Ever since Yun Ce had returned from Yunlan Mountain with the Stone-Embedded Yan Chi Iron, he had focused his attention on crafting spirit artifacts. A cultivator at the peak of the Nascent Soul Late Stage could already draw upon his own True Fire. Unlike Golden Core cultivators, who could only rely on earth fire or pill fire to refine pills and artifacts, Yun Ce's Life-Bound True Fire was purer and hotter. He found it especially easy to refine rare materials like Stone-Embedded Yan Chi Iron.
Yun Ce had set up a simple Artifact Refining Platform in the courtyard of Cloud Mist Villa. He took out the Stone-Embedded Yan Chi Iron and placed it in the center of the platform. Sitting cross-legged, he closed his eyes as the spiritual energy around him slowly circulated. His Nascent Soul stirred in his dantian, and a wisp of pale-red Life-Bound True Fire flowed from his fingertip. Like a nimble fire spirit, it slowly wrapped around the piece of Stone-Embedded Yan Chi Iron. The pale-red True Fire burned at a tremendous temperature, yet Yun Ce controlled it with perfect precision: it wouldn't melt the iron too much, but it would completely remove its impurities and awaken the fire-attribute spiritual energy within.
In between his daily cultivation sessions, Qin Yu would keep watch beside the Artifact Refining Platform, observing Yun Ce at work with curiosity and reverence in his eyes. Xiao Hei perched on a stone table beside the platform, his sharp eyes fixed on the wisp of pale-red True Fire. Every so often, he let out a low cry, seeming both curious about and wary of the scorching flames. As Qin Yu watched the Stone-Embedded Yan Chi Iron gradually soften in the True Fire and turn translucent, his anticipation for the spirit artifact grew. He trained even harder, desperate to break through the peak of his External Martial Arts and take hold of a spirit artifact of his own.
"One day, Qin Yu saw Yun Ce put away his True Fire and stepped forward, bowing. "Master, I have a request."
Yun Ce opened his eyes and replied warmly, "Go ahead."
"I hope you can craft me a short sword and a pair of gauntlets for close-quarters combat." Qin Yu's eyes brimmed with hope. "When the Conquest of Chu begins, there'll be all kinds of battles. A good set of weapons will help me deal with different situations."
Yun Ce nodded, then smiled. "You've thought this through. A good set of weapons will certainly help you handle danger. But though a short sword is nimble, a long sword is better suited to your current cultivation path. I'll make you one as well, so you'll be prepared for both ranged attacks and close combat. Once you break through the peak of your External Martial Arts, your body will be strong enough to wield it, and your combat strength will rise another level."
"Thank you, Master!" Qin Yu was overjoyed and quickly bowed. His gratitude toward Yun Ce deepened. He had only asked for a short sword and a pair of gauntlets, but his master had offered to make him a long sword as well. This kindness only strengthened Qin Yu's resolve to train hard.
For the next few days, Yun Ce devoted himself entirely to crafting the artifacts. His pale-red Life-Bound True Fire burned day and night as he repeatedly tempered, purified, and shaped the Stone-Embedded Yan Chi Iron. He controlled every step with exquisite precision. At the peak of the Nascent Soul Late Stage, he had reached the utmost mastery of spiritual energy control. Even while crafting several weapons at once, he remained completely at ease.
Feng Yuzi in the Golden Core Mid Stage, as described in the original story, had only been able to refine the Stone-Embedded Yan Chi Iron with the help of earth fire, and had ultimately crafted just over twenty Mid-Grade Spirit Artifacts. Yun Ce's cultivation and Life-Bound True Fire far surpassed Feng Yuzi's, and the quality of the artifacts he crafted was in a different league. In just five days, he had finished more than twenty spirit artifacts. Every one was a flawless, mirror-smooth crimson, gleaming faintly with fire-attribute spiritual light. All of them were High-Grade Spirit Artifacts. Even in the cultivation world, such items were rare treasures, far beyond what ordinary Golden Core cultivators could craft.
Among them were the pair of gauntlets Qin Yu had requested, the short sword he had specifically asked for, and the long sword Yun Ce had made for him as an extra. The long sword was crimson from tip to hilt, with a blade three feet and seven inches long. Dark-red spiritual cloth was wrapped around its grip, making it comfortable to hold. The blade contained the strongest fire-attribute spiritual energy of all the artifacts. When swung, it seemed to stir faint traces of flame. It was the finest among the more than twenty spirit artifacts. The other swords and blades each had their own strengths: some were exceptionally sharp, others heavy and sturdy. All were well-suited weapons for the Qin Family's cultivators.
Yun Ce arranged all the spirit artifacts on the stone table in the courtyard. More than twenty High-Grade Spirit Artifacts glowed with a faint red light, filling the entire courtyard with powerful fire-attribute spiritual energy and gentle warmth. Standing nearby, Qin Yu stared at the beautifully crafted weapons and their surging spiritual energy in amazement and delight. He took up the long sword. It felt warm in his hand, and a slight movement of spiritual energy sent a faint wisp of flame running along the blade. It felt perfect.
