“Sir Xiao, this is Senior Yun, a Rank 4 Grandmaster blacksmith. He should be able to fulfill your request,” Li Xiuhai said to Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen nodded. “Senior Yun, have you seen my saber?”
Senior Yun said proudly, “I’ve seen it. A peak inherited Dao Tool. This old man believes that I can still reforge and further refine such a Dao Tool.”
Xiao Chen looked at Senior Yun with misgivings. Based on the other party’s expression, it seemed like the other party had not recognized the Tyrant Saber.
“Manager Li, please leave first.”
Li Xiuhai left with a cupped-fist salute, following the instruction. He did not know what Xiao Chen was up to.
“My saber is not an ordinary inherited Dao Tool. Senior Yun, you can carefully inspect it.” Xiao Chen gestured in invitation.
Seeing Xiao Chen so serious, Senior Yun carefully inspected the scabbard, his own expression turning serious.
Lightning attribute. Inherited for a long time and quite old. What else?
Senior Yun looked at Xiao Chen and said, “Would Young Master Xiao please draw the saber?”
“Clang!”
Xiao Chen grabbed the Tyrant Saber and drew it. A cold light flowed down and gathered at its tip, flickering like an icy star.
Senior Yun’s expression changed slightly. Then, he stretched his finger out and gently tapped the blade.
A melodious saber hum rang out as the blade quivered. Senior Yun seemed to hear something else amid the hum.
That was the screams of countless tyrannical and powerful bladesmen just before they died.
“This is the Saber of Misfortune!”
Senior Yun finally recognized the Dao Tool. Then, he gazed at Xiao Chen in shock. “Young Master Xiao, you are really bold. Despite knowing the origins of this saber, you still dare to use it. This is not an auspicious saber. Those that wield this saber eventually become hegemons. However, they do not come to a good end. They all inevitably meet a violent death.”
Xiao Chen said indifferently, “That is because they do not understand the way of the hegemon. Senior Yun, are you confident in altering this saber?”
Senior Yun smiled and retorted, “Why not? Speak, how do you want to alter it?”
Xiao Chen resheathed his saber and spread his palm wide. The sword embryo formed by the Grand Beta Profound Lightning appeared in his hand.
“Grand Beta Profound Lightning!”
Senior Yun was shocked. He grabbed Xiao Chen’s hand and asked excitedly, “Where did you get it? Is there more?!”
This startled Xiao Chen, prompting him to withdraw the Grand Beta Profound Lightning quickly. Does this old man have something wrong with his mind?
“Sorry, sorry. I got too excited. You have no idea how excited we blacksmiths can get when we encounter such a legendary material. This old man has remained stuck as a Rank 4 blacksmith for many years already.”
Curious, Xiao Chen asked, “This thing can help Senior advance in rank?”
“Perhaps not advance in rank, but I will definitely gain a lot. You want to merge this Grand Beta Profound Lightning into the Tyrant Saber? That’s a pretty good idea. That way, the Tyrant Saber might grow into a Grand Beta Profound Weapon. There would be infinite possibilities in the future!”
Senior Yun’s enthusiasm waxed hot as he spoke. Then, he rolled up his sleeves, preparing to start refining.
Xiao Chen smiled awkwardly. “I say, Senior, there is no need to get so excited over it.”
“Hahaha! You do not understand the way of blacksmithing; naturally, you do not understand my emotions now. Right now, the way I feel is the way you might, if you found a supreme and profound Saber Technique, feeling impatient to practice it.”
Senior Yun guffawed. Then, he added seriously, “Since the work is to merge in the Grand Beta Profound Lightning, I will not charge you for it. After all, this is the first time I am doing this. On the contrary, I am the one profiting by increasing my experience with this.”
When Xiao Chen heard that, he rejoiced. This was good; he would save on a lot of resources.
The fee of a Rank 4 Grandmaster blacksmith was extraordinary. It would be at least two hundred thousand Primeval Heavenly Pills—furthermore, that was the daily rate.
