Jade Firmament Peak

Dragon Pattern Pills were refined one after another.

Chen Xuan began taking the pills to improve his Azure Heaven Dragon Transformation Art.

The second level of the Dragon Pattern Scroll focused on cultivating the legs.

Dragon marks began forming across Chen Xuan's legs.

It took him a few days.

Chen Xuan successfully perfected the second level of the Dragon Pattern Scroll. The dragon marks on his arms and legs now numbered two hundred and forty in total.

His qi-refining and body-refining cultivation had both reached perfection in the second realm.

For now, he would have to put further advances in cultivation on hold.

After all, he had yet to obtain any heavenly dao qi, and he was in no hurry to explore the Heavenly Dao Secret Realm.

Although he could no longer raise his cultivation for the moment,

he could still improve in other areas.

He planned to prepare thoroughly before exploring the secret realm in search of heavenly dao qi.

For instance, he could improve his proficiency in his three Dao Techniques, or stock up on pills, magical artifacts, talismans, and the like.

Improving his Dao Technique proficiency was easy enough, since they could cultivate themselves. If he had time, though, he could watch others fight, which would also help improve his Dao Techniques.

But the fights he watched would have to be high-level ones.

A pair of greenhorns pecking at each other would certainly be useless.

Those were hard to find, so there was no rush. He would let his Dao Techniques cultivate themselves for now.

Chen Xuan set his sights on magical artifacts for the time being.

The Purple Imperial Dragon Flame learned alchemy as though it had an invincible cheat enabled. Perhaps learning artifact refining would be the same.

That day, Chen Xuan went out to inquire about artifact refining.

As soon as he stepped outside, he saw Li Junmo preparing to fly away on a magical artifact.

Li Junmo had joined the sect a few years before him.

He was bound to know more.

Since they had happened to meet, Chen Xuan might as well ask.

"Senior Brother Li."

Chen Xuan called out, stopping Li Junmo just as he was about to leave.

"Junior Brother Chen? Is something the matter?"

Hearing Chen Xuan's voice, Li Junmo immediately walked over with a smile and asked.

"Senior Brother, there's something I'd like to ask."

Chen Xuan cupped his hands as he spoke.

"Go ahead, Junior Brother."

"I've recently become quite interested in artifact refining. If I wanted to learn a little, where should I start?"

Li Junmo looked puzzled at his words. "Junior Brother, why have you suddenly become interested in artifact refining? We're disciples of Danxiao Peak."

"Senior Brother, there's no rule saying disciples of Danxiao Peak can't learn artifact refining, is there?"

Chen Xuan asked with a smile.

"That's not what I meant. What I'm saying is that, although we're cultivators, our energy is still limited. Among alchemy, artifact refining, formations, talismans, and all the other crafts, it's best to master just one while our cultivation is still low.

As disciples of Danxiao Peak, if we're going to master one of them, alchemy is the natural choice. After all, our Danxiao Peak has ample resources and expertise in that field.

Junior Brother, abandoning alchemy to pursue artifact refining would certainly be unwise."

Li Junmo shook his head as he explained.

Chen Xuan nodded. "Of course I understand, Senior Brother. It's just that I have my own considerations..."

Chen Xuan offered no further explanation.

He couldn't exactly say, My Purple Imperial Dragon Flame is so damn amazing that it became a fifth-tier alchemist after reading through the Library Pavilion's books once.

Seeing this, Li Junmo said no more.

Everyone followed a different path in cultivation. He had merely joined the sect two years before Chen Xuan and was merely his senior brother.

At most, he could offer heartfelt advice once. If he kept talking and trying to persuade him, he would only be failing to take the hint and forgetting his place.

"If you truly want to learn artifact refining, Junior Brother, that's easy enough. Just head straight to Jade Firmament Peak.

Jade Firmament Peak is much like Danxiao Peak, except that they specialize in artifact refining, while we specialize in alchemy.

However, since you aren't a disciple of Jasper Firmament, you'll have to spend contribution points to visit its Library Pavilion.

