Chapter 270: The Twin Flood-Dragon Scissors, Dispelling the Obsession!

A Three-Pattern Magic Tool.

Looking at the entire Heavenly South, only the Heavenly Foundry Sect publicly possessed the method to refine them.

As long as an artifact refiner had a sixty to seventy percent success rate in forging Two-Pattern Magic Tools, studying the refinement method for a Three-Pattern Magic Tool would practically guarantee their success in crafting one.

However, it was incredibly difficult for a Foundation Establishment artifact refiner to raise their success rate for Two-Pattern Magic Tools to that level.

Only someone with an extraordinary artifact forging talent could achieve it.

If hard work alone were enough, given the Heavenly Foundry Sect's profound foundation in the Dao of Artifacts, more than half of their Foundation Establishment disciples would be able to refine Three-Pattern Magic Tools.

After all, this place gathered countless artifact refining geniuses from all the provinces across Heavenly South.

However, if someone could independently develop a new method for refining a Three-Pattern Magic Tool, that would be an entirely different story.

It required talent, perseverance, time, and luck. Not a single element could be lacking!

This alone proved how precious such methods were!

According to Perfected Person Fire Cloud's estimations, among the young Foundation Establishment disciples of the Heavenly Foundry Sect under the age of one hundred and twenty, there were at most a dozen who had reached the level of a Two-Pattern artifact refiner.

As for Three-Pattern refiners.

Among both the new and older disciples, only a tiny handful of the most outstanding individuals would ever be granted the method to refine Three-Pattern Magic Tools.

The number likely could be counted on one hand.

As for a Foundation Establishment cultivator comprehending a tier-two Artifact Pattern, the Heavenly Foundry Sect might not produce even one in several centuries.

Rong Tianyang glanced at his disciple, then at Xu Deling, his brows knitting tightly together.

Back in the day, he had been one of the few in the Heavenly Foundry Sect granted the refinement method for Three-Pattern Magic Tools, possessing a profound mastery of the Dao of Artifacts.

However, over the past century, he had grown somewhat lax in his artifact research, focusing the bulk of his energy on his cultivation instead.

That was how he had attained his cultivation at the fifth level of the Golden Core stage.

Still, in terms of the Dao of Artifacts, he was at least a Tier 3 Low-Grade artifact refiner.

'This girl's technique and speed in forging a Two-Pattern Magic Tool are clearly a cut above Zhu Shan's. She must have been immersed in this realm for at least several years, if not over a decade.

'To think that Fire Cloud actually managed to nurture such an artifact forging genius.

'However, if she thinks this level of skill is enough to suppress the entire young generation of my Heavenly Foundry Sect, she is purely dreaming!'

He knew very well that there was one individual among the younger generation who had been granted a Three-Pattern Magic Tool refinement method.

The other few were all from the older generation of disciples.

This person was named Zhu Rong, Zhu Shan's older brother, and a personal disciple of the Heavenly Foundry Sect's Sect Master.

Whether in artifact forging talent or cultivation aptitude, he was even more outstanding than Rong Tianyang had been.

Despite his young age, he was already one of the candidates for the position of Junior Sect Master of the Heavenly Foundry Sect.

There were only three such candidates in total.

Two were at the Foundation Establishment stage, and one was at the Early-Stage Golden Core.

Zhu Rong's advantages were his youth and immense talent. The other Foundation Establishment candidate was an older disciple with transcendent artifact forging talent who was currently in seclusion trying to comprehend a tier-two Artifact Pattern.

It seemed highly likely that he would become the Heavenly Foundry Sect's next artifact prodigy to comprehend a tier-two Artifact Pattern while still in the Foundation Establishment stage.

For the position of Junior Sect Master, Zhu Rong currently had the loudest voices of support.

But if that other Foundation Establishment disciple actually succeeded in comprehending a tier-two Artifact Pattern, the tides might turn entirely.

As Rong Tianyang pondered, he was already considering whether he should invite that junior brother over to suppress this girl's arrogance.

Just in case, he sent a telepathic transmission to True Lord Fierce Sun, who was currently in seclusion, informing him of the situation, including Perfected Person Fire Cloud's earlier boastful remarks.

"A century has passed, yet his temperament remains unchanged," True Lord Fierce Sun replied calmly. "As for the Flame Phoenix Blood Pool, it will open in three months, right before the upcoming Prodigy Grand Assembly.

"Your disciple, Zhu Shan, holds one of the spots.

