Acquiring Bamboo

Knock, knock. A knock echoed from outside the door. "Shopkeeper, Senior Pei Wan has arrived."

"Please come in!"

Wei Zhong turned to see a female cultivator enter, clad in a long white robe. Her face was concealed by two white veils—one covering her mouth and nose, and another draped across her forehead. Beneath these layers, Wei Zhong could barely glimpse her eyes through the narrow slit between the veils, catching only two fleeting points of spiritual light.

Strange attire was common in the Cultivation World, so Wei Zhong's initial surprise quickly faded. He rose and clasped his hands in greeting. "Greetings, Fellow Daoist!"

Xu Xuan also stood up. "You two can chat at your leisure. This Daoist will take his leave." He withdrew, leaving Wei Zhong and the veiled woman to converse in private.

Wei Zhong and Fellow Daoist Pei settled into their seats. As he poured her a cup of tea, he asked, "May I ask how much Spirit Silkworm Silk you have, Fellow Daoist Pei?"

A gentle voice replied, "Fellow Daoist Wei, please be patient. Why not first examine the quality of my silk?" She extended her right hand, placing a bundle of jade-white silkworm silk on the table.

Wei Zhong found it rather peculiar that the other party was also wearing white silk gloves.

"How odd," he thought.

He picked up the silkworm silk from the table and, after thoroughly examining it with both spiritual energy and divine sense, confirmed it to be mid-grade Third-Tier, barely meeting his requirements.

"The quality is decent," he said, "but Fellow Daoist Pei, do you happen to have any higher-grade Spirit Silkworm Silk, or perhaps even Fourth-Rank Heavenly Silkworm Silk?"

"Fellow Daoist Wei, you jest! Foundation Establishment cultivators like us are fortunate enough to possess even Third-Tier spirit objects. How could we dare covet Fourth-Rank treasures like Heavenly Silkworm Silk?"

Visible disappointment flickered across Wei Zhong's face before he began negotiating the price.

...

After some haggling, Wei Zhong traded 2,000 Contribution Points for four portions of silkworm silk suitable for crafting the Seven-Colored Golden Bamboo Umbrella.

"Can these be exchanged for spirit stones?" Wei Zhong asked.

The other cultivator hesitated for a moment before replying, "I only accept high-grade spirit stones!"

Wei Zhong groaned inwardly. "I just got ten high-grade spirit stones from Tantai Lin, and now I have to spend them already?"

"What's the exchange rate?"

Pei Wan held up four fingers. "Four high-grade spirit stones per bundle."

Wei Zhong winced slightly but reluctantly produced eight stones.

Pei Wan was mildly surprised to see Wei Zhong pull out so many high-grade spirit stones at once.

She quickly pocketed the eight stones and retrieved two more bundles of Spirit Silkworm Silk.

The transaction was complete, and both parties were satisfied.

As Pei Wan turned to leave, Wei Zhong spoke up. "Fellow Daoist Pei, I have a considerable need for Spirit Silkworm Silk, but my resources are currently limited. Would you be willing to exchange communication talismans for future transactions?"

Pei Wan paused but replied indifferently, "If you require more, contact Manager Xu Xuan."

With those words, she pushed open the door and departed.

Wei Zhong sighed inwardly. "It's my first transaction with her. I haven't earned her trust yet."

His intention had been to obtain her communication talisman to facilitate future exchanges and potentially acquire higher-grade Spirit Silkworm Silk from her. Even if he couldn't secure Fourth-Rank Heavenly Silkworm Silk, High-Grade Third-Tier silk would still be excellent.

"What a pity! It's rare to encounter a Fellow Daoist with such a large supply of Spirit Silkworm Silk."

After a brief moment of regret, Wei Zhong sought out Xu Xuan again.

"Fellow Daoist Xu Xuan," he asked, "does the Cloud Gathering Pavilion sell Second-Tier Spirit Silkworm Silk and Second-Tier Thunder Attribute Spirit Bamboo?"

...

A short while later, Wei Zhong departed.

