Chapter 116: with translation of chapter title

In a flash, three years passed.

Yunhe, sitting cross-legged inside the cave dwelling, opened his bright eyes, performed a hand seal, and a dark‑lustrous wooden sword floated up before him.

Having refined the Foundation Establishment Innate Heavenly True Fire, the wooden sword's hue shifted slightly under its gentle burn.

Right after, Yunhe exhaled a puff of hazy magical energy, performed another hand seal, which merged with the energy like a mud ox sinking into the sea, and was then scorched by the true fire.

Right after, Yunhe exhaled a puff of hazy magical energy, performed another hand seal, which merged with the energy like a mud ox sinking into the sea, and was then scorched by the true fire.

After a moment.

Yunhe gave a soft shout.

"Condense!"

With his palms pressed together, the Innate Heavenly True Fire suddenly retracted inward, and the wooden sword wrapped in magical energy took on a chilling hue, swiftly contracting.

Finally, a wooden sword shimmering with a bluish‑green tint and etched with fine grain patterns coalesced into a magical artifact.

"This is pretty much a top‑grade magical artifact, right?"

Yunhe lightly grasped the still‑warm hilt and nodded in satisfaction.

Thanks to the enlightening effect of the Three Tribulations Bodhi Seed, he made rapid progress on the Artifact Dao path; in just three years he went from a complete novice in artifact crafting to being able to barely forge a top‑grade magical artifact.

Needless to say, his astonishing rate of progress would leave anyone who knew about it speechless.

If the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Qingzong Sect's Artifact Pavilion learned of this, they would surely regard him as a genius of the Artifact Dao.

However, this achievement stems partly from the extraordinary efficacy of the Three Tribulations Bodhi Seed, and partly from Yunhe's ample supply of artifact‑refining materials.

Compared to alchemy, although a demon beast's carcass can provide plenty of spiritual plants, the limitations of medicinal formulas mean that alchemy isn't simply a matter of tossing any ingredients together—it also requires gathering many auxiliary materials.

But artifact forging is different.

Aside from a few special techniques, most artifact forging involves the artifact refiner combining and shaping existing materials; the final product depends on both the quality of the materials and the refiner's skill.

For Yunhe, who has slain numerous demon beasts, there is certainly no shortage of practice materials.

In fact, if he had

However, he did not put the cart before the horse.

Whether it's artifact crafting, alchemy, talisman crafting, or formation methods, they are all protective means to enhance one's cultivation base.

But over these three years, besides advancing his cultivation base and artifact dao, he also made significant progress in talisman dao and alchemy dao.

Even formation dao

Well, the way of formation dao differs greatly from the other three ways, and it is also more difficult.

Yunhe is only at the entry level, able to lay out some first‑stage basic formations by himself.

As he originally intended.

He will continue this daily secluded cultivation, feeling his progress, until he encounters a bottleneck or sees little effect, at which point he may leave seclusion.

But once the three years of seclusion were up, with no excuse left to consolidate his cultivation base, the sect promptly sent a communication talisman.

Under the sect's protection, sect cultivators enjoy a stable and safe cultivation environment and abundant resources, and naturally must contribute when the sect needs them.

Moreover, this is a time when the righteous and demonic paths are locked in fierce battle.

But it is also appropriate.

By contributing, one can earn the appropriate rewards.

This is a way that rogue cultivators cannot have.

Three days later.

A flying boat departed from the Qingzong Sect's mountain gate, heading straight toward the southeast.

Three Qingzong Sect Foundation Establishment cultivators were aboard the vessel.

They were the Vice Pavilion Master of the Qingzong Sect's Law Enforcement Pavilion, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator named Chi Yihong.

A mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Artifact Pavilion, Liu Tianhong.

Yunhe, a disciple of the Method Pavilion's Grand Elder, also possessed mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation.

One late-stage and two mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators make a formation that would be considered outstanding even on the He Domain's main battlefield.

They have two tasks this time.

