Chapter 13:
Artifact Crafting
EACH OF THE SEVENTY-TWO blessed sanctuaries served a different function, from artifact forging to elixir concoction, and even as a training ground for sword practice. If Mo Tianliao had stayed in the Blessed Sanctuary of a Thousand Sprouts, he might have been selected for transfer to the Blessed Sanctuary of the Crimson Flames in a couple of years. This particular site specialized in artifact crafting.
Located in the southeast, the Blessed Sanctuary of the Crimson Flame housed the Crimson Sunfire that the previous sect leader had harvested. While it couldn’t compare to the Heavenforge Fire at Mo Tianliao’s palace, it was still a high-grade fire. The Crimson Sunfire blazed all year in the blessed sanctuary, making it perfect for forging artifacts.
Each of the seventy-two blessed sanctuaries was unique in appearance as well. The Blessed Sanctuary of the Crimson Flame was a rocky mountain filled with stone chambers. A disciple stationed by the desk at the entrance stopped Mo Tianliao. “Who goes there?”
Mo Tianliao showed the jade token by his waist. “Mo Tianliao, a first-generation disciple of Woqing Sanctum.”
The jade token slotted into the center of the protective array disk. Their energies matched, and the disk emitted a blue glow before fading back to normal.
The gatekeeper returned the token to Mo Tianliao and smiled. This young man before him may not have had very high cultivation, but he was a personal disciple of a sanctum-master, so he couldn’t afford to offend him. “Are you planning to forge artifacts?”
Mo Tianliao nodded. “I’d like a furnace chamber.”
The gatekeeper waved a hand over the long bamboo slip on the table, and countless grids appeared. Some were marked with red dots, while others remained black.
“We currently have one premium fire chamber, three standard chambers, and fourteen economy chambers,” the gatekeeper said with a smile. The price of each chamber type was clearly displayed on the bamboo slip.
Disciples of the Blessed Sanctuary of the Crimson Flames received free time allowance for crafting every month, but other disciples had to pay spiritual stones to use the chambers. Renting an economy chamber cost three low-grade spiritual stones a day, while a standard chamber required seven. A premium one would need one medium-grade spiritual stone.
Mo Tianliao frowned and calculated the time he needed for the artifacts he wanted to craft. It would take at least ten days. “Please give me an economy chamber with a stronger fire.”
The gatekeeper nodded, unsurprised. Crafting artifacts required the cultivator to have precise control over their powers. This personal disciple was probably just experimenting with the forge for fun. After all, who’d ever heard of a cultivator forging magical artifacts at the qi-refining stage? An economy-level chamber would suffice.
“The southernmost chamber is almost the same as a standard chamber, but the price is slightly higher at four low-grade spiritual stones,” the gatekeeper explained, his customer-service smile still in place.
Mo Tianliao nodded and gave him four medium-grade spiritual stones. “Just leave my meals at the door. Don’t disturb me unless necessary.”
Then he took the jade button which served as a key to the chambers and headed straight to the southernmost room.
“Tsk, tsk. It must be nice to be a personal disciple,” the gatekeeper remarked to his fellow disciple, once Mo Tianliao was out of earshot. “He didn’t hesitate at all to spend those spiritual stones.”
“His monthly allowance is three times more than ours, not to mention any extras he gets from his master. How can we compare?” The two sneered in envy at people like Mo Tianliao who had the protection of their masters.
A blast of heat hit Mo Tianliao as the stone door to the furnace chamber closed.
The entire stone chamber was clean and empty, save for a bronze furnace standing in the center. Firestones glowed, pulsing on and off beneath the furnace.
Mo Tianliao went over to the furnace and examined it, realizing immediately that the ranking of the chambers wasn’t solely based on the intensity of the fire, but also on the quality of the furnace itself. This bronze furnace was the most common type with no special functions, and was also prone to exploding.
However, he wasn’t planning to refine any advanced spiritual treasures, so this would be good enough.
“Meow!” The curious kitty in his arms poked his head out. Finding the place cozy and warm, he perked up and pawed his way out from inside Mo Tianliao’s robe.
Pawpaw had always loved tagging along whenever Mo Tianliao used to refine artifacts back at his palace. For a spirit beast with a water attribute, he was very fond of warm places. The little scamp dashed toward the firestones and batted one loose, instantly turning the scalding hot stone into a chunk of ice.
Mo Tianliao sat by the furnace and took out the materials he needed to refine from his inventory bracelet.
