"Hmm~ I've done the immortal cultivation world a great service."
Hearing the news from outside, Yang Hong smiled proudly and placed the unusable magical artifacts, pills, and spirit talismans he had obtained into the sect's treasure vault.
For treasures with obvious sect or cultivation technique imprints, he directly used them to practice his [Divine Refining Artifact Technique].
After more than three years, with his comprehensive understanding, his artifact refining level directly soared from the fourth to the sixth tier.
The price was three ninth-tier high-grade magical artifacts, which dropped to seventh-tier mid-grade; seventeen eighth-tier magical artifacts were modified to seventh-tier low-grade.
Three seventh-tier magical artifacts with distinct characteristics were dismantled into materials, with more than half of the materials being unusable.
"Heh heh~ Although I paid a small price, I can now refine sixth-tier magical artifacts with a hundred percent success rate.
In three years, ask me,
Who else?"
Looking at the hundred or so sixth-tier magical artifacts piled on the ground in the refining room, Yang Hong burst into laughter.
A sixth-tier artifact refiner might not be rare, but advancing from the fourth to the sixth tier in three years was different.
Having deactivated the old system, Yang Hong found that the restrictions on his secondary professions were also lifted, making progress much easier.
"Zhong Chengfeng, come to the artifact refining room and see me."
He used his divine sense to locate Zhong Chengfeng on Stone Mountain and directly notified him via divine sense.
Upon hearing Yang Hong's summons, Zhong Chengfeng was so excited that he instantly teleported over.
"Sect Master, you've emerged from seclusion? I wonder what gains you've made?"
"Significant gains.
This is my compiled artifact refining insights from tiers one to six, along with sixty optimized artifact blueprints. You shall impart them to the disciples."
"Hiss~ Six~ Six~ Sixth tier?"
Zhong Chengfeng was shocked. Yang Hong's previous artifact refining level was only at the fourth tier, which was known to the entire sect. Now, insights for the sixth tier had appeared!
This meant that Yang Hong's artifact refining had reached the sixth tier.
"Hmph~ I am gifted with extraordinary talent, rising three tiers in three years, is that reasonable?"
"Reasonable~ Reasonable~"
Zhong Chengfeng stammered. Even for a gifted cultivator, advancing from tier one to tier three in artifact refining would normally require at least ten years of accumulation.
Furthermore, advancing from tier three to tier four was a hurdle that blocked seven out of ten cultivators. Many cultivators spent their entire lives as third-tier artifact refiners, including many ninth-tier Mahayana realm cultivators.
Therefore, Yang Hong's advancement from tier four to tier six in three years was truly unreasonable!
Suddenly, Zhong Chengfeng thought of something and timidly said to Yang Hong:
"Sect Master, why don't you try to advance your alchemy skills next?"
"No time. I need to plant a lot of spirit plants. There are also some magical artifacts; take them to the sect's treasure vault as well.
Also, inform Gu Boji to further reduce the exchange point ratio for magical artifacts."
With that, Yang Hong turned and went to Purple Jade Mountain to see his three wives.
His alchemy had been stuck at the third tier for nearly two hundred years. He knew himself well; alchemy was likely his weak point.
However, his path of formations was showing signs of breakthrough. Combining it with the formation insights he had recently acquired, he intended to start attempting a breakthrough.
...
On the vast Lihuo Plains, seven-colored flowers of red, yellow, blue, green, cyan, orange, and purple swayed in the gentle breeze, presenting a scene of breathtaking vitality.
It was hard to believe that more than twenty years ago, this place was the Lihuo Desert.
Across a vast plain spanning a million li in diameter, the seven-colored flowers dotted the emerald grasslands, painting a picturesque scene and forming a colossal formation.
"Zhang Zhengyan, plant these seven spirit flowers according to the steps I've taught you."
Suspended a hundred feet in the air, Yang Hong faced seven spirit plants, while Zhang Zhengyan beside him, with sweat beading on his palms, clutched a jade slip and muttered incantations.
"You're so glib, always speaking out of turn, always doubting the Sect Master. Now you've lifted a rock only to drop it on your own feet?"
