Chapter 415: Soldiers and Treasures

A resonant hum rang out in the air, as if a blood-colored flood dragon were dancing in the sky!

This blood dragon had no flesh or blood; it was composed of scale after scale that moved with it. Everyone present felt the air suddenly grow scorching hot, the blood dragon like a great furnace, radiating astonishing heat!

Before the rising mist had fully dispersed, everyone's vision blurred, and that nine-foot-long blood serpent was already grasped in Nie Xianshan's hand, trembling faintly like a dragon's cry!

"Fine armor."

Feeling the armor in his palm struggling like a living thing, Nie Xianshan's eyes lit up slightly!

He had never had a divine weapon acknowledge him as master, but his understanding and insight into divine weapons ran deep. The instant the armor touched his palm, he had already sensed its extraordinary nature!

The spirituality of this Dragon Scale Armor was not strong, but in his perception it was like a young flood dragon struggling, trembling, even breathing—"This armor is spontaneously communing with heaven and earth."

Nie Xianshan was slightly shocked—this was a trait only superior-grade divine weapons possessed!

"This armor…"

Wan Chuan, Jiang Xie and the others crowded over as well. They were all grandmaster-level figures of the weapon-forging path; even without handling it, they could see the marvels of this inner armor!

At once, they all reached out to touch and discuss it!

For a moment, Li Yuan was instead pushed out, but though he stood outside, he saw more clearly than anyone present!

Pure Yang Dragon Scale Armor (Tier 7)

A treasure forged from fire-dragon scale armor, nine kinds of rare iron materials, and refined with a grandmaster's blood; spirituality has been born, it can absorb divine patterns and strengthen its own spirituality!

Mastery Requirements: Flood Dragon Physique, Pure Yang True Qi.

Mastery Effects: Tier 8 (Gold): Communing with Heaven and Earth; Tier 7 (Pale Gold): Fire Dragon Physique, Horizontal Training Talent.

A quasi-Tier 8 divine armor.

Li Yuan's eyes gleamed slightly. Based on the iron materials he had used, this divine armor was theoretically only Tier 7, but after the Unorthodox Path's treasure-forging art, it had been forcibly raised by half a tier. A single Tier 8 mastery bonus was equivalent to three Tier 7 mastery effects, even slightly more!

"And this was still watered down. If Old Daoist Nie had given enough blood, this could probably have been pushed up to Tier 8."

Li Yuan was somewhat moved!

"Patterns give birth to divine patterns; divine patterns are the pattern itself…! A treasure forged with divine patterns, nourished by blood, qi, and spirit, can absorb divine patterns and supplement its own deficiencies…"

"Patterns give birth to divine patterns."

This meant that this Pure Yang Dragon Scale Armor still had the potential to ascend to Tier 8, even Tier 9—Li Yuan pondered in his heart!

Meanwhile, Wan Chuan, Bei Mount Wuji and the others were quite shocked. After handling it, they too had sensed the changes in the Dragon Scale Armor!

This armor was only a step away from being a superior-grade divine weapon.

Jiang Xie was the last to handle it. She exerted force with her five fingers, and the inner armor, which had spread out to a full eight feet, instantly shrank to the size of a fist, crystalline throughout, like a globe of glazed jade!

"That's not right. The iron materials used in this flood dragon armor aren't superior-grade, and the fire-dragon scales aren't from a king of spirit beasts either. How could this armor's grade be so high?"

Wan Chuan was somewhat unnerved!

When Li Yuan was forging the divine armor, he had also consulted him, and Wan Chuan had witnessed the entire process of material selection and forging!

And by his own estimation, even if this armor succeeded, it would be nothing remarkable among divine weapons!

But now, not only had he forged it, its grade actually exceeded the iron materials themselves—"How… how did you do it?"

Bei Mount Wuji couldn't help but ask: "Because that quenching water—what kind of water was that? Or was it some spirit beast's blood?"

"What technique was that?"

The four great divine smiths grew more and more shocked the more they looked—this was unreasonable!

"Ahem."

