Chen Xingfeng

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Chen Xingfeng (陈星峰)
Alias(es)	Master Xingfeng
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Craftsmanship Tower, Luoxia City
Occupation/Role	Master of Craftsmanship Tower; artifact-refining master; overseer of its annual artifact-refining trial
Status	Active
First Appearance	Mentioned in Chapter 22; appears in person in Chapter 24 22 24

Background / History

Chen Xingfeng and Mo Cuidao studied under the same master, but ultimately adopted opposing philosophies of artifact refinement. Chen favors sharing practical refinement knowledge and developing refiners through accessible instruction; this approach helped make Craftsmanship Tower the center of Luoxia City’s artifact-refining industry. 28

His central disagreement with Mo Cuidao concerns foundations. Mo Cuidao believes Qi Refining artifact refiners should master demanding techniques—including the Rune of the Artifact Spirit—before advancing, while Chen initially considers this impractical and wasteful for cultivators at that stage. Ning Ri’s successful use of Mo Cuidao’s methods forces Chen to reconsider that judgment. 28

Chen created the Craftsmanship Tower refining mission after accidentally destroying the Qi Refining magic treasures made by his wife early in her cultivation. The task’s true, unannounced condition is to recreate her original treasures—including their imperfections—without revealing the reason for repeated failures to her. 29 30

Appearance

Chen Xingfeng is an elderly man whose presence is described as unfathomable. He wears blue-gray robes and has a stern, weathered appearance. 24

• Deeply wrinkled face, compared to dried tree bark. 24
• Broad, thick hands. 24
• Maintains a solemn, serious demeanor while presiding over refinement. 24
• Can leave a clear palm print in a steel-like wall with a casual strike. 32

Personality

Chen is proud, blunt, and strongly attached to conventional cultivation principles. He considers the Heaven Defying Sect’s unconventional methods to be “evil cultivation” in the sense of being unorthodox, not necessarily immoral, and repeatedly tries to persuade Ning Ri to leave it for a more traditional sect. 30 31

Despite his sharp tongue, he recognizes exceptional talent and is willing to teach. He gives public explanations during the refining trial, praises Ning Ri’s efficient methods, arranges for Ning Ri to observe senior refiners, and offers answers to his questions. 24 26 32 33

His rivalry with Mo Cuidao often makes him petty: he offers Ning Ri access to the Artifact Heart Pavilion in exchange for insulting Mo, then reacts with shock when Ning Ri refuses. However, Ning Ri’s refinement ultimately restores Chen’s confidence that Mo Cuidao’s ideals may be achievable. 27 28

Abilities & Skills

Artifact Refinement

Chen is a renowned artifact-refining master whose expertise and willingness to teach made Craftsmanship Tower central to Luoxia City. 22 28

• Oversees Qi Refining-stage magic-treasure refinement and evaluates finished artifacts. 24 28
• Identifies flaws in artifact fire, elemental balance, material handling, and refinement timing. 26 27
• Recognizes Ning Ri’s five-element artifact fire as perfectly proportioned and judges his method especially suitable for Qi Refining refiners. 26
• Possesses the Artifact Heart Pavilion, which stores his artifact-refining insights. 27
• Can arrange observation opportunities with high-level refiners within Craftsmanship Tower. 33

Cultivation and Artifact Theory

Chen has extensive knowledge of orthodox cultivation, Qi purification, and Foundation Establishment.

• Explains the distinction between Pure Qi and Turbid Qi cultivators, as well as the risks of establishing a Turbid Foundation. 31
• Discusses Qi Washing Methods and Qi Washing Magic Treasures used to purify turbid qi before Foundation Establishment. 31
• Knows of Craftsmanship Tower’s “rented spiritual roots,” temporary spiritual roots that can aid cultivation but eventually dissipate and limit long-term potential. 32 34
• Understands the Heaven Defying Sect’s anomalous Foundation Establishment practices, though he regards them with skepticism. 31 32

Spiritual Power

Chen demonstrates substantial cultivation through casual displays of force.