"If you are willing to part with it, you can use his spot to make a wager with Fire Cloud."

"This disciple will consider it," Rong Tianyang replied.

He had gone through great lengths to secure that spot. It was partially because Zhu Shan was True Lord Fierce Sun's grand-disciple, and partially because he was Zhu Rong's biological younger brother.

If it had been anyone else, getting a spot would have been far from certain.

The next day.

The morning light was faint.

Zhu Shan was only halfway through refining his Two-Pattern Magic Tool when Xu Deling successfully completed hers.

Many Heavenly Foundry Sect disciples scoffed. "Forging fast doesn't mean the quality is high!"

"Exactly! Senior Brother Zhu Shan is taking his time to produce meticulous work. Once he succeeds, the quality will definitely crush hers!"

"You can do it, Senior Brother Zhu Shan!"

"Senior Brother Zhu Shan, don't lose to a female artifact refiner from the outside!"

Little did they know that the more they cheered, the more unsettled Zhu Shan's mind became.

He had only become a Two-Pattern artifact refiner two or three years ago, and his success rate was barely over ten percent.

Now that Xu Deling had forged a Two-Pattern Magic Tool in less than a day, it placed an immense amount of pressure on him.

The others were inadvertently piling on even more stress.

Several hours later.

Boom!

The cauldron let out a loud rumble as thick black smoke billowed out of it.

Zhu Shan had failed his refinement.

Forging under the same conditions, Xu Deling had succeeded on her first try. The result spoke for itself.

Even if Zhu Shan were given a few more chances and eventually produced something of slightly higher quality than Xu Deling's...

He had still lost this competition.

Because for an artifact refiner, success rate was also a crucial criterion for evaluation.

"Honored Master," Zhu Shan muttered, lowering his head, afraid to look at Rong Tianyang.

"There is no need for this," Rong Tianyang said calmly. "Setbacks are a common occurrence in war. Furthermore, it was your master's poor judgment that underestimated her."

He then turned to look at Xu Deling. "Xu Deling, was it? Your talent in the Dao of Artifacts is not bad, but your victory over my disciple is simply due to having immersed yourself in forging Two-Pattern Magic Tools for over a decade.

"You merely won through experience!

"Your master, Perfected Person Fire Cloud, claimed you wished to challenge all the disciples of my Heavenly Foundry Sect's younger generation?"

"If the disciples of the Heavenly Foundry Sect are not afraid of losing, they are welcome to compete against me. No matter who they are, I will take them on!" Xu Deling's eyes burned with fighting spirit.

She had not only come to wash away her master's past humiliation but also to dispel his lingering obsession!

Only after that was it about making a name for herself!

And seeking her own opportunities!

"Arrogant!"

"How insolent!"

"Who gave you the courage to speak so arrogantly?!"

"Do you think you're a Grandmaster Smith?!"

The disciples of the Heavenly Foundry Sect all revealed furious expressions and began shouting curses.

"Do you only know how to bark when you have no actual ability?" Xu Deling turned and swept her gaze over the crowd gathered in the plaza. "If you are dissatisfied, step forward and compete with me.

"At the very least, don't tell me you don't even know how to call for backup?"

The anger in the crowd's eyes flared even hotter.

"Let's go! We'll invite Senior Brother Qingyang!"

"I'll go get Senior Brother Wu Ming!"

"I'm going to invite Senior Brother Duan!"

Many people shouted out before taking to the sky and flying off into the distance.

Although Xu Deling didn't often rely on schemes, having grown up in the Xu family, she had absorbed enough to easily manipulate the emotions of others.

The larger the commotion became, the more beneficial it was for Xu Deling and Perfected Person Fire Cloud.

It would also make it easier for them to achieve one of their primary goals for this visit.

Gaining entry to the Heavenly Foundry Sect's treasured land—the Flame Phoenix Blood Pool!

Rumor had it that the Flame Phoenix Blood Pool was formed from the fall of an Ancient Spirit Fowl possessing the Flame Phoenix bloodline.

If a cultivator who specialized in fire-attribute arts entered, it would increase their future chances of Core Formation, and they might even encounter an opportunity to undergo a transformation of their physique or bloodline.

Of course, the latter was merely a legend; no one had ever actually experienced a physique or bloodline transformation.

Rong Tianyang spoke up. "Daoist Friend Fire Cloud, your disciple's tone is exactly like yours from back in the day. If you truly wish for her to enter the Flame Phoenix Blood Pool, it isn't entirely impossible.

