Chapter 133 - 91: Zulu Temple, Vein Casting Rope

Chapter 133: Chapter 91: Zulu Temple, Vein Casting Rope

In the air near Zulu Temple.

Although the main body of the Qiluo Dian was a simple black and white, the Escape Light it transformed into during flight was a brilliant, iridescent display of five vibrant colors.

This made Li Yinsheng complain internally, "Who’s the one being flashy here?"

Within the Escape Light, Shangguan Ling’Er spent the journey listening to Li Yinsheng and Mu Xiaoyu recount how they obtained the Black Stone after hunting the Black-Scaled Python, along with the matter of the Ancient Peach Sacrificial Spirit.

"Who would have thought? You actually have some good fortune, little girl," Shangguan Ling’Er said with a smile, rubbing Mu Xiaoyu’s head.

"Hehehe... You flatter me, Elder," Mu Xiaoyu replied, looking thoroughly as though she were enjoying it.

She thought happily, "Elder Shangguan is so nice and pretty. She even likes petting my head. Unlike my bad senior brother who knocks on my head every day—he’s almost knocked me silly."

"Xiaoyu, show the Black Stone to Miss Shangguan," Li Yinsheng said.

"Look, Elder!" Mu Xiaoyu took out the Black Stone and offered it to Shangguan Ling’Er with both hands.

"It truly is special... Even my Divine Sense cannot detect it," Shangguan Ling’Er said, clearly astonished.

In the three months she had stayed at Xuanzhen Temple, she had already encountered two treasures that left her amazed.

The first was Li Yinsheng’s Celestial Cyan Sword. As a Cultivator of the Five Elements Dao, she had sensed the extraordinary nature of the Celestial Cyan Sword the very first time they met. Although, truthfully speaking, it still had a gap to close before it could compare to her Lifebound Treasure, its flourishing Spirituality was unlike anything she had ever seen in her life. Moreover, Li Yinsheng was young and couldn’t have nourished it for long. For the Celestial Cyan Sword to possess such might right now meant its future potential was unimaginable.

The second treasure was the Black Stone in Mu Xiaoyu’s hands. Since childhood, she had regularly consumed Spiritual Objects to enhance her Divine Sense, and she had encountered fortuitous opportunities in her early years. She was currently practicing a Superior Refining Divine Consciousness Technique, and even her own Root Device provided a significant boost to her Soul and Divine Sense. She was confident that although she had only recently entered Divine Travel, her Divine Sense wouldn’t be much weaker than that of an Imperial Decree Daoist.

Yet, despite all this, she still couldn’t detect the Black Stone in Mu Xiaoyu’s hands with her Divine Sense, let alone manipulate it.

While this Black Stone wouldn’t be of much use for sneak attacks given her and Li Yinsheng’s level of Cultivation, against Cultivators who had yet to become Daoists, it would practically be a guaranteed hit every single time.

"This really is your stroke of fortunate serendipity," she said, nodding before casting a puzzled look at Li Yinsheng. "However, how do you plan to refine this thing into a Magical Artifact?"

"By having the Artifact Refiners of Zulu Temple refine it, of course," Li Yinsheng replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Shangguan Ling’Er tilted her head in confusion. "I’m asking you, if an Artifact Refiner’s Divine Sense can’t even detect the material itself, how are they supposed to refine it?"

"Does an Artifact Refiner have to touch the materials with their Divine Sense when refining a Magical Artifact?" Li Yinsheng grew even more puzzled.

"How else would they refine it?" Shangguan Ling’Er retorted.

"Isn’t there a method for Artifact Refining that doesn’t use Divine Sense?" Li Yinsheng asked.

"I’ve certainly never heard of one," Shangguan Ling’Er said, looking at him. "Have you?"

"To be completely honest, I actually know absolutely nothing about Artifact Refining," Li Yinsheng said earnestly.

Shangguan Ling’Er fell silent.

Li Yinsheng’s heart skipped a beat, and a very ominous premonition washed over him. Could it be... that this Black Stone was truly just a magical-looking piece of junk, and he had gotten his hopes up for nothing?

The Qiluo Dian came to a halt in the air above the entrance of Zulu Temple, and its brilliant, iridescent Escape Light dissipated.

"I have a letter of recommendation from Lang Gan of Huang Bamboo Temple," Li Yinsheng said. "I’ll go find someone to deliver it to the Daoists of Zulu Temple."

"Why go through so much trouble?" Shangguan Ling’Er waved her hand dismissively. Then, she spoke directly toward the temple below. Blending Magical Power with her Divine Sense, her voice echoed throughout Zulu Temple.

"I am Linghuang of the Zhengyang Dharma Vein! Where is the ancestral master of Zulu Temple? Come out and welcome me at once!"

Li Yinsheng was left dumbfounded.

