"I'm truly sorry, but I can't fulfill your request."
"My apologies, but my skills are limited."
"I think you should try seeking out other Artifact Refiners."
"No Artifact Refiner can meet such a request."
"Honored guest, your materials are too precious. I'm afraid I might accidentally ruin them, so..."
"With materials this precious, coupled with your requirements, to be honest, there definitely aren't more than a handful of Artifact Refiners in the entire Dou Qi Continent capable of doing this. You should seek someone else."
"The art of artifact refining has declined on the Dou Qi Continent. In ancient times, many Artifact Refiners would likely have been able to fulfill your request, but now..."
"I'm sorry for making you come all this way."
Over the past few months, he had lost count of how many times he had been rejected like this.
The one being turned away was naturally Xiao Lin.
Ever since parting ways with Ji Li, apart from cultivating the Three Transformations of the Returning Soul, Xiao Lin had been searching for Artifact Refiners.
He had now gathered Mithril Essence, Stellar Fragments, Lightning-Struck Wood, and the tendons of a tiger-type magical beast at the Dou Saint realm—several top-tier artifact-refining materials.
In addition, Xiao Lin had collected all the other supplementary materials over the years.
Yet just as Xiao Lin had happily believed that he would finally obtain the weapon he desired, reality poured a bucket of cold water over him.
Over these past few months, he had sought out no fewer than ten Artifact Refiners.
Yet not a single Artifact Refiner, after hearing Xiao Lin's requirements and seeing the materials he presented, had the confidence to forge the weapon he wanted.
This left Xiao Lin feeling utterly helpless.
Honestly, he had considered beforehand that he might fail to