Nie Xianshan spoke up at the right moment. He gave a light cough and said: "It was nothing more than ordinary cold-pool water with a few kinds of beast blood pills added. There's no need for such astonishment, gentlemen!"

"Beast blood pills?"

"Ordinary cold-pool water?"

Not to mention Wan Chuan and the other four, even the nearby disciples of the divine smiths had their expressions shift. If not for this man's Di Wei Wu Gong being too high, they would probably have wanted to argue back!

The lowest among those present was a weapon-forging master capable of independently forging a famous weapon—

how could they not see something amiss? Weapon-forging, at its root, is the combining and tempering of iron materials into weapons; the weapons forged are limited by their own materials. This situation was very unreasonable!

"Everyone, carry on. Li Yuan, come with this old man!"

Nie Xianshan paid no heed to the crowd's doubts. With a single offhand remark he brushed past them, then turned and walked toward the Jingtao Hall outside the waterfall!

What a joke—with so many people, if they all came looking for his blood, he wouldn't have enough even if he drained himself dry!

"Yes."

Li Yuan reached out and took the Pure Yang Dragon Scale Armor. The golden gleam still reflected in his eyes; he vaguely felt that this armor was somehow different from the weapons he had forged before!

In the past, whether divine weapons or superior-grade divine weapons, they were all "divine weapons"—but this one was a "treasure"!

"What kind of blood was that?"

On the spot, Wan Chuan and the others exchanged glances, all feeling somewhat uncertain and uneasy!

"What kind of treasure-forging art is this?"

Inside Jingtao Hall, before the form-diagram of the Jingtao Zhang Fa carved on the wall, Nie Xianshan spoke in a heavy voice: "Forging weapons with blood—this isn't an unorthodox craft, it's the Unorthodox Path! What kind of weapon-forging art is this?"

"The secret weapon-forging art of the Divine Weapon Valley!"

Li Yuan answered honestly!

"Is that so?"

Nie Xianshan was half-convinced!

"Could you suspect this is some ritual of the Xieshen Sect?"

Li Yuan knew what this old daoist was suspecting, so he laid it out openly: "Let alone that this disciple wouldn't know how—even if I did… I wouldn't perform a ritual right in front of you, would I?"

"That is true!"

Nie Xianshan's brow smoothed out. He had never meant to interrogate, only worried Li Yuan might go astray: "So, the Divine Weapon Valley actually has this kind of unorthodox treasure-forging art?"

Setting aside his doubts, Old Daoist Nie's thoughts immediately became lively: "Can this weapon-forging art be used to temper the Pure Yang Sword?"

"It should be possible."

Li Yuan had come for exactly this, but since it concerned a top-grade divine weapon, he didn't dare speak too confidently… afraid the old Daoist wouldn't believe him: "Whether it actually works or not, this disciple still needs to try it once or twice!"

"Should be."

Nie Xianshan cast a glance at the dragon-scale armor in Li Yuan's hand, pondered briefly: "What do you need?"

"Mm, I need to forge another divine weapon to use for the attempt!"

Regarding the forging of the Pure Yang Sword, Li Yuan was also very cautious; he still needed to familiarize himself with the weapon-forging art, after all, a single instance proves nothing—what if this time was merely coincidence?

"Fine!"

Nie Xianshan did not hesitate. The heavenly materials and earthly treasures he had gathered over seventy years, apart from those needed for the Pure Yang Sword, were more than enough to forge another divine weapon!

"Your blood!"

"This…"

Nie Xianshan hesitated somewhat: "How much do you need?"

Once a martial artist has undergone blood exchange, Qi and blood merge; every drop of blood is exceedingly precious, let alone his blood?

"However much you have."

Seeing the old Daoist raise his brow, Li Yuan hurriedly explained: "If this disciple's weapon-forging art truly aids the tempering of the Pure Yang Sword, you'll have to prepare in advance, won't you?"

"This…"

Nie Xianshan clenched his teeth.

"Very well, this old man shall prepare it for you!"

"And then…"

Daoist Li unconsciously squeezed the dragon-scale armor in his hand, feigning casualness as he stated his true purpose: "This disciple also needs one or two hundred jin of refined gold essence…"

"What? You want a hundred jin of refined gold essence?"

