Mystic Silk Soft Armor

The morning was clear and bright. After breakfast, the young man mounted his flying sword and headed toward the back mountain. The back mountain was not particularly large, consisting of only a few peaks, yet it would still take a considerable amount of time to traverse on foot.

He flew at an altitude of over twenty zhang. It was still early, and the mountains were wreathed in clouds and mist. Zhao Jinming did not fly quickly, as the wind resistance was quite strong and uncomfortable at higher speeds. It was common to see ordinary cultivators at the ninth or tenth level of the Qi Refining stage possess sufficient mastery over their internal energy, and even those at the seventh level could utilize swords for combat. However, true flight via sword required a flying sword of exceptional quality. Standard first-tier blades were typically poor in resilience and stability, while heavier swords capable of bearing weight were difficult to imbue with spiritual energy and consumed far too much of it. To fly, one needed a Foundation Establishment-grade spiritual sword, yet such treasures were not easily wielded by those still in the Qi Refining stage.

Within the ring of peaks at the back of the clan lands lay a spiritual lake, where the Great Elder resided. Here, the spiritual cranes his grandfather had gifted him could often be seen circling high in the sky like phoenixes; their occasional clear cries evoked the spirit of the mountains and waters. In the past, Zhao Jinming had wanted to bring Fan Yifeng here to enjoy the scenery, but he had dismissed the thought out of deference to the Great Elder. This place was not only the Elder’s residence but also a vital area of the clan, forbidden to others without permission.

The youth lowered his sword, leaped off, and stepped into the courtyard. Inside stood an "Iron-Essence Tree," seven feet tall and as thick as a man’s waist. Such trees grow slowly—a foot every twenty years—and while some claim they bloom once a millennium, they actually bloom once a century. To the Great Elder, time in the cultivation world held little meaning. One could only wonder what others would think of the clock he used.

He entered the residence. Several people were already waiting inside, all calm and composed. After a long while, "Fatty Yan" arrived. Yan Qing was a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator with gold and fire spiritual roots, both seven inches in length. Despite his nickname, he was not actually fat. He was frequently late, and because his name contained the character "Qing"—meaning "light"—the other disciples dared not call him slow, so they dubbed him "Fatty" instead. Fatty Yan trotted up to the Elder and whispered his excuse. The Great Elder remained unmoved, merely signaling for him to stand in place. The Elder detested tardiness, but he was more inclined to follow the path of the Way; perhaps he had already anticipated the delay.

There were eight disciples in total, mostly clan siblings, with only a small number from the direct lineage. The Great Elder had once stated that weapon forging required gold or fire spiritual roots, though in truth, the Elder himself had not been naturally suited for it. Zhao Tiangang was a cultivator with eight-inch lightning spiritual roots; out of passion, he used lightning to manifest fire, forging his weapons with "thunder-fire."

The world emphasizes natural talent, but lacking high-grade fire spiritual roots did not make forging impossible; it merely resulted in lower efficiency. When a seven-inch fire-root cultivator of the same Foundation Establishment level forged, those without gold or fire roots would struggle to provide the spiritual energy required to smelt the materials, forcing them to settle for crafting Qi Refining-grade artifacts. Without talent, one is confined to a lower realm within their chosen trade.

Yet, a lack of aptitude did not mean one was destined to fall behind. Without gold or fire roots, one could still borrow the power of spiritual fire. Such fire was extremely rare, usually held by master alchemists, and was hard to come by. Massive resources could mitigate a lack of talent. The forging process consumed immense amounts of spiritual energy, and many treasures required materials to be melted and then reshaped from a gaseous state. This demanded precise control over the heat, and since different parts of a weapon required different temperatures, the heavy drain on spiritual power made it difficult for the smith to maintain focus.

The way of the forge, as the scriptures say, is tied to the Five Elements. Spiritual roots also include wind, lightning, and ice, all of which are mutations born from the fusion of the Five Elements. The eight disciples present all possessed one of the required roots, having passed the Great Elder’s strict screening; he did not want disciples without talent to labor in fields where they had no aptitude. He was both right and wrong, but he believed only in the Bagua patterns on his loose robes.

He flicked his sleeves. "Today, I have summoned you for one reason. I have decided that you should prepare yourselves today to accompany the Second Elder tomorrow on a journey to the North Ridge," the Great Elder announced. "This trip will last a month. Flowers in a greenhouse cannot endure the sun for long. As this is your first journey, I have prepared a treasure for each of you to ensure your success."

With a wave of his hand, he sent out eight storage rings. Zhao Jinming caught his, but before he could identify its contents, the Great Elder added, "Those who do not wish to go may speak up. There are only eight spots."

Traveling to the North Ridge with the Second Elder might even lead to the gift of a few precious pills, and with a Golden Core expert present, none of them felt they were in danger. Seeing that no one spoke, the Elder dismissed them.

As they left the courtyard, Fatty Yan took out his ring. Inside was a sword, three feet and three inches long, with a snake coiled around the hilt, crafted from bone-wood. The blade was made of mysterious iron and contained an internal formation. He was overjoyed. It was a White Snake Sword, a mid-tier Foundation Establishment treasure of excellent quality, valued at a base price of three hundred spiritual stones. Once he refined it, he would be able to fly. The other disciples stared in envy.

Jinming was already hovering in the air, eager to check his own ring.

Inside was a suit of armor? It was made of mysterious iron silk, with a comfortable texture. Zhao Jinming put it away without looking too closely. It was a high-tier Foundation Establishment defensive treasure; not wanting to incite envy among his cousins, he flew back the way he had come. Everything the Great Elder gave was of high quality; anything inferior would have been melted down for parts. As a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, he did not casually hand out junk.

As he glided through the air, he suddenly remembered. His grandfather had returned to the clan a few months ago, and he decided to stop by and see him.

The residence of the Fourth Elder, Zhao Tianzhong—the young man’s grandfather—was located in a bamboo forest not far from the back mountain. He had returned this time solely to attempt a breakthrough to the late stage of the Golden Core realm. For decades, he had guarded the four outposts, lingering at the mid-stage for over twenty years. In the cultivation world, the early and middle phases of each major realm were not overly difficult; the true challenge lay in the late stages and the transitions between realms.

Having visited twice before, he knew the way well. Stopping at the courtyard, he knocked gently. Receiving no response, Jinming headed to the bamboo pavilion, knowing his grandfather was likely busy.

He took out the defensive armor. It was a mysterious gold color, woven from countless chains of iron, stitched at the vital joints with blue silkworm thread and reinforced with crystal marrow. It bore several formations: he recognized the "Life-Force Formation" in the center and the "Armor Formation" on the back, both third-tier. On the left chest was a small "Star-Gathering Formation," a simplified second-tier version of the fifth-tier Seven-Star Formation. The Great Elder was a master of formations, capable of weaving fourth-tier arrays. Every high-tier formation could be simplified into a lower-tier version.

"This 'Mysterious Silk Soft Armor' is excellent," Zhao Jinming thought, putting it on under his robes. The soft armor usually featured a first-tier self-cleaning formation and a first-tier adaptive expansion formation, allowing it to be worn constantly, adjusting to the wearer’s size and remaining breathable. As a high-tier Foundation Establishment treasure, a piece of armor was more valuable than a weapon—he had made a great profit.

As Zhao Jinming smoothed his robes, a voice came from behind. "Hmm-hum."

Zhao Jinming quickly turned around. "Grandfather, you're here!"