The fourth son of the Lu Clan's "Chao" generation was Lu Chaoling, and he was 97 years old this year. He had three Spiritual Roots of the fire, metal, and earth elements. His cultivation level was unremarkable. He was already 55 when he reached the ninth-tier of the Qi Refining Stage.
When he was 59, Lu Chaoling's body had just become too frail to advance to the next stage. He used a Foundation Building Elixir that the clan had at that time but failed to advance to the Foundation Building Stage. Instead, he became a complete Qi Refining cultivator.
If he were still young, he would have had another chance to advance to the Foundation Building Stage if he recuperated for some time. Unfortunately, he had already reached the limit when he tried to advance for the first time. He would have lost the opportunity to advance to the next stage even if he spent five years recovering.
Having failed to advance to the Foundation Building Stage, Lu Chaoling became a complete Qi Refining cultivator. He was much stronger than an average ninth-tier Qi Refining cultivator and could even hold his own against an ordinary first-tier Foundation Building cultivator. However, not entering the Foundation Building Stage meant that he would never be able to improve. He would stay at the complete Qi Refining Stage for the rest of his life.
However, aside from training when he was young, he also learned the ability to forge equipment from his father, Lu Qing.
When Lu Qing was alive, he had spent most of his effort on his cultivation. He learned how to create amulets and refine Qi as a side project but did not focus too much on them. However, he was, after all, a Golden Core cultivator. He learned his side projects too quickly and reached Level Three.
Level Three was considered relatively good.
Lu Chaoling's mentor was his father. He had inherited his skills from Lu Qing.
When the situation of the clan got worse, Lu Chaoling became one of the most important people in the clan, aside from the three Foundation Building cultivators.
For one, he was a complete Qi Refining cultivator and was a little more powerful than a ninth-tier Qi Refining cultivator. More importantly, he was the person in the clan who was the most adept at forging equipment. He was a Level Two mid-grade forger.
He was responsible for melting down the ore of the Energy Stones that the clan produced every year and then refining them to become Energy Stone ingots, a Level Two material. Most of the Energy Stones would be sold, while some of them would be left for Lu Chaoling to forge magic equipment.
The Jade Suppression Plate, which was famous in Pingyao County and even in the neighboring counties, was an export of the Lu Clan. It was a Level One high-grade defensive magic equipment that Lu Chaoling forged out of Energy Stones. Several members of the clan used the Jade Suppression Plate, and the plates were highly sought after by Qi Refining cultivators outside the clan. After all, it was a rather practical item.
However, Lu Chaoling had always felt a little frustrated.
He was a Level Two mid-grade forger and could forge Level Two magic equipment. However, with the current situation of the clan, it was hard for them to get the material needed to create better items. All he could do was put down his pride and produce the Jade Suppression Plate year after year to equip the members of the clan and occasionally bring in another source of income for the family.
Thus, when his elder brother Lu Chaoxi came to look for him with the high-quality Energy Stone that was found within the Stonemother's body, he was rather excited.
As a forger, his ability to determine the quality of a piece of material was even more exceptional than Lu Chaohe's.
He told Lu Chaoxi, "This is a Level Two high-grade material! If we can pair it with some good supporting ingredients, there's a chance that I can forge a Level Two high-grade magic equipment!"
Lu Chaoling no longer cared about his progression in the path of cultivation. However, people always needed something to hold on to. His current obsession was his forging ability. In the past, all he could do was suppress his will as the clan could not afford to support his wishes. He had felt a little indignant. Now that he had an opportunity, he wanted to try and improve his forging ability.
Forging greater magic equipment was his pursuit in life. However, the enhancement of his forging ability required better ingredients.
"It was not easy for the clan to obtain such a good piece of material. You have to cherish it, Fourth Brother."
"Don't worry, Elder Brother." Lu Chaoling also knew that this chance did not come by easily. "I can at least guarantee that the magic equipment I forge out of it would be Level Two mid-grade."
"How long do you need?"
Lu Chaoling did not answer haphazardly. He meticulously calculated how long the process would take before he replied. "It is hard for the material to come by. I would have to spend half a year planning about how to utilize it best. I think that the time I would require to forge it would not be lesser than two years."
"Two and a half years it is." Lu Chaoxi handed the high-quality Energy Stone over to his fourth brother.
He gave a few more instructions centered around being careful and getting his brother to forge a better piece of equipment. He left shortly after.
******
After he left the forging room, Lu Chaoxi rode on his flying sword and arrived at the back side of the Yuyan Mountain.
He had to report this matter to his father.
Of course, Lu Qing knew about this from the start. He had floated near the three siblings throughout the entire ordeal and witnessed the battle from a close distance.
However, he still listened to his eldest son narrate the entire incident.
After he was done, Lu Chaoxi said, "Thank you for your notification, Father. Otherwise, Tinghua and Mingling would have lost their lives."
"The Level Two Stonemother must have left its essence behind after it died. What do you intend to do with it?" Lu Qing asked despite knowing the answer.
"I've already discussed it with Fourth Brother and got him to forge a Level Two defensive magic equipment."
"That's all right," Lu Qing said. "But take these two items with you."
He floated out of the chamber after he finished his sentence and conjured the Broken Yin Water Rope and Thousand-Ton Heavy Earth outside the door.
Lu Qing had noticed the Broken Yin Water Rope when he had just woken up from his closed-room training.
Lu Chaoxi had already seen items materialize out of thin air and was no longer too surprised. He waited silently outside the chamber for his father's explanation.
Lu Qing said after he returned to the chamber, "The first item is the Broken Yin Water Rope. Give it to your ninth sister. It is a Level Two water-element magic equipment and has the unique effect of binding souls. It is extremely effective in dealing with undead-type monsters like the Water Ghosts. In normal combat, it can also make use of yin-element water to disrupt and bind the souls of the enemies."
A Level Two low-grade magic equipment cost at least 300 to 400 Spirit Stones. This Broken Yin Water Rope even had the unique effect of countering undead monsters and restraining a person's consciousness. Its value would be roughly 30% higher.
Lu Qing had wanted to find an opportunity to hand the magic equipment over to Lu Mingchao when he first obtained the item. Had he known that the battle with the Stonemother would happen, Lu Qing would have handed the item over to her long ago.
Lu Chaoxi happily picked up the rope-shaped magic equipment. "Ninth Sister would have another magic equipment that she could now use."
In the past, Lu Mingchao had the best pieces of magic equipment. The reason she did not have it now was the same reason that resulted in the clan's current predicament.
She was a fifth-tier Foundation Building cultivator, yet she only had one Level Two magic equipment. She did not even have a flying sword. It was quite embarrassing.
"You can pick the other item up."
Lu Chaoxi reached for the other item after he kept the Broken Yin Water Rope.
It was a small cluster of soil. It was rather ungraceful for him to pick it up with his hands. Instead, he activated his spiritual strength and retrieved it telekinetically.
This was something a first-tier Qi Refining cultivator could do. It should not be a problem for Lu Chaoxi.
However, a problem occurred nonetheless.
He felt as though he was trying to retrieve a mountain!
Lu Qing covered his mouth and laughed softly. However, he did not allow his voice to spread out. He revealed an evil expression. He had to prank his son.
After collecting himself, he said while Lu Chaoxi looked extremely embarrassed, "That is the Thousand-Ton Heavy Earth. You cannot lift it up forcefully. Get your Seventh Brother over to bring it away using an earth-controlling technique."
"Yes."
"Hand this over to Chaoling together with the Energy Stone essence that the Stonemother left behind. These two items combined should allow him to forge a Level Two high-grade defensive magic equipment."