Outside the Spirit Artifact Sect's main gate, Xiao Lingqi and Bu Qianji stared blankly as Bai Mulin, Bai Cangmu, and Zi Jianying’s group ascended on clouds and vanished into the distance.

The esteemed steward of the Outer Affairs of the Great White Immortal Sect, Bai Muwei, was surprisingly polite and affable. He readily agreed to all of Gu Wuchen’s demands, swiftly arranging for the disciples to deliver the requested materials by Gu Xechen and, after exchanging a meticulously documented mutual agreement for the annulment of the betrothal, penned personally by Wai Lingqi, he respectfully departed with his entourage. "Quite cordial!" After a long silence, Wai Lingqi finally let out a cold snort. "Generous, too!"

Wai Qianji continued to shake his head in astonishment, glancing back at the mountain of precious materials piled outside the Spirit Artifact Sect's gate. Masses of Spirit Artifact Sect disciples swarmed like ants, diligently ferrying the materials into the storerooms. "As expected!" Gu Xechen, hands clasped behind his back, let out a dismissive, sneering smile.

"His precious son stole another man’s fiancée and then committed the shameful act of bullying his way to demand a broken engagement, an affair that also tarnishes Elder Jianxin’s reputation. Furthermore, that fiancée is illegitimate. Even establishing a marriage alliance with an illegitimate daughter would already be slightly questionable for the main branch of the Great White Immortal Sect, especially when trying to win over a newly ascended Taiyi Golden Immortal. What’s more, it involves a broken vow?"

"It would have been better for them to offer us solid benefits and ensure the Spirit Artifact Sect would quietly drop the matter, allowing them to handle things smoothly and resolve this perfectly! Although they sacrificed so many Divine-grade materials, the ability to count a Taiyi Golden Immortal as a father-in-law—even an ex-one—is a worthwhile deal, an extremely worthwhile one."

The reasoning was sound, and Wai Lingqi and Wai Qianji exchanged pleased glances and smiles. They looked upon Gu Wuchen with approval, feeling that their dear, cherished one, having gone out for experience, had matured considerably in handling worldly affairs, despite enduring significant hardship.

With a little more experience, he would be able to uphold the lineage.

Wai Lingqi raised his hands toward the sky in a gesture of profound feeling, then clapped Gu Xechen on the shoulder: "Chen'er, starting tomorrow, you shall take over the affairs of the 'Sword Hall' as well. You may set all the rules."

The Sword Hall was the branch within the Spirit Artifact Sect dedicated to forging various flying swords. All disciples of the Sword Hall focused entirely on the Dao of Sword Forging, achieving profound expertise in the crafting of flying swords. Given that ninety-nine percent of cultivators in this universe carry a flying sword for protection, the Sword Hall housed the greatest number of forging disciples and was the branch with the largest throughput of materials.

Allowing Gu Xechen to manage the Sword Hall was Wai Lingqi’s subtle way of tempering his direct descendant, 'Wai Chenzi.'

Gu Wuchen lazily nodded at Wai Lingqi, accepting the arrangement. He then strode towards the Divine-grade and Immortal-grade materials sent by the Great White Immortal Sect, frantically stuffing them into his storage rings.

Seeing this, Wai Lingqi and Wai Qianji could not help but let out hearty laughter. The Spirit Artifact Sect had truly profited immensely this time.

In the cultivation world of this universe, materials were categorized into three grades: 'True,' 'Immortal,' and 'Divine.'

'True'-grade materials were those accessible to ordinary cultivators and Celestial Immortals, mined from common veins in this universe. Materials of the common True-grade could forge Immortal Artifacts from the Human Realm Upper-grade down to the Earth Realm Lower-grade.

'Immortal'-grade materials required the labor of high-ranking Golden Immortals or even Taiyi Golden Immortals to collect across the vast expanse of the cosmos. The inherent dangers in this universe were tens of thousands of times more perilous than in Gu Xuchen’s original universe. These 'Immortal'-grade materials were used to forge Immortal Artifacts from the Earth Realm High-grade up to the Heaven Realm Lower-grade. The power of a Heaven Realm Lower-grade Immortal Artifact here was comparable to that of an ordinary Innate Magical Artifact in Gu Xuchen’s former universe.

The Great White Immortal Sect, bolstered by the presence of Taiyi Golden Immortal, the Great White Immortal Lord, managed to collect a certain quantity of Immortal-grade materials annually from the cosmos.

As for 'Divine'-grade materials, unless one was an exceedingly powerful Daluo Golden Immortal capable of mining them from certain extremely hazardous locations within this universe, one would have to risk being lost in the outer regions, plunging into the chaotic space outside this universe to gather them at the risk of death.

The chaotic space surrounding this universe was violently dangerous. If the periphery of Gu Xuchen’s original universe's chaotic space was a calm, quiet bay, the chaotic space surrounding this universe was the Pacific Ocean roiling with tsunamis; the risks were incomparable. Thus, obtaining Divine-grade materials was predictably difficult.

Aside from risky mining, there was another, simpler way to acquire Divine-grade materials: slaying Innate Deities like the Ju Lan God or the Jing Bang God would naturally yield massive quantities of Divine-grade materials from their primary planets!

The Great White Immortal Sect had dominated this star region for untold years. The Ju Wei God and Jing Bang God, currently engaged in fierce battles with the Great White Immortal Sect, were newcomers. Before them, other Innate Deities had indeed harassed this region of the cosmos, only to be eliminated by the combined forces gathered by the Great White Immortal Lord and the Scarlet Flame Immortal Lord, who called upon fellow cultivators.

