Chapter 398: First Attempt at Artifact Refinement
Early December.
Since the Spirit Realm Competition concluded, Zhang Yu had been tirelessly exploring every corner of University City, seizing every opportunity to improve himself.
Within the Supreme Clarity Realm that day, Zhang Yu activated Fourfold Thinking and engaged a 20x mental acceleration, relentlessly studying artifact refinement courses.
As he studied, he couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer volume and complexity of the material.
“No wonder students in the Artifact Refinement Department rely on the Spirit Realm Network or daoist arts to boost their learning efficiency,” he sighed.
“With my Fourfold Thinking and 20x acceleration, I’m effectively operating at 80x speed. Even so, I’m only about seven times faster than a student using the Spirit Realm’s 10x learning acceleration.”
“Considering my limited daily study time and their potential use of daoist arts or Bionics to further enhance their efficiency, the comparison between my learning rate and that of Artifact Refinement students…”
Zhang Yu shook his head, thinking, “Meeting True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s new requirement — completing the artifact refinement courses by the end of my Second-Year — will indeed be a formidable challenge.”
For Zhang Yu, learning theoretical knowledge was relatively straightforward.
The real challenge lay in the practical experiments required for the artifact refinement course.
Fortunately, he had True Monarch Magnetic Pole as his teacher.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Are you planning to practice your refinement skills?”
Zhang Yu: “Yes, I’ve grasped the fundamentals. I want to attempt my first refinement.”
Zhang Yu: “But I’m unsure about the preparatory steps.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “For your first attempt, what do you intend to refine?”
Zhang Yu: “I want to refine a bag of Azure Heaven Sand.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Azure Heaven Sand? Hmm, to complement your Humanoid Gang Qi, I presume? A sound idea.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “The difficulty isn’t high, making it suitable for your first refinement.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “As for preparation, you’ll need materials, copyright clearance, a laboratory, and experimental equipment — these are the essentials.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Never mind, I’ll have Ye Xingli guide you through the process.”
Zhang Yu: “Won’t Senior Sister Ye suspect our relationship?”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Rest assured, Xiaoye is discreet. She won’t gossip about things she shouldn’t, and she might even help cover for us.”
In the classroom, Zhang Yu listened to the lecture while sensing the changes within his body.
Within his Dantian, the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo quietly bloomed. The power of this Divine Spirit Root permeated his entire being, continuously stimulating his physical body to adapt and refine itself.
Since obtaining the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo from Bai Zhenzhen, Zhang Yu had been cautious not to reveal its power, thus never actively using it. However, he had been silently enjoying its passive benefits.
“Although both the Third Eye Mystic Power and the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo are classified as Spirit Roots in the Dao Seed Register, preventing their simultaneous use,” Zhang Yu mused, “the Third Eye Mystic Power is primarily used in combat, while the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo can function as a passive ability, constantly active during cultivation and study.”
Through previous experiments, Zhang Yu had discovered the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s remarkable adaptive enhancement capabilities.
Moreover, the Chain Method Diagram Set’s switching mechanism granted Zhang Yu transformative enhancements.
When used on Zhang Yu, the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo gradually allowed his body to possess a portion of the Chain Method Diagram Set effects even in its normal state, as he repeatedly switched between different diagrams.
During this period, Zhang Yu frequently alternated between the Civil Engineering Sacred Body and Qi Meridian Everflow. Through the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s enhancement, he began to sense faint traces of the set effects from both sets, even when not actively using them.
“But the effect is extremely subtle,” he mused. “It will take more time to see any real results.”
Zhang Yu wasn’t in a rush. He could simply keep the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo active without disrupting his cultivation or studies.
After class, as Zhang Yu was about to leave, a voice called out to him.
It was Feng Jiu, the Dao Heart Class teacher.
Feng Jiu: “Are you interested in participating in the Spirit Realm Competition at the end of the year?”
