“What magic tool is it?”
The three Supreme Great Ancestors looked at each other and realized that they were equally surprised.
“Lil’ Ou, can you smith a magic tool?” Ou Yangming grinned. If they had asked him this question in the past, he could not have answered it. However, after Ou Yangming embedded the last gem in his waist sash, the gem overcame the natural moat between a magic tool and an ordinary tool, allowing the sash to become a magic tool. During the process, Ou Yangming sensed everything and gained a new apprehension with the support of his powerful mental power.
In other terms, Ou Yangming opened a huge door that led to greater achievements in smithing art.
Despite that, he only saw the path ahead and confirmed his goal. While he knew the theory and knowledge behind it, he had not managed to put it into practice.
Ou Yangming cleared his throat. “Great Ancestors, I only have a rough idea of it, so I still have to practice and explore to see if I’ll succeed in smithing it. If I have that ore, perhaps I’ll be able to try.”
“Nice! Lil’ Ou, you’re really multitalented, and I’m somewhat envious of you.” Ni Jingshen nodded.
The other people could not help but laugh, but the Ni family’s Three Great Ancestors began looking at Ou Yangming differently.
Ou Yangming smiled shyly but was secretly feeling relieved.
Ever since He Liangce brought up his request, Ou Yangming had been devising a plan.
Firstly, he would improve his degree of importance to the Ni family’s great ancestors. At the very least, he must display a stronger potential or a superb ability.
As such, Ou Yangming’s biggest chip at the moment was unquestionably the smithing of a magic tool.
He was certain that the three great ancestors would be moved.
With that, if He Liangce still wanted to suppress Ou Yangming by communicating with the Ni family’s great ancestors through his clan’s power, it would be wishful thinking.
Everything was part of Ou Yangming’s plan of taking preventive measures.
“Lil’ Ou, we can bring you to get the ores if you need them, but…” Ni Xuetian suddenly expressed, and he continued after a pause, “We’d like to trouble you with something too.”
“What is it?” Ou Yangming was slightly taken aback. He thought, ‘They’re finally talking about the main point. Perhaps this is why they treated me so kindly.’
“When your mind and Big Yellow’s mind drifted together that day, you helped it fathom the way of nature, which allowed it to achieve the integration of Heaven and man,” Ni Xuetian replied to him seriously, then asked with bright eyes, “Lil’ Ou, can you help them too?”
Ni Jingshen and Ni Jingtong looked at Ou Yangming calmly.
Since they were both Supreme Great Ancestors, they had experienced countless hardships in their lives to be able to cultivate to their current states.
The great ancestors were so good at cultivating Qi that they could keep a straight face even if there was a landslide.
Nonetheless, they subconsciously held their breaths at that moment, and they could not help but display their nervousness.After all, the integration of Heaven and man was a supreme comprehension in the way of nature.
If they had the opportunity to perceive the state, it would not only be highly beneficial toward their cultivation, but it would somewhat help them turn over a new leaf.
Among the Ni family’s Three Great Ancestors, Ni Xuetian was the only one who comprehended the state.
Nevertheless, it was impossible for him to teach it to other people.
This was because the knowledge could not be taught verbally, and the exceptionally mysterious feeling was merely a lucky chance.
That being said, the great ancestors saw a silver lining in Ou Yangming.
They were willing to pay any price for the possibility.
Ou Yangming had conflicting thoughts for a brief moment before he answered, “I can’t guarantee it, but I can try.” Ni Jingshen and Ni Jingtong were elated, but they responded in a serious tone, “Thank you.”
Chapter 176 - Meeting Big Yellow Again
It was extremely important for two of the Ni family’s great ancestors to sense Heaven and Earth’s nature be it for Ou Yangming or their family.
Before the great ancestors were well-prepared, they would not easily put it into action.
In comparison, entering the Chaos Cave was not difficult.
Ni Xuetian brought Ou Yangming out of the prefecture and traveled 15 kilometers away before they stopped.
