Chapter 14: Mosheng

After completing the preliminary forging of the last piece of metal spiritual material, Wang Ping's task was finally completed.

Thud!

The heavy hammer in his hand smashed onto the ground, emitting a dull thud.

Inside the refining room, there was nowhere that wasn't hot.

Even though the floor had been specially treated, it could not completely block the rolling waves of heat emanating from the refining furnace.

Especially when Chiyanzi ignited the Sun Essence Fire, the temperature rose another level.

The originally laid blue stone slabs had already begun to turn red.

The temperature of the ground had now reached a new height.

Wang Ping, however, sat on the ground without the slightest hesitation, even propping himself up with both hands.

While he gasped heavily, his gaze continually drifted toward Chiyanzi.

Although Chiyanzi knew Wang Ping was sneaking glances, he felt no anger at all; instead, he slowed his refining technique a bit.

Wang Ping stared fixedly, then combined what he saw with the introductory explanations of refining, clearing up many of his doubts.

As for the rest, he could only store it in his heart; perhaps if one day he could reach Chiyanzi's level, he would come to understand it.

Just then, Chiyanzi waved his hand; Wang Ping knew the refining was about to finish and that he should leave.

Chiyanzi had him leave the cave dwelling not to prevent him from observing the final refining method of the imitation spiritual treasure, but to protect him.

During the final formation of the imitation spiritual treasure, a powerful pressure and intense heat would erupt.

With only mid-stage Qi Refining cultivation, he could not withstand it at all.

Watching Wang Ping slowly leave the refining room, Chiyanzi nodded almost imperceptibly.

He then devoted all his attention to the refining.

Outside the refining room, Wang Ping slowly walked outward.

Suddenly a snowflake drifted onto his forehead, a hint of coolness flashing by.

It's snowing!

Wang Ping thought to himself, only now realizing that the outside was shrouded in mist.

Stepping outside, Wang Ping looked downward; below, a large amount of mist had gathered, the result of rising steam.

Once again, the snow season had arrived.

Wang Ping simply sat at the entrance of the refining room, blankly gazing outside.

It's been a year since I came here, right?

He hadn't leisurely enjoyed the outside scenery like this in a long time.

Each day he was either smashing spiritual materials or resting; over the whole year, his Qi Refining cultivation made no progress at all.

Of course, Wang Ping didn't much care about that.

But when he thought of his body-refining cultivation, his face filled with a strange expression.

This year, his body-refining cultivation had advanced leaps and bounds, faster than before when he swallowed pure spiritual energy for cultivation, and now he had reached the stage of Iron Body Great Perfection.

Perhaps it had to do with his daily hammering of iron lumps; Wang Ping had considered this possibility more than once.

Just a simple swing of the hammer, he studied it for a month; the force techniques involved benefited him greatly.

Closing his eyes, Wang Ping slowly inhaled the cold air into his lungs; the slight heat on his body seemed to be dispelled.

Chiyanzi had said this was fire poison; long-term refiners inevitably exhibit such symptoms to some degree.

This year, though he was tired, Wang Ping felt his life had been very fulfilling.

Chiyanzi had never taught him anything, but it never hindered his observing from the side.

Therefore, even if he was exhausted to the point of death each day, he would still finish watching Chiyanzi's refining before returning to ponder it.

To save time, he had also taken Bigu Pills for a year, merely to save a little time spent eating.

Every day he was engaged in tense, busy work and study; as a cultivator, he often went seven or eight days without sleep.

Wang Ping often joked that cultivating immortality made him more tired than a dog.

Nevertheless, these were worthwhile; Chiyanzi had once offhandedly remarked that he had now reached the level of crafting low-grade magical artifacts.

He needed to find a time to try it out; after observing for so long, his hands were already itching.

"Is that Wang Ping's junior brother over there?"

Wang Ping was leaning against the stone wall in a daze when a voice suddenly sounded from outside.

His brows furrowed slightly; half a year ago, the Crimson Flame Peak's second-tier mountain-guarding formation had been activated, blocking not only outsiders from entering but also shielding the view.

Outsiders could not see inside from outside at all; how could that person see him, and moreover recognize him?

