txolops Chapter 166 The Spirit Pool Turmoil, Forging Weapons with Fire
Chapter 166 The Spirit Pool Turmoil, Forging Weapons with Fire
Several white cranes were startled and flapped their wings, taking flight from the pine forest.
The deacon responsible for guarding the Cleansing Pool knelt on the edge of the dried-up pool bottom, his voice mournful.
This commotion not only alarmed the hundred prodigies from various sects who had just completed their baptism, but also alerted the high-ranking members of the Cangxuan Sect who were holding a meeting in the main hall of the front mountain.
In less than half an incense stick's time, dozens of dazzling streaks of light lit up the sky.
Zhou Chongyue, the Grand Elder of Law Enforcement of the Cangxuan Sect, took the lead and crashed onto the white jade square like a shooting star.
Immediately afterwards, seven or eight sect elders, each radiating the terrifying pressure of the Nascent Soul stage, landed one after another, their expressions solemn.
This place is the foundation of the Cangxuan Sect's heritage for thousands of years. If anything happens to the Cleansing Spirit Pool, these old guys will have no face to face their ancestors after they die.
Zhou Chongyue strode through the crowd and arrived at the Cleansing Pool.
When he peered down into the dried-up pit, where even the jade bricks at the bottom of the pool had cracked, he saw...
The powerful elder in charge of law enforcement in Dongzhou swayed violently and felt a sudden darkness before his eyes.
The spiritual liquid that had accumulated over a century had been reduced to mere mortal pool water?
If it weren't for the faint ripples of spiritual energy still remaining on the pool walls, he might have even doubted that he had gone to the wrong place.
Zhou Chongyue slowly turned his head, his sharp gaze sweeping across the faces of the hundred prodigies present.
These once arrogant geniuses all lowered their heads and dared not even breathe when faced with the pressure from the Nascent Soul expert.
Finally, Zhou Chongyue's gaze settled on Li Qingge in the crowd.
There was no other reason than that Li Qingge's aura was simply too conspicuous at that moment.
Tiny ice crystals kept falling around her, a manifestation of her spiritual power being completely contained after breaking through to an extremely high level in the Supreme Forgetfulness Record.
This terrifying, icy sword intent was several times stronger than it had been before she entered the Meteor Abyss.
Zhou Chongyue looked at his most proud junior, and the muscles on his face twitched violently a few times.
He wasn't stupid; the formation of the Cleansing Pool was intact, with no trace of external invasion.
One hundred people went in for baptism at the same time, but only Li Qingge's cultivation level soared, even triggering the strange phenomenon of a spiritual energy tide.
He knows without even asking where the water in the pool went.
The Nascent Soul elders nearby also noticed something amiss, exchanged glances, and all smiled wryly.
If it were any other disciple who had drained the Spirit Cleansing Pool, they would have slapped them and squeezed out all the spiritual energy.
But that person was Li Qingge, the Ice Spirit Root that the Cangxuan Sect had only once in a thousand years, and the sect's hope that he would shine brightly at the Central Plains Enlightenment Conference.
Zhou Chongyue took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the bleeding pain in her heart, and put on a complex expression of relief and helplessness.
He walked up to Li Qingge, his voice softening slightly: "Qingge, your breakthrough in cultivation has caused quite a stir. Not only have you repaired the hidden injuries you sustained in the Eastern Continent Grand Competition, but you are also probably very close to achieving the Nascent Soul stage."
Li Qingge lowered his head, a hint of guilt flashing across his face, and bowed respectfully: "This disciple knows his sins. While circulating the Supreme Forgetfulness Technique in the center of the Cleansing Spirit Pool, I don't know why the technique suddenly reached its limit on its own and could not be contained. Not only did it deplete the sect's century-old foundation, but it also prevented Senior Brother Gu from completing his baptism. Please punish me, Elder."
Hearing these words of voluntary apology, Zhou Chongyue felt another pang of guilt.
But things have come to this point, the spiritual liquid has already been sucked dry, so how can we expect Li Qingge to spit it out?
