Fourth Level

Wu Tao closed his Personal Status panel, and the smug look on his face faded. He warned himself inwardly that such Sasuke-like thoughts were unacceptable.

After tidying up slightly, Wu Tao headed to the Artifact Refining Room.

There were twenty-five Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiners in the Artifact Refining Room responsible for engraving Solidification Restrictions: twenty were First-Rank Level 5 Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiners, while the remaining five were First-Rank Level 4 Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiners.

Those twenty First-Rank Level 5 Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiners seemed to have less promising futures than the remaining five First-Rank Level 4 Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiners. They were only First-Rank Level 4, yet they did the same work as First-Rank Level 5 refiners. Naturally, their prospects were greater, and their artifact-refining talent better.

Everyone had to engrave thirty Black Essence Iron Spirit Plates each day. No more than ten could be scrapped; they had to successfully engrave at least twenty.

If they failed to complete the quota for three consecutive days, they would be sent off to smelt iron ore. Not only would the treatment be worse, but the work would be neither as easy nor as respectable.

Upon arriving at the Artifact Refining Room, Wu Tao greeted the Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiners who had already arrived.

After three and a half months, the twenty-five of them had all become familiar with one another.

Moreover, they knew Wu Tao had been brought in by the person in charge, Chen Shan. Since he was not a competitor, they were all willing to associate with him.

"Li Mo, can I tell you something?" Niu Xi, a First-Rank Level 4 Loose Cultivator Qi Refining Cultivator, pulled Wu Tao into a corner of the Artifact Refining Room. He looked as though he wanted to whisper something confidential.

Wu Tao vaguely knew what Niu Xi wanted to discuss, but he still asked, "fellow daoist Niu, what is so mysterious?"

Niu Xi glanced from the corner of his eye at a female Artifact Refiner seated at a refining station in the distance, then said softly, "It's about Qiao Ya. What do you think of her? I asked Qiao Ya, and she said that if you are willing, she can become Dao Companions with you. Qiao Ya's artifact-refining talent is also quite good. She is only a little over forty, yet she is already a First-Rank Level 4 Artifact Refiner. If the two of you become Dao Companions, it would be excellent for your future development."

Wu Tao felt his head beginning to ache. He secretly looked toward Qiao Ya. Qiao Ya was one of the five First-Rank Level 4 Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiners. She was forty-two this year—an age that, for cultivators, was the very bloom of youth. Moreover, she lived up to her name: her temperament was dignified and elegant. Though her looks were ordinary, she had skill. She was certainly worthy of him.

It was simply that he felt no spark for Qiao Ya.

Qiao Ya seemed to notice his gaze. She turned her head slightly, and their eyes met. With perfect unspoken understanding, both withdrew their gazes. Wu Tao then said softly to Niu Xi, "fellow daoist Niu, thank you for going to such trouble, but I truly have no such feelings for Qiao Ya... I think being alone is quite good."

Niu Xi's expression became serious as he earnestly advised, "Li Mo, do you think Qiao Ya is not beautiful enough? Let me tell you, when choosing a Dao Companion, you must find someone capable. It benefits your future development and your descendants as well. If you only like someone pretty but useless, what good is that?"

"Feelings can be cultivated. Why not try things out with Qiao Ya first?"

Wu Tao nodded. "Fellow daoist Niu, I agree with what you said, but I truly have no thoughts toward Qiao Ya. Right now, I only want to devote myself to studying artifact refinement. I have not considered the matter of a Dao Companion for the time being."

"As for trying things out, you do not mean like you and Zhang Rong, do you?"

Zhang Rong also worked in this Artifact Refining Room. She was a First-Rank Level 5 Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiner whose talent had basically reached its limit. Nearly fifty, she possessed the alluring charm of a ripe peach. She was ten years older than Niu Xi. The two had not become Dao Companions, but temporary Dao Companions. Once the war ended, they might very well go their separate ways.

"Exactly," Niu Xi said. "Things are quite good between Zhang Rong and me. We each take what we need... Since your mind is made up, I'll tell Qiao Ya that. Do not regret it later... Men always need to deal with their swelling urges..."

Speechless, Wu Tao watched Niu Xi walk over to Qiao Ya and mutter to her for a while. Qiao Ya's face filled with disappointment. She turned to look at Wu Tao, her gaze brimming with grievance.

Wu Tao opened his mouth, just about to say something, when Chen Shan happened to enter and told everyone to prepare for the engraving work.

