Chapter 452: Refining Swords

Xu Jia walked to the Dantian; the Six Dings were currently performing the final stage of pill enrichment.

Huang Yi held a brush, writing and sketching, recording the important processes and detailed steps of this alchemy session.

Xu Jia nodded slightly. After asking him and Duan Ziyu a few questions, as the flames in the Dantian gradually extinguished and the temperature cooled, Xu Jia personally opened the furnace to collect the pills.

There were no strange phenomena here like those that appear in novels: there was no lightning tribulation upon the pills' completion, no auspicious signs, no pill fragrance, and no pill-turned-creatures trying to escape.

Inside the Dantian, one could see densely packed pills, about the size of Maltesers, lying there like eggs in a chicken coop.

These pills were not pitch-black; they had an outer shell that looked like light cyan glass, with purple Qi swirling within.

Xu Jia took one and put it into his mouth. The shell melted upon contact; the purple Qi turned into liquid, carrying a faint grape flavor—the outside was a green grape, and the inside was a purple grape.

As for why he used Kunlun Mountain spirit peaches to refine grape-flavored pills, the answer is that Ancestor Xu has achieved the creation of all things; whatever he thinks of, that is the flavor it becomes.

"One pill is roughly equivalent to a hundred days of Qi gathering for an Innate Qi Refiner," Xu Jia nodded.

He said to Duan Ziyu and Huang Yi: "This batch of pills has three thousand six hundred and fifty. Except for the one I just ate, the remaining three thousand will go into storage; whoever wants them can trade for them with merit. As for the rest, every disciple, whether they have cultivated or not, shall receive one for Qi refining and Foundation Establishment, or to stabilize their minds."

"You two shall have twenty-four each. Zuigai and Shan Ren will be allotted twelve each. The remaining ones will be sent to the two Earth Immortals, twelve each, and the rest will be used for the upcoming Opening of the Mansion Ceremony."

"Yes!"

Duan Ziyu felt moved. This Ancestor is truly kind, paying out of his own pocket to subsidize the disciples. This purple Qi was gathered by himself, these spirit medicines were his own stock, and the pills were refined by his own hand.

"Since we have refined pills, we cannot neglect weapon refining, especially sword forging. I have had some friendship with the Luling Zhujian Zhuang in the past, but I forgot to call them this time. I will call them to attend the Opening of the Mansion Ceremony as well."

"But waiting for them to arrive... the disciples do not have any powerful weapons or Dharma treasures. It just so happens that I have some research into weapon refining. Mass-producing first-class flying swords is difficult, but second-class ones are not. You two go ask the two elders of Huashan about the Huashan Sect's original inventory—see if there is any remaining spirit iron, exotic ore, or Five Metal Essence. Even if there isn't, the flying swords confiscated from the heterodox sects can be melted down and reforged."

"Yes! Ancestor!"

Duan Ziyu thought to himself: The Ancestor is truly kind, even forging flying swords and divine weapons for us. Even if they are standard-issue flying swords, forged by the Ancestor, they are likely far better than those meticulously crafted by ordinary master smiths. After all, he is a Sun God Real Person; he has the confidence to do so.

"Weapon refining is not like alchemy; you two cannot withstand the furnace fire, so I can only call Huo Can'er to copy the technique. This also saves people from saying I am biased and unwilling to teach a way to make a living."

The two had wanted to continue learning the craft, but hearing Xu Jia say this, they had to give up.

When Huo Can'er arrived, he was a wild monster who only liked to nest in volcanoes and did not understand human social conventions. During these days, apart from doing what Xu Jia ordered, he had to rely on the two Earth Immortals of Huashan for many things. After asking the two elders, he would ask a few True Transmission Disciples, and then ponder it himself.

After all, having cultivated for a thousand years, he was not a simple character. He quickly got the hang of it and put his heart into it, realizing that the Huashan Sect leader—while called a leader—was actually just a General Manager of internal affairs. He had some power, but not much, especially with such a living Ancestor above him.

However, he was also quite content; at least he had a backer.