He waved his hand dismissively, his smile forced: "It's alright. The spiritual liquid in this Cleansing Pool is meant for nurturing geniuses for the sect. Your good fortune in being able to absorb the entire pool of spiritual liquid for your own use is your skill, and even more so, a blessing for my Cangxuan Sect. With a little bit of foundation, it will be restored in two or three hundred years."
Zhou Chongyue's words were not only to appease Li Qingge, but also to convey to the other sect prodigies present, demonstrating the Cangxuan Sect's wealth and its magnanimity in valuing talent, thus laying the foundation for poaching talent later.
Then, Zhou Chongyue's gaze shifted and landed on Gu Yan, who was standing at the edge of the crowd, pale-faced and looking like he was about to collapse.
He strode up to Gu Yan, grabbed Gu Yan's arm, and said with concern, "Nephew Gu, I'm so sorry. Qingge doesn't know her own strength when she's cultivating. She not only stole your opportunity at the core of the formation, but also made you soak in cold water for several hours. Alas, your hidden injuries must have gotten worse."
Gu Yan leaned against the jade railing beside him, coughed weakly twice, and gave a kind smile: "Elder Zhou, you flatter me. It is a blessing for the righteous path of Dongzhou that Fairy Li was able to break through. Changsheng's meager cultivation is a waste even if he absorbs those spiritual liquids. As long as Fairy Li is not seriously injured, what does it matter if Changsheng catches a cold?"
These words were perfectly worded and righteously spoken.
The surrounding prodigies' eyes welled up with tears.
Senior Brother Gu risked his life for Dongzhou, and now even the opportunity he deserved has been taken away. Instead of being angry, he is still thinking about Li Qingge.
Such a broad mind and such noble character are truly a breath of fresh air in the world of cultivation.
Zhou Chongyue was also deeply moved by Gu Yan's profound sense of righteousness.
He secretly made his own plans.
Behind Gu Changsheng stands a mysterious Nascent Soul stage expert.
Now that he has suffered injustice on Cangxuan Sect's territory, if he is allowed to return to Liuyun Sect with his injuries, Cangxuan Sect will definitely be implicated if that Nascent Soul expert investigates.
No, we must smooth things over; we absolutely cannot let the Flowing Cloud Sect take this important figure back like this.
"Nephew Gu, you are mistaken."
Zhou Chongyue said solemnly, "You are the top scorer in this competition and a hero who saved tens of thousands of elites in Dongzhou. Now that you have failed to receive the baptism in my Cangxuan Sect, if I do not make compensation, wouldn't I be criticized by the whole world?"
Gu Yan quickly waved his hand and repeatedly said that he dared not.
Zhou Chongyue, however, was determined. She grabbed Gu Yan's wrist and said in an unquestionable manner:
"Your ruptured meridians are likely to worsen with a long journey. The Flowing Cloud Sect is far from here, so why don't you stay at my Cangxuan Sect for a while? Our Listening Spring Pavilion is a tranquil place, perfect for recuperation. You may use any of the nourishing pills in the sect's treasury. Once you've fully recovered, I will personally arrange for a flying boat to take you back to the sect."
Upon hearing this, Gu Yan looked troubled and declined, saying, "How can I do this? The sect leader of Liuyun Sect is still waiting for his disciple to return and report. It is really inconvenient for Changsheng to trouble your sect."
Zhou Chongyue laughed heartily and patted his chest, assuring everyone, "You don't need to worry about Qingyunzi. I'll send him a message later to explain the situation. If he blames me, I'll take full responsibility. That's settled then."
Gu Yan declined again, but seeing Zhou Chongyue's firm attitude, he finally went along with it and sighed reluctantly, "Since the Grand Elder is so hospitable, it would seem rather ungrateful of me to refuse again. Then I will trouble your sect for a few days."
In fact, Gu Yan was already overjoyed.
He had just used the Grandmaster-level Everlasting Life Technique at the bottom of the Spirit Cleansing Pool to further stabilize the Tai Xu Fragment and the Divine Demon Golden Core.
Now, not only is his cultivation undamaged, but it has actually improved even more.
The reason he stayed was not to heal his wounds, but because of the seemingly insignificant piece of rusty iron on his body.
That's a companion space meteorite.
