Chapter 46: with translation of chapter title

"Here?"

He looked at the somewhat aged shop before him and showed a doubtful expression.

The shop wasn't big; several bare-chested sturdy men held hammers, constantly striking metal tools, the "ding ding dang" sounds and flying sparks making it look quite hot.

But the problem is, these sturdy men are merely forging ordinary iron tools, and from them Yunhe only sensed a slight fluctuation of Spiritual Power, not even sure if they had reached the first layer of Qi Refining.

The fat Daoist Qian Dajiang, however, gave a hehe laugh.

"Friend, you may not know, this shop has been around for quite some years."

While saying that, he led Yunhe inside.

"Daoist, you've arrived."

"Daoist, you seem to have lost weight recently."

"."

Some of the blacksmiths inside seemed quite familiar with the fat Daoist, and upon entering they all greeted him.

And the fat Daoist did not look down on them for being mortals, even occasionally joking with them a few times.

Yunhe's expression was somewhat strange.

"With such familiarity, this guy must be a professional middleman, right?"

After passing through the hot outer hall and entering inside, Qian Dajiang led Yunhe to find an old man with white beard and hair, leisurely reclining in a rocking chair with his eyes half-closed.

"Daoist Ran, I apologize for disturbing you again."

Qian Dajiang seemed quite familiar with the old man, directly sitting in the chair beside him, casually picking up a few beans from the table and popping them into his mouth to eat.

The old man, eyes narrowed to a slit, upon seeing the fat Daoist Qian Dajiang, angrily laughed and scolded:

"You damned fake Daoist, coming again to mooch food and drink off this old man?"

"What do you mean fake Daoist!"

The fat Daoist Qian Dajiang, who always appeared harmless and good-natured, upon hearing the three words 'fake Daoist' actually jumped up from his chair.

Staring with his not-so-big eyes, he said:

"My humble Daoist studied under Daoist Qingyun of Yunqing Temple, my grandmaster is the hermit Zhuyue, and my great-grandmaster is"

Before he could finish speaking, the old man helplessly said:

"Yes yes yes, your great-grandmaster is Chang Songzi, from the Qingzong Sect. Fake Daoist, haven't you been shouting about wanting to return to the Qingzong Sect to acknowledge your ancestors? Why haven't you gone back yet?"

Qian Dajiang, choked by the old man's words, momentarily didn't know what to say, opening and closing his mouth for a while, finally letting out a dejected sound.

"I, you, this — it's not that my master said one must enter the secular world to leave it. Furthermore, if I were to return like this, wouldn't I embarrass my master? At the very least, I should have the Cultivation Base of late-stage Qi Refining!"

The old man laughed and shook his head, clearly well acquainted with the fat Daoist.

Turning his head, he only then noticed Yunhe standing to the side; after a slight start, he quickly rose and bowed, saying:

"Please forgive me, it's all because that fake Daoist blinded my view."

Yunhe didn't mind being slighted either, returning the bow with a smile.

"You're being too polite, Daoist friend."

The fat Daoist Qian Dajiang also reacted, his eyes rolling, he grinned and said:

"Hey, I originally wanted to introduce you to some business, but now it seems"

That Ran-surnamed old man completely ignored him; upon hearing the word 'business', his eyes lit up slightly, he stepped forward and politely said:

"It's my negligence; please forgive me, Daoist friend."

Saying that, he then shouted toward the outside:

"Tiezhu, serve tea! Serve spiritual tea!"

He then led Yunhe to sit at the table.

"May I ask what item you wish to forge, Daoist friend?"

The previously ignored fat Daoist Qian Dajiang also didn't mind, interjecting:

"Daoist Yunhe, Daoist Ran's artifact-forging skill is still not bad; he has forged several top-grade Magical Artifacts before, his forging level is absolutely not inferior to those family-supported artifact smiths!"

"Oh?"

Yunhe was somewhat surprised.

"Then why are the people at the door all forging ordinary iron? And such people shouldn't have such great fame in Hongye City, should they?"