Zhang Yu shook his head. “Teacher, my dao heart isn’t strong enough. I’d just embarrass myself.”
Zhang Yu knew his limitations. With a mere Level 16 Dao Heart Level, participating in the Spirit Realm Competition would be a waste of time.
He had a mountain of things to learn and cultivate, leaving him little time for the Spirit Realm Competition.
After his conversation with Feng Jiu, Zhang Yu left the classroom surrounded by Yu Xinghan, Ying Xin, Gongshu Jin, and Li Xiao.
As they walked, the Qi refining disciples parted respectfully, their eyes filled with awe as they gazed at the 95 above Zhang Yu’s head and the class rankings of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th above Yu Xinghan, Ying Xin, and Gongshu Jin.
Li Xiao desperately tried to squeeze closer to Zhang Yu, but Yu Xinghan, Ying Xin, and Gongshu Jin had already formed an impenetrable barrier around him.
“Damn it,” Li Xiao thought bitterly. “I was the first to start hanging out with Senior Brother! Now Ying Xin and Gongshu Jin are sticking to him like underwear.”
Gongshu Jin turned to Zhang Yu. “Zhang Yu, there’s a gathering in a few days. Are you interested in coming?”
Zhang Yu’s eyes lit up. “Will there be a buffet?”
Gongshu Jin replied matter-of-factly, “Of course. I wouldn’t bother inviting you to anything less than a buffet-level gathering.”
Zhang Yu: “I’m in.”
In his dormitory, Zhang Yu held a Profound Creation Relic, silently absorbing its 200% quality Magic Power.
This relic had been produced from Director Gao’s tomb site in Converging Dragon Garden.
As he felt the 200% quality Magic Power gradually dilute into his own, Zhang Yu sensed a distinct improvement in the quality of his Magic Power.
“Excellent, excellent! My Magic Power Quality is improving rapidly again.”
Just then, class teacher Scorching Thunder sent Zhang Yu a message.
True Person Scorching Thunder: “Zhang Yu, are you interested in bringing your talent to the Peace Faction?”
Zhang Yu’s heart skipped a beat. “The Peace Faction wants to recruit me?”
“Could this be some kind of trap?”
Zhang Yu: “Teacher, please don’t say such things. I’m afraid Director Gao might misunderstand.”
True Person Scorching Thunder: “We are making a sincere offer.”
True Person Scorching Thunder: “If you’re willing to sever your master-disciple relationship with Director Gao and become Director Lin’s disciple, you’ll immediately receive a low-interest loan of 200 Spirit Coins.”
True Person Scorching Thunder: “And that doesn’t even include the subsequent benefits for disciples.”
Reading True Person Scorching Thunder’s message, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but swallow hard, thinking to himself, “As expected of the Peace Faction, backed by the Finance Department. This loan amount is truly massive.”
“Maybe I should secretly maintain a master-disciple relationship with Director Gao and split the 200 Spirit Coins with him?”
After all, he already had True Monarch Magnetic Pole as his secret master. Having Director Lin as another underground master wouldn’t be a problem, as far as Zhang Yu was concerned.
True Person Scorching Thunder: “If you’re interested, you can review this contract.”
Upon examining the contract, Zhang Yu immediately regained his composure.
“Sigh, it’s never that simple.”
“This contract covers every angle, leaving me no loopholes whatsoever.”
Zhang Yu: “Give up. Director Gao has shown me immeasurable kindness. I would never betray him.”
In the Artifact Refinement Laboratory, Ye Xingli stood beside the experimental platform, her skin shimmering with a cosmic starlight-like radiance.
She curiously observed Zhang Yu beside her, thinking, “Master actually wants me to guide Zhang Yu? But isn’t he from the Civil Engineering Department? Even if Civil Engineering students need to learn about Bionics and magical artifacts, it’s just for maintenance and purchasing, right? Why would they need to actually attempt the refinement process?”
