Renting an Alchemy Furnace, Golden Legend

Nangong Wan'er sat cross-legged for a full quarter-hour before the frost on her body slowly receded. She stood up, picked up the Yellow Springs Saber beside her, took a look, then handed it to Qin Shuang, a deep shock flickering in her beautiful eyes. "Thank you for the saber. Here, return it."

"Miss Nangong, you... are you alright?"

Qin Shuang sheathed the Yellow Springs Saber, slung it over his back, and looked at Nangong Wan'er as he asked.

"I'm fine. That Situ Rui was heavily wounded by me. When I used this saber to injure him, the icy cold air inside the blade also invaded my meridians. Unfortunately, I couldn't kill him! That bastard escaped."

A hint of regret flashed in Nangong Wan'er's beautiful eyes.

Just now, if she hadn't immediately regulated her breath to expel the cold energy that the black saber had sent into her body, the consequences would have been severe.

"He escaped, so you don't have to worry anymore."

Qin Shuang's eyes showed a thoughtful expression as he spoke.

Next, Nangong Wan'er would probably be leaving.

"For now, it's safe. But his father won't be easy to deal with."

Nangong Wan'er nodded, then looked at the Yellow Springs Saber on Qin Shuang's back and asked, "This saber of yours is quite extraordinary... Where did you get it?"

Nangong Wan'er remembered that Qin Shuang didn't have a saber when he left the house. After being out for a day and a night, he'd somehow come by such an extraordinary blade.

"This saber... I killed a White Jade Golden Pattern Python today, chased it back to its lair, and found the cave mansion of a Senior who had passed away in meditation. I saw this saber inside and it felt right in my hand, so I took it."

Qin Shuang said with a slight smile.

"Killed a python... found the cave mansion of a Senior who passed away in meditation?"

Hearing this, a look of shock appeared in Nangong Wan'er's beautiful eyes. She murmured, "It seems your fortune is indeed deep. I observed the terrifying cold energy contained in this saber, and the characters 'Yellow Springs' on it. It somewhat resembles the legendary weapon of the Blade Dao Overlord from over a hundred years ago, Li Tianhen—the Yellow Springs Heavenly Saber."

"But then again, it doesn't feel quite right. If it really were the Yellow Springs Heavenly Saber, I doubt I could have controlled it! It's said that the Yellow Springs Heavenly Saber is a growth-type weapon. Because of its heavy bloodshed, wherever it lies, nothing grows for a hundred miles around."

"However, this saber of yours has the rudiments of a weapon spirit. At the very least, it has reached the level of a high-grade Spirit Artifact. You must never let anyone know about this, or it will stir up a bloody storm in the Jianghu and bring deadly disaster upon you!"

Nangong Wan'er's tone was quite serious. She understood clearly that this saber possessed a weapon spirit and had immense power. If news of it spread through the Jianghu, it would absolutely spark a frenzy of competition among countless wanderers!

After all.

The Divine Saber Sect's Crimson Flood Dragon Spirit-Slaying Saber was only a high-grade Spirit Artifact!

This showed the value of this saber!

"A high-grade Spirit Artifact?"

Qin Shuang's heart leaped with joy. He hadn't expected that the saber he'd stumbled upon by chance was actually a high-grade Spirit Artifact.

"Exactly!"

Seeing that Qin Shuang didn't understand, Nangong Wan'er picked up a Steamed Bun and began to explain weapons to him as she ate. "In the Jianghu, weapons are divided into..."

From Nangong Wan'er's words, Qin Shuang learned.

Weapons were divided into five grades: Mortal Iron, Spirit Artifact, True Artifact, Sacred Artifact, and Divine Artifact. There were also the unconventional Dao Artifacts, growth-type weapons, and Forbidden Demonic Weapons.

Mortal Iron grade: divided into crude ironware, hundred-refined steel, and dark ironware. For example, Nangong Wan'er's saber was dark ironware.

Spirit Artifact grade: divided into low-grade, mid-grade, and high-grade.

Low-grade Spirit Artifacts had a trace of spirituality, making them sharper.

Mid-grade Spirit Artifacts could increase attack power. For instance, the Startling Swan Saber in Situ Rui's hand was a mid-grade Spirit Artifact, capable of neutralizing thirty percent of an attack.

As for high-grade Spirit Artifacts, they had birthed the rudiments of a weapon spirit. The Yellow Springs Saber could automatically emit icy cold energy, placing it at least at the high-grade Spirit Artifact stage.

True Artifacts were divided into three levels: Earthly Sha, Heavenly Gang, and Yin Yang.