First, to exterminate a group of demonic path cultivators who covertly breached the Nine Sects' blockade of the He Domain and entered the Qingyu Domain, their purpose still unknown.

Second, to investigate the Fan Family, an immortal cultivation family at the southeast corner of the Qingyu Domain, to see if they have colluded with demonic sect cultivators.

Compared to heading to the He Domain's main battlefield, performing tasks within the sect's domain is undoubtedly much safer and more relaxed.

Upon hearing about the mission, Yunhe did not refuse.

During the journey, the three hardly spoke.

As the Vice Pavilion Master of the Law Enforcement Pavilion, Chi Yihong is a stern middle‑aged man who rarely smiles, his solemn expression making him seem unapproachable.

As for Liu Tianhong of the Artifact Pavilion, one of those who originally vouched for Yunhe's entry into the sect, the truth is that they have hardly communicated.

Furthermore, Liu Tianhong's disposition is not conducive to easy communication.

She is infamous in the Qingzong Sect for shielding her own and having a fiery temper; her trademark is a pleated red skirt, and many disciples have suffered under her.

One companion is cold and unsmiling, the other hot‑tempered and easily angered.

This left Yunhe feeling helpless, stuck between them.

He had originally thought that, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Artifact Pavilion, Liu Tianhong might be able to offer him some inspiration in artifact dao.

But in this situation, he could only give up on trying to bond with fellow sect cultivators and calmly concentrate on his techniques and settle his qi.

A howling wind swept past his ears.

The sunset's afterglow painted a bold, vivid streak across the horizon.

"We've arrived."

Chi Yihong concentrated on steering the flying boat, which moved at high speed.

Before sunset, the three reached their destination for this journey, Fan City.

An open city located at the southeastern corner of Qingyu Domain.

Unlike those ancient cities near the Heavenly Ridge Mountain Range that need high walls for protection, in the southeastern part of Qingyu Domain where demon beast disasters are rare, most towns and cities are open.

"I'll go investigate the Fan family's situation; you two search together for traces of demonic cultivators."

Chi Yihong concisely finished the arrangements.

"This is a transmission stone toad; in Fan City's territory, it can keep us in contact at any time."

Liu Tianhong then took out three fist-sized stone toads, giving one each to Chi Yihong and Yunhe.

From their swift and decisive actions, it seemed this wasn't their first time carrying out such a task, so they had considerable experience.

"If you discover anything, report it first, then decide on your own whether to act."

After saying that, Chi Yihong flickered and disappeared from sight.

The two remaining people exchanged a glance.

Finally, Liu Tianhong pursed her lips and said, "Let's go to the market first."

"Okay."

Yunhe nodded without objection, merely lightly patting his spirit insect pouch.

The market outside Fan City.

The Exiled Immortal Pavilion.

Yunhe and Liu Tianhong, seated by the window on the top floor, looked down at the bustling crowd, the chaotic stalls, and listened to the various cries of vendors.

To be honest, if Yunhe were an infiltrating demonic cultivator, he would certainly not appear openly in the market.

They also hadn't expected to immediately find traces of demonic cultivators.

In fact, in most cases, after a demonic cultivator infiltrates a place, if they don't do something, it's still hard to quickly locate them in such a vast domain.

But as long as they do something.

Then the market naturally becomes one of the best channels for gathering information.

Without Chi Yihong, the two finally had a chance to talk.

"Junior Brother Yun, did you really slay a late-stage demonic cultivator?"

Liu Tianhong seemed quite fond of alcohol.

After downing the spirit wine in her cup, she gazed at Yunhe with bright eyes, openly sizing him up from head to toe.

She had personally seen Yunhe join the Qingzong Sect as a lone cultivator at the late Qi Refining stage, then successfully achieve Foundation Establishment as a menial disciple, and now his cultivation base is close to catching up with her fellow sect members; to say she isn't curious would be impossible.

Moreover, this person had slain a late-stage Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator and was even taken as a disciple by Elder Hua, the Supreme Elder of the Sect's Technique Pavilion.

