Chapter 27: Chapter Twenty‑Seven: A Generous Gift

Looking at it this way, perhaps you could achieve double foundation establishment—this is a bit too unbelievable; your spiritual roots have nothing special about them?" Hongzhi frowned, thought for a while, then continued: "When you have free time, you can ask Elder Taichong; perhaps he can see something!"

Yes, Uncle Zhi!

If it truly is double foundation establishment, that would be a good thing; cultivation is like sailing a boat on an angry sea, the body is like the ship, the spiritual sense is like the sail—having a good ship is more important than anything. However, a person's energy is limited; cultivating the body and spiritual sense separately are both extremely difficult, and cultivating both together is even harder. Fortunately, you have passed the great hurdle of bodily foundation establishment; even if your bodily cultivation remains unchanged in the future, it will still greatly benefit your future spiritual sense cultivation." Hongzhi sighed with emotion.

Thank you for your guidance, Uncle!" Wei Yuning said obediently.

If you can someday cultivate peacefully in the sect and contribute more to it, I'll be satisfied—I hope I haven't misjudged you! Well, let's get down to business!" Hongzhi's expression instantly turned serious.

Business? What business?" Wei Yuning looked curious.

First, why did you suddenly decide to become spiritual companions with Miss Qiuhe of the Azure Phoenix Sect? Is this truly your heart's desire? Have you not been… bewitched by someone like Fairy Yunyan?" Hongzhi asked.

No, I am completely willing, not influenced by anyone, and I truly like Miss Qiuhe!" Wei Yuning thought of Miss Qiuhe's hidden heavenly appearance, his heart warmed, and his tone grew gentle.

Hongzhi's face changed; he pressed his right hand's five fingers together, fingertips pointing up, forming a bird‑head shape—since the beak points up, it also looks like an unopened flower bud. He softly shouted "Ning", and a wave of icy chill spread outward from him.

Wei Yuning shivered all over, and the short hair on his forehead instantly sprouted several tiny icicles.

I'll ask you once more: are you truly willing to become spiritual companions with Miss Qiuhe?" Hongzhi demanded again.

Yes, of course—Miss Qiuhe is as beautiful as a celestial being; what's wrong with becoming spiritual companions with her?" Wei Yuning replied, and at the same time he noticed his conceptual object stirring; the cold on his body traveled along the invisible link between him and his conceptual object to the object itself.

A refreshing chill spread through his spiritual sense, as if in the height of summer he had suddenly gulped a large iced fruit drink.

As beautiful as a celestial being? Do you think Miss Qiuhe is as beautiful as a celestial being?" Hongzhi exclaimed in surprise.

Wei Yuning froze, then suddenly realized. Concealing one's appearance is Miss Qiuhe's secret; even Fairy Yunyan doesn't know this, so of course he couldn't reveal it.

Exactly—in my eyes, Miss Qiuhe is the most beautiful girl in the world!

Is she more beautiful than Miss Qingfei?" Hongzhi knew Qingfei was fairly familiar with Wei Yuning, so he deliberately used her to compare with Qiuhe.

She's not just more beautiful—she's far more beautiful; the two kinds of beauty are nothing alike!" Wei Yuning said, steeling himself.

Hongzhi sighed and said: "Your words convince me; the two truly aren't the same kind of beauty, Junior Nephew Yuning, your taste… is quite unique, Uncle… I bless you—on the long road of cultivation, having a dao companion to walk with is a good thing. Uncle I… haven't prepared any gift, so… I'll just give you this small cosmos bag."

Speaking, Hongzhi rummaged in his wide sleeve, pulled out a palm‑sized purple cloth bag, and said: "This was a gift from my master years ago; now I give it to you—inside is roughly a three‑zhang‑sized space." A blue light flashed, after which Hongzhi erased the bag's spiritual imprint, and continued: "Now it is ownerless; just attach your spiritual sense to it."

Wei Yuning had once attached his spiritual sense to a weapon, so the operation was familiar; after a few tries he opened the small cosmos bag. In his spiritual vision, the interior was a dim gray expanse with nothing special—suddenly he noticed a purple‑wood shield with a white‑metal tip inside.

Thank you, Uncle—there's also a shield inside; I'll take it out and give it to you!" Wei Yuning withdrew his spiritual sense and told Hongzhi.

In the Hidden Cloud Sect and even the spirit‑beast world, spatial items are not exceedingly rare; every Foundation Establishment disciple of the Hidden Cloud Sect receives a sect‑issued small cosmos bag, but the interior dimensions are usually no more than three chi, enough to hold personal items such as clothing, pills, spirit stones, and so on. Only those fortunate enough to have a good master, direct‑line disciples, or senior disciples can possibly possess a bag of the size Hongzhi gave.

Refining spatial items requires spatial stone, a companion ore produced in the world's outer shell; it is scarce, hard to mine, and slow to grow. Pure spatial stone can be made into even tinier spatial objects like rings, ear studs, and pendants—those are the true treasures, spacious, easy to carry, and basically indestructible.

The small cosmos bag is forged from spatial stone and the hide of high‑grade beasts; depending on the hide's quality, the bag's capacity and durability vary.

You are currently at bodily foundation establishment, so close combat is unavoidable—take this shield as well," Hongzhi said with a mysterious smile. "Moreover, this shield suits you; it is forged from abyssal wood and bright iron."

Wei Yuning shook his head in puzzlement, but seeing that his uncle didn't want to say more, he let his curiosity drop. Having a gift, he might as well accept it—why bother complaining?

Seeing Wei Yuning happily stow the small cosmos bag in his pocket, Hongzhi continued: "I originally didn't want you to become cultivation companions with a cultivator of the Azure Phoenix Sect; the Hidden Cloud Sect's Mysterious Lady Peak has plenty of beautiful female cultivators, but Miss Qiuhe… is also special, so let this matter rest. Still, I must warn you beforehand: you are ultimately a disciple of the Hidden Cloud Sect, and you must prioritize the sect's interests."

Rest assured, I will keep this in mind!" Wei Yuning said solemnly.

Alright, then I'll move on to the second matter. How exactly did you make the sunk gold wood grow?

Well… Uncle, if I say I actually don't know either, do you believe me?" Wei Yuning said.

I naturally believe you, but you still have to tell me what happened back then!" Hongzhi said sternly.

At the time, when I came into contact with the sunk gold wood, I discovered it still had vitality; then my giant pine conceptual object refused to obey, directly pouring all its spiritual energy into the sunk gold wood—and… that's how it ended. In the end I even came close to passing out!

Is that all?" Hongzhi couldn't help asking.

Wei Yuning nodded: "That's it—I was just as confused as anyone."

This time Hongzhi thought for a long while before speaking: "In the Hidden Cloud Sect, entry‑level disciples' conceptual objects are all spirit butterflies; most later‑stage disciples still choose spirit butterflies as their conceptual objects, and they have never encountered the situation you described, where the conceptual object completely lost control. Thus, perhaps conceptual objects are not suited to being swapped at whim; the ancients had their reasons for fixing the sect's conceptual objects as spirit butterflies and a few other creatures."