Therefore, the Great White Immortal Sect possessed Divine-grade materials, which was why Gu Xechen dared to make such an exorbitant demand, binding Bai Cangmu with an oath of his Nascent Soul and extorting such a massive price. He had been prepared for the Great White Immortal Sect to bargain, expecting the price to be cut by at least ninety percent.

He hadn't expected Bai Muwei to truly be a capable figure, agreeing to Gu Xechen’s extortion without hesitation.

By sacrificing such a massive amount of materials to have the Spirit Artifact Sect abandon the betrothal with Zi Jianying, thus allowing his son to secure a connection with Elder Jianxin, Bai Muwei's own standing within the Great White Immortal Sect would actually benefit. This is why Bai Muwei so decisively agreed to Gu Xechen’s demands and delivered such a flood of materials.

Feigning greed, Gu Xechen stuffed materials into his storage ring while simultaneously monitoring the words and deeds of everyone within the Spirit Artifact Sect using his divine sense.

The low-ranking disciples of the Spirit Artifact Sect were ecstatic that Gu Xechen managed to extort so many Immortal and Divine-grade materials from the Great White Immortal Sect. This meant that the output of high-grade Immortal Artifacts from the sect would suddenly surge over the next century, and due to the sect’s unique cultivation techniques, the cultivation levels of its members would also experience a great leap.

However, the more seasoned members of the Spirit Artifact Sect worried about potential retaliation from the Great White Immortal Sect. After all, shaking down a behemoth like the Great White Immortal Sect for so many heavenly treasures had severely wounded their prestige. The external elders of the Spirit Artifact Sect viewed the situation with more depth. While Bai Cangmu’s entanglement with Zi Jianying was a romantic indiscretion between young people, it might also have been deliberate on Bai Cangmu's part.

Elder Jianxin was a newly advanced Taiyi Golden Immortal. Rather than letting the Spirit Artifact Sect reap the benefit of gaining the support of a Taiyi Golden Immortal, it was better to let Bai Cangmu have the advantage. Compared to a Taiyi Golden Immortal, a mere pile of materials meant nothing.

Of course, the blow Gu Xechen struck was severe. Bai Muwei would certainly feel the pain, but that was the extent of it.

Gu Xechen nodded secretly. He held the elders of the Spirit Artifact Sect in higher regard; their analysis of the situation was remarkably sharp. The entire incident was essentially a fair trade between 'Wai Chenzi' and Bai Cangmu: one sacrificed a beloved fiancée with whom he had a private relationship, and the other sacrificed a huge cache of materials. Both gained something and lost something; it was ultimately balanced.

Days passed, and Mia Sha Star remained calm. The annulment of 'Wai Chenzi' and Zi Jianying's engagement caused no ripples. Elder Jianxin offered no comment whatsoever, treating the matter as if it had never happened, brushing it aside lightly. Within the Spirit Artifact Sect, however, a forging fervor ignited.

Aided by the numerous Immortal and Divine-grade materials from the Great White Immortal Sect, the Spirit Artifact Sect forged a vast array of divine weapons and potent magical artifacts in just three years. After satisfying the needs of their own disciples, a portion of these high-grade artifacts was openly sold, earning the sect copious amounts of rare treasures and spirit stones, while also establishing an extremely high reputation.

Furthermore, due to the successful forging of so many Upper-grade artifacts, the disciples' cultivation advanced significantly by drawing upon the unique spiritual energy emitted as the artifacts took shape. Their collective strength subtly began to rival that of the Azure Heaven Cliff, the largest sect on Mia Sha Star. Gu Xechen, disguised as Wai Chenzi, had governed the Sword Hall for three years, yet he had not forged a single flying sword!

For three full years, Gu Xechen sat motionless in the Sword Forging Hall—a massive structure stretching a hundred li wide, dug deep below the surface to the edge of the underground magma lake—watching hundreds of thousands of Sword Hall disciples forge flying swords. He was as still as a dead tree, unmoving in body or spirit.

Yet, during those three years, not a single Sword Hall disciple dared to utter a word of criticism regarding Gu Xuchen’s behavior. This was because the 'Light Wind and Gentle Cloud Fan' that Gu Xuchen had refined three years prior—an artifact capable of injuring two Golden Immortals with a single strike—now hung suspended precisely in the center of the Sword Forging Hall, its faint, rippling luster spreading in all directions, visible from every corner of the hall. This treasured fan had already earned him great renown within the sect.

The grade of the Light Wind and Gentle Cloud Fan was impressive, but numerous elders within the Spirit Artifact Sect could refine artifacts ten times superior.

What inspired the Sword Hall disciples was the sheer ingenuity embedded within the fan. Specifically, the method Gu Xechen used—interlocking formations and restrictions, nesting numerous small restrictions and minor arrays to form a single, powerful grand formation—sparked creative inspiration in many of the sect's forging disciples.

The explosive surge in flying sword and artifact forging within the Spirit Artifact Sect over three years was undoubtedly linked to the inspiration provided by the Light Wind and Gentle Cloud Fan. Therefore, even though Gu Xechen sat in the Sword Forging Hall doing nothing, no one dared to question him.

But on this day, precisely three years after Gu Xuchen entered the hall, he finally moved. The movement was swift as thunder, startling every Spirit Artifact Sect disciple in the hall into a sharp intake of breath. "Light the furnace! Activate the Nine Abyssal Clear Earth Furnace!" Gu Xuchen's voice boomed like thunder, shattering the stunned silence of everyone present.

