124: Lieshanhe

"The power of this Flowing Cloud Style sword strike has likely reached the Late Stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm," Lin Yan estimated.

"However, this qinggang sword is becoming a bit overwhelmed."

With the enhancement of three Concepts, the power of the Sword Intent had long since overflowed the shackles of ordinary first-tier weapons.

He felt that when he struck with full force, the blade of the qinggang sword trembled faintly, as if wailing, no longer able to carry his sword moves that fused the Flowing Cloud Concept.

It was time to change to a new sword.

Lin Yan remembered the piece of qinggang wood given by Hall Master Lin upon his departure.

This was a very suitable Artifact Refining material for him.

Lin Yan had very little experience in the Dao of Artifact Refining, but he knew that the Fire Lineage of the Sword Pavilion within the Sect excelled at it.

Among them, the Spirit Pill Hall and the Spirit Artifact Hall were in close contact.

"Perhaps I can ask Zhao Xuaner for help," Lin Yan thought to himself.

The next day, Lin Yan arrived at Zhao Xuaner's Immortal Cave as if he knew the way well.

Zhao Xuaner was carefully adjusting the heat of a Pill Furnace.

Seeing Lin Yan arrive, her clear and beautiful eyes curved: "Senior Brother Lin? You've improved quite a bit after your successful Foundation Establishment. Looking at your aura, it's becoming increasingly unfathomable."

Lin Yan smiled upon hearing this.

This girl certainly knew how to talk; she couldn't perceive any aura at all, yet she praised him for being unfathomable.

Cupping his hands in return, Lin Yan explained his reason for coming.

Zhao Xuaner thought for a moment and said, "Regarding Artifact Refining, our Spirit Pill Hall is indeed not as professional as the Spirit Artifact Hall."

"I happen to be going there today to deliver a batch of Body Tempering Liquid. Why don't I take you there and introduce you to someone?"

Lin Yan's eyes lit up, and he smiled: "Then thank you, Junior Sister."

He secretly praised Zhao Xuaner's high emotional intelligence.

Lin Yan didn't believe it was such a coincidence; clearly, she had made it up specifically to help him.

This way of putting it made one feel very comfortable.

Led by Zhao Xuaner, the two crossed several mountain ridges and arrived at a peak where heat waves hit their faces and firelight flickered.

This was the Spirit Artifact Hall.

Unlike the Spirit Herb Hall, the Disciples of the Alchemy Hall and the Artifact Refining Hall lived in groups.

Buildings clustered on the peak, similar to a secular town.

Walking through the streets, the air was filled with the unique scent of metal and fire blending together. The constant clanging of hammers could be heard everywhere, a scene of busy activity.

Zhao Xuaner led Lin Yan straight to a high platform with a wide view on the peak.

On the platform, a man was bare-chested, his bronze skin shimmering with a metallic luster under the reflection of the furnace fire.

He was covered in sweat but remained focused on a Magical Artifact about to take shape in front of him. The muscles on his arms were knotted, and every strike of the hammer carried the force of a thousand thunders, sending sparks flying.

"Senior Brother Lie!" Zhao Xuaner called out loudly.

The brawny man turned his head at the sound and casually leaned his heavy hammer on the ground with a muffled "thud." The entire floor of the high platform seemed to vibrate.

He grinned, revealing a row of white teeth, and his bushy beard made him look even more bold and unrestrained.

Looking closely at his face, he was actually quite young, but he had a thick beard and a sturdy, thickset build, with muscles developed like a small mountain.

"Junior Sister Xuaner, what wind blew you here?" He wiped his sweat with a cloth hanging around his neck while walking over with large strides, his voice booming like a bell.

"Senior Brother Lie, this is Senior Brother Lin Yan, the Personal Disciple of Hall Master Bai of the Spirit Herb Hall. He wants to ask for your help in refining a sword," Zhao Xuaner introduced.

'Senior Brother Lie' heard this and frowned, asking: "Spirit Herb Hall? Is he the Genius who established a Fifth-Grade Dao Foundation some time ago?"

"That would be me," Lin Yan replied with a smile.

'Senior Brother Lie' laughed: "Haha, I've heard much about you. I am Lie Shanhe. I once heard my Master mention you, and today I finally see the man himself!"

