“Clang, clang, clang…”
The Artifact Refiner continuously struck the corpse puppet's neck ten times. The Bronze Puppet Armor showed no damage whatsoever.
The Elder on duty frowned.
He was surely cursing the Artifact Refiner who was testing the artifact, because the place he struck was precisely where the puppet armor's protective capabilities were strongest.
After ten strikes, the test could already have been declared passed.
But the Artifact Refiner didn't want it to be so easy, so he swung his sword again, striking the same spot ten more times, yet still failed to break the Bronze Puppet Armor.
“Alright. Passed.”
The Elder on duty couldn't stand it anymore and helped announce the result.
The three Artifact Refiners, their faces flushed, handed over the token and robes of a Mid-Grade Second Rank.
Taking the token and robes, Qian Duoduo took three deep breaths and looked at the Elder on duty.
“My luck is good today. How about I take another test? If I pass, I’ll jump three ranks. Even if I don't, falling once would still be a huge gain.”
The Elder on duty rolled his eyes in anger, and the three Artifact Refiners also looked indignant.
They had seen arrogant people, but they had never seen anyone as arrogant as Qian Duoduo.
“It seems everyone feels sorry for me and can’t bear to see me fall. Then forget it.”
Qian Duoduo tossed the token in his hand a few times, then flicked it, “Senior Brother Pang, what’s that phrase for getting something extremely easily?”
Pang Yunxiao’s eyes darted around, his face lit up, and he loudly said, “As easy as taking something from one’s pocket!”
“Yes, as easy as taking something from one’s pocket, without the slightest effort!” Elder Miao nodded repeatedly.
Being looked down upon by the Middle Road Cultivators had also filled them both with suppressed anger.
Qian Duoduo put away the token and robes, stood up, and swaggered out.
The Elder on duty roared in anger, “Young man, come, test for High-Grade Second Rank.”
He gave a look to the three Artifact Refiners.
One Artifact Refiner quickly brought three Magic Treasures and placed them on the table.
The other two Artifact Refiners intentionally or unintentionally blocked the door of the testing room.
Elder Miao and Pang Yunxiao looked at Qian Duoduo, waiting for him to decide whether to test or not.
“I’m a bit tired. Continuous testing consumes too much Spiritual Qi.”
Qian Duoduo said with a playful smile, “Allow me to meditate for two hours to recover.”
That’s what he said, but his body was brimming with Spiritual Qi; there was no sign of Spiritual Qi deficiency at all.
The Elder on duty showed a look of disgust, flicked a finger, and a Qi Return Pill appeared before Qian Duoduo, “Take it, and your Spiritual Qi will immediately recover.”
“Thank you, Senior.”
Qian Duoduo naturally wouldn't refuse a free Medicinal Pill. He swallowed the Qi Return Pill in one gulp and casually chose the middle Magic Treasure.
“Zombie Blood Claw!” Seeing the Magic Treasure clearly, Qian Duoduo couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
It was truly a coincidence today; all the Magic Treasures he received were related to corpse puppets.
The Elder on duty and the three Artifact Refiners all showed expressions of schadenfreude.
Although the Zombie Blood Claw was a High-Grade artisan artifact, it required extremely strong Spiritual Awareness.
An Artifact Refiner without the Spiritual Awareness of an Early Stage Golden Core Realm could simply not refine this Magic Treasure.
When Pang Yunxiao heard that Qian Duoduo was going to refine this Magic Treasure for his test, he rubbed his hands with joy.
He thought that if Qian Duoduo could refine the Zombie Blood Claw, then his and Left Ear Peak’s strength would greatly increase.
Elder Miao, however, began to worry when she heard this.
She knew the difficulty of refining it; even she, a High-Grade Third Rank Artifact Refiner, couldn't guarantee success every time.
“Come on!”
One Artifact Refiner arranged three sets of materials, then retreated to the back and sat cross-legged with the other two Artifact Refiners, waiting to see Qian Duoduo fail the test and become a laughingstock.
He whispered to his two companions, “In the Middle Road, I haven’t heard of any Artifact Refiner who could jump three ranks. Maybe a Lower Road Artifact Refiner can.”
“Hmm. That’s definitely possible. Pfft, just blow on it and it’ll pass.”
One Artifact Refiner said with a low laugh.
The trio’s snickering made the Elder on duty’s face relax.
He glanced at Qian Duoduo triumphantly and then closed his eyes again.