Forging spirit artifacts with earth veins

Yang Xiao stood before the mirror, looking at the handsome young man reflected in it. He smoothed the creases at his cuffs, styled his hair, tied up his black locks, and opened the door before heading right.

Arriving outside Lei Miaoyan's room, he took out his notes, raised his head, and knocked gently twice. "Senior Sister Lei, are you there?"

No sound came from inside. Instead, the door next to hers opened, and Senior Brother Lei stepped out. He glanced at Yang Xiao and frowned. "Miaoyan went out. Did you need her for something?"

Seeing Lei Jiuchen, Yang Xiao felt a little guilty. He hid his notes behind his back and forced a smile. "No, I just had some cultivation questions I wanted to ask Senior Sister Lei. Since she isn't here, I'll be going."

He put the notes back into his Storage Ring, turned, and headed toward Shen Laodao's room.

"Your wounds healed mighty fast. You can even come running over here already." Squatting in front of a pot with a bowl and chopsticks in hand, Shen Laodao gave him a surprised glance.

Yang Xiao instinctively looked down at his chest. Anyone else would have been bedridden for days, but his healing ability was so powerful that, after just one day, his body looked as though it had never been injured. His skin was as smooth as ever.

He would have to be more careful about that in the future. It might become a trump card, Yang Xiao thought.

He walked up to the pot, deftly took out a bowl and chopsticks, and stared at the steaming meat. Tossing Shen Laodao a slip of paper, he said, "I need these materials to forge a Spirit Artifact. Do you know where I can buy them?"

Holding his bowl in his left hand, Shen Laodao took the paper in his right, glanced at it, and tossed it back. "The Perching Phoenix Pavilion in Falling Blossom City."

Yang Xiao frowned slightly. He had never entered the Perching Phoenix Pavilion, but he knew it was a pleasure house.

"The Perching Phoenix Pavilion does other business too?" he asked.

Shen Laodao stood up, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked to the doorway. The breeze blowing toward him made his Daoist robe flap, while sunlight shone on his face. He looked every inch an accomplished master.

Shen Laodao sighed. "Those little wenches really know how to do business. They don't just offer this humble monk's favorite service, they also trade in information and cultivation supplies."

"Tsk, tsk. Every girl on the second floor is as lovely as a flower, as flawless as jade. Whenever this humble monk spends a night there, my legs are weak the next morning.

"Once this humble monk finishes this pot of meat, I'll take you there."

Yang Xiao lifted the lid, and a wave of fragrance washed over him. The broth was golden and piping hot, and the beast meat, nourished by spiritual energy, melted in his mouth.

"Hey, you brat Yang Xiao! How dare you steal this humble monk's meat!" Shen Laodao flew over and landed in front of the pot, his hands moving like phantoms as he snatched meat out.

Once they had eaten and drunk their fill, they informed Sect Master Chen Wuyou and headed for Falling Blossom City.

In the forest, Yang Xiao suddenly stopped. Shen Laodao noticed from up ahead and turned around. "Why did you stop? This humble monk is bleeding his purse dry this time to treat you to three days at the Perching Phoenix Pavilion. I'll show you what heaven on earth really means."

Yang Xiao rolled his eyes. He had suddenly remembered a movement technique in the Carefree Heavenly Master Chapter called Void Stroll. He had been too busy lately to practice it, so the journey to Falling Blossom City was the perfect chance.

He recalled the instructions for cultivating Void Stroll in the Carefree Heavenly Master Chapter and stepped into the air. As his foot pressed against empty space, the surrounding breeze gathered beneath it and supported him.

Yang Xiao kept walking upward. Gradually, he rose a hundred feet above the ground, and his speed increased as well.

Watching from below, Shen Laodao wailed, "You brat Yang Xiao, you're utterly shameless! You know perfectly well this humble monk can't cultivate the Carefree Heavenly Master Chapter, yet you use Void Stroll right in front of me! Today, this humble monk is going to shoot you down!"

With that, he took a spear from his Storage Ring and hurled it skyward.

Yang Xiao reached out and caught it, but an instant later, his hand trembled, nearly dropping the spear.

It was the Windbreaking Spear Shen Laodao had stolen before Luo Kedi came up the mountain. He was clearly throwing it to Yang Xiao now because it was too hot to handle. After a moment's thought, Yang Xiao put it into his Storage Ring anyway.

It was a high-grade spirit artifact, after all. Shen Laodao might think it was too hot to handle, but Yang Xiao did not care. At worst, he could find an earth vein and give the spear a whole new face.

—Just a little trick of an Earth Master.

Having only just begun practicing Void Stroll, he could not yet match the speed of Shrinking Earth to Inches. With more time, however, it would be no worse. After all, none of the enemies he would face in the future would be unable to fly.