The Spirit Artifact Sect’s Sword Forging Hall was excavated downward along the mountainside, opening up gradually from the main gate. After descending twenty-seven thousand li using powerful force, ancient masters diverted a core magma flow to form a lava lake sixty li in diameter. The Sword Forging Hall, a hundred li wide, was built encompassing this molten sea.

At the core of the lava lake lay a hard platform spanning a thousand zhang, surrounded by high-temperature magma. The heat here was sufficient to melt every 'True'-grade material; even ordinary Immortal-grade materials would liquefy if left there for long.

At the center of the platform stood a refining crucible, barely ten feet high, supported by nine beast legs, featuring nine sides, each carved with the ferocious head of a strange beast. This was the Nine Abyssal Clear Earth Furnace, used by the Spirit Artifact Sect’s founder, 'Heavenly Skill Lord,' rumored to have been cast for him by a formidable ancient immortal.

The Spirit Artifact Sect had long been in decline, forgetting most of their ancestor's history, but this Nine Abyssal Clear Earth Furnace was extraordinary. The furnace was profoundly mystical; anyone could use it for refining, even those at the Qi Refining stage could craft magical artifacts... provided they possessed sufficiently advanced refining skills, allowing them to control the furnace freely despite their low cultivation.

However, if one's refining skill was lacking, and their understanding of formations and restrictions was insufficient, the furnace would not react, even to a Celestial Immortal. Currently, no member of the Spirit Artifact Sect, from Wai Lingqi downwards, could even make the Nine Abyssal Clear Earth Furnace stir.

In essence, no one in the Spirit Artifact Sect currently met the minimum standard required to use the furnace!

And yet, Gu Xuchen was bellowing orders to activate the Nine Abyssal Clear Earth Furnace! The disciples in the Sword Forging Hall thought he had gone mad!

For the past three years, Gu Wuchen had feigned stillness, sitting motionless in the hall. The daily management of the Sword Forging Hall was handled by the former Sword Hall Steward, Wai Lingqi’s youngest brother, Elder Wai Linghu. Unlike the tall and imposing Wai Lingqi, Wai Linghu was short, thin, and resembled a large monkey.

Hearing Gu Wuchen’s command, Wai Linghu, who had been vigorously hammering a sword embryo with a large sledgehammer, jerked in alarm. He rushed in a flash to Gu Xuchen’s side and instinctively reached for his forehead: "Great-nephew, have you been cooped up here for three years? Has the heat fried your brain?"

Gu Xuchen let out three long, echoing laughs. He withdrew the 'Ink Pattern Flood Dragon Blood Seeping Spot Stone,' 'Purple Flower Copper,' 'Beer Mountain Silver,' 'Four Yin Dark Tungsten Iron,' and 'Shimmering Seven Star Gold'—five Immortal-grade materials—from his storage ring. He summoned a strong gust of wind and shot directly toward the Nine Abyssal Clear Earth Furnace at the center of the lava sea. "Open for me!" He pointed with his right hand, fingers forming an incantation. Five clusters of lightning fire, each a different hue, erupted from his fingertips, forming a perfect pentagon that sprayed outward.

Wai Linghu swung his heavy iron hammer down hard onto his own bald head, muttering under his breath: "Chen'er has lost his mind. His beautiful wife was snatched away, he must have gone mad from anger, otherwise, with his temper three years ago, how would he have dared to extort the Great White Immortal Sect?"

"Ah, can he even use the Nine Abyssal Clear Earth Furnace? Many master refiners in the sect haven't managed it. Now that he’s just taken charge of the Sword Hall, even if he refined the fine Immortal Artifact, the Light Wind and Gentle Cloud Fan, if he gets arrogant enough to try using the Ancestor's furnace, it will be a huge humiliation, and how can he command these disciples in the future?"

As he fretted, Wai Linghu’s eyes suddenly widened. He raised the hammer and smashed it fiercely onto his own skull again. "My eyes must be playing tricks on me, they must be!"

The five clusters of lightning light shot from Gu Xuchen’s fingertips. They didn't look particularly powerful; after all, the cultivation he currently displayed was only at the early Nascent Soul stage. To Wai Linghu, a Celestial Immortal Second Grade, the lightning seemed negligible.

But within each of the five clusters of lightning, three mutually generating and restraining restrictions were concealed. The five clusters contained a total of fifteen mutually restraining restrictions. These fifteen restrictions were divided into five waves, each restraining and breeding the others, immediately manifesting into two hundred and twenty-five different cycles of creation and restraint. "E-eh?"

Wai Linghu’s fingers spasmed, and his heavy hammer clattered to the ground. He stared fixedly at the five faint clusters of lightning, then charged forward like a crazed wild boar, knocking two cauldrons actively forging sword embryos with furious flames aside.

"Go, go, quickly call the Sect Leader and all the Elders—everyone, come here... Heavens, what technique is this? It seems... it seems to be recorded in the fragmented texts left by our Ancestor... the 'Finger Pointing Heaven and Earth Art'?" "One finger stirs the universe, five fingers command the wind and clouds—is this truly the Finger Pointing Heaven and Earth Art? Heavens!"

Wai Linghu leaped to Gu Xuchen’s side, sitting obediently on the scorching hard ground like a primary school student listening to a lecture. He formed an incantation seal to defend against the heat, his eyes fixed dazedly on the five clusters of lightning fire emanating from Gu Xuchen’s hands.