Aboard the Spirit Boat, he examined the assortment of Second-Tier spiritual materials in his hands and nodded gently.

This procurement was, of course, practice preparation for refining the Seven-Colored Golden Bamboo Umbrella.

"Second-Tier Artifact Refiner - Proficient (65%)"

Compared to his still-stagnant First-Tier formation techniques, Wei Zhong's artifact refinement skills had successfully advanced to the Second-Tier level, achieving proficiency.

He could now reliably refine ordinary Second-Tier magic swords, occasionally even producing High-Grade versions.

However, he still lacked the skill needed to create even a degraded version of the Third-Tier Seven-Colored Golden Bamboo Umbrella. Wei Zhong resolved to refine several umbrella-shaped magic tools to further hone his proficiency.

Initially, he considered asking Xu Xuan to handle the refining, but the sheer quantity he needed might seem alarming.

"It's better to handle this myself," he decided. "I still have some time before reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment, and that should be enough."

Wei Zhong flew back towards the Dongting Secret Realm, wondering how Ling Ziwei was progressing with breaking the formation.

Upon his return, he found her at a critical juncture in her efforts. The formation's spiritual light had dimmed considerably. Using his Spirit-Seeking Art, Wei Zhong observed only twelve flickering points of light dancing restlessly across its surface.

Ling Ziwei stared intently at the formation before her, beads of sweat forming on her forehead, clearly struggling with the challenge.

"I overestimated myself after all," she thought. "Even a small fragment of a Fourth-Tier Grand Formation is at least a High-Grade Third-Tier formation in its own right. Moreover, its interconnectedness with the grand formation as a whole adds another layer of complexity."

After a moment's hesitation, Wei Zhong produced a small golden cone—the Third-Tier Restriction-Breaking Cone he had left behind earlier.

Noticing Ling Ziwei's momentary pause, he sent her a silent voice transmission:

"Immortal Maiden Ling, proceed boldly. I've secured the Spirit Silkworm Silk; all that remains are a few stalks of Golden Thunder Bamboo."

Ling Ziwei glanced back and saw Wei Zhong standing outside the formation, watching her with a reassuring smile. She refocused on the formation and exhaled a long breath of tension.

The Formation-Breaking Cone in Ling Ziwei's hand activated instantly, striking one of the twelve Formation Nodes—precisely the point where this segment connected to the overarching Fourth-Tier Grand Formation.

Crack!

A crisp sound, like shattering jade, echoed through the air. In the blink of an eye, only eleven Formation Nodes remained.

With the destruction of this node, the formation instantly lost stability, teetering like a table with a leg kicked out.

"Careful! Is the formation self-destructing?" Shang Mengchun cried out urgently from the side.

"Self-destructing?" Wei Zhong's heart skipped a beat at the news.

Ling Ziwei, however, calmly inserted a Formation Plate into the damaged node.

The plate acted as a temporary patch, keeping the wobbling formation precariously balanced between collapse and stability.

She then systematically weakened the remaining eleven Formation Nodes, one by one, before reinforcing the formation at a lower tier.

Through this iterative process, she steadily degraded the formation's overall rank.

Even Wei Zhong, a layman in formation arts, began to grasp the brilliance of her methods.

Shang Mengchun, standing beside him, was effusive with praise. "Miss Ling truly lives up to her reputation as a seasoned Third-Tier Formation Master. Even if we dedicated a century to studying formations, we could never attain such mastery."

Boom!

Ling Ziwei had finally shattered the Third-Tier Formation that imprisoned the Golden Thunder Bamboo. Wei Zhong and Ling Hua stepped forward to inspect the site.

Meanwhile, the other Guest Elders, including Shang Mengchun, departed. Their compensation had already been agreed upon with the Ling Clan, and they had no claim to any spoils found within the formation.

Wei Zhong approached Ling Ziwei. "You've worked tirelessly, Immortal Maiden Ling," he said.

She had been continuously dismantling the formation for over a month, nearly depleting both her spiritual energy and mental stamina. Visible fatigue etched her face.

