Magic Robe

After a long time, Wu Tao recovered from his failure, his emotions slightly lifted.

Failure is the mother of success.

Failure is also an experience; one must learn to find areas for improvement from failure to increase the chance of success in the next refinement.

Wu Tao changed his clothes and sat by the earth pit. The Starfire Stone had already burned out. He had mentally prepared himself for the failure of the first refinement and thought he could face the result.

However, he was too poor.

The cost of failure was too high, making him unable to help but feel heartache.

"Although the difference between engraving formations on the Formation Practice Board and engraving formations during the refining process is almost negligible, there is still a slight difference. Engraving formations during the refining process requires more delicacy and more precise control of spiritual power than on the Formation Practice Board."

"No wonder they say Masters of the Four Arts of Cultivation are made with resources."

"Only through trial and error, again and again, can one step onto the path of success. Without resource support, it's hard to go far."

"I have the Artifact Refiner Talent Bonus, but I can't rely on it entirely. I need to work harder and comprehend more to reduce the cost of trial and error."

"There are four Starfire Stones left, and one jin of Demon Silkworm Silk. There's only one chance left. We must succeed, and we cannot fail."

"My Essence, Qi, and Spirit have been overused today. I can only refine again tomorrow."

After summarizing, Wu Tao rubbed his slightly swollen forehead and muttered, "My sleep quality last night was extremely poor, and my mental state was a bit off. If the neighbors weren't noisy tonight, my mental state would be better, and perhaps I would be closer to success?"

"Why not ask Zhang Li..."

As soon as this thought crossed his mind, Wu Tao extinguished it, shaking his head repeatedly. "She's running a business. I'm just a neighbor with a shallow acquaintance. What right do I have to ask her to close for a day?"

"Even though she usually seems easygoing, what if..."

Wu Tao was also afraid of being rejected. Without Spirit Stones and living in such a poorly equipped area, he could only endure these troubles.

"In the end, it all comes down to being poor."

He couldn't help but sigh.

It was now morning, and his stomach began to signal hunger. Wu Tao got up to cook. After eating, he went to bed and sat cross-legged, circulating the Sanyang Technique, absorbing the sparse Spiritual Power drifting in the world to restore his condition.

He meditated for a full two Shichen before his Essence, Qi, and Spirit recovered.

At this point, he couldn't help but miss the time when the Original Owner wasn't afflicted by evil. Back then, he was still a miner. Although life was tight, he could sometimes cultivate with Spirit Stones.

If he used Spirit Stones, he could recover in half a Shichen.

"If you miss the past, it means your present is not going well."

Wu Tao sighed again and said, "I heard that the disciples of the Azure Spirit Sect's Five Spring Mountain cultivate with Pills, and the higher-ups directly gnaw on Spirit Veins. I wonder when I'll be able to gnaw on Spirit Veins too?"

Wu Tao's current mindset was like a poor person wondering if the emperor used a golden hoe or a silver hoe to till his fields.

It was already nearing dusk.

He spent the morning refining robes and the afternoon recovering his energy, and thus a day passed.

Time to eat!

After finishing his meal, Wu Tao took out the book <Refining Methods for First-Grade Robes and Five Formations>. He read it by candlelight for half an hour, even though he had already memorized it.

When it was time to sleep, Wu Tao had just lain down when he sat up again, his expression inexplicably conflicted.

"Should I... go and beg Zhang Li?"

"I only have one more chance to refine tomorrow. If I fail, I won't survive this deadly trial. It's a matter of life and death, so what if I get rejected? If I succeed, I'll sleep well, my spirit will be refreshed, and a slightly higher success rate might save my life."

While struggling internally, a moment later, Wu Tao got out of bed, put on his shoes, and as he stood up to open the door, a thought flashed through his mind: "Perhaps, I can do this..."

He went to Zhang Li's door. There was a faint candlelight inside. It was still early at this time, and Zhang Li hadn't opened her business yet. Taking a deep breath, Wu Tao raised his hand and knocked.

Soon, footsteps sounded from inside, and the door opened. Zhang Li saw Wu Tao and looked slightly shocked. However, she knew Wu Tao was under an evil possession and wouldn't come to patronize her business.

