This is the resentment born from the creatures in the commandery unable to find redemption and release.
At this moment, Zhang Jian was operating the "Tongshan Pure Treasure Record", a layer of pure magical power flowed around him, silently penetrating his Life Plate, as his magical power directly refined the resentment, transforming it into a pure magical power for refinement.
This refining ability was quite domineering.
The Dragon Monarch opened his divine gaze, also noticing the scene of refinement, secretly astonished.
At the same time, he somewhat understood why Zhang Jian insisted on taking this worldly path.
"Most ordinary cultivators choose areas with abundant spiritual mechanisms for cultivation, fearing impurities mixed in the spiritual mechanism, having great reliance on the choice of spiritual mechanisms. However, my son-in-law is the opposite, as if accepting any spiritual mechanism, which pairs exceptionally well with the attributes of this great tripod. No wonder he chose such a Dharma Artifact as his lifebound one; once achieved, his cultivation will be like adding wings to a tiger!"
Bai Nu quickly figured out the crucial aspect of it.
The use of tripods for refinement has been ancient.
Rumble!!
At this moment, a muffled thunderous sound suddenly echoed above the Bai Shui Dragon Palace.
"Thunderfire?"
Zhang Jian's sensitive Divine Thought also sensed an extremely terrifying thunder power emerging from within the Profound Void.
Seeing the divine thunder manifesting above, instead of being frightened, he seemed eager at this moment.
The Qianyuan Golden Tripod's material is special, requiring not only the power of earthly fire but also the forging power of thunder to form the many rune forbidden techniques inside it, ultimately to bind and amalgamate various celestial golds together.
Even this thunderfire was attracted by the unique rune array inside the Qianyuan Golden Tripod.
It mimics a part of the divine dao cultivators' divine trials they invoke when reaching a certain stage.
Rumble!!
After eight or nine consecutive bursts of muffled thunder, they seemed to unleash, as illusory azure thunderballs floated down from the void above like fireballs, consecutively striking the Qianyuan Golden Tripod.
"Now is the time!"
Seeing the thunderballs pierce through the Alchemy Tripod and fall onto the petite Qianyuan Golden Tripod, Zhang Jian promptly employed the Artifact Refining Technique, guiding several auxiliary materials around the Pill Furnace towards the Qianyuan Golden Tripod.
Most of these auxiliary materials were various colors of gold ore, and some were extremely precious mountain spirit medicines.
The spirit medicines directly transformed into spiritual mechanisms and integrated into the Qianyuan Golden Tripod, enhancing the rune pathways forming inside the Dharma Artifact, preventing the entire structure from being destroyed by the thunder.
Thunderballs continued to rain down overhead.
As they fell consecutively, their density and solidity increased.
Zhang Jian felt an extremely dangerous aura.
This was essentially the divine trial ordinary gods face every three hundred years.
The founder of the Tongshan Daoist Lineage harnessed this creation, using the power of thunder for himself.
Zhang Jian had not practiced the Nine Heavens Thunder Control Technique, unable to refine the divine thunder's power, so he had to grit his teeth and stay to the side, but even so, a few thunderballs still struck him, nearly breaking through the magical power shielding him from being struck dead on the spot.
Only the thunderball attacks caused his own magical power to almost completely evaporate, losing some of his primordial qi, requiring ten days to half a month of recovery to regain strength.
Yet such a sacrifice proved worthwhile.
The thunder tribulation ended, and deep within the Alchemy Tripod, the golden Qianyuan Golden Tripod spun, swallowing countless spiritual mechanisms like a whale, streams of purple aura flowed out from it.
A layer of rich purple celestial energy circulated around it.
It exuded extraordinary energy!
This middle-tier Dharma Artifact was successfully refined!
Yet upon seeing that purple energy, Bai Nu's expression changed. "Is this energy... Dragon and Tiger Qi?"
Zhang Jian smiled upon hearing this: "Not so, this is Sheji Divine Power. This Qianyuan Golden Tripod contains the fortune of an entire commandery, capable of converting Sheji Divine Power, suppressing one's own fortune, though its essence is similar to Dragon and Tiger Qi, perhaps even higher!"
Hearing this, Bai Nu furrowed his brows.
"I must retract my earlier statement; you're playing with fire!"
Zhang Jian shook his head and smiled upon hearing that: "No need for worry, father-in-law. This treasure is of unfathomable wonders. Once refined, as long as I do not easily utilize Sheji Divine Power, no one else will know!"
Seeing the misty purple aura on the verge of escaping, a smile appeared in his eyes.
"I should borrow this fortune to form another layer of foundation!"