Zhang Zhengyan, who had recently been promoted to inner disciple, had suggested to Yang Hong two days ago that the plain closest to Stone Mountain should be converted into spirit fields to cultivate spirit rice, thereby supporting the growing population of migrating mortals.
Today, he was assigned this task: activating the [Seven Stars Starlight Spirit Gathering Great Formation] that Yang Hong had spent nearly seven years planting.
"Stop talking nonsense. You're not in danger; you're just planting the spirit plants. I'm the one who will truly activate the formation.
Hurry up and get down there!"
Yang Hong impatiently explained and then kicked Zhang Zhengyan down with a single foot.
"Thud~"
With a sound like a slapped frog, Zhang Zhengyan landed accurately on an open space.
Now, Zhang Zhengyan was much more obedient. Following Yang Hong's instructions, he planted a sixth-tier [Blazing Sparrow Flame Flower] and then watered it using the Spirit Plant Technique.
Next were the [Blue Moon幽兰], [Violet Orchid], [Yellow Cherry Blossom], [Cyan Jade Azalea], and six other spirit plants.
Seven flowers, seven colors, possessing attributes of gold, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, and thunder.
As Zhang Zhengyan planted the spirit plants, the twenty thousand disciples of Qingfeng Villa, regardless of their cultivation level, gathered outside the seven-colored plain.
Everyone sat in meditation, adjusting their states, awaiting Yang Hong's command.
"After more than seven years of contemplation, it all comes down to this. If successful, my attainment in formations will break through to the seventh tier without a doubt."
Honestly, Yang Hong himself was not entirely confident. Contemplating formations in a conventional manner was simply too difficult.
That was why he had thought of the old method he had used in the Ten Thousand Demon Sea – forming arrays with spirit plants.
Of course, this was also Yang Hong's usual habit of array formation.
Taking a deep breath, Yang Hong closed his eyes and calmed himself.
"Begin."
He took out a sound transmission jade slip to inform Zhu Yuyan, who was outside the seven-colored plain. Zhu Yuyan immediately relayed Yang Hong's command further down the line.
The twenty thousand Qingfeng Villa disciples began to cast their most proficient group spirit plant techniques towards the seven-colored plain. The somewhat chaotic spells, being all spirit plant techniques, did not conflict with each other.
At this moment, a powerful Dao of Creation aura surged from Yang Hong, quickly covering an area of a million li.
His divine sense could not possibly cover such a vast area, but at this moment, his divine sense only needed to guide the separate Dao of Creation auras, which was sufficient.
As the million-li plain was enveloped by the Dao of Creation, Yang Hong opened his eyes and shouted:
"Seven Stars~ Guide!"
The colossal spirit plant formation was activated. In the broad daylight under the scorching sun, seven large stars, arranged in a "ladle" shape, appeared in the sky, and faint seven-colored starlight poured down.
"Creation~ Spirit Gathering!"
Yang Hong elevated the realm of his Dao of Creation aura to the level of Law of Creation!
The Law of Creation guided the starlight in the sky, forming seven enormous colored pillars of light at fixed positions. These pillars were clearly visible even from a thousand li away.
Concurrently, the disciples of Qingfeng Villa maintained their spirit plant techniques while continuously consuming pills.
Ke Jiemei, Zhong Chengfeng, and the other seven highest-cultivation disciples of Qingfeng Villa, who had been waiting, swiftly flew to the pillars of light and poured their high-grade spirit stones into them.
"Seven Stars Spirit Gathering!"
Yang Hong roared. The seven pillars of light gradually sank into the ground, leaving behind seven small platforms, only seven feet high and seven zhang wide.
Seven-colored platforms.
Yang Hong slowly descended and sat on the purple platform, entering a state of contemplation.
"Everyone, spread out around the Sect Master and protect him!"
Seeing Yang Hong enter a state of enlightenment, Zhu Yuyan, Wanwan, and Song Yuzhi instantly teleported over and surrounded Yang Hong, while also instructing the disciples of Qingfeng Villa to spread out and protect him.