Cultivation

As his cultivation deepened, his steps began to take on the characteristics of flowing clouds.

Not only were they unpredictable, but they also became hard to read.

During the process, Yang Lingtian constantly adjusted his posture and aura.

He made his body move as freely as wind and drifting clouds.

He threw himself into the training with near-total absorption, fully devoted.

After half a day of practice, Yang Lingtian finally achieved a basic grasp of Flowing Cloud Wind Movement, reaching the entry level.

Just then, the system notification sounded.

[Congratulations, Host, on mastering Flowing Cloud Wind Movement at the entry level. Keep up the good work.]

Yang Lingtian was overjoyed inside: "The Enlightenment Pill is truly powerful—I reached entry level in just half a day."

"Even a Golden Core expert would need several months to gain entry-level mastery of a Yellow-grade Top-tier Martial Skill."

Now when he moved, his body felt far more agile than before, and his steps were lighter.

He felt he could dash as fast as the wind and shift his form like drifting clouds.

It was already the dead of night, and the effect of the Enlightenment Pill had faded.

Yang Lingtian began to rest. When he woke the next day, he would head to one of the Chen Family's Weapon Workshops to take up his post.

The next morning, Yang Lingtian crossed the bustling streets and arrived at the Weapon Workshop where he had previously forged the spirit sword.

The workshop staff had been notified in advance that Yang Lingtian would serve as their chief artifact refiner.

So they all came out to greet him, respectfully introducing the situation.

But as he walked inside, he noticed one exception.

A young man around his own age was still forging weapons, which immediately caught Yang Lingtian's attention.

Manager Lei also spotted him and barked, "Hey, you! What do you think you're doing?"

"Where's your sense? Young Master Yang has arrived, and you don't even come to greet him?"

The young man, still absorbed in forging, snapped out of it, hurriedly put down his work, and rushed over.

He apologized nervously, "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

Yang Lingtian understood—the young man had been too focused on his forging. He might have real potential.

Manager Lei chimed in, "Young Master Yang, this one's new. He hasn't been here long and doesn't know the rules yet."

Yang Lingtian said sternly, "What rules? Was it necessary for all of you to crowd around me?"

"You should learn from this newcomer—stay at your posts and do your own work."

"All of you, go back to your stations. Don't hover around me."

Everyone heard him and scattered.

The newcomer was about to leave too, but Yang Lingtian called him back.

"Wait. Come here."

"What's your name, and how long have you been here?"

"My name is Wang Tie Zhu. I've been here three days," the newcomer replied nervously.

"Three days? You started working after only three days of training and became a qualified junior apprentice?" Yang Lingtian pressed.

Wang Tie Zhu answered anxiously, "Pretty much. After two days of learning, they let me forge on my own."

Hearing this, Yang Lingtian was somewhat surprised inside.

Becoming a qualified junior apprentice in just two days—that was an extraordinary talent for artifact refining.

Before coming, he had learned that most new apprentices needed over a month of study before they could forge weapons independently and qualify as junior apprentices.

For Wang Tie Zhu to become a junior apprentice in two days was a rare gift.

And this was achieved without any guidance from a First-Rank Artifact Refiner.

Yang Lingtian smiled with satisfaction. Wasn't this exactly the kind of person he wanted to train?

Talented and focused!

If he could groom him into a top-tier apprentice capable of handling quality control, he could step down from the role.

"Good. Wang Tie Zhu, you're a natural forging prodigy. For now, you'll study under me."

"I won't ask you to become a true First-Rank Artifact Refiner—just reach the level of a top-tier apprentice."

Wang Tie Zhu was stunned for a moment.

Had he heard that right? Did Young Master Yang mean to take him as a disciple?

He replied excitedly, "Young Master Yang, I won't let you down. I'll become a top-tier apprentice in the shortest time possible."

The others looked on with envy.

How rare it was to receive personal guidance from a First-Rank Artifact Refiner!

Soon, Yang Lingtian brought Wang Tie Zhu to a private artifact refining room and began teaching him forging techniques and knowledge.

During the instruction, Yang Lingtian found Wang Tie Zhu's comprehension to be quite strong indeed.

And so, aside from inspecting and quality-controlling the weapons set for sale, Yang Lingtian spent his time guiding Wang Tie Zhu in forging.

Over these past few days, the defect rate of the Chen Family's weapons had dropped significantly.

The yield rate was even higher than ever before.

Inside Chen Yiyue's private chamber, her parents were speaking with her.

Chen Zhengqing urged, "Yiyue, that kid Lingtian really is a First-Rank Artifact Refiner now—he's made something of himself."

"Ever since I appointed him as chief artifact refiner, the defect rate of our Chen Family weapons has dropped a lot."

"And now his cultivation has reached Qi Refining Level 7, very close to yours."

"He hasn't gone to any Brothel lately either. I think you should try to accept him."

Chen Yiyue remained expressionless, but her impression of Yang Lingtian had shifted slightly.

