On the way back to Three Immortals Cave.
Bixiao was still extremely worked up.
She clutched the Sword of Father's Love Like a Mountain tightly in her hands.
Every so often, she swung it a couple of times, humming an unknown tune.
"Hehe, that was so satisfying!"
"You should've seen Cihang's face just now. He was red as a monkey's backside!"
"If Guang Chengzi dares to mess with me next time, I'll make him suffer a Social Death!"
Unlike Bixiao, who was carefree and unbothered,
Yunxiao and Qiongxiao exchanged a glance.
Both wore conflicted expressions.
"Big Sister, this magic treasure really is powerful. Even a Golden Immortal couldn't defend against it..."
Qiongxiao said softly.
"But shouting something like that in front of everyone... I still think it's so embarrassing."
Yunxiao sighed and rubbed her brow.
"Indeed. Its power is impressive, but the side effect... certainly puts one's Dao Heart to the test."
"If I had to use it, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to draw the sword."
"Still, Big Brother's ability to forge such a treasure is truly astonishing."
"If we come across suitable materials in the future,"
"perhaps we could ask Big Brother to forge some for us... with, um, more normal side effects."
The three sisters chatted as they went. At the crossroads, they parted ways with Zhao Gongming and returned to their respective caves.
Zhao Gongming returned to his cave and had barely activated the wards when
the long-awaited system notification rang in his mind.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host! Your crafted magic treasure, the 100% Disarm Holy Sword, has achieved a great success in its first battle!] [Impact: Chan Sect Golden Immortal Daoist Ci Hang suffered a Social Death in public, the morale of the Jie Sect Disciples rose greatly, and the Host's reputation began to spread.] [Critical-hit reward triggered!] [Congratulations, Host! You have obtained: Supreme Grade Innate Spirit Treasure: Nine Dragon Cauldron!]
Whumm—!
A simple, imposing bronze cauldron, wreathed in the phantoms of nine crimson-gold divine dragons, appeared out of thin air in the center of the cave.
The moment it touched the ground, the earthfire throughout the cave surged, as if paying homage to its king.
"The Nine Dragon Cauldron?!"
Zhao Gongming's eyes flashed as he reached out to stroke the dragon patterns on its body.
This wasn't an ordinary defensive spirit treasure.
It was a supreme-grade cauldron specially made for crafting artifacts!
[Nine Dragon Cauldron: Contains nine streams of Innate Dragon Fire. Greatly increases the success rate of artifact crafting, shortens crafting time, and has a chance to raise a magic treasure's grade or even imbue it with a trace of dragon might.]
"What a treasure. With the Nine Dragon Cauldron,"
"crafting conceptual treasures will be even easier from now on!"
Zhao Gongming was still excited when he suddenly sensed the wards outside his cave being disturbed.
"Junior Brother Gongming, Senior Sister Jin Ling has come to pay you a visit."
Zhao Gongming raised an eyebrow and thought to himself,
She's here already?
Looks like Senior Sister Jin Ling will be my first customer.
He put away the Nine Dragon Cauldron, waved open the wards, and went out to greet her with a broad smile.
"So it's Senior Sister Jin Ling! Please, come in!"
The two entered the cave and took their seats as host and guest. After exchanging a few pleasantries,
Golden Spirit Holy Mother, straightforward by nature, didn't beat around the bush and got right to the point.
"Junior Brother, I've come to ask you for a favor."
Golden Spirit Holy Mother gazed intently at Zhao Gongming.
"I'd like a Conceptual Level Magic Treasure like Bixiao's."
"Preferably... a sword."
Zhao Gongming feigned surprise.
"Oh? Your cultivation is profound, Senior Sister, and you learned your swordsmanship from Master himself. Why would you need an external aid like that?"
Golden Spirit Holy Mother sighed, looking somewhat helpless.
"There's something you don't know, Junior Brother. Though I cultivate the sword,"
"I usually lose more than I win when facing Senior Brother Duobao."
"Senior Brother Duobao is at the peak of the Golden Immortal realm, just one step away from the Taiyi realm."
"And he has so many magic treasures that his defenses are airtight."
"Every time I spar with him, my sword qi can't break through his defenses. It's truly frustrating."
"So I'd like to ask for a treasure that can counter Senior Brother Duobao."
"Or, to put it another way... a treasure that can let me win just once!"
Zhao Gongming understood.
Daoist Duo Bao was the Interception Sect's Senior Disciple Brother.
He was indeed powerful, and a veritable treasure hoarder.
Breaking through his defenses really was difficult.
"Since you've asked, Senior Sister, I'll certainly do my best."
Zhao Gongming picked up his teacup and took a sip, his tone turning serious.
