Chapter 39: Space Ring
In his previous life, Zhang Ruochen had seen a type of treasure called the "Xumi Mixed Yuan Bag." It appeared to be merely a palm-sized pouch, yet it could hold an entire mountain.
The Xumi Mixed Yuan Bag was an extremely precious treasure, with no more than ten such items in the entire Kunlun Realm. It was said to have been passed down from the Middle Ages, forged by a Saint through ritual refinement.
Many artifact refiners had attempted to replicate the Xumi Mixed Yuan Bag, but all had ended in failure.
Zhang Ruochen, as the son of the Ming Emperor in his past life, was well-traveled and knowledgeable. Otherwise, he would never have known that such treasures as the "Xumi Mixed Yuan Bag" existed in the world.
"Opening an independent space within a ring—isn't that exactly the same property as the Xumi Mixed Yuan Bag?" Zhang Ruochen said, somewhat astonished.
The black giant cat said, "The 'Xumi Mixed Yuan Bag' was a space treasure refined by Xumi Saint Monk. In your era, even if some space treasures remain, their numbers must be extremely scarce, and each one is exceptionally valuable."
"So the Xumi Mixed Yuan Bag was refined by Xumi Saint Monk—that explains it. Let me try to see if I can refine a space treasure myself!"
Zhang Ruochen felt a surge of excitement. If he could truly refine a space treasure, even just one would fetch an astronomical price.
He grasped the inscription brush in his hand, channeling the true qi within his body into it.
The inscription brush immediately emitted a white radiance. A thin white line extended from the brush tip, entering the interior of the jade thumb ring.
Zhang Ruochen carefully controlled the brush, carving the basic space inscription patterns inside the jade thumb ring.
Carving inscription patterns was an extremely meticulous task, consuming a great deal of spiritual power.
"Whoosh!"
The first inscription pattern was successfully carved!
Zhang Ruochen pressed on, quickly completing the second inscription pattern.
The third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth.
When all six inscription patterns were successfully carved, a faint halo appeared on the surface of the jade thumb ring. Wisps of white patterns flickered across the ring's surface.
Moments later, the halo vanished, and the white patterns sank back into the ring.
"Did it succeed?"
Zhang Ruochen immediately infused a stream of true qi into the jade thumb ring.
A halo and various patterns reappeared on the ring's surface. Zhang Ruochen reached his finger toward it, feeling as if his entire hand had entered the ring.
"It actually worked! The space inside the jade thumb ring is about one cubic meter. This space ring contains six inscription patterns, making it a third-rank True Martial Treasure." Zhang Ruochen was overjoyed.
After all, this was his first time refining a space ring, and he had succeeded!
The black giant cat said, "Don't get too cocky too soon. You've only learned six basic space inscription patterns for now, so you can't control the size of the space you open. Once you learn expansion and contraction inscription patterns, the space inside the space rings you refine will definitely be more than one cubic meter."
"Moreover, you've only carved the inscription patterns onto the jade thumb ring. Those patterns aren't stable yet—a light bump could cause them to dissipate."
"You need to use artifact refining methods, tempering the space ring with flame to stabilize the inscription patterns within. If you don't master the heat properly, you might destroy the space ring."
Zhang Ruochen nodded. "I'll go to the Inscription Pattern Guild right now and borrow Zuo En's refining furnace to fully forge the space ring."
"Wait a moment. This seat wants to go out too."
The black giant cat pushed off with all four legs, and with a whoosh, it flew out of the inner space of the time-space crystal.
Zhang Ruochen looked at the black giant cat standing in the room, furrowing his brow slightly. He decided to put it back into the Cosmic Divine Wood Map.
The black giant cat, cunning and sly, saw through Zhang Ruochen's thoughts at once. It immediately lay down and began to wail, "Young lad, this seat has been imprisoned in the Cosmic Divine Wood Map for a hundred thousand years. Even if I once committed a grave sin, I've already atoned for it. I'm just a cat. I crave freedom. I crave a new life. Meow! Think about it—if it weren't for my guidance, could you have opened your wheel meridian? If it weren't for my guidance, could you have refined a space ring?"
Zhang Ruochen thought for a moment. "Fine. For now, I won't put you back in the Cosmic Divine Wood Map. But you must stay by my side at all times."
"Naturally." The black giant cat was so excited it danced and rolled around on the ground.
Footsteps sounded from outside the room.
"Ninth Brother, are you still in seclusion cultivating?"
It was the voice of Ninth Princess Zhang Yuxi.
Zhang Ruochen pushed open the door and stepped out, seeing the Ninth Princess standing outside. "Ninth Sister, what's the matter?"
Today, the Ninth Princess was dressed beautifully—a white pleated skirt embroidered with silver threads, her jet-black hair coiled atop her head, a cyan belt cinching her slender jade waist, and a jade-green sword cradled in her arms.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen, the Ninth Princess was delighted. "I heard your cultivation has broken through to the middle position of the Yellow Extreme Realm, so I wanted to spar with you."
Less than two months had passed since the year-end assessment.
The Ninth Princess had no idea that Zhang Ruochen had not only reached the middle position but had also attained the great position.
Zhang Ruochen said, "It seems Ninth Sister has also made a breakthrough and reached the great position of the Yellow Extreme Realm?"
