He sat on the futon, entered the illusory space, drew the Golden Toad, and the assessment began.
The Spiritual Beast Scroll was more complex than the spiritual plant scroll, encompassing everything that crawls on the ground, burrows in the earth, climbs trees, and swims in water, excluding only flying creatures.
After reading it the first time, Qian Duoduo was worried sick. How could he remember tens of thousands of these creatures, with their fur, claws, shells, and scales?
Later, Liu Boli emerged and taught him a method that immediately solved the problem.
Liu Boli said, “I will tell you which part of each Spirit Beast is the most delicious and how each Spirit Beast can be eaten.”
Once connected to eating, Qian Duoduo’s Spiritual Awareness instantly seemed to expand.
Fur and claws, shells and scales—it was all just stir-frying, deep-frying, roasting, baking, boiling, stewing, and steaming.
Using this method immediately greatly improved Qian Duoduo's learning efficiency.
Within the illusory space, countless Spirit Beast fragments, divided into heads, feet, claws, teeth, scales, and fur, filled the area.
Qian Duoduo muttered “stir-frying, deep-frying, roasting, baking, boiling, stewing, and steaming” to himself, using both hands simultaneously to connect the fragments and restore the Spirit Beasts one by one.
Time flowed by. After one stick of incense, Qian Duoduo didn't know how much he had completed or how much was left. However, when his Spiritual Awareness entered the Jade Slip, he found an additional scroll, the “Encyclopedia of Weapon Refining” — the Spirit Birds Scroll.
“I must have passed, but I don’t know if I got first place.”
Qian Duoduo pushed open the door and, instead of checking his score at the Golden Pillar, walked directly into the distance.
To outsiders, it seemed as if he had failed the assessment and was too embarrassed to stay.
Should he return to his residence after leaving Wanjinge Square, or should he check the Golden Pillar? Qian Duoduo hesitated for a moment, then slowly walked to the edge of the square and looked closely. On the second Golden Pillar, his Golden Toad stood prominently!
“What a thrill! I defeated Cao Yueying again!” He grinned broadly, laughing silently, then looked at the two Capturing Rat Squad members hiding in the shadows, completely unaware. A surge of pride swelled within him—what 'top student'? Just so-so!
Lightening his steps, he left the square, calmly walked through Lingwu Avenue, and entered the Mengyuan Mountain Outer Sect archway. Only then did his feet sprout wings, and he bounced around wildly for a while before stealthily returning to Buhuan Estate.
Sitting cross-legged in the area with the densest Spiritual Qi in the estate, Qian Duoduo said to Liu Boli in his mind, “Master, how was it? Am I still doing alright?”
Winning first place consecutively made him inwardly pleased. Given the current situation, he couldn't share this with Huang Guiren and Wang Meiruo, so he could only show off a little to Liu Bo.
“Adequate,” Liu Boli nodded slightly. He controlled himself, not allowing himself to praise Qian Duoduo. The fundamentals of Artifact Refining were the most important and also the most tedious. That Qian Duoduo could learn so enthusiastically during the most tedious stage was, in Liu Boli’s opinion, more important than how many first places he achieved.
“I defeated the top student, so does that make me a top student?”
“You're just building your foundation; there's no talk of being a 'top student.' At most, it means you can make a living as an Artifact Refiner. As for the Outer Sect minor competition, your cultivation is still quite lacking. If you encounter someone at Qi Condensation Level Six, it’s hard to say who would win,” Liu Boli said, trying to calm Qian Duoduo down.
“Understood. I’m still a bit short of Qi Condensation Level Five. I'll work harder.”
“You currently have Spirit Chicken claws. I’ll help you refine a defensive Magic Treasure,” Liu Boli said, stroking his handsome silver beard.
Qian Duoduo had personally experienced the power of the Golden Rooster Sword, which allowed him, at Qi Condensation Level Four, to steadily defeat a Qi Condensation Level Five Cultivator.
With Liu Boli refining another defensive Magic Treasure for Qian Duoduo, he would have the confidence to enter the top five and wouldn't have to fear those poisonous snakes.
Qian Duoduo was greatly moved, “Master, what can I do for you now?”
Liu Boli shook his head, “I am at Golden Core Great Perfection, which is my limit. To recover further, only better soul medicine will work. I haven't sensed any good soul medicine within the Refining Spirit Sect.”
Qian Duoduo raised his hand and vowed, “As long as I encounter good soul medicine, I will find every possible way to get it for Liu Bo.”