To integrate this top-tier material, which contains the laws of space, into his two paper sword servants, ordinary alchemical fire and earth fire simply cannot achieve the desired result.
It requires the aid of a special spiritual fire that combines extreme yin and extreme yang.
In the entire Eastern Continent, the only place with such excellent forging conditions is the Cangxuan Sect's sword-forging platform.
Gu Yan's real purpose was to stay and find an opportunity to steal the Cangxuan Sect's sword-forging furnace for free.
After the crowd dispersed, the deacon of the Cangxuan Sect respectfully led Gu Yan to the Tingquan Pavilion, located halfway up the main peak of the Cangxuan Sect.
This is a separate courtyard.
Outside the courtyard, there is a grove of lush purple bamboo, and the bamboo leaves rustle in the wind.
Inside the courtyard is a clear spring, with water gushing out from the mouth of a dragon carved from white stone and flowing into a small pool below. Mist rises, and the spring exudes a spiritual aura.
The environment was simple and elegant, without any extravagant decorations, and the style was simple and understated, which suited Gu Yan's taste very well.
After leaving behind several bottles of third-tier healing pills, the steward tactfully withdrew.
Gu Yan walked into the room and casually waved his hand, placing several talismans that concealed their aura on the doors and windows, completely isolating the spiritual energy fluctuations in the entire room.
He sat cross-legged on the jade bed, and the weakness on his face vanished.
Gu Yan carefully took out the palm-sized black iron piece from his storage ring.
The iron sheet was covered with mottled rust of copper green, and it felt unusually heavy in my hand. I couldn't sense any spiritual energy fluctuations, just like scrap metal picked up from some mortal blacksmith's shop.
Gu Yan closed his eyes and mobilized the power of the Tai Xu fragments in his Qi Sea Dantian.
A wisp of silvery-white spatial law flowed slowly from his fingertips into the iron sheet.
"Buzz".
A faint tremor suddenly rang out in the quiet room.
The patina on the surface of the iron sheet seemed to have met its nemesis, and began to peel off in a fluttering motion.
As the rust faded, the iron sheet revealed its true form.
It was a strange metal, entirely silvery-white, constantly shifting in shape like a celestial body. (Looking for something to read? Come on over!)
The surrounding air was noticeably distorted and folded when it came into contact with the metal.
Gu Yan glanced at it once, and his vision blurred. He made up his mind.
Only in the vicinity of the Taixu Demon-Suppressing Tower, a divine object containing top-level spatial laws, can such a unique treasure be born after being tempered by tens of thousands of years of void storms.
If it were integrated into the body of the paper sword servant.
These two already indestructible killing machines possess the terrifying ability to traverse the void over short distances, compensating for their weakness of being able to defeat them but not catch up with them.
By then, the assassinations by the Paper Sword Servant will be impossible to guard against, truly making them appear and disappear without a trace.
However, Gu Yan frowned as he looked at the meteorite iron in his hand that kept changing shape.
Ordinary flames can't even leave a mark on this thing if you want to smelt it.
We must use the Yin-Yang Heavenly Fire from beneath the Cangxuan Sect's sword-forging platform.
Gu Yan put away the meteorite iron, his fingers lightly touching his chin. .
The sword-forging platform of the Cangxuan Sect is an important place in the sect. It is usually guarded by a large formation and patrolled by no less than three Nascent Soul elders.
Even with the halo of being the top-ranked disciple in the Grand Competition and a successor of the Nascent Soul stage, as an outer sect disciple, his attempt to swagger in and borrow the core fire vein would inevitably arouse Zhou Chongyue's suspicion.
How can we go in naturally?
Just as Gu Yan was pondering to himself, a series of light footsteps came from the purple bamboo forest outside the courtyard.
Immediately afterwards, a crisp knock sounded on the door.
"Senior Brother Gu, Qingge has come to visit you."
The voice outside the door belonged to Li Qingge.
Gu Yan's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh.
It's like someone just delivered a pillow when you're about to doze off; this stepping stone just came to your door on its own.
Gu Yan quickly adjusted his breathing, making his face pale, and grabbed an outer robe to drape over his shoulders, pretending to be weak after just finishing his internal energy cultivation.