"By the way, all these spirit artifacts can be Blood-Bound," Yun Ce reminded him gently. "Once Blood-Bound, an artifact is linked to your soul. You can control it at will, and in the future, you'll be able to channel your true essence through it to unleash greater power. Even if you lose it, you can find it again through your soul connection." As he spoke, a wisp of spiritual energy gathered at his fingertip. He lightly touched the long sword in Qin Yu's hand, and a fine red glow instantly spread across the blade, accompanied by a faint aura of a soul bond.
"Blood-Binding?" A look of delight flashed in Qin Yu's eyes. He followed Yun Ce's instructions, gathering a drop of his essence blood at his fingertip and letting it fall onto the blade. The drop was instantly absorbed, and the sword blazed with red light as a faint soul connection formed between Qin Yu and the weapon. The long sword felt even more natural in his hand, as though it had become part of his arm. He could sense its condition clearly without even having to consciously control it. "That's wonderful! Thank you, Master!" Qin Yu stroked the sword fondly, excitement in his voice. "With these spirit artifacts and Blood-Binding, I'll have a huge advantage in my cultivation and battles!"
Yun Ce nodded slightly, a smile at the corners of his mouth. "These spirit artifacts are good, but they're still only aids. Your body and cultivation are what truly matter. Keep training hard. Only by breaking through the peak of your External Martial Arts and reaching the Golden Core realm will you be able to unleash the true power of these High-Grade Spirit Artifacts."
Just then, Yun Ce's divine sense stirred. He sensed two auras flying rapidly toward Yunlan Mountain, one belonging to Qin De and the other to Feng Yuzi. The news that Yun Ce had crafted High-Grade Spirit Artifacts had evidently reached the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion.
Yun Ce had been drawing upon his Life-Bound True Fire to craft artifacts for days. The immense fire-attribute spiritual energy and the flashes of light produced as the artifacts took shape had spread far and wide, catching the attention of Feng Yuzi, who was stationed at the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion. A Golden Core Mid Stage cultivator, Feng Yuzi was highly sensitive to fluctuations in spiritual energy. After sensing the pure fire-attribute light and recalling that Yun Ce had mentioned the Stone-Embedded Yan Chi Iron, he immediately suspected what had happened and hurried to inform Qin De.
Qin De already had complete faith in Yun Ce's abilities. When he heard Feng Yuzi's suspicions, he was overjoyed. The Qin Family was preparing for the Conquest of Chu, and a batch of powerful weapons would greatly boost the combat strength of its cultivators. Neither man dared to waste a moment. Feng Yuzi immediately summoned his Low-Grade Flying Sword and carried Qin De through the air toward Cloud Mist Villa. They arrived in less than half an incense stick's time.
"Mr. Yun Ce!" As soon as Qin De landed, he hurried toward the courtyard, his face full of eagerness and anticipation. Feng Yuzi followed, his eyes fixed on the crimson glow coming from within.
Yun Ce rose to greet them and smiled calmly. "Your Highness, Mr. Feng, there's no need for formalities. Please, sit."
Qin De and Feng Yuzi's eyes were instantly drawn to the more than twenty High-Grade Spirit Artifacts on the stone table. They stopped in their tracks without meaning to. Feng Yuzi hurried forward and picked up a long saber. As he ran his fingers over the blade, feeling its pure fire-attribute spiritual energy and solid craftsmanship, he began to tremble. His eyes filled with disbelief. "This... This is a High-Grade Spirit Artifact! And it was crafted from Stone-Embedded Yan Chi Iron!"
Feng Yuzi came from a small and obscure sect. The finest weapon he had ever seen was the relatively decent Low-Grade Flying Sword he carried. He rarely even saw Mid-Grade Spirit Artifacts, let alone a whole collection of High-Grade ones. At his Golden Core Mid Stage cultivation, he would have needed to exhaust himself and rely on earth fire just to refine the Stone-Embedded Yan Chi Iron—and he could only have made a Mid-Grade Spirit Artifact. Yet Yun Ce had crafted more than twenty High-Grade Spirit Artifacts in just a few days. His skill at artifact refining was far beyond Feng Yuzi's imagination, perhaps even comparable to that of Void-Piercing Realm masters.
Qin De stepped forward as well and picked up a spear. Feeling the immense spiritual energy within it, he was overcome with joy. "Wonderful! Mr. Yun Ce, with these High-Grade Spirit Artifacts, our cultivators' combat strength will rise tremendously. We'll have a much better chance in the Conquest of Chu four years from now!" He knew that most of the Qin Family's cultivators still used weapons made of ordinary iron. Even the few with better weapons had limited combat strength, nothing like the cultivators who were worthy of wielding the spirit artifacts before him. These High-Grade Spirit Artifacts had come at exactly the right time.