He internally screamed, "Bro, no, wait... Sis, what are you doing! We’re here to buy things, not to pick a fight and kick their dojo! What kind of stunt is this? You’re never normally like this! Besides, if I remember correctly, Lang Gan said that while Zulu Temple doesn’t have a Grand Daoist, they still have four Daoists. The oldest and highest-cultivated among them is already very close to becoming a Grand Daoist. Coupled with their unique expertise in Artifact Refining, a place like Zulu Temple is undoubtedly a Great Daoist Temple under the Dharma Vein. Even a Grand Daoist would have to show them some courtesy, right?"

Just as he was about to voice his complaints, four auras rose from within Zulu Temple. The most profound of the four flashed briefly before retracting, while the other three flew toward them simultaneously.

The three approaching Daoists of Zulu Temple didn’t use Magical Treasures to fly. They appeared to be between thirty and fifty years old, though their actual ages were likely well over a hundred.

To Li Yinsheng’s surprise, the three Daoists showed absolutely no signs of anger or indignation on their faces. Instead, they saluted Shangguan Ling’Er directly.

"Greetings, Spiritual Phoenix Daoist."

"We’ve long heard that the Spiritual Phoenix Daoist is the supreme talent of the Dharma Vein. Seeing you today, your presence is indeed extraordinary!"

"The Spiritual Phoenix Daoist gracing us with her presence truly brings light to the humble Zulu Temple!"

"And this person beside the Spiritual Phoenix Daoist is... Ah! This must be Li from Xuanzhen Temple, right?"

"Li slaying the Chongyun has greatly bolstered the prestige of our Dharma Vein! To have you arrive alongside the Spiritual Phoenix Daoist today is truly a double delight!"

The three Daoists of Zulu Temple chimed in one after another, their attitudes incredibly enthusiastic.

Li Yinsheng watched them, his head full of question marks.

He wondered, "Even though Cultivators of the Dharma Vein do hold a higher status than Temple Cultivators, and Grand Daoists hold a higher status than Daoists, surely it shouldn’t be to this extent even with both factors combined, right?"

"Alright, let’s go inside to talk," Shangguan Ling’Er said, waving her hand.

"Yes, yes, yes. Fellow Daoist Linghuang, Fellow Daoist Li, please enter the hall!" the youngest Daoist said. He even deliberately glanced at the inconspicuous Mu Xiaoyu and smiled amiably. "This little friend may join us in the hall for a chat as well."

With the three Daoists leading the way, Shangguan Ling’Er piloted the Qiluo Dian, following them into the main hall of Zulu Temple.

This was Li Yinsheng’s first time entering the main hall of another Daoist Temple. He felt that the main hall of Zulu Temple wasn’t all that different from Xuanzhen Temple’s. The only real differences were that the pillars were a bit newer, there were more glazed tiles on the roof, the floor was shinier, the decorations were resplendent with gold and jade, the ever-burning lamps and the tables and chairs were all Magical Artifacts, there was an Array inside the hall regulating the Spirit Charm, and several female disciples were playing zithers and drums along the sides...

"Wow!" Mu Xiaoyu gasped in awe. "Senior Brother, this hall is so pretty!"

Li Yinsheng remained silent and simply led Mu Xiaoyu to a seat.

Once everyone was seated, they exchanged brief pleasantries and a round of "I’ve looked forward to meeting you for a long time" before getting down to business.

"Shangguan, Li, have you come to our Zulu Temple because you have a Magical Treasure you wish to have refined?" asked Kunjun, the oldest Daoist present, his face full of enthusiasm.

During their earlier idle chatter, the three Daoists mentioned that their most senior martial sister was currently in life-and-death seclusion. Therefore, among the three of them, Kunjun had the most seniority and was the one in charge.

Of course, their enthusiasm was directed primarily at Shangguan Ling’Er. Although they were quite polite to Li Yinsheng in their conversation, they weren’t overly passionate. They had probably guessed that he was broke.

"Not refined, but repaired," Shangguan Ling’Er said, turning to Li Yinsheng. "Bring it out."

Li Yinsheng nodded. He opened his mouth and exhaled, releasing the White Rainbow Sword.

By now, he had nourished the White Rainbow Sword for over a century. Although the effects of the nourishment were limited due to it remaining unrepaired, its Spirituality had already become incredibly active.

As it flew out, it first circled Li Yinsheng affectionately before coming to rest in his palm.

"Could this be the legendary Lifebound Flying Sword of the White Rainbow Daoist, the White Rainbow Sword?" Kunjun asked, his expression turning serious.

"Can it be fixed?" Shangguan Ling’Er asked, cutting straight to the point.

"This..." Kunjun hesitated for a moment before answering. "Its Spirituality is perfectly preserved and extremely active, so it is indeed possible to repair... However, the main body of this sword is far too severely damaged. The difficulty of repairing the blade is even greater than reforging it from scratch, and the sheer amount of precious materials consumed would be enough to forge an entirely new Magical Treasure."

