24: Chapter 24 The Secret of the Stone Chamber

In the Stone Chamber, Lin Muchen let out a long breath.

"System, can you analyze where exactly these coordinates point to?" he asked in his mind.

[Analyzing coordinate information...]

[Analysis complete.]

[Coordinates point to: Northwest of the Qinglan Sect, approximately eight hundred miles away, deep within the Luoxia Mountains.]

[Map comparison: This area belongs to the 'Edge of the Forbidden Land' designated by the Qinglan Sect. It is patrolled by the Sect's Law Enforcement Team year-round, and ordinary Disciples are prohibited from approaching.]

[Risk Rating: Medium-High. Involves a Sect-controlled area; forced exploration may easily trigger conflict or lead to capture by the Law Enforcement Team.]

"Edge of the Forbidden Land?" Lin Muchen frowned and told Shen Yueru the results of the System's analysis.

After hearing this, Shen Yueru's expression also turned serious. "The Forbidden Ground? I've heard of that place. It seems the Sect sealed it because the space is unstable and strange Yao Beasts occasionally emerge."

"Senior Senior left these coordinates here, likely intending for whoever passes the test to explore it once they have the strength," Lin Muchen said, stroking his chin. "With our current cultivation, wandering near the Edge of the Forbidden Land would be no different from seeking death."

"Then what should we do?" Shen Yueru asked.

"Keep a low profile for now," Lin Muchen said bluntly. "Manage the Ore Vein well, improve our strength, and build up some resources."

"Once we can walk tall in the Outer Sect, we'll consider checking that place out."

Shen Yueru nodded. "Mm, I'll listen to you."

"The Senior Senior's insights on Formations in this Jade Slip should be quite useful to you, right?" Lin Muchen handed over the Jade Slip.

"It's incredibly useful!" Shen Yueru took the Jade Slip, her eyes sparkling. "There are many ideas for setting up Protective Formations inside. I can use them to optimize the mine's defenses so no one else can sneak in."

"Alright, then I'll leave this part to you." After saying that, Lin Muchen turned his attention back to the five pieces of high-quality star iron.

He picked one up; its deep blue metal surface was speckled with starlight, and it felt heavy in his hand.

"System, put all of these into the Origin Star and see how much can be refined."

[High-quality star iron placed into the Origin Star.]

[Refining process accelerating...]

[Current refining progress: 30% → 40%.]

[Note: star iron refining progress has reached 40%. You may attempt Elementary forging to create a basic Magical Artifact prototype.]

[Would you like to exchange for 'Basic Artifact Refining Knowledge (Metal Chapter)'? Price: 500 points.]

"Another five hundred?" Lin Muchen's mouth twitched as he looked at his remaining balance of three hundred points. "Wait a moment, let me recover some funds."

He let Shen Yueru study the Formations in the Jade Slip first while he walked out of the Stone Chamber and returned to the mine above.

The Stone Puppet "Wu Tu" was still faithfully standing guard.

In the corner of the mine, the spirit iron mined over the past few days was piled up; Lin Muchen's twenty percent share remained untouched.

"System, exchange all of this spirit iron."

[Scanning and recycling spirit iron reserves...]

[Exchange complete.]

[+700 points.]

[Current points balance: 1,000.]

"That's enough." Lin Muchen felt a bit more at ease. "Exchange for that basic Artifact Refining knowledge."

[-500 points.]

[Current points balance: 500.]

['Basic Artifact Refining Knowledge (Metal Chapter)' has been transmitted.]

Another flood of information filled his mind—metal smelting temperature control, spiritual power shaping techniques, basic rune inscription points...

After digesting the information for a while, Lin Muchen walked back into the Stone Chamber.

"Senior Sister Shen, I'm planning to try Artifact Refining," he said to Shen Yueru, who was engrossed in studying the Jade Slip.

"Artifact Refining?" Shen Yueru looked up with a "here you go again" expression. "Junior Brother Lin, is there anything you can't do?"

"I just learned it." Lin Muchen smiled, picked out a few pieces of decent quality from the pile of spirit iron, and then took a piece of star iron.

"System, give me some guidance. What's the first step?"

[Suggestion: Practice with ordinary spirit iron first to familiarize yourself with the smelting and shaping process.]

[You can use the Origin Star to assist in fine-tuning the flame temperature.]

Lin Muchen sat cross-legged and placed a piece of spirit iron in front of him.

He channeled his spiritual power and, following the technique he had just learned, condensed a ball of pale red fire in his palm—the most basic "Pill Fire." Any Qi Refinement Stage Cultivator could use it, but its temperature wasn't high and it consumed a lot of spiritual power.

The flames enveloped the spirit iron, slowly burning it.

Lin Muchen felt his spiritual power depleting rapidly, and sweat broke out on his forehead.

After burning for nearly the time it takes for an incense stick to finish, the spirit iron finally turned slightly red and soft.

"This efficiency is too low..." he muttered.

[Detected that the Host is attempting Artifact Refining.]