To avoid arousing suspicion, Ou Yangming looked in front throughout the journey without looking around him at all. Although he was very curious about the Chaos Cave’s specific location, he did not want to give Ni Xuetian the impression of him coveting the cave.
When Ni Xuetian suddenly stopped, Ou Yangming closed his eyes.
As compared to the previous time, he enjoyed a much better treatment this time.
Nonetheless, Ni Xuetian laughed and said as he flapped his sleeves, “Lil’ Ou, you don’t have to cover your eyes anymore because there’s no need for us to hide this from you. Hehe, if you still need ores in the future, you can come here to get them yourself.”
Ou Yangming was stunned. “Okay, thank you, senior.”
He vaguely had a feeling that Ni Xuetian no longer kept this a secret from him because the great ancestors began to rely heavily on him, but most importantly, it was because Old Craftsman had settled down in the Ni residence.
Nevertheless, Ou Yangming neither resented nor wanted to scheme anything against the Ni family. He already made arrangements for Old Craftsman to take shelter at the Ni residence, hence he did not dislike it.
Ni Xuetian brought him away from the main path and entered a ravine, where they walked a certain distance before a narrow path was seen. An extremely experienced hunter would never take the path, but Ni Xuetian led Ou Yangming to the middle of it.
The great ancestor kept quiet for a brief moment to confirm that nobody was around. He later moved his wrists to pull apart some vines on the rocky wall, where a big black cave was instantly revealed.
Once they entered the cave, Ou Yangming’s eyes suddenly wandered about, and he curled his lips into an obscure smile.
It was because he sensed a strong aura and conception.
‘Big Yellow is in the Chaos Cave indeed.’
Ou Yangming sensed an extremely glad feeling through the conception because Big Yellow was expressing its joy through this method.
However, his face suddenly changed a little because he could feel that Big Yellow was going to run in his direction to welcome him.
As Ou Yangming glanced at Ni Xuetian, he tried his best to picture the image in his mind to transmit it to Big Yellow. Consequently, the big yellow dog calmed down.
They secretly communicated through their conceptions, but they kept it a secret from Ni Xuetian.
Back when Ni Xuetian and the other people requested Ou Yangming to cut off his connection with Big Yellow, Ou Yangming agreed to do it. That said, when his mind contacted with the big yellow dog’s, he sensed the dog’s mental conception through his ability in the thoroughly meticulous state, and he guided it into the state of the integration of Heaven and man.
The moment they both achieved the integration of Heaven and man, their spiritual connection became so mysterious that even Ni Xuetian could not notice anything.
Despite that, Ni Xuetian and the rest could not find out about this or there would be a huge dispute.
At the Chaos Cave’s entrance, Ou Yangming asked, “Senior, are you coming with me?”
“I don’t have the treasure to drive out the Black Magic Crawlers, so I can’t go with you.” Ni Xuetian smiled bitterly, then he added after some hesitation, “Lil’ Ou, Big Yellow is in isolated cultivation now as it is cultivating a lost art to cast off its mortal body to become a real spirit beast. It is going through a crucial time now, so it’s best you don’t disturb it.”
> OIII
“Senior, don’t worry, I won’t go near the Land of Inheritance.” Ou Yangming immediately guaranteed. He spoke sternly and did not look like he was lying.
Ni Xuetian looked deeply at Ou Yangming before he nodded with satisfaction. Since the great ancestor had studied many people before, he could tell the difference between a half-hearted person and a sincere person.
“Go on, I’ll wait for you to come back with good news.”
Ou Yangming responded to him and flashed into the Chaos Cave once more.
When he went past a corner and looked behind him, he suddenly mumbled, “I promised not to disturb Big Yellow, and I’m a man of my word, so I’ll never lie to you! However, there’s nothing I can do if Big Yellow comes to me. Hehe…”
Following that, he could not help but smile brightly because a big dog’s head appeared in front of him.
Ou Yangming raised his finger and put it on his lips to gesture to the big yellow dog, then he ran deeper into the cave.