Wei Zhong offered her a flask of Fallen Moon Red, a spirit wine renowned for its restorative effects on the divine sense. "This wine nourishes the divine sense. I recommend you try it."

Ling Ziwei took a small sip. A flicker of surprise crossed her face before she regained her composure and casually accepted the flask.

"Let's inspect the Spirit Bamboo within the formation," Ling Hua suggested.

Wei Zhong and Ling Ziwei nodded in agreement.

The trio stepped into the breached formation. Multicolored spiritual mist still lingered in the air, obscuring their vision.

But as they ventured deeper, the sight that greeted them left them speechless.

Within the formation was not a sprawling bamboo forest, but rather a dense grove enclosed by a circular wall of azure stones, roughly eight feet in diameter.

Inside this enclosure grew nearly a hundred stalks of Spirit Bamboo, ranging from First-Tier to Third-Tier. Regrettably, the majority were First-Tier and Second-Tier, with only a dozen or so Third-Tier stalks, most of which were low to mid-grade.

There were only two High-Grade Third-Tier Spirit Bamboo stalks, estimated to be over 7,000 and 8,000 years old, respectively.

Much of the azure color had faded from their outer layers. If left undisturbed, they would likely ascend to Fourth-Rank within another millennium, becoming true Ten Thousand-Year Spirit Materials.

Golden lightning crackled between the leaves and branches of the Spirit Bamboo, coalescing into a dazzling golden thundercloud above the grove.

"This..."

Even Ling Hua, a Core Formation cultivator, was awestruck by the sight. He had never encountered such an abundance of spiritual treasures.

Calculating their value, he estimated the collection to be worth at least several hundred thousand spirit stones—a resource of immense value for any sect.

Wei Zhong, accustomed to his family's vast wealth, swallowed hard and was the first to recover from his astonishment.

"This Golden Thunder Bamboo has accumulated a formidable lightning charge," Wei Zhong warned. "It might be difficult to retrieve."

The Ling Clan siblings finally focused their attention on the golden thundercloud swirling above the spirit bamboo.

"Brother Wei speaks truly," Ling Hua agreed. "The lightning energy emanating from this grove of Golden Thunder Bamboo has reached a delicate equilibrium. If we rashly attempt to take a stalk, we'll likely be struck by its golden lightning. Even someone with my Core Formation cultivation base wouldn't escape unscathed."

Ling Ziwei frowned, troubled by this revelation. "We finally broke through the formation—must we now stand helplessly before this spiritual treasure?"

"Brother Ling, do you still have that damaged Seven-Colored Golden Bamboo Umbrella?" Wei Zhong asked.

Ling Hua hesitated before retrieving the battered Treasure Umbrella. "What do you need this old thing for, Brother Wei?"

Wei Zhong took the umbrella and examined its tattered canopy. "I'll try to repair it a bit. As a lightning-repelling artifact, it should be able to mitigate the bamboo's lightning energy."

The siblings exchanged surprised glances. Ling Ziwei asked curiously, "Fellow Daoist Wei, do you possess some skill in Artifact Refinement?"

Wei Zhong nodded modestly. "Just Second-Tier techniques. I can't fully restore this Third-Tier Treasure Umbrella, but I can manage a decent repair. By combining Third-Tier Spirit Silkworm Silk with Second-Grade High-Tier Thunder Attribute Spirit Bamboo, I should be able to restore the umbrella to Third-Tier power. With that, Brother Ling, you should be able to safely retrieve the treasure."

The Ling Clan siblings listened to Wei Zhong's casual explanation, their faces unable to conceal their shock.

For an ordinary cultivator, reaching the Third-Tier in any single technique after over two centuries of practice would make them a prodigy among their peers. Yet Wei Zhong was not only a Third-Tier Pill Refiner but had also ascended to the Second-Tier in Artifact Refinement—a truly astonishing feat.

If they knew Wei Zhong had achieved his current level of proficiency in Artifact Refinement in less than a decade, their reaction would surely have been even more profound.

