MTLNOVEL Chapter 39 - 38: Reforging the Azure Dragon Spear
Chapter 39: Chapter 38: Reforging the Azure Dragon Spear
Ning Daoran’s heart tightened, the inevitable had still arrived.
“I know you have a good relationship with Grandma and Chen Weimo.”
Lin Sheng’s voice dipped slightly as he said, “According to the information held by the Inner Sect, we found that Grandma and Chen Weimo are the descendants of the Chen family from the Baisha River area.
Originally, the Chen family was a Foundation Establishment family, but after the Chen’s Foundation Establishment fell, their Spirit Vein was occupied by the Zhao family, who chased down the direct descendants until only this branch remained.
For years, the Zhao family has wanted to eradicate them completely. Grandma took her eldest daughter, Chen Weimo, and hid in the Chaotic Sect’s Qiongbi Peak, farming for over a decade.
Now that the enemies have come knocking again, Grandma used herself as bait and set up a Five Elements Wander Array deep in the Yellow Dragon Mountain Range, ultimately perishing together with that Zhao Foundation Establishment!”
“It’s almost as I had deduced.”
Ning Daoran’s gaze was icy, “This Zhao family… do they still have Foundation Establishments?”
“Yes.”
Lin Sheng said, “The Zhao family is a dual Foundation Establishment family, and their family head is also a Foundation Establishment Expert.”
“Understood.”
Ning Daoran nodded, “Senior Brother Lin, thank you for bringing me this news.”
“Are you going to tell Chen Weimo?”
“No, this information won’t benefit her in any way.”
“Alright, you decide.”
Lin Sheng then left.
Ning Daoran turned towards the direction of Spirit Field 79, sighed, and didn’t know what to do for the moment.
…
A few days later, Ning Daoran decided to refine the Solid Color Pill.
Although the Solid Color Pill did not increase cultivation, it was an elixir that could permanently fix one’s appearance in one use.
However, its production was demanding, requiring Yan Ling Grass aged five hundred years.
Yan Ling Grass of five hundred years was also a primary ingredient in the Heavenly Net Pill, which could advance an Early Stage Foundation Establishment. The conflict between the two made the Solid Color Pill even more extravagant.
In the Cultivation World, where might rules, very few cultivators were willing to give up opportunities for advancing their cultivation for the sake of preserving their youthful appearance forever.
Thus, those exceptional beings in the Cultivation World like Foundation Establishment Ancestors, Golden Core Experts, Nascent Soul Old Monsters, generally appeared as elderly men and women.
As for fairies, their prime was very short.
The Solid Color Pill was too extravagant, and since it required consumption during one’s young age, aside from women from prominent clans with strong backing, hardly anyone would spend Spirit Stones on it.
Ning Daoran wasn’t particularly keen on refining the Solid Color Pill, but he simply had too much five-hundred-year-old Yan Ling Grass.
Furthermore, Solid Color Pill was a First-Tier Middle-Grade Elixir. If he could refine it successfully and maintain a success rate of above fifty percent, he would genuinely advance to become a First-Tier Middle-Grade Pill Master!
Alchemy was not his forte talent-wise, but he couldn’t ignore his abundance of materials.
A month later, Ning Daoran continuously refined three batches of Solid Color Pills, obtaining seven pills, and advanced to become a First-Tier Middle-Grade Pill Master!
…
He secretly fed one of these Solid Color Pills to his junior sister, Han Bing.
Chen Weimo also asked for one, saying she would take it when she was most beautiful at eighteen.
As for Liu Ruyan.
Ning Daoran didn’t exchange anything further with Senior Sister Liu, after all, doing it once or twice was acceptable, but a third time would seem too coincidental, and she would inevitably become suspicious.
In the world of cultivation, one of the most feared scenarios was when one was weak but suspected by others of carrying great fortunes. Such persons often had a high mortality rate.
…
On this day.
After studying the Array Path, Ning Daoran took out the Azure Dragon Spear in the yard and practiced the Silver Dragon Spear Technique.
