Chapter 48

Inside the hall of the Shanjin Town Rune Master Guild, it was bustling with activity at this moment. Everyone was performing their own duties: drawing diagrams, refining ores, condensing arrays, and painting runes. It looked orderly, yet there was an underlying hint of chaos.

Vice President Qi Yue frowned, clearly troubled. Since Zu Qing Tan had advanced to a Fourth-Tier Great Rune Master, all the various affairs of the Shanjin Town Rune Master Guild had been placed upon him. This feeling of holding absolute power was truly not bad, but unfortunately, the corresponding responsibilities and burdens exceeded his own capabilities, leaving him overwhelmed.

"Old Yang, how is the research on the sand table array diagram going? If we don't start refining soon, I'm afraid the arcane sand table won't be ready for delivery, and that will have a significant impact on our guild's reputation!"

Qi Yue suppressed the irritation in his heart and asked Yang Bin, a Second-Tier Rune Master standing to the side.

"Alas! Vice President, this arcane sand table is too complex. Although it is only a Second-Tier Spirit Tool in terms of grade, its complexity is enough to reach that of a Fourth-Tier Profound Tool. We are willing but lack the strength!" Yang Bin sighed, put down the array diagram in his hand, and wore a face full of worry.

"The President has just advanced and is in seclusion for cultivation all day; otherwise, we wouldn't be in such a sorry state..." Qi Yue's words were gentle, but his expression showed some dissatisfaction. Yang Bin agreed with this point wholeheartedly and couldn't help but curse a couple of times under his breath.

Just at this moment, the guild's main door suddenly opened, and a voice resounded throughout the hall.

"President Qi, you two seem to have some troubles! Why not tell me, Lu, about them?"

Lu Fan smiled slightly, followed by Han Zhen and Zhu Ge Qing Ming, and walked in with a bold stride.

Everyone in the hall was startled. A few First-Tier Rune Masters who had been in seclusion and had never seen Lu Fan frowned deeply. They thought to themselves, what kind of important place is the Rune Master Guild, yet a mere brat had actually barged in. Just as they were about to scold him, they saw Qi Yue and Yang Bin stride forward to greet him, their faces full of excitement.

"Young Master Lu, why have you come?" Qi Yue was overjoyed. If he had the help of the youth before him, the problem that had plagued him for many days might be solved easily.

"Eh? Young Master Lu, have you advanced to a Rune Master?" Yang Bin was shocked. When he last heard Lu Fan explain the refining of the Art Refining Crystal Furnace, the other party's cultivation was very clear to him—he was clearly only a First-Tier Rune Master, yet now he was already a Second-Tier Rune Master.

Qi Yue was also slightly stunned, his expression one of disbelief. He had studied the Rune Dao for most of his life and was only a Second-Tier Rune Master. The youth before him, who could be his grandson, was actually on par with him.

Lu Fan smiled without a word, which appeared even more unfathomable in the eyes of Qi Yue and Yang Bin. Recalling the other party's methods—even being able to refine Fourth-Tier Profound Tools—a mere Second-Tier Rune Master cultivation was nothing out of the ordinary.

The surrounding rune masters also discovered the anomaly and were all surprised and confused. In the entire Shanjin Town Rune Master Guild, besides Zu Qing Tan, who had recently advanced to a Great Rune Master, there were only three Second-Tier Rune Masters, a dozen or so First-Tier Rune Masters, and the rest were all rune apprentices.

Lu Fan waved his hand and said indifferently, "My cultivation is not important. You two just mentioned that you encountered some problems while refining the arcane sand table?"

As soon as his voice fell, Qi Yue and Yang Bin immediately came back to their senses, their faces filled with worry, and they pulled Lu Fan toward the central hall.

"Young Master Lu, this arcane sand table is a new project our guild has undertaken, commissioned by the Mingyue Empire military. It's just that this array diagram is too complex, and our guild is not up to the task!"

Qi Yue explained in detail, his mood unsettled, appearing extremely worried.

"Arcane sand table? This thing is a special rune tool for the military to survey the battlefield. Its grade is not high, but it is a large-scale art refining rune tool." Lu Fan looked at the array diagram and said nonchalantly, "It's only a Second-Tier Spirit Tool; this quality is too low! Even if it's refined, it can at most survey thirty or fifty miles; it's of no use, right?"