Half a day later, the two stood outside the Perching Phoenix Pavilion. Four beautiful, fair-skinned women approached, moving to flank each of them.

Shen Laodao laughed heartily and entered the Perching Phoenix Pavilion with a woman in each arm. Yang Xiao slipped past them, following behind him with short bursts of Shrinking Earth to Inches.

Inside the Perching Phoenix Pavilion sat several hundred people. Most were men seated around the room with women in their arms, while serving girls came forward to pour wine and bring dishes.

As soon as they entered, a beautiful woman of about thirty approached and held out her right hand to Shen Laodao. "Oh my, if it isn't Master Shen! Xiaohong, Xiaohua, hurry and take Master Shen upstairs."

Despite her words, the beautiful woman stood in Shen Laodao's way, refusing to budge.

Shen Laodao pointed at Yang Xiao. "Li Xunhua, see him? His name is Yang Xiao, this humble monk's sworn brother. He's the beloved disciple of the Carefree Sect's master, who called him the man with the greatest hope in the world of becoming an Earth Ancestor. Do you think he'd be short of a few earth vein crystals?

"Hurry and bring Azure Luan out for me. Tonight—no, for three whole days—I'm booking Azure Luan. My brother will pay."

Li Xunhua circled Yang Xiao twice, then extended her delicate hand. "One hundred Earth Vein Crystals."

Yang Xiao's face darkened. He had not come here to be fleeced. "Pavilion Master Li... I'm here to buy artifact-forging materials. As for that old Daoist, I've never seen him before."

Li Xunhua arched an elegant brow and called toward the second floor, "Someone come drag out this scoundrel who toys with girls' hearts!"

Two men dressed as enforcers jumped down from upstairs, each holding a long staff. Their eyes widened fiercely as they seized Shen Laodao from either side and hauled him out. Yang Xiao glanced at him; he offered no resistance.

Yang Xiao surveyed the Perching Phoenix Pavilion again. Most people on the first floor were ordinary mortals, but upstairs were several auras he could not fathom. He estimated they belonged to experts at the Sea Condensation Realm or above.

After Shen Laodao was thrown out, Li Xunhua took Yang Xiao's hand and led him upstairs. As they walked, she asked, "What materials would you like to buy, honored guest? Would you like to spend the night here?"

Yang Xiao tried to pull his hand free, but failed. Li Xunhua was actually a cultivator, and her cultivation was at least at the Sea Condensation Realm.

He let her lead him upstairs and into a room.

The noise outside instantly fell silent. Yang Xiao carefully examined the room's layout and discovered a soundproofing formation installed by an Earth Master.

A bright red bed stood in the center of the room, covered in rose petals.

Li Xunhua sat on the edge of the bed and crossed her right leg over her left, exposing a smooth, fair thigh. Leaning back slightly, she asked, "What artifact-forging materials do you need, young master?"

Yang Xiao swallowed. A wicked heat surged from his lower body straight to his head. He circulated the Great Martial Canon to suppress it, but even then, his mouth and throat remained dry.

He silently repeated to himself that this older sister was too old and not to his taste.

Looking away, he tossed her the materials list he had prepared. She cast him a seductive glance and said:

"You really are an interesting young master. Few people can look at this older sister without blushing or feeling their hearts race.

"Everything on this list is in stock here except the Black-Iron Mystic Gold, which needs to be brought in from elsewhere.

"Why not stay here tonight, young master? This older sister guarantees the Black-Iron Mystic Gold will arrive tomorrow."

Yang Xiao frowned. "In that case, I'll buy the materials you have first. As for the Black-Iron Mystic Gold, I'll come back for it tomorrow."

She glanced at him, covered her thigh, and sat upright. "Little Brother Yang Xiao, this older sister will stop teasing you.

"These materials cost eight hundred Low-Grade Earth Vein Crystals in total, including the Black-Iron Mystic Gold."

Yang Xiao gave Li Xunhua a long look. She really knew how to do business.

He took eight hundred Earth Vein Crystals from his Storage Ring and handed them over.

Li Xunhua rose from the bed and headed outside. "Someone will bring the materials over shortly."

Yang Xiao sat at the table, poured a cup of tea, and drank it at his leisure. He was not worried about Li Xunhua taking the money and disappearing. Such a large establishment would not do something that damaged its reputation.

When he finished his tea, the door opened, and two scantily dressed women entered, carrying the artifact-forging materials he had purchased.

Yang Xiao smiled wryly. Li Xunhua still refused to give up on keeping him there.

He stepped forward, put away the materials, and vanished from the pavilion. Lasting this long had already pushed him to his limit. He was no saint; if he stayed any longer, something really might happen.

Outside the Perching Phoenix Pavilion, Shen Laodao hovered around him, clicking his tongue. "Yang Xiao, that body of yours isn't up to much. You came out after just a quarter of an hour! This humble monk has an ancestral Dragon Essence Tiger Vigor Pill. Want one to give you a boost?"

