Zhouyang truly found it difficult to say much.
The more his cultivation increased, the wider the gap with his peers in the clan grew, making him increasingly aware of the importance of aptitude for low-tier cultivators.
Among mortals, only one or two out of ten thousand might become spiritual root cultivators. The likelihood of offspring of cultivators possessing spiritual roots is higher, but still only a few tenths.
Among those who possess spiritual roots, the vast majority have lower-grade spiritual roots, with only one in ten possibly having middle-grade spiritual roots, and upper-grade spiritual roots are even rarer, with hardly one in a hundred cultivators.
The Zhou Clan members at Yuquan Lake Oasis number over a hundred thousand, but there are fewer than a hundred total Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators in the Zhou Clan, including seven or eight outside cultivators married into the Zhou Clan.
Among the dozens of cultivators currently in the Zhou Clan, not one has an upper-grade spiritual root, not even the clan elder Zhou Minghan in late-stage Foundation Establishment, who only has a middle-grade spiritual root.
But how much does the quality of spiritual roots affect a cultivator?
With the same first-layer Qi Cultivation and the same cultivation technique, meditating in the same place, a lower-grade spiritual root cultivator's ten days of meditation roughly equates to one day for a middle-grade spiritual root cultivator.
Similarly, a middle-grade spiritual root cultivator's ten days of meditation might not match one day of cultivation by an upper-grade spiritual root cultivator.
Upper-grade spiritual root cultivators not only have fast cultivation speed, but when facing the first major hurdle of cultivation, "Foundation Establishment," they also have a much greater chance of success than those with middle or lower-grade spiritual roots. Even without consuming a "Foundation Establishment Pill," which dramatically increases the success rate, they have a thirty percent chance to break through.
It's said that above upper-grade spiritual roots, there are spirit body cultivators and dao body cultivators.
Any spirit body cultivator is bound to become a Golden Core Stage ancestor if they don't suffer premature death, without experiencing any bottlenecks.
As for dao body cultivators, they are legends. Since the cultivation realm's inception, fewer than five such cultivators have appeared, each dominating their era as a mighty force.
Apart from spirit bodies and dao bodies, there is another unique physique known as "Treasure Body" in the cultivation realm.
"Treasure Body" is an extremely rare physique. Any spiritual root cultivator might possess a treasure body. If such a cultivator practices a cultivation technique compatible with their treasure body, their cultivation speed will vastly exceed that of cultivators with similar spiritual root quality, and with increased cultivation, they will gain specific Treasure Body Divine Techniques.
For example, Zhouyang might possess a treasure body with yang attributes, hence although he's a middle-grade spiritual root talent, by cultivating the yang and fierce "Golden Sun Fiery Flame Technique," his cultivation speed equates to that of an upper-grade spiritual root cultivator.
If all goes as expected, Zhouyang is sure to reach Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation before forty.
A regular middle-grade spiritual root cultivator like Zhou Xuanjin would have to wait until sixty or seventy to potentially reach Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation.
An ordinary lower-grade spiritual root cultivator may not even reach Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation within the lifespan limits of a Qi Cultivation Stage cultivator!
A harsh reality is, the older Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators become, the greater the difficulty at the Foundation Establishment stage. The success rate for cultivators over sixty is less than half compared to those under sixty, and for those above eighty, it drops further. Zhouyang has never heard of anyone over a hundred in the Qi Cultivation Stage succeeding.
Given Zhouyang's age and cultivation speed, his chance of a successful Foundation Establishment is far greater than average, which explains Clan Elder Zhou Minghan's particular emphasis on him.
Unfortunately, the Treasure Body doesn't boost the success rate of Foundation Establishment; otherwise, once Zhouyang reaches Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation, he could attempt Foundation Establishment.
Both men understood these matters, so upon seeing Zhouyang silent, Zhou Xuanjin quickly adjusted his mindset and began to transfer his duties.
"Guarding Cyan Ping Mountain involves three primary responsibilities: First, respond to any alerts from the clan's steward stationed at the mine to help miners remove occasional Tier One and Two demon beasts; second, protect the miners' camp outside, promptly collect and store refined materials in the mountain warehouse for clan collection; lastly, take care of the dozen acres of spirit fields on the mountain to ensure your own sustenance."
"In addition, if faced with strong demon beasts or human cultivator attacks, never leave the array's range easily. The best method is to hold the array firmly and activate this Tier Three Communication Talisman with essence blood to await clan rescue."
"Lastly, here's the control array banner and operating method for Cyan Ping Mountain's array. Once you refine the banner and familiarize yourself with array operations, I can depart."
While speaking, Zhou Xuanjin handed over the necessary items for the stationed cultivator to Zhouyang, teaching him hands-on how to use them.
Thus, several more days passed until Zhouyang fully mastered the Tier Two "Cloud Sea Light Splitting Array," and Zhou Xuanjin returned to the clan with Cyan Ping Mountain's near-yearly ore vein output.
After Zhou Xuanjin left, Zhouyang became the highest-ranking Zhou Family member at Cyan Ping Mountain.
He first summoned several stewards responsible for managing the mining and smelting of ore veins in the Zhou family, gained a preliminary understanding of the operational process, and handed them a few Sound Transmission Talismans imbued with his aura, so they could promptly notify him if anything happened.
