Chapter 87 : The Sword's Priceless Edge

This is precisely the precious nature of Immortal Sword-Type Magical Treasure [a type of enchanted artifact specifically forged as a sword]. A Flying Sword [a sword that can be controlled to fly and attack from a distance] offers unparalleled offensive power, can provide Sword Aura Body Protection [a defensive technique where sword energy forms a protective barrier around the user], and also allows for flight. Consequently, its value is often the highest among magical tools of the same rank.

A Defensive Magical Tool [an enchanted artifact designed primarily for protection] is the foundation for preserving one's life, making it the next most valuable. Following that are treasures like the Purple Sun Furnace, the Violet Radiance Mirror, and the Thunderbolt Demon-Piercing Shuttle, all of which are Second Rank High Grade [denoting an item of superior quality within the second rank of power].

Thinking of this, Chen Thalion smiled faintly. "You are cautious and thoughtful by nature, and decisive when faced with matters. My worries were unnecessary."

After speaking, he brought out some of the resources obtained from this venture.

Although they had slain three Foundation Establishment [the second major stage of cultivation, where one builds a solid foundation for their Dao] cultivators from the Lin Clan, the items useful to the two of them were not plentiful. Unlike the most promising Lin Lysander, the other three had only reached the Foundation Establishment, Early Stage [the initial phase of the Foundation Establishment realm]. Their wealth and status were far inferior.

The Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation] in their Storage Bag [a spatial pouch capable of holding items far larger than its external size] added up to only a little over three thousand pieces. There was only one Second Rank Middle Grade Magical Tool [a weapon of moderate power within the second rank], while there were six or seven of Second Rank Low Grade [denoting an item of basic quality within the second rank of power].

Neither Eldrin Chen nor the Old Patriarch fancied these treasures. Apart from one or two decent magical tools which Chen Thalion intended to use as formation components to strengthen Pingyang City's City Guardian Grand Formation [a large-scale defensive array protecting a city], the rest were simply to be deposited into the Clan Treasury.

After handling all this, the trio did not depart. Instead, they proceeded together to the Artificer's Workshop [a specialized chamber for crafting and enchanting artifacts].

"Previously, dealing with the Lin Clan delayed the forging of your Lifebound Magical Treasure [a magical artifact bound to a cultivator's life force, growing in power with them]," Chen Thalion said to the Third Elder upon entering the Artificer's Workshop. "Now, with Eldrin and I assisting together, the crafting of the Bright Abyss Ethereal Spirit Sword will be faster by a third."

As he spoke, he retrieved the Millennium Cold Iron [a rare metal refined over a thousand years, known for its hardness and affinity for cold energy] and placed it into the Artificer's Furnace [a furnace designed for the high-temperature forging required in artifact creation], beginning the process of forging the Bright Abyss Ethereal Spirit Sword. Original English translation available at audio_novel.com.

Chen Thalion worked the forge, simultaneously channeling the flames to refine the Millennium Cold Iron while explaining the process to Eldrin Chen.

"The process of smelting Millennium Cold Iron is vastly different from that of Millennium Crimson Iron," he said. "The Millennium Cold Iron is a Heaven and Earth Treasures [a rare treasure born from the convergence of heaven and earth's spiritual essence] of pure Yin [the passive, dark, and feminine principle in nature] nature."

"Our Chen Clan's Blazing Sun True Flame and Heaven-Scorching Separated Flame techniques are overwhelmingly potent and Yang [the active, bright, and masculine principle in nature] in nature. Using them for this task would likely damage the material's inherent power."

"To properly melt and refine this treasure without diminishing its potency, it is best to employ the Yin Fire Art [a technique that produces a gentle, Yin-aligned flame ideal for delicate crafting]."

"Our Chen Clan does not possess a cultivation method for mastering both Yang and Yin Fire. However, we do have a second-rank spell, the Azure Spirit True Flame, which can serve as a passable substitute for a dedicated Yin Fire Spell."

As Eldrin Chen listened to the Old Patriarch's teachings, his understanding of the artificer's craft deepened profoundly.