Not quite satisfying. The Azure Dragon Spear, which he had pulled from Big Stupid Deer’s rear, was of unknown material, but was quite smooth to use, however, being only half a spear, it couldn’t fully exhibit the true power of the Silver Dragon Spear Technique.
“Old Lu.”
He looked at the Azure Dragon Spear, “Shall we go down the mountain and refine and repair the Azure Dragon Spear?”
“Ao~~~”
Big Stupid Deer voiced its agreement, but it had a natural fear of the Azure Dragon Spear, feeling a pang of pain in its buttocks just at the sight of the spear.
They immediately went downhill to find someone to reforge the Azure Dragon Spear.
At Yellow Dragon Square, it was bustling with people.
Now, Ning Daoran no longer completely suppressed his aura, displaying the cultivation of a Qi Refining Seventh Layer, indeed a Late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, and thus began to receive considerable respect in Yellow Dragon Square.
“Hmm?”
He suddenly spotted a familiar figure.
That person was also slightly dazed in the middle of the street and seemed to recognize Ning Daoran.
“Young master, is it you?”
“You… you seem to be called Zhou Qi, right?”
“Yes, it’s indeed me!”
This man was the one who had initially shown the way to Ning Daoran during his first visit to Qingfu Square.
Such a person without a Spirit Root struggled to make a living in the Immortal Market, barely managing by knowing the right people.
“Young master, long time no see. May I ask what you’re doing here?”
Zhou Qi stepped forward very respectfully and also smiled courteously at Big Stupid Deer while bowing, “Greetings, Senior Lu!”
“Ao~~~”
Big Stupid Deer made a noise, indicating that the person was quite acceptable.
Ning Daoran immediately smiled and said, “Zhou Qi, I want to remake a heavy magic weapon. Does the Yellow Dragon Square have any refining workshop that can help forge spears and lances too?”
“Yes.”
Zhou Qi said, “There are plenty of shops in the square that can forge magic artifacts, but only a handful can also cast weapons. I know one with reasonable prices, and the workshop master is a trustworthy person. If the young master wishes, I can lead the way.”
“Alright, lead the way.”
“Yes!”
After crossing an alley, they arrived at a street swirling with smoke and dust.
In front of a moderately-sized artifact refining shop hung a sign that read “Wen Family’s Refining Workshop,” and the sound of hammering iron emanated from inside—it seemed business was not bad.
“Well then, proceed.”
Ning Daoran tossed out a silver ingot.
The moment Zhou Qi caught it, he realized it weighed at least five taels, and his face lit up with joy, “Thank you, young master. I wish you a long and prosperous path in the ways of immortality, may your breakthroughs come as easily as drinking water, establishing foundations as simple as eating, reaching the Great Success of Golden Core, and Nascent Soul in sight!”
Quite the smooth talker.
Ning Daoran chuckled, waved his hand to indicate he could leave, and then entered the workshop with Big Stupid Deer.
“How may I address this fellow daoist?”
A middle-aged man in a grey robe came forward to greet them, his voice full of vigor; he was a Mid-Stage Qi Refining cultivator.
“Ning Daoran, Outer Disciple of the Chaotic Sect.”
“I am Wen Zichen, the workshop master of the Wen Family’s Refining Workshop.”
Wen Zichen respectfully bowed and asked, “May I know what Fellow Daoist Ning wishes to forge?”
Ning Daoran lightly patted his Storage Bag, producing half of a Big Green Dragon, and said, “This was originally a complete Azure Dragon Spear. I don’t know why it broke. I obtained it by chance when I was young and found it quite convenient to use.
I now wish to reforge it, with specific requirements for weight and lethality. Does the workshop master wish to take on this task?”
“…”
Wen Zichen stared at Ning Daoran for a few moments. This youngster seemed to be only about eighteen or nineteen, talking about “when I was young” sounded like it might just be boasting.
“May I take a look at this spear first?”
“Sure.”
