the Zhou Family's ancestor, Zhou Yuquan, discovered Jade Spring Peak, this Spirit Wood was already growing on the mountain.

After that, approximately every ten years, the Zhou Family would take a few tree scales from the Dragon Scale Tree to forge Artifacts. Zhou Yang's Silver Gang Shield Artifact had a tree scale taken from the tree as its main material.

Although Zhou Yang knew the origin of this tree before, having seen many ancient trees, both hundred-year-old and thousand-year-old, on the mountain, he didn't feel much towards this Spirit Wood that looked like a pine tree.

In his eyes at the time, this Second-tier Spirit Wood was far less valuable than the few Second-tier spiritual fruit trees, the Fire Crystal Jujube Trees, in the spiritual fruit orchard on the mountain.

At the very least, the Fire Crystal Jujube Trees bore fruit every five years. For cultivators like him, who practiced yang-attribute cultivation techniques and were in the Late Qi Cultivation stage, eating a single jujube would provide benefits equivalent to ten days of arduous cultivation. Not to mention, the jujubes tasted superb, far surpassing any fruit he had eaten in his previous life.

However, now that he had become an Artifact Forger, the value of the Dragon Scale Tree in Zhou Yang's eyes had soared.

"Heh heh heh, Little Nine, you've got your eye on this Dragon Scale Tree too? It's not that I'm looking down on you, but even though you're already a Second-Rank Artifact Forger, you're not qualified to use the scales of this Dragon Scale Tree yet. Every single one of these scales that falls into the Old Clan Leader's hands becomes a Second-tier High-grade Artifact. No matter how much he values you, he won't let you waste such a treasure. It would be more like it when you become a Second-tier High-grade Artifact Forger!"

Seeing Zhou Yang's gaze constantly drifting to the Dragon Scale Tree, Elder Zhou Yun knew what he was thinking. He immediately chuckled and didn't hesitate to strike him down with his words.

For the old man, being able to see an outstanding junior like Zhou Yang get flustered was also a very satisfying achievement.

However, the smile on the old man's face had barely lasted a few seconds before he was stunned by Zhou Yang's next words.

"Seventh Grandfather is right. With my current strength as a Tier 2 Mid-grade Artifact Forger, I'm indeed not yet qualified to use the scales of the Dragon Scale Tree for artifact forging. For treasures like this, it's best to wait until I improve my Artifact Forging Art to Tier 2 High-grade and have enough confidence before I attempt to refine them."

"What? Your Artifact Forging Art has already broken through to Tier 2 Mid-grade!"

Elder Zhou Yun stared at Zhou Yang with a face full of shock, his voice even faltering.

Didn't they say this kid only became a Second-tier Low-grade Artifact Forger last year?

How could he have become a Second-tier Mid-grade Artifact Forger in just one year?

Did the Old Clan Leader secretly go down the mountain again to give him extra lessons?

The old man looked at the young junior before him with shock, feeling like his brain wasn't working properly.

Could this young junior not only be a cultivation genius but also possess even more prodigious artifact forging talent?

Otherwise, how could he have gone from a complete layman who knew nothing to a Second-tier Mid-grade Artifact Forger in less than five years?

If he remembered correctly, even the Old Clan Leader, the most talented Third-tier High-grade Artifact Forger in the family's history, took a full twelve years to go from learning artifact forging to becoming a Second-tier Mid-grade Artifact Forger back then!

"Seventh Grandfather? Seventh Grandfather?"

Zhou Yang looked at Elder Zhou Yun, who was stunned by the news he had revealed, and it would be a lie to say he wasn't feeling smug.

After all, being a Second-tier Mid-grade Artifact Forger at the age of twenty-two was indeed something worth boasting about. Let alone in the Zhou Family, a Foundation Establishment Family with only over two hundred years of history, even in the Yellow Sand Sect, which had a legacy of over two thousand years, this speed would be enough to rank among the top in history.

Even he himself had never imagined that his artifact forging talent would be so good.

When he was a First-Rank Artifact Forger, he hadn't shown anything unusual. But after advancing to Second-Rank Artifact Forger, when he needed to mix and refine various materials to forge artifacts, he discovered that he had an extremely excellent control over the precise proportion of metal solutions and the control of heat and temperature.

Later, comparing his situation with the deeds of other artifact forgers recorded in artifact forging classics and the artifact forging experience notes given by the Old Clan Leader, he found that his talent in this area was several times stronger than that of most artifact forgers at the same level.

If it weren't for his cultivation being a bit lacking, and not having the materials to forge Second-tier High-grade Artifacts, he felt he could already attempt to forge Second-tier High-grade Artifacts.

