In the World of Tianfang, within the Artifact Tower, Ye Xuan let out a resounding laugh. As the sound faded, a dazzling brilliance suddenly erupted from the tower.

Ye Xuan’s hands moved ceaselessly, sending dozens of runes flying out, managing bit by bit to stabilize the blade that had nearly soared away, slowly drawing the sword back into his grasp.

“Truly a top-tier Immortal Sword!”

Ye Xuan flicked the sword body with his right hand, and amidst a sharp, resonant hum, several slivers of sword energy pierced through the edge, instantly drawing a line of blood on his finger.

“Moon Chill Sword? A fine name, utterly sharp—a truly excellent sword! My thanks to Master Shen; your artifact refinement skills are indeed rare in this world—”

“Brother Ye flatters me!”

Shen Yuexuan sat beside the melting crucible and chuckled lightly. “The Innate Purple Azure Profound Gold Qi is the finest spirit treasure in this world. For Yuexuan to refine a sword, it must first transition from the Innate to the Acquired state. If, even then, it cannot achieve the rank of a supreme artifact, what face have I to call myself an Artifact Master? The title of 'Master' is certainly undeserved!”

Seeing Ye Xuan’s expression, so overcome with excitement that he hadn't truly listened to a word, Shen Yuexuan couldn't help but shake his head and continued, “There is one other matter regarding this sword that Brother Ye must note in the future! Before this sword was forged, Yuexuan sensed it still possessed considerable latent potential. Therefore, though a Spirit Array was set within, it is incomplete. When Brother Ye’s cultivation advances and the sword spirit fully awakens, a certain Divine Decree can be integrated into the blade. This weapon may not attain the level of a Divine Armament, but it can certainly reach the threshold of a Half-Step Divine Armament.”

“Hm?”

A sharp glint flashed in Ye Xuan’s eyes, revealing gratitude before his expression returned to normal.

“Then, in the Master’s opinion, what kind of Divine Decree would be most suitable for this sword?”

“It ultimately depends on what suits Brother Ye. Yuexuan has left ample room; Brother Ye should be able to choose.”

Shen Yuexuan pondered. “Ye Xuan’s Great Cosmos Tremor Sword Art is already one of the most supreme sword techniques in the world. The divine abilities that could further enhance this technique, those I know of, are few. One is the Divine Decree of ‘Toughness,’ another is the Thunder Sound Divine Decree, and the last is the Divine Decree of ‘Transmission.’ These three are likely the most fitting for this weapon.”

Ye Xuan raised an eyebrow, deep in thought. Among the three abilities, the Divine Decree of ‘Toughness’ possessed the least raw power, yet it was the most likely to integrate completely into the weapon, potentially elevating it to the status of a Divine Artifact. With enhanced resilience, he would never have to worry about the blade breaking under the strain when using the Great Cosmos Tremor Sword Art.

The Thunder Sound Divine Decree, however, was the most potent—it would generate a thunderous roar upon impact, capable of striking enemies. Sound, after all, is caused by material vibration; the two working in tandem would be mutually reinforcing. It would be an excellent choice for both single-target offense and group combat.

Compared to the other two, the Divine Decree of ‘Transmission’ was by no means inferior. It would allow the force of his sword tremors to be transferred more completely and effectively, essentially augmenting the power of his Great Cosmos Tremor Sword Art. Furthermore, it held other subtle uses.

For a moment, he found himself unable to decide. All three techniques were superb, making it hard to discard any.

Then Ye Xuan shook his head again. His current cultivation was insufficient, and the sword spirit was only just born. Dwelling on this now felt premature.

“Great kindness requires no thanks; Ye Xuan holds Master’s virtue close to heart and will surely repay it in time. I have eagerly awaited this sword for months. I can wait no longer; I shall depart now!”

Having spoken, Ye Xuan’s figure instantly traversed the void, speeding away toward the distant Outer Domain.

“Brother Ye—”

Shen Yuexuan had intended to say it wasn't necessary; forging the sword for Ye Xuan was commissioned by Zong Shou, and Ye Xuan owed him nothing. But before the words left his mouth, Ye Xuan’s silhouette was already far in the distance.

He could only sigh helplessly, shaking his head. “Is he going to face the Tribulation? I wish him success!”

He had long perceived that this man was nearly at the pinnacle of the Divine Realm, just a hair’s breadth from that final boundary. Ye Xuan’s cultivation and his accumulation of the Great Dao were already sufficient; lately, he had clearly been suppressing himself to avoid crossing over.

There must have been some lingering attachment, some apprehension, that prevented him from challenging the Heavenly Tribulation. However, the moment Ye Xuan grasped that sword, his entire essence, energy, and spirit shifted entirely; fear was gone. The probability of surviving the Tribulation safely was now at least ninety percent; there was no need to worry.

Shen Yuexuan then turned his gaze back to the melting crucible used for the forging.

Another object, resembling a sword yet not quite a sword, lay quietly within the crucible’s intense flames. Unlike the weapon Ye Xuan required, the spirit sword forged by Zong Shou’s Void Spirit Sword Forging Art possessed no physical form, existing instead as a Second Primordial Spirit. Thus, this sword blank could only be an illusory shape. Consequently, even after three months of forging, Zong Shou’s portion of the Innate Purple Azure Profound Gold Qi had not yet materialized into form.

While forging two swords simultaneously, Shen Yuexuan had exerted himself to transfer the innate energy intended for Ye Xuan’s Moon Chill Sword onto Zong Shou’s blank. This made the latter increasingly ethereal and refined, empty and spiritual.

However, the subsequent process caused Ye Xuan a slight hesitation.