Ning Daoran handed over the Azure Dragon Spear.
With a grave expression, Wen Zichen channeled a strand of mana into the Azure Dragon Spear, then slowly touched it, feeling the dragon patterns on the long spear.
“This spear is extraordinary; it must have been a First-tier Top-Grade Magical Artifact before it was broken.”
“Oh?”
Ning Daoran was taken aback, “Master Wen is quite impressive, able to tell just from a look?”
“Long exposure to weapons naturally allows one to see through them at a glance,” Wen Zichen said. “I wonder to what extent does Fellow Daoist plan to reforge and refine this spear?”
“Well…”
Ning Daoran spoke gravely, “After reforging, I hope its weight can be at least over two hundred kilograms. Additionally, it should have inlaid weight-increasing arrays, so that when mana is infused, the weight can reach over one thousand five hundred kilograms. Can it be done?”
“Miniature weight-increasing array talisman stones are available here, but,” Wen Zichen frowned slightly, “reaching one thousand kilograms with mana infusion will require adding a significant amount of top-grade materials, such as Copper Essence, Iron Essence, and Silver Essence. You need some of each.
Moreover, after reforging, the spear’s grade should be able to reach either a Second-Order Lower Grade Spiritual Artifact or a Mid-grade Spiritual Artifact. Are you certain you want to proceed like this?”
“Positive.”
Ning Daoran had thought it through clearly, having concluded from previous battles that whenever possible, one should aim for a surprise attack!
A single successful surprise attack is infinitely better than exchanging blows.
If the Big Green Dragon truly weighed over a thousand kilograms with a swing, and adding his own strength foundation, a single thrust could wield the force of tens of thousands of kilograms.
A successful surprise attack would make it easy to kill an opponent in the midst of mid-stage Foundation Establishment.
As for a Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivator using a spiritual artifact being like “using a cannon to kill a mosquito,” this was even less of an issue.
A surprise attack would finish the battle in one or two blows; besides, with his Evergreen Technique’s ten layers, he certainly didn’t lack that bit of mana.
“Alright.”
Wen Zichen said, “To reforge this spear, we’ll need three hundred jin of refined iron, one jin of Copper Essence, five liang of Iron Essence, and two liang of Silver Essence, in addition to four miniature weight-increasing arrays from our store.”
He looked at Ning Daoran, “Refined iron is available in our workshop, but Copper Essence, Iron Essence, and Silver Essence are quite expensive. Would you like to purchase them here, or gather them from outside?”
“What exactly are these, Copper Essence, Iron Essence, and Silver Essence?”
“Heh…they are the ultimate refined forms of Brass, Refined Iron, and Silver respectively. Copper Essence and Iron Essence generally require a Late-Stage Qi Refining Great Cultivator to refine for several months to years to obtain, while Silver Essence needs at least a year from a Foundation Establishment Expert to be produced.”
Wen Zichen smiled slightly, “An ounce of Copper Essence is worth ten Spirit Stones, an ounce of Iron Essence is worth twenty Spirit Stones, and an ounce of Silver Essence is worth one hundred Spirit Stones, these are the market prices.”
Ning Daoran nodded lightly, “Master, feel free to use them, just let me know the final price.”
“Yes.”
Wen Zichen calculated, “To completely reforge this spear, the total cost will be nine hundred forty Low Grade Spirit Stones.”
“…”
Ning Daoran couldn’t help feeling a pang of pain. This was nearly the price of a Low Grade Spiritual Artifact!
In the end, he took out the Spirit Stones, saying, “Master, I’d like to watch you reforge this spear, is that okay?”
“Of course.”
Wen Zichen smiled understandingly, “Fellow Daoist need not feel embarrassed; other patrons also watch from the side, which prevents skimping on materials, and for the reputation of our workshop, I too hope that Fellow Daoist can watch!”
“That would be quite good!”
…
That night, Wen Zichen clanged and hammered away, beginning the reforging of Ning Daoran’s Azure Dragon Spear.