Faced with Liu Tianhong's straightforward nature, Yunhe rubbed his wine cup and gave an embarrassed laugh.

"Just luck; that demonic cultivator was already heavily wounded at the time."

The fact that he killed a late-stage Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator and was taken as a disciple by Huaxin had already spread throughout the sect.

That's all.

Simply, the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Technique Pavilion often hold him up as an example when giving lectures to Qi Refining disciples, greatly boosting the enthusiasm and confidence of the sect's disciples.

Without exaggeration, Yunhe is now considered a celebrity not only in the Qingzong Sect but throughout Qingshan City.

Liu Tianhong's expression turned slightly solemn, she raised her cup and said seriously:

"As cultivators, we care only about results, regardless of reasons."

Upon hearing this, Yunhe froze for a moment, then gave a light laugh and nodded.

"That makes sense."

Ding—

The cups lightly clinked.

With the conversation opened, the two began chatting intermittently.

During this, Yunhe revealed that he was studying the artifact craft, which piqued Liu Tianhong's interest, and she proceeded to explain some areas where his knowledge was lacking.

"I didn't expect Junior Brother Yun to have already achieved minor accomplishment in the way of artifact crafting."

Liu Tianhong exclaimed with a hint of surprise.

Given her level of artifact refining, she could naturally discern Yunhe's artifact refining level from his doubts.

Without exaggeration, if Yunhe is willing and doesn't mind wasting materials, he can now barely craft low-grade spiritual artifacts.

Compared to Wei Quan of the Blood Worm Market back then, he is only slightly inferior.

Yunhe was about to speak when he suddenly stopped his motion.

Liu Tianhong opposite him likewise furrowed her brows.

From downstairs came the sound of shouting and cursing.

"Your formation is utterly useless; hurry up and return my spirit stones!"

A fierce-looking cultivator, face full of anger, fiercely smashed the formation flag and device in his hands onto the stall.

The stall owner, meanwhile, was a female cultivator wearing a yellow skirt.

She appeared young and delicate, but her temperament was not as easy to bully as her appearance suggested.

She suddenly stood up, hands on her hips, and said:

"What do you, a rough man, know about formations? This formation must be laid in earthy profound ground and must not be exposed to moisture! Look at the heavy mist on your formation flag—if it could work, that would be strange!"

"How could there be moisture? Do you know where I laid the formation flag? Longken Shoal! Who doesn't know that place is extremely dry?"

The fierce-looking cultivator, not willing to be outdone, shouted back.

As for such market quarrels, passersby had long grown accustomed to them.

They merely glanced at the commotion for a moment, then dispersed.

But after the ruffian's disturbance, even the few cultivators who had originally been interested in the formation on the female cultivator's stall also left.

This made the female cultivator's fair face flush even more, her cheeks reddened with indignation.

Meanwhile, the thug showed a smug expression.

Hmph! I advise you to quickly return my Spirit Stone, otherwise I'll come to your stall every day!

You!

The female cultivator crossed her arms, somewhat amused and angered by the other's shamelessness, she huffed and snorted:

No Spirit Stone!

The thug's smile grew a bit lecherous, 'Hehe—no Spirit Stone? If you'd said so earlier, this is easy.'

Shameless wretch!

Liu Tianhong upstairs showed an angry expression, as if she couldn't bear to see such a thing.

On the contrary, Yunhe revealed an interested look, watching with great relish.

Brother!!

The female cultivator downstairs, seeing the thug's expression, her face slightly panicked, she hurriedly shouted.

Sister?

From behind the female cultivator's door walked out a young man of extremely sturdy build, but with a somewhat simple expression, even somewhat foolish.

Liu Tianhong slapped the table, making a move to stand up.

But Yunhe hurriedly stopped her.

"Huh?" she looked at Yunhe doubtfully.

But she saw his eyes slightly widen, looking at that young man, as if he could hardly believe his own spiritual sense.

'A Golden Core cultivator?!'

Sorry, the update was late due to writer's block, but I managed to catch up.

(End of chapter)