Cultivation

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

Not only were they unpredictable, but they also made him difficult to read.

During his cultivation, Yang Lingtian constantly adjusted his posture and aura.

He made his body shift as freely as the wind and flowing clouds.

In a nearly selfless state, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to cultivation.

After cultivating for more than half a day, Yang Lingtian finally gained an initial grasp of Flowing Cloud Wind Movement and reached the entry level.

At that moment, the system notification sounded.

[Congratulations, Host. Flowing Cloud Wind Movement has reached the entry level. Please keep up the good work.]

Yang Lingtian was overjoyed inside. This Enlightenment Pill is truly amazing. I reached the entry level in only half a day.

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

Now that he moved, his body was even more agile than before, and his steps had grown lighter.

He felt that he could move as swiftly as the wind and shift his body like flowing clouds.

It was already the latter half of the night, and the Enlightenment Pill's effects had faded.

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

The next day, after waking up, Yang Lingtian crossed the bustling streets and arrived at the Weapon Workshop where he had forged the Spirit Sword last time.

The people at the Weapon Workshop had received notice in advance and knew that Yang Lingtian would be their Chief Artifact Refiner.

Thus, they all came out to welcome him, politely introducing the situation there to Yang Lingtian.

However, when he entered the Weapon Workshop, he discovered an exception.

A young man about his own age was still forging weapons, instantly drawing Yang Lingtian's attention.

Manager Lei also noticed that person and shouted at him, "You there, what are you doing?"

"Why are you so lacking in awareness? Young Master Yang has arrived, yet you didn't even come out to welcome him."

The young man, who had been completely immersed in forging, finally came to his senses. He hurriedly set down his work and came over.

Then he nervously apologized, "Sorry, I didn't notice just now."

Yang Lingtian knew that the young man had been too focused while forging. He might even be a promising talent.

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

Yang Lingtian sternly asked, "What rules? Do all of you need to crowd around me?"

"You should learn from this newcomer. Just do your own work properly at your posts."

"All of you, return to your respective posts. Don't crowd around me."

After hearing this, everyone dispersed one after another.

The newcomer was just about to leave as well when Li Tian called out to him.

"You, wait. Come here."

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

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

"Three days? You only studied for three days before starting work and becoming a qualified beginner apprentice?" Yang Lingtian continued asking.

Wang Tie Zhu nervously replied, "More or less. After I studied for two days, they had me forge on my own."

Upon hearing this, Yang Lingtian was still somewhat surprised.

To become a qualified beginner apprentice in only two days meant that his talent in artifact refinement was truly extraordinary.

Before coming here, he had also learned that most new apprentices needed to study for more than a month before they could independently forge weapons and become qualified beginner apprentices.

Wang Tie Zhu becoming a beginner apprentice in two days could be considered a rare natural talent.

And he had mastered it without the guidance of a First-Rank Artifact Refiner.

Yang Lingtian smiled in satisfaction. Wasn't this exactly the person he wanted to cultivate?

Talented and focused!

As long as he cultivated him into a Top-tier Artifact Refining Apprentice capable of overseeing quality, he could step down.

"Very good, Wang Tie Zhu. You're a natural prodigy at forging. From now on, follow me and learn."

"I'm not asking you to become a true First-Rank Artifact Refiner. Becoming a Top-tier Artifact Refining Apprentice will be enough."

Upon hearing this, Wang Tie Zhu stood there dumbfounded for a while.

Did I hear that correctly? Does Young Master Yang mean to take me as his apprentice?

He excitedly replied, "Young Master Yang, I definitely won't disappoint you. I'll become a Top-tier Artifact Refining Apprentice in the shortest time possible."

The others all revealed envious looks upon hearing this.

How rare an opportunity 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 lessons, Yang Lingtian felt that Wang Tie Zhu's comprehension truly was excellent.

And so, apart from inspecting and overseeing the quality of the weapons about to be sold, Yang Lingtian spent his time guiding Wang Tie Zhu in forging.

Over the past few days, the defective rate of the Chen Family's weapons had also fallen considerably.

The yield rate was even much higher than it had ever been before.

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

Chen Zhengqing urged, "Yiyue, that boy Ling Tian really is a First-Rank Artifact Refiner. He's made something of himself."

"After I appointed him Chief Artifact Refiner, the defective rate of our Chen Family's weapons dropped considerably."

"Moreover, his cultivation has now reached Qi Refining Level 7, bringing him very close to you in cultivation."

"He hasn't visited any Brothels recently either. I think you should try accepting him."

Chen Yiyue remained expressionless, but her impression of Yang Lingtian had changed slightly in her heart.