Liu Boli waved his hand, “There’s no need for that. Just do your best.”
After practicing the Golden Light Technique diligently all night, Qian Duoduo headed straight to the Artificer Hall early the next morning.
Following the Magic Treasure provided by Liu Boli, he bought golden spider silk and golden rhino hide, rented a cauldron, and was about to leave when he was stopped by Elder Tian Shu.
“Have you become a Qi Apprentice?” Tian Shu’s bright eyes held kindness.
“Yes.” Qian Duoduo looked at her, wondering if she knew he was the Golden Toad.
“In the future, if you have any questions about Artifact Refining, you can come and ask me.” Hearing the Elder say this, Qian Duoduo felt even more flustered.
These words indicated that she valued him. Why would she, a mid-grade third-rank Artifact Refiner, value an Outer Sect Disciple like him?
She definitely knew something.
If the news got out and the Capturing Rat Squad found out he was the Golden Toad, and that he had slapped their Senior Sister Fire Phoenix twice, would he still have a peaceful life?
He hurriedly bowed to Elder Tian Shu, “It’s still early, still early.” Qian Duoduo turned and ran, returning to his small courtyard, number 1972.
Qian Duoduo activated the Formation, isolating external Spiritual Awareness, and Liu Boli silently appeared in the room.
“The Magic Treasure we are refining this time is called the Golden Claw Armor. Watch carefully. In the future, you will have to do the same.”
Liu Boli’s words made Qian Duoduo open his Spiritual Awareness completely, observing every subtle detail of his movements.
Taking out over fifty Spirit Chicken claws, arranging the half-jin of golden spider silk and the entire golden rhino hide that Qian Duoduo had just bought, Liu Boli placed his left hand beneath the cauldron, and a ball of flame rose within the cauldron.
“This is Dan Fire. When you reach the Golden Core Stage, you will also be able to produce it from a cauldron. If you haven’t reached the Golden Core Stage, you can use external fire. External fire has its advantages, but its drawback is that you cannot leave the cauldron, and it’s not as obedient as your own internal fire.”
Liu Boli’s right hand moved, and the Spirit Chicken claws flew into the cauldron one by one.
“When materials enter the furnace, the technique is the same as controlling a sword. Once in the furnace, the materials must be heated evenly and melted simultaneously to extract Impurities. The process and result of purification determine the upper limit of the Magic Treasure’s grade.”
As he explained, the Spirit Chicken claws turned into a pool of golden liquid, while the Impurities transformed into black smoke, dissipating from the cauldron.
“Spirit Chicken claws are gold-attribute, and when refined, they turn into golden water. Golden spider silk, however, is wood-attribute, and during Artifact Refining, it can only be heated gently to turn it into a viscous paste. If the fire is too strong, it will burn to ash, resulting in failed Artifact Refining.”
Although half a jin of golden spider silk wasn't heavy, it was quite large, bigger than a large watermelon.
The fire in the cauldron turned pink, and in Liu Boli’s hand, it was like a cherry-sized mouth, gently holding the ball of spider silk, warming it into a white viscous liquid.
“Mixing the golden water and the viscous liquid is the most difficult part of this Artifact Refining. As an Artifact Refiner, you must grasp the exact point where both temperatures are the same, then quickly and evenly mix them for a single, successful attempt.”
In Liu Boli’s hand, the golden water expanded into a honeycomb-shaped object, floating in the cauldron, while the golden spider viscous liquid transformed into a thin thread, interlacing within it.
Liu Boli then brought his right fingers together, squeezing the golden water towards the center, and the viscous liquid mixed within it. The golden water transformed into a pale yellow dough.
Liu Boli threw the golden rhino hide into the cauldron, and in a short time, it became three pieces of leather armor of the same size.
“Are you making three pieces?” Qian Duoduo’s eyes widened, not daring to blink.
“Although golden rhino hide is sturdy, it cannot withstand Magic Treasure attacks. Even three layers cannot block a Cultivator’s full-force strike, so Spirit Chicken claws must be added. The rigidity of the Spirit Chicken claws and the softness of the golden rhino hide are perfectly connected by the golden spider silk…”
Liu Boli spoke while spreading a layer of spiderweb-like golden water on the first layer of leather armor. On top of the golden water, he placed another layer of leather armor. On the second layer of leather armor, he spread another layer of golden water. On top of the golden water, he pressed the third layer of leather armor.
Qian Duoduo suddenly understood: three layers of softness plus two layers of rigidity—the Golden Claw Armor was about to be completed!