Thank you, Senior Chen, for getting me out of that... Wu Tao cast Chen Shan a grateful look before focusing on engraving Solidification Restrictions onto Black Essence Iron.

The break for food in the middle of the day need not be mentioned.

When work ended, Chen Shan said, "Li Mo, come with me to the office."

Wu Tao hurriedly followed Chen Shan to the office. Only after Wu Tao shut the door did Chen Shan turn around and solemnly say, "Li Mo, stay in the Artifact Refining Hall recently. Do not go outside anymore."

Wu Tao's heart stirred. "Senior Chen, has the war changed again?"

Recently, the only major conflict had been the war between Five Spring Mountain and the Ghost Dao Sect. Its influence spread wide; a single tug moved the whole body.

Chen Shan nodded. "True Persons have entered the fray."

True Persons... in other words, Golden Core cultivators. In the Cultivation World, Foundation Establishment cultivators were Lesser True Persons, Golden Core cultivators were True Persons, and Nascent Soul cultivators were True Lords. Previously, only Foundation Establishment Lesser True Persons had entered the battle. Now that Golden Core True Persons had joined, the war had clearly escalated.

The destructive power of Golden Cores was far beyond that of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"I understand, Senior Chen." Wu Tao did not forget to thank him. "Thank you for the warning, Senior Chen."

His level was still far too low. It was difficult for him to obtain insider information like this, but Chen Shan could communicate directly with the Artifact Refining Hall and thus receive such important news.

Information could sometimes save lives.

Chen Shan said, "Several Foundation Establishment cultivators have died on both sides. They have fought themselves into a fury, so it is no surprise that Golden Cores have entered the battlefield."

Even Foundation Establishment cultivators have died? Wu Tao's heart jolted. Fortunately, he was an Artifact Refiner and could remain safely in the rear. Otherwise, with his Qi Refining strength, he would have been reduced to nothing but dregs long ago.

"By the way, is Niu Xi trying to match you with Qiao Ya as Dao Companions?" Chen Shan asked casually.

Wu Tao was startled. He gave Chen Shan a strange look, feeling as though he had been caught dating by his homeroom teacher back when he was in school. But why had Chen Shan even inquired about this? Did he truly value him that highly?

"That is indeed the case, but I politely declined. I believe that at present, I should devote myself wholeheartedly to artifact refinement."

Chen Shan said with satisfaction, "Good. With that decision, I am at ease. All right, go back and cultivate."

Wu Tao bowed and took his leave. After coming out, he realized that he had forgotten to ask Chen Shan to borrow an Artifact Refining Room to refine the Spirit Wandering Boots. After some thought, he decided that since he planned to refine them only after breaking through to the Fourth Level of Qi Refining, it would not be too late to speak with Chen Shan then.

Another three days passed.

Today was a full day of rest, so Wu Tao decided to begin his breakthrough to the Fourth Level of Qi Refining.

He placed his prayer mat on the bed and sat upon it, clearing and settling his mind. Then he took out a Qi Condensation Pill, swallowed it, and immediately circulated the Sanyang Technique to refine the pill in his stomach.

The spiritual power within the Qi Condensation Pill was slowly refined.

His dantian grew fuller and fuller.

After refining five Qi Condensation Pills in succession, his dantian became completely full. Wu Tao knew that the moment for breakthrough had arrived. With a thought, the spiritual power on the verge of overflowing within his dantian was instantly mobilized, surging toward that profound and mysterious bottleneck.

As he silently uttered the word break in his heart, his dantian trembled faintly. Like an evening drum and a morning bell, the sound rang through his body. His dantian abruptly expanded, and the spiritual power that had filled it to the brim instantly fell to the bottom.

Fourth Level of Qi Refining.

Success.

Joy appeared on Wu Tao's face. Sensing the increase in strength brought by his breakthrough, he said happily, "Mid-Stage Qi Refining and Early-Stage Qi Refining truly are not on the same level."

He could feel that his strength had increased significantly.

"Let's see my lifespan. The last time I broke through to the Third Level of Qi Refining, it increased by two years. This time, I have entered Mid-Stage Qi Refining, so it should be more, right?"

Lifespan was decreed by heaven, but cultivation meant fighting heaven for longevity.

[Lifespan: 26/89]

[Realm: Fourth Level of Qi Refining]

[Cultivation Technique: Three Yang Technique: Qi Refining Chapter (Fourth Level): 0%]

A brief clarification here: Wu Tao was currently using Li Mo as an alias, so everyone else addressed him as Li Mo. This was mentioned earlier, so please stop saying the name was written incorrectly.