Chapter 559 - 39: Refining the Communication Device

Having confirmed there was nothing wrong with the communication device, the only thing left to do was to refine it.

Zi Luan had once reminded him that refining it required the Heaven-Reaching Talisman, and that it was best to do so only after a complete fusion. That was why Wang Ping had waited until now to begin the process.

Zi Luan hadn’t specified the refining method, so it was likely the most conventional one, just with the added power of the Heaven-Reaching Talisman. Still, Wang Ping cautiously decided to run a test first.

He first summoned a Golden Armored Puppet to act as a medium. He applied the power of the Heaven-Reaching Talisman through a portion of his Primordial Spirit Consciousness and then attempted to refine the device. The feedback felt strenuous, like a small child trying to wield a greatsword, but nothing bad happened.

Thus, he dismissed the Golden Armored Puppet, channeled his Primordial Spirit to manifest the Heaven-Reaching Talisman, and began the refining process with all his might.

The process of refining a Magical Artifact or a Demon Soldier was, in essence, about fusing the item with one’s own aura. It required merging one’s Primordial Spirit Consciousness with the Array Runes inside the artifact until they were one. Once completed, a Cultivator could unleash the artifact’s full power with but a single thought.

It was a time-consuming process, but it required little else.

After half a month of refining, Wang Ping had a good grasp of the situation. It would take him at least two years to fully refine this communication device.

After connecting to the immense power of the Heaven-Reaching Talisman, he was finally able to clearly map out the internal array structure of the communication device. Its foundation was the simplest of Transfer Talismans, just stacked layer upon layer.

Within this device, which stood dozens of feet tall, the constructed Transfer Talismans, if unfolded, would cover an area half the size of Nanlin Road. The reason Wang Ping hadn’t been able to probe it clearly before was because it could connect with Wood Spirit Qi from tens of thousands of kilometers away, creating a certain resonance with it.

When an ordinary Cultivator tried to probe it, the device would draw their consciousness into the vast world it was connected to.

However, without a stable device, its perception of Wood Spirit Qi tens of thousands of kilometers away would be greatly reduced, though it could still manage to transmit some information.

...

Before he knew it, winter had arrived again.

On the eve of the Spring Festival, Qianmu Temple once again received many visiting Cultivators, most of whose arrangements were handled by Zhao Qian.

On the twenty-sixth day of the last lunar month, Zhao Qian finished his work as usual and returned to his private Dao Field on the back mountain.

All the disciples’ Dao Fields within Qianmu Temple were built similarly to the Mountain Peak Dojo. Outside, a Spirit Gathering Array was formed by a Spirit Wood Tree Garden, and beyond that was a small courtyard of several thatched cottages, with the garden occasionally dotted with a pavilion or a rockery.

At this moment, two Inner Sect Disciples were already waiting outside Zhao Qian’s small courtyard. They had been there for a while. One of them was an Entering Cultivator—the disciple in charge of Internal Affairs, a descendant named Zhao Zhen, whom Zhao Qian had personally selected from the Zhao Family after his promotion.

"Uncle!"

Zhao Zhen bowed respectfully. The disciple beside him simply clasped his fists in a salute without speaking.

Zhao Qian merely nodded, showing no surprise. He was accustomed to handling matters of the Inner Courtyard first, then returning to his own Dao Field to deal with Internal Affairs.

The three of them entered the courtyard one after another.

As Zhao Qian slowly sat down, Zhao Zhen stepped forward to light the nearby stove and prepare tea. Zhao Qian didn’t stop him. He took out a game manual to study and looked at the disciple who had remained silent, asking:

"What matter requires my personal attention today?"

The disciple still said nothing. He took a bamboo slip inscribed with a coded message from his breast pocket and respectfully handed it to Zhao Qian.

Zhao Qian glanced at Zhao Zhen, who was busy with the tea, then reached out, took the slip, and read it.

Zhao Qian’s expression grew solemn. After finishing, he immediately destroyed the bamboo slip and instructed Zhao Zhen, "Stop what you’re doing. Take him away. From now on, he is no longer an Internal Affairs Disciple. Arrange a new identity for him."

"Yes, Master!"

