"This is even harder than the fire element was…" I muttered through clenched teeth. And then a memory resurfaced. "I see, the final element one refines is always going to be both the hardest, and the easiest one to refine. Usually when someone has achieved the Half-Open Heaven Realm, they've only got 2 resources/elements left to refine. However… I'm not so lucky." I mused momentarily.
The reason the final element, or the second element post Half-Open Heaven status, is the hardest is due to the extreme difficulty of integrating it into a dao seal with very little space left, as well as the issue regarding the inevitable break through that comes next. And finally, the rank of the element also has an impact, the higher the more difficult.
The reason the "Final" element is the easiest, is solely due to it being the only one left. Meaning all one must do to break through is simple, finish the refinement and do it, break through.
The reasons why the "Final" Element are harder apply here as well, this is because the earth Element is the second one after I achieved my Half-Open Heaven Realm status. And the reasons why it should be easier, actually make it harder for me, this is because there is all the difficulty that comes with an 8th rank resource and no relief of a break through at the end of the road.
"Young Master! This is… Way harder than a fourth element should be! It feels more like I'm refining the 7th!" Fang Qing groaned out through grit teeth from within my Knowledge Sea.
"Hang in there, I suspect I know why this is happening but I won't be able to confirm it until after we are done. I know you can do it." I replied, giving the positive reinforcement she clearly needed. "Remember this, True Lightning bows to no one! Push through and command this power!" I added, which ended up cheering myself along a bit as well.
"Understood, Young Master, no amount of earth will defeat us. No amount of anything can control us. Let our fire scorch the earth, and the heavens demand order!" Fang Qing all but grunted the words out.
Over the course of the next several "weeks", the 8th rank earth elemental energy, an energy bordering on the 9th rank, yet still classified as 8th, poured into Fang Qing and I's Dao Seals with extreme speed and efficiency. Once it was all said and done, the resources that had once held such a massive amount of power were now completely absorbed.
"This… Is interesting… I feel like my strength has improved by around 2 to 3 times. And my qi has grown more dense than it had been before." I said after performing a cursory inspection of my new condition.
"Same here, Young Master. It's like I'm a different person altogether. Such power from just one element… But the greatest thing of all is that… Other effect." Fang Qing said with a knowing and confident smirk.
"Indeed, I was expecting something far more unstable after that experience. Yet, my Cultivation has grown more grounded and stable. It's really quite something. Especially for a Cultivation that passively improves due to the nature of my dao…" I explained and then looked around. "Huh, I wonder, how many days has it been." I said, temporarily reconnecting with the star boundary… "Seriously… That only took two weeks! It felt like 2 months, at least! Say… Fang Qing, do you want to try refining the Metal element now?" I asked, disconnecting once again.
"Yeah, I doubt there will be a better chance for it in the future. We should make the most of the time we've got. And it'll be nice to know if the elements to follow will give us progressively more difficult times." Fang Qing agreed, offering her reasoning.
"Hmm, it's only been 2 weeks in the outside world. Even if it took us 10 times longer I don't see any issue time wise. Let's do it and then decide what to do after, whether or not to comprehend divine abilities or refine Water Elements." I said, returning to a focused state and pulled out both of the metal resources.
"I call the Supreme Silver Jade!" Fang Qing shouted.
"In that case, I'm claiming the Brilliant Golden Ore." I replied with a light chuckle.
And once again the refinement of open heaven resources began. This time, it was a far more intense reaction. Even being completely isolated, the effects of our refinement could be felt throughout Star Boundary. They weren't too terrible and the Great Emperors were able to handle mitigation. But even I knew that the next resource must be refined while outside any Universe World. Otherwise the effect wouldn't be containable.
"This is far worse than the Earth element before! I can't measure it…" Fang Qing said through a raspy breath.
"It's around 50 to 100 times more difficult, depending on which parts you're comparing. 50 times for the high earth and low metal, 100 times for low earth to high metal… Never mind, it just grew exponentially. Forget comparing them. We just have to grit our teeth and bear it. But this is definitely going to be the last one we do before we move. I don't want Star Boundary to suffer." I said, musing about the damage I could sense.
"Understood, I'll… succeed." Fang Qing panted.
A full 3 months, a couple weeks and a few days had passed by the time all the Metal energy had fully integrated into our Dao Seals. I took a look around and the room I had been using for seclusion was an absolute mess. The arrays were all broken, furniture destroyed and the walls might as well be in need of a full replacement.
"It might be cheaper to replace the room than it would be to fix it. But, hmm, let's see… No, I'll just have them fix it. I can't use it for refinement now anyways. Too much potential for collateral damage." I said, teleporting outside of Star Boundary. "There, now we can refine the Water Element now as well." I continued, assuming a comfortable position in the void.