Chapter 178 - 177: Five Elements Sword

Refining Elixirs for Fulu Workshop had another benefit: the raw materials were cheaper than those from the Sect's Merit Workshop.

Chen Qingyang prepared some more Spirit Stones and made another trip. Now, holding a Deer Head Token, he could come and go as he pleased and exchange for anything he wanted. This was the symbol of Fulu Workshop.

He was extremely familiar with refining the Tier Four Earth Root Biochemical Pill. One cauldron would yield three pills without any issues, a process that took a little over five hours to complete.

As for producing four pills in one cauldron, he hadn't attempted it yet. After all, he hadn't touched this Elixir since his breakthrough to Tier Four and still needed to polish his skills.

The night was deep, the evening breeze caressing.

Three youths, busy all day, chattered in the courtyard. Xu Baoling gently pushed open the window, rolling up his sleeves to let more of the cool night air pour in.

His master's current batch of Elixirs had been refining for five hours and was about to enter the "Late Fire" stage. After that, the heat would dissipate, and the process would be complete. He pulled the door to, leaving it slightly ajar.

He knew his master disliked being disturbed at this time.

A moment later, Chen Qingyang slowly opened his eyes. He exhaled a breath of Dense Qi and inhaled a breath of Pure Qi. The Conscious Fish, wrapped in a ball of flame, danced before him.

When he last broke through in the Great Soul Scripture, many pathways resembling human Meridians appeared inside the Conscious Fish. As for whether it could operate a Dharma Gate, after many days of study, Chen Qingyang could finally make it circulate the simple Nine Yang Separation Fire Technique to a small degree.

Though this was just the beginning, it was a pleasant surprise. Chen Qingyang's plan was to see if, down the line, he could get it to cultivate the more complex Nanming Red Emperor's Heaven-Burning and Sea-Boiling Daoist Truth on its own.

If he could achieve that, the Conscious Fish would be a truly independent entity. He would be able to focus on two things at once, mastering two Dharma Gates with the same time and effort. At that point, it would be worth taking some risks to find the Great Soul Scripture, Volume Three.

Soon, the Late Fire stage ended.

Chen Qingyang retracted his Cultivation Technique, and the room ceased to be warm. Xu Baoling entered, took out one of the newly refined Elixirs to examine, and remarked, "More progress again."

He then piled them into a Jade Box and counted. "Exactly forty-eight pills. Master, you really finished this month's work in just sixteen days."

But Chen Qingyang shook his head. "It wasn't as easy as it looked. I had no time for my own Cultivation, so my level hasn't progressed in the slightest. I could only just manage to replenish the energy I consumed. Getting in with Fulu Workshop is no easy task!"

Xu Baoling's tone was firm. "Master simply needs an adjustment period. Once you get through it, everything will become easier. I've seen you go through things like this many times."

Chen Qingyang gave him a thumbs-up. "Hah, you always know what to say."

He changed into a green robe and, under the cover of night, soared beneath the starry sky.

In a matter of moments, he landed at Gentle Breeze.

Ever since receiving a pointer from Senior Brother Ji, Chen Qingyang had been determined to find a method for refining a Lifebound Magical Artifact.

This matter was best handled sooner rather than later, especially since he had already achieved Mingtang Perfection. He had kept an eye out at the Cloud Scripture Jade Pavilion, but he was never able to find something he liked. The Dharma Gates there were too basic and no longer met his standards.

He later made another trip to Gentle Breeze. When the shopkeeper heard that Chen Qingyang practiced Sword Cultivation, he told him to return in a few days for something special. Today was that appointed day.

Walking past the street stalls, he reached Gentle Breeze. Shopkeeper Wang was clearly prepared and immediately came forward to greet him. "Senior Brother, right this way to the second floor."

Once upstairs, Chen Qingyang first sipped some tea. A Maid then approached, carrying a Brocade Box that held a small booklet.

Looking closely, each page seemed to be carved from jade as thin as a cicada's wing, densely covered with characters. Shopkeeper Wang briefly showed it to him, and Chen Qingyang clearly saw the words on the cover: Inner Nourishing Five Elements Sword.

Simple and to the point.

'Inner Nourishing implies it's a Lifebound Magical Artifact; Five Elements Sword must contain the Power of the Five Elements.'

"Senior Brother, you mustn't underestimate this Dharma Gate," Shopkeeper Wang began. "As the saying goes: Metal for sharpness, Water for life, Fire for destruction, Wood for vitality, and Earth presiding over the center as the mother of all things."

"If you can nurture this Five Elements Sword within your body, Senior Brother, it will be able to correspond to any Dharma Gate you cultivate. This item was incredibly difficult to acquire, a truly world-shaking..."

As the shopkeeper launched into his sales pitch, Chen Qingyang waved a hand to cut him off. Any more would just be flowery words to inflate its value.

"Can I look through it?"

Shopkeeper Wang offered it with both hands. "Yes, of course. This copy only contains thirty percent of the complete Dharma Gate. The rest will be given to you only after a deal is made."

As Chen Qingyang took it, he gave the shopkeeper a pointed look. Shopkeeper Wang, being a sharp man, immediately understood. "Senior Brother, just as Alchemy has its rules, we have ours in business. When we sell a Dharma Gate like this, we must guarantee it's a one-of-a-kind item. We absolutely do not make copies. What you see is exactly how we received it..."