Big Yellow wagged its tail while it followed beside him affectionately. Wherever they passed, the Black Magic Crawlers nearby would panic and turn to leave, but if the crawlers could not dodge in time, they would freeze and lay on the ground, and would only go back to normal when Ou Yangming and Big Yellow were far away.
The young fellow and the yellow dog traveled quickly and finally arrived at the place where they slaughtered Black Magic Crawlers back then.
Ou Yangming glanced around and quickly fixed his gaze on the ores. He would not be able to carry the ores on his own because there were plenty of them, so he prepared a big net to wrap up the ores needed, which were more than enough to smith two pieces of equipment.
“Big Yellow, have you been well?”
“Woof!”
“You’re the only one here right? Aren’t you lonely staying here all by yourself?”
“Woof…”
“I heard you’re cultivating a secret technique to cast away your mortal body to transform into a spirit beast?”
“Woof!”
“Hey, Big Yellow, can’t you converse with me nicely? You shouldn’t just bark once every time I say something, right?” “Woof, woof!”
“
After Ou Yangming kept the stones, Big Yellow bit the corner of his pants as it wanted him to enter the Land of Inheritance.
Ou Yangming hesitated for a while, then he reached out to rub the big yellow dog’s head. “I promised that I won’t enter the Land of Inheritance.”
Big Yellow was disappointed, thus Ou Yangming laughed and expressed proudly, “Don’t be impatient. I may not be able to enter, but you can come out! I’ll secretly come back and find you next time!”
The big yellow dog immediately nodded continuously. They were like two children with a secret that was kept from the adults, and they both felt unusually empathetic to be sharing the secret.
Even though it would mean that they were fooling the three great ancestors, Ou Yangming believed that cultivation should not be carried out blindly. Occasional relaxations and fun were the right things to do to strike a balance.
Ou Yangming played with Big Yellow for some time before he carried the big net and left the Chaos Cave while being watched by the yellow dog, who was reluctant to part with him.
The moment he arrived at the exit, a strange feeling suddenly emerged in his mind.
It seemed like a roar from Big Yellow, who was assuring him something.
Ou Yangming could not help but laugh. The big yellow dog sounded extremely determined as it decided to become a spirit beast in the shortest time possible. As soon as Big Yellow casts its mortal body away to become a spirit beast, it would become a free bird in the sky, and it would no longer be bothered by principles in the world. Though Big Yellow was already in the Land of Inheritance, its resolution was not obvious, and it did not attach much importance to advancing into a spirit beast. This time, everything became different.
In spite of that, Ou Yangming was the only one who understood the change, and he could not tell Ni Xuetian about it.
Even if it was great news, he could only pretend he knew nothing.
Seeing as Ou Yangming carried a big net out, Ni Xuetian twitched his mouth a little because it was quite a funny scene.
Nonetheless, he could not bring himself to laugh when he remembered that the ores were treasures that could be used to smith magic tools.
Ni Xuetian took the big net and casually picked a fist-sized ore and clutched it hard.
It was worth noting that Ni Xuetian was a legitimate Supreme Great Ancestor, whose cultivation base was the best among the Ni family’s Three Great Ancestors. Not to mention an ordinary ore, if he clenched a piece of featured steel, a mark would be left on the material.
However, Ni Xuetian soon realized that the ore was obviously different.
The power that he exerted in the clench was naturally being disintegrated.
Based on Ni Xuetian’s fearsome control of power, his power could not be disintegrated, but it was somehow being spread spontaneously on the stone. It was as though the two points, which were being pressed, were not the only points that withstood Ni Xuetian’s power—the entire stone was bearing it.
When Ni Xuetian let go, no trace could be seen on the stone.
“This is a great item. What is this ore?” Ni Xuetian asked in a deep voice.
Ou Yangming spread out his hands and replied to him, “Senior, this place was left behind by your clan’s ancestor. Do you not know?”
Ni Xuetian’s face reddened. “The treasure books left by our ancestors are incomplete, but someone from the prefecture might know it. If even he doesn’t know what this ore is, nobody will.”
