Chapter 252 - 178: Searching and Refining a Middle Grade Magical Artifact

Chapter 252: Chapter 178: Searching and Refining a Middle Grade Magical Artifact

It had unexpectedly rained last night, increasing the chill in the air. Although the entire Moyun Sect was enveloped by a Grand Array, it was usually kept in a semi-activated state to conserve Spirit Stones and couldn’t completely block out the cold.

「Over a month passed.」

Shen Yunjiao had yet to awaken, which meant her breakthrough had not been successful. Zhao Zuo had gone back to their courtyard to check on her and could sense her aura was still growing stronger. He hadn’t ventured to the second floor, careful not to disturb her. Once he was sure her aura was steadily strengthening, he had returned to the Moyun Sect.

Normally, Shen Yunjiao shouldn’t have had this much trouble breaking through to the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation.

Zhao Zuo collected his thoughts and strode through the mountain forests of the Inner Sect, accompanied by clouds and mist. His strides seemed small, but he covered over ten meters with every second. Occasionally, various Spirit Beasts would scurry past his feet. They showed no fear of people, merely lifting their heads to watch Zhao Zuo as he traveled the mountain path.

Before long, the surrounding clouds and mist began to thin, and he arrived at the boundary between the Inner and Outer Sects. There, a bluestone road stretched about four meters wide. An Outer Sect disciple stood by the road, holding a canvas. Painted on it was the very face Zhao Zuo had used the last time he went out.

Zhao Zuo thought for a moment and immediately understood. ’This is undoubtedly Meng Tianhua’s handiwork.’

’Killing me on the Life and Death Platform was never his main goal,’ he thought. ’He just wanted to use it to force me to agree to the protection fee—one hundred Spirit Stones a month. He was trying to corner me into making a choice that would satisfy him.’

’This is the only connection between the Outer and Inner Sects, the only way out. It’s not so surprising they’re lying in wait for me here.’

Without a sideways glance, Zhao Zuo moved past the Outer Sect disciple holding the canvas and hurried toward the Artifact Refining Chambers of the Outer Sect’s Earth Fire Hall. About fifteen minutes later, rows of black rooms built into the mountainside appeared at the edge of his vision. Every ten meters or so, a smokestack was expelling white exhaust gas.

The gas was actually just purified water vapor. As for the waste materials, they had long been intercepted by an Array and melted down into iron ingots, which could be used as materials for refining Lower-Grade Magical Artifacts.

Zhao Zuo presented his Identity Token, found an empty Artifact Refining Chamber, and deliberately shut the heavy iron door, determined not to be disturbed while he refined the Middle-Grade Magical Artifact.

Inside this Earth Fire Chamber was a furnace connected to the Underground Fire Vein, as well as a wooden chair and bed for resting. Next to the furnace was an iron bucket filled with Clear Water.

Zhao Zuo skillfully opened the Earth Fire Furnace and took out his Forging Hammer and other tools. He first took out a piece of Ink Pattern Steel as the main material and began to heat it. Once it was red-hot, he immediately began hammering it to forge out the impurities. Beads of gray impurities flew off and fell to the ground.

Gradually, he found the familiar feeling he had when forging Lower-Grade Spirit Iron. It took him about half an hour to completely remove all the impurities from the Ink Pattern Steel. Zhao Zuo then used tongs to pick up the Ink Pattern Steel and placed it in a refining crucible to melt.

’First, refining a Middle-Grade Magical Artifact requires a main material. Ink Pattern Steel is known for its hardness. For my first attempt, I’ll refine a Magical Artifact shaped like a short blade.’

’I’m most familiar with this shape, so the success rate should be a bit higher.’

Zhao Zuo watched the Ink Pattern Steel melt rapidly and took out the Spirit Ink and Spirit Pen he had prepared. The Spirit Pattern he planned to inscribe this time was Heavy Mountain, which would increase the hardness of the magical artifact’s material.

He would also add Fire Series Energy.

Once the Ink Pattern Steel had melted into a liquid, Zhao Zuo took out a One-Tier, Upper-Grade artifact refining material: a Fire Cloud Stone. It was about the size of a fist and contained violent Fire Series Energy. After some deliberation, he decided to stick with the Fire Attribute Energy he was most familiar with.

Step one: Extraction.

Zhao Zuo placed the Fire Cloud Stone on the forging anvil and simultaneously enveloped the entire stone with his Mana. Then, his Forging Hammer struck three consecutive times, forcibly cracking open a gap in the relatively hard Fire Cloud Stone.

Wisps of flaming Energy surged from the crack but were held firmly in check by his Mana, preventing them from dissipating into the air. Zhao Zuo could feel the scorching, explosive Energy he now controlled; it was extremely unstable and could erupt at any moment.

’Even though I’ve done this several times, I can still feel the danger,’ he thought. ’If this Fire Series Energy erupts, it won’t kill me, but it will definitely incinerate this Taoist Robe.’

A dense stream of Mana sought to control the Energy’s movement, to make it docile and gentle. Zhao Zuo instantly entered a state of Constant Calm, and the flow of his Qi Blood and Mana slowed. He set down his Forging Hammer, extended his left hand, and sent fine threads of Mana deep into the mass of Fire Series Energy.

Extract its essence, discard its dross, and pacify its riotous energy.

This was the true goal of extraction. Each fine thread acted like bait, luring out the restless Fire Series Energy. The two collided and slowly neutralized each other. The dangerous aura within the Energy gradually dissipated, and the power in his palm grew much more docile.

The five fingers of his left hand moved in the rhythm of a specific Hand Seal, the crimson threads swaying with his motions like a spider weaving a web to lure its prey. As time passed, a crimson sphere materialized in the palm of his right hand. It roiled with wisps of golden flame, like the ebb and flow of the tide.