Flying Artifacts

Fiddling with the two daggers, Luo Mu couldn't bear to put them down. He had never imagined that this young man could actually craft mid-grade artifacts—and even make two of them for him. Quite a lot of materials had been wasted along the way, but compared with these two mid-grade artifacts, Luo Mu felt it had been worth it.

The inner armor was called Plum Blossom Armor. It was as thin as a cicada's wing, yet exceptionally sturdy—several grades tougher than it had been before it was crafted. As soon as it was finished, Luo Mu put it on without hesitation. When he activated his Poison Spirit Power, the armor gave off a faint glow and clung snugly to his skin, feeling exceptionally comfortable. A sense of security welled up in Luo Mu's heart.

As for the two daggers, Luo Mu had named them Poison Fang. They were not only exceptionally sharp, but also small and easy to conceal. Most importantly, they were imbued with Plum Blossom Snake venom, making them excellent artifacts for assassination and dirty tricks.

With Luo Mu's own Poison Spirit Power, wielding these daggers was like adding wings to a tiger. They seemed practically tailor-made for him.

Although the venom on Poison Fang was limited, Luo Mu himself was a little poison fiend. The poison on the daggers would never run out, so there was no need to soak them in venom.

He stroked Poison Fang fondly, then put them away in his Storage Bag. Mid-grade artifacts might not amount to much in the eyes of some big shots, but they still held considerable appeal for ordinary Qi Refining Stage cultivators.

After cautiously looking around and confirming that no one had noticed the daggers in his hands, Luo Mu finally breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't want to attract the attention of some ill-intentioned demonic cultivator and end up robbed of his treasure and killed.

"How are you finding them, Fellow Daoist Luo Mu? Are you satisfied with these two mid-grade artifacts?" Just as Luo Mu's thoughts began to wander, a man beside him spoke, his voice tinged with smugness.

Luo Mu turned to look. Who else could it be but that young man?

The young man was called Qu Yi, and he was only a year older than Luo Mu. What surprised Luo Mu, though, was that Qu Yi was a student at Jinxiu Academy in Jinxiu City! This immediately brought to mind Xiao Ling'er, who also attended Jinxiu Academy, and Bai Lin, whom Luo Mu hated to the bone.

But their images only lingered in Luo Mu's mind for an instant before he ruthlessly drove them out.

Like Xiao Ling'er, Qu Yi had only entered Jinxiu Academy this year. He had enrolled in the Academy's Artifact Refining Department, but like Luo Mu, he came from an unimpressive family and had little money. To attend Jinxiu Academy, one had to reach the Qi Refining Stage and pay one hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones each year for tuition, books, and other miscellaneous fees. Room and board were included, but meals were not.

To send Qu Yi to Jinxiu Academy, his family had sold everything they could. Only then had they scraped together the hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones and enabled Qu Yi to enroll. Qu Yi swore he would make something of himself and not disappoint his parents. He had long known that artifacts were indispensable to cultivators, so he chose to specialize in artifact refinement. He hoped to master the craft, earn Spirit Stones by selling the artifacts he made, and let his mortal parents live free of worry instead of scrambling for Spirit Stones.

But artifact refinement was an expensive profession, and Qu Yi had no Spirit Stones to buy the materials he needed. So, to improve his skills and make his dream come true sooner, he offered to craft artifacts for other cultivators for free at the night market. He had indeed made a few artifacts for others during that time, but his success rate was too low, and he failed at the drop of a hat. As a result, he'd had to endure plenty of dirty looks. Those with short tempers even cursed him to vent their anger over the ruined materials.

Even so, Qu Yi's artifact-refining skills had been steadily improving.

The previous night, Luo Mu had watched Qu Yi's entire artifact-refining process from beginning to end. Refining artifacts was nothing like a mortal forging ordinary weapons. There was no need to hammer steel with all one's might. Instead, the cultivator converted the spiritual power in their dantian into true fire, used it to melt the materials, then refined them according to the proper techniques.

It sounded very simple, but if anything went wrong at any stage, all the materials would be ruined. Anyone who wasn't meticulous and even-tempered had best avoid learning artifact refinement, alchemy, or talisman-making, lest they waste materials for nothing.

Luo Mu had no interest in artifact refinement. He had watched Qu Yi work all night without understanding a thing, though every time Qu Yi failed, Luo Mu's heart raced despite himself.

Luo Mu didn't know whether Qu Yi really could refine mid-grade artifacts now, whether he'd just gotten lucky, or whether Luo Mu's own luck was exceptionally good. Whatever the reason, Qu Yi had managed to make two mid-grade artifacts for him in one go, and he'd been gloating about it ever since last night.

Sure enough, as soon as he came out of the inn and saw Luo Mu, Qu Yi's smugness surfaced all over again.

"Satisfied! I couldn't be more satisfied!" Luo Mu said with a smile, speaking from the heart.

Luo Mu saw Qu Yi in a whole new light now. To be able to refine mid-grade artifacts at such a young age meant he truly had a talent for it. Luo Mu even found himself thinking that, given enough time and materials, Qu Yi might really become a master artifact refiner.

It would be immensely beneficial to be on good terms with a master artifact refiner. Qu Yi wasn't one yet, but that didn't mean he wouldn't become one in the future. Even if he never did, he had still crafted these two mid-grade artifacts for Luo Mu for free. That alone was enough to earn him Luo Mu's cordiality.

