[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ascending-to-the-jade-palace":3,"chapter-ascending-to-the-jade-palace-ascending-to-the-jade-palace-chapter-41":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Ascending to the Jade Palace",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2320503,4538,"Chapter 41: I Want Foundation Establishment","ascending-to-the-jade-palace-chapter-41",41,"\u003Cp>Hongmei’s anger was justified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for the manager of Jinguang Pavilion pressing him for debts and forcing him to forge, he would have long since left with his disciple far from this chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, do we keep forging?” Yulou rose straight up, no longer tending the charcoal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hongmei frowned and said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go out and see—settle the account first, and if there’s a chance, leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was just short of this sum of spirit stones for his Foundation Establishment; if he could secure it, he would begin preparing for Foundation Establishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no interest whatsoever in the mess of Wolong Fang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The manager of Jinguang Pavilion stood calmly at the door, gazing up at the aerial battle, and upon hearing Hongmei’s purpose, smiled and said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Hongmei, rest assured—once Gushen Sect takes Wolong Fang, Jinguang Pavilion will still operate!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t need to forge two items—just finish that thirty-two-layer-restricted golden halberd, and I’ll give you your spirit stones, plus two hundred extra, as compensation for the trouble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hongmei stared silently at the manager, whose cultivation level seemed equal to his own, and in his eyes even flickered killing intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second time!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blocking my path!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the sky, Jiǔqū, leader of the guarding cultivators from Miaofeng Mountain, was battling Gushen Sect’s cultivators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both sides unleashed all their techniques, filling the air with dazzling colors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the ground, the poor worker Hongmei was struggling against Gushen Sect’s enforcers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their statuses differed, and so did the bitterness of their fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Once the Wolong Fang situation settles, I’ll return immediately to forge, brother—what do you say?” Hongmei continued negotiating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The manager replied with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve said it several times already, Brother Hongmei—when Gushen Sect arrives, Jinguang Pavilion remains untouched. Why can’t you understand?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took your customer’s custom order, yet you can’t deliver. Now you want to settle payment early? It’s very difficult for me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hongmei, helpless, returned to the forging furnace and resumed his work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou and Yuan didn’t know what to do; fate had accidentally dragged them into this chaos, and as Qi Refining cultivators, they could do little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kill! Kill! Kill!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cries of battle outside reached them, and Yulou, on high alert, realized the sound was terrifyingly close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wolong Fang had a grand formation; Gushen Sect was attacking it, while Jiǔqū and Miaofeng Mountain’s forces defended it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could anyone be causing chaos so near?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, something’s wrong!” Yulou warned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He feared someone was taking advantage of the chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Wang Rong knew Gushen Sect was about to strike, yet Wolong Fang still held so many cultivators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a special market, Wolong Fang had no Foundation Establishment cultivator stationed—if someone stirred up trouble, it would be disastrous!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Yulou’s warning, Hongmei did not grow careless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, he abandoned forging entirely and took his protective artifact in hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the golden small tower in his master’s grip, Yulou felt intense envy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If bead-type artifacts were the floor of artifacts, then tower-type artifacts were the ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The jade tower Hongmei held had gold as its bone and stone as its flesh, about the size of an adult man’s forearm, and at a glance, it was clearly a high-grade artifact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only question was: how many layers of restrictions did this small tower contain?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tower-type artifacts were difficult to forge, but restrictions were easiest to arrange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou estimated that, given its size, this small tower could fit thirty layers of restrictions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come with me and take a look!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hongmei didn’t trust leaving the two children alone indoors; he decided to take them with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Wunan, the heavens were ruled by the Ten Sects and the Immortal Alliance—no Foundation Establishment cultivator would dare violate the universal taboo by attacking Qi Refining cultivators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a Qi Refining peak cultivator on the verge of Foundation Establishment, skilled in fire arts and possessing many artifacts, Hongmei feared no opponent of his own level!