Over the past few years, the Old Patriarch had instructed him many times in artificing and formation arts. In his spare moments, Eldrin would occasionally practice with first-rank materials. Though his attempts were few, he had now touched the threshold of becoming a Second Rank Formation Master and a Artificer [a cultivator who forges magical tools and treasures].

Ever since the Old Patriarch had examined the magical tools Eldrin crafted, he had been astounded, realizing the youth's comprehension was even more exceptional than he had imagined.

From then on, whenever the Patriarch forged artifacts or constructed formations, he would have Eldrin observe by his side, imparting his knowledge with meticulous care and utmost dedication.

"The Fire-Sun Divine Thunder is a flame of pure Yang," the Patriarch continued. "For instance, the Yang Fire Divine Thunder divine ability is a type of Pure Yang Divine Thunder. Such True Flame [a potent, spiritually-aligned flame used in high-level cultivation and crafting] is even more domineering. Yin Fire, on the other hand, is a flame of pure Yin, gentler and more pliant, making it far more suitable for crafting water-attribute magical tools like this one."

It is said that the Yin Fire Divine Thunder [a divine thunder technique of the Yin Fire element] is also renowned, hailed as the Pure Yin Divine Thunder [a divine thunder of pure Yin nature], and stands shoulder to shoulder with the Yang Fire Divine Thunder [a divine thunder of the Yang Fire element]. Its destructive power is truly extraordinary. Unfortunately, this divine ability can only be successfully cultivated by female cultivators.

The Chen Clan does not possess the Yin Fire Spell [a spell of the Yin Fire element]. However, they do have a relatively gentle and soft Azure Spirit True Flame [a true flame of azure spiritual energy], which can barely serve as a substitute for the Yin Fire Art [the art of Yin Fire].

Over the past few years, Eldrin Chen has also practiced the Azure Spirit True Flame. Compared to the abstruse and difficult-to-comprehend divine abilities, mastering this spell was not overly challenging. He has now gained a preliminary grasp of it.

Without the aid of an Underground Fire Vein [a subterranean vein of fire energy], the two of them could only jointly channel the Azure Spirit True Flame to refine the Millennium Cold Iron [iron ore tempered by millennia of cold]. This arduous process consumed a full half-month before they finally managed to smelt the Millennium Cold Iron into a mass of clear, transparent liquid substance.

"Sunflower Water Essence [the purified essence of Sunflower Water, a potent spiritual liquid]."

After completing this step, the Old Patriarch spoke.

Eldrin Chen promptly retrieved the Sunflower Water Essence and poured it into the Artificer's Furnace [a furnace specifically designed for crafting magical tools].

Without another word, the Old Patriarch channeled the Sunflower Water Essence, merging it with the liquid substance derived from the Millennium Cold Iron. Using the True Flame [a cultivator's purified flame energy], he repeatedly refined the mixture. Seven full days passed in this manner before he finally produced a mass of pale cyan liquid substance.

Next, he mobilized his True Essence [the refined spiritual energy within a cultivator's body] to shape the sword's form. Before long, the sword embryo finally took shape.

"Lior Chen."

Seeing the sword embryo take form, Chen Thalion promptly called out in a loud voice.

Lior Chen reacted swiftly, immediately channeling his True Essence [the refined spiritual energy cultivated by a practitioner] to continuously inscribe the formation runes of the Bright Abyss Ethereal Spirit Sword into it.

Back when Eldrin Chen had succeeded in inscribing the runes in a mere quarter of an hour, the Third Elder's comprehension was far inferior, and his grasp of the formation patterns was not as deep. It took him one and a half shichen-time [a conventional short duration, roughly fifteen to thirty minutes] to barely complete the inscription.

"Finally done."

After finishing the sword embryo, Lior Chen let out a sigh of relief. With this most critical step completed, the rest would be a matter of patient, meticulous work.

This time, he took out the prepared Sunflower Water Qi [a refined spiritual essence with the properties of nurturing water] and Refined Gold Qi [a purified metallic spiritual essence], beginning to slowly refine and fuse them into the magical tool. Support the author by reading on audio-novel.com (official site).

According to the original forging formula for the Bright Abyss Ethereal Spirit Sword, it should have been Metallic Essence Qi [a potent, unrefined metallic spiritual energy] that was to be refined into it. However, after analysis, Eldrin Chen proposed a method to substitute it with Refined Gold Qi.