Watching their delight, Yun Ce said calmly, "I crafted these spirit artifacts to help the Qin Family prepare for the Conquest of Chu. Qin Yu can have a set. The rest can go to the Qin Family's core cultivators, to give them greater protection in their future cultivation and battles. Also, all of them can be Blood-Bound. Once linked to the soul, they can be controlled at will and used to unleash greater power."
"Thank you, Mr. Yun Ce! Thank you!" Qin De bowed hurriedly, his voice full of gratitude. Feng Yuzi, too, put aside his shock and bowed deeply to Yun Ce. "Your artifact-refining skill is truly extraordinary. Feng Yuzi is no match for you. I'm deeply grateful for your generous gift." He knew that a High-Grade Spirit Artifact would greatly increase his attack power. Even against a Golden Core Late Stage expert, he would have a chance to fight. He would no longer be limited by his Low-Grade Flying Sword, and an High-Grade Spirit Artifact would also let him fly faster.
Yun Ce waved a hand, signaling that they needn't stand on ceremony, then pointed to the spirit artifacts on the stone table. "Mr. Feng has served by Your Highness's side for many years and worked hard. Please choose one that suits you. Your Highness can take the rest back to the mansion and distribute them among the core cultivators. Blood-Binding is simple: draw a drop of essence blood at your fingertip and let it fall on the artifact. Once it's bound, you can control it at will."
A flicker of excitement crossed Feng Yuzi's eyes, and he hurried to the stone table to choose. In the end, he picked a long sword similar in quality to Qin Yu's. It was warm in his hand and rich with spiritual energy. He let a drop of essence blood fall on it to complete the Blood-Binding, then channeled a little spiritual energy into the hilt. A faint crimson glow spread across the blade, and a powerful aura surged from it. Feng Yuzi was delighted. "Thank you, sir! With this High-Grade Spirit Artifact, I'll be better able to protect Your Highness and help the Qin Family in the Conquest of Chu!" Unlike Qin Yu, who was fascinated by the novelty, Feng Yuzi wasn't particularly interested in Blood-Binding. He was, after all, a Golden Core cultivator. Though High-Grade Spirit Artifacts were rare, he knew that Blood-Binding was a common feature of weapons in the cultivation world. His attention was focused instead on the artifact's power.
Seeing Feng Yuzi's reaction, Qin De smiled as well. He immediately invited the Qin Family's core cultivators who had come with them to choose their weapons. Delighted, they stepped forward and picked weapons that suited them, Blood-Binding each one as Yun Ce had instructed. Red light flashed throughout the courtyard, and their faces brimmed with excitement. Some swung their sabers to test the flow of spiritual energy, others gripped their spears and practiced their forms, while still others ran their hands over the weapons, clearly enjoying themselves. Qin Yu even gathered a few familiar cultivators and challenged them to see who could control their Blood-Bound spirit artifacts more skillfully. The courtyard was filled with laughter and cheerful voices.
Looking at the delighted cultivators under his command, Qin De glanced at Feng Yuzi, who remained composed, and couldn't help smiling. "Brother Feng, these High-Grade Spirit Artifacts can be Blood-Bound, and everyone's delighted. Yet you seem so calm."
Feng Yuzi smiled faintly. "You're teasing me, Your Highness. High-Grade Spirit Artifacts are certainly rare, but Blood-Binding is a common way of using weapons in the cultivation world. It's nothing new. All I need is a High-Grade Spirit Artifact that suits me, one that will increase my strength and help me protect Your Highness." He came from a cultivation sect. Though it was small, he had still seen plenty of weapons that could be bound to their owners. So he wasn't as amazed as the Qin Family's cultivators, who had spent most of their lives using ordinary iron weapons. He cared more about the artifact's practical value.
Qin De understood and smiled. "I'd overlooked that, Brother Feng. As someone from the cultivation world, you've naturally seen a lot." Yun Ce stood to one side, watching the scene with a faint smile. The Qin Family's cultivators now had High-Grade Spirit Artifacts and knew how to Blood-Bind them. Their combat strength would surely soar, giving them more confidence in the Conquest of Chu four years later.
Qin Yu was caught up in the excitement. He swung his long sword from time to time, drawing out faint traces of flame, and traded a few moves with the cultivators beside him, his face alight with joy. He looked at his father and Feng Yuzi, then at the sword bound to his soul, his heart full of resolve. These spirit artifacts were not only weapons Yun Ce had given the Qin Family to strengthen its forces; they were also the beginning of Qin Yu's path to revenge. He would train hard, break through the peak of his External Martial Arts as soon as he could, and wield his Blood-Bound spirit artifact to avenge his mother and bring honor to the Qin Family.
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