Artifact Forging

Fang Xiao wandered through the Market, stopping and starting, until he finally halted before a shop with a sign that read Xu's Artifact Forging Shop.

He strode inside. The shop was small, and the magic tools on display were mostly low- and mid-grade magic tools. The one watching over the shop was merely a mortal young man.

The reason he had come here was because, while shopping in the Stall Area earlier, he had learned of this place while chatting with a stall owner.

Though the shop appeared ordinary, it was said that behind it stood an artifact-forging master capable of crafting top-grade magic tools. However, Master Xu was stubborn and eccentric, disliking the forging of common magic tools. That was why the shop displayed only low- and mid-grade magic tools.

He generally accepted only custom orders from customers, and often altered a magic tool's effects as he pleased without the customer's consent. This left many customers deeply dissatisfied, so few returned. Only a small number believed in Master Xu's abilities.

Fang Xiao had not come to forge an artifact, of course. Since obtaining the Miniature Bronze Bell, he had found it quite useful, but he had never known its name, so he had named it the Spirit Bewildering Bell.

However, it was only a High-grade magic tool. After enduring several attacks from both himself and the White Tiger Demon, it had already suffered some damage. He feared that if this continued, its destruction would only be a matter of time, so he wanted Master Xu to take a look at it.

"Welcome, Immortal Master. If there is anything you need, please feel free to instruct me."

"I came here for a magic tool, naturally. Is Master Xu here?"

"He is, he is, but Master is currently forging an artifact."

He had come at an unfortunate time, catching Master Xu in the middle of artifact forging. Artifact forging generally had no fixed duration. At best, it took one or two days; at worst, seven or eight. It was said that forging magical treasures for the Golden Core Stage could take months at a time, sometimes even more than half a year. Who knew how long he would have to wait?

"How long has Master Xu been at the forge?"

Boom.

Before the shop assistant could reply, a thunderous crash sounded from the rear courtyard. Not long after, a middle-aged cultivator stormed out from the back, cursing as he left the shop.

By rights, such a disturbance should have drawn Market patrol cultivators to investigate. Yet no one had come after all this time. It seemed this was far from the first or second occurrence, and the cultivators in the Market had long grown accustomed to it.

The young assistant had already gone to the rear courtyard earlier. Now, it appeared that the matter there had been dealt with.

"Immortal Master, this way, please. Master is already waiting for you."

When Fang Xiao reached the rear courtyard, he saw Master Xu. His body and face still bore soot-black stains. He held two broken halves of a magic tool in his hand, seemingly still deep in thought. Upon seeing Fang Xiao approach, he put them away in his Storage Bag.

"This fellow Daoist, what magic tool have you come to have this old man forge?"

He seemed utterly unconcerned about his own failed forging attempt just moments ago.

"I did not come to have a magic tool forged. I would like to ask Master to see whether this magic tool still has the potential to be upgraded."

As he spoke, Fang Xiao took the Spirit Bewildering Bell from his Storage Bag and handed it to Master Xu.

Master Xu accepted the Spirit Bewildering Bell. At first, he seemed uninterested, but as he examined it, his interest abruptly stirred.

"Eh? It is a fine magic tool. Both its design and materials are superb. What a pity."

"What is a pity?"

"What a pity that the Artifact Refiner who forged this magic tool was a useless fool. This tool was clearly aimed at becoming a Top-grade magic tool, yet that person's forging techniques were atrocious. Such fine materials were squandered for nothing." Master Xu wore the expression of someone grieving over iron that would not become steel.

"Master, is there any way to remedy this magic tool?"

"I do not like taking over magic tools forged by others, but I truly cannot bear to see something so good being ruined. I can help you. Not only can I repair it, I can raise it to a Top-grade magic tool."

"Then many thanks, Master."

"Do not thank me so quickly. The upgrading process is not guaranteed to succeed, though I am highly confident. As for the materials required and the processing fee, four hundred Spirit Stones is not excessive, is it?"

"That is acceptable. How long will it take?"

Fang Xiao considered it briefly, then agreed.