Yang Xiao glanced at him and headed out of the city. Most people inside were mortals, so they could not detect him using Shrinking Earth to Inches.

He looked back and saw Shen Laodao following leisurely behind him.

"Why aren't you staying in the pavilion for a few days?" he asked.

Shen Laodao instinctively rubbed his legs. "This humble monk is tired today. I'll fight again another day."

Back at Worry-Free Mountain, Yang Xiao probed the Earth Vein and found a spot behind the mountain where Earth Vein Qi was abundant. He cut down the surrounding trees, cleared a space, and raised a Yellow Stone House.

Yang Xiao connected with the earth vein, and its energy surged out like a fountain. He first took out the Nine-Spirit Poison Spider's venom sac, then a set of materials. This was his first attempt at forging an artifact, and he felt nervous. Fortunately, he had an extra set of materials to practice with.

He tossed the materials into the Earth Vein Qi and infused them with magical power. They slowly melted within it.

Half a day later, a mass of black liquid floated in the center of the Earth Vein Qi. Yang Xiao grew tense. The forging process had reached its final step. Once he solidified the liquid into shape, the Nine-Spirit Poison Rope would be complete.

Yang Xiao circulated his magical power. Under its control, the black liquid gradually stretched and contracted into a seven-meter-long black rope.

Suddenly, the Earth Vein Qi went berserk. Yang Xiao hurried out of the stone hut and ran a hundred meters away. With a violent explosion, the hut was reduced to ashes.

Yang Xiao swallowed, his heart giving a painful wrench. Although he had anticipated this possibility, seeing it happen still left him dejected.

His first attempt at artifact forging had failed.

Sitting in the Yellow Stone House, he recalled what had just happened. It seemed he had supplied too much magical power during the final shaping stage, causing the Earth Vein Qi to go berserk.

He took out the hundred-year-old spirit spider's venom sac. This was his last set of materials, and also the most important. If he failed, there was no telling when he would successfully forge his Spirit Artifact.

Yang Xiao gritted his teeth, his gaze turning resolute. Forming seals with both hands, he summoned the Earth Vein Qi again. Following the steps, he melted the materials one by one. Another mass of black liquid floated in the center of the energy, only this time it was darker, like flowing ink.

He controlled the output of his magical power. The black liquid slowly lengthened within the Earth Vein Qi, and streams of that energy merged into it.

Yang Xiao wiped away his sweat, reached toward the Earth Vein Qi, and drew a black rope into his hand.

Just as he was about to leave, inspiration flashed through his mind. The Carefree Heavenly Master Chapter contained a method for strengthening spirit artifacts, but it was extremely dangerous. A single careless mistake could destroy the artifact.

After considering it, Yang Xiao decided to give it a try anyway. He still had the Dragon Horn, after all. At worst, he would avoid taking it out in front of others and keep a low profile.

Yang Xiao pointed at the sky, forming the Nine Thunder Formation in an instant. He tossed the Hundred-Spirit Spider Rope upward, and a bolt of heavenly lightning thundered down, striking it.

The lightning faded, leaving threads of electricity crawling over the Hundred-Spirit Spider Rope before being absorbed into it.

Another bolt descended. After nine strikes in all, the Hundred-Spirit Spider Rope blazed with spiritual light.

A faint smile rested on Yang Xiao's face as the Hundred-Spirit Spider Rope dropped into his hand.

He sent the Hundred-Spirit Spider Rope forward. It wound around dozens of trees, turning them into a pool of black liquid.

Yang Xiao's smile deepened. The Hundred-Spirit Spider Rope's power approached that of a high-grade Spirit Artifact.

Just as he was heading back, Yang Xiao stopped. Spiritual light flashed in his hand, and the Windbreaking Spear appeared.

Li Xunhua's teasing at the Perching Phoenix Pavilion had nearly made him forget this Spirit Artifact.

The Windbreaking Spear was a high-grade Spirit Artifact, and he lacked the ability to reforge it.

However, with Luo Kedi dead, it would not be long before his family came looking for the Carefree Sect. That would be troublesome.

Although he could not reforge it, he could add an outer layer so no one could recognize it as the Windbreaking Spear.

Yang Xiao drew out the Earth Vein Qi again and tossed the Windbreaking Spear into it. He had also obtained some beast carcasses during this trip into the Lianfeng Mountains. He threw all the assorted materials in together. It was only an outer shell to fool others, after all.

Half a quarter of an hour later, he held a fiery-red Spear in his hand.

Anyone who saw it would only think it was scrap iron from a failed forging attempt. Strip away its outer layer, however, and inside was the high-grade Spirit Artifact, the Windbreaking Spear.