Heavenly Tribulation, amid the clouds.
The autumn wind carried a killing chill, and silver lightning pierced the sky. Inside the great hall, Xu Xuan finished his breathing exercises. His cultivation of the [Yin-Illuminating Essence Refinement Art] had reached a bottleneck, and the moonlight within his Inner Scenery now showed faint signs of gathering into a pool.
He rose and stepped outside. After a moment's thought, he slit open the Great Void and headed south upon layer after layer of thunderlight. He crossed the Great Scenery Plains and passed Jade Flow Mountain, reaching Guyang Commandery in short order. From afar, he could already see the fiery glow of Sword Appraisal Mountain.
There are plenty of spirit treasures in the sect. I could ask Swordsmith Xue to refine a spirit artifact.
Xu Xuan emerged soundlessly from the Great Void. A brief sweep of his spiritual sense revealed that the cultivators on Sword Appraisal Mountain were all artifact refiners. There were few of them, and not a single True Disciple.
He lightly activated his divine ability. Silver Thunder leaped, and Tribulation Light shifted, announcing his arrival.
The sky above Sword Appraisal Mountain instantly brightened. Flames surged, and a swordsmith in black robes rode the wind out from among them. His face was lean, with swordlike brows and thin lips. A Bing Fire divine ability gathered around him, clearly revealing the aura of the Purple Mansion Middle Stage.
"Fellow Daoist Candle Sword."
Swordsmith Xue had obtained [Immortal in the Flame] long ago, yet even now his divine ability remained incomplete, leaving him trapped at the Purple Mansion Middle Stage. He had already guessed why Xu Xuan had come and simply invited him into the mountain to talk.
The two rode the wind across the crimson flames to an elegantly austere pavilion of dark gold.