66: Back to Changsha! Starting with a street stall to pay off my debts!

Chaotic Star Sea, Shallow Sea Area.

"Plop!"

A giant saber-toothed shark was forcibly dragged out of the water by a bronze-colored hand, then had its head smashed in with a single punch.

Gu Yang sat on the shark's corpse, skillfully tearing off a piece of fish meat and stuffing it into his mouth, sighing as he chewed.

"No good, the Spiritual Qi in the meat of these ordinary second-tier sea Yao Beasts isn't even enough to fill a gap in my teeth."

He touched his sturdy but always empty-feeling stomach.

The Five Elements Primordial Body is powerful, but its energy consumption is truly terrifying. He was like a tractor with a nuclear reactor; if he wasn't fighting, just maintaining his body's functions daily would consume energy equivalent to a thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Once he started fighting, the consumption was like flowing water.

"I've become stronger, but also poorer."

Gu Yang looked at his empty Storage Pouch, his only regret from inside the Dark Whale's belly—not being able to bring out any souvenirs (he ate them all).

"I need to make money."

Gu Yang's gaze turned towards the distant, massive floating island—Heavenly Star Island.

Although there were Nascent Soul Old Monsters from Star Palace and a wanted poster from the Five Elements Sect, it was also the wealthiest place in the entire Chaotic Star Sea.

As the saying goes, 'the darkest place is under the lamp,' the most dangerous place is the safest place... Heavenly Star Island, South City Gate.

A burly man, two meters tall, dark-skinned, and with a full beard, mingled among the crowd entering the city.

Gu Yang once again used his Bone Shrinking Technique and Disguise Art, hiding his signature glazed luster and transforming into a seemingly unremarkable (just a bit strong) Loose Cultivator.

As soon as he entered the city, he saw the huge wanted poster at the city gate.

The portrait on it was his previous appearance, with a line of blood-red characters next to it:

[Star Sea Kill Order: Gu Yang. Reward Spirit Stones: One Million! Two High Grade Magic Treasures!]

"One million..."

Gu Yang looked at the wanted poster and couldn't help but swallow.

"I even want to tie myself up and claim the reward."

"But this artist's skill isn't good; they drew me so ugly. I'm clearly very refined and amiable."

Once in the city, Gu Yang headed straight for the commercial district.

But he quickly discovered an awkward problem—he had no capital.

Whether it was doing business or going to a gambling house, capital was needed. As for robbery... the situation was so tense now, with Law Enforcement Squads patrolling everywhere. Once he made a move, his identity would be exposed.

"Am I going to have to sell myself (as a bodyguard) again?"

Gu Yang shook his head; that was too slow to make money.

As he was worrying, he passed an Artifact Refining shop called "Hundred Refinements Pavilion."

A recruitment notice was posted at the entrance:

[Urgently seeking Artifact Refining apprentices. Requirements: Fire Spiritual Root, able to endure hardship. Room and board provided, monthly salary of five hundred Spirit Stones.]

"Room and board provided?"

Gu Yang's eyes lit up.

The other things weren't important; these four words had a fatal attraction for him.

And he was familiar with Artifact Refining!

Although he didn't know those fancy rune Formations, he knew "Physical Shaping"!

Gu Yang strode into the shop.

"Boss, are you hiring?"

The shop owner was a thin, middle-aged man, currently fretting over a pile of discarded Ore.

He looked up at Gu Yang, who resembled an iron tower, and frowned:

"We are hiring, but we need a fire-attribute Cultivator. Can you control fire?"

Gu Yang grinned: "Fire? I can."

He extended a finger, and a wisp of azure flame (a trace of Earth Core Lotus Fire's Aura) danced on his fingertip.

Although it was only a wisp, the terrifying high temperature instantly distorted the surrounding air.

"Ex... Exotic Fire?!"

The shop owner was startled, his glasses nearly falling off.

Someone with an Exotic Fire coming to be an apprentice? Which Young Master was this, coming out to experience life?

"Cough, cough, since you have fire, let's give it a try."

The shop owner pointed to a piece of hard Profound Iron next to him, "Purify this iron and forge it into a sword embryo."

A normal Artifact Refiner would need to preheat it with ground fire, then hammer it hundreds of times, taking half an hour.

Gu Yang walked over, not using a furnace or a hammer at all.

He directly reached out a hand and grabbed the Profound Iron.

Five Elements Great Millstone—Internal Energy Heating!

Extreme Dao Monstrous Strength—Physical Compression!

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!

The Profound Iron rapidly turned red and softened in his hand.

Then, under the shop owner's utterly horrified gaze, Gu Yang's hands flew, as if he were kneading dough.

Rub, knead, pinch, pull!

In less than ten breaths.

A piece of scrap iron was forcibly kneaded into a gleaming long sword embryo by him!

Moreover, because it had been compressed by Extreme Dao Monstrous Strength, the density of this sword was three times that of an ordinary Flying Sword, and its hardness was comparable to a Medium Grade Magical Artifact!

"Clang!"

Gu Yang tossed the still-steaming sword embryo onto the table.

"Done. Ancient method, hand-kneaded, purely handmade, no additives whatsoever."

"Boss, when's dinner?"

The shop owner tremblingly picked up the sword and flicked it with his finger.

Ding—

Clear and pleasant, with a lingering echo.

"Genius... no, a prodigy!"

The shop owner's face flushed with excitement, "Hired! Immediately hired! Monthly salary... I'll raise it to a thousand! And all you can eat!"

...Half a month later.

A strange phenomenon appeared in the Low-Grade Magical Artifact market of Heavenly Star Island.

An inconspicuous small shop launched a series of

These Magical Artifacts had a unified brand name—"Hard as Rock."

The advertising slogan was also simple and crude:

"Won't chip when chopping! Won't break when smashing! Not only can it cut people, but in critical moments, it can also act as a shield to block Flying Swords! Guaranteed replacement if broken!"

At first, no one believed it.

Until a Loose Cultivator bought a "Hard as Rock Great Saber" and encountered a Robber Cultivator in the wild.

The Robber Cultivator's High Grade Magical Artifact Flying Sword struck the saber; the Flying Sword broke, but the saber was fine.

The Robber Cultivator was stunned, and the Loose Cultivator took the opportunity to knock the Robber Cultivator unconscious with a single blow (because the saber was too heavy, it concussed him).

When this incident spread, the "Hard as Rock Magical Artifact Shop" instantly became popular!

Countless low-level Loose Cultivators flocked to it. After all, for them, flashy functions weren't important; being sturdy and durable was the hard truth!

Shop backyard.

Gu Yang was stuffing High Grade Yao Beast meat into his mouth (special supply from the boss), while twisting a refined iron rod in his hands like a pretzel.

"Crack!"

A supreme-grade Magical Artifact iron rod was formed.

"Another thousand Spirit Stones earned. Still a long way from the taiyi essence gold's ransom (though I already ate it)."

Gu Yang sighed and continued to work hard.

Just then, a commotion came from the front desk.

"Boss! Give us a hundred 'Hard as Rock Great Swords'! We're going to encircle and annihilate that damned Gu Yang!"

Several Disciples wearing Five Elements Sect uniforms walked in aggressively.

Gu Yang paused his chewing.

"Encircle and annihilate me? And they want to buy my swords to encircle and annihilate me?"

A strange smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"This business... is quite interesting."