That old guy must be a professional killer!
His cultivation was only at the Peak Qi Refining stage, yet he killed so skillfully, without the slightest change in expression.
If he were to fight him, Li Mu wasn't entirely confident he could take him down; if he wasn't careful and the opponent seized an opportunity, he might even be counter-killed.
To be safe, Li Mu decided to continue hiding on the mountain, waiting for the next harvest of spiritual plants to further improve his strength, and then re-evaluate the situation.
Next, Li Mu reinforced the defensive formations on the mountain, and to be even safer, he added two more formations in the courtyard: the Dragon Elephant Subduing Formation and the Dragon Elephant Overturning Heaven Formation.
The talisman paper was all used up.
After finishing his farm work, Li Mu focused his energy on Artifact Refining.
The Artifact Refining process involves: purifying Materials, smelting the artifact embryo, adding auxiliary Materials, condensing artifact patterns, embedding Restrictions, and so on. The higher the grade of Spiritual Artifact being refined, the more complex the steps, especially after the fifth and sixth stages, where one can even Divine Refine the Spirit, causing the Spiritual Artifact to advance into a Spirit Treasure.
However, refining a Spirit Treasure is a matter for much later; even if Li Mu could raise his Refining Skill to level six, seven, or even ten, it would be difficult for him to support the refining of a Spirit Treasure without reaching the Golden Core or Nascent Soul Realm in cultivation.
The higher the grade of Spiritual Artifact being refined, the higher the grade of Artifact Refining Materials used, requiring the use of True Fire, Earth Fire, Exotic Fire, Heavenly Fire, and other Spiritual Fires. Higher-grade spiritual ore Materials require higher-grade fire to melt.
The second-grade Yanyang Refining Furnace purchased by Li Mu, with its built-in Yan Yang Spiritual Fire produced by the Yanyang Grand Formation, was perfectly suited for melting second-grade spiritual ore Materials.
Activating the Yanyang Refining Furnace, the Yan Yang Spiritual Fire inside the furnace emitted terrifying high temperatures.
Li Mu successively threw second-grade refined gold and gold evil stones into the Refining Furnace, and under the calcination of the Yan Yang Spiritual Fire, they rapidly liquefied.
Li Mu used the minor Divine Ability, the Divine Refinement Spirit Fusion Method, to immerse his Divine Sense into the molten golden mineral liquid. The Impurities floating on the surface were quickly stripped away and discharged as slag from the Refining Furnace, and the volume of the golden liquid rapidly shrank, its color becoming purer and purer... After about a quarter of an hour, a mass of molten metal liquid, originally sixty to seventy catties of second-grade gold-element spiritual ore, was reduced to only one-tenth of its original volume.
Under the manipulation of an invisible large hand, the mass of metal liquid was stretched, gradually transforming into the shape of a sword embryo. A large amount of spiritual Qi poured in, and the artifact pattern basic array condensed within the sword embryo... Not long after, a golden long sword embryo slowly flew out of the furnace.
Li Mu held the golden sword embryo with one iron tong and moved it to the forging table. With the other hand, he held a spiritual hammer, gathering spiritual Qi in his palm, and forcefully struck the golden sword embryo to condense artifact patterns for it.
The continuous 'clang, clang...' of hammer strikes echoed, the sword embryo hummed, and spiritual light burst forth repeatedly.
The first artifact pattern: Sword Heart, condensed; the second artifact pattern: Sharp Blade, condensed; the third artifact pattern: Sturdiness... the seventh artifact pattern: Spirit Control, condensed; the eighth artifact pattern: Golden Evil...
The second-grade sword embryo hummed and vibrated, filled with spirituality, as if celebrating its new birth.
If he chose to stop now, quench the Spiritual Sword, and gather its spirit, Li Mu would successfully refine a second-grade top-tier Spiritual Sword, worth over two thousand medium spirit stones.
However, when Li Mu was refining the basic array of the sword embryo, he used the minor Divine Ability, the Divine Refinement Spirit Fusion Method, to establish a third-grade artifact embryo basic array for it. It had a chance to become a third-grade Spiritual Sword, as long as he could successfully condense one more artifact pattern!
To gamble or not to gamble!
Win, and it's tender models at the club; second-grade becomes third-grade!