Hearing Xu Jia say he was to be recruited for weapon refining, he was even happier and came over eagerly. He had scoured the entire Huashan mountain; previously, when they drove out the heterodox sects, some who were disobedient and refused to leave were killed on the spot, and their property was all turned over to the public treasury.

If nothing else, there were some low-grade materials, and seven or eight second or third-rate flying swords. Added to the original Huashan Sect inventory—though the valuable items had been taken away—there were still some worthless, bulky, and hard-to-move pieces of meteorite and stubborn iron left behind.

Meteorites like this, the good ones are called "Extraterrestrial Star Iron," and the bad ones are just stubborn iron, which is both hard to break and hard to refine.

Only someone like Dutian Liehuo Zushi would collect them.

It is worth mentioning that this Dantian was cast from this stubborn meteorite iron, which is why it is so heat-resistant and able to withstand the true fire of Dutian Liehuo Zushi without being burned and melted together.

Xu Jia saw this piece of stubborn meteorite iron, which was as big as a house, and found it curious. He asked, "Is there any record of this thing?"

"It has been passed down since the Han Dynasty," the two Huashan elders said. "Back then, when the meteorite fell on Huashan, Han alchemists, ancient Immortals, and Qi Refiners all studied it. But it is far inferior to the meteorite the First Emperor used to refine the Undying Medicine during the Qin Dynasty. Those who took external elixirs refined from this stone all died suddenly."

"Later, Ancestor Chen Tuan obtained this thing and said that this meteorite is a giant Inner Elixir. Inside, there is stellar magnetism, intertwining and forming a Hunyuan, which is why it is not only tightly attracted to itself but also indestructible."

"Even Dutian Liehuo Zushi could only peel off some of it by pouring water and refining with fire to forge this furnace. This furnace has no other ability; it is just heavy, heat-resistant, and unbreakable. As for the rest, it doesn't even have a single restriction or spiritual nature. It is precisely because of this characteristic that the medicinal properties are not lost, but also because of this, ordinary flames find it hard to heat the furnace. Only the true fire of Dutian Liehuo Zushi, and your own ability, Ancestor, can drive it."

Xu Jia glanced at them: "A piece of stubborn iron that even Ancestor Chen Tuan and Dutian Liehuo Zushi could not handle—are you two testing me?"

"We wouldn't dare, we wouldn't dare. It's just that successive ancestors have all regarded this piece of stubborn iron as a regret, unable to forge it into a divine weapon. If the Ancestor can forge it, it will surely be one more treasure to keep by one's side. Even if only some scraps fall off and are mixed into flying swords, they would likely not be inferior to first-class flying swords."

"Enough, stop the flattery." Xu Jia was also somewhat moved.

He sensed it for a moment, and indeed, there was an extremely strong magnetic force inside, constantly moving in a circular motion, forming a massive suction.

In the Huangtian tradition, it is said that since the creation of the universe, many types of light have been produced, various cosmic rays possessing incredible power, among which the Innate Five Tais Divine Light is the supreme.

Below the Five Tais, there are the Innate Yin-Yang Profound Magnetic Divine Light, the Innate Five Elements Divine Light, and so on. If they come into contact with the creation of life-Qi, they gestate into Innate Divine Saints; if they come into contact with precious materials, they gestate into Innate Spiritual Treasures.

Xu Jia felt that this meteorite was very likely a chaotic spiritual egg gestating an Innate Spiritual Treasure.

Most importantly, when Xu Jia refined Xiantian Kun Steel to make the Weiji Immortal Sword, it was also such a meteorite. But that meteorite had a history; it fell into the mortal world when the Heavenly Furnace tipped over.

This piece might be a rare treasure gestated in the chaotic Taixu since the beginning of the world.

The strong magnetism inside fears no Five Metals and does not fear the calcination of ordinary true fire. In Xu Jia's view, unless one uses another type of strong magnetism or divine light to strike and destroy the Hunyuan-like state of the elixir inside, even the Weiji Immortal Sword would have no effect. If one wanted to borrow it to cultivate a magnetic divine ability, one would likely have their own Dharma Power and true Qi sucked away instead.