"In three months, the once-in-a-sixty-year opening of the Blood Pool will arrive.

"All nine spots have already been allocated.

"And my disciple, Zhu Shan, holds one of those spots."

Perfected Person Fire Cloud smiled faintly. "Your disciple has already lost."

"That disciple of mine is indeed lacking, but that doesn't mean my Heavenly Foundry Sect has no one capable. I can offer this spot as a wager, but what will you stake in return?

"Don't bother offering Spirit Stones or Magic Treasures. My Heavenly Foundry Sect has no shortage of those."

"There are nine spots every sixty years. It isn't extraordinarily precious. I will wager an ancient Dao of Artifacts inheritance covering the refinement of Mid-Grade Magic Treasures and below. That should be sufficient, correct?"

"You have an ancient Dao of Artifacts inheritance?" Rong Tianyang's authoritative demeanor slipped slightly in surprise. "Do not speak nonsense!"

Suspicion filled his eyes as he continued, "You didn't just stumble upon some rogue cultivator's artifact inheritance and decide to call it ancient, did you?"

"Does Daoist Friend Rong truly believe this old man lacks even that much discernment?"

Perfected Person Fire Cloud declared, "If you do not believe me, we can make a Dao Heart Oath. We will swear upon our entire cultivation paths. If the loser cannot produce the wager, their cultivation will forever stall at its current realm, unable to advance even half a step further for the rest of their life!"

Rong Tianyang's pupils shrank slightly. Seeing the man's absolute confidence, he believed him a good fifty to sixty percent. However, he still resolved to make the oath. Even if Perfected Person Fire Cloud couldn't produce the inheritance in the end, the oath would ensure he paid a heavy price.

Given Perfected Person Fire Cloud's potential and age, while reaching the Late-Stage Golden Core might be uncertain, hitting the peak of the Mid-Stage Golden Core was practically guaranteed.

And for an immortal cultivator, there was no greater agony than being utterly incapable of advancing one's cultivation no matter how hard one tried.

They would be forced to watch themselves slowly wither and age!

To watch their lifespan's limit creep ever closer, step by step!

Seeing his master wager the Flame Phoenix Blood Pool spot he had worked so hard to obtain, Zhu Shan immediately spoke up. "Honored Master."

Rong Tianyang shot him a glance and sent a telepathic transmission, "Go and invite your older brother. Or do you lack faith in him as well?"

'My brother?' Zhu Shan paused for a moment. 'That's right! My brother is the most outstanding figure in the Heavenly Foundry Sect's younger generation in the past century. Whether in the Dao of Artifacts or spell battles, he ranks first.

'If he comes, he will definitely win!

'He might not come under normal circumstances, but if my spot in the Flame Phoenix Blood Pool is on the line, he should come, even if reluctantly.'

After all, a part of the reason he had secured the spot was due to his brother's reputation.

"I understand, Honored Master. I will go invite my brother at once."

Zhu Shan cupped his fists and hurried away.

Rong Tianyang and Perfected Person Fire Cloud proceeded to swear their Dao Heart Oaths.

Fifteen minutes later.

People continuously descended into the plaza at the foot of Fierce Sun Peak.

Word had spread that someone was challenging the entire younger generation of the Heavenly Foundry Sect in the Dao of Artifacts, arrogantly claiming she could suppress them all. Anyone who heard the news rushed over.

No one wanted to miss such a rare spectacle.

And the news was still spreading rapidly.

"Make way, Senior Brother Qingyang is here!"

"Look, Senior Brother Wu Ming has arrived as well."

"That's Senior Brother Duan!"

In the blink of an eye.

Nearly all of the top ten artifact refiners of the Heavenly Foundry Sect's younger generation had arrived.

"Senior Brother Qingyang, it's this woman. She spoke arrogantly, claiming she would challenge our entire younger generation in artifact refinement."

"Yes, Senior Brother Qingyang. Senior Brother Zhu Shan just lost to her a short while ago."

"Zhu Shan lost?"

A strange glint flashed in the eyes of Qingyang and the others upon hearing this.

Although Zhu Shan's forging skills barely placed him in the top thirty of the Heavenly Foundry Sect, he was still a Two-Pattern artifact refiner.

In the outside world, there were very few Foundation Establishment cultivators who had reached the level of a Two-Pattern artifact refiner.

Most could only forge Top-Grade Magical Artifacts or Top-Grade Magical Artifact sets.

And that was simply because they lacked the corresponding Dao of Artifacts inheritance.