"As long as you're satisfied, Fellow Daoist Luo Mu. If you trust me, then whenever you need an artifact refined, just come to me. I, Qu Yi, will do it for free." Qu Yi thumped his chest, looking so triumphant that his nostrils seemed to point at the sky.

"Of course! As long as I have the materials, I'll make sure to store them safely, then come back and trouble you with refining them for me, Fellow Daoist Qu Yi," Luo Mu said with a smile, still caught up in his excitement.

Luo Mu didn't mind Qu Yi's smugness. They exchanged a knowing smile. If Qu Yi had the skill to refine mid-grade artifacts, then he had every right to swagger. In the world of cultivators, where the strong preyed on the weak, Luo Mu couldn't agree with Qu Yi's attitude, but he didn't think it was wrong.

Besides, Luo Mu could tell that Qu Yi's smugness was only temporary. He was just making sure Luo Mu understood that he really could refine mid-grade artifacts, to get back at him for doubting him the night before.

"By the way, Fellow Daoist Qu Yi, shouldn't you tell me about the Ink Crow Grass now?" Luo Mu laughed, then steered the conversation back to the point.

This was what mattered most to Luo Mu right now. A strong man needed to be strong in his own right. Artifacts were certainly important, but he couldn't afford to be careless about his cultivation.

At Luo Mu's question, Qu Yi's smug expression vanished. He looked at Luo Mu solemnly, then asked, "May I ask, Fellow Daoist Luo Mu, do you have a Flying Artifact?"

Luo Mu was a little surprised. He hadn't expected Qu Yi to answer with a question, and he was thoroughly confused. But he really didn't have a Flying Artifact.

Unlike other artifacts, Flying Artifacts had no offensive power, but they allowed their users to fly. They were perfect for getting around. As long as you had enough spiritual power, crossing mountains and valleys, rivers and seas, was a simple matter.

Precisely because Flying Artifacts were so important, they were also incredibly expensive—the most expensive of all artifacts, costing far more than even defensive ones!

To Luo Mu, a Flying Artifact was a luxury. He had seen one for sale at the night market the previous evening, and it had cost an astronomical hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones! As tightfisted as Luo Mu was, he couldn't bring himself to buy such a luxury. With his current wealth, purchasing a Flying Artifact would really sting.

"How could poor fellows like us have such a luxury?" Though he didn't know why Qu Yi had asked, Luo Mu answered honestly.

When Qu Yi heard that Luo Mu didn't have a Flying Artifact, his expression changed. Then he said regretfully, "I know a place with a large amount of Ink Crow Grass, but the only way to get it is with a Flying Artifact. I stumbled across that Ink Crow Grass last time, but because I didn't have one, I could only pick these thirteen stalks. With no other choice, I had to come back filled with regret."

"Even after I returned, I couldn't stop thinking about that Ink Crow Grass. But Flying Artifacts are so expensive that there's no way I could afford one. So, to this day, I still haven't been able to go back and gather it." Qu Yi shook his head, looking full of regret.

At this, Luo Mu furrowed his brows, lost in thought. He remained silent for a long time. Qu Yi stood quietly beside him, and the atmosphere suddenly grew awkward.

Luo Mu still had some Spirit Stones. Though not many, he could afford a Flying Artifact. But from Qu Yi's words, he'd gathered that the Ink Crow Grass was growing out in the wild; Qu Yi simply hadn't been able to gather it all.

But who could guarantee that the Ink Crow Grass was still growing there untouched? Someone might have stumbled across it and picked every last stalk. That was what worried Luo Mu!

What if he spent all his money on a Flying Artifact, only to find nothing there? He'd be so miserable he could cry. If Qu Yi had told him this the previous night, Luo Mu certainly wouldn't have agreed on the spot. He would have turned around and left with his materials. But things were different now. Qu Yi had at least crafted two mid-grade artifacts for him for free. If Luo Mu came up with an excuse to leave just like that, Qu Yi would surely lose face.

He might even offend Qu Yi in the process. Luo Mu always made sure to leave himself a way out, and he would never offend someone over this.

"Are you sure that batch of spirit herbs is still there and hasn't been picked?" After a long while, Luo Mu finally broke the awkward silence. He had to learn more before deciding. A Flying Artifact was expensive, after all.

"Well... I went to gather them a few days ago. I really can't guarantee that other cultivators haven't found them since," Qu Yi replied awkwardly, somewhat embarrassed. Luo Mu had gone straight to the heart of the matter with his question.

Qu Yi's answer didn't change Luo Mu's expression. He remained perfectly calm, as if he'd expected Qu Yi to say just that. But Qu Yi didn't see it that way! In his eyes, Luo Mu probably thought he'd tricked him. Though Luo Mu's face was calm, Qu Yi was sure he was already furious inside.

So, before Luo Mu could make a decision, Qu Yi spoke again. "Cultivators need a Flying Artifact whenever they travel. If Fellow Daoist Luo Mu can afford one, I think you should buy it. Even if we reach the destination and find that other cultivators got to the Ink Crow Grass first, the Flying Artifact will still be yours, won't it? You can still use it to get around!"