As a shrewd person, Qian Dajiang obviously noticed his doubt and explained:

"You may not know, Daoist Ran's granddaughter has already joined the Qingzong Sect."

"Is this answer related to his doubt?"

"Hehe, I am old and know the Dao is hopeless for me; to see my granddaughter join the Qingzong Sect is already a great fortune in life. Now, unless I have excellent materials, I do not wish to act."

Simply put, seeing his descendants' blessings, he just wants to enjoy his twilight years.

"Then how does Daoist Qian know that I possess excellent materials?"

Yunhe's expression suddenly turned a bit stern as he stared at the fat Daoist Qian Dajiang and asked in a low voice.

Qian Dajiang suddenly shuddered, waving his hands repeatedly.

"Daoist Yunhe, don't misunderstand; observing you entering the city, looking around with curiosity, you must be visiting Hongye City for the first time. Your travel-worn appearance, though seeming disheveled, your eyes gleam brightly — you must have spent several days in the wilderness."

For an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator, wanting to stay several days in the unprotected wilderness is no easy feat.

"Furthermore, since you inquired about forging, I guess you must have gained something, so."

"No wonder, as soon as I entered the city, this fat Daoist came up to cozy up to me," Yunhe thought to himself.

At the same time, he also memorized what the fat man said, to take it as a warning for the future.

Drawing lessons from this, all of it is experience.

"Daoist friend, don't blame this fake Daoist; although he seems clueless, he still knows a bit of the Dao and its laws, among which is this 'Qi-Observing Technique'."

In addition to the explanation from the old man surnamed Ran, Yunhe finally believed the plump Daoist's words to about seventy or eighty percent.

"Not bad, I do have some decent materials on hand."

Thus Yunhe accepted those words.

Anyway, the plump Daoist and the old man surnamed Ran are only mid-stage Qi Practitioners, and besides, within Hongye City they can't do anything to me.

Upon hearing that, the old man surnamed Ran's eyes lit up with joy, and he eagerly asked:

"What material is it?"

But Yunhe did not take it out immediately; instead, he countered:

"According to my knowledge, refining a high-grade magical artifact requires considerable fire; I wonder what kind of fire you use, Fellow Daoist Ran?"

It's no wonder Yunhe still has doubts; the fire required for refining low- to mid-grade magical artifacts is not high—a wisp of spiritual fire suffices.

But when refining a high-grade magical artifact, ordinary spiritual fire makes it difficult to fully refine the materials; one must use special fires such as earth fire or the kindling fire produced by burning special wood, etc.

Moreover, refining a treasure above a high-grade magical artifact is even harder; it is said that only the innate true fire that a Foundation Establishment cultivator can condense can achieve that.

The old man surnamed Ran was startled, then fell silent.

"That's right."

He flicked his waist, opening his spirit pet bag.

"Hiss—"

Then appeared a centipede about the height of a person, its body covered in dark reddish carapace with streaks of bright red patterns, appearing before the three of them.

"A First Stage Late demonic beast?!"

Yunhe's face tightened suddenly, and he placed his hand on his waist.

However, after this centipede appeared, it did not behave oddly; it simply lay obediently at the feet of the old man surnamed Ran.

"Fellow Daoist, don't be nervous; this flame-pattern centipede is my family's spirit beast, long since devoid of a demonic beast's ferocity. Although it is First Stage Late, as long as it is fed its special ore, it can spew earth fire."

"I see."

Seeing that the flame-pattern centipede truly had no intention to attack, and feeling little threat from it, Yunhe gradually relaxed.

After a brief pondering, he took out a storage bag.

"You guys chat; I'll go take a walk."

The plump Daoist Qian Dajiang, being perceptive, rose to his feet.

He glanced at Yunhe's back and muttered to himself.

"Goodness, the gaze of Fellow Daoist Yun just now was quite frightening."

Yunhe and the old man also did not try to keep him.

The old man surnamed Ran picked up the storage bag, and with Yunhe's permission probed it with his Spirit Sense; immediately his cloudy eyes brightened.