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that Wolong Fang was in chaos, keeping his two disciples close was the safest course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Hongmei, hurry and assist me! Many bandits are trying to profit from the chaos!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, the manager fought fiercely with several clerks against masked cultivators; Hongmei looked closely and halted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan wanted to summon his artifact and talismans and charge forward, but Yulou moved faster and grabbed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their meager spiritual power wasn’t worth risking—better to conserve it for when the formation broke, to activate the Hundred-Li Xiao Yao Escape Talisman and flee!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hongmei said nothing, but silently summoned six flying swords!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is a Master of the Forging Dao?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forge six mid-grade flying swords from six eighth-grade black steel ingots!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While other forgers struggled to forge a high-grade artifact from a single eighth-grade base material, Hongmei gave himself a special treat—using eighth-grade black steel exclusively to forge mid-grade flying swords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do you think Hongmei is foolish?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—the Wang Clan also uses high-grade artifact base materials to forge mid-grade artifacts!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is the extravagance exclusive to great clans and major sects—they don’t lack spirit stones!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All six flying swords shot forth, targeting the bandits besieging Jinguang Pavilion, and Hongmei shouted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m here to assist!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the manager and clerks intensified their attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who dared raid Jinguang Pavilion were no pushovers; under Hongmei’s pressure, they grew even more ferocious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Catch these, activate them!” Hongmei threw two beads to Yulou and Yuan, ordering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both Yulou and Yuan were forgers; they naturally knew how to use bead-type artifacts and activated them quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Use the Spirit-Condensing Mist to restrict the bandits’ spiritual sense!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gray mist spread, and under the mist’s effect, some bandits began to retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They weren’t a coordinated team—even among themselves, they distrusted one another; they were not a unified front.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, with Hongmei’s aid, the overconfident bandits either fled or died, no longer posing a threat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Hongmei’s flying sword pierced through the chest of the last masked bandit, the manager sighed in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Hongmei, if not for you, I’d be—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flying sword that pierced the bandit’s chest did not stop—it pierced the manager of Jinguang Pavilion through as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, the Spirit-Condensing Mist blocked all light; three hundred jin of Hongmei stood at the entrance of Jinguang Pavilion, staring at the manager’s corpse, coldly saying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I want Foundation Establishment!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Yulou’s horrified gaze, the Qi Refining peak Hongmei manipulated his flying swords and effortlessly slaughtered the exhausted clerks of Jinguang Pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the battle, Hongmei had never used his full strength—he controlled the situation, letting the bandits and Jinguang Pavilion’s people exhaust each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when Jinguang Pavilion’s forces were nearly drained did he strike to end it all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After killing, he shook his sleeves, and two sets of formation flags flew out, enveloping Jinguang Pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, red tendrils flowed from Hongmei’s robe, cleaning up the battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Quickly, go inside and empty Jinguang Pavilion’s treasures—then we leave!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Yulou and Yuan frozen in shock, Hongmei barked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time couldn’t be wasted—the newly raised formation, built on the flags, couldn’t hold off the siege!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou suppressed his fear and, under Hongmei’s direction, cooperated with Yuan to swiftly empty everything from Jinguang Pavilion’s main hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hongmei soon found the vault and obtained what he wanted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After securing everything, he ignited a great fire—the final cleanup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou saw his master summon a flying chariot artifact and was about to board, when he noticed Hongmei staring at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes met, and Yulou’s heart sank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan was still stupidly pushing his elder brother, urging him to get on the chariot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Yulou’s hand had already touched the Hundred-Li Xiao Yao Escape Talisman in his sleeve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stepped back slightly, obediently telling Hongmei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, you go first—flying alone, the artifact moves faster!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan froze—he realized something, and reached for his own escape talisman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But beneath the formation’s veil, the two brothers had nowhere to flee!\u003C\u002Fp>",1301,"2026-06-20T15:48:26.995Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","54a556d7602b1c6036dc8cf1363bedaea838b4576418c18b533de7e22d7c7d87","ascending-to-the-jade-palace-chapter-42","ascending-to-the-jade-palace-chapter-40",243,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fascending-to-the-jade-palace-cover.jpg"]