“However, I cannot provide you the other materials,” Senior Yun said.
Xiao Chen smiled and said, “Don’t worry. I will get Li Xiuhai to make arrangements. When I rented this courtyard, I specially requested there be a forge.”
After handing the Tyrant Saber and the Grand Beta Profound Lightning to the other party, he said gravely, “I’ll leave the rest to Senior Yun. I would like to activate the spirit in the Tyrant Saber and further advance its Thunder Great Dao.”
“No problem. I will do my best.” Senior Yun’s eyes sparkled, appearing extremely excited.
Xiao Chen frowned in his heart. He did not know if it would work or not.
He shook his head and did not dwell on it. A Rank 4 Grandmaster blacksmith was already extremely incredible. If not for Nine Cauldron Pavilion, a Rank 3 Grandmaster would be the best he could do if he sought a blacksmith himself.
“Sir Xiao, what are your instructions?”
Li Xiuhai walked over with a smile. By now, he had determined that Xiao Chen was his god of fortune. It would not be wrong to befriend him.
Xiao Chen wrote out a list of all the materials that he needed for reforging the Tyrant Saber and handed it to the other party.
Li Xiuhai glanced through it and said that there would not be any problem. Then, he pretended to say casually, “The Heavenly Lodging Palace’s matter kicked up a huge storm in Ancient Desolate Town recently. I wonder if Sir Xiao has heard of it?”
Xiao Chen’s expression did not change as he replied, “What matter is it? Tell me.”
This fellow really doesn’t know?
Li Xiuhai could not make out anything from Xiao Chen’s expression. He felt slightly disappointed as he continued, “I don’t know what the Heavenly Lodging Palace discovered in Desolate God Valley, but they actually sealed the place and prevented others from entering. The four nearby Rank 6 sects—the Ruling Sword Gate, the Northern Mountain Academy, the White Sun Mountain Manor, and the Wolf Smoke Pavilion—could no longer hold themselves back and rushed their elites over.”
Xiao Chen said in shock, “To think that there is such a matter! As one of the top three merchant associations in the entire Central Great Realm, the Nine Cauldron Pavilion can be considered a super faction. Are you not tempted by it?”
Li Xiuhai said abashedly, “Sir Xiao must be joking. The Ancient Desolate Town’s Nine Cauldron Pavilion is considered nothing in our inner circle. In just the northern region alone, there are three more levels above me in the chain of command. How could I dream of joining this excitement? The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
The final line of “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” was clearly directed at Xiao Chen. He felt that there should be an expert behind Xiao Chen.
If Xiao Chen was willing, the Nine Cauldron Pavilion would be willing to ally with him and go explore together.
Xiao Chen thought to himself, Sly old fox. Then, he smiled and said, “Manager Li is being humble. We will leave it at that, then. I won’t send you off any further.”
Li Xiuhai turned his head and looked, only to realize that Xiao Chen had already walked him to the courtyard doors without him realizing it.
Li Xiuhai could not help feeling depressed; he still had plenty of things he wanted to say.
However, he could only leave it at this. He performed a cupped-fist salute and said, “Sir Xiao, come visit when you have time. I will send someone to bring the items on this list over tomorrow.”
“Take care.”
When the other party left, Xiao Chen withdrew his smile.
The plan worked. They had managed to stir up the waters. Aside from the four Rank 6 sects, there probably were many other hidden factions and strong individuals who wanted to go and see what the Heavenly Lodging Palace discovered.
Given this, the Heavenly Lodging Palace would have no hope of monopolizing whatever it found.
The more this water is stirred up, the better, Xiao Chen thought to himself. Then, he closed the door and went to the cultivation room, starting his preparations to break through.
Since he and the other Dragon’s Gate disciples wanted to enter these muddied waters, they needed to grow stronger. Otherwise, they would be too weak before Sovereign Personages.
Even an ordinary Initial Perfection Sovereign Personage would outmatch Xiao Chen. His only option would be to flee far away.
If they did not grow stronger, they could only watch and not participate.
