Chapter 142

This valley alchemist has a story behind him! Will helping him forge a device bring trouble?

After hearing this, Wang Yu thought this immediately.

But after looking again at the vial in the other's hand, he felt taking a bit of risk wasn't so bad.

After all, one superior-grade Zengyuan Pill could save him three years of hard cultivation, not to mention the three mid-grade ones, which would also save considerable time spent on missions.

Thinking this, Wang Yu finally made his decision, nodded to Gu Lian, and said:

"Fine. Since Brother Gu is so sincere, I, Wang Mou, accept this task—but there's one condition: if I truly forge the eleven-spirit-pattern device you want, I wish one additional superior-grade Zengyuan Pill to be included in the remaining payment."

"Hah! No problem! If you can forge that device, besides one superior-grade Zengyuan Pill, I'll pay you an extra ten thousand spirit stones as reward." Gu Lian exclaimed with joy, immediately patted his chest in promise, and tossed the vial straight over.

Wang Yu caught the vial, and a smile appeared on his face too—with this superior-grade pill, his advancement to Qi Refinement Seventh Layer was nearly within reach.

Gu Lian set the time for forging the device and agreed on a method of communication, then left satisfied.

Wang Yu also flew back to Yin Linglong's side, and soon the group boarded a black iron boat and flew off into the distance.

Half a month later.

Wang Yu returned to the sect and went to his temporary quarters, releasing the two young crocodiles he had nurtured beside the nearby pond, then returned to the stone chamber and sat cross-legged on the mat.

He could finally attempt breaking through to Qi Refinement Late Stage—two superior-grade pills could save him six years; with seven mid-grade Zengyuan Pills besides, advancing to Qi Refinement Seventh Layer was more than sufficient, as long as he didn't hit an insurmountable bottleneck.

As Wang Yu contemplated this, he pulled out a mid-grade Zengyuan Pill from his robe, closed his eyes, and silently activated the sixth-layer Fire Spirit Technique incantation; soon, crimson light auras began to surface across his skin.

Three days later, he swallowed the second mid-grade Zengyuan Pill.

Six days later, the third.

Half a year later.

Wang Yu sat motionless on the mat, his body enveloped in a crimson light shield, its surface twelve crimson spirit patterns constantly drifting.

Suddenly, Wang Yu's body trembled—the crimson shield expanded rapidly like a balloon, growing larger and larger, nearly four times its original size, the crimson spirit patterns on its surface flashing wildly.

With a loud "Boom!"

The crimson shield exploded, bursting into waves of flame that surged outward in all directions; inside, Wang Yu suddenly opened his eyes, flicked his sleeve, and the flying flames instantly reversed like a tide, every last wisp retreating into his body and vanishing.

Immediately afterward, his spiritual energy surged rapidly, doubling within moments; his eyes flashed with crystalline light, and his spiritual sense also soared.

This is…

Wang Yu was startled to discover his mental strength had increased by over twenty percent.

He had already possessed six to seven times the mental strength of a normal cultivator at his level—now, with a twenty percent boost, it was equivalent to gaining the full mental strength of an entire peer cultivator.

Is this the gap between Qi Refinement Seventh Layer—the Late Stage—and the Mid Stage?

Both spiritual energy and spiritual sense had undergone a fundamental leap.

Then how terrifying would the increases be for Qi Refinement Eighth and Ninth Layers, and even Full Stage?

Now he finally understood why that old man at Full Stage had emitted such terrifying spiritual energy during the earlier contest.

Yet this sixth-layer bottleneck, stimulated by the flame power of the Fire Shield, he still broke through effortlessly—unlike some cultivation notes in the Scripture Library, which recorded cultivators being trapped for a year or even several years.

He guessed this was likely due to his extraordinary mental strength or his superior Fire Spirit Root.

Regardless, this was a tremendous boon—and now that he had reached Qi Refinement Late Stage, he could finally begin executing plans long in the making.

First, he needed to become a formal Artificer.

With this status, his position in the Four Symbols Sect would change drastically—he'd rise to the mid-tier of the sect, eligible to apply for a private forging chamber, and even expand his quarters into a true independent cave dwelling.

With his own forging chamber, he could craft his own custom entry-grade device; with a custom device, his combat power would increase visibly at once.

Second, with his expanded spiritual sea from increased spiritual sense, he should now be able to solidify the spiritual imprint of the "Golden Needle Technique"—a metal-affinity spell, perfectly matched with his Golden Pointing Art, which he had long wished to permanently imprint in his spiritual sea.

With his Qi Refinement Late Stage cultivation, he could now use entry-grade spells as routine techniques, no longer fearing exhaustion after one or two uses.

Third, now that he had reached Qi Refinement Late Stage, he need not worry about further cultivation for the time being, and had the confidence to attend the Four Sects Gathering—so he must use every remaining moment to boost his combat power.

Besides the previously planned custom entry-grade device and solidifying the "Golden Needle Technique" imprint, the fastest way to increase his power was to complete the third layer of the Black Tiger Breathing Method and fully realize the Black Tiger Demon Body.

After pondering this, Wang Yu made no further hesitation—he left the stone chamber and headed straight for the General Affairs Hall's Artificer Hall.

…

"What? You're already Qi Refinement Late Stage and want to apply for formal Artificer status?" Inside a ground-fire forging chamber, Master Sun asked in surprise.

"Yes, Master Sun. Your disciple believes he has mastered the art of crafting entry-grade devices, and thus wishes to apply for a private forging chamber and become a formal Artificer." Wang Yu replied respectfully to the elder before him.

This Master Sun, though merely his Artificer mentor, had truly devoted himself to teaching him the craft, pouring out every secret technique, unique spirit-inscription, and skill he knew.

Otherwise, even with his astonishing talent for spirit-inscriptions, he could never have advanced so rapidly in Artificing.

"I knew this day would come soon, but I never expected it so fast.

Wang Yu, are you certain you wish to apply now? To gain the sect's recognition, you must forge an entry-grade device under the witness of three formal Artificers—and you get only one chance. If you fail, you must wait three years before applying again." Master Sun's face was filled with emotion, yet he added a final warning.