Seeing that a sizable crowd had gathered, Xu Deling stepped forward and asked, "Dare I ask if the top ten artifact refiners of the Heavenly Foundry Sect have all arrived? If not, I can wait a little longer."

"There is no need to wait, Fairy. I am Qingyang, ranked sixth in the Dao of Artifacts among the younger generation. I ask for your guidance," Qingyang replied.

Xu Deling glanced at him and said indifferently, "Why make it so troublesome? I will forge a single Dharma Tool. You all will judge it. If you are confident you can surpass it, then you forge. If not, each of you will lose one set of artifact forging materials to me.

"This way, you won't waste your materials in vain."

"Fairy, you are arrogant indeed!" Qingyang replied, his brows turning cold. "And what if you lose?"

"Whoever defeats me will receive a set of artifact forging materials. If that isn't enough, I recently acquired a fire-attribute demonic fowl egg that contains a faint trace of some Ancient Spirit Fowl's bloodline.

"If hatched and bound as one's own spirit beast, it would undoubtedly provide significant assistance."

"Very well. I accept this wager," Qingyang declared.

Wu Ming, Senior Brother Duan, and the others all voiced their agreement as well.

Without delay, Xu Deling began refining once more.

Rong Tianyang spoke, "Daoist Friend Fire Cloud, this disciple of yours is truly prideful. Based on my observations earlier, the Dharma Tool she forged still falls a bit short when compared to the top artifact geniuses of my Heavenly Foundry Sect.

"If she loses, do not forget our wager."

Perfected Person Fire Cloud countered with absolute confidence, "How does Daoist Friend Rong know my disciple wasn't simply adjusting her effort to match her opponent?"

Xu Deling calmed her mind and focused her spirit, shutting out everything else as she poured her complete attention into the forging process.

She was still forging a Two-Pattern Magic Tool, but this time, she was holding nothing back.

As for the materials, she had already finished gathering them on her way to the Heavenly Foundry Sect.

While she was refining.

Zhu Shan finally returned, having brought Zhu Rong along.

Many of those present immediately cupped their fists in greeting when they saw him. "Greetings, Martial Uncle Zhu (Senior Brother Zhu)."

It couldn't be helped. Despite all of them being from the younger generation, Zhu Rong was the Sect Master's disciple. Only a portion of the Golden Core disciples dared to address him as Senior Brother.

The Sect Master of the Heavenly Foundry Sect was also a True Lord-level powerhouse at Golden Core Perfection, whose reputation rivaled that of True Lord Fierce Sun.

Because he was preparing to go into seclusion to attempt a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage, a new Sect Master needed to be chosen.

Zhu Rong quietly watched Xu Deling forge, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Brother, what do you think of this woman's attainments in the Dao of Artifacts?" Zhu Shan asked.

"You should be able to defeat her easily, right?"

Zhu Rong glanced at Zhu Shan and replied coolly, "Compared to her, your petty skills in artifact forging aren't even worth one of her toes."

"Brother, there's no need to tear me down like that, is there?"

"What, you can't handle hearing the truth? Forget about you; out of everyone present today, excluding myself, there are perhaps only two who can rival her.

"As for whether they can defeat her, that will depend entirely on the final result of her forging."

"She can actually rank within the top three of our sect's younger generation artifact prodigies?" Zhu Shan was astonished. "But her master is just a rogue cultivator who picked up his skills from nowhere!"

"Some people are simply born as geniuses in the Dao of Artifacts. As long as they cross the threshold, they can soar to the heavens in a single bound."

Zhu Shan fell silent.

This round of forging took Xu Deling a full three days.

That was because she wasn't forging an ordinary Two-Pattern Magic Tool. It was a pair of scissors she had crafted in her youth, where each individual blade could function as a complete Dharma Tool on its own.

When the two blades were combined, their power would far exceed that of a typical Two-Pattern Magic Tool.

Furthermore, Xu Deling had specially prepared the Essence Souls, Demonic Cores, and Essence Blood of two peak tier-two demonic beasts—one possessing the water flood-dragon bloodline, and the other the fire flood-dragon bloodline.

Drawing inspiration from Xu Chuan's refinement method for the Demonic Spirit Pill.

During her travels through the southern part of Heavenly South, she had begun researching this specific type of artifact forging method.

Only after experimenting seven or eight times had she finally succeeded.

Even Perfected Person Fire Cloud had marveled at her results.