A Fifth-Grade Dao Foundation was rare in the outer Sect.

Even in powerful halls like the Spirit Pill Hall and the Spirit Artifact Hall, it was not common.

"Senior Brother Lin, I forgot to tell you, Senior Brother Lie is the current Chief Senior Brother of the Artifact Refining Hall!" Zhao Xuaner interjected.

"He looks old, but he's actually not even thirty. Not only has he mastered Sword Intent, but he has also comprehended the Fire Concept. Like you, he is a well-known Genius of the outer Sect!"

"Haha, I've heard much about you!" Lin Yan smiled: "Senior Brother Lie, I've come today to trouble you to help refine a second-tier spiritual sword."

Lin Yan explained his purpose and took out that piece of qinggang wood.

"This is... qinggang wood?" Lie Shanhe's eyes lit up instantly.

He strode forward and unceremoniously took the qinggang wood.

His large hand brushed over the lustrous surface of the qinggang wood, where a faint green light flowed. Even though he was used to seeing rare treasures, he couldn't help but gasp.

Lie Shanhe couldn't help but praise: "Good stuff! Fifth-tier qinggang wood! This kind of material is truly becoming increasingly scarce!"

He looked up, his face covered by the beard full of excitement and impatience. He patted his chest and said:

"Junior Brother Lin, don't worry! Although I, Lie Shanhe, look rough, my skills are definitely not sloppy! I'll take this qinggang wood! A second-tier spiritual sword, leave it to me!"

Seeing his bold and reliable appearance, Lin Yan's doubts instantly vanished. He took out a heavy bag of Spirit Stones from his Storage Pouch as a deposit: "I'll have to trouble you, Senior Brother Lie. This is the deposit; please be sure to put your heart into it."

The value of an ordinary second-tier Spiritual Artifact ranged from a few hundred Spirit Stones to over a thousand.

Common Spiritual Artifacts like spiritual swords were relatively cheap and could be bought for a few hundred Spirit Stones.

The processing fee for refining a second-tier Spiritual Artifact was at most a few hundred.

To Lin Yan, it was all small change.

Lie Shanhe weighed the Spirit Stone bag, nodded with satisfaction, and carefully put away the qinggang wood.

He rubbed his thick, large hands and smiled at Lin Yan:

"Junior Brother Lin, don't worry about a thing. Go back and wait for news! Come back in a month to collect the sword. I guarantee it will dazzle you!"

After saying that, he held the piece of qinggang wood like a precious treasure and turned toward the hottest refining furnace in the distance.

"Senior Brother Lie is just like that. Don't mind him, Senior Brother Lin," Zhao Xuaner smiled.

"It's fine. It's quite interesting for a craftsman to have such a temperament," Lin Yan smiled... After buying some Medicinal Pills for cultivation from Zhao Xuaner, Lin Yan returned to his Small Valley.

Considering he would soon be setting off for the True Dragons Lair, he bought quite a few Medicinal Pills this time.

Besides the second-tier Spirit Gathering Pills to assist in cultivation, Lin Yan also bought some second-tier Rejuvenation Pills for healing and Qi Recovery Pills to restore Qi.

During the days waiting for the spiritual sword to be finished, Lin Yan didn't stay idle.

While cultivating the Crimson Flame Rice and Fire Crystal Rice, he also practiced diligently.

With the upcoming journey for experience, he planned to give himself some strong medicine and take more Spirit Gathering Pills.

Finally, one year after breaking through to Foundation Establishment, his cultivation reached the limit of the first layer.

Sitting cross-legged under the Azure Blade Willow, Lin Yan took out a second-tier Spirit Gathering Pill.

The pill was only the size of a thumb, perfectly round, with a faint flowing light slowly rotating inside.

He decisively popped the pill into his mouth.

The pill melted instantly upon entering his mouth. It didn't turn into liquid but instead transformed into a cool and pure torrent of energy that rushed down his throat and exploded in his stomach in an instant!

Boom!

It was as if an invisible barrier within his body had been blasted open.

Violent Qi surged out from his Dantian, sweeping through his limbs and bones along his Meridians.

The power of the second-tier pill was domineering and direct, striking at the bottleneck of his first-layer Foundation Establishment Realm.