mtl008 Chapter 313 Initial Refinement of Spiritual Treasures
Chapter 313 Initial Refinement of Spiritual Treasures
Chapter 313 Initial Refinement of Spiritual Treasures
It is said that when a meteorite-iron treasure is formed, in addition to causing anomalies in the surrounding energy field, it will also emit a strong mysterious light. The dazzling beam of light can travel a great distance without dissipating, and can be seen even in daylight from thousands of miles away.
"Besides being able to withstand extremely strong energy attacks, this magic array also has the functions of concealment and illusion. It is a composite array that combines defense, concealment, and isolation. If you're not sure, we can verify it. You guys go outside the array to verify it. Tieqiao and I will use our spiritual power to generate several strong beams of light to illuminate the surroundings and see if people outside can see the light inside the array," Li Mubai said.
Li Mubai used the control array plate to open a passage in the formation, and Dugu Xian, Shui Ye, Mo Yuming, and others exited the formation together. They arrived outside the weapon-refining platform. Standing outside the formation, they saw that the area covered by the formation was empty, except for some trees and rocks similar to the surrounding landscape. There was nothing there except for some trees and rocks. If everyone hadn't known what was in that area, they wouldn't have noticed the formation at all. The weapon-refining platform, the mysterious Crimson Spring, the Cold Pool, and the Two-Element Furnace built between them, burning with a blazing spiritual fire, were all nowhere to be seen. Even Tie Qiao and Li Mubai, who were currently attacking the formation, had disappeared, and their spiritual beams had no effect on the formation. The formation concealed everything within, forming an independent space completely isolated from the outside world.
"This is a two-way defensive array. It can shield and conceal everything within the array from the outside, and the same goes for the inside. By simply changing the method of controlling the array plate, the operation of the array can be altered. Strengthening or weakening the array's defense is the same..."
Li Mubai taught Mo Yuming and Tieqiao how to control the array. After Mo Yuming and Tieqiao learned how to control the array, Li Mubai no longer needed to oversee its operation.
Shi Potian had already shared the news with Dugu Xian and the others that the Blood Wolf Hall had dispatched Blood Wolf Fiends of Earth-level rank or higher to intercept them; this was a very dangerous signal. Now that the Yin-Yang Furnace and defensive array in the canyon were functioning normally, their assistance in refining the Xuan Iron Spiritual Treasure was no longer needed. Therefore, Dugu Xian and Li Mubai immediately set off for Qin Kingdom to meet Shi Potian and his group, and to find more auxiliary materials.
Qiu Shui also returned to the ground, leaving only two white ape elders in the magic array to assist him, while Mo Yuming served as an apprentice and assistant. Seeing the meteorite iron cannon barrel being sent into the furnace for smelting, Tie Qiao appeared somewhat excited, his dark face slightly flushed. His eyes were fixed on the section of cannon barrel, weighing approximately three or four hundred pounds. This was the smallest piece of meteorite iron Mo Yuming had retrieved—a long, narrow iron block about three feet long, two feet wide, and several inches thick.
The powerful explosion shattered the cannon barrels, which were several meters long and weighed nearly ten thousand kilograms, into pieces, and the hard meteorite iron was torn into fragments of various shapes.
The iron block, glowing red-hot from the spiritual fire, showed no sign of softening. Iron Bridge wasn't in a hurry, slowly observing the changes in the iron block and sensing the influence of the spiritual fire on the meteorite iron. This relied on the accumulated knowledge and experience from his inherited lineage for smelting; after all, this was the first attempt at smelting meteorite iron, and the methods recorded a thousand years ago might not be accurate. Iron Bridge still needed to verify these methods.
An hour later, the spiritual fire inside the furnace finally reached its limit, and the temperature could no longer rise. At this moment, Tieqiao changed the smelting method without hesitation, inputting spiritual power into the runes on the furnace and continuously activating the magic array under the furnace to control the operation of the Yin-Yang Furnace. Suddenly, the flames inside the furnace changed, and began to rotate around the meteorite iron inside the furnace. The speed increased, and finally formed a hollow fireball, which enveloped the meteorite iron. The meteorite iron was lifted up by the power of the magic array inside the furnace and suspended in the center of the fireball.
A moment later, two vortexes, each about a foot in diameter, appeared at the top and bottom of the Yin-Yang Furnace, each generating a suction force at its center. Suddenly, a pale red spiritual energy appeared above the Crimson Spring, swirling like a serpent and being drawn into the vortex above the furnace. At the same time, a pale blue spiritual energy also gathered above the Cold Pool, swirling and being drawn into the vortex at the bottom of the furnace.