Liu Yingxue also broke from her usual attitude and joined in persuading her.

"That's right, daughter. From what we've seen recently, he really isn't completely useless."

"Just the status of a First-Rank Artifact Refiner alone gives him considerable standing in Tianchen City."

"Although his status as a First-Rank Artifact Refiner hasn't yet won the recognition of many people, and they claim it's fake..."

"But what's real is real. Why don't you go to the Weapon Workshop and take a look at him?"

Chen Yiyue did not want to listen to them nag any longer, so she could only agree. "Fine, I'll go to the Weapon Workshop to see him."

Watching Chen Yiyue's departing figure, Liu Yingxue still asked doubtfully, "Zhengqing, is Ling Tian really a First-Rank Artifact Refiner?"

"And not some other First-Rank Artifact Refiner you secretly hired?"

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

"No. It's just that Ling Tian suddenly became a First-Rank Artifact Refiner without making a sound. It's rather sudden and truly hard to believe," Liu Yingxue explained.

Chen Zhengqing said with slight pride, "That boy Ling Tian is extraordinary. He's no longer the good-for-nothing he used to be. He probably came of age and suddenly became enlightened."

"Yiyue is almost an adult as well. You should slowly start preparing for their wedding."

"My judgment is never wrong."

"Forget it. As long as Ling Tian isn't like he was before, that's enough." Liu Yingxue could only accept this son-in-law.

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

Under Manager Lei's guidance, she entered Yang Lingtian's Weapon Workshop.

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

To become an intermediate apprentice in only a few days—Yang Lingtian felt that he could cultivate Wang Tie Zhu into a Top-tier Artifact Refining Apprentice in less than a month.

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

At that moment, he thought of the system's long-term mission: winning Chen Yiyue's heart.

But the domineering approach I used last time seemed to be wrong. I'll try another method.

He then teased her with a smile, "Yiyue, why have you come? Did you miss me and come to see me?"

A trace of shyness flashed across Chen Yiyue's face when she heard Yang Lingtian's words, but she quickly returned to normal.

She said coldly, "Hmph, do you say that to every beautiful woman you meet?"

"I came to inspect the Weapon Workshop. I heard that the defective rate of the Chen Family's weapons has been very low recently, and that you deserve much of the credit."

As soon as she finished speaking, a burst of commotion came from outside.

"Compensation! Compensation! Look at what kind of weapons your Chen Family produces. They broke so easily!"

"Call whoever's in charge out, quickly! Compensate us, or we'll smash your Weapon Workshop!"

A burly man led more than a dozen subordinates into the Weapon Workshop and threw dozens of broken swords onto the ground.

His tone was extremely arrogant. Clearly, they had come with bad intentions.

The onlookers were astonished. This was the Chen Family's Weapon Workshop, yet they actually dared to come and cause trouble.

After hearing the commotion, Yang Lingtian and Chen Yiyue walked out.

"Who are you people? How dare you come and cause trouble at my Chen Family's Weapon Workshop?" Chen Yiyue said coldly.

"We're only a small mercenary squad. We aren't here to cause trouble. It's just that the quality of the weapons you supplied is too poor."

"Look, more than a dozen broken swords. They broke so easily. You must compensate us. Don't tell me you plan to bully your customers just because you're a big shop?"

The burly Captain still spoke with great arrogance.

"Hmph. Didn't you have these broken swords snapped by people with profound cultivation?" Chen Yiyue questioned.

The Captain laughed wildly. "Ha! Is Eldest Miss Chen trying to renege? You think too highly of us!"

"If the quality of these weapons were good, breaking them would require experts at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage."

"We're only a small Mercenary Group. We couldn't invite such experts to fake this."

"Besides, if we had deliberately hired someone to break them, they would definitely have left behind many traces."

"But look at these broken swords. The breaks are perfectly neat, and there are no signs of fierce attacks elsewhere."

Clearly, they had come prepared, and this Captain's cultivation was only Qi Refining Level 9.

Yang Lingtian picked up one of the broken swords and casually said, "The quality of these broken swords really is poor. Someone at Qi Refining Level 7 could break them."

As soon as he said this, the entire scene erupted!

Didn't that mean there really was something wrong with the Chen Family's weapons?

Many people recognized Yang Lingtian. The news that he had been appointed Chief Artifact Refiner had already spread throughout the streets.

After all, someone who had once been such a useless good-for-nothing—and was only eighteen years old—had suddenly become a First-Rank Artifact Refiner.

Such news was explosive, so it had quickly become known throughout Tianchen City.

"See? Even your Chief Artifact Refiner admitted it. The quality of this batch of swords is atrocious!" the Captain said smugly.

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