Because the success rate of this method was incredibly low, Perfected Person Fire Cloud had cautioned her to use it sparingly.

But he did not know that Xu Deling's talent was akin to "once mastered, forever grasped."

Once she successfully forged an item, her success rate for it would skyrocket, reaching seventy or eighty percent in just a handful of attempts.

Xu Deling had named this Dharma Tool the Twin Flood-Dragon Scissors, or fully, the Water and Fire Twin Flood-Dragon Scissors.

The body was entirely golden, shimmering with radiant colors.

The scissors consisted of a left and right blade. The left blade was roughly half an inch wide and nearly a foot long, with the pattern of a blue flood dragon carved into its surface.

The dragon's head was held high, its whiskers fluttering, and its scales were densely packed and lifelike. Its four limbs stretched out as if it were trying to break free from the metal. A water-like luster flowed through the lines, making it appear vividly alive.

The right blade mirrored the left, but etched into its surface was a crimson flood dragon. Its eyes were wide, its claws sharp as hooks. Flames seemed to dance along its coiling body, and its crimson patterns radiated a warm glow.

Aside from the dragon carvings, the left blade was inscribed with the "Water" Artifact Pattern, and the right with the "Fire" Artifact Pattern.

When the scissors closed, one could see a hemispherical crystal embedded at the joint of each blade. The two halves met seamlessly, forming a perfectly complete sphere.

The lower half of the sphere was an azure blue, while the upper half burned with a fiery crimson.

As the two halves reflected off each other, blue and crimson light flowed over the golden surface of the scissors, giving it an extraordinary appearance.

If one looked closely inside the crystal sphere, they would see the Demon Spirits of the water and fire flood dragons lying dormant within.

Naturally, Xu Deling would not display such a forging technique in public. Therefore, when she reached the critical steps after smelting, she deployed a formation to isolate herself from any probing.

Although Rong Tianyang was curious, with Perfected Person Fire Cloud watching him, he wouldn't go so far as to forcefully use his Golden Core spiritual sense to investigate.

The Dharma Tool was successfully forged.

The formation subsequently dispersed.

A pair of golden scissors, roughly a foot long, floated before Xu Deling, radiating an astonishingly ferocious aura.

She raised her hand and gestured in the air. Finally, the ancient character for "Ling" was stamped onto the surface of the Dharma Tool.

As the ancient character branded itself upon the metal, it instantly transformed into the image of a clearly detailed feather.

The quality of this Dharma Tool represented the absolute peak of Xu Deling's craftsmanship.

Its power was already extremely close to that of a Magic Treasure.

Xu Deling swallowed a pill to restore her mana, then swept her pale golden eyes over the crowd. "These are the Twin Flood-Dragon Scissors. Those who accepted the wager earlier may come up and examine them closely.

"If you admit defeat, hand over a set of artifact forging materials, and you may leave.

"Those who refuse to concede are welcome to start forging and compete to see who is superior."

With the exception of Zhu Rong, the top ten artifact refiners approached with grave expressions, taking turns inspecting the item.

Someone injected mana into it, and the Twin Flood-Dragon Scissors abruptly erupted with a vicious aura that startled the crowd into stepping back.

The scissors levitated in the air as crimson and azure light swirled around them. Above the tool, over a hundred feet in the air, two phantoms of water and fire flood dragons, each spanning seventy to eighty feet, materialized.

They coiled and spiraled around each other, unleashing echoing dragon roars in all directions.

Waves of sound washed over the onlookers. Sensing its sheer ferocity, not a single person could maintain their composure.

And this was only after being partially activated, yet it was already far more tyrannical than a standard Two-Pattern offensive Magic Tool.

If fully unleashed, one could only imagine how terrifying these Twin Flood-Dragon Scissors would be!

Qingyang's face turned livid, his eyes filled with hesitation and conflict. But in the end, it all dissolved into a soft sigh. He shook his head, pulled a set of artifact forging materials from his Storage Pouch, and handed it to Xu Deling.

He then cupped his fists. "My skills are inferior to yours."

Seeing someone else surrender, the others stopped stubbornly holding on. One by one, they paid their wagers and admitted defeat.

At this moment.

Zhu Rong suddenly spoke up. "Fairy Ling, I wonder if you would allow me to examine it as well?"

With a wave of her hand, Xu Deling sent the Twin Flood-Dragon Scissors floating over to him.

After carefully observing and studying them, Zhu Rong pushed the scissors back toward Xu Deling and sighed. "No wonder Junior Brother Qingyang and the others all felt ashamed of their inferiority.