Two distinct streams of spiritual energy passed through the fireball inside the furnace and mixed together. Suddenly, a dazzling white light emanated from within the fireball, the center of which was a flame produced by the fusion of the two streams of spiritual energy—true fire generated by the combustion of Yin and Yang energies. The heat of the true fire was many times greater than that of the spiritual fire, and after a short while, the meteorite iron at the center of the flame showed signs of softening.
By this time, Tieqiao was covered in sweat. Clearly, it was his first time operating the Two Elements Furnace to actually smelt meteorite iron, and he seemed somewhat overwhelmed.
However, Tieqiao is now a master of the fourth level of the Heavenly Realm, with extremely abundant and enduring spiritual energy within his body. Although he was drenched in sweat, his spirits remained high.
After being engulfed in real fire and heated for half an hour, the meteorite iron finally melted, transforming into a ball of golden-red molten iron, like a small sun radiating golden light. It was extremely dazzling.
"Put the Soul Iron bar into the furnace and heat it up, then cut three inches off from the top and give it to me!" Tieqiao said to Mo Yuming.
Mo Yuming immediately took out the Soul Iron bar refined from the arsenal and threw it into the furnace. Following Tie Qiao's instructions, he dragged the three-foot-long Soul Iron bar in the spirit fire area to heat it. After the iron softened, he used fire spirit power to cut off a three-inch piece of Soul Iron, then used his spirit power to support it and send it into the spirit fire sphere. Tie Qiao immediately took the Soul Iron piece, separated a flame to continue heating it, and mixed it into the meteorite after it melted. The golden-red meteorite underwent a subtle color change after being mixed with the Soul Iron.
"After heating and melting fifteen catties of Earth Flame Crystal, add nine drops of Gold-Eating Turtle Bile and calcine over medium heat for fifteen minutes. Then remove and crush it into a sheet. Next, heat six portions of Thunder Hidden Stone until it is slightly red and maintain the temperature while calcining. When the Thunder Hidden Stone begins to emit a thunderous sound, throw Fire Dragon Scales onto it. After the Fire Dragon Scales melt and seep into the Thunder Hidden Stone, immediately remove it and place it on the Earth Flame Crystal sheet, then flatten and adhere it. Then fold and knead the alloy sheet and flatten it again. Repeat this process ten times, finally flattening it into a thin sheet for later use."
Take ten portions of Ethereal Gold and heat them over a low flame. Ethereal Gold melts easily, so avoid high heat or it will burn. Once melted, immediately add three drops of Devouring Gold Turtle Bile and remove. The Ethereal Gold will not solidify after adding the Devouring Gold Turtle Bile. At this point, you can apply the molten Ethereal Gold to a thin sheet of Earth Flame Gold Thunder Concealed Stone. The smoother the alloy sheet, the more evenly the Ethereal Gold will be applied, resulting in a higher quality finished product.
Tieqiao stood at the other end of the Yin-Yang Furnace, directing Mo Yuming's operation through the furnace. The processing of these auxiliary materials did not require high spiritual power, but it was still a meticulous task. Whether the proportion of each material was accurate, whether the processing was in place, and whether the temperature was properly controlled would all affect the quality of the final product. If not done well, it could even lead to the failure of the final refining.
Mo Yuming meticulously controlled every detail, striving to do his best. By the time he completed the final round of refining, he was drenched in sweat and utterly exhausted. The task, seemingly simple, was incredibly difficult. Especially the final step of flattening the alloy into a thin sheet, which severely tested one's endurance and control. Each hammer blow had to be delivered with the same force, one after another, at equal intervals, striking evenly, repeatedly. As the iron sheet became thinner, the number of blows increased, requiring even more precise control of the force applied with each strike, achieving absolute accuracy. At this point, the entire body had to enter a very subtle state, every muscle working at its peak, and spiritual and soul power coordinating perfectly within the meridians to achieve this.
Tieqiao took the alloy sheet that Mo Yuming had refined from a distance, examined it carefully, and said:
"Not bad. Reaching this level means you've surpassed the vast majority of weapon refiners at the Earth Rank cultivation stage. You're comparable to some at the early Heaven Rank!"
Tieqiao tossed the alloy sheet into the furnace, simultaneously controlling the spiritual fire to heat it, and then forged it again to make it more uniform.
"This 300-plus kilograms of meteorite iron is extremely pure, with virtually no impurities to refine. We can now begin the formal forging of weapons."
The situation outside is complicated right now. Among us, Brother Dugu has the highest cultivation level, having already advanced to the early stage of the seventh level of the Heavenly Rank. If he could possess a suitable meteorite iron spiritual treasure, he could at least defeat enemies at the early stage of the eighth level, which would be of the greatest significance to us. Therefore, I think it's best to forge this first weapon for him," Tieqiao said.