Wang Ping asked himself that in the Azure Moon Sect he was merely a nobody; in the six years since joining the sect, the disciples and stewards he had interacted with numbered no more than ten.

That the person outside actually knew him was absolutely out of the ordinary.

Perhaps!

Wang Ping thought of a possibility: that person was likely here for Chiyanzi.

The person outside never imagined that a mere simple question would let Wang Ping guess his intention.

At that moment, he was outside, looking at Wang Ping glancing around, and couldn't help but chuckle.

This person is called Mosheng, a Foundation Establishment disciple from Lone Goose Peak, a neighboring peak of Crimson Flame Peak.

Ordinarily he is not summoned, making it impossible for him to enter the second-tier area.

Seven days ago, his master Hongyan Zhenren suddenly summoned him and gave him a mirror, instructing him to pay attention to Crimson Flame Peak's movements and report to him at any time.

He knew there was catnip inside, but as a disciple he dared not defy his master's order; moreover, he was glad, for the spiritual energy density and purity in the second-tier area far surpassed that of the first-tier area.

Cultivating here for one day equals three days of cultivation outside.

In the past seven days there had been no movement on Crimson Flame Peak at all; just now, as he wanted to cultivate a bit longer, he discovered a person had appeared at the entrance of the refining room.

He immediately reported the news to his master; Master Hongyan True Person at once ordered him to strike up a talk with that disciple, preferably getting him into the mountain peak.

His inquiry just now was exactly as the teacher had instructed.

Seeing that disciple looking around, Mo Shen again opened his mouth to ask.

"I am Mo Shen, my master is Master Hongyan True Person; my cave dwelling is on Solitary Goose Peak. I originally came to pay respects to my teacher, but I never expected to find besides Master Chiyan Elder, there is a new person on Chiyan Peak. This is indeed cause for celebration."

After looking around, Wang Ping discovered the sound was indeed coming from outside.

At that moment, hearing the other party introduce himself and especially hearing his words, he couldn't help but snort.

You, a Qi Refining disciple, going to pay respects to your teacher is perfectly fine, but idle busybodies, seeing a new person on the neighboring peak, rush over to fawn, you're basically trying to rub someone's intelligence in the ground!

"Junior Brother! Why aren't you speaking? Could it be that you look down on your Senior Brother?"

Wang Ping heard this, inwardly smirked, and waited to see what tricks he could pull.

He then shouted outward: "Senior Brother, please don't blame me; I've been exhausted from recent cultivation, and my mind is a bit foggy."

Wang Ping wasn't wrong about that; his current appearance—hair disheveled, upper body almost naked, pants somewhat torn, face unwashed for a long time—made him look rather decadent.

Outside, Mo Shen had no suspicion of him; the reputation of Chiyanzi of Chiyan Peak already stank to high heaven.

The cultivators who work for him there are almost exploited to the limit; almost every cultivator who comes out of Chiyan Peak turns pale at the mention of Chiyan.

He had also seen some fellow disciples who came out of Chiyan Peak, their eyes vacant, their vital energy scattered; upon seeing that scene, he sucked in a breath of cold air.

Now, seeing the appearance of that Junior Brother Wang Ping in his own hands, it made him feel apprehensive toward Chiyan Peak.

At the same time, he felt a hint of sympathy for Wang Ping, wondering how long the other could endure.

Mo Shen still didn't know that Wang Ping had already been staying at Chiyan Peak for a year; otherwise he would definitely regard Wang Ping as a heavenly being.

As for Wang Ping's talk of cultivation, heh, it's just labor; he didn't expose it, paused, then spoke again.

"Junior Brother, the path of cultivation is long; heaven and earth have yin and yang, so our cultivation must also observe proper balance between tension and relaxation!"

Wang Ping replied: "Senior Brother says true, but my situation here is somewhat complicated." He also deliberately sighed.

Mo Shen was slightly pleased, hurriedly put on a concerned tone and asked.

"Oh! I don't know what worries you, Junior Brother; speak up and let Senior Brother listen. Rest assured, as fellow disciples of the Azure Moon Sect, we should watch out for and help each other."

"Strangely enough, I feel an affinity toward you at first sight, Junior Brother. How about this? You open the mountain's grand formation, and I have here a bottle of spirit wine that aids cultivation."