“Seven Apertures Cloud Breaking Pill!”
Xiao Chen took out the Medicinal Pill and entered deep thought.
Given his situation, it would just be a matter of time before he broke through to the Holy Light Stage, even without the aid of this Rank 4 Heavenly Pill.
If not for the change in the situation, it would actually be best for Xiao Chen to break through naturally.
However, right now, the situation was quite urgent. He could not afford to care so much anymore.
Xiao Chen placed Primeval Heavenly Pills in the Spirit Gathering Formation below and sat at the center of the formation, hovering in the air.
“Begin!”
He gently tapped the Spirit Gathering Formation, and it activated. The Primeval Heavenly Pills turned into extremely pure Spiritual Energy filling the entire cultivation room.
His hands moved continuously as he endlessly inserted Primeval Heavenly Pills into the Spirit Gathering Formation.
When the Spirit Gathering Formation had circulated for one hundred times and the Spiritual Energy in the cultivation room had formed clouds, Xiao Chen stopped inserting Primeval Heavenly Pills.
Gazing at the Spiritual Energy that looked like clouds above him, he sighed, “This is truly extravagant.”
For the sake of raising the Spiritual Energy in the room to a level similar to the Heavenly Dragon Palace’s Profound Dragon Platform’s, he had used a total of one hundred thousand Primeval Heavenly Pills.
All this was just so that he could successfully make a perfect breakthrough.
Furthermore, this was just the beginning.
Purple Thunder Divine Incantation!
Demonic Cloud Heaven Swallowing Art!
Xiao Chen circulated two kinds of Cultivation Techniques at the same time. Then, he directly swallowed one hundred thousand Primeval Heavenly Pills.
The Primeval Heavenly Pills turned into liquid, and Xiao Chen became like a whale swallowing up the sea, endlessly absorbing this vast Spiritual Energy.
If an ordinary person were present, he would have fainted from fear.
If an ordinary Star Venerate absorbed such a vast number of Primeval Heavenly Pills, he would explode and die on the spot.
However, Xiao Chen did not feel any fear. His physical body was like a bottomless pit greedily absorbing Spiritual Energy.
The whirlpools formed by the Purple Thunder Divine Incantation and the Demonic Cloud Heaven Swallowing Art were like black holes, continuously converting the Spiritual Energy to Veritable Essence Energy.
“Boom!”
When the two Veritable Essence Energies mixed, they formed primal chaos Veritable Essence Energy, which circulated continuously.
A Taiji diagram made of light and shadow appeared where Xiao Chen sat. Black and white yinyang fish chased each other in the diagram.
When they reached a balance, Xiao Chen felt his physical body swell slightly. He knew that he was at his limits already.
He closed his mouth and stopped absorbing the Primeval Heavenly Pills.
After refining the energy for a while more, he opened his mouth again and consumed the Seven Apertures Cloud Breaking Pill.
The moment the Medicinal Pill entered Xiao Chen’s mouth, the Medicinal Energy ignited, bursting forth in a way that he completely did not expect.
“Boom! Boom!”
First, an intense explosion appeared in his Soul Pool. Then, an even more horrifying explosion appeared in his 9-Star Primal Core.
“Pu ci!” Xiao Chen vomited a mouthful of blood. His entire body suffered intense pain. He bled from all his seven apertures and nearly fainted.
Xiao Chen could not help feeling greatly alarmed. Was I in too much of a rush, or was I overconfident?
He had believed that with so many resources, the Rank 4 Heavenly Pill, and his extraordinary talent, breaking through the bottleneck of the Starry Sky Stage to the Holy Light Stage would be a minor matter. He thought that there was nothing to worry about.
He did not expect to break through this bottleneck but end up nearly half-dead from the explosion of Soul Energy and Veritable Essence Energy that surged out after he reached the Holy Light Stage. He could not stabilize them at all.
Dreg!
Just as Xiao Chen calmed himself and tried to resolve the problem with his full efforts, he heard a cold snort in his mind.