Countless questions flooded Ye Xingli’s mind, her curiosity about the relationship between Zhang Yu and True Monarch Magnetic Pole suddenly reaching its peak.
Meanwhile, Zhang Yu meticulously arranged the prepared materials.
“Azure Stone Ore, Spirit Conducting Liquid, Fiber Composite Membrane, Condensing Liquid…”
After checking the materials for this refinement session, Zhang Yu turned to Ye Xingli and said, “Senior Sister, I’ll begin now.”
Ye Xingli nodded, watching as Zhang Yu cut the Azure Stone Ore, used Gang Qi to manipulate the Spirit Conducting Liquid for infusion, activated the Yang Fire Smelting Furnace with Magic Power for shaping, sprayed the Fiber Composite Membrane for coating, and stabilized the Magic Power Circuit.
She thought to herself, “This is definitely his first time refining.”
However, Ye Xingli could sense that Zhang Yu had repeatedly reviewed the experimental procedures and operational manuals countless times. Though his movements were still clumsy, he hadn’t missed any steps or details.
Ye Xingli knew that artifact refinement generally involved three steps: refining materials, constructing the basic structure, and creating the Magic Power Circuit.
The Azure Heaven Sand before her, being one of the simplest magical artifacts, had all three steps greatly simplified. Its maximum artifact level was only 10, and it could even serve as a material for other magical artifacts.
To use it, one simply scattered a handful, allowing it to carry Gang Qi, enhance its transmission efficiency, and reduce its consumption rate.
As she observed Zhang Yu’s finished Azure Heaven Sand, Ye Xingli thought to herself, “The purity is average, and the efficiency isn’t high. It’s probably only a Level 1 magical artifact.”
The artifact level system was a method of evaluating magical artifacts, corresponding to the Immortal Dao Realm. After all, cultivators at different Immortal Dao Realms had varying physical bodies and life forms.
Therefore, Level 1 to 10 magical artifacts were most effective for cultivators in the Qi Refining Realm.
For cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Stage, whose physical bodies and Magic Power had merged, magical artifacts below Level 11 often had minimal effect.
Only magical artifacts above Level 11, whether for destruction or enhancement, showed significant results.
“Zhang Yu’s aptitude for artifact refinement is clearly ordinary. Even with this Azure Heaven Sand, he’ll need extensive practice to pass the Artifact Refinement Department’s exam.”
“Why did Master ask me to mentor him? Could he possibly be considering taking Zhang Yu as a disciple?”
“That’s impossible. Not only is Zhang Yu’s artifact refinement talent average, but Master and Director Gao have been friends for centuries. How could he possibly steal Director Gao’s disciple?”
Ye Xingli shook her head, realizing she was overthinking things.
Zhang Yu picked up the Azure Heaven Sand he had refined. As the Formless Warrior materialized, he pinched off a fingernail-sized piece of the sand and infused it into the warrior.
The Formless Warrior flickered with a faint azure glow, and its Gang Qi condensed slightly.
“Today’s batch of Azure Heaven Sand should be enough for dozens of uses of the Formless Warrior,” Zhang Yu thought. “But the raw materials cost nearly 0.03 Spirit Coins.”
“Copyright fees, laboratory rental, equipment rental… it all adds up to almost 1 Spirit Coin.”
“Artifact refinement really is a money-guzzling endeavor.”
“Practicing like this is going to bankrupt me.”
Since he could only refine small trinkets for now, Zhang Yu had originally planned to use the practice and experimentation as an opportunity to craft simple magical artifacts for his Formless Warrior and Profound Cold Warrior. He envisioned equipping them during work to boost efficiency.
But now, looking at his results and expenses, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret.
“And this is just the simplest level of artifact refinement…”
Zhang Yu glanced at the Feather Book entry for Azure Heaven Sand: Level 1 (0/10). “Sigh… slow and steady wins the race,” he muttered to himself.