"Come collect it at this time tomorrow."

After the two signed a contract, Fang Xiao left the shop, rented a place to stay, and began his daily cultivation.

Cultivation was a long and arduous undertaking. By now, when cultivating spiritual power, he could employ Startle Sky and Great White, the two Secret Arts for tempering and condensing spiritual power, with effortless ease.

He had also discovered another benefit. By using his Spiritual Sense to manipulate spiritual power within his body over a long period, his control had reached the level of the finest detail. This was immensely beneficial whether he was controlling magic tools, casting spells, or cultivating to break through realms.

He took a bottle of pills and a gourd of Spirit Wine from his Storage Bag. The Qi Gathering Pills and Azure Origin Wine were both of immense help to his current cultivation. Fang Xiao swallowed them together, only to feel surging spiritual qi burst forth like a raging tide. Not daring to delay, he immediately sat down and circulated his cultivation technique to refine this pure spiritual qi. At a time like this, the value of his fine-detail control became strikingly clear.

No matter how that spiritual qi charged left and right, it ultimately obediently flowed through his meridians and gathered within his Dantian.

Ever since taking Spirit Wine and pills together, Fang Xiao could feel the painful sensation of his cultivation soaring every day. At that moment, he felt that all the injuries he had suffered and hardships he had endured were worth it.

By his rough estimate, he might not need even half a year. Four months—five at most—and he would be able to cultivate to the peak of the Qi Refining Sixth Layer.

In the blink of an eye, the next day arrived. Fang Xiao came punctually to Xu's Artifact Forging Shop, still feeling somewhat uneasy. After all, he had heard yesterday's furnace explosion loud and clear.

"Immortal Master, you have arrived. This way, please. Master Xu is already waiting for you."

"Mm."

Upon entering the rear courtyard, he found Master Xu seated in the same place as yesterday. A tray sat on the stone table before him, and the Spirit Bewildering Bell rested atop it.

"Fellow Daoist, you have come. I did not fail your trust. The magic tool's upgrade went exceedingly smoothly. As for its effects, both its defensive power and Mind Attack are above those of ordinary Top-grade magic tools."

"You have worked hard, Master. Here is the payment—four hundred Spirit Stones. Please count them."

Fang Xiao placed four hundred Spirit Stones on the stone table and picked up the Spirit Bewildering Bell. Its appearance had not changed much, except the golden color of its body had become a deeper, darker gold, giving it an exceptionally weighty feeling.

He circulated his spiritual power and raised the Spirit Bewildering Bell into the air. The tip of the Silver Edge Sword pointed straight at it. A flash of silver streaked forth, striking the bell's body in an instant. Just as Fang Xiao had expected, he had only attacked casually. It was perfectly normal for the Silver Edge Sword, which was merely a High-grade magic tool, to be deflected. What truly surprised him was that the Spirit Bewildering Bell had not been shaken in the slightest.

"That is perfectly normal. A small piece of Copper Yuan Ore was incorporated into this bell during its forging. That is a material used to forge magical treasures. How could a magic tool forged from it possibly be ordinary?"

Master Xu addressed Fang Xiao's doubts.

This defensive power alone had already satisfied him greatly. Added to that was its Mind Attack effect, which could catch opponents off guard and secure victory by surprise. The more he looked at it, the more he liked it.

This master's skill truly was not mere boasting.

"Then, Master, could you take a look at this Jade Boat as well and see whether it has any potential for upgrading?"

"Let me see."

Master Xu accepted the Jade Boat and studied it carefully. He nodded, then shook his head before returning it to Fang Xiao.

"The Artifact Refiner who forged this flying magic tool had an exceedingly solid foundation. I can scarcely find even a few minor flaws. Unfortunately, the materials used to forge it were quite ordinary. Making it a High-grade magic tool was already his limit."

Fang Xiao accepted the Jade Boat with a regretful expression. With nothing else to do, he bade Master Xu farewell and left the artifact-forging shop.

Now that everything had been taken care of, he headed straight out of the Market, preparing to return directly to the Outer Court.