To avoid any mishap, Ling Xian responded swiftly, handing a new pair of chopsticks to Zhuo Qingyao.

Over at Chen Ming, he began to hand out rewards based on their merits. He directed a million spirit stones to the fiend army and the Archfiends, when Black Python spoke out, “Oh, Mountain Lord, we found a spiritual gold mine in Mountain Grizzly’s territory. He kept it hidden since he didn’t exploit it, and only noticed it when we got hold of his lands.”

Chen Ming said, “This mine is of utmost importance. For Yan Mountain to become a great power, the fiend army needs to be equipped with spiritual weapons and spiritual armor, increasing their military might! With this spiritual gold mine, we will have enough to refine equipment for all of them!”

Black Tiger said, “If we provide the Regalia Legion with spiritual armor and weapons, their power will make them invincible in the Myriad Mountains!”

Chen Ming poured himself some wine, “Tonight, I feast among you. Tomorrow, I will inspect the spiritual gold mine. Also, send the order to the officer in charge of Yan Mountain’s areas, to collect all equipment refining scriptures then send them over to Yan Mountain!”

With business out of the way, Chen Ming stayed behind at the feast, while Silver Wing took his four kids back to Yan Mountain.

En route, Zhuo Qingyao walked on the fiend cloud next to Silver Wing to ask, “Is the fiends’ Sovereign’s daughter truly beautiful?”

Silver Wing took a moment to recall, “They say fiends’ Sovereign’s daughter is of outstanding beauty, enough to destroy a city over, but I haven’t seen her. The Sovereign won’t be coming to Yan Mountain any time soon, just take those guys’ words as a joke!”

Zhuo Qingyao nodded, “Oh, so that’s how it is.”

The next dawn, Chen Ming followed after Black Tiger, as they entered the large cave in Mountain Grizzly’s domain. They traveled for three li, and, in a tunnel, Black Tiger lifted a leather cover to reveal the bright spiritual gold. There were faint flickering inside of it as if it held the power of the sun within its core.

Chen Ming ran his hand over it and poured some of his spiritual power. It smoothly went in, proving this ore was spiritual gold. It let spiritual power move freely through it, and if it were mixed in spiritual weapons, then it would travel through them also.

In the cultivating world, weapons were divided into three ranks. The most common was the spiritual weapon, something all Dao Initiation realm cultivators and Archfiend used. Above it was the nation weapon, also known as royal arms, a weapon that a Sovereign used. There was a saying spoken across the land, Sovereign, the kingdom crusher.

Only when one had a Sovereign’s power, could he stand tall and proud in this world.

And above the nation weapon rank, was the divine weapon. Li Suyi’s Demonic Blood Saber was one. What this entailed, was that these weapons were used by immortals.

The Astral Immortal Sect was an ancient immortal sect who had such a weapon.

What Chen Ming wielded, so far, we’re only spiritual weapons. If one regarded his strength, along with just these common weapons, he wouldn’t gain any advantage in battle.

He had the Demonic Blood Saber but he handed it over to Li Suyi. He couldn’t just take it back. Moreover, his main method of fighting was through arrays, something the Demonic Blood Saber didn’t adhere to. He wouldn’t be able to wield it to full power even if it landed in his hand.

He would have to find a way to refine some weapons that fit him.

With adequate weapons, the future battle wouldn’t leave him with a weak Eight Extremes Annihilation Sword like before.

Chen Ming waved, “First start by removing the rocks, soil, and everything around it. Let’s see how much is in there.”

The troops rushed inside and began the extraction, while Chen Ming went to see the refining scriptures his officer brought, and read.

After two days, Black Tiger came before him, and Chen Ming put aside a scripture to ask, “What’s is it, is the mining done?”

Black Tiger replied, “Yes, it is a truly large vein. But we also discovered a bizarre bamboo!”

Bizarre bamboo? What toy is that?

Curiosity sparked in his heart, so Chen Ming followed Black Tiger to the bizarre bamboo, back inside the cave. The cave went through a huge change, as the rocks and soil were cleared around the ore, leaving only the spiritual gold. After going through quite a number of refining scriptures, he now knew this spiritual gold’s name, Bright Sun Gold. An ore that took years to form by absorbing the sun’s rays.

Following the ore vein, Chen Ming found a blue bamboo, with its roots planted in the spiritual gold vein. The essence of the spiritual gold ore above it was already sucked dry, becoming its nutrients, and turning the ore into common metal.

This bamboo grew underground, unnoticeable from the surface. Black Tiger said, “This bamboo is too hard. Even my spiritual weapon couldn’t even scratch it.”

Chen Ming started shuffling through his newly acquired knowledge about refining materials. Can this be the legendary Phoenix’s Tear?

Rumor had it that a Phoenix’s tears were able to give birth to a bamboo, absorbing all the energy in the surroundings. Chen Ming eyed its roots and condensed his spiritual power into a flame, melting the wasted metal on them. As the flow of molten metal cleared the area, Chen Ming now saw an ancient sword at the bottom.

The bamboo’s roots were twisted around that ancient sword. After clearing the surroundings, he realized this was a Sword Pool, a pond in which swords were placed. And in this Sword Pool, this bamboo absorbed the sword energy of ten thousand swords to grow.

Chen Ming walked in front of this bamboo and shocked him when he touched it. His spiritual power flowed unobstructed through it!

This was very unusual. It wasn’t similar to the Lustrous King Sword, who could only accept earth’s spiritual power, like the one from the Dragon Form Art. Or the spiritual gold, who only accepted fire spiritual power, like the one from Heavenly Flaming Star.

This bamboo accepted all types of spiritual power!

Chen Ming lacked a good weapon, the main reason being that his spiritual power had many attributes. Demonic Blood Saber couldn’t use sword energy, and sword energy didn’t flow through a saber. But he could move all of his spiritual power through this bamboo before him!

It was like this plant was tailored especially for him!

It already outstripped its title of plant, it was more apt to call it the best treasure there was!

Chen Ming’s heard was ecstatic, No need to overthink it. I only need to refine this bamboo into a treasure, and my power will soar!