Rune Combinations

Rune Combinations

Xu Fan tidied up the room, then began meditating to rest. Spiritual power could recover quickly, but using a spiritual power hammer to temper metal consumed a great deal of Mental Power.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

Xu Fan opened it and found the Supervisor of this area standing outside. He had a Foundation Establishment Cultivation Base and an aged face.

"First time refining an artifact, young man?"

"Yes. Do you have any guidance, Supervisor?" Xu Fan nodded. He had been wondering why a Magic Artifact that had already taken shape would explode.

"Not bad. From the sound alone, I could tell that your first attempt had already reached the final shaping stage of Artifact Refining."

"Not bad, not bad."

The Supervisor began sizing Xu Fan up.

"Supervisor, do you know why I made a mistake in the final step?" Xu Fan's eyes lit up. This Supervisor seemed to be planning to offer him some pointers.

The Supervisor stretched out his hand and said with a smile, "I am a First-Rank Artifact Refiner. Ten Spirit Stones for one question, one hundred Spirit Stones for an hour of instruction."

"You won't spend your money for nothing. I guarantee it'll be worth every stone." The Supervisor chuckled. Thanks to this business, he could even afford to buy a house in Heavenly Gate City outside the sect gates.

Xu Fan instantly felt that his intelligence had been insulted.

After handing over ten Spirit Stones, the Supervisor revealed a delighted smile.

This young man had prospects.

"I could tell from the sounds that while refining, you failed to consider the compatibility between Runes. Runes repel and attract one another."

"When repulsion arises between your Runes, combined with the unstable state of a Magic Artifact just after it takes shape, an explosion will occur."

The Supervisor's words instantly enlightened Xu Fan. The contents of the Jade Slip of Materials suddenly seemed to connect and flow together in his mind.

"Actually, this kind of mistake is easy to solve." Just as Xu Fan was considering how to resolve it, the Supervisor added another sentence.

"Alright, I know how to solve it. Thank you for your kind intentions, Supervisor," Xu Fan said. Still trying to take advantage of me? No chance.

"It seems this little brother has ideas of his own. If you have more questions, continue to seek out this old man. I will answer all I know without reserve." The Supervisor sounded somewhat disappointed. He had only closed one deal. That would not do—he would make a round through the surrounding area later.

After the Supervisor left, Xu Fan's Mental Power had fully recovered.

"Spirit Control, Armor Break, Reinforce, Featherlight, Silencing, Spirit Break, Heart Seal, Flowing Light, Form Transformation, Spirit Accumulation, Fire Attachment." Xu Fan spoke as he inscribed in the air.

With nothing to bear them, the spiritual power Runes lingered in the air for a brief moment before dissolving into specks of Spiritual Light and scattering mid-air.

"There really is repulsive force between Runes. Interesting. Let's try changing the order."

Xu Fan switched up the sequence and continued inscribing Runes in the air, keeping at it for more than five hours.

"The Dao of Runes feels far more complicated than Pill Refining." Xu Fan frowned.

While arranging the Runes, Xu Fan had found combination sequences without repulsive force, yet he always felt that something was not quite complete.

Xu Fan decided not to refine any more artifacts until he figured out the matter of Rune order, lest he incur further losses. His Secret Weapon was still waiting in the back.

After leaving the Earth Core Workshop, Xu Fan sighed. "Just like that, one hundred Spirit Stones are gone."

"No wonder people say Artifact Refining costs even more than Pill Refining."

After returning to his own Small Hilltop, Xu Fan resumed his study of Runes.

The next day, Xu Fan went straight to the Hall of Enlightenment on Artifact Refining Peak. It was filled with people who had encountered problems while refining artifacts.

The main hall was divided into many smaller halls: the Rune Hall, Fire Control Hall, Spirit Ore Hall, Special Talent Hall, Magic Array Hall, and Quenching Hall.

Xu Fan knew that each hall corresponded to a particular type of problem.

Arriving at the Rune Hall, Xu Fan showed his Token and entered.

The Rune Hall had over a hundred seats, every single one occupied by people seeking answers.

"One question per person, with a limit of one quarter-hour."

"Questions will be taken in seat order."

The Outer Sect Artifact Refining Elder seated above spoke at this moment.

A Foundation Establishment Cultivator seated in the first position hurriedly asked, "Elder, can the Explosive Flame Rune truly not be merged with the Extreme Ice Rune into one Magic Treasure?"

"You already have your answer, yet you still came to ask me. Do you think I do not know your little scheme?" the Outer Sect Elder in the seat of honor said blandly.

"First, the material of the Magic Treasure carrying the Runes. Second, using a Flowing Rune as a transition. Both require paying an enormous price to obtain."

"Alright, next."

As the Cultivators in the hall asked their questions, Xu Fan also obtained part of the answers he wanted, deepening his understanding of the Dao of Runes.

Two hours later, it was finally Xu Fan's turn.

"Elder, is there a perfect state for the arrangement of Runes?" Xu Fan asked his question.

At this, the Outer Sect Elder gave Xu Fan a long, deep look.

"Junior, state your name."

"Outer Sect Qi Refining Disciple, Xu Fan," Xu Fan said. This meant that he was only an Outer Sect Disciple and had not yet become a Preparatory Disciple of any peak or hall.

"If you can ask this question, it means you can travel farther on the Dao of Artifact Refining," the Outer Sect Elder said approvingly.

The Outer Sect Elder looked at all the disciples present. "You have all only just entered the Dao of Artifact Refining. In the future, after you have immersed yourselves in Artifact Refining for many years, you will discover a limitation—or rather, a limitation imposed by the Heavenly Dao."

"A Magic Treasure consists of three things: first, materials; second, Runes; third, Array Formations."

"When all three are fused perfectly, your Magic Treasure will draw Lightning Tribulation. Whether it is a Magic Artifact, Treasure Artifact, or Dao Artifact, it will draw Lightning Tribulation."

"Then the Magic Treasure you refined will inevitably be destroyed by the Heavenly Dao."

"It is said that a perfectly formed Magic Treasure can evolve on its own, perhaps even becoming an Immortal Artifact."

Seeing the longing on everyone's faces, the Outer Sect Elder continued, "Alright, that is only a legend. Now, back to the matter at hand."

"There is a Compatibility between combinations of Runes. When the Runes you combine reach their most perfect state, congratulations—your Magic Treasure will stand at the pinnacle among those of the same rank."

"For example, if a Peak Qi Refining Cultivator possessed such a flying sword Magic Artifact, he could slay a Foundation Establishment Early Cultivator."

"Cross-tier Battle would be easy. Of course, such Magic Treasures are extremely difficult to refine. For an Artifact Refiner, producing even one in an entire lifetime is a great fortune."

"To inscribe such Runes, the timing, terrain, and human harmony must all be present; not one can be lacking."

After obtaining his answer, Xu Fan went directly home and began practicing Rune inscription.

He drew five Spirit Control Runes in succession in the air. Xu Fan stared blankly at the Runes floating before him, then repeatedly inscribed the remaining ten Runes.

This state continued for Five Days before Xu Fan finally emerged from his research.

"Knowledge makes me happy." Xu Fan said excitedly. After five days of experiments, he had finally tested out a relatively perfect Rune combination.

As for the perfect state mentioned by the Outer Sect Elder, Xu Fan had never been able to grasp it.

Four days remained until the Mystic Realm.

After enjoying a good sleep, Xu Fan gathered all his materials and charged confidently into the Earth Core Workshop.

End of this chapter