The five clusters of lightning slowly drifted forward. In one breath, they advanced less than three feet. Gu Xuchen hovered in mid-air, his expression solemn. His right hand's five fingers continuously manipulated them—flicking, shaking, pointing, rotating, vibrating, and oscillating—as if invisible threads guided the lightning, urging the five clusters forward painstakingly, slowly approaching the Nine Abyssal Clear Earth Furnace.

The Sword Forging Hall contained a small teleportation array leading to the Spirit Artifact Sect’s main gate, as well as a communication array for emergencies. Wai Linghu had already transmitted the order, and the attending Sword Hall disciples had relayed the situation. In just two or three breaths, the small teleportation array flashed with spiritual light, and Wai Lingqi and the other Spirit Artifact Sect elders emerged.

Upon arriving at the Sword Forging Hall, Wai Lingqi and the others collectively gasped in cold air, their eyes locked onto the five clusters of lightning slowly crawling forward before Gu Xuchen.

With a soft cry, Wai Lingqi, followed by Wai Qianji and others, hurriedly flew to the hard platform at the center of the lava sea. Following Wai Linghu’s example, they sat down on the ground, staring unblinkingly at Gu Xuchen’s every move. Wai Lingqi mumbled indistinctly: "It appears to be the Finger Pointing Heaven and Earth Art, perhaps the legendary Finger Pointing Heaven and Earth Art... but this refining spiritual art has been lost for dozens of generations."

Wai Qianji whispered, "Legend says the refining spiritual arts currently used by our Spirit Artifact Sect are derived from the Finger Pointing Heaven and Earth Art. Could it be..."

Wai Lingqi nervously licked his lips and hissed softly, "Silence, watch quietly!"

Wai Qianji hesitated, giving his father a disgruntled look before refocusing entirely on Gu Xuchen’s subtly trembling five fingers. The five clusters of lightning crawled forward slowly. After a full quarter of an hour, they finally landed upon the Nine Abyssal Clear Earth Furnace.

Nine strange beast roars sounded simultaneously. The Nine Abyssal Clear Earth Furnace, which no one in the Spirit Artifact Sect had managed to open for countless years, roared open. A stream of pale cyan-white flame erupted from the furnace mouth, and the surrounding Wai Lingqi and other elders suddenly felt a wave of coldness wash over them.

All the heat in the vast Sword Forging Hall was instantly absorbed by this cyan-white flame. A thick layer of rock instantly crystallized over the lava lake. The flames in thousands of cauldrons actively forging sword embryos dimmed, their heat dissipating entirely. Violent explosions began erupting from within the cauldrons—the superheated sword embryos instantly freezing and shattering.

"Beyond my control, all fire under heaven cease!"

The Spirit Artifact Sect’s refining texts described the phenomenon upon the opening of the Nine Abyssal Clear Earth Furnace.

Once the Nine Abyssal Clear Earth Furnace opened, all flames within a ten-thousand-li radius would be absorbed by the cyan-white flame within. Except for this single flame, the entire area would be frozen as if plunged into an icy wasteland.

This was precisely the scene in the Sword Forging Hall: all fire vanished, and great flakes of snow began to drift down through the hall!

Staring in shock at the snow-swept Sword Forging Hall, Wai Lingqi and the other elders of the Spirit Artifact Sect were moved to tears! The Nine Abyssal Clear Earth Furnace had truly opened! How many more surprises would this 'Wai Chenzi' present them with?

Gu Xuchen swiftly placed the five portions of Immortal-grade material, each piece about the size of a human head, into the Nine Abyssal Clear Earth Furnace. The furnace proved incredibly miraculous; although it had sucked away all the surrounding fire energy, the cyan-white flame within emitted no heat whatsoever, clearly having its power internalized, with all its might concentrated in that single column of fire as thick as a water vat, with no leakage outward. Gu Xuchen glanced curiously at the Nine Abyssal Clear Earth Furnace and nodded to himself.

To even gaze upon this cauldron was to know that the Way of Artifact Refining in this universe far surpassed that of the one it originated from. Yet, it was impossible to tell which ancient immortal had forged this vessel. So much of the scripture left behind by the founding ancestor of the Spirit Artifact Sect had been lost—even the Qiankun Guidance Art was gone, along with every secret tradition of the sect, a truly regrettable loss.

However, in the very next instant, Gu Xichen's divine sense discovered a hidden inscription within the Nine Abyss Deep Earth Cauldron: a thumb-sized seal etched by spiritual intent. It should have contained the name of the immortal who cast the cauldron and the history of this Nine Measured Deep Earth Cauldron.

The seal clearly stated: "Forged by Elder Wisp Staff, under the command of his Master, Cloud Walker, for the Outer Sect Junior Brother, Skillful Artisan Lord!" Master Cloud Walker, Outer Sect Junior Brother Skillful Artisan Lord!

Gu Xichen almost burst out laughing. This Spirit Artifact Sect was actually a direct, orthodox lineage stemming from the Three Pure Ones. Their founding ancestor, the Skillful Artisan Lord, was a mere Outer Sect disciple of Cloud Walker. Though he never entered the Inner Sect and never received Cloud Walker's true transmission, this connection was still extraordinary. But as for Cloud Walker himself... thinking of Cloud Walker always filled Gu Xichen's belly with wicked schemes.

Years ago, during the contest for the chance to attain sainthood in the High Heaven Palace, Gu Wuchen had sent the Grand Master Xuandu, Cloud Walker, and Zhao Gongming packing, scattering their souls. "Heh, hehehe!"