"Today, you and I, as senior and junior brothers, can enjoy the snow and drink wine amidst this sky‑filled wind and snow; from now on, your affairs will be my affairs."

Mo Shen spoke with a sincere expression, this feeling genuine and moving; even he himself felt a bit touched.

Wang Ping appeared to listen attentively, but inwardly he smirked slightly; the fox's tail was already showing.

At the same time, he marveled at this fellow disciple's eloquence.

"If it were a disciple inexperienced in the world, he would probably already have taken a liking to him; Wang Ping thought a moment, then feigned emotion and replied."

"Thank you, Senior Brother; I also want to sample that spirit wine, but the mountain's grand formation was opened by Senior Chiyanzi; without his order, I dare not open the formation themselves."

Upon hearing that, Mo Shen sensed an opportunity, feigned a sigh and said.

"Junior Brother Ah! You and I can be considered instant old friends; us cultivators, a single secluded retreat can last who knows how long; if we miss today's chance, we might not meet again for an unknown time."

"It's just a pity about that bottle of spirit wine. It's said that a sip can increase five strands of spiritual power, and the key is that it's easy to refine."

While speaking, he also opened the wine jar and secretly cast a spell to send a waft of its fragrance into Chiyan Peak.

His mouth curled in a smile, inwardly he felt smug, not believing you could resist the temptation.

Wang Ping twitched his nose, feeling somewhat tempted, yet his face showed hesitation.

Mo Shen, who had been watching Wang Ping's expression, seeing this, seized the moment to tempt him.

"Junior Brother! Master Chiyanzi is probably in seclusion; now only you are on the peak—if you don't tell and I don't tell, who would know? This is a rare wine seen once in a hundred years! Junior Brother, if you drink it, a sip adds five strands of spiritual power, saving you countless effort!"

Wang Ping feigned great temptation, finally gritted his teeth, humbly glanced backward, then whispered.

"Senior Brother! I'll only open a small gap; come in quickly."

Speaking, he picked up a jade tablet, which is the control switch for the mountain grand formation's entry and exit.

Wang Ping formed a sword finger, held it before his mouth, and murmured an incantation.

The next second, the great mist that had originally surrounded Chiyan Peak suddenly began to churn.

A narrow passage slowly appeared.

At this moment, Wang Ping's slightly tense voice came from inside: "Mo Senior Brother, hurry, come in."

Mo Shen curled the corner of his mouth, disdainfully saying: "Heh! Since ancient times, wealth moves hearts; cultivators are no exception."

Saying that, he stepped forward.

His pace was neither fast nor slow; when he entered the grand formation, the rear closed again.

For no reason, his heart suddenly felt uneasy, and he involuntarily quickened his steps forward.

Soon he reached the end, only to find no way forward; he panicked, this being a second‑tier grand formation, and shouted loudly.

"Junior Brother, quickly open the formation; Senior Brother still wants to separate you for a drink and pleasant talk!"

After waiting a while, there was no movement outside; his heart skipped a beat, he shouted again, and from outside came a voice choked with tears.

"Senior… Senior Brother! Junior Brother, this is my first time using the formation tablet; I'm not yet proficient and accidentally activated the formation."

Mo Shen's face turned green; "First time opening the formation tablet, why didn't you say earlier? I've already entered the formation."

"Boom! A flame suddenly shot up beside him; the terrified heat frightened him, and he shouted."

"Junior Brother, save me!"

Wang Ping's voice came in at this moment: "Senior Brother, don't panic; Junior Brother is figuring it out, rest assured you'll be out soon!"

No sooner had his words fallen than a fire dragon suddenly flew over his head, his hair instantly igniting.

"Junior Brother, Junior Brother, don't try again," Mo Shen shouted in fear.

"Senior Brother, that won't do; it's very dangerous in there, Junior Brother will try again."

Mo Shen almost burst out cursing upon hearing that; "Damn, if you don't try, I'll be safer."

Outside the formation, Wang Ping watched the anxiously spinning Mo Shen, playing with the formation token in his hand, and innocently said:

"I really am using this kind of formation token for the first time! However, Senior Chiyanzi only gave me the incantation to open the outer formation, not the incantation for the inner formation!"