A few days ago, Mo Tianliao had made a routine visit to his master, but, once again, he hadn’t been able to meet with him, so he’d gone to chat up the attendants in white. It turned out that they were the ones who had made his clothes.
“Wow, you must be incredibly talented to have made three full outfits in a single day.” Mo Tianliao flashed a mesmerizing smile, his eyes curving into crescents. “Would you happen to have any leftover fabric?”
“Why do you want it?” one attendant asked.
Mo Tianliao scratched his head sheepishly. “I’d like to make some pouches to keep small odds and ends.”
Inventory artifacts were expensive, and cultivators at the qi-refining stage often couldn’t afford them, so they carried money pouches with them like the common folks.
The attendant’s heart softened at the sight of this shy, handsome young man. “Just let us know what you need.”
The next day, Mo Tianliao had received five beautifully made pouches with different patterns embroidered on them.
Now, in the chamber, Mo Tianliao took the five pouches out and emptied out their contents. They were filled with random fragments of materials he had picked up from the back mountain: dark iron ores, crystal ores, and so on; the biggest piece no larger than a baby’s fist.
If any other artificer saw these, they’d have found it hilarious. The failure rate for refining artifacts was much higher than for concocting elixirs. Forging a dagger required at least a thirteen-inch dark iron ore. What possible use could these few thumb-sized pieces be?
“Meow!” The white cat rolled an ice ball over and batted it toward Mo Tianliao’s foot.
When he caught it, the chill seeped into his skin, making him shiver. He set it down, picked the cat up, and caressed that soft little paw.
The back of the paw was covered in pure white fur, while the paw pad was pink. It felt soft and warm to the touch, although it was slightly cooler than Mo Tianliao’s hand.
“I see.” He set the cat down on his lap and stroked his fur, understanding beginning to dawn on him. The cat had still been young back at his palace, so he had only been capable of shooting balls of water at him, but now that he’d grown up, the distinctive characteristics of his spiritual attribute were manifesting. The cat’s spiritual attribute wasn’t just water, but ice—the strongest variant of the water element.
The difference between cultivators’ body temperatures was determined by their spiritual attributes. Mo Tianliao, for example, had a body temperature slightly higher than the average person due to his fire attribute. This explained why the cat’s temperature was naturally lower than that of other cats—which was also why the little guy liked warm places so much.
“I’m going to start work now, so play by yourself, but stay away from fires.” Mo Tianliao placed the cat to the side, and took out a small, fist-sized carving knife he had swiped from Qingning Palace’s kitchen.
He started the furnace, picked up two scalding firestones, and struck them together. As soon as they burst into flames, he tossed them back under the furnace. The chambers were all interconnected under the floor, and the open flames quickly drew forth the ever-burning Crimson Sunfire.
The flames roared to life, instantly turning the bronze furnace red-hot.
Closing his eyes, Mo Tianliao used his powerful divine soul to manipulate the furnace and open the lid. He threw the ore fragments inside, closed it, and formed a seal with his hands. The bronze furnace began to rotate steadily. His slender fingers flew as he formed more seals and cast three of them into the furnace.
The tiny pieces of ore in the bronze furnace gradually separated and floated, allowing the heat to spread evenly. Mo Tianliao wiped the sweat from his forehead. At the qi-refining stage, his spiritual qi was extremely limited, and he had to take a break after just four hand seals. He took a breather, letting the Crimson Sunfire refine the ores. He’d have some free time before it completed this task.
The cat crouched by the bronze furnace, staring intently at it as it rotated, but after a while, he got tired. He lay down with a yawn and continued watching, his head moving in tandem with the furnace.
Leaving the cat alone, Mo Tianliao brought his hands to his energy core and meditated for a moment.
The fire chamber was brimming with fire-element spiritual energy, and it didn’t take Mo Tianliao long to absorb all he needed. He opened the furnace and picked out a piece of dark crystal ore. This originally gray stone was easy to refine, and it didn’t take long at all to turn into a transparent liquid floating above Mo Tianliao’s palm.
Enveloping his fingertip with spiritual energy, he dipped it into the liquid and quickly drew on the pouch he’d turned inside out, inscribing a flawless spatial spell array onto it. He turned it right side out, gathered spiritual energy into his palm, and quickly channeled it in. The fire-element spiritual energy gushed into the pouch, steadily expanding the space within.
“Meow!” The sleepy cat stood up, padded over, and stood with his front paws on Mo Tianliao’s knees to look at him.