These people who could serve as stewards in the Zhou family were all Innate Realm Martial Arts Cultivators. However, they had no Spiritual Roots and couldn't cultivate Magical Power to become Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivators, remaining in the Innate Realm for their entire lives.
Of course, for mortals, the strength possessed by Innate Realm Cultivators was already worthy of their admiration.
As long as mortals became Innate Realm Cultivators, they could refine Innate True Qi from their bodies, enabling them to move as swiftly as galloping horses, lift heavy cauldrons, easily defeat a hundred opponents, and resist various diseases effectively.
Unfortunately, mortals are mortals; without Spiritual Roots, even refining Innate True Qi doesn't allow them to cast even the lowest Tier One Magic.
True cultivators with Spiritual Roots never acknowledge these mortals as cultivators, nor do they deem it worthy to engage with them.
Zhouyang, however, did not discriminate against these mortal cultivators. Sadly, these people have long been subjected to discrimination by true cultivators, and the concept of hierarchy is deeply ingrained in their minds. Even when he actively approached them for a chat, no one dared to truly regard him as a peer to converse freely, so he eventually dismissed them with little interest.
In the days that followed, Zhouyang's routine became simple.
Every morning, he would begin by meditating and absorbing energy for three hours facing the rising sun. Then he practiced the five magical techniques learned from the Scripture Pavilion for another three hours. By evening, he devoted half an hour to weeding and pest control in the Spirit Field on the mountain, where the Spirit Grain was growing splendidly.
The Spirit Vein on Cyan Ping Mountain was only Tier Two Lower Grade and was an artificial Spirit Vein. After providing daily cultivation needs for a Late-Stage Qi Cultivation Cultivator, only two to three parts of Spiritual Qi remained.
Thus, only about fifteen acres of Spirit Field were cultivated here, with the Spirit Grain grown specifically for the stationed cultivators to consume, without needing to be contributed to the clan.
The Spirit Grain grown in these fields is titled "Golden Pearl Rice." Its appearance resembles the cotton trees from Zhouyang's previous life world, bearing ripe fruits once a year, each plant yielding dozens of fruits. Once peeled, it reveals golden pearl-like grains, hence the name "Golden Pearl Rice."
This "Golden Pearl Rice" survives maturely only in Spirit Fields, requiring Spiritual Qi absorption. Consequently, the grains are greatly nutritious, have excellent taste, and contain trace Spiritual Qi, greatly aiding cultivators in absorption.
Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivators regularly consuming "Golden Pearl Rice" require just a small bowl to meet their nutritional needs for two to three days while slightly advancing their cultivation.
Even Foundation Establishment and even Purple Mansion Stage Cultivators' regular meals mostly comprise this "Golden Pearl Rice."
Starting cultivation at four, Zhouyang completed the Ninth Layer of the Innate Realm in just three years, owing much to his decent aptitude and his parents frequently giving him special treatment, constantly feeding him "Golden Pearl Rice" and low-tier Demon Beast Meat.
Not being a Spirit Plant Cultivator, Zhouyang lacked knowledge of essential techniques for Spirit Plant Cultivators to boost the Spirit Field's yield. He could only care for the Spirit Fields like a regular farmer, watering, weeding, and catching insects, ensuring no crop failure occurred.
With proper care and with the yield from these dozen acres, it was more than sufficient for his daily needs, even leaving a substantial surplus.
Zhouyang understood that this surplus was the clan's welfare for stationed cultivators, as completing clan tasks downhill was obligatory for every adult clan member, without earning any extra clan rewards.
After spending half an hour daily managing the mountain's Spirit Field, Zhouyang then arranged the entire evening for studying Artifact Refining Skills.
He didn't immediately start refining artifacts; instead, he carefully studied the Artifact Refining Classics and the Artifact Refining Notes given by the old clan leader. He practiced refining fundamental materials using ores excavated from the Refined Iron Ore mine before officially starting artifact refinement.
Such simple yet fulfilling days stretched on for three years.
After three years, once Zhouyang thoroughly understood the knowledge recorded in the Artifact Refining Classics and fully mastered materials refinement, he took out the materials given by the old clan leader and began the formal process of artifact refinement.
To conserve materials, he chose to refine the simplest Tier One Sword Spiritual Artifact "Cyan Blade."
The primary material for Tier One Artifact "Cyan Blade" is refined iron, with the sword hilt crafted from Centennial Iron Wood or other Spirit Woods. When Innate Realm Cultivators wield the artifact and inject Innate True Qi, they can emit Sword Light ranging from three inches to one foot to injure enemies, based on the cultivator's cultivation.
Refining this artifact is relatively straightforward: first, smelt refined iron with Spiritual Fire to forge the sword embryo, then maintain the flame's temperature to keep the sword embryo heated, while using a cultivator's Magical Power and Divine Sense to inscribe a "Sharpness" restriction within the sword embryo.
Upon completion of the restriction, it is time to quench the sword, and if the quenched sword gleams with unique artifact Spiritual Light, it indicates a successful refinement. Otherwise, it results merely as sharper mortal soldiers.
Though explained simply, executing it is far from easy. Even having envisaged various scenarios countless times beforehand and practiced the "Sharpness" restriction setup endlessly, Zhouyang's actual first artifact refinement unequivocally ended in failure.
With a "bang" from the Artifact Cauldron, his initial attempt at refining ended promptly, without even reaching the quenching stage.