Sect Master Qu had already shown considerable restraint. Had his position not weighed on him, and had he not been mindful of the effect on his sect, he too could have thrown up his arms and cheered like those youngsters.
What a pleasant surprise! This disciple certainly knew how to surprise him. Most of those surprises were the unpleasant sort, but occasionally a good one came along. And here was one now.
Of course, hot on the heels of that delight came a face full of complicated emotions. He had never taught this method of Artifact Refining. He knew his disciple possessed extraordinary comprehension, a truly exceptional gift, but the problem was-could he stop being so unreliable all the time?
Everyone in the Treasure-Evolving Sect was swept up in the surprise.
Fortunately, an Elder kept a clear head. He swiftly turned and waved to everyone, quieting them before they could cry out and cheer-or rather, for fear of disturbing Li Hongjiu.
As Elder Jie Lunguang of the Hundred Refinements Sect had said, refining this way, controlling thousands of fine strands at once and shaping them, could easily end in failure. They absolutely must not distract him.
Elder Li Qianqiu murmured in wonder, "That fellow Hongjiu is simply incredible. He can fight when he needs to, and when it comes to Artifact Refining, he stays silent until he startles the world with a single cry. A true prodigy! Our Treasure-Evolving Sect has produced a true prodigy!"
Qu Wuming naturally shared his delight, but he quickly put on a stern face. "Don't celebrate too soon. Distributing his power across thousands of strands of varying sizes is no easy feat. Wait until he actually wins before praising him. Has he brought shame on us so few times?"
Li Qianqiu shook his head slightly.