Also, you can't attend lessons at Jasper Firmament's Lecture Hall. If you want to hear lectures on artifact refining, you'll have to go to the Lecture Hall on Cloud Sea Peak.

But although Cloud Sea Peak has a Lecture Hall too, it serves disciples outside the Nine Firmaments, so it certainly isn't as good as the Lecture Halls of the Nine Firmaments."

Li Junmo explained the details to him.

This was also why Li Junmo had urged Chen Xuan to study alchemy rather than artifact refining.

Although disciples from other peaks could visit, outsiders remained outsiders. They had to spend contribution points even to read books, and they couldn't attend lessons at the Lecture Hall.

After listening, Chen Xuan didn't mind the fees.

Still, his expression turned a little odd. He couldn't help feeling that the Nine Firmaments seemed somewhat exclusionary toward one another.

Seeing his expression, Li Junmo smiled. "Junior Brother, do you think something is wrong with that?

Don't get the wrong idea. The rule requiring disciples from other peaks to spend contribution points at a peak's Library Pavilion only applies to outer and inner sect disciples, not core disciples.

And at each peak's Lecture Hall, only lectures on specialized crafts are closed to outer and inner sect disciples from other peaks.

There's a reason for these rules. There are always disciples who think they're geniuses. While they're still only in the qi gathering or spirit sea realm, they want to learn alchemy, artifact refining, formations, and talismans—in fact, they wish they could learn all hundred arts of cultivation.

The truth is, ordinary people far outnumber geniuses. Many people don't recognize their own limits, and the sect can't let its disciples hold up their cultivation, so it has no choice but to impose some restrictions.

These restrictions are meant to make most disciples abandon the idea of becoming masters of every craft before reaching the dao foundation realm, and instead settle down to cultivate and master a single craft.

Still, where there are ordinary people, there are naturally geniuses too. The sect doesn't want to cut off their path either, so the restrictions aren't too severe. Disciples can still spend contribution points to read books at the various peaks' Library Pavilions.

Although they still can't attend those lectures, there's at least the Lecture Hall on Cloud Sea Peak. Presumably, true geniuses can improve themselves even under these circumstances."

"Thank you for clearing that up, Senior Brother."

Chen Xuan cupped his hands in thanks.

"Ah, it's nothing. Junior Brother, if there's nothing else, I'll be on my way. I've finally saved up enough contribution points, and I'm about to visit the Dao Technique Pavilion to exchange them for the Spirit-Devouring Profound Fire.

I hope the mystic fire I condense turns out decent. I'm not asking for a dragon form like yours, Junior Brother, so long as it isn't some sort of bug."

Li Junmo spoke with some excitement.

Most disciples of Danxiao Peak were eager to obtain this Dao Technique.

Especially since Li Junmo had witnessed Chen Xuan unleash the Purple Imperial Dragon Flame during the Outer Sect Grand Competition, he looked forward to the Spirit-Devouring Profound Fire all the more.

"May your wish come true, Senior Brother, and may you condense a powerful mystic fire."

Chen Xuan offered his well-wishes with a smile.

"It definitely will!"

After their conversation, the two soon went their separate ways.

Li Junmo headed to Cloud Sea Peak, while Chen Xuan made his way to Jade Firmament Peak.

Jade Firmament Peak.

This peak stood right beside Cinnabar Firmament, not far away.

Chen Xuan soon arrived at Jade Firmament Peak.

Although everyone he saw appeared to be a disciple of Jade Firmament Peak, Chen Xuan attracted no attention.

After all, every peak received visiting disciples from other peaks from time to time.

After arriving, Chen Xuan soon found the Library Pavilion.

He entered the Library Pavilion and approached the elder guarding it.

"Chen Xuan of Cinnabar Firmament greets you, Elder."

Chen Xuan cupped his hands in greeting.

The elder looked Chen Xuan over. "Here to learn artifact refining?"

"Yes."

Chen Xuan handed over his Disciple Token.