Chuckling wickedly deep within his own chest, Gu Xichen poured his entire focus into the Nine Abyss Deep Earth Cauldron. A thread of divine sense wrapped around it, manipulating the pale-blue flame as easily as an arm controls a finger, instantly liquefying the five mounds of Immortal-grade materials.

Fingers flicked lightly, sending ten streams of spiritual light shooting out, directing the pale-blue flames to shake, lift, tremble, and rotate the five pools of liquid. Constantly, small specks of black-gray impurities flew out from the five masses, revealing that the infinitesimal impurities mixed within had been refined clean by Gu Wuchen.

This Nine Measured Deep Earth Cauldron was truly a superior vessel. Even with his Nascent Soul Initial Stage cultivation, Gu Wuchen controlled it with effortless ease, his faint divine sense traversing the interior without the slightest obstruction. "A good furnace, truly a good furnace... Too bad for you! Today, your prestige must first be temporarily broken!"

With a flick of his finger, the fire inside the Nine Measured Deep Earth Cauldron shifted. A lotus-shaped, pale-blue flame cradled the five pure, flawless streams of liquid. One mass was earth-yellow, exuding immense earthy power, heavy and inclusive; one was cinnabar gold, one pure silver, one purplish-red, and one pitch-black—all radiating intense sharpness, like knives grazing the face, making the onlookers wince in pain.

Those standing closer, like Wai Lingqi, were somewhat shielded; their cultivation was high enough to resist the infinite sharp aura emanating from the four masses of liquid. But the Spirit Artifact Sect disciples floating nearby in the air suffered terribly. Only the Sword Hall deacons and disciples at the Void Realm or Soul Transformation stages could protect themselves; the others were assaulted as if by sharp axes, spurting blood before plummeting to the ground. Wai Lingqi was aghast and quickly ordered his men to escort the less capable disciples out of the Sword Forging Hall.

All the elders of the Spirit Artifact Sect stared in horror. Watching the streams of spiritual light shot out from Gu Xichen’s fingertips, they couldn't help but gasp, "What kind of principle is this? What he casts is just the ordinary 'Shattering Jade Severing Gold Art'—the most common restriction used in flying swords to enhance sharpness. Why is it so terrifyingly potent?"

One of the Spirit Artifact Sect elders stared blankly at Gu Wuchen's movements, taking a full quarter of an hour before he could vaguely perceive the profound mystery within.

Gu Xichen used the pure earth-attribute essence melted from the Ink-Patterned Flood Dragon Blood Stained Stone as a base. Upon this essence, he arranged the essence melted from the four materials—Purple Flower Copper, Mountain-Crushing Silver, Four Yin Dark Tungsten Iron, and Glimmering Seven-Star Gold—into a small Four Symbols Array.

Although the Purple Flower Copper, Mountain-Crushing Silver, Four Yin Dark Tungsten Iron, and Glimmering Seven-Star Gold were all metal-attribute materials, the Purple Flower Copper carried a fire attribute, the Mountain-Crushing Silver carried a water attribute, the Four Yin Dark Tungsten Iron carried a wind attribute, and the Glimmering Seven-Star Gold carried an earth attribute. These precisely matched the profound principles of the Four Phases: Water, Fire, Wind, and Earth.

By forming the Four Symbols Array with these four Immortal-grade materials, Gu Xichen subtly invoked the innate generative and restrictive cycles of the Four Phases. With the pure earth essence anchoring the array's core, the Shattering Jade Severing Gold Art he cast into the four pools of liquid underwent a miraculous transformation. Each casting of the Shattering Jade Severing Gold Art was equally divided into four parts, and each part interacted with the Shattering Jade Severing Gold Arts from the other phases through generation and restriction. Ultimately, four times four became sixteen, which then transformed into one hundred ninety-six variations.

Therefore, although Gu Wuchen cast a single Shattering Jade Severing Gold Art, it manifested as one hundred ninety-six imprints upon the five masses of liquid, augmenting its power by one hundred ninety-six times out of thin air! He had already struck the five material masses with over a hundred imprints, meaning the power unleashed was equivalent to ten thousand times the original force. How could the Sword Hall disciples below the Soul Transformation stage withstand an invasion amplified ten thousandfold? "Brilliant! Simply brilliant! How did we never think of this?" Wai Lingqi and the others slapped their foreheads vigorously, crying out in admiration.

Looking again, Gu Wuchen tapped his finger, casting one hundred and forty-four sets of imprints. It seemed he had reached his limit. He brought his hands together, and the lotus-shaped, pale-blue flame contracted inward, forcibly compressing the essence melted from the five materials into one—a multicolored sword embryo had been formed.

Just as Wai Lingqi and the others prepared to applaud, Gu Xichen suddenly roared, "Blast it!" and hastily summoned a streak of sword light to flee backward.

The Sword Hall disciples had witnessed countless dangers during artifact refining. Seeing Gu Xichen turn and run, they didn't hesitate for a fraction of a second, following him backward with their own colorful streaks of sword light.

Chii-chii, sounds of tearing air echoed incessantly. The newly formed sword embryo suddenly shattered, exploding into countless needle-thin sword energies that scattered everywhere. Wai Lingqi and the others, being closest and unable to flee far enough, were struck directly by the sword energies. A shriek rang out as Fu Qianji’s rear end flashed blood-red; a palm-sized chunk of gluteal flesh, three fingers thick, was swept clean off by one sword energy.