• Uses spiritual transmission to speak privately with Yang Xingming without interrupting Ning Ri’s refinement. 26
• Leaves a palm print on a steel-like wall after striking it in irritation. 32

Craftsmanship Tower Trial

Chen personally presides over the Craftsmanship Tower trial when Yang Xingming brings Xi Yuan to participate. Rather than allowing each candidate a private room as in earlier years, he has all five participants refine together so that they can receive his explanations. 24

Rule / Condition	Details
Time limit	Six hours 24
Attempts	Three artifact-refining attempts per participant 24
Task	Refine a complete set of Qi Refining magic treasures from supplied blueprints 24 27
Instruction	Chen gives explanations during the process; participants must not let them disrupt their concentration. 24
Actual condition	The magic treasures must reproduce his wife’s original Qi Refining creations closely enough to satisfy him, including their flaws. 29 30

Although Ning Ri’s work is the only artifact set Chen considers genuinely outstanding, Chen still declares it a failure because it does not meet the hidden personal requirement. He then purchases it for 2,500 spirit stones. 28 29

Relationships

• Mo Cuidao — Fellow disciple under the same master and longstanding philosophical rival. Chen criticizes Mo’s demanding Qi Refining-stage curriculum, yet Ning Ri’s success leads him to reconsider Mo’s approach. 27 28
• Ning Ri — Trial participant whose refinement talent astonishes Chen. Chen praises his methods, buys his magic treasure for 2,500 spirit stones, offers guidance, and unsuccessfully attempts to recruit him away from the Heaven Defying Sect. 26 29 30 32
• Yang Xingming — Respected acquaintance who accompanies Xi Yuan to Craftsmanship Tower. Chen discusses Ning Ri’s refinement with him through spiritual transmission and later waits alongside him outside Ning Ri’s quiet room. 24 26 35
• Xi Yuan — Young Lingxi Immortal Sect disciple favored by Chen because of Yang Xingming and the Xi family’s standing. Chen personally invites Xi Yuan to ask questions during the trial. 24 26
• Unnamed wife — The reason behind Chen’s supposedly impossible refining mission. He accidentally destroyed her early Qi Refining magic treasures and secretly seeks replacements without letting her discover the truth. 29 30

Story Role / Major Arcs

Craftsmanship Tower Trial

Chen receives Ning Ri and the other candidates at Craftsmanship Tower, establishes the shared refining trial, and provides technical instruction throughout the session. His attention shifts toward Ning Ri after witnessing the latter’s perfectly balanced artifact fire and exceptionally efficient technique. 24 26

Conflict Over Mo Cuidao’s Teachings

Chen offers Ning Ri entry to the Artifact Heart Pavilion in exchange for cursing Mo Cuidao. Ning Ri refuses out of loyalty, while Chen is increasingly disturbed by the advanced techniques Ning Ri has learned from Mo. 27

When Ning Ri flawlessly inscribes the Rune of the Artifact Spirit, Chen realizes that Mo Cuidao’s seemingly unreasonable foundation-first philosophy may not have been misguided. 28

The Hidden Mission Requirement

Chen declares every participant unsuccessful, including Ning Ri, then purchases their completed magic treasures. In private, he reveals that the mission exists to replace the treasures he destroyed years earlier and that its actual standard cannot be publicly stated without alerting his wife. 29 30

Attempt to Recruit Ning Ri

After learning that Ning Ri has not entered the Heaven Defying Sect’s inner sect, Chen tries to persuade him to leave. He offers the prospect of recommendations to major righteous sects and describes profitable artifact-refining opportunities, but Ning Ri remains committed to the Heaven Defying Sect. 30 31

Chen nevertheless continues helping Ning Ri by answering his questions, explaining spiritual-root rentals, providing a mission-completion mark for the Heaven Defying Foundation Establishment Method, and arranging access to observe high-level artifact refiners. 32 33

Notable Quotes

“If you want a secret to remain unknown, you can't tell anyone.” 30

“Artifact refining is a skill that fights against death, fights against the Heavenly Dao, and approaches eternity.” 32

“My physical body will die, but my painstaking efforts are eternal.” 32

Trivia

• Craftsmanship Tower has one hundred floors and is tall enough for its upper levels to disappear into the clouds. 22
• Chen’s annual refining mission had never been completed as intended before Ning Ri’s participation. 23 29
• He initially claims to have created the newest generation of Qi Washing Magic Treasures, then later tells Ning Ri that he was lying about knowing how to make them. 31 32