"As long as it can be fixed, that’s fine," Shangguan Ling’Er said, completely ignoring his later remarks. "Just make a list of the materials needed and how many talismanic coins it will cost."

"Shangguan, you are truly generous!" Kunjun declared immediately.

"In addition, Li also has something he wants to buy," Shangguan Ling’Er added.

"What is it that Li requires?" Kunjun asked with a smile. "As long as it involves Magical Treasures, our Zulu Temple has absolutely everything. Aside from the Dharma Vein itself, there is no better place for Artifact Refining than Zulu Temple!"

"I’m actually not here for a Magical Treasure," Li Yinsheng explained. "Previously, I bought a Blood Refining Core from your temple’s shop, and I found it quite interesting. However, with my current Cultivation, the Blood Refining Core is of no great use to me. So, I came to your esteemed temple specifically to ask if you have any Magical Artifacts similar to the Blood Refining Core, but with better effects."

Kunjun paused in surprise, then looked toward Zhao Xuan, the youngest Daoist in the temple.

The Blood Refining Core was the handiwork of his junior martial brother Zhao Xuan, created during his free time. However, it was so practically useless that Kunjun had ruthlessly mocked him for it.

"Do you really think the Blood Refining Core is good?" Zhao Xuan stood up abruptly, his gaze toward Li Yinsheng instantly growing much friendlier.

"It’s excellent!" Li Yinsheng replied without hesitation.

"Hahahaha, you certainly have a good eye!" Zhao Xuan took a few steps forward and enthusiastically threw an arm around Li Yinsheng’s shoulders. "To tell you the truth, Li, I’ve actually been using my free time to research a Magical Artifact one tier higher than the Blood Refining Core. It’s called the Vein Casting Rope, which utilizes Metal Qi for Refining Body and forging veins..."

"Junior Brother! Didn’t you promise me before that you wouldn’t research such useless Magical Artifacts anymore?!" Kunjun immediately glared at him.

Zhao Xuan panicked for a second before puffing out his chest, completely unapologetic. "If I hadn’t researched it, wouldn’t we be sending Li home empty-handed today?"

Kunjun was instantly rendered speechless.

"Li, although I haven’t refined this Vein Casting Rope yet, my research on it is completely finalized. If you want it, ten days... No, five days! I can definitely have it refined within five days!" Zhao Xuan eagerly pitched his creation, seemingly terrified that Li Yinsheng might change his mind.

"Alright, then I’ll trouble Zhao Xuan with this task," Li Yinsheng said with a smile. "May I ask how many talismanic coins this Vein Casting Rope will cost?"

"Since you have such an incredible eye for a hidden gem, Li, I’ll charge you the cost price!" Zhao Xuan laughed heartily, looking every bit like a man who had finally found someone who appreciated his genius.

"And how much would that be, exactly?" Li Yinsheng still felt a bit uneasy.

Even if it wasn’t a Magical Treasure, having a Daoist personally refine it—even at cost price—couldn’t possibly be cheap, could it?

"No matter how much it is, put it on my tab. Add it to the bill for repairing the White Rainbow Sword," Shangguan Ling’Er chimed in from the side.

Kunjun, who was in charge, paused for a moment before immediately nodding in agreement.

Just as Li Yinsheng was about to thank Shangguan Ling’Er, he suddenly sensed subtle fluctuations of Divine Sense among the three Daoists of Zulu Temple. It seemed they were secretly communicating via sound transmission.

Although he could rely on his powerful Divine Sense to detect their covert communication, he wouldn’t be able to eavesdrop on the contents of their conversation unless he performed Soul Emergence.

He thought, "Perhaps they’re just marveling at Miss Shangguan’s generosity?"

"I had long heard that Linghuang is incredibly generous, and it seems the rumors are true!"

"We absolutely must treat the Spiritual Phoenix Daoist well! The repair of the White Rainbow Sword alone is massive business, far more lucrative than refining an ordinary Magical Treasure!"

"Exactly, exactly! If we could get her to commission a Magical Treasure from us, that would be even better!"

"But why did she bring Li from Xuanzhen Temple along?"

"The Spiritual Phoenix Daoist and the White Rainbow Daoist are good friends! Since she’s having a Flying Sword repaired for the White Rainbow Daoist, what’s so strange about her traveling with Li from Xuanzhen Temple?"

"But she’s even buying Magical Artifacts for him."

"Could it be that a fair maiden... Wait, no. A dashing gentleman is a fair maiden’s desire?"

"Junior Brother, you actually make a fair point..."

"I say, isn’t your Zulu Temple supposed to be about Artifact Refining? Why do you enjoy gossiping behind people’s backs so much?!"

A forceful, slightly embarrassed, and furious surge of Divine Sense crashed into their sound transmission, slamming down on the three of them like a heavy hammer splitting into three paths.

The three Daoists of Zulu Temple immediately fell dead silent and retracted their Divine Senses. They looked at each other, communicating solely through their eyes.