“The Qingxuan Sect has seven main peaks: Qingxuan Peak, Tianxuan Peak, Tai Xuan Peak, Guyue Peak, Wan Jian Peak… The Sect Master Hall, Elder Hall, Law Enforcement Hall, and Hall of Dharma Transmission are located on Qingxuan Peak, while the Ascension Tower and Tribulation Transcending Platform are on Tianxuan Peak…”
Yun Xiaozi led Li Mu to the Artifact Refining Hall for assessment and registration, constantly explaining the situation of the various main peaks of the Qingxuan Sect to Li Mu along the way.
The Qingxuan Sect had a strict hierarchy. Aside from a large number of Utility Disciples and Outer Sect Disciples, only those who entered the Inner Sect were truly considered to have formally joined the Qingxuan Sect. Many unknown Sect secrets gradually unfolded before Li Mu as Yun Xiaozi introduced them.
For example, after Inner Sect Disciples entered, the Disciple tokens they were assigned had extremely convenient interactive functions. Each Disciple token was a sub-artifact of the Sect's heavy treasure—the Profound Spirit Mirror. The Profound Spirit Mirror was said to be an Acquired Spirit Treasure refined by the founding Ancestral Master, Daoist Qingxuan, and its power was extremely formidable.
For example, Inner Sect Disciples could participate in combat competitions that wouldn't harm their lives by climbing the Ascension Tower.
Furthermore, Inner Sect Disciples enjoyed excellent welfare treatment. As long as their cultivation improved quickly enough, their freedom and fair competition for resources were protected by Sect regulations.
…In summary, there was a huge gap between the Inner Sect and the Outer Sect. Only after entering the Inner Sect could one truly be considered a master of the Qingxuan Sect!
“Hmm! Which peak does Senior Brother Yun’s Qingyun Peak belong to?” Li Mu listened to Yun Xiaozi's introduction and asked curiously.
“Qingyun Peak belongs to the Elder Peak. It’s a High Grade Ling Peak where True Disciples and Elders reside. There are a total of 2,300 Ling Peaks of this Rank, and currently, over 500 Ling Peaks are vacant. Each Ling Peak has at least one Spiritual Vein of Rank 2 or higher. Back then, the Ancestral Master slaughtered countless Demon Kings and Demon Emperors to secure this cluster of Ling Peaks!” Yun Xiaozi explained with a smile.
“Junior Brother Li, if you pass the Artifact Crafting Elder's assessment, it shouldn’t be a problem for you to secure a Ling Peak and become my neighbor,” Yun Xiaozi added, looking at Li Mu after finishing his introduction.
“That would be great!” Li Mu nodded happily. The hope of owning a Ling Mountain filled him with motivation.
Li Mu toured Yun Xiaozi's Qingyun Peak under his guidance and was extremely envious.
On the Ling Mountain, the flatter land had been cultivated into over 300 mu of Spiritual Fields, all of which were High Grade Spiritual Fields and Medium Grade Spiritual Fields, planted with various Spirit Medicine. The steep mountain slopes were planted with spirit fruit trees, Rank 2 Green Spirit Bamboo, Purple Spirit Wood, and there were also two mineral veins being excavated. People were hired to raise spiritual livestock… With these various industries, aside from a fixed percentage of income submitted to the Sect annually, he could earn hundreds of thousands of medium spirit stones each year from the output of a single Ling Peak.
“Junior Brother Li, Qingyun Peak is a relatively high-ranking Ling Peak. The specific Ling Peak you’ll be assigned will need to be confirmed at the Contribution Hall. Junior Brother, I hope you won’t be too disappointed then! However, the quality of these Ling Peaks shouldn’t be too bad,” Yun Xiaozi said, looking at Li Mu, forewarning him.
“I know,” Li Mu nodded with a smile.
Li Mu would be satisfied with being able to control a Ling Peak independently, having a few dozen mu of High Grade Spiritual Fields, and a hundred mu of Medium Grade Spiritual Fields. He dared not aspire to the same treatment as Yun Xiaozi.
As they spoke, Yun Xiaozi led Li Mu to a Ling Peak filled with a fiery aura, a Ling Peak that was an active volcano. In the center of the volcanic crater, a tall pagoda stood, suspended above the crater by thick iron chains, preventing it from falling into the volcano.
The Ling Pagoda was over thirty zhang high and had thirteen floors, majestic beyond compare. On the lowest floor of the Ling Pagoda, there were more than a dozen stone bridge entrances, and each stone bridge had a long line of Cultivators, waiting for something unknown.