Wei Zhong clasped his hands in a formal salute to the siblings. "Repairing this umbrella will take about half a month. I trust Brother Ling will diligently guard the Spirit Bamboo in the meantime."

"Then we await your good news, Fellow Daoist Wei."

After bidding farewell to Ling Ziwei, Wei Zhong departed the Sect Ruins, sought out a secluded spot, and entered his Grotto-Heaven.

Summoning Golden Eyebrow, Wei Zhong patted the demon's head and said, "I need your help again."

While ordinary alchemists and refiners relied on flames for their crafts, Wei Zhong had adapted to water-based methods for alchemy. However, Artifact Refinement still necessitated fire-based techniques.

For First-Tier Magic Artifacts, simple fire-attribute spells sufficed.

But refining Second-Tier and Third-Tier artifacts demanded higher-grade flames.

Ideally, a Core Formation cultivator's Pill Fire would have been perfect. However, Wei Zhong lacked the lifespan to maintain such a cultivation base, forcing him to explore alternative methods.

The world was home to various Heaven and Earth Spirit Fires, each with its own grade, but all were exceedingly rare.

Unable to find one, Wei Zhong had no choice but to forge his own path, resorting to Demon Fire for Artifact Refinement.

Upon hearing Wei Zhong's request, Golden Eyebrow sat cross-legged before him, extending his right hand. A crimson flame immediately flickered at his fingertip.

Indeed, this was Golden Eyebrow's Demon Fire.

The pitiful Golden Eyebrow, once a majestic Third-Tier Great Demon, now enslaved by Wei Zhong, was not only forced to brew wine and work as a laborer but also had to provide the flames necessary for Wei Zhong's Artifact Refinement.

Wei Zhong placed two jars of Jade Nectar beside Golden Eyebrow to replenish his spiritual energy. Then, he retrieved the various spiritual materials he had purchased earlier from the Cloud Gathering Pavilion.

The crimson flame surged, its size and intensity manipulated at Wei Zhong's will.

This was all thanks to the True Seal Treasure Manual. The combined effect of five True Seals had forged a profound telepathic bond between Wei Zhong and Golden Eyebrow, allowing Wei Zhong to effortlessly control the Demon Fire.

Anyone witnessing this scene would be astonished by the extraordinary connection between man and beast.

The aquamarine Thunder Attribute Spirit Bamboo gradually melted under the fiery heat, transforming into a pool of azure Spirit Liquid. Wei Zhong then added various spiritual materials to create the restorative Spirit Liquid needed to repair the Treasure Umbrella's frame.

After more than half a month of painstaking effort, the shattered Treasure Umbrella in Wei Zhong's hands gradually regained its complete form.

The greenish-yellow handle and ribs of the umbrella had been completely transformed into a deep azure hue, and Wei Zhong had meticulously patched the torn canopy with Third-Tier Spirit Silkworm Silk.

At first glance, it appeared to be a flawless Third-Tier Magic Artifact, showing no signs of damage whatsoever.

Satisfied, Wei Zhong stowed the Treasure Umbrella and turned to Golden Eyebrow, who was resting nearby.

After ceaselessly fanning the flames for over ten days, Golden Eyebrow was utterly exhausted, his fur dull and lifeless.

"It seems I'll need to find a Third-Tier Spirit Fire for my next Artifact Refinement," Wei Zhong mused. He then placed three jars of Second-Tier Azure Spirit Brew before the fox.

Seeing the spirit wine reward, Golden Eyebrow immediately perked up, tore open a jar, and began to guzzle it down.

"What a lush!" Wei Zhong chuckled softly as he exited the Grotto-Heaven and returned to the Sect's Secret Realm.

Ling Hua hurried over as soon as he saw Wei Zhong. "Brother Wei, were you able to repair the Treasure Umbrella?"

Wei Zhong produced the newly restored Seven-Colored Golden Bamboo Umbrella. "Mission accomplished!"

Ling Hua took the umbrella, opened it, and channeled spiritual energy into it. Golden and azure lightning crackled across the ribs and canopy.