Zhao Zhen didn’t ask why. He decisively put down the teapot, went to the intelligence-delivering disciple, whispered a few instructions, and then led him out of the courtyard.

After the two had left, Zhao Qian rose into the air on a cloud and flew toward Yu Cheng Taoist’s Dao Field on the back mountain.

When he landed beside an old pagoda tree and looked at the brightly lit courtyard, he saw Yu Cheng Taoist having tea and reminiscing with an old friend. As Zhao Qian approached the courtyard gate and clasped his fists in a salute, he heard Yu Cheng Taoist ask, "What is it?"

From his tone, one could tell he was quite content and happy at the moment.

Zhao Qian subtly glanced at Yu Cheng Taoist’s guest but remained silent.

"Fellow Daoist Tianshan is one of us. Speak freely."

"Yes, Ancestor!"

Zhao Qian naturally wouldn’t disobey Yu Cheng Taoist’s command. After all, he had already done his part by hesitating. Lowering his head, he reported, "Over a decade ago, while Daoist Wenhai was investigating the Xuanhe Daoist case, he discovered that someone in the Southeast Sea Region was purchasing intelligence related to Ancestor Changqing’s whereabouts..."

Hearing Zhao Qian mention his disciple, Yu Cheng Taoist’s easygoing expression immediately turned serious. The nearby Tianshan Daoist discreetly rose to his feet, took a step back, and then transformed into a streak of light, flying toward the Fire Institute to go drinking with Ruan Chunzi and the others.

Zhao Qian continued, "Later, Daoist Wenhai was dispatched to True Yang Mountain by Daoist Zuo Xuan. He was tasked with verifying the authenticity of a ’Divine Soul Guide’ that Ancestor Changqing had requested for a trade. It was subsequently discovered that there was a problem with this, so under Daoist Zuo Xuan’s arrangements, he went north to continue the investigation..."

"After three months of inquiries, Daoist Wenhai found that the Cultivator who had attempted to trade the ’Divine Soul Guide’ had also entered the north from the Southeast Sea Region. Daoist Wenhai followed this lead back to the Southeast Sea Region. After more than a decade of building a network there, with the help of our Internal Affairs Disciples, he finally infiltrated an organization’s gatherings five years ago..."

Yu Cheng Taoist instinctively set down his teacup, his gaze on Zhao Qian growing even sterner.

Perhaps feeling the pressure, Zhao Qian quickened his pace. "Among them is a Wood Spirit Cultivator who has posted a bounty for Ancestor Changqing’s whereabouts. The reward is two complete sets of materials for an Artifact Cultivator to advance to the Third Realm."

"Is that all?"

"There’s more. This intelligence was gathered a month ago. Behind this Wood Spirit Cultivator is a Third Realm Taiyan Cultivator named Chengxi. He has a Daoist partner, also a Third Realm Taiyan Cultivator, named Quecai. Apparently, she used to spend most of her time in seclusion on the Eastern Continent, but she has recently been with Chengxi in the Southeast Sea Region. We haven’t found their exact location yet!"

Yu Cheng Taoist repeated his question, "Is that all?"

"For now, this is all we have!"

"I recall this case is being handled by Daoist Zuo Xuan, correct?"

"Correct!"

"Back then, Internal Affairs received at least ten such intelligence reports a day, yet she was sharp enough to notice this particular lead. She truly has a keen eye."

Yu Cheng Taoist said this as if muttering to himself.

Hearing this, Zhao Qian hesitated for a couple of breaths before responding, "At the time, Xuanhe’s background was very complex. After Daoist Zuo Xuan received the report, she discussed it with me privately. We both agreed that given Xuanhe’s background, an ordinary gathering wouldn’t have been enough to make him risk his life. That’s why we had Daoist Wenhai go to the Southeast Sea Island personally."

Although he wasn’t sure why Yu Cheng Taoist had made that comment, he felt a clarification was necessary.

Hearing this, Yu Cheng Taoist realized Zhao Qian had misunderstood him. He didn’t bother explaining further, simply saying, "Let’s go see Fellow Daoist Zuo Xuan together. She has had the most contact with Wenhai."