Chapter 101: Nine Sprouts
Wang Jie listened in silence. It was about time he learned more—otherwise, he wouldn’t even recognize his enemies when he encountered them in the future.
Returning to his room, Wang Jie glanced back. Though his farewells had been brief, he had met with everyone he needed to see. Apart from the people of Blue Star, there was also Su Ying Yu. Somehow, she had managed to procure a sword of exceptional quality, surpassing even the weapons given to him by the Berserk Clan, which required Celestial Refinement. According to her, it was forged from Fifth-Grade Materials.
The sword’s name—Flying Fish.
Wang Jie paid her for it, though she only accepted a symbolic amount. Along with this, he also left a parting gift. In the Imperial Capital Star, celebrations occurred daily, and though customs varied, it didn’t stop him from giving a parting gift as a gesture. With that, he had finally gathered all the materials needed for the Mourning Water Art.
He had been too preoccupied in the Imperial Capital Star, but now, he could begin.
Closing his eyes, Wang Jie opened them again, finding himself in a vast field. As soon as he arrived, five Green Sprouts emitted a soft glow before fusing midair and descending toward his head.
Mourning Water Art.
Wang Jie sat down slowly and began his cultivation.
This art was far more intricate than the Silver Radiance Art, significantly so. However, the beauty of Planted Arts was that they required no active cultivation—he instinctively understood them the moment they grew. As he cycled through the Mourning Water Art, his Ten Seals, which had remained light black since reaching that stage, stirred for the first time. This technique could deepen them to a dark black.
He exhaled slowly. Dark black, huh?
Even the Frost Splendor Moon of the Frost Radiance Sect could only turn the Ten Seals to light black. Which led to a troubling question—if his Ten Seals became dark black, what would happen if someone noticed? Light black was already extraordinary.
Shaking off his concerns, he focused on his training.
Before long, his body gently swirled, and a shadowy presence settled into the field. The Mourning Water Art had successfully taken root. He continued to cultivate his land.
To his surprise, he could still plant more—did this mean dark black wasn’t the final limit?
Could they turn even darker?
As he pondered, new Green Sprouts emerged from the soil—but their growth halted. Several were blocked by the ones from Sword Step.
He was running out of space.
Counting them, Wang Jie clicked his tongue.
Nine sprouting at once.
That was an overwhelming number.
So far, the techniques with the highest number of Green Sprouts had been Starry Finger and Mourning Water Art, each producing five. But now, a single technique had given birth to nine.
Just how valuable was this technique?
His gaze shifted to the Sword Step sprouts—he needed to complete this soon.
All he lacked was a refined sword tassel.
The vast expanse of the starry sky meant little to Wang Jie. Compared to it, he preferred the untamed wilds of his homeland.
As he journeyed toward the Frost Radiance Sect, he cultivated the Mourning Water Art, blending it with his calisthenics to absorb Seal Power. The Cataclysmic Materials he had acquired—both from Yan Fu Yu and his own purchases—were steadily consumed. He had assumed it would be a quick process to deepen his Ten Seals to dark black.
But he had underestimated this stage.
The Frost Radiance Sect’s pinnacle only allowed for light black. Not because they didn’t desire dark black, but because they had never even considered it. Achieving such a transformation required not only an immense amount of Cataclysmic Materials, but also an extraordinary innate talent.
Otherwise, no matter how rare the Mourning Water Art was, the Frost Radiance Sect should have obtained it long ago. After all, it was still only a Ten-Seal-level technique.
For most cultivators, dark gray was already the limit—there was no need to go further.
Wang Jie had only recently learned another unsettling fact.
There was an old saying regarding the Ten Seals and the Star-Breaking Realm:‘The Ten Seals stand as mountains, and the Breaking of Stars is a challenge.’
This meant that to enter the Star-Breaking Realm, one had to not only shatter the resilience of the Ten Seals, but also break through the celestial bodies themselves.
That much, he had known. What he hadn’t realized was that the deeper the color of the Ten Seals, the harder they were to break.
The Silver Radiance Empire had never seen someone achieve light black.