[Would you like to channel the Origin Star's 'Star Power' to slightly enhance the flame intensity? A small amount of points is required to maintain the channel.]

"Channel it!" Lin Muchen said immediately.

[-10 points (per hour).]

[Channel established.]

[A trace amount of Star Power is being injected into the Pill Fire.]

With a "whoosh," the flame in his palm changed from pale red to orange-red, and the temperature rose significantly.

The piece of spirit iron turned red and softened at a visible rate, eventually turning into a glob of glowing red molten iron suspended within the flames.

"Not bad!" Lin Muchen was delighted; these points were well spent.

Following the methods from his new knowledge, he used his Mental Energy to carefully control the molten iron, stretching and shaping it.

In his mind, he envisioned making a dagger—simple and practical.

The molten iron gradually took the shape of a dagger, but the edges were uneven and pitted, looking as if they had been chewed on.

"For a first time, it's good enough that it even has a shape," Lin Muchen consoled himself, continuing to polish it with his Mental Energy.

After another half-incense stick of time, an iron prototype that barely looked like a dagger was formed.

Lin Muchen withdrew the flames, and the prototype cooled into a dull, lusterless iron dagger.

He picked it up, weighed it in his hand, and gave it a couple of swings.

"Mm, it can stab people," Lin Muchen evaluated.

Shen Yueru leaned in to take a look, stifling a laugh. "Junior Brother Lin, this dagger of yours... is quite plain."

"Just practicing," Lin Muchen didn't mind. "Now for the main course."

He picked up the piece of star iron.

Star Power was injected into the Pill Fire, and the flames turned a bright golden-red.

The star iron slowly melted in the flames. The resulting liquid metal wasn't red but a deep blue shimmering with starlight, looking very high-end.

Lin Muchen held his breath, focusing all his attention.

He used his Mental Energy to guide the molten star iron, shaping it into a dagger as well.

This time, the process was much smoother.

The liquid metal seemed to possess a certain spirituality, making it easier to control. The resulting prototype had smooth lines, and the edge naturally formed a sharp curve.

Just as the dagger prototype was about to take its final shape—

The Origin Star in Lin Muchen's Dantian suddenly flickered with a faint light.

An extremely faint stream of light carrying a starlight aura shot out from the Origin Star, following Lin Muchen's spiritual power channel and injecting itself into the molten star iron.

"Buzz—"

The deep blue dagger prototype vibrated slightly. The starlight spots on its surface suddenly brightened and began to flow slowly, like a miniature galaxy streaming along the blade.

The light lasted for a few breaths before gradually pulling inward.

A dagger about seven inches long, entirely deep blue with starlight faintly circulating through the blade, floated quietly in the air.

Lin Muchen withdrew the flames, and the dagger fell into his hand.

It felt slightly heavy and cold to the touch, its edge gleaming with a chilling light.

He casually slashed at a piece of waste Ore nearby.

"Ching—"

The rock was sliced through like tofu, leaving a smooth surface.

"It's done!" Lin Muchen's eyes lit up.

[Congratulations to the Host for successfully refining your first Magical Artifact: star dagger (Elementary).]

[Magical Artifact Properties: Tough, sharp, carries a trace of Star Power, and has a slight restraining effect against evil entities.]

[Artifact Refining successful. -50 points (Materials loss and energy replenishment).]

[Current points balance: 450.]

[Origin Star Feedback: A trace amount of Star Power has strengthened the Host's Physical Body. Physical Body strength +0.1.]

A warm current surged from his Dantian to his limbs and bones; Lin Muchen felt his body become a bit more robust.

"Impressive, Junior Brother Lin!" Shen Yueru took the star dagger and examined it closely. "The appearance, the feel—it's much better than those standard daggers sold in the market! And you still say you just learned it?"

"I really did just learn it." Lin Muchen toyed with the star dagger, feeling quite pleased with himself. "It seems I have some talent for Artifact Refining?"

"Your talent points are distributed so oddly." Shen Yueru handed the dagger back to him. "Cultivation, Formations, Puppets, and now Artifact Refining..."

"Junior Brother Lin, tell me honestly, are you some old monster's Reincarnation?"

"If I were really an old monster's Reincarnation, would I have been sweeping floors in the Zayiyi for so long?" Lin Muchen put away the star dagger. "Let's go. We've gotten everything here; it's time to leave."

The two of them exited the Stone Chamber.

Using his newly acquired knowledge of Formations, Lin Muchen reactivated the "Lesser Five Elements Labyrinth Formation" to its minimum maintenance state, returning the stone wall to its original appearance. He also filled back the excavated rubble and added some camouflage.

Climbing back into the mine, the yellow light on the chest of the Stone Puppet "Wu Tu" flickered, as if it were greeting them.

"Senior Sister Shen," Lin Muchen looked at Shen Yueru, "only the two of us know about the Senior's Legacy and those coordinates. We'll continue to operate the Ore Vein normally to avoid suspicion."

"Once we both reach the Condensing Liquid Stage, or when I feel we can take on the Law Enforcement Team, we'll go explore that Secret Realm."