“This is truly vexing!”

Ye Xuan’s brows were almost knotted together. “If my Lord were merely an ordinary cultivator, this sword blank alone would qualify as a top-tier artifact embryo. But he is a King, the sovereign of a nation. This sword appears too light and ethereal, which is not good. It lacks a certain grandeur, a necessary gravitas, and the imposing aura of a true monarch.”

Of course, it wasn't impossible to fix this, but doing so would drastically diminish the future quality of the weapon. From the perspective of a Refiner, this was unforgivable—to personally degrade a weapon he could have been proud of into something mundane, obscuring a shining pearl, was too heartbreaking a prospect.

“It simply cannot compare to Gan Jiang and Mo Ye’s courage to offer their very bodies for sacrifice. Only this will suffice—”

Ye Xuan sighed, about to strike a seal into the furnace, but then he paused, thinking carefully. There should be another way! Using that item—not only would the quality not drop, it might even be enhanced—

But that item was precious. Was this person, this sword, worth such a price?

Suddenly, his heart stirred, and he looked to his left.

First, a black token pierced through the barrier and landed in his hand.

The Grand Master’s Profound Token?

‘Grand Master’ was the title for the leader of the Mohist school, naturally held by him. This couldn't be the token of the current Grand Master; it was merely a tool for rapid communication within the Outer Domain, incredibly convenient, nearly twice as fast as the Daoist sect’s top talismans.

Ye Xuan held it for only a moment before his expression shifted drastically, nearly causing him to lose control of the furnace fire before him.

“—The Kingdom of Qian and the Great Shang are locked in battle at the Southern Border’s Fallen God Plain. The battle resulted in a crushing defeat for the Shang Monarch’s eighty thousand elite troops. They broke the Min River that day and forced the surrender of nine million Shang soldiers; the rest scattered! They actually won, so quickly—”

The look of shock in Ye Xuan’s eyes lingered for a long time. He remembered learning of the great war in the Cloud Realm only ten days ago. The Great Shang had deployed ten million royal troops to invade the Southern Border and fight the decisive battle against Qian. At that time, hearing the news, he had even wavered in his intention to submit to the Qian Immortal Dynasty. Yet, unbelievably, in just ten days, the seemingly invincible eighteen million troops of the Great Shang had been fragmented.

“This message was sent five days after the great battle. That means the news was confirmed before the Grand Master’s Profound Token was dispatched. A Qilin accompanying the chariot, a Manifested Sage King radiating white light—is our Lord truly a Sage King in this era?”

Ye Xuan’s spirit faltered. When they first met, he knew Zong Shou was extraordinary, but he never imagined this figure could rival the three Ancient Sage Emperors.

Then, Ye Xuan was captivated by another line within the Grand Master’s Profound Token.

“An edict to the world, summoning scholars from across the land to debate the various schools of Confucianism. To discuss the merits of the Ru School, to critique its faults! To review Confucian scholarship? Good! Well said, ‘critique its faults, review its scholarship’! Heaven has opened its eyes to produce such a Sage King. This is the destined Lord of our Mohist School—”

He frowned immediately. This strategy did not seem intended for utter annihilation. Whether it was a blessing or a curse for the Ru School was difficult to say. If they could survive this trial, they might achieve a rebirth, like a phoenix from the ashes, without any remaining weaknesses—

Shen Yuexuan chuckled and shook his head again. Zong Shou had given them an opportunity. If they failed to seize it, then it was fitting for the Mohist School to perish, to be eliminated by this challenge.

“How can the mechanical arts of our Mohist School be considered minor pursuits by those people? Universal Love and the rejection of offensive warfare, while perhaps imperfect, are still doctrines that guide people toward goodness—”

Putting down the Grand Master's Token, Shen Yuexuan continued to look outside.

A purple-gold Talisman Crane now pierced through, stopped by the inner restrictions of the Artifact Tower, hovering in mid-air. However, the talisman radiated a majestic golden light, utterly inviolable. This was clearly an imprint left by Zong Shou using his Kingly Martial Arts.

“My Lord? The agreed-upon date has not yet arrived; is he here to urge me?”

Filled with doubt, Shen Yuexuan summoned the talisman, dissolving the dense restrictions and allowing the paper crane to fly before him, where it reverted to its letter form. Shen Yuexuan took it, and his expression slowly grew solemn.

“The Tomb of the First Qin Emperor? Chongxuan Imperial Preceptor, successor to the Daoist cultivation lineage, a descendant of Xu Fu? Is it possible to enter the primary tomb of the Qin Emperor ahead of schedule?”

Shen Yuexuan frowned deeply, falling into contemplation. Since the ancient era, the tombs of successive monarchs had been built upon hidden dragon veins to prevent theft. However, this created a contradiction: to prevent detection, Spirit Arrays were necessary. To maintain the arrays, sufficient spiritual energy was required. The Tomb of the First Qin Emperor was the same; it briefly manifested to the world at fixed intervals to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, maintaining the circulation of its tomb array. The next scheduled appearance should have been several years hence.

“For anyone else, it wouldn't matter, but if it is a descendant of Xu Fu, they might truly have a way!” He recalled that Xu Fu himself had overseen the initial construction of the Qin Emperor’s tomb. With that man’s intellect, any hidden means he left behind were unknowable.

“The Twelve Bronze Men of State Protection are of grave importance! The Qin Emperor’s Tomb is too complex; a talisman cannot convey everything. It seems I, Shen Yuexuan, must return to the Cloud Realm—”

As he spoke, Shen Yuexuan retrieved an earthy yellow sphere of light and looked once more at the object within the crucible.