Even the Frost Radiance Sect had very few cases. As a result, there was little external knowledge about this phenomenon.
Upon reaching light black, the resilience of the Ten Seals doubled. If they turned dark black, there were no records—but it was bound to be even stronger.
If he couldn’t shatter his Ten Seals, reaching the Star-Breaking Realm would be impossible.
Wang Jie exhaled slowly. He had already stepped onto this path—there was no turning back. He had endured countless life-and-death situations before. There was nothing to fear.
He pressed onward.
Months passed, and he switched spaceships multiple times.
They arrived at another Cosmic Kingdom, one far stronger than the Silver Radiance Empire. Naturally, their ships were also faster.
With each transfer, their speed accelerated.
The journey from the Silver Radiance Empire to the Frost Radiance Sect’s Frost Radiance Domain was unimaginably vast—so much so that Wang Jie couldn’t even calculate the distance. The later ships traveled at speeds beyond anything the Silver Radiance Empire could achieve.
Finally, after four months, the ships began to slow.
They had arrived in the Frost Radiance Domain.
Looking outside, the cosmos shimmered brightly. Massive planets, cloaked in eternal ice and snow, filled the view.
The Frost Radiance Sect was known for its Three Peaks and Four Domains. Wang Jie knew of the Four Domains—the Silver Radiance Empire was located within the Condensed Brilliance Domain. The domain master of that region held absolute authority.
As for the Three Peaks—Lush Peak, Rainbow Peak, and Fog Peak—they collectively formed the Star Peaks, the very heart of the Frost Radiance Sect.
His destination—Fog Peak.
He had already been confirmed as a Guest Elder of the sect.
From now on, Fog Peak would be his home.
“Master, please look—that is Star Peaks.”
Wang Jie turned his gaze into the distance.
The so-called peaks were, in truth, colossal celestial bodies.
Their sheer size dwarfed entire planets—if Blue Star were placed beside them, it would be no more than a speck of dust.
He had never witnessed such massive stars before.
Three colossal stars formed a breathtaking sight, resembling snow-capped peaks visible even from great distances. A dense mist surrounded them, swirling with an eerie chill that sent shivers down one’s spine with just a glance.
Domain Master Ning Yu Zhu introduced, “Lush Peak is situated at the highest layer and serves as the absolute core of Frost Splendor Sect. The Sect Master and Elders reside here, and it is also the largest star of the Eighth Star Chain.”
“Rainbow Peak is adorned with frigid, multicolored blossoms, infused with Frost Glow Star Force, making it the dwelling of the Sect’s Direct Disciples and Inner Sect Disciples.”
“Fog Peak similarly holds Frost Glow Star Force, serving as the residence for Alchemy Masters, Formation Daoists, and Smith Refiners who act as guest elders. Outer Sect Disciples who contribute to the sect can also train in Frost Glow Star Force here.”
“Every thousand years, Fog Peak changes its master.”
“At present, I am the master of Fog Peak.”
Wang Jie was surprised. “Senior, as a Domain Master, you can also become the Lord of Fog Peak?”
Ning Yu Zhu chuckled. “It’s a way for the sect to incentivize old veterans like us. Among the three peaks, only Fog Peak’s lordship is contestable. All four Domains make efforts to claim it. Since I was the one who brought Great Master Wang Jie back, some troubles may inevitably come your way. If things become too difficult, feel free to contact me.”
Wang Jie did not refuse—he was not one to show off recklessly.
As the spaceship descended upon Fog Peak, Xia Zhen Zhen, Jin Chu, and the others bid farewell to Wang Jie. Xia Bei Yi, however, did not spare him a single glance.
A disciple came to receive Wang Jie, treating him with utmost respect while continuously introducing the intricacies of Fog Peak.
As Wang Jie walked upon Fog Peak, he found it true to its name—thick mist veiled everything. However, this mist was composed of Frost Glow Star Force, highly beneficial for sect cultivators refining Star Force. Yet for Wang Jie, it was of no use.
The disciple eagerly elaborated on the Frost Splendor Sect, explaining the ability to hire disciples as aides, the contribution point system, and the guest elders’ privilege of accessing sect history. He also mentioned that within Fog Peak’s Smith Refining Branch, the highest authority belonged to Master Missing One.