"The method used to forge these scissors is something I have truly never heard of before. It is an utterly brilliant concept that no ordinary person could ever conceive. The forging technique itself has also reached the absolute pinnacle, truly the limit of the Foundation Establishment stage.

"Their defeat is not unjustified."

Hearing his evaluation, Xu Deling asked seriously, "Who are you?"

"My name is Zhu Rong. Next, I will ask for your guidance, Fairy. If you can win, it means you have suppressed all the artifact forging geniuses of my Heavenly Foundry Sect's younger generation."

"It seems you are the number one figure among the Heavenly Foundry Sect's current younger generation."

Zhu Rong nodded slightly, frankly admitting it.

"Having seen my Twin Flood-Dragon Scissors, Daoist Friend Zhu Rong is still so composed and at ease. Do you feel you have absolute certainty of victory?" Xu Deling asked smoothly. "Do you dare to place a wager with me?"

"Wager a set of materials?"

Xu Deling chuckled and shook her head before saying something truly shocking. "We will wager that method for refining Three-Pattern Magic Tools you hold in your hands."

Everyone's expressions changed upon hearing this.

That was a secret forging method the Heavenly Foundry Sect absolutely refused to teach outsiders.

Even Zhu Rong's state of mind was shaken. "Fairy Ling's boldness is enough to swallow mountains and rivers. Unfortunately, unless the sect grants permission, I cannot pass it on to anyone."

"That is truly a pity. I was even planning to use the refinement method for the Twin Flood-Dragon Scissors to exchange for it."

"I very much wish to experience Fairy's refinement method for the Twin Flood-Dragon Scissors. Since we are all artifact refiners, naturally, the more materials we accumulate, the better.

"I will wager five sets of tier-three materials and thirteen sets of top-tier tier-two materials.

"Are you willing, Fairy?"

"Throw in the Dharma Tool you're about to forge. If I lose, I will offer up both the Twin Flood-Dragon Scissors and their refinement method."

Zhu Rong weighed the options in his mind.

Although the power of the Twin Flood-Dragon Scissors wasn't quite a match for a Three-Pattern Magic Tool, it was incredibly close. And more precious was its refinement method, which could be considered a special Dao of Artifacts inheritance.

Next, it was Zhu Rong's turn to forge. He also utilized a formation to conceal his process.

After all, the method to forge a Three-Pattern Magic Tool was an untold secret, and only a select few permitted individuals were allowed to witness it.

The corners of Xu Deling's lips curled up slightly.

'He finally took the bait!'

All she had ever wanted from the start was the Three-Pattern Magic Tool!

Because she knew full well that no matter what, the Heavenly Foundry Sect would never hand over the actual refinement method.

It was several times more precious than a spot in the Flame Phoenix Blood Pool!

Although researching it without the refinement method would be difficult, given Xu Deling's talent in the Dao of Artifacts, it would merely cost her an extra few years of time.

After all, this was the very path she had started on—drawing inspiration from the Dharma Tools of others to enrich her own foundation in the Dao of Artifacts.

Forging a Three-Pattern Magic Tool was complex and arduous.

It took Zhu Rong seven or eight days before he successfully completed it.

"Fairy Ling, this spear is named the Heavenly King Spear. Please appraise it!"

He tossed over the dark golden Heavenly King Spear, heavily inscribed with three distinct Artifact Patterns.

"These are the three special Artifact Patterns of 'King', 'Tyrant', and 'Saint', representing the paths of the King, the Tyrant, and the Saint. The three patterns complement and reinforce one another. The name 'Heavenly King' is well-deserved."

Xu Deling stroked the Heavenly King Spear, her heart brimming with joy. But trying to deduce its refinement method purely from a brief touch was utterly impossible.

A moment later.

She returned the Heavenly King Spear to Zhu Rong and praised, "A fine spear!"

"This truly represents the absolute pinnacle of a Dharma Tool. My own forging method is indeed slightly inferior."

'It seems the spot has been secured.'

Zhu Shan let out a sigh of relief in his heart and laughed merrily. "Good that you know! This is a Three-Pattern Magic Tool. At its strongest, its power rivals a Magic Treasure!

"Hurry up and hand over those Twin Flood-Dragon Scissors and the refinement method!"

Xu Deling quietly looked at him. "Zhu Shan, Zhu Rong. You two are brothers, yes?"

"That's right! Zhu Rong is my older brother!"

