Seeing that this was what Chen Shuangbai needed, both men looked somewhat surprised, though their reactions differed.
Lu Zhiyuan, for instance, thought Chen Shuangbai was aiming a little too high.
Owning three Law Artifacts at once was already considered top-tier among outer disciples. Even those who possessed that many could not make full use of them, as their Law Power was too weak to sustain them.
He knew that Chen Shuangbai already had a sword that was a mid-grade Law Artifact.
Yet now he wanted so much more...
Qian Jin pondered for a moment before saying, "I'm afraid the [Artifact Repository] doesn't have what you need, Junior Brother Chen. But if you have enough Merit Points, I do know someone who might be able to help."
Lu Zhiyuan looked at Qian Jin, his eyes darting as though he, too, had thought of something.
"Senior Brother Qian, could you mean..."
Qian Jin nodded, his gaze never leaving Chen Shuangbai. "I know a fellow disciple in the Artifact Forging Hall. He's a little short on funds lately and can take on commissions for custom Law Artifacts from outer disciples like us."
Chen Shuangbai hadn't expected Qian Jin to know a forge master from the Artifact Forging Hall... but on second thought, it wasn't so strange.
After all, Qian Jin was a disciple of the Expenditure Hall.
Under normal circumstances, forge masters from the Artifact Forging Hall only made custom Law Artifacts for inner disciples or the many elders. Outer disciples weren't qualified and didn't have the means to commission them.
But as luck would have it, this forge master was short on funds and needed some Merit Points.
And Chen Shuangbai had just made a handsome sum recently.
Chen Shuangbai thought it over carefully and realized that, given his requirements, having one custom-made was his only option. So he asked Qian Jin to send the man a message for him.
A moment later.
Qian Jin glanced at his disciple jade token and said, "Senior Brother Du has been a little busy lately. It might take him three to five days before he's free. If you're not in a hurry, Junior Brother Chen, how about waiting a few days?"
When forge masters refined Law Treasures of this kind, they usually needed to concentrate and give it their all. There could be no mistakes during the process, so naturally they couldn't readily step away.
Chen Shuangbai understood this, and besides, he was the one asking the man for a favor. He nodded slightly to show that he understood.
Qian Jin sent the man a reply.
The three sat together and chatted.
Most of the time, of course, Qian Jin and Lu Zhiyuan talked about the future of their Lineages, while Chen Shuangbai played the supporting role, nodding from time to time and murmuring a word or two of agreement to show that he was indeed listening attentively.
Without a fortuitous opportunity, Qian Jin's cultivation path had reached its end.
So he had married a wife, taken concubines, and fathered quite a few children. To his disappointment, however, none had Spirit Roots, and none could embark on the path of cultivation.
Lu Zhiyuan sympathized deeply.
He still had hope in his cultivation, but as a member of the Changlin Lu Lineage, he had been burdened with many lofty expectations from his clan. He would have been lying to say he felt no pressure.
As they talked, however, the two gradually began to drift onto another subject.
Lu Zhiyuan tossed the last piece of pastry from the plate on the stone table into his mouth and said indistinctly, "I heard a while back that our fellow cultivators from the Empty Sword Sect have been fighting more and more fiercely with those demonic sect beasts from the Heart-Eroding Stronghold!"
Qian Jin's expression grew slightly grave as well. "Wasn't it supposed to be nothing more than a few minor clashes?"
"How has it gotten worse and worse?"
"There's something you don't know, Senior Brother."
Chen Shuangbai had always been interested in the other four great sects of the Jing Kingdom. His interest was piqued, and he leaned in a little closer.
Seeing that both men were listening, Lu Zhiyuan looked a little pleased with himself. He cleared his throat, lowered his voice, and continued.
"It started as just a few minor clashes over a newly discovered wind copper mine on the border between the two sects' territories."
Wind copper ore was a rather precious first-tier spiritual material used in artifact refining.
The ore was usually found in places rich in wind spiritual Qi. Light yet tough, it had a good affinity for spiritual Qi, making it well suited for refining Law Artifacts such as flying swords, wings, and light armor.
The Empty Sword Sect was therefore bound to fight for the vein.
"The Empty Sword Sect's flying swords were formidable, and they gained the upper hand for a time. They brought in a geomancer who specialized in surveying terrain to examine the vein, and it seems they dug up something else..."
Chen Shuangbai and Qian Jin both pricked up their ears.
Since this concerned a dispute between the Jing Kingdom's five great sects, even outer disciples needed to pay attention.
After all, tugging one hair could move the whole body; there was no guarantee it wouldn't affect their own sect.
"Word going around is... a little Geng Metal Sha Qi seems to have leaked out from deep within the vein."
Chen Shuangbai and Qian Jin understood at once.
"If that's the case, then whether it's true or not, the Empty Sword Sect is bound to fight for it."
To the Empty Sword Sect, whose members were all sword cultivators, the value of Geng Metal Sha Qi... was beyond estimation.
As for those demonic sect beasts from the Heart-Eroding Stronghold...
As one of the Jing Kingdom's five great sects, the Heart-Eroding Stronghold was notorious for its crooked and evil ways. From its disciples to its menial servants, every last one had committed countless evil deeds. Even calling them beasts didn't go far enough.
The Heart-Eroding Stronghold was especially fond of ruining others' good fortune, and what cultivator would turn down another mineral vein of their own?
And... if Geng Metal Sha Qi really had formed deep within the vein, that would be a wonderful thing too!
"Geng Metal Sha Qi... no wonder, no wonder!"
Qian Jin clapped his hands, understanding flashing in his eyes.
No wonder the fighting between the two sects had gradually turned so heated.
"A younger clansman of mine who joined the Empty Sword Sect told me that even two of his sect's Foundation Establishment Late Stage martial uncles, who had been in seclusion for years, were roused. They personally went to oversee the vein."
"The Heart-Eroding Stronghold refused to be outdone and brought in several notorious fiends."
"The two sides have fought seven or eight times on the border. They say several layers of earth were sheared away, and the terrain in the area collapsed and the weather fell into chaos. The mortals couldn't bear the disturbances and had no choice but to move away."
Such was the gulf between mortals and cultivators.
Even when caught up in it through no fault of their own, they had nowhere to seek justice and could only swallow the bitter fruit in silence.
"Now the Empty Sword Sect has sent several Foundation Establishment sword cultivators, including some at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage. They've set up a sword formation at the vein and are guarding it fiercely, but those demonic sect beasts are most accustomed to harassing and roaming, striking once and then fleeing. The Empty Sword Sect can hardly bear the constant harassment."
"Many disciples on both sides have been killed or wounded, but the higher-ups seem to be maintaining a certain restraint. There hasn't been a direct clash between Golden Core True Persons... though I reckon it won't be long."
Chen Shuangbai suddenly recalled something and asked Lu Zhiyuan, "I heard over a year ago that the Empty Sword Sect sent an inner elder to our sect. Was he here to ask for aid?"
Lu Zhiyuan looked around to make sure no one else was nearby, then lowered his voice again.
"So they say..."