"However, you heard what I said earlier, Senior Sister."
"Conceptual Level Magic Treasures defy the heavens. Ordinary materials simply can't withstand the power of the karma involved."
"I'm not trying to make things difficult for you. That's just how the Heavenly Dao works."
Golden Spirit Holy Mother smiled confidently.
"You don't need to worry about that, Junior Brother. I came prepared."
As she spoke, she flipped her palm, revealing a piece of metal that radiated sharp Geng Metal energy.
Faintly, stars seemed to rise and fall across its surface.
"This is Great White Star Core Gold Essence."
"Master bestowed it on me when he distributed the treasures back then."
"It contains the ultimate power of slaughter and the Geng Metal Law. Will it be good enough?"
[Ding! High-grade artifact-crafting material detected: Great White Star Core Gold Essence.] [Rating: Suitable.] [Matching options: Can be used to craft a guaranteed-hit or armor-piercing Conceptual Level Magic Treasure.]
Hearing the system's notification, Zhao Gongming's eyes lit up.
Senior Sister Jin Ling really was loaded!
This material was a hundred times better than the scraps he'd used before!
"It's enough. More than enough!"
Zhao Gongming took the material without another word and brought out the Nine Dragon Cauldron he'd just obtained.
Roar—!
A dragon's roar resounded through the cave as the phantoms of nine fire dragons spiraled into the air.
In an instant, they swallowed the piece of Great White Star Core Gold Essence.
"This is... a cauldron on the level of a Supreme Grade Innate Spirit Treasure?!"
Golden Spirit Holy Mother's pupils contracted, and her opinion of Zhao Gongming rose another level.
"Junior Brother Gongming hasn't just comprehended the Conceptual artifact-forging method,"
"he even has such a precious treasure in his possession... It seems he's been far too modest all this time."
Zhao Gongming paid no heed to Jin Ling's astonishment.
He focused completely on forming hand seals and began crafting.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Kunlun Mountain, at the Chan Sect's Daoist grounds near Jade Void Palace,
Daoist Ci Hang walked with his head lowered and his face hidden behind his sleeve.
He hurried toward his cave, afraid someone might recognize him.
The events from earlier still haunted him like a nightmare.
But as the saying went, the very thing you feared was bound to happen.
Speak of the devil. He had just turned a corner when
he ran straight into a kind-faced Daoist dressed in white.
The newcomer was also a Chan Sect Disciple, and Cihang's good friend, Daoist Pu Xian.
"What a coincidence! Isn't that Senior Brother Cihang?"
Pu Xian's eyes lit up, and he hurried over.
He asked with a gossipy look on his face,
"Senior Brother, were you crying just now? You look a little off."
"I heard you went to Qilin Cliff to claim your family. What happened?"
Pu Xian lowered his voice, his eyes shining with curiosity.
"Senior Brother, you don't have to hide anything from me. We're close, after all."
"I'm actually very sentimental. When I heard about it, I was furious too."
"How could Zhao Gongming and Bixiao dare to have a child and then refuse to acknowledge it? That's just too much!"
Cihang's already flushed face flared scarlet.
Shame, grievance, and anger surged through him all at once.
His already delicate, beautiful face turned bright red.
There were even tears clinging to the corners of his eyes.
He looked oddly like a bashful young woman.
"Get lost!!!"
"Get lost!!!"
Cihang stamped his foot and let out a piercing howl.
"No! That's not it! Don't make things up!"
"Pu Xian, are you sick in the head?"
"That's a rumor! Do you even know what a rumor is?"
"Good news doesn't travel far, but bad news travels a thousand miles!"
"You... you're all bullying me!"
Cihang's composure completely crumbled. He shoved Pu Xian aside,
covered his face, and ran back to his cave in tears. He truly couldn't bear to show his face.
Pu Xian was left standing there, scratching his head in confusion.
"Why are you getting so worked up... Could it be I hit the nail on the head, and you're angry because you're embarrassed?"
Inside Zhao Gongming's cave in the Interception Sect,
the Nine Dragon Cauldron let out one final dragon's roar,
and a strange ripple spread through the air.
"It's done!"
Zhao Gongming beckoned, and a strangely shaped magic treasure landed in his hand.
Golden Spirit Holy Mother hurried closer, her eyes full of anticipation.
"Junior Brother, is this the treasure that'll let me beat Senior Brother Duobao?"
"What... what is it?"
Zhao Gongming looked at the treasure in his hand.
A knowing, mischievous smile curled his lips.
"Senior Sister, once this treasure appears, forget Senior Brother Duobao."
"Even if Guang Chengzi showed up, he'd have to back off."
"It's just that using it will require a little bit of... presence from you, Senior Sister."
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