Fortunately, Wai Lingqi reacted quickly, deploying a soft, black silk net to shield Fu Qianji. Otherwise, Fu Qianji, whose cultivation was only at the Void Realm Water level, would have been torn to shreds by the dense sword energies. The Sword Hall disciples had fled fast; by the time the sword energies struck, they were already tens of miles away, and thus, they were all safe.

Wai Lingqi and the others were closer, but they were not slow to retreat, possessing powerful cultivation and formidable protective artifacts. Thus, apart from a large piece of flesh missing from Fu Qianji's backside, the rest were unharmed.

Retreating tens of miles, Gu Xichen looked like a madman, roaring three times toward the sky, "Why!" Then he plopped onto the ground, his eyes darting around, hands gesturing as if calculating and planning, adopting a posture of deep contemplation.

Seeing their 'beloved grandson' and 'beloved son' in such a state, Wai Lingqi and Fu Qianji dared not disturb him. They immediately ordered the Sword Hall disciples to search high and low, gathering every remnant shard of the shattered sword embryo.

What should have been a fine sword embryo had broken into three thousand six hundred pieces—exactly three thousand six hundred multicolored, slender needles, each the thickness of a mung bean, about four inches and nine tenths long. Each needle felt weighty, yet when swung, it moved as lightly as a willow catkin. Multicolored light flowed over the needles, with layers of inscribed runes flickering within. Upon close inspection, these runes were strange variations derived from the Shattering Jade Severing Gold Art.

Wai Lingqi picked up a few needles, scanned them briefly with his divine sense, and then smiled happily, "A supreme treasure of the Human Realm First Rank! Outside, this would fetch at least one hundred thousand high-grade stones! What a shame, what a shame. If the embryo hadn't shattered, it would have been an excellent Earth Realm Immortal Artifact!"

Fu Qianji, Wai Linghu, and the other Spirit Artifact Sect elders crowded around, each examining the needles.

Fu Qianji even commanded the Sword Hall disciples to bring forth a block of 'Gold-Veined Black Square Stone' and injected a bit of True Essence into one of the needles to test it.

The Gold-Veined Black Square Stone was an inert, exceptionally hard and dense, highly tenacious strange stone that could not absorb any True Qi or vital energy. The Spirit Artifact Sect used specially processed Gold-Veined Black Square Stones as test targets to grade the rank of the flying swords and magical treasures they manufactured.

Upon testing, the needle in Fu Qianji's hand shot out a foot-long stream of multicolored, dim light, easily piercing a finger-thick hole straight through the three-foot-thick Gold-Veined Black Square Stone block brought by the disciples.

Wai Linghu exclaimed in amazement, "Such powerful penetration! Ordinary Human Realm armor would be rendered useless before it."

Wai Lingqi nodded, "Especially a set of three thousand six hundred. Once unleashed, even an ordinary Golden Immortal would be thrown into utter disarray. Good. Although the forging of this flying sword failed, the fact that Chen'er could activate the Nine Abyss Deep Earth Cauldron is a cause for great joy, not to mention this set of needle weapons!"

Fu Qianji rubbed his still-oozing rear end and said with slight anger, "I'm taking this set of needles. A fine treasure refined by my own son, and it strikes his own father first! I'm taking these needles!"

The Spirit Artifact Sect elders burst into laughter. Wai Lingqi unceremoniously stuffed the set of needles into Fu Qianji’s hand, shaking his head and laughing heartily, "Nobody’s fighting you for them, hehe, keep this set of needles as a souvenir..."

Sighing deeply, Wai Lingqi said with great solace, "After so many generations, this is the first magical treasure refined by the Nine Abyss Deep Earth Cauldron! Is there hope for the resurgence of our Spirit Artifact Sect? Our founding ancestor was undoubtedly a mighty expert at the Grand Unity Golden Immortal level!"

Fu Qianji’s eyes sharpened, and he sneered coldly, "If, if Chen'er can cultivate to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal stage, would that vile woman Zi Kui Ying dare to..."

Wai Lingqi waved a hand and gently shook his head. Fu Qianji immediately clamped his mouth shut and obediently stepped back a few paces.

Gu Xichen, who had been sitting cross-legged, suddenly pulled out a jade piece. He inscribed a message within it using his divine sense and tossed it to Wai Lingqi, "This is the Qiankun Guidance Art I’ve pondered out myself; it should be about fifty percent similar to the lost version. It also contains my 'Layered Spirit Forging Method' which I painstakingly studied for these three years. Select loyal and reliable disciples within the sect to teach it."

Wai Lingqi clutched the jade piece tightly, exchanging a look with the other elders of the Spirit Artifact Sect, then cautiously inquired, "Chen'er, do you need to rest? The forging failed just now; you should recuperate your spirit?"

Gu Xichen suddenly sprang up, leaping into the air, and roared toward the sky, "Why would I need to recuperate my spirit? How could you know the profound mysteries of the Nine Abyss Deep Earth Cauldron? Refining artifacts with it only invigorates the spirit! Combined with our sect’s cultivation technique, the Skillful Artisan Spirit Nurturing Art, the speed of cultivation is at least a hundred times faster than normal! How could you know its benefits?"

Laughing wildly toward the sky three times, the aura emanating from Gu Xichen’s body abruptly rose from Nascent Soul Initial Stage to Nascent Soul Mid Stage!

Wai Lingqi and the other elders of the Spirit Artifact Sect were utterly stunned, staring at Gu Xichen as if they had seen a ghost!

Gu Xichen acted as if he hadn't noticed their strange gazes, roaring with laughter, "I understand, I understand! The Four Symbols return to unity, they should never have been separated! They should never have been separated!"