He removed the concealment talisman and stepped forward to push open the door.
Outside the door, Li Qingge was carrying a purple clay tray with a steaming white jade porcelain cup on it.
She wore an elegant, loose white robe, her skin as smooth as ice and her bones as delicate as jade. She deliberately concealed her usual aloof and unapproachable demeanor.
When Gu Yan opened the door, Li Qingge lowered her eyes, and her hands holding the tray seemed a little hesitant.
"Fairy Li".
Gu Yan revealed a gentle smile.
"Please come in quickly. Fairy has just broken through and needs to stabilize her realm. How can we trouble Fairy to make this trip herself?"
Li Qingge entered the room and placed the tray on the white stone round table: "Senior Brother Gu, you flatter me. If I hadn't lost control in the Cleansing Spirit Pool, your injuries would have healed long ago."
Li Qingge lifted the lid of the white jade porcelain bowl, and a rich, refreshing fragrance wafted out: "This is the Snow Spirit Jade Marrow Soup that I personally brewed. I used a hundred-year-old snow lotus from the far north and several mild spiritual herbs. It has a miraculous effect on repairing meridians. Senior Brother Gu, please drink it while it's hot."
Gu Yan looked at the steaming bowl of spiritual soup and secretly clicked his tongue in amazement.
This senior sister of the Cangxuan Sect, a person who never lifts a finger in the kitchen, actually cooked soup herself.
If this gets out, all the male cultivators in the entire Eastern Continent will probably be driven mad with jealousy.
However, Gu Yan knew very well that Li Qingge did this not because she had any romantic feelings for him.
It was because she had cultivated the Supreme Forgetfulness Record, which was most averse to incurring karmic debts.
Gu Yan saved her life in the desolate wasteland, gave her the top-grade spiritual treasure on the award stage, and finally let her get a "bargain" in the cleansing pool.
This series of favors, when accumulated, has become a shackle on Li Qingge's Dao heart.
If she doesn't repay these debts of gratitude, she'll probably never be able to master the Supreme Forgetfulness Record.
"Thank you, fairy."
Gu Yan did not refuse. He sat down at the stone table, picked up the porcelain cup, and slowly drank the spiritual soup.
The warm medicinal properties spread throughout my body, which was indeed extremely comfortable.
Seeing Gu Yan drink the spiritual soup, Li Qingge's expression softened, and she sat down opposite him. "Senior Brother Gu," she said, "Qingge has always had a question. Of the ten top-grade spiritual treasures awarded in the competition, each one is priceless. Why did you choose that piece of scrap iron that showed no spiritual energy fluctuations?"
coming.
Gu Yan was overjoyed; these were the words he had been waiting for.
Gu Yan put down the porcelain cup, a self-deprecating bitter smile appearing on his face. He took out the piece of iron, now disguised with verdigris, from his sleeve and placed it on the stone table.
"Fairy Li, please don't joke. It's not that Changsheng doesn't want those top-grade spiritual treasures. It's just that Changsheng knows his cultivation is shallow, and he only survived in the secret realm by chance thanks to the trump cards bestowed upon him by his master. After all, a common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime. Those top-grade spiritual treasures are too conspicuous, and carrying them will only bring unnecessary disaster."
Gu Yan's fingers gently traced the rust on the iron sheet, his eyes becoming meaningful:
"On the contrary, this piece of iron is ancient and heavy, without any fluctuation of spiritual energy. Changsheng chose it because he wanted to forge it into a sword guard or a waist tag to carry with him. Whenever he sees it, Changsheng will remember the days when he fought side by side with his comrades in the desolate wasteland of bones, sharing life and death. The significance of this kind of commemoration is far beyond that of a few top-grade weapons."
These words, spoken with sincerity and deep feeling, perfectly portray the image of a gentleman who is indifferent to fame and fortune and values loyalty and righteousness.
As Li Qingge listened to Gu Yan's words and looked at the rusty piece of iron, her respect grew even stronger.
In the cultivation world, a cesspool where fathers and sons turn against each other and fellow disciples kill each other for profit.
Senior Brother Gu was actually able to give up a golden opportunity that was within his grasp for the sake of loyalty and righteousness.