With a wave of his hand, the Qianyuan Tripod spun, transforming into a ray of golden light, which then sunk into the depths of his brow, along with an incorporeal purple aura integrating into the Life Palace.
This incorporeal purple aura merged into the Life Palace, immediately causing the two great Life Plates to shimmer with cyan and purple luminescence, then another stream of purple aura entered the Life Palace, forming a third, special, cyan and purple Life Plate.
This Life Plate was very peculiar, resembling a small Sheji King's Tripod.
It exuded a force capable of suppressing mountains and rivers.
This is the Asking for the Mountains and Rivers Fate.
Another prerequisite Fate for the Hidden Dragon Fate.
It's also a necessary special Fate for cultivating the four-formed Sheji King Tripod in the "King's Cauldron Demon-Vanquishing Secret Record."
With the emergence of this special Fate, Zhang Jian clearly felt his speed of Gathering Spirit and Absorbing Spirit increasing further.
The "Tongshan Pure Treasure Record" is, in some sense, a special method of Life Plate cultivation; the stronger one's Life Plate, the more grandly it can accommodate heaven and earth, Sheji's spiritual mechanisms, and the more powerful the magical power.
Zhang Jian didn't doubt that if he could achieve the Emperor's Fate one day, he might forge the Primordial Spirit Dao Foundation in one step and achieve the Longevity Dao Body.
...
With the Golden Tripod integrated into his body, spiritual mechanisms gathered around Zhang Jian, funneling into his body like a funnel, assisting in continuously refining the Dharma Spring within his Dantian, transforming the jade-like Dharma Spring towards a golden liquid state.
Seeing this scene, the Dragon Maiden couldn't help but say to Bai Nu:
"Father, the path Zhang Lang chose is too dangerous. I would rather he abandon such divine artifact and choose another path!"
Seeing Bai Liying's emotional demeanor, Bai Shui Dragon Monarch glanced sideways with a slightly smiling face, but he shook his head and said.
"To wear a crown, one must bear its weight!"
"You needn't worry unnecessarily. The current instability of the Daqian Cauldron signifies chaos, which for your young master is indeed an opportunity; even if he can't succeed, he has the Tongshan Dao Lineage backing him and can advance or retreat!"
To this, Bai Shui Dragon Monarch was not very concerned.
Which enlightened being hasn't emerged from countless tribulations?
The Longevity Dao Body is not so easily obtained.
...
Half a month later
In front of the Bai Shui Dragon Palace, Bai Liying had her hair coiled in a bun, her aura gradually transforming, tinged with a delicate charm nourished by dew and rain.
Only the clearness and purity of her eyes remained unchanged.
Zhang Jian gazed at Bai Liying's reluctant figure with a smile: "Princess, stay where you are!"
Bai Liying nodded and handed a small conch shell to Zhang Jian, saying: "If my young master needs, just blow the conch, and Li Ying will come to meet you directly!"
At that moment, although there was some reluctance in her eyes, she knew, just as she told Zhang Jian before their wedding, that matters of the heart are always second, with the pursuit of longevity first.
Zhang Jian understood this as well.
He was no different.
After successfully refining his lifebound Dharma Artifact, the Qianyuan Golden Tripod, he prepared to set out from Fengyang County for Haojing.
There was less than half a year until the spring examinations.
He needed to depart early to avoid being caught off guard.
As he was to take the imperial exam in the capital, he naturally couldn't bring the Dragon Maiden along, leaving her in the Dragon Palace to wait for his triumphant news.
After bidding farewell to Bai Liying and Bai Nu in the distance, Zhang Jian's figure turned into a stream of light, flying out of the Bai Shui River.
Frigid air swept in to meet him.
Unknowingly, it was already late autumn, early winter.
Hail fell from the sky, frost and snow razed.
...
Fengyang Commandery City
On the cold long street.
In front of Changning Street.
At this moment, all members of the Qi Mansion were standing at the door eagerly awaiting, Qi Yi, Old Mrs. Qi, also Madam Qi Wan, Qi Yuhua, Qi Yuzhu.
Not long after, Qi Yuansi, dressed in thin clothes, appeared at the front of the street, escorted by several guards, which greatly delighted the somewhat anxious Qi Family members.
"Second Brother!"
"Yuansi!"
"Father!"
Old Mrs. Qi, leaning on a cane, stepped forward, and although Madam Qi Wan felt urgent, she was afraid Old Mrs. Qi might fall, so she quickly stepped forward to support her.
"Mother, Father!"
Qi Yuansi also stepped forward with a smile, looking at the familiar faces, feeling as though it were a different lifetime.
Even Qi Yi couldn't help but smile: "It's good to be back!"