No wonder it is called a piece of "stubborn iron."

Xu Jia thought and said: "This object should not have fallen on Huashan. It might belong at the North or South Poles, where one could perhaps use the magnetic poles of the entire world to break it. It would be best to go to the Earth's core to find the Earth's divine magnetism."

"Does the Ancestor have no way either? The Ancestor's Immortal Sword is extremely sharp, as if it could split the sky."

Xu Jia had a mind to imitate Laojun and forge it with a series of strikes, but it was hard to find a place to start. Finally, he said: "Move this stubborn iron to the peak of Huashan to serve as a sword-testing tool. At the same time, it can attract and avoid lightning. Once it is struck by heavenly lightning enough times and can no longer absorb it, it will naturally burst open when the time comes. There should be an Innate Spiritual Treasure inside; it is just not yet born. The shell that was peeled off before was nothing more than acquired spiritual material."

"It is actually an Innate Spiritual Treasure?" The eyes of these disciples shone as they looked at the large meteorite; it was completely different now.

"A good treasure, a good treasure! No wonder Ancestor Chen Tuan and Dutian Liehuo Zushi could do nothing about it. Since the Ancestor can point out its origin, could it be that you have seen an Innate Spiritual Treasure before?"

Xu Jia said: "If we are talking about Innate Spiritual Treasures, it doesn't quite count. My Weiji Immortal Sword is made from Innate Kun Steel from the Shangjie and has obtained the killing intent of the Three Talents, so it can also be considered an Innate Treasure. However, it was refined in the lower realm; after all, it is not natural and has not reached perfection. It might be classified as an Innate Dharma Treasure."

Xu Jia sighed at the richness of this world's foundation; it is not like the Desire Realm. He did not know what the Form Realm was like. It is said that in the Form Realm, everyone lives for over a thousand years, and those Heavenly Beings are all at the Pure Yang Primordial Spirit realm.

Of course, those who cultivate from the lower realm to the Sun God and ascend are all outstanding talents and elites. Compared to these Heavenly Beings who are naturally Sun Gods, they are not ordinary, but there is inevitably some gap.

Therefore, many cultivators will strive to raise their Immortal rank while still in the lower realm. After ascending, they will at least have an official position and not be indistinguishable from the masses.

Ordinary Heavenly Immortals, upon reaching the Form Realm, only hold a Seventh Rank position; the stronger ones hold a Fifth Rank. Only peerless powerhouses like Heavenly Master Xu Xun could ascend to the Shangjie with a Third Rank position. Even Wang Lingguan, the number one security guard before the Jade Emperor and one of the few in the Three Realms who can fight, only holds a Fifth Rank position. As for Second Rank and First Rank positions, one must accumulate seniority and cultivate to a higher realm.

Of course, some relatively mediocre Heavenly Venerables only hold Third or Fourth Rank positions, and weaker Emperors only hold Fourth or Fifth Rank positions. As for Star Lords and True Lords, the good ones might have Fourth or Fifth Rank, while the poor ones have no more than Seventh or Eighth Rank.

If Xu Jia does not take the path of raising the entire world's dimension—where the earth is three feet thick and everyone is like a dragon—but instead just ascends by moving his entire household, relying on the Spiritual Treasure tradition to cultivate to a Heavenly Immortal, he would only be fighting for a Fifth or Seventh Rank.

And this is only after receiving the nourishment of three worlds and two lifetimes of cultivation to achieve this.

Although he could not handle this stubborn iron, Xu Jia used the Weiji Immortal Sword and the Nanming Li Fire Sword to scissor and cut off some iron skin and filings.

Then he ordered Huo Can'er to light the fire and stuff all these miscellaneous things into the Dantian to re-refine them.

The two Earth Immortals of Huashan were also moved: "Ancestor, we wonder if our flying swords can also be returned to the fire for re-refining?"

"They can. Sword refining is the same as alchemy; it also emphasizes Nine Revolutions Seven Returns. Refining from form to formlessness, from quality to lack of quality, and then repeating it—refining from formlessness to form, from lack of quality to quality, or formless with quality, or qualityless with form—all can enhance the power of the flying sword."