"It is actually the carapace of a golden-thread black-shell scorpion!"

Evidently, the old man surnamed Ran had quite a bit of experience; he recognized at a glance what was stored in Yunhe's storage bag.

"Golden-thread black-shell scorpion—its defensive power is astonishing; Fellow Daoist, you actually managed to slay it, truly admirable."

This is a First Stage Late demonic beast, yet this seemingly ordinary young cultivator before them actually managed to slay it, leaving the old man surnamed Ran both surprised and somewhat alarmed.

In terms of strength, a First Stage Late demonic beast can be tougher than many late-stage Qi Practitioners.

In his gaze toward Yunhe, besides straightforwardness, there was added a touch of respect.

"Luck, just luck," Yunhe said humbly.

The old man surnamed Ran didn't say much more; after a moment's thought, he clenched his fist and struck his palm.

"This carapace is excellent material for refining a defensive magical artifact; I can forge it, Fellow Daoist, what are your requirements?"

Yunhe pressed his lips together.

"I want a sturdy shield, the stronger the defense the better."

"Excellent!" the old man surnamed Ran nodded solemnly.

This material is indeed top-notch; since you are coming to me for the first time, I certainly won't disappoint your expectations. Here's what we'll do: you keep this material; if I fail in the refinement or cannot meet your expectations, it will belong to you.

Yunhe took it and had a look; he was quite surprised.

What the old man surnamed Ran handed over turned out to be a middle-grade Spirit Stone!

Although a single middle-grade Spirit Stone is not enough to offset a high-quality high-grade magical artifact, purely speaking, using it to exchange for this scorpion's entire carapace is more than sufficient.

This gesture fully shows his sincere intentions.

"No wonder he's living carefree; back in his youth he must have accumulated quite a few Spirit Stones—if he ever ran into bandit cultivators,"

His train of thought paused, and Yunhe gently rubbed his brow.

"Why do I keep thinking about bandit cultivators, bandit cultivators—the way of the bandit cultivator is not a righteous path."

In fact, for an artifact smith like the old man surnamed Ran, what he needs most is material of this caliber, such as the golden-thread black-shell scorpion; the process of refining a high-grade magical artifact can benefit him immensely.

He no longer seeks longevity, yet he still pursues his own goals in artifact forging.

Otherwise he wouldn't be limited to refining only those decent-quality materials.

"Then, thank you, Fellow Daoist Ran." Yunhe rose and bowed.

"That's right, that's right."

After leaving the artifact shop, Yunhe did not see the plump Daoist Qian Dajiang, so he simply began to wander around Hongye City on his own.

Subsequently, he rented a moderately sized residence.

Because the old man surnamed Ran needed to make many preparations for his artifact forging, some auxiliary materials still needed to be repurchased, and since the forging would take at least a month or two, Yunhe simply decided to stay there.

At the same time, it was also to sell off those useless magical artifacts, talismans, and red-pattern spirit honey on him, exchanging them for elixirs that could enhance his cultivation.

Although Hongye City does not have as frequent cultivator trading as the Riverside Market, it does have its own market, though it is controlled by the major clans within Hongye City.

Moreover, if he does not wish to endure another perilous journey from the Riverside Market to Hongye City, the best course is to join a large caravan and travel together from Hongye City to Qingshan City, where the Qingzong Sect is located.

It is something that even Yunhe himself did not expect.

He ended up staying there for three years!

In an ordinary residence in Hongye City.

Yunhe, sitting cross-legged in the quiet room, opened his eyes.

After exhaling a long breath, his expression turned into uncontrollable joy.

"Hah—Finally, seventh layer!"

Over three years, by continually converting spirit stones into elixirs, and then with the aid of a "Breakthrough Pill".

Yunhe finally broke through the barrier that had stalled him for nearly three months.

He reached the late stage of Qi Refinement!

"The change from Qi Refinement Fifth Layer to Sixth Layer is not big; I don't know whether, upon reaching late-stage Qi Refinement, the things transmitted between the Cultivator Body and the Demon Beast Body can change."

(End of chapter)