Lose, and it's back to hard labor; at worst, just start over!
Li Mu gritted his teeth, the spiritual hammer continued to fall on the sword embryo repeatedly, and spiritual Qi surged in, condensing the next artifact pattern for the sword embryo: Awareness Attachment.
"Buzz!" The golden sword embryo vibrated violently, emitting an excited sword cry, and spiritual light burst forth, dazzling beyond compare.
A third-grade Low Grade gold-element Spiritual Sword, it was done!
Li Mu happily looked at the character virtual frame.
"Ding, you have successfully refined a third-grade Spiritual Sword. Refining Skill proficiency +10."
It really worked! Level five Refining Skill, refining a third-grade Spiritual Sword still gives 10 proficiency points, not bad. Li Mu's face lit up with joy, and through the attribute panel's confirmation, he had indeed succeeded in his gamble.
Looking at the gold-element Spiritual Sword radiating the unique spiritual light of a third-grade Spiritual Artifact, Li Mu suddenly thought of something, and the brilliant smile on his face instantly froze.
A third-grade Spiritual Sword. Li Mu realized something he had overlooked.
It's over!
How did it become a third-grade Low Grade gold-element Spiritual Sword!
The other four Spiritual Swords forming the Five Elements Sword Formation must be of the same grade. This means he'll have to refine four more third-grade Spiritual Swords of other elements.
The difficulty is not small!
"Forget it, I'll use this one for now. If it really doesn't work, I'll refine another second-grade gold-element Spiritual Sword to complete the formation." Li Mu's eyes curved with a happy smile, his face full of joy. His Divine Sense landed on the golden Spiritual Sword, and he quickly refined it.
With a "whoosh," the golden Spiritual Sword transformed into a golden light, shooting out and flying out of Xiao Liang Mountain in the blink of an eye.
Li Mu blinked, his Divine Sense attached to the third-grade gold sword. It was incredibly easy; controlling it to fly seven or eight li away seemed to be no problem.
Is this the spirituality of a third-grade Spiritual Sword, and the special effect of the ninth artifact pattern?
The spirituality of a third-grade Spiritual Sword is so strong, it can actually take an enemy's head from ten li away?
Other 'bad' thoughts popped into Li Mu's mind, and his heart immediately stirred.
Better to act than to just think!
Li Mu immediately attached his Divine Sense to the third-grade Spiritual Sword and flew rapidly around Xiao Liang Mountain, searching for the old killer's tracks.
Soon, Li Mu made a discovery: the old killer was hiding in a secluded cave, roasting meat over a campfire in front of it. His gaze occasionally drifted towards Xiao Liang Mountain, clearly still harboring ill intentions!
Li Mu controlled the third-grade Spiritual Sword, quietly flying to his head. With the speed of lightning, it descended from the sky and fiercely struck the old killer.
With a loud "boom," the golden light, like a bolt of lightning, struck down, arriving in an instant and piercing fiercely into the ground. The obstructing boulders were split into two like tofu, shattered rocks exploded, and dust flew everywhere.
Once the dust dissipated,
On the ground lay a severed arm, and the old killer's desperate, fleeing figure.
Heh heh!
Li Mu sneered, no matter how fast he ran, could he be faster than a Flying Sword?
The next second, Li Mu controlled the third-grade Spiritual Sword, shooting towards the old killer. It was as swift as the wind and electricity, arriving in the blink of an eye.
Yan Zongli, who was fleeing in a panic, was already prepared. With a "sizzle," his figure once again transformed into a bolt of lightning and disappeared from his original spot.
...
He even had a life-saving escape talisman!
Watching the old killer's fleeing back, Li Mu was unwilling, but could only dejectedly control the third-grade Spiritual Sword to return.
The sudden attack and continuous mountain-searching flight by the third-grade gold-element Spiritual Sword just now had consumed a large amount of the newly forged Spiritual Sword's spirituality. It would need maintenance for some time before it could be used for long-range sword control, let alone continued pursuit.
Recalling the third-grade Flying Sword, he put it into his Storage Pouch, preparing to refine a few spiritual jade sword scabbards later for proper maintenance.
Li Mu took out the Wutu Crystal from his Storage Pouch, refocusing his attention on the Refining Furnace, preparing to refine the second earth-element Spiritual Sword.