Xu Jia said: "You both cultivate the Fierce Fire Method, but it is a pity that it is a heterodox foundation, and your flying swords also belong to the heterodox category. If you can make up your minds to disperse your cultivation and start over, I have a secret technique for returning to childhood and transforming into an infant. As long as you can re-cultivate to Earth Immortal within 24 years, you will not fear the Calamity."

What Xu Jia spoke of was precisely the method of Xu Jian; he had failed at Corpse Severance and was only able to Return to Soul through Xu Jia's remediation. Moreover, although he is now recultivating, he has not yet reached the level of an Earth Immortal; after all, having walked the path of a heterodox Earth Immortal, his previous experience is no longer of any use.

Unless one is like Xu Jia, cultivating the same technique over two lifetimes, only having gone astray in the previous life and getting it right in this one, while also having the guidance of a spiritual treasure and the support of the Ancestor, can one be so smooth and successful.

The two elders of Huashan looked at each other, but in the end, they dared not: "Ancestor, with major events for the Huashan Sect imminent, there are already few who can step up. If we were to recultivate, then truly, the Ancestor would have to step in for everything."

Seeing that they were unwilling to disperse their cultivation and start over, Xu Jia shook his head: "The two of you, go follow Huo Can'er and tend the fire!"

He immediately ordered Huo Can'er to spit out its natal true fire, and Xu Jia deployed the eighteen Dutian Liehuo Qi, the Heart Lord Fire God, the Left Eye Sun Lord, and the corresponding Six Jia Divine Sages, which were the Rat, Tiger, Dragon, Horse, Monkey, and Dog.

Each of the Six Jia held a hammer; the Tiger, Dragon, and Horse held large hammers, while the Rat, Monkey, and Dog held small hammers.

The large hammers hammered the substance and quality, while the small hammers hammered the spirituality and Dharma nature.

The Heart Lord and Sun Lord were not idle either; the Heart Lord burned away impurities, and the Sun Lord chanted spells, refining the essence of pure yang into them, along with various Talismans.

Next was the Lung Lord; the Lung Lord governs sharpness and governs Qi, and thus sharpened the sword implements and applied sword Qi, for famous swords all come with their own sword Qi.

Besides this, the Kidney God, the Bladder God, and the Jiujiang Shuidi of the various Water Vein acupoints were quenching the fire or spraying oil.

There were even several Demon Gods, such as the Five Elements Demon God, the Nine-Child Mother Demon God, and the Maiden Demon God.

One by one, they danced as a sacrifice, drawing in the yang demons of the nine heavens and the yin demons of the nine netherworlds to test the sword with demons, serving the purpose of Sacrificial Sword.

For a time, besides the clanging sounds and the glowing red faces, Huo Can'er and the two elders of Huashan could actually hear low murmurs, and their expressions were difficult to control.

"How is it that we have never seen this sword-forging method of the Ancestor's before?"

Xu Jia did not care what they thought; he only felt the firepower was insufficient, and neither the Dutian Liehuo Dazhen nor Huo Can'er's natal true fire had enough intensity.

He then transformed the Ten Thousand Crow Pot into a Golden Crow, the South Bright Li Fire Sword into a Vermilion Bird, and added the Heavenly Fire Divine Flame that the Sacred Fire Sect had stolen from the Heavenly Emperor.

Finally, the furnace was burned to a glowing red, but at this moment, the flames were already extremely high, and the two elders of Huashan could not endure it. Only Huo Can'er, as an exotic species of fire silkworm, enjoyed eating fire; not only did it not feel uncomfortable, but it actually developed a wave of appetite: "These fires are all rare innate true fires and chaotic spirit flames. If I could eat them, I would surely transform from a worm into a dragon, but unfortunately, I cannot eat them." For a moment, it felt infinite regret.

However, even if it could not eat them, taking advantage of the sword refining to absorb some fire Qi and Spirit Machine was also quite good.

(End of this chapter)