The term Grade referred to the quality of materials. Wang Jie had learned that Seventh Grade weapons were suitable for Hundred Star Realm cultivators. Though not considered high within the sect, where Star-Refining Realm cultivators existed, maintaining a Seventh Grade Smith Refiner was already quite difficult.
Even in the Silver Radiance Empire, smith refiners rarely exceeded Third Grade.
Celestial Refinement Masters held high status purely due to their ability to refine with Star Force, whereas Smith Refiners were valued differently, primarily because their craft could be passed down and taught.
Wang Jie was well aware that if the sect had to choose between him and Master Missing One, they would undoubtedly choose the latter—despite the rarity of Celestial Refinement Masters.
Rarity, after all, did not equate to necessity.
As a Guest Elder, Wang Jie had gained access to sect resources and status, but he was also expected to contribute—through Celestial Refinement.
The disciple guided Wang Jie around Fog Peak for an entire day before finally escorting him to his residence.
He had personally chosen his dwelling—a secluded cliffside beneath a towering mountain, where few people roamed. Even idle wanderers would rarely pass through. Across the cliff, a waterfall cascaded into a crystalline lake below, presenting a breathtaking view.
His residence had already been stocked with an array of refining tools and storage rings filled with Frost Attribute Star Stones, sufficient for his refinement work.
His annual task was straightforward—refine thirty artifacts for the sect within a year. Normally, a Celestial Refinement Master would take three to four months to complete it. It was neither an overwhelming nor an easy task.
For Wang Jie, however—
It would take just one incense stick’s time.
Having newly entered the Frost Splendor Sect, he chose to observe and familiarize himself first. Over the following days, he spent his mornings in the Fog Peak’s Library, resting at night, leading a fulfilling routine. To avoid drawing trouble, he refined one artifact every three days and had someone collect it to fulfill his duty.
One day, a visitor arrived.
“Disciple Tao Two requests an audience with Guest Elder!”
Stepping out, Wang Jie reached the cliffside and saw a young disciple bowing respectfully. “Greetings, Guest Elder. I am Tao Two, and I have come to make a request.”
“What is it?”
With great deference, Tao Two replied, “I would like to commission you for a Celestial Refinement, offering ten thousand contribution points in return.”
Wang Jie studied the disciple—he was the first to seek him out. Truth be told, after several days in the sect, no one had approached him for Celestial Refinement, which he found rather odd. But now that one had come, a second would surely follow.
“Leave it here. Pick it up in three days.”
“Thank you, Great Master.” With that, Tao Two left.
Wang Jie took the artifact and stored it away.
Meanwhile, Tao Two returned to a subterranean forge—a place blazing with heat, unlike the ice-covered Fog Peak and the Frost Radiance Domain.
A scruffy middle-aged man awaited him.
“Did you give it to him?”
“Yes.”
“I’d like to see how a Lock Force Cultivator performs Celestial Refinement.”
Tao Two hesitated before saying, “Had he not been a Lock Force Cultivator, others would have sought his services long ago.”
The man frowned. “His identity as a Celestial Refinement Master is definitely real—Ning Yu Zhu wouldn’t be deceived so easily. Otherwise, it would give the other old fogeys an excuse to cause trouble. But as for his refinement quality—that’s still unknown. Let’s hope it isn’t too disappointing.”
Three days later, Tao Two returned to the cliffside.
Wang Jie handed over the artifact without a word and turned back inside.
Taking the artifact, Tao Two hurried back to the forge, where the middle-aged man took it, scrutinized it—and his gaze flickered with astonishment.
“Not bad at all. What do you think?”
“Disciple also finds it quite remarkable… almost—” Tao Two hesitated.
The man raised an eyebrow. “Perfect.”
Tao Two nodded.
The man chuckled. “Come. Let’s go pay this Celestial Refinement Master Guest Elder a visit.”
Before long, the two arrived at the cliffside once more.
“Disciple Tao Two requests an audience with Guest Elder.”
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