As for Sacred Artifacts, Divine Artifacts, the unconventional Dao Artifacts, and Forbidden Demonic Weapons, Nangong Wan'er wasn't very clear about them either.

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As for growth-type weapons, she had heard a bit. Growth-type weapons were divided into Blood Refinement Advancement—evolving by drinking the blood of endless experts—and Soul Devouring Advancement—growing by devouring various weapon spirits.

"Thank you for the explanation, Miss Nangong. What are your plans next?"

Qin Shuang looked at Nangong Wan'er and asked.

"Situ Rui has already fled. Next, I will also leave Yanzhou. The day I return will be the day I destroy the Divine Saber Sect!"

Nangong Wan'er looked at Qin Shuang, a resolute gleam in her beautiful eyes. She then turned her gaze to him and warned, "As for you... Situ Rui has a petty heart and holds grudges. He's already come to hate you by association. You'd better leave Qingzhou City as soon as possible!"

"Thank you for the reminder. I'll leave soon."

Qin Shuang nodded.

"By the way, Qin Shuang, you must use your Qi and Blood to nourish all 206 bones. Do not easily step into the Marrow Jade Realm! Only then will you have the potential to go further in the future!" Nangong Wan'er instructed.

"Mm, I will definitely forge my bones with all my might!"

Qin Shuang recalled that in the cave where the White Jade Golden Pattern Python had dwelled, the spine and brow bone of the skeleton were golden. His heart stirred, and he asked, "By the way, Miss Nangong, has anyone ever forged their bones into a golden color?"

"Golden bones?"

A look of longing appeared in Nangong Wan'er's beautiful eyes. "If a martial artist can forge golden bones, and doesn't fall in battle, their future achievements will definitely surpass the Divine Wheel Realm. As far as I know, the Holy Maiden of Tianchu's number one righteous Holy Land, 'Pudu Jing Zhai,' the Buddha Son 'Hui Zhen' of the Pure Land Zen Monastery, the Sword Addict 'Jian Bu Er' of the Heavenly Sword Sect, the Holy Maiden 'Nalan Qiaoqian' of the Demonic Sect's Nine Nether Mansion, and the Crown Prince of Tianchu, 'Chu Tianyang'—these individuals have all forged golden bones to varying degrees, once causing Heaven and Earth Anomalies..."

"Those who can forge golden bones are all without exception exceptionally talented and brilliant figures. Resources and talent are both indispensable..."

"For ordinary martial artists like us, forging golden bones is far too difficult..."

Nangong Wan'er spoke, a hint of gloom flickering in her beautiful eyes.

She had also forged 206 bones, but she had failed to produce a single golden bone—a regret that would stay with her for life.

Nangong Wan'er collected herself, looked at Qin Shuang, and smiled brightly. "Qin Shuang, thank you for your help during this time. If not for you, I wouldn't have been able to severely wound Situ Rui and drive him off. We'll meet again in the Jianghu... farewell!"

She knew clearly in her heart.

She had to leave Qingzhou City as soon as possible. Once Situ Rui returned to the Divine Saber Sect and reported what happened, he would surely bring back stronger allies to hunt her down.

"Alright. We'll meet again in the Jianghu!"

Qin Shuang looked at Nangong Wan'er and nodded.

Nangong Wan'er gave Qin Shuang a deep, lingering look, nodded back at him, picked up her Dark Iron Saber and small bundle, and vanished in a flash.

"Time to buy an alchemy furnace!"

Qin Shuang took a deep breath, locked the door, and headed out toward the Apricot Grove Spring Medicine Hall.

Half an hour later.

At the Tong Ren Tang Main Hall in West City, Qingzhou, an elderly man of about fifty-odd years looked at Qin Shuang with a troubled expression and said, "Young Master Qin, our medicine hall does have a few alchemy furnaces, but those are reserved for our Pharmacist Li's exclusive use. We really can't sell them..."

"Then can I rent one for two days?"

Qin Shuang's eyes flickered as he asked.

If renting wasn't an option either, he'd have no choice but to make another trip to the Black Market tonight.

"Rent?"

The old man's eyes lit up at the word. He set his pipe down on the counter and said, "Now that's an idea! But you'll have to pay a rental fee and a deposit! And I'll only rent it to you for three days—you must return it by then, because Pharmacist Li will be back from Kunzhou on the third day."

In truth, Pharmacist Li wouldn't return for ten days, but Zhou Junhui said three days because he was worried Qin Shuang might not return it on time.

"Deal!"

Qin Shuang's heart leaped with joy.

As long as he could refine the essence from the White Jade Golden Pattern Python, he could buy his own furnace later!