“This Ling Pagoda is another major treasure of the Qingxuan Sect: the Hundred Refinements Pagoda. Its inner space suppresses a Heavenly Spirit Flame—the Nine Nether Spirit Flame. Most of the Junior Brothers queuing below are Disciples of Hundred Refinements Peak, queuing to enter the pagoda to refine artifacts with the help of this Spirit Flame,” Yun Xiaozi noticed Li Mu's curiosity and quickly introduced it to him.
“What Rank of Spirit Flame is the Nine Nether Spirit Flame? Has it reached the level of a Heavenly Fire?” Li Mu's heart stirred, and he quickly pressed for an answer.
One of the benefits of joining the Sect was being able to obtain more information and data on Advanced spiritual items. Li Mu hadn't forgotten that he still had several Advanced spiritual items in his Storage Pouch: a Rank 6 spirit control treasure bracelet that required a Heavenly Fire to re-refine to awaken its Artifact Spirit, and a Spirit Luck Profound Turtle Shell that required ten drops of True Spirit blood to unseal.
If these two Advanced spiritual items could be unsealed and restored, and then refined, his combat power and life-saving abilities would be greatly enhanced.
“What Rank of Spirit Flame it is, I'm not very clear. When we go in and see Elder Yin, you can ask him yourself!” Yun Xiaozi frowned and gestured.
After speaking, Yun Xiaozi took Li Mu and flew directly into the Ling Pagoda, showing no intention of queuing with the other Disciples.
Upon flying into the Ling Pagoda, the space inside was much more open than Li Mu had imagined. Many Foundation Establishment Disciples were coming and going, and they all bowed and greeted Yun Xiaozi.
“Greetings, Senior Brother Yun!”
“Senior Brother Yun, why are you here at Hundred Refinements Peak? Do you need my help!”
…The Disciples of Artifact Refining Peak eagerly greeted him. Li Mu saw this and confirmed that Yun Xiaozi held a considerable position and prestige within the Qingxuan Sect.
“Junior Brother Chen, is Elder Yin refining artifacts? If not, take me to him,” Yun Xiaozi said, gesturing to one of the leading Foundation Establishment Disciples.
“My master is meeting guests. Senior Brother Yun, please wait a moment, I will go ask for instructions,” Chen Zhuo indicated.
After speaking, Chen Zhuo quickly turned and walked into a room. A moment later, he returned and gestured to Yun Xiaozi, inviting him: “Senior Brother, please! The guest my master is entertaining, Senior Brother should also know.”
“Oh!” Yun Xiaozi nodded curiously and followed Chen Zhuo into the room, with Li Mu close behind.
Inside the room, an old man with white hair and beard was entertaining a Golden Core female Cultivator who appeared to be around thirty years old, with a handsome face and a red dress.
“Senior Sister Ling, when did you return!” Yun Xiaozi asked in surprise when he saw the female Cultivator in the red dress.
“Just returned, asking Elder Yin to refine a Spiritual Artifact. What, Junior Brother Yun, are you also here to refine artifacts?” The female Cultivator in the red dress smiled charmingly and asked.
“No! Elder Yin, this is Master Li, an Artifact Refining Grandmaster I know. At my earnest invitation, he is willing to join our Sect. I brought him to participate in the Sect entry assessment,” Yun Xiaozi shook his head, pulled Li Mu forward, and introduced him to Elder Yin.
“Hmm!” Yin Xianwen's smile vanished, and he looked at the young man Yun Xiaozi introduced with surprise.
Although this young Cultivator had Foundation Establishment cultivation, his bone age didn't seem very old, which made him somewhat doubt Yun Xiaozi's words.
“Is True Disciple Yun's statement true? Are you sure this young man can refine Rank 4 Spiritual Artifacts?” Yin Xianwen carefully observed for a while, then looked at Yun Xiaozi and asked.
“Of course, this artifact is the Ruyi Seal that I entrusted Master Li to refine,” Yun Xiaozi smiled slightly, took out a milky white small square seal from his Storage Pouch, and presented it in his palm for Yin Xianwen to see.
Looking at the Rank 4 square seal Spiritual Artifact in Yun Xiaozi's palm, Yin Xianwen couldn't help but be moved and eagerly said, “True Disciple Yun, may I borrow this artifact for a look?”
Yun Xiaozi nodded and offered it with his hand.