The Ninth Princess shook her head. "How could reaching the great position of the Yellow Extreme Realm be that easy? I've only reached the peak of the middle position, but I've cultivated my sword intent to the 'sword follows the heart' level. Even if I haven't reached the great position yet, I can still defeat martial artists at that level."
Zhang Ruochen nodded. To have reached the "sword follows the heart" level at such a young age was indeed no small feat.
Of course, both the Ninth Princess and Lin Ningshan were only at the initial stage of "sword follows the heart," while Zhang Ruochen had already reached the advanced stage—there was simply no comparison.
With a casual move, he could defeat them.
Zhang Ruochen said, "But I don't have time to spar with you right now, Ninth Sister. I need to go to the Inscription Pattern Guild first."
"That's fine! I'll go with you to the Inscription Pattern Guild, and we can take my Cloud Rabbit Moon Chariot." The Ninth Princess blinked her beautiful eyes, as if she hadn't come to spar at all but just wanted to spend time with Zhang Ruochen.
As she spoke, she walked over to Zhang Ruochen, linked her arm with his without any hesitation, acting very affectionate.
Although Zhang Ruochen felt a bit awkward, he reminded himself that she was his blood sister—same father, different mother—and the awkwardness faded.
"Meow!"
A black fat cat strolled out of the room like it was taking a walk.
At this moment, the black fat cat had shrunk considerably, just a bit plumper than a normal cat.
"Ninth Brother, you even keep a cat. How adorable! What's its name?" The Ninth Princess immediately picked up the black fat cat and stroked its fur.
"Meow!"
The black fat cat pretended to be cute, rolling its round eyes and sticking out its tongue to gently lick the Ninth Princess's jade finger.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at the black fat cat and shook his head slightly. "Just call it Xiao Hei."
"Xiao Hei!"
The Ninth Princess extended her finger and gently pressed the top of the black fat cat's head.
She had no idea how furious the black fat cat was at that moment. This seat is the Heaven-Slaying Earth-Destroying Emperor—how can it be called Xiao Hei?
An insult!
An absolute insult to this emperor!
"Forget it. I'll endure it. A cat under the eaves has to bow its head!" The black fat cat thought to itself.
Riding the Ninth Princess's carriage, Zhang Ruochen arrived at the Inscription Pattern Guild once more. He borrowed Zuo En's refining furnace to temper the space ring.
The process of tempering the space ring went surprisingly smoothly. Soon, the space ring was finished, becoming a completed product.
A third-rank True Martial Treasure: the space ring.
Throughout the entire refining process, Zuo En stood to the side, clicking his tongue in admiration. "Ninth Prince is truly a born artifact refining master. To control the flame with such precision on your first attempt at refining a vessel—it's impossible not to be impressed."
Zhang Ruochen remained humble and sought advice. "What level of artifact refiner would my current flame control correspond to?"
"The peak level of a first-rank artifact refiner."
Zuo En added, "You must understand, achieving this level on your first attempt at refining a True Martial Treasure is remarkable. I'm sure you'll soon reach the level of a second-rank artifact refiner."
A second-rank artifact refiner could command a very impressive status in the Yunwu Commandery.
If they were willing to pledge allegiance to a sect or clan, they would immediately receive treatment equivalent to an elder, perhaps even more esteemed than an ordinary elder.
Zuo En sighed again. "My spiritual power has actually reached the level of a third-rank artifact refiner, but because my flame control is still lacking, I can only be considered a second-rank refiner."
A first-rank artifact refiner's spiritual power generally ranged from the fifteenth to the twentieth level.
A second-rank artifact refiner's spiritual power generally ranged from the twentieth to the twenty-fifth level.
A third-rank artifact refiner's spiritual power generally ranged from the twenty-fifth to the thirtieth level.
A fourth-rank artifact refiner's spiritual power generally ranged from the thirtieth to the thirty-fifth level.
The foremost artifact refining master in the Yunwu Commandery was a fourth-rank refiner, Kong Tong, whose spiritual power had reached the thirty-fourth level—the highest spiritual power in the entire commandery.
Kong Tong's status in the Yunwu Commandery was hardly inferior to that of the Yunwu Commandery Prince himself.
If the Yunwu Commandery Prince wanted her to refine artifacts, he would have to visit her in person and negotiate with her as an equal. This was because Kong Tong was not only a fourth-rank artifact refiner but also the president of the Yunwu Commandery's Inscription Pattern Guild, a position of great honor.
Zuo En asked curiously, "Ninth Prince, what kind of vessel is the thumb ring you refined? Is it a defensive True Martial Treasure?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "This... I'll keep it a secret for now!"
With that, Zhang Ruochen walked out of the refining room, thinking about purchasing a refining furnace of his own.
But the best refining furnaces in the royal city could only be bought at the Qingxuan Pavilion. To go there, he would inevitably run into that seductive, soul-stealing proprietress.
Qin Ya was too alluring, too charming, too tempting, and she was actively trying to seduce him, luring him into sin. Just thinking about it gave Zhang Ruochen a headache.
Faced with such a demoness, what man could claim with certainty that he could resist?
"If I bring the Ninth Princess along with me, the proprietress should be a bit more restrained." Zhang Ruochen nodded to himself.