Chương 63: A Fading Fortune

After slaying the Wind Butterfly, Zhang Huaijin was thoroughly drained. He found a spirit beast's cave, killed the inhabitant without mercy and swallowed a few recovery pills. An hour later, his spiritual energy had fully restored. He left immediately. Two hours after that, Huaijin stepped back onto Green Bamboo Mountain. He had departed quietly, and he returned even more discreetly. Zhang Lixian and Zhang Chongwen received word of his arrival.

The three generations of the Zhang family gathered once more in the main hall. ——"Back in less than half a month?" Zhang Chongwen asked, frowning.

"Did you not find it?" Huaijin had returned far too quickly.

"I found it." Huaijin's tone was calm.

"There was a Tier 2, Mid Grade Geng Metal Profound Light Array Formation inside. It was old and deteriorating. I found a flaw in the structure and broke straight through. The harvest was decent." As he spoke, he laid out his spoils. Two scrolls. A jade box. A spirit artifact sword. A suit of armor. The remnants of the Geng Metal Profound Light Array Formation. He did not mention the Golden Sun Flower. Bringing it up now would only plant worry.

It was a treasure they could look at but could not use, and that kind of knowledge helped no one. Zhang Chongwen and Zhang Lixian stared, their eyes widening.

"So much?" Zhang Lixian blurted out, unable to hide his shock.

"The map led to the inner reaches of the Purple Dusk Mountain Range," Huaijin explained.

"The cave dwelling was abandoned. I was the only one there. The array formation was very old and there were hardly any restrictions left. It was… fairly easy." He gave a simplified version of his journey, smoothing over the dangers. Zhang Chongwen's gaze grew complex. He thought of his own youth. The desperate struggles. The companions who had fallen in battle, all for a brewing inheritance, some forging techniques, and a handful of talisman crafting methods. And now his grandson…

had obtained all of this without losing a single drop of blood. It was true what they said, comparing people was a futile exercise. But it was also a testament to the sheer gap in their power. It had taken Chongwen over a decade of exploration just to confirm that the map's location lay in the inner reaches of the Purple Dusk Mountain Range. A Qi Refining Realm cultivator would face almost certain death there. He had dreamed of going, but he had never dared.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"As long as you're back safely," Chongwen said at last, his voice heavy with feeling. Having Huaijin in the family was a true blessing. Zhang Lixian felt the same. This expedition had once again strengthened the Zhang family's foundation. All thanks to his son.

"Alright," Huaijin said with a chuckle.

"Let's see what we actually have here. I was in a hurry, so I haven't even examined them properly yet." Lixian and Chongwen smiled. The spirit vein beneath Green Bamboo Mountain had been upgraded to Tier 2, Low Grade which meant it would no longer hold Lixian back. He was currently at the peak of the first level Foundation Establishment. Huaijin estimated that by the time the beast tide erupted, his father would have broken through to the second level. Huaijin picked up the spirit artifact sword first.

Lixian leaned in. He had long since stopped trying to compete with his son in cultivation. He still hoped for Huaijin's guidance to become a Tier 2 Forging Master himself. The sword was a little over three feet long, a striking blend of black and crimson red. Golden lines were etched across its surface. From a distance, it looked like a black serpent slithering through the air. Its edge gleamed with a cold light. Lixian's expression shifted.

"This is a Tier 2, Upper Grade spirit artifact!"

"Correct." Huaijin nodded.

"Tier 2, Upper Grade. With a little maintenance, it can unleash its full power." The Crimson Black Serpent Sword, it was called. Forged from the spine and scales of a Black Slaying Serpent, mixed with Tier 2, Upper Grade crimson gold. It was exceptionally sharp, and within the layers of the blade itself were trace amounts of snake venom. A single cut would inject venom directly into the body. A Qi Refining Realm cultivator would die almost instantly.

Even cultivators below the late stage of Foundation Establishment Realm could only suppress the poison, driving it out was another matter entirely. It was a fierce weapon, brutally lethal.

"Father, this sword is for you," Huaijin said. Lixian waved a hand in refusal.

"Huaijin, this is a Tier 2, Upper Grade spirit artifact. You should keep it for your own protection. I can barely activate it!"

"Father, don't refuse." Huaijin's voice was firm but gentle.

"The beast tide is only two years away. You will definitely break through another level by then. In a desperate situation, you could activate this sword for a short time. It would be enough to save your life. Keep it as your hidden ace." Zhang Chongwen nodded in firm agreement.

"Lixian, would you rather let it gather dust in the clan vault? Who else in this family, besides you two can even wield a Tier 2 spirit artifact?" He continued, "And if I am not mistaken, that armor is also Tier 2, Upper Grade. That one will go to Huaijin." Lixian fell silent. The old man was right. He was the only one who could even attempt to use the Crimson Black Serpent Sword, and even then, only with difficulty.

He could not unleash its full power, but its sheer quality as an upper grade artifact would be enough to badly injure anyone below the late stage Foundation Establishment Realm. A perfect trump card for a killing blow. He stopped protesting and put the sword away, already beginning to mentally prepare for the long, arduous process of refining it. A Foundation Establishment cultivator needed a great deal of time to bond with a Tier 2, Upper Grade artifact. It was strange, he thought.

He did not even own a Tier 2, Low Grade spirit artifact, yet now he had an Upper Grade one. Fate had a curious sense of humor. Huaijin then picked up the armor. Chongwen had guessed correctly. It was called the Violet Gold Azure Armor also Tier 2, Upper Grade. When fully activated, it could withstand attacks from even a perfection stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. The armor was a deep azure, with fine purple lines running across the chest and abdomen, giving it an air of nobility and quiet power.

Huaijin could clearly sense that the chest area was far stronger than the rest. The main body had been forged from the shell of a Tier 2, Upper Grade monster, the Azure Armored Turtle. With the spirit sword going to Lixian, the armor naturally fell to Huaijin. And then, all three turned their gaze to the jade box. Huaijin, being an alchemist, carefully opened the lid. He formed a protective shield of spiritual energy around the box to seal it. The contents were revealed.

"A Foundation Establishment Pill…" Chongwen whispered, stunned.

"It really is a Foundation Establishment Pill…" Lixian sucked in a sharp breath. Zhang Huaijin was overjoyed as well, but as he focused, his brow furrowed slightly. If his senses were correct… this pill's medicinal power had already begun to fade.