Even if he did, she wouldn't dare to accept him!

So, Zhang Li asked, "Fellow Daoist Li, is there something you need?"

Wu Tao looked at Zhang Li, who was wearing her underclothes, and after stammering for a moment, he said, "Fellow Daoist Zhang, does your promise from last time still stand?"

"Promise? What promise?" Zhang Li couldn't recall for a moment.

Wu Tao stated directly, "Fellow Daoist Zhang said last time that after I broke free from the evil spirit, you would give me one free session. There's no time like the present, so why not tonight?"

After saying this, he visibly relaxed.

Zhang Li's eyes widened upon hearing this. After a long pause, she scolded him irritably, "Are you trying to get me killed? You're still harboring an evil spirit, and you want tonight? I think the evil qi has entered your brain, and you're delirious. Get out, get out!"

As she spoke, she tried to push Wu Tao away.

Wu Tao immediately realized he hadn't explained himself clearly and explained, "Fellow Daoist Zhang, you've misunderstood. That's not what I meant."

"If that's not what you meant, then what do you mean?" Zhang Li stopped pushing him, crossed her arms, and looked at him with her eyes rolled.

"What I mean is, you shouldn't open your door to customers tonight, and tonight should count as a session with me. Of course, I won't actually ask you to do anything. In short, that promise will be considered fulfilled by Fellow Daoist Zhang." Wu Tao explained with some effort.

Zhang Li understood. She stared at Wu Tao for a long time and, seeing the dark circles under his eyes, laughed. "You should have explained earlier, you scared me to death. Alright, alright, I get it. You can go back!"

Wu Tao quickly bowed and thanked her, "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Zhang. Your great kindness is beyond words."

Zhang Li was a woman of her word. That evening, she hung out a sign indicating she was closed for the night, allowing Wu Tao to have a good night's sleep. He slept until dawn, his Essence, Qi, and Spirit were full, and his dark circles had disappeared.

Returning from emptying the night soil, he thanked Zhang Li again.

Wu Tao took a shower in the washroom, washing away all his bad luck, changed into dry clothes, and sat by the earth pit.

All work preparations were in place.

"Guanyin Bodhisattva, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, Tathagata Buddha, Primordial Lord of Heaven, Laojun, Lord of the Heavenly Sect, Satan, Odin, Zeus... please bless me with success!"

"Begin!"

After praying to all the known gods and Buddhas, Wu Tao threw two Starfire Stones into the earth pit, ignited his Sanyang Technique's Spiritual Power, and took the remaining pound of Demon Silkworm Silk cocoons in his hand, beginning to draw out the silk.

He had succeeded in the first and second steps yesterday, with the experience to prove it, but Wu Tao still didn't dare to be careless, cautiously controlling his Spiritual Power and the heat.

Time quietly slipped away amidst the intense refining work, Spiritual Power flowing like a shuttle, the appearance of the magic robe entering Wu Tao's vision.

'The last step, engraving the restriction. I failed at this step yesterday. I must be steady this time.'

Wu Tao adjusted his mindset, no longer thinking about failure, fearing the pressure it would put on his mind. His Spiritual Power was like a knife, engraving the robe stroke by stroke, the progress of the Wind-Speed Restriction inching closer.

"You have triggered the Artifact Refiner Profession Lucky Skill, Lucky Bonus: 50%!"

'Heaven helps me!'

Wu Tao was overjoyed. His Essence, Qi, and Spirit remained focused, his hands becoming even steadier. With the final stroke of the restriction, a complete Wind-Speed Restriction instantly appeared on the magic robe.

"Melt!"

"Refine!"

"Combine!"

With three soft shouts, the Wind-Speed Restriction settled onto the magic robe. The two merged seamlessly, a flash of spiritual light passing through before quickly retracting within.

Wu Tao was overjoyed. He grabbed the magic robe and couldn't help but laugh, "It's finally done, a First-Rank Level 2 Wind-Speed Magic Robe."

"Thank myself, thank the Artifact Refiner Profession, thank Zhang Li!"