The reason for using Refined Gold Qi instead of Metallic Essence Qi was Eldrin Chen's belief that Flood Water [the essence of flowing, abundant water] was living water, the water of rain and dew. This water thrives when nurtured by Yin Metal (Xin/Refined Gold) but is hindered and blocked by Yang Metal (Geng/Metallic Essence).

He reasoned that if Metallic Essence Qi were used, it would create a clash between water and metal, likely diminishing much of the Sunflower Water Essence's efficacy. Conversely, refining it with Refined Gold Qi would follow the principle of metal generating water, maximizing this sword's potential power.

The Old Patriarch pondered this and accepted Eldrin Chen's suggestion. Thus, he boldly decided to alter the formula for the Bright Abyss Ethereal Spirit Sword, replacing Metallic Essence Qi with Refined Gold Qi.

As Lior Chen refined the immortal sword, Eldrin Chen observed attentively from the side, gaining a deeper comprehension of the Dao of artifact forging.

"Sunflower Water [a gentle, life-nourishing water associated with dew and rain] is soft and enduring, but its potency is somewhat lacking," he mused.

"Water-Flood Divine Thunder [a divine thunder technique drawing power from the vast waters of rivers, lakes, and seas], on the other hand, embodies the waters of Ronan's rivers and oceans. If one could forge a sword with the legendary Profound Water Crystal [a crystal of profound water essence], its power might rival the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss [a famous fire-attribute magical sword], surging forth with the unstoppable force of a heavenly Ronan descending from the nine skies."

"Alas, within the vast expanse of the Chu Kingdom, no Profound Water Crystal has ever been found, let alone a superior method for crafting a water-attribute immortal sword."

After a moment of silent contemplation, Eldrin Chen set the thought aside for now.

Cultivators with Five Spiritual Roots [the rare potential to resonate with all five elemental energies] possess one potential advantage, though its benefit is debatable: they can theoretically consecrate up to five Life-Bound Magical Treasure [a magical artifact bound to a cultivator's soul, growing in power with them].

Yet, for an ordinary cultivator, consecrating even a single Life-Bound Magical Treasure demands immense effort and focus. Attempting to nurture five simultaneously would exact a staggering toll, slowing one's cultivation progress by several fold.

Furthermore, the higher the rank of a Life-Bound Magical Treasure, the greater its consumption of Five Elements Essence [a refined spiritual essence containing the power of the five elements].

Some mighty cultivators, through purchasing vast quantities of Five Elements Essence, could sustain an entire kingdom or a great immortal clan. This illustrates that while Life-Bound Magical Treasure and high-level divine abilities possess formidable power, the Five Elements Essence required to cultivate them is exorbitantly costly.

Moreover, the constant nurturing required for a Life-Bound Magical Treasure inevitably impacts a cultivator's advancement. Managing one is challenging enough; attempting to consecrate two or three simultaneously would strain even the direct descendant of a Nascent Soul Dao Lord [a supreme cultivator whose soul has achieved nascent independence].

Tempering an immortal sword is a laborious and time-consuming task. The Third Elder toiled diligently for another full half-month before finally succeeding in forging the Bright Abyss Ethereal Spirit Sword.

"Hymn—"

All present heard a clear, resonant hum of a sword. A streak of cyan sword radiance shot forth from the Artificer's Furnace and flew directly into Lior Chen's glabella [the point between the eyebrows, considered a key spiritual center].

Having received the Bright Abyss Ethereal Spirit Sword, the Third Elder beamed with joy. "I never imagined that in this lifetime, I would have the day to possess a Life-Bound Magical Treasure [a magical artifact bound to its wielder's soul, growing in power with them]."

"Eldrin's deduction was indeed correct. Forged with Refined Gold Qi [a highly purified metallic spiritual essence], this sword's potency surpasses the recorded standard by a full twenty percent."

The Old Patriarch stroked his long beard, his expression one of profound astonishment. "To apply the principles of sovereign, minister, assistant, and envoy from the Dao of Alchemy [the art of refining spiritual pills] to the Dao of artifact forging... Eldrin's comprehension and innate talent likely far exceed anything we could have imagined."

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