His lighthearted words and indifferent attitude were full of bitterness to the ears of Qi Yue and his companion. Lu Fan made it sound simple, but the two of them truly had no other way.

Several rune masters nearby who had been in seclusion for many days and had never seen Lu Fan's methods could not help but show a look of disdain, thinking he was bragging. One of them mocked, "Brat, stop spouting nonsense. You haven't even grown your hair out yet, get lost."

Lu Fan looked toward the source of the sound, his face calm, not taking it to heart at all. The path of rune refining emphasizes being down-to-earth and abhors arrogance. These young people had never seen his methods and mistook his words for empty boasting, but he did not care.

However, Qi Yue's expression changed drastically, his face turning black in an instant, and he shouted angrily, "Presumptuous! Master Lu is here; how is it your place to speak? Get out of here!"

"Smack!" As soon as his voice fell, he flicked his sleeve and slapped the person who had spoken away. He didn't care about anything else and bowed directly to Lu Fan: "Young Master Lu, the brat below has eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai; please don't take it to heart!"

Lu Fan nodded indifferently, unconcerned: "It's fine. In the practice of the Rune Dao, there is no distinction between high and low. This kid doesn't fear authority and speaks his mind; I like that!"

As soon as his voice fell, he reached out and grabbed the air, and from dozens of yards away, he actually pulled the rune master who had fallen to the ground over. He stared at the name tag on the other party's chest and said calmly, "So your name is Ge Hui; your foundation is actually not bad!"

Ge Hui had been slapped by Qi Yue, breaking several bones in his body, and was already trembling in fear. But his thoughts raced; Qi Yue was so polite to Lu Fan, and the surrounding crowd was also looking at him with mockery. Suddenly, he remembered the rumors from a few days ago and immediately realized.

The youth before him must be the master from the rumors a few days ago. The other party was so young, yet his Rune Dao cultivation was so profound, and he couldn't help but feel reverence.

At this moment, hearing Lu Fan's words, which were like a trickling stream, warm and silent, his whole person suddenly felt energized, and he couldn't help but nod.

Qi Yue and Yang Bin were dumbfounded, not expecting Lu Fan to have such a good temper. With such a breadth of mind, it was no wonder he could advance to a Rune Master at such a young age.

The surrounding rune masters and even the group of rune apprentices were also astonished, and a few even had tears in their eyes. Usually, they were scolded mercilessly by Zu Qing Tan and others; let alone being so offensive, even if they spoke a little too loudly, they would be lectured and locked in solitary confinement for three to five days, which was a perfectly normal occurrence.

"Come! Seeing that you are not lightly injured, sit to the side and listen carefully!" Lu Fan pulled over a chair and placed Ge Hui directly onto it. Immediately, he took the arcane sand table array diagram and was about to start lecturing when he remembered something and asked Qi Yue.

"Where is your President? He has just advanced to a Great Rune Master, so he probably has many problems; I will give him some pointers while I'm at it!"

He was merely a Second-Tier Rune Master, yet his tone was boundless, wanting to give pointers to the Fourth-Tier Great Rune Master Zu Qing Tan. However, the people around felt it was perfectly normal. Although a few were seeing Lu Fan for the first time, the incident of Lu Fan refining a Fourth-Tier Profound Tool last time had already spread, so they didn't find it strange; instead, they were very excited.

Yang Bin was about to run off, but was grabbed by Qi Yue, who winked and said to Lu Fan with a chuckle, "Young Master Lu, our President is in seclusion. He has refined this arcane sand table in the past, so he probably has no interest in it."

Yang Bin then came to his senses. Zu Qing Tan had abandoned all affairs and ignored them, and his anger and resentment suddenly flared up again. He thought to himself, such a major event as Young Master Lu explaining the Rune Dao, we won't tell you, letting you rely on your seniority to bully others.

Lu Fan saw their expressions and understood immediately, smiling slightly without exposing them. He shook the array diagram, and a rune seal surged out, turning into a phantom and slowly enlarging.

In the blink of an eye, the phantom enlarged dozens of times, manifesting the array diagram upon it so that the entire hall could see it clearly.