Nie the old Daoist would rather bleed ten buckets than part with one or two hundred jin of refined gold essence!

At this, the two engaged in a heated discussion for quite a while!

It was not until nearly nightfall that Li Yuan finally left the Jingtao Hall fully satisfied!

"It hurts me to death!"

Nie the old Daoist clutched his chest, feeling as though a piece of his heart had been gouged out!

Refined gold essence is a companion product of giant gold mines, but not every giant gold mine has it. Among all the heavenly materials and earthly treasures he had collected, in terms of preciousness, this item might not rank first, but in terms of difficulty to obtain, it certainly must!

He had no idea how many dangerous places he had gone to, how many times he had negotiated and clashed with those several Daoist sects, and even the imperial court, before he had scraped together barely a dozen jin in total!

Losing even one jin made him feel heartache beyond measure!

"The Mystic Gate Weapon-Forging Art…"

Nie Xianshan calmed his emotions: "This kid shouldn't dare to deceive this old man. Mm… even if he deceives me, that's fine too—if he does deceive me, that gives me a perfect excuse to extort a Longhu Longhu Dadan from that great fool!"

Thinking this way, Nie Xianshan instantly felt relieved!

"Junior Brother!"

At this moment, a wisp of cloud and mist drifted over, and Long Long Yingchan quietly appeared within Jingtao Hall!

"Senior Brother!"

Nie Xianshan cupped his hands in greeting; he was long used to his senior brother's uncanny appearances and disappearances!

"There's a matter that requires you to make a trip!"

"Mm."

Nie Xianshan immediately frowned: "My Pure Yang Sword is about to be forged—what matter requires me to leave the mountain?"

"It concerns the Qinglong Pavilion!"

Long Long Yingchan, unusually, did not play coy: "The Qinglong Pavilion was robbed several days ago. Tian Tian Shezi was furious and turned back to return to the mountain; his group of disciples are still on the road. To be safe, go and meet them!"

"The Qinglong Pavilion was robbed?"

Nie Xianshan was slightly startled: "Could it be that someone has set their sights on the 'Longevity-Extending Pill'?"

The Qinglong Pavilion's influence was enormous; before the Heavenly Silkworm Daoist was gravely wounded, it had faintly shown the bearing of a Diyidao Sect. The number of forces in the world that would dare scheme after that sect's spiritual pills could be counted on one hand!

"Most likely so!"

Long Long Yingchan nodded. He was paying close attention to Qinglong Yan—not only because he feared the Qinglong Pavilion might seize the opportunity to avenge the old grudge of being forced to abandon the Da Huang Jia Hai Purple-Gold Spear years ago!

But also because of that big deal involving the Heavenly Silkworm Daoist!

"Mm…"

Nie Xianshan thought for a moment, then agreed nonetheless!

After leaving Jingtao Hall, Li Yuan, hammer in hand, hurried back. Upon returning to his room, he finally stretched out his hand!

The room was unlit, but the instant Li Yuan opened his palm, the entire room lit up; a dazzling sheen of light filled the chamber!

Its color was seven-hued!

"Refined gold essence."

Gazing at the refined gold essence in his palm, like flowing glass, Li Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. Without this weapon-forging art to win Nie the old Daoist's trust, he truly had no idea where to go looking for refined gold essence!

This thing's preciousness was one aspect; the most troublesome part was its rarity!

Nie the old Daoist had only given him a piece the size of a little-fingernail cap, but it was more than enough for his use!

"The materials needed to advance the Weapon Register to the ninth rank are now complete!"

Closing his palm, Li Yuan carefully stored away the refined gold essence. He was in excellent spirits—now, he only needed to exchange refined gold for some yellow gold and red gold!

The Weapon Register could then be advanced to the ninth rank!

Li Yuan half-closed his eyes; with a single thought, he had already arrived at the gray Dingxin Dingxin Shitai!

On the already somewhat spacious stone platform, various alchemy furnaces and weapons were arranged!

In the very center stands the Listening-Wood Tablet, tall as a stele; following it back, at the edge lies the Xing Xing Tongyou Long Corridor!