The purity of his heart made even the usually arrogant Li Qingge feel ashamed of herself.
"I see. Senior Brother Gu is of noble character and integrity. I have learned a great deal from you."
Li Qingge frowned as she looked at the piece of iron. "However, this piece of iron is made of a special material, and it is covered in rust. If it is not tempered with spiritual fire, it will be difficult to shape. Senior Brother Gu is currently injured and cannot use his natal fire, so the forging process will probably be quite troublesome."
Gu Yan sighed, a helpless expression on his face: "Yes. Chang Sheng just tried to cleanse it with his spiritual power, but he couldn't budge the rust at all. It seems that his wish to forge it into a waist token is temporarily dashed. He can only wait until he returns to Liuyun Sect and ask the sect leader for help. However... the quality of Liuyun Sect's earth fire is average. I don't know if it can melt such an ancient artifact."
Upon hearing this, a light suddenly flashed in Li Qingge's eyes.
She was worried about not finding an opportunity to repay Gu Yan's kindness, and this was the perfect way to do so.
"Why go to such lengths, Senior Brother Gu?"
Li Qingge's cool voice carried an unusual urgency.
"The sword-forging platform of my Cangxuan Sect is the number one forging holy land in the Eastern Continent. The Yin-Yang Heavenly Fire gathered beneath the sword-forging platform can even melt ten-thousand-year-old Xuanbing (a type of ice).
Li Qingge stood up, her tone firm: "If you trust me, Senior Brother, I will personally take you to the Sword Forging Platform first thing tomorrow morning. The elder in charge there is on good terms with my master, so borrowing a core furnace is not impossible. You only need to give instructions from the side, and I will personally tend the fire for you, forging this piece of iron into the shape you desire."
Gu Yan was overjoyed, but outwardly feigned shock and fear, quickly standing up: "How can this be? The Sword Forging Platform is an important place for your sect; how can an outsider like Changsheng easily set foot there? Moreover, how can we allow someone like Fairy Li to condescend to do such menial blacksmithing work for Changsheng?"
"Senior Brother Gu, please don't refuse anymore."
Li Qingge looked directly into Gu Yan's eyes, her attitude extremely firm: "Senior brother was willing to sacrifice a hundred years of his lifespan to save us. It's just a small favor for me to help you forge weapons. If you refuse again, it means you don't consider me a friend."
If Gu Yan were to refuse again after things had come to this point, it would seem hypocritical.
He bowed deeply to Li Qingge, his expression perfectly conveying gratitude: "In that case, Changsheng thanks Fairy Li for her kindness."
"It's a deal. Tomorrow at Chenshi (7-9 AM), Qingge will come to Tingquan Pavilion to pick up my senior brother."
With tomorrow's itinerary set, Li Qingge felt a huge weight lifted from her shoulders, and even her steps became much lighter.
She picked up the empty white jade porcelain cup, nodded gently to Gu Yan, turned and walked out of Tingquan Pavilion, disappearing into the purple bamboo forest.
Until it was confirmed that Li Qingge's presence had completely disappeared.
The gentleness and weakness on Gu Yan's face vanished without a trace.
He walked to the stone table, picked up the piece of rust-covered companion space meteorite iron, and flicked it lightly with his fingertip.
"Zheng".
The iron plate emitted a crisp sword-like sound, and a silvery-white spatial rift flashed and disappeared at the edge of the iron plate.
It became.
Gu Yan smiled knowingly, as if everything was under his control.
Not only did they manage to get tickets to the sword-forging platform, they also managed to get the senior disciple of the Cangxuan Sect to be their free fire starter.
Tomorrow, once we enter the sword-forging platform, we can use the Yin-Yang Heavenly Fire to melt this meteorite iron and attach it to the rune core of the Yin-Yang Paper Sword Servant.
His paper doll superpower is about to undergo an unprecedented and terrifying qualitative change.
After a long while, the night swallowed up the main peak of the Cangxuan Sect.
Inside Tingquan Pavilion, Gu Yan disappeared into the darkness, his eyes gleaming with a cold light under the moonlight, quietly awaiting the arrival of dawn.