"Is it Little Nine who's here? Come quickly into the cave dwelling, old man has something to tell you."

The call from the Old Clan Leader, Zhou Minghan, served as a timely rescue for the somewhat awkward Elder Zhou Yun. The old man's tense expression, caused by extreme shock, relaxed. He quickly said, "Little Nine, did you hear that? The Old Clan Leader is calling you. Hurry over, don't keep the old man waiting."

Seeing the situation, Zhou Yang, naturally, wouldn't push the old man to lose face for a moment of pride. He suppressed a smile, bowed to the old man, bid farewell, and briskly strode towards the cave dwelling of Old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan.

"Alas, I'm getting old, too old. I can't keep up with the pace of the young people anymore!"

Beneath the Dragon Scale Tree, the old man watched Zhou Yang's departing back and couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.

However, this sigh only lasted a few seconds before the expression on the old man's face changed. His face instantly flushed, his eyes shone brightly, and he burst into laughter: "Hahaha, today's young people are truly amazing. A Second-tier Mid-grade Artifact Forger at twenty-two years old, tsk tsk tsk. I never thought that in my lifetime, I would still see such a genius appear in our Zhou Family. Truly, heaven blesses our Zhou Family, heaven blesses our Zhou Family!"

For family elders like Zhou Yun, who had dedicated their lives to the family, there was probably nothing more gratifying than seeing an outstanding junior emerge in the family.

Those great families with Golden Core Stage ancestors or even Nascent Soul Stage great cultivators, with legacies spanning hundreds or thousands of years, might engage in internal strife and hidden conflicts due to issues like succession disputes and resource allocation.

However, for a small family like the Zhou Family, which had only been established for five or six generations, with a history of less than three hundred years, and only one Foundation Establishment cultivator holding up the fort, unity upon unity, uniting everyone's strength, and concentrating all resources to cultivate a few talented disciples with Foundation Establishment potential was the only correct path.

Consider this: when purchasing a single Foundation Establishment Pill could exhaust the entire clan's savings, if the family were to engage in internal strife and factionalism, the ultimate result would be that no one could achieve Foundation Establishment, leading to the extinction of the entire family's lineage.

Cultivators possessed lifespans far exceeding mortals, and their wisdom also far surpassed mortals. Naturally, they would not make such foolish mistakes.

Under such circumstances, even if a few individuals were driven by greed and sought to benefit themselves at public expense, once discovered, they would surely be attacked by others to uphold family rules.

Therefore, seeing a junior like Zhou Yang achieve such excellence, even if he was not his direct descendant, elders of the Zhou Family like Zhou Yun felt greatly gratified and genuinely happy from the bottom of their hearts.

A family's strength ensures a better future for its descendants, providing them with more cultivation resources and a greater chance of reaching Foundation Establishment. It's that simple.

Meanwhile, Zhou Yang entered the mountain-top cave dwelling and met the Old Clan Leader, Zhou Minghan, again. Before he could even pay his respects, the Old Clan Leader immediately brought him to his Artifact Forging room.

"I heard everything you said outside. Now, forge a Tier 2 Mid-grade artifact for me. Tell me what materials you need, and I'll supply them without limit!"

As expected of a clan leader, Old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan spoke with confidence. The Tier 2 spiritual items that ordinary Qi Refining cultivators would fight tooth and nail for were treated like common cabbage in his eyes, available for unlimited supply.

What else could Zhou Yang say?

Of course, he rolled up his sleeves and got straight to work.

After wasting three sets of materials, he succeeded in forging a Tier 2 Mid-grade artifact, a flying sword, on the fourth attempt.

"Not bad, not bad. Your Artifact Forging Art has indeed improved greatly. This flying sword would meet the standards even in those market town shops. It seems your talent for artifact forging is much higher than I initially anticipated."

After inspecting the newly forged artifact flying sword, the Old Clan Leader, who was usually stern in front of other clan descendants, couldn't help but reveal a joyful smile this time.

The elder was in a good mood and naturally bestowed a reward. He extended his hand and said to Zhou Yang with a smile, "Now, you watch me forge artifacts. Take out the skin and teeth of that [Gold-Eating Rat] you obtained. I will forge two Tier 2 High-grade artifacts for you, one offensive and one defensive, free of charge. Consider it my reward for you becoming a Second-Rank Artifact Forger."

Requesting recommendation tickets, requesting recommendation tickets, requesting recommendation tickets. We're about to drop out of the top ten on the Xianxia category new book list. I need the support of all you book friends. Are there any big shots willing to give a small reward? Not too much, just one yuan of Qidian coins is fine. With a few yuan in rewards each day, plus this book's recommendation tickets, we can maintain our spot in the top ten!