“Who’s that?” Ou Yangming was moved.
“It’s Elder Universe, the acknowledged number one appraiser in the prefecture.” Ni Xuetian was respectful when he brought up the elder, and he explained, “He’s not only a great appraiser, but he’s also a Supreme Great Ancestor with an unpredictable cultivation base.”
Ou Yangming was surprised. “How is he as compared to you?”
“I feel ashamed to say this, but I’m inferior,” Ni Xuetian answered after he pondered for a while. He said with a grave expression, “If I’m not mistaken, he’s probably at the peak already, and… He’s also an Almighty Being.”
Ou Yangming’s face changed. ‘A Supreme Great Ancestor at the peak. Indeed, it’s something beyond an ordinary person’s imagination. As for an Almighty Being, it sounds like a distant term for me now.’
“I must visit a powerhouse like him if I have the opportunity to,” Ou Yangming spoke his mind as he was fascinated.
Ni Xuetian chuckled. “It’s not difficult for you to meet him because you can just ask Yinghong.”
“Elder Sister… Yinghong?” Ou Yangming blushed because it was his first time addressing Ni Yinghong as such.
Ni Xuetian laughed out loud and asked, “Do you know who Yinghong learned her appraisal art from?”
Ou Yangming came to a sudden realization, and he made a decision when he looked at the peculiar stone in his hand.
Chapter 177 - Elder Universe
Chapter 177 Elder Universe
Old Craftsman and Ni Yunhong were holding an ore each in the Ni residence’s smithing workshop as they used their tricks to inspect the ores’ properties. They were very much far in age, but they had their strong points in smithing art. The longer the old man and the young master held the ores, the more elated they looked.
Ou Yangming was not surprised at all when he saw their expressions.
This was because he was also moved by the ores’ properties when he first stumbled upon them.
The fact that the Black Magic Crawlers could not cause much damage to the ores with their sharp mouthparts proved that the ores were exceptionally rare.
When Ou Yangming later smithed the pieces of equipment in the cave, he experienced deeply the mightiness of the materials. He did not know where exactly the materials cam
e from, but he knew very well that they were his only chance of smithing pieces of extraordinary equipment.
old Craftsman and Ni Yunhong put down the ores after a long time, and they nodded as they looked at each other.
The old man lamented, “I really didn’t expect such wonderful materials to exist in the world. The Ni family is truly an influential clan in the prefecture, and I’m in awe of your profound background.”
“Hehe…” Ni Yunhong smiled gently but seemed to be in a daze.
‘Since when our clan’s treasure house has these great materials? Why didn’t I know of this?
‘Hmm, I’ve gone to the Land of Inheritance once with the great ancestors, but I’ve never seen these ores when I was in the secret room.’
old Craftsman looked at Ou Yangming and asked sternly, “Young fella, how confident are you if you use these ores?”
“100%,” Ou Yangming answered without any hesitation.
In actual fact, he had already smithed two equipment sets with these ores, hence he was naturally confident.
The old man was shocked. “Can you really smith magic tools?”
Ou Yangming quickly flinched and smiled apologetically. “Old Man, I was talking about Fine Grade equipment!”
old Craftsman glared at him snappily. “If you can’t even smith a Fine Grade with this material, are you even a blacksmith?”
That being said, Ou Yangming was unbothered. Without enough ability, even if he had the best materials, he could not smith a piece of Fine Grade material.
“Brother Ou, what exactly is the name of this material?” Ni Yunhong finally asked after he hesitated.
Old Craftsman questioned as he was startled, “Isn’t this material from your clan? Why are you asking the young fella?”
‘Sh*t,’ Ni Yunhong thought to himself, but before he could come up with an explanation, Ni Yinghong said with a sweet smile, “old Man, these materials have been piled up in my clan’s treasure home for years, and they haven’t been touched for a long time. It was until Brother Ou saw them that they were finally retrieved. Since Brother Ou has such discerning eyes, he should know the background of these ores.”
Immortal Path to Heaven c1-725 Page 105