Liu Yingxue also broke her usual stance and joined in the persuasion.

"That's right, daughter. Looking at recent events, he's not entirely useless."

"Just the identity of a First-Rank Artifact Refiner alone carries considerable weight in Tianchen City."

"Even if his status as a First-Rank Artifact Refiner hasn't been widely recognized yet, and some say it's fake—"

"But true is true. Why not go to the Weapon Workshop and see him for yourself?"

Chen Yiyue didn't want to listen to their nagging any longer, so she agreed, "Fine, I'll go to the Weapon Workshop and check on him."

Watching Chen Yiyue leave, Liu Yingxue still had doubts and asked, "Zhengqing, is Lingtian really a First-Rank Artifact Refiner?"

"You didn't secretly hire another First-Rank Artifact Refiner, did you?"

Chen Zhengqing's expression turned slightly displeased. "Are you saying I'm lying to you?"

"No, it's just that Lingtian suddenly becoming a First-Rank Artifact Refiner out of nowhere is a bit abrupt—truly hard to believe," Liu Yingxue explained.

Chen Zhengqing said with a hint of pride, "This kid Lingtian is no ordinary one. He's not the same good-for-nothing he used to be. I suppose he's come of age and finally wised up."

"Yiyue is almost of age too. You should start preparing for their wedding slowly."

"My judgment is sound."

"Well, as long as Lingtian isn't like before, it's fine." Liu Yingxue had no choice but to accept this son-in-law living with them.

Soon, Chen Yiyue arrived at the Weapon Workshop where Yang Lingtian was.

Guided by Manager Lei, she walked into Yang Lingtian's workshop.

At that moment, he was teaching forging techniques to Wang Tie Zhu, who had already become an Intermediate Artifact Refining Apprentice.

Becoming an intermediate apprentice in just a few days—Yang Lingtian felt that within a month, he could train Wang Tie Zhu into a Top-tier Artifact Refining Apprentice.

Yang Lingtian also noticed Chen Yiyue's arrival and turned to look at her.

Then he thought of the system's long-term mission: to win Chen Yiyue's heart.

But his previous domineering approach didn't seem to work, so he'd try a different method.

With a teasing smile, he said, "Yiyue, what brings you here? Did you miss me and come to see me?"

Hearing Yang Lingtian's words, a hint of blush flashed across Chen Yiyue's face, but she quickly regained her composure.

She said coldly, "Hmph, do you say that to every pretty girl you meet?"

"I'm here to inspect the Weapon Workshop. I heard the defect rate of Chen Family weapons has been very low lately—you've made quite a contribution."

Just as she finished speaking, a commotion erupted from outside.

"Compensation! Compensation! Look at the weapons your Chen Family produces—they break so easily!"

"Call your manager out now and compensate us, or we'll smash this Weapon Workshop to pieces!"

A burly man led over a dozen subordinates storming into the Weapon Workshop, tossing dozens of Broken Swords onto the ground.

His tone was extremely arrogant—clearly, they were here to cause trouble.

The Onlookers were astonished—this was the Chen Family's Weapon Workshop, and they dared to stir up trouble here.

Hearing the noise, Yang Lingtian and Chen Yiyue walked out.

"Who are you, daring to cause trouble at my Chen Family's Weapon Workshop?" Chen Yiyue said coldly.

"We're just a small Mercenary Squad. We're not causing trouble—it's your weapons that are too poor in quality."

"Look, over a dozen Broken Swords! They snapped so easily. You have to compensate us. Unless you're trying to bully customers with your big name?"

The burly squad leader's tone remained aggressive.

"Hmph, you didn't have those Broken Swords snapped by some high-level cultivator, did you?" Chen Yiyue questioned.

The squad leader laughed wildly. "Ha! Eldest Miss Chen wants to weasel out? You overestimate us!"

"If your weapons were of good quality, it would take a Foundation Establishment Late Stage expert to break them."

"We're just a small mercenary group. We can't afford to hire an expert of that caliber to fake something."

"Besides, if someone deliberately staged this, there would be plenty of traces left behind."

"But look at these broken swords—the breaks are all clean and even, while there are no signs of heavy attack anywhere else."

Clearly, they had come prepared. And the captain was only at Qi Refining Level 9.

Yang Lingtian picked up one of the broken swords, glanced at it, and said offhandedly, "These swords really are poor quality. Even someone at Qi Refining Stage Level 7 could snap them."

The moment those words left his mouth, the crowd erupted!

Wasn't that saying the Chen Family's weapons really did have problems?

Many recognized Yang Lingtian. Rumors of his appointment as Chief Artifact Refiner had already spread through the streets.

After all, a former good-for-nothing, only eighteen years old, suddenly becoming a First-Rank Artifact Refiner—

That kind of news was explosive enough to make him known to everyone in Tianchen City in no time.

"See? Even your Chief Artifact Refiner says these swords are utter garbage!" the captain said, somewhat smugly.

"Yang Lingtian, what are you saying?!" Chen Yiyue asked in shock.