"Brother Zhu, I truly feel sorry for you. Having a younger brother who drags you down like this... If it were me, I'd string him up and beat him for three days and three nights."

Xu Deling smiled faintly and turned back to Zhu Shan. "The louder you bark right now, the more face your brother is going to lose in a moment."

"What nonsense are you spewing?! My brother forged a Three-Pattern Magic Tool—the absolute peak of a Dharma Tool!"

"What do you have that could possibly compare to my brother?"

Xu Deling laughed coldly. "A Three-Pattern Magic Tool is still just a Dharma Tool. Rivaling the power of a Magic Treasure is ultimately not the same as a true Magic Treasure, is it?"

Hearing this, a sense of foreboding rose in Rong Tianyang's heart.

He stared at Perfected Person Fire Cloud in disbelief. "Don't tell me your disciple can already forge a Magic Treasure?!"

"How is that possible? Even my Heavenly Foundry Sect hasn't been able to nurture a genius like that in hundreds of years! How could a rogue artifact refiner like you possibly raise someone like that?!"

"Nurture?" Perfected Person Fire Cloud smiled smugly. "Does Daoist Friend Rong truly believe a monster like this can be 'nurtured'?

"You know the truth deep down.

"That's right. This old man simply had dog-shit luck and, by some stroke of fortune, managed to accept such a disciple.

"What I can actually teach her is extremely limited.

"In fact, I'm already at the point where I can't teach her anything anymore. Instead, I learn quite a bit from her.

"Her future is boundlessly bright and vast!

"But so what?

"She, Xu Deling, is still the disciple of I, Perfected Person Fire Cloud!"

In an instant, Perfected Person Fire Cloud's years of obsession dissipated, and he even felt his Dao Heart become much purer and clearer.

If previously he had only a twenty to thirty percent chance of stepping into the Late-Stage Golden Core, now his chances had risen to at least forty to fifty percent.

"I don't believe it!" Rong Tianyang's expression twisted fiercely, veins bulging on his forehead.

"Stubborn!" Perfected Person Fire Cloud pursed his lips. Seeing Rong Tianyang in this state brought immense joy to his heart.

Right at that moment.

A streak of light shot down from Fierce Sun Peak, landing right beside the two of them.

Rong Tianyang was slightly startled and hurriedly cupped his fists. "Greetings, Honored Master. Why have you come down?"

"Greetings, Senior True Lord Fierce Sun," Perfected Person Fire Cloud also cupped his fists in salute.

"There is no need for such formalities, Daoist Friend Fire Cloud."

True Lord Fierce Sun waved his hand, then looked toward Rong Tianyang. "Your Dao Heart still requires tempering. If you continue like this, you will never have a chance of breaking through to Nascent Soul!

"So what if you lose? Can you truly not afford to lose a single spot in the Flame Phoenix Blood Pool?

"And what if you win? At most, you get to mock Daoist Friend Fire Cloud for overestimating his strength once more. How does that benefit your cultivation progress in the slightest?"

Rong Tianyang lowered his head, quickly restoring his calm and composed demeanor. He cupped his fists again. "Thank you for the guidance, Honored Master. This disciple has learned.

"If this disciple loses, I will definitely fulfill the agreement and hand over the Flame Phoenix Blood Pool spot."

True Lord Fierce Sun nodded slightly and looked at Daoist Friend Fire Cloud. "Daoist Friend Fire Cloud, we have not seen each other in a century, yet you have truly taken in an excellent disciple.

"However, whether or not she can actually forge a Magic Treasure remains to be seen.

"Do not forget that a century ago, you too had reached a level where you could forge a Magic Treasure. But because you failed two consecutive refinements, you ended up losing to Tianyang."

This was exactly what Perfected Person Fire Cloud was worried about.

For someone who had just become a Tier 3 Low-Grade artifact refiner, the success rate for forging Magic Treasures was incredibly low. Failing three or four times in a row was completely commonplace.

It required continuous practice to stabilize the success rate, followed by a slow and steady climb.

It had taken Perfected Person Fire Cloud over a hundred years to go from a beginner to his current sixty to seventy percent success rate.

Even though Xu Deling had succeeded on her very first attempt at forging a Magic Treasure—and a cauldron Magic Treasure at that—she had still only done it once.

'Ling'er, do not disappoint your master.'

Perfected Person Fire Cloud's obsession was gone. His greatest hope now was to watch Xu Deling emerge victorious, suppressing the Heavenly Foundry Sect's younger generation and securing entry into the Flame Phoenix Blood Pool.