Yin Xianwen took the Ruyi Seal, immersed his Divine Sense into it, examining the artifact base and patterns, and muttered to himself in evaluation: “The Materials are tightly combined, and the refining quality has reached… hmm, the artifact base is very stable, even a bit overly cautious. Eh! Why were these artifact patterns used? It's a bit of a waste!”
“When you refined this Spiritual Artifact, why did you use some unnecessary artifact patterns? For example: Concealed Breath, Mimicry… These artifact patterns are flashy but impractical, wasting the power of this artifact!” Yin Xianwen asked Li Mu, puzzled, after examining the Ruyi Seal's artifact patterns.
“Elder Yin, because this artifact has other uses, this was a special request from me, which is why Master Li refined it this way,” Yun Xiaozi smiled slightly and interjected.
“So that’s how it is!” Yin Xianwen nodded, then looked at Yun Xiaozi and nodded, saying, “If this artifact was truly refined by him, becoming an Artifact Crafting Elder of this Sect is more than enough!”
“Come, you follow me to the Artifact Refining Room!” After speaking, Yin Xianwen looked at Li Mu and invited him excitedly.
Li Mu glanced at Yun Xiaozi.
Yun Xiaozi smiled and nodded, accompanying Li Mu to the Artifact Refining Room.
A hint of curiosity flashed in the eyes of the female Cultivator in the red dress, and she also followed them to the Artifact Refining Room.
Inside the huge Artifact Refining Room, a double-Dragon embossed Artifact Refining furnace, made of purple gold, majestic and imposing, was placed in the center.
“The Double Dragon Purple Gold Artifact Refining Furnace. The bottom of this furnace is the same as the Hundred Refinements Pagoda and can activate the suppressed Nine Nether Spirit Flame. You can use it to refine boldly and confidently! Even refining Rank 6 Artifact Refining Materials is no problem,” Yin Changming said with a smile, gesturing.
“Hmm! May I ask, Elder Yin, is this Nine Nether Spirit Flame considered a Heavenly Fire?” Li Mu nodded and asked with concern.
“Heavenly Fire? No, it’s not. It can only be considered a Rank 5 Spirit Flame,” Yin Xianwen frowned and explained.
After speaking, Yin Xianwen took out a Material Storage Pouch and handed it to Li Mu, saying, “The Materials are here. You can choose any you like. There are no specific requirements for this assessment. You have two chances to refine freely. As long as you can successfully refine a Rank 4 Low Grade Spiritual Artifact, you pass.”
Li Mu took the Storage Pouch and scanned it. Various Rank 4 Materials were all available. The difficulty of this assessment was not high.
Li Mu nodded to Elder Yin, thought for a moment, and began to refine.
His Divine Sense entered the Storage Pouch, and pieces of profound abyss heavy gold, ink jade spirit crystal, and Taiyi evil gold flew out one after another, successively entering the Double Dragon Purple Gold Artifact Refining Furnace.
In the Double Dragon Purple Gold Artifact Refining Furnace, the two Dragons seemed to come alive, moving across the surface of the purple gold furnace. The next second, a cluster of cyan flames emitting terrifying high temperatures appeared inside the purple gold furnace.
Soon, under the calcination of the Nine Nether Spirit Flame's heat, the Rank 4 spirit ores inside the furnace quickly transformed into several clumps of molten metal. Supported by Li Mu's Divine Sense, they quietly floated in the Artifact Refining furnace. The volume of the molten metal continuously shrunk, and the Impurities mixed within were rapidly peeled away. The several clumps of molten metal quickly flowed and interacted, mixing and tightly solidifying, as if a mysterious large hand was stirring the metal liquid clumps within the Artifact Refining furnace.
Seeing that the Materials were almost mixed, Li Mu condensed gold-element Spiritual Qi true essence in his hand and struck it into the metal liquid clumps repeatedly, establishing the artifact base.
With Elder Yin and two other Golden Core Cultivators observing the Artifact Refining, Li Mu decided to conceal his true abilities. He didn't use the Divine Refinement Spirit Fusion Method for Artifact Refining, opting for ordinary methods to mix the artifact embryo Materials and condense the artifact base.
As Li Mu continuously outputted gold-element Spiritual Qi, the molten metal in the purple gold Artifact Refining furnace gradually cooled and solidified, and the shape of the artifact embryo slowly emerged, clearly a five-foot-long Azure Peak Great Sword.
He slowly took the sword embryo out of the Artifact Refining furnace.
Li Mu took out his old Artifact Refining tools from his Storage Pouch, a spirit-endowed hammer, and began to forge the artifact embryo, injecting Spiritual Qi to help the artifact condense its patterns.