Despite his repeated assurances, Chen Qingyang remained skeptical. 'How could Gentle Breeze pass up such a massive profit? A few sheets of paper selling for a sky-high price... he couldn't believe they wouldn't make copies.'

Shopkeeper Wang quickly explained, "Please, rest assured, Senior Brother. We can only command a high price by ensuring it remains a unique item. If we printed thousands of copies, no one would want it even for a few Spirit Stones. Besides, mastering it requires immense resources that most people don't have. Only a talent like yourself is worthy of it!"

Hearing this, Chen Qingyang's doubts were finally dispelled. "What Shopkeeper Wang says is reasonable."

He took the booklet and began to read it carefully. He was immediately captivated. The beginning was clearly the general outline of the Dharma Gate, introducing the concepts of Lifebound Magical Artifacts and the role of Yin Yang Five Elements within them in a way that was both profound and easy to understand.

It was all new to him, so he read with intense concentration, carefully pondering the parts he didn't immediately understand.

'So the Five Elements Sword, just as I guessed, is formed from Five Elements Essence Qi,' he thought. 'Setting aside how incredibly rare Five Elements Essence Qi is, the nurturing process alone requires the support of an immensely powerful Mingtang True Fire.'

'Later, as one's Cultivation increases, the demand for Five Elements Essence Qi will also grow. But once successfully formed, its power would be self-evident.'

'Wielding the Power of the Five Elements through the Sword Dao... not only that, but its potential is incredibly high. It can be continuously honed as my Cultivation grows, since the Five Elements themselves have virtually no limit.'

When Chen Qingyang finally put the booklet down, he saw Shopkeeper Wang meditating across from him. "How long was I reading?"

Shopkeeper Wang snapped out of his meditation, grinning as he counted on his fingers. "It should be about three hours."

The longer Chen Qingyang read, the higher the likelihood of a sale.

"Alright, how many Spirit Stones?"

Shopkeeper Wang frowned. "It is a bit pricey... much more than any of our previous deals..."

Chen Qingyang cut him off again. "Shopkeeper, stop dragging your feet!"

As if used to being interrupted, Shopkeeper Wang simply kept his grin. "Three hundred thousand Spirit Stones."

After stating the price, he watched Chen Qingyang impassively, carefully observing his reaction.

After a long moment, Chen Qingyang finally said, "I don't think it's worth that much."

'He was so engrossed just moments ago, and now he says it's not worth it?' How could Shopkeeper Wang believe him? "Very well. When I acquire something better, perhaps Senior Brother would be willing to make another trip?"

Chen Qingyang knew it was his own fault for reading so intently. 'He thinks he has me backed into a corner.'

"Fine, fine. Just give me the lowest price."

Since Shopkeeper Wang was so certain, he wasn't about to back down. "There is no lowest price. However, there is another option. Would you care to hear it, Senior Brother?"

"Go on."

"I can give you the Dharma Gate for free, Senior Brother. However... you must purchase all the Five Elements Essence you require from our shop. We can even offer a 'buy now, pay later' service."

'What a familiar tactic,' Chen Qingyang thought. 'It's like a loan with hidden service fees attached.'

"How many Spirit Stones would that cost?"

Knowing he would press for details, Shopkeeper Wang replied smoothly, "For your initial formation of the Lifebound Magical Artifact, you won't need the absolute best Five Elements Essence Qi. A basic foundation will suffice. One type costs five hundred thousand Spirit Stones, so for all five, that would be two and a half million."

Even Chen Qingyang was stunned by the figure. Two and a half million Spirit Stones for just a basic foundation was truly beyond his means. It almost made him want to give up on the idea.

Just then, Shopkeeper Wang added, "Senior Brother, your future is limitless. A price that seems astronomical today will be like dirt to you tomorrow. But lost time is lost forever and can never be recovered. More importantly, you only get one Lifebound Magical Artifact in your life. It can even determine how far you'll go on your path. If you settle for something you're not satisfied with, you will surely regret it in the future."

'Every word he said was true, which put him in a bind.' So that's why Shopkeeper Wang had told him to come back in a few days—he was preparing this whole routine to completely trap him.

"What did you mean by 'pay later'?"

Hearing this, Shopkeeper Wang's smile grew even wider. "We provide the goods now, and you pay back the Spirit Stones within twenty years. We only charge a tiny, meager amount of interest."

Chen Qingyang asked, "And how much is 'meager'?"

"Not much. A lump sum of five million after ten years. However, it must be paid with an item of equivalent value. I've observed that you spend quite lavishly, Senior Brother Chen. You must have an extraordinary background. I'm sure you have plenty of treasures like that, don't you?" ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Five million Spirit Stones. Chen Qingyang sucked in a breath of cold air. He could search his entire person and not find a single thing worth five million Spirit Stones.

'Except for... the Separation Huo Dragon Pearl.'

Chen Qingyang stood up. "Thank you for the kind offer, Shopkeeper Wang, but while this item is excellent, it is beyond my means. Let's revisit this another day."

He cupped his fists in a gesture of farewell.

Seeing how genuinely he seemed to be leaving, Shopkeeper Wang grew anxious; after all, he had prepared for this moment for a long time. "Senior Brother, do you truly not have a single item that could be used as collateral?"

Chen Qingyang stopped in his tracks. "You investigated me?"

Shopkeeper Wang gave an awkward laugh. "This... it's just business. You're a rare and valuable patron of Gentle Breeze, so I made a few small inquiries and easily learned about the famous figure from the last class of the Separation Dragon Pill Institute. Please, don't take offense!"