"Everyone, the arcane sand table is strictly speaking just a collection of many Second-Tier Spirit Tools, and it is not difficult to refine at all. This time, I will demonstrate it for everyone; how much you can learn depends on your own ability!"

As soon as his voice fell, everyone in the hall was focused and excited. Even Han Zhen, who did not understand the Rune Dao, was extremely agitated. Lu Fan being able to show his face like this in the Rune Master Guild made him feel very proud.

One after another, incantations surged out, pouring toward the art refining rune array in the center of the hall.

In an instant, the six-pointed star array shone brightly, and a powerful aura swept out. Qi Yue and Yang Bin were horrified, feeling their souls trembling. As for the other rune masters and apprentices, because their soul power could not keep up, they could not see the profoundness and did not experience it deeply.

"The first thing in refining an arcane sand table is the extraction of crushed gold sand." As soon as Lu Fan's calm words fell, a rune master walked up and handed over a Universe Bag, which was filled with a rich aura of gold and earth.

Lu Fan didn't even look at it, grabbed it, and threw it directly onto the art refining rune array. As he waved his incantations, the spatial runes shattered, and a large burst of yellow light dissipated.

"Use sand and earth as the plate, condense the wind force, gather the water momentum, and use the two phases of wind and water to manifest all things in the surroundings."

He pointed and performed the incantations on one side, while directing the group of rune masters on the other, throwing various materials into the art refining rune array. In the entire hall, there was no one left idle; everyone was orderly, each performing their own duties.

Qi Yue and his companion were overjoyed. The arcane sand table that had caused them such trouble was so effortless and relaxed in Lu Fan's hands. The various techniques used looked extremely simple, but they clearly contained the ultimate truths of heaven and earth, which shocked them beyond measure.

Three hours later, following a brilliant light taking shape, a golden sand table about a foot in size emerged. Profound light dissipated, and the artifact's charm was compelling. Although it appeared to be only Second-Tier, it clearly had a profound mystery condensed within, far exceeding the scope of an ordinary Second-Tier Spirit Tool.

Qi Yue wiped the sweat from his forehead, while the other rune apprentices were all panting from exhaustion, sitting on the ground. However, the group did not look tired; instead, they were indescribably excited and agitated.

"Young Master Lu, this thing looks very ordinary; what is its great use?"

Han Zhen had waited for a long time, but at this moment, he could no longer suppress the questions in his heart.

Lu Fan smiled faintly, waved one hand, and True Qi surged, entering the arcane sand table.

"Bang!"

A sound exploded, and the foot-sized arcane sand table expanded dozens of times in an instant, and a giant sand table emerged. Profound mysteries appeared on it, and the various flowing sands began to operate in an indescribable trajectory.

In the blink of an eye, a small town took shape and sat in the middle. The surrounding mountains, rivers, and various terrains also extended outward.

"Shanjin Town?" Han Zhen's expression was one of great shock. The small town on the sand table was clearly Shanjin Town, and the terrain further out was exactly the landscape around Shanjin Town. Even his mine pit slowly appeared, and the newly built houses could also be distinguished.

"Flowing Sand River?" Qi Yue suddenly saw something, and his expression changed drastically. The Flowing Sand River was forty miles away from Shanjin Town, and this time it was at the edge of the sand table.

In other words, the survey range of this Second-Tier Spirit Tool, the arcane sand table, was barely a hundred miles, which was much higher than the military's requirements. Refining according to this array diagram, it was said to be able to do thirty or fifty miles, but in reality, the military's requirement was only a ten-mile range.

Lu Fan's move was actually ten times stronger, raising it by a grade, which was truly unbelievable.

The others who had seen the array diagram also realized the truth. Originally, they were shocked and curious about Lu Fan, and had a slight bit of respect, but that was only regarding the Art Dao. This time, they were completely convinced and felt an indescribable reverence.

"The materials are simple, and the refining was a bit rushed, so a hundred-mile sand table is nothing!" Lu Fan waved his hand indifferently, then took out a few array diagrams and said nonchalantly:

"A fist must not leave the hand, and a song must not leave the mouth; the Rune Dao most abhors wishful thinking. Come, come, everyone, follow the refining techniques I just used and try to imitate them!"