"Excellent! It's undoubtedly Third-Tier quality, barely inferior to a flawless one. Brother Wei, your Artifact Refinement skills are truly exceptional."

Wei Zhong smiled faintly, his gaze fixed on his status panel.

"Third-Tier Artifact Refiner - Novice (87%)"

To Wei Zhong's surprise, repairing a Third-Tier Magic Artifact had elevated his Artifact Refinement technique to the Third-Tier.

Although his proficiency had dropped from "Skilled" to "Entry Level," he was confident he could quickly regain his former mastery.

Ling Ziwei watched Wei Zhong successfully repair the Treasure Umbrella, her expression shifting through a series of complex emotions. "Fellow Daoist Wei is truly a paragon for cultivators of our generation. I wonder what other hidden talents you possess."

Wei Zhong coughed awkwardly. "Brother Ling, night breeds trouble. Let's retrieve the Spirit Bamboo quickly."

"Brother Wei speaks wisely!" Ling Hua agreed.

Ling Hua unfurled the Treasure Umbrella and cautiously approached the bamboo grove. When he was about three feet away, a bolt of Golden Lightning struck from the thundercloud directly above his head.

Fortunately, the Treasure Umbrella filtered the lightning, allowing only a negligible trickle of electricity to reach Ling Hua.

Wei Zhong nodded slightly. "This lightning is far weaker than the heavenly thunder of Core Formation. The Treasure Umbrella shows no signs of damage from this strike."

As Ling Hua approached the Golden Thunder Bamboo, the lightning above him intensified.

Despite his Core Formation cultivation, it took him dozens of breaths to cover the three-foot distance and finally step onto the surrounding bluestone path.

He drew a Third-Tier magic sword, parted the First and Second-Tier Spirit Bamboo at the periphery, and aimed directly for the yellowish-green Third-Tier Golden Thunder Bamboo at the center.

"Brother Ling, just take five stalks. You can gather some Second-Tier Spirit Bamboo while you're at it," Wei Zhong advised from the side.

Ling Hua nodded and used his sword to dig into the bamboo's root system.

Yet even with the sharpness of a Third-Tier magic sword, he struggled to sever the roots quickly. Instead, the Golden Lightning surging up the blade caused a tingling numbness to spread through his body.

Resisting with his spiritual energy and relying on the formidable Dharma Body of a Core Formation cultivator, Ling Hua spent dozens of breaths finally unearthing five stalks of Third-Tier Golden Thunder Bamboo. Before departing, he also dug up some of the bluish-green Spirit Bamboo.

The sudden loss of so much Golden Thunder Bamboo instantly disrupted the delicate balance of lightning within the grove.

The golden Thundercloud above crackled ominously, its electrical energy surging outward in violent bursts.

Ling Hua hastily retreated, glancing back with lingering apprehension at the violently raging golden lightning behind him. Its power rivaled the first heavenly thunder he had faced during his Core Formation breakthrough. The relentless electrical storm could have left even a Core Formation cultivator critically injured if caught within.

Fortunately, they had retrieved the Spirit Bamboo.

Among the five Golden Thunder Bamboo plants, three were low-grade Third-Tier, and two were mid-grade Third-Tier. Ling Hua offered three plants to Wei Zhong, keeping one low-grade and one mid-grade plant for himself.

"Thank you for your help in breaking the Formation and retrieving the treasure, Brother Wei," Ling Hua said sincerely.

Wei Zhong accepted the Spirit Bamboo and offered two bundles of Spirit Silkworm Silk in exchange. He had indeed expended considerable resources during this endeavor, using a Third-Tier Restriction-Breaking Cone and consuming spiritual materials to repair his Seven-Colored Golden Bamboo Umbrella. Coupled with the two bundles of Spirit Silkworm Silk, his contributions had likely exceeded the value of the three Spirit Bamboo plants.

"If you ever need any of this Spirit Bamboo, Brother Wei, please don't hesitate to ask. I'll gladly assist," Ling Hua offered sincerely.

Wei Zhong clasped his hands in a respectful gesture. "Then I may have to trouble you in the future, Brother Ling!"