"Then let's refine it for him first. He cultivates earth-based profound arts, and he also left behind three earth spirit orbs, which can come in handy. But he didn't say what kind of weapon he wants to refine. Why don't we ask him and see what kind of weapon he wants?"
"He himself hasn't decided what kind of weapon would be suitable. He's leaving it to us to decide, but heavy weapons are preferred; he doesn't really like light ones."
“Then let’s forge him a Mountain-Suppressing Mace. The Mountain-Suppressing Mace is three feet nine inches long, five inches wide at the back, and three inches wide at the front. It has nine sections and eight edges, and weighs two hundred and eighty catties. This meteorite iron is just right!”
Tieqiao divided the molten meteorite iron in the furnace into two parts, took out 280 catties of molten iron and spread it on the iron-making platform, poured out a rough blank with a tool, and then began forging.
"You can try to forge some small items from the remaining thirty-odd pounds of meteorite iron!"
While carefully forging the iron billet, Tieqiao spoke to Mo Yuming.
In two months, the Dragon Chef Competition will begin. At that time, Park Ya-joo will go to the Valley of Inquiry. The weapon most suitable for her at present is the small crescent bow. Although she took Tie-qiao's advice, she is now practicing with a black iron bow. This black iron bow was personally forged by Tie-qiao and is of very good quality, but even the best bow cannot compare to a meteorite iron spiritual treasure.
The thirty-odd pounds of meteorite iron was enough to make a small bow, so Mo Yuming decided to try forging an arrowhead first. Arrowheads were small and easier to make. Mo Yuming had previous experience making hidden blades, so making arrowheads was the least difficult task for him. After making up his mind, Mo Yuming learned from Tieqiao how to use his spiritual power to draw a small ball of molten iron from the fireball in the furnace and pour it into a small mold to create a rough shape. Then, while the meteorite iron was still slightly solidified, he immediately took it out and forged it into its final form.
Even when heated to a red-hot and softened state, meteorite iron is much more resilient than black iron. Refining a rough embryo to achieve the same effect requires ten times the effort. Mo Yuming continuously struck and adjusted it, and it took him an hour to finally shape the small arrow, which was no thicker than a finger and less than three inches long.
The shaping process is only the first step; there are still several steps to go before final completion. Mo Yuming looked at the arrowhead in his hand with satisfaction, then placed it in the furnace to warm it. After resting and conditioning for a while, he took out a lump of molten iron to refine the second arrowhead.
Having learned from his previous experience, the second arrow was made a little faster, and it was completed in less than an hour. Mo Yuming was overjoyed and immediately went on to make nine more arrows in one go. However, by the time the last arrow was finished, it was already the afternoon of the next day. His absorbed work had left him completely drained of spiritual energy when he stopped to rest. As soon as he relaxed, he felt dizzy and lightheaded, and even standing became difficult. He immediately sat down to meditate and circulate his energy to recover.
After drinking a drop of the Water Essence, his spiritual power quickly recovered. A quarter of an hour later, Mo Yuming's spiritual power reached its peak. Upon internal inspection, he discovered that his fire-type profound technique had actually improved through this intense refining process, advancing from the initial stage of level nine to the mid-stage, just one step away from the peak. Overjoyed, he also discovered that his soul power had increased.
By this time, Tieqiao had finished forging the Zhenshan Mace. After placing the mace in the furnace to warm it, Tieqiao was exhausted and went to rest.
Elder White Ape, who had been nurturing the armor, told Tieqiao that some changes had occurred. Upon hearing this, Tieqiao and Mo Yuming immediately got up to see.
The armor, which had previously resembled scrap metal, underwent a significant transformation after being nurtured by the array. Although still tattered, the breastplate and helmet, its main components, seemed to possess a trace of life, exhibiting subtle fluctuations of spiritual energy—a sign that this innate spiritual treasure possessed self-awareness. Only innate spiritual treasures with a spirit could operate their spiritual energy independently and communicate with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth without human intervention.
"It seems that the spirit of this armor has not completely dissipated, but it is too badly damaged. It may take hundreds or even thousands of years for it to recover. After I finish the Mountain-Suppressing Mace, I will try to repair it. If successful, it can restore at least 50% of its power. At that time, I only need to establish a divine contract with its master through recognition, and then it can be incorporated into the sea of consciousness for nurturing. The spirit will awaken in a few years."
"Why don't we repair that Hunyuan Cudgel at the same time? That would put the White Ape Clan at ease!"
"That works too. Most of the ancient weapon-forging techniques have been lost. Hopefully, we can learn something from them by restoring them."
When Elder White Ape saw that Iron Bridge had agreed to repair their sacred artifact immediately, he hurriedly and happily returned to his territory to retrieve the Hunyuan Cudgel!