Dancing and gesturing, Gu Xichen laughed joyously skyward, "When did the primordial chaos of Heaven and Earth open? Before the chaos, how were the Yin-Yang and Four Phases situated? The origin is unity; later cultivation is merely returning to the source, forging it into a single, coalesced essence!"

Truly, a single phrase unlocked the gate of life and death, a single phrase broke through the celestial Dao. The elders of the Spirit Artifact Sect, having refined countless artifacts in their lifetimes, had only blindly followed the various profound methods listed in the Spirit Artifact Sect’s scriptures, performing mere water-and-fire exercises. None of them had thought, as Gu Xichen did, to point directly at the core of artifact refining—returning the artifact to its origin, restoring its innate function. This was the highest form of artifact refinement!

These simple words contained countless principles. Wai Lingqi and the others felt illusions erupt before their eyes, and countless thoughts flooded their minds. The countless flying swords and magical treasures they had forged throughout their lives flickered before them. In the blink of an eye, these artifacts suddenly exploded, transforming into infinite streams of multicolored energy, which finally merged into a single mass of chaos. "All of you, help me!" Gu Xichen threw off his robes, stripping down until only his loincloth remained.

He strode to the Nine Abyss Deep Earth Cauldron, shot out a bolt of lightning, which struck the Nine Measured Deep Earth Cauldron, causing it to roar loudly as vast plumes of pale-blue flame erupted, instantly engulfing him, making his hair crackle!

As if possessed, Wai Lingqi and the others followed Gu Xichen, roaring with laughter, to the side of the Nine Measured Deep Earth Cauldron, letting the pale-blue flames burn their bodies.

Throwing massive amounts of Immortal-grade materials into the Nine Abyss Deep Earth Cauldron, Gu Xichen roared sharply, "There is a Cauldron Spirit within the Nine Abyss Deep Earth Cauldron. Communicate with it carefully through your divine sense, and you will grasp its fundamental origin. For generations, our Spirit Artifact Sect has not activated this cauldron. Day and night, it has absorbed the vital fire energy from the earth’s spiritual veins, and a massive surge of Immortal Essence has condensed within the vessel!"

"Today, all of us in the Spirit Artifact Sect shall work together, cultivating the Skillful Artisan Spirit Nurturing Art in unison, drawing the Immortal Essence within the Nine Measured Deep Earth Cauldron into our bodies. Not only can we use it to forge artifacts, but we can also cleanse our meridians and marrow, enhancing our own cultivation! This is a great opportunity left by the ancestors of the Spirit Artifact Sect; we must not waste it!"

What Gu Xichen said was, in fact, the truth. The Nine Abyss Deep Earth Cauldron was an unparalleled artifact forging tool. Over several generations, the countless vital fire energies from the earth's spiritual veins it had absorbed had transformed into a colossal mass of Immortal Essence stored within, nurturing the Cauldron Spirit to the verge of sentience. Drawing out this Immortal Essence today to elevate Wai Lingqi and the others was only fitting. After all, Gu Xichen was acting under the guise of Wai Chenzi, so he needed to offer some compensation to the Spirit Artifact Sect.

Furthermore, if the cultivation of Wai Lingqi and the others increased, it would also benefit him. In the future, the Spirit Artifact Sect would be a chess piece in Gu Xichen’s hand, and naturally, the stronger the piece, the greater its influence. Only with a sufficiently powerful piece could a fatal blow be delivered to certain individuals when necessary!

Vast quantities of Immortal-grade materials were continuously thrown into the Nine Abyss Deep Earth Cauldron, causing the flames and heat inside to surge, making Wai Lingqi and the others sweat profusely. Such intense fire only made them sweat but did not harm their bodies in the slightest. The Nine Measured Deep Earth Cauldron was indeed a supreme spiritual item for forging artifacts.

Streams of hot energy surged through the bodies of Wai Lingqi and the others. They clearly felt their cultivation ascending step by step, just like the sensation when their cultivation was nourished by the spiritual energy of a fine magical treasure they had just forged. But now, this elevation was occurring every single moment. Sweat dripped down, and cultivation improved incrementally.

With their minds muddled, Wai Lingqi and the others were completely unaware of their surroundings, their entire focus fixed on Gu Xichen's commands. First, vast quantities of Immortal-grade materials were thrown into the Nine Abyss Deep Earth Cauldron, followed by great quantities of Divine-grade materials.

As he added materials, Gu Xichen roared orders for the elders of the Spirit Artifact Sect to use the secret spiritual arts of the Skillful Artisan Spirit Nurturing Art to control the furnace flames, manipulate the refining and purification of the various materials, and ultimately melt all the essence into one mass.

Gu Xichen, Wai Lingqi, Fu Qianji, Wai Linghu, and over thirty high-ranking members of the Spirit Artifact Sect gathered around the Nine Measured Deep Earth Cauldron. Following Gu Xichen's instructions, they continuously channeled various spiritual arts into the cauldron. All the spiritual arts were the most basic ones found in the sect's scriptures; all the restrictions and arrays were the most fundamental restrictions and formations. Yet, under Gu Xichen's direction, these restrictions, formations, and spiritual arts infused into the Nine Measured Deep Earth Cauldron gained infinite profound mystery out of nowhere.

When the most basic raw materials are combined in the most rational and perfect manner, the mediocre can transform into the miraculous, creating the most inconceivable creations.

Just like human beings themselves, merely a mixture of water and basic elements, but touched by the master artisan's skillful hand, they transform into Man, possessing infinite potential.