With a 'buzz' of a sword hum, after a few hammer strikes, the first artifact pattern condensed, and the sword embryo glowed brightly, celebrating its new birth.
Li Mu continued his efforts, forging and infusing spirit, the second artifact pattern—sharpness, the third artifact pattern—Spirit Control…
Too fast!
The sword embryo vibrated incessantly, and artifact patterns formed one after another.
“Elder Yin, is Artifact Refining that simple?” Ling Hongyu asked Yin Xianwen, somewhat surprised, as she watched Li Mu's Artifact Refining setup.
“Simple? Where is it simple! When refining the artifact embryo, the neutralization of several Artifact Refining Materials must be orderly and not chaotic. The carving of the artifact embryo's basic array needs to be refined deeply. When condensing artifact patterns, the Spiritual Qi must be precise to the slightest degree! Every step requires a large amount of Divine Sense and extremely strict control over Spiritual Qi. Where is it simple!” Yin Xianwen replied irritably.
“I saw him condense artifact patterns so easily, one after a few strokes, another after a few strokes,” Ling Hongyu nodded, sighing.
“That's because his Artifact Refining Foundation is incredibly solid, he has achieved a state of proficiency to the heart, simplifying complexity! To have such Artifact Refining skill at this age is truly remarkable!” Yin Xianwen explained with emotion, finding a sense of beauty in his Artifact Refining.
The speed of condensing artifact patterns was both fast and accurate. His precision in controlling Spiritual Qi and his proficiency in condensing artifact patterns were like a machine, effortlessly done, with an unreasoningly high efficiency.
It was too Heaven-Defying. How profound must his Artifact Refining talent be, how solid his Artifact Refining Foundation, to achieve this level.
Yin Xianwen's eyes lit up with joy.
Yin Xianwen asked himself, when he was his age, let alone refining Rank 3 Spiritual Artifacts, even refining Rank 2 Spiritual Artifacts was difficult, not to mention refining artifacts and condensing artifact patterns at such a speed!
He found a treasure!
Yun Xiaozi had brought a precious gem to Hundred Refinements Peak!
While Yin Xianwen was distracted.
The forging platform flashed with spiritual light, and with a 'buzz' of a sword hum, the Azure Peak Great Sword emitted a sharp sword cry!
The artifact was complete!
With a 'bang', Li Mu was forced back several steps by the Sword Qi released from the Azure Peak Great Sword.
Yun Xiaozi quickly stepped forward, reached out, and grabbed the highly spiritual Azure Peak Great Sword, which was trying to escape, holding it in his hand with a face full of joy.
“Junior Brother! Are you alright!” Yun Xiaozi held the Azure Peak Great Sword horizontally, reined in its Sword Intent, and asked Li Mu with concern.
“I’m fine!” Li Mu nodded with a smile, then looked at Yin Xianwen and said, “Elder Yin, I passed the assessment, right!”
“Passed! Definitely passed! A Rank 4 High Grade Spirit Sword, congratulations, you are the youngest Artifact Crafting Elder of this Sect,” Yin Xianwen nodded repeatedly, congratulating Li Mu.
After speaking, Yin Xianwen reached out to Yun Xiaozi and asked, “True Disciple Yun, please let me see the Spirit Sword!”
“Uh! Elder Yin, this Spirit Sword is an excellent match for me, I wonder if…” Yun Xiaozi reluctantly handed over the Azure Peak Great Sword, stammering.
“Of course, no problem. This time, recommending Elder Li to our Hundred Refinements Peak is a great merit. After I confirm it, this sword will be given to True Disciple Yun,” Yin Xianwen smiled and interrupted, then looked at Li Mu and smiled, exposing him: “Elder Li refined this sword, probably to repay True Disciple Yun, right!”
“Is that so!” Yun Xiaozi was overjoyed and looked at Li Mu for confirmation.
Li Mu smiled slightly and nodded, “If Elder Yin is reluctant to give it away, I can refine another one for Senior Brother Yun later.”
“Hahaha! That’s right, that’s right! From now on, Artifact Refining will trouble Junior Brother Li!” Yun Xiaozi suddenly understood and decisively stuffed the Azure Peak Great Sword into Yin Xianwen’s hand.
The female Cultivator in the red dress, witnessing this scene, couldn't help but show envy. Yun Xiaozi and Elder Li were on good terms, so she wouldn't have to worry about any Spiritual Artifacts in the future.