Even if she didn't encounter a chance for transformation, it would still bring her massive benefits, helping her take another step further down her path of Divine Ability Core Formation!

Zhu Shan was stunned. "Are you saying you can actually forge a Magic Treasure?"

"That's a complete fairy tale!"

Zhu Rong shot him an icy glare. "Shut your mouth!"

"It seems I've spoiled you too much and allowed you to develop such a personality!"

Zhu Rong's expression remained freezing cold. "After today, you will give up your spot in the Prodigy Grand Assembly. You will go to Heavenly Foundry Peak and strike iron for three months to properly temper your disposition."

"Brother!"

"If you refuse, do not call me brother ever again."

"Yes, I understand."

Zhu Shan knew Zhu Rong was genuinely furious. He lowered his head, not daring to speak out of turn again.

"I have shown Fairy Ling a joke," Zhu Rong apologized.

"It's fine. Every family has its own difficulties," Xu Deling chuckled lightly.

Zhu Rong was someone worthy of high regard. Xu Deling smiled faintly. "A Three-Pattern Magic Tool is indeed the limit of a Dharma Tool, but comprehending a tier-two Artifact Pattern is breaking past the artifact limits of the Foundation Establishment stage.

"Only that is a true qualitative leap for the attainments of a Foundation Establishment artifact refiner."

Zhu Rong, Qingyang, and the others looked thoughtful. Then, they watched as Xu Deling formed a sword gesture with her fingers, using the empty air as a canvas to draw a tier-two Artifact Pattern.

Every stroke, every line felt as if it were going against the grand momentum of heaven and earth, causing a fine layer of sweat to bead on her forehead.

Until finally, an even more profound, tier-two "Fire" Artifact Pattern was successfully sketched out.

Hum—

The empty air trembled.

As everyone looked at the Artifact Pattern, it was as if they could see a sea of flames spreading out across the void.

"A tier-two Artifact Pattern!"

Someone muttered under their breath, "I once saw an elder sketch a tier-two Artifact Pattern. It spontaneously generated phenomenons just like this, filled with the terrifying might of heaven and earth."

Xu Deling smiled faintly and gently waved her hand, causing the tier-two Artifact Pattern to dissipate into the air.

Even if she hadn't, the Artifact Pattern would have quickly faded on its own.

With her current realm, she wasn't yet capable of permanently branding an Artifact Pattern into the void.

"To be able to comprehend and draw a tier-two Artifact Pattern... Fairy Ling's attainments in the Dao of Artifacts are indeed above mine. But forging a Magic Treasure during the Foundation Establishment stage is an entirely different level of difficulty."

Zhu Rong cupped his fists. "Therefore, unless Fairy Ling truly forges a Magic Treasure, even if just for the sake of the Heavenly Foundry Sect's face, I will not concede."

"Naturally," Xu Deling smiled lightly. "However, the earth fire in this plaza is insufficient for forging a Magic Treasure. Relying on this alone, I cannot succeed. I need an earth fire that has reached the level of tier-three True Flame."

"Little friend, come with me up the mountain. I will prepare all the earth fire and materials you require."

"Greetings, True Lord Fierce Sun."

Upon hearing the voice, the Heavenly Foundry Sect disciples in the plaza finally realized that True Lord Fierce Sun had actually arrived.

"Thank you, Senior True Lord Fierce Sun!" Xu Deling cupped her fists in salute. Then, she turned back to the others. "In one to two months, my Magic Treasure will undoubtedly be born."

After saying that, she flew toward Perfected Person Fire Cloud, Rong Tianyang, and True Lord Fierce Sun, ascending Fierce Sun Peak alongside them.

"Do you think Fairy Ling can really forge a Magic Treasure with the body of a Foundation Establishment cultivator?"

"I don't know, but I do know that in the entire history of our Heavenly Foundry Sect, only one person has ever achieved it. And when that ancestor forged his Magic Treasure, he was far past the age of one hundred and twenty, no longer a part of the younger generation.

"He later became the ancestor who revived our Heavenly Foundry Sect, cementing our status as a sacred land for artifact forging."

"If she succeeds, it will be a historic first for our Heavenly Foundry Sect, enough to go down in the annals of history!"

"Wait a minute, is Fairy Ling even a disciple of our Heavenly Foundry Sect?"

"She's forging it inside our Heavenly Foundry Sect, so... I guess she counts?"