The commands spat out by Gu Xichen were like the creation’s magical hand, guiding the numerous elders of the Spirit Artifact Sect in an incredibly wondrous act of creation.

The pale-blue flames fiercely burned the bodies of Gu Xichen and the others. The Immortal Essence within Wai Lingqi and the others continuously grew stronger. All their past insights, all their understanding and doubts about the Heavenly Dao, were undergoing fundamental, earth-shattering changes under Gu Xichen's guidance. Condensing, elevating, and finally sublimating!

After three months of joint forging, the materials within the Nine Abyss Deep Earth Cauldron had just completely melted. Suddenly, golden blossoms and purple mists erupted from Wai Lingqi’s body. Three golden lotuses manifested out of thin air above his head, and his entire being was enveloped in a golden light as brilliant as the sun. Breaking through the Heavenly Immortal realm, Wai Lingqi stepped into the Golden Immortal realm!

Wai Lingqi’s body trembled. Just as he was rejoicing over the sudden, wonderful realization and about to shout to the heavens, Gu Xichen, dancing and gesturing wildly, interrupted his surprise: "Stop daydreaming! Quickly inject the 'Thousand Edge Art'! Hurry! Connect them all! What's the big deal?" By this time, the aura emanating from Gu Xichen's body had reached the peak of Nascent Soul Stage!

Wai Linghu was at the peak of the Heavenly Immortal realm; Fu Qianji, at the late Heavenly Immortal stage... The many elders of the Wai family were all rapidly approaching the Golden Immortal realm!

Six months later, the aura emanating from Gu Xichen’s body had reached the Soul Transformation Mid Stage! At this point, he wasn't the only one shouting wildly. Wai Lingqi, Fu Qianji, Wai Linghu, and the others were all shouting torrentially. While casting exquisitely natural spiritual arts with their hands, they yelled out all their insights, allowing the tens of thousands of Sword Hall disciples present to learn and benefit.

The tens of thousands of Sword Hall disciples listening were entranced. Although they were not afforded the tempering of the Nine Abyss Deep Earth Cauldron's pale-blue flames, hearing so many elders of the Spirit Artifact Sect impart the Heavenly Dao without reservation moved them to tears of excitement. Some suddenly gained insight, collapsing onto the ground weeping and struggling, overwhelmed by their sudden comprehension, both in sorrow and joy.

In the Nine Abyss Deep Earth Cauldron, only a mass of purplish-gold mist remained, vaguely hazy, containing countless golden runes within. They were all the most basic, simplest restriction runes of the Spirit Artifact Sect—nothing high-grade!

Gu Xichen ordered in a low voice, "Artifact forging doesn't need to be so complicated! Fire is just fire, water is just water, wind is just wind, and earth is just earth!"

"Why use those complicated and troublesome high-level arrays? High-level restrictions? Why must a restriction as complex as a mountain be merged into a single flying sword? By piling up grains of sand, one builds a mountain; I can carve a mountain using the most fundamental earth restrictions!"

"Droplets of water form the ocean!"

"A single flame composes a raging inferno!"

"Threads of clear breeze create the world-overturning tempestuous gale!"

"A master artifact refiner may not know all those complex arrays and restrictions, but he must know how to utilize the most basic arrays and restrictions in the most reasonable way! By integrating these fundamental formations and restrictions together, you can achieve the best result—forge the finest magical artifact!"

"When you understand all the fundamentals, you can invent your own high-level arrays and restrictions—that is what suits you best!" "Layering spirit, layering spirit, layering into the spirit!"

With a mere gesture, the purple mist within the furnace abruptly coalesced, taking the shape of a uniquely formed longsword wreathed in violet energy. The sword possessed an ancient, unadorned form, heavy and utterly without an edge, yet gazing upon it with spiritual intent unleashed an immeasurable sharpness that assailed the senses, as if threatening to pierce the very eyeballs.

The purple haze coiled around the blade, making the weapon seem like an intangible, formless shadow; if one did not fix their gaze upon it intently, it appeared as if it could dissipate into the wind at any moment. “Heh heh, what grade do you all suppose this thing is?”

Gu Wuchen, dripping with sweat and emanating fluctuations indicating the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, staggered back a few paces, tilting his head as he smiled at the sword.

Utterly drained yet spiritually exhilarated, Wai Qianji burst into a roaring laugh: “At least Earth-Tier, Grade One?”

Wai Lingqi spewed a mouthful of blood, flecks of golden ichor scattering across the strangely shaped sword, which measured six feet and four inches in length. He bellowed with laughter, “Nonsense! Divine artifacts conceal their nature, extraordinary treasures lack edges, being formless and intangible, their wonder reveals itself naturally—this is a treasure of the Heaven-Tier!”

Grasping the hilt with one hand, Wai Lingqi emitted a golden radiance mingled with purple mist around his body. The cyan and white flames from the Nine Abyss Clear Earth Furnace abruptly shot upward, pouring entirely into Wai Lingqi’s frame. The aura radiating from him surged instantly, elevating him to the peak level of a Golden Immortal! His current cultivation realm could no longer safely contain the immense immortal essence accumulated within the Nine Abyss Clear Earth Furnace. The vast power flooded into his physical body, transforming him into a humanoid form composed entirely of transparent cyan and white fire! Suddenly, the Grand Hall of the Sword Forging Chamber shuddered violently, and several stones dislodged from the ceiling. A frantic voice echoed throughout the entire hall: “Sect Master, foreign enemies attack!”H