"Stabilize!"
Zhang Tianbao's veins bulged, his cheeks appearing somewhat ferocious and terrifying under the firelight.
Before him was a seven-inch long sword, on the verge of completion.
The sword's design was one of the most common on the Kyushu Continent, also the most frequent model for beginner artifact refiners to practice with.
Fearing he might err due to nervousness, Zhang Tianbao had chosen the most conservative style.
No errors occurred during the sword's refinement, and he smoothly proceeded to the final steps.
As the sword gradually took shape, Zhang Tianbao's taut nerves finally began to relax, the corners of his mouth unconsciously turning upwards.
Just as he was about to withdraw his spiritual energy and conclude the process, Xu Yi raised his hand and sent a wisp of spiritual light into Zhang Tianbao's sea of consciousness.
"Use this incantation to complete the final sequence."
Zhang Tianbao instinctively acknowledged, then submerged his divine sense into his sea of consciousness.
Upon seeing the incantation within his sea of consciousness, he almost cried out in surprise.
"No, this is too precious..."
Zhang Tianbao looked at Xu Yi, overwhelmed with gratitude, his eyes filled with both fear and unrestrained joy.
"Don't delay the opportune moment."
Xu Yi's words left Zhang Tianbao no room for further thought. He quickly began forming the hand seals according to the incantation in his sea of consciousness.
Initially, his movements were incredibly stiff, and his hand-sealing speed was very slow. By the time he reached the last few seals, his technique had become practiced and adept.
Xu Yi nodded slightly. Zhang Tianbao's years of accumulated experience would help him bypass certain detours.
As the incantation took form, a pale golden rune floated from Zhang Tianbao's hand and landed slowly upon the sword.
Zhang Tianbao personally witnessed a golden light sweep from the sword's tip to its body. The once ordinary sword's divine light became restrained, giving it a simple, unadorned, steady, and majestic aura.
Zhang Tianbao stood up, took down the long sword with both hands, and scanned its surface inch by inch with greedy, fervent eyes.
This was the most successful long sword he had refined since he began artifact refining. Its quality had surpassed his normal standard by two levels, reaching level three.
This was something Zhang Tianbao had never dared to imagine.
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior."
Zhang Tianbao knelt before Xu Yi once more. This time, his gaze held not only gratitude but also deep admiration for Xu Yi.
His cultivation and talent dictated that he could not become an excellent artifact refining master. However, Xu Yi's appearance had broken this rule, allowing him to see hope in becoming an artifact refining master.
Could this be the legendary 'Sai Weng's loss, who knows if it is a gain'?
Upon remembering the Qiwuzhai outside, which had been smashed and vandalized, Zhang Tianbao no longer felt angry. He was willing to endure such hardships to gain an opportunity for improvement.
As he thought this, his upward-curving lips slowly drooped as he recalled the Yu family members still guarding the door, wanting to speak but hesitating.
Xu Yi pretended not to understand his expression and asked him to produce a jade slip, intending to impart more artifact refining techniques to him.
Upon hearing that he could still learn unshared artifact refining skills from Xu Yi, Zhang Tianbao immediately fumbled to take out the jade slip, completely forgetting about the Yu family and Qiwuzhai.
Meanwhile, the Yu family's Ancestor outside the door finally emerged from his reminiscences, radiating a thick gloom from every wrinkle.
His time was running out.
The Yu family's pillar of support, the Yu family Ancestor, seemed to have become an infinitely glorious Nascent Soul cultivator. In reality, one of his feet had already stepped into the gates of hell. If he could not achieve another breakthrough in the coming years, his remaining foot would follow suit into the underworld.
If this news were to become known to outsiders, it would undoubtedly cause a tremendous uproar. The Yu family Ancestor had only informed the Yu family head.
He attributed the reason for encountering inner demons during his Nascent Soul tribulation to the past entanglements with the Zhang family ancestor. If the Zhang family ancestor had not refused him and then turned to embrace a cultivator inferior to him in all aspects, how could he still harbor resentment to this day and foster inner demons?
To eliminate inner demons, one must resolve the past grievances with the Zhang family. Since the Zhang family ancestor was already dead, her debt could only be repaid by the current Zhang family members.
The Yu family Ancestor hesitated no longer. His aura, like a colossal wave, crashed towards Qiwuzhai. The clear sky instantly became overcast with dense, oppressive clouds.
The Yu family Ancestor's sudden assault startled the surrounding observing cultivators, who then fell silent, holding their breath and not daring to exhale.
Although they did not directly feel the pressure of a Nascent Soul cultivator, the escaping aura already made them feel immense pressure.
Some had already begun to worry if Xu Yi and Zhang Tianbao inside Qiwuzhai could withstand this oppressive force.
However, they soon realized their worries were unnecessary. In less than a breath's time, a cold snort, unique to a woman, echoed from within Qiwuzhai.
This snort struck their ears like a bolt from the blue, shaking their minds. An intense dizziness suddenly spread throughout their bodies.
If they experienced such a reaction, the Yu family members, who bore the brunt of it, were in an even worse condition.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
"Pfft!"
"Ah!"
The already hunched back of the Yu family Ancestor bent even lower. He covered his mouth and nose, erupting into heart-wrenching coughs.
The Yu family head and several elder cultivators let out muffled groans, swallowing the blood that surged to their throats.
As for those Yu family members with lower cultivation, their eyes had already rolled back, and they had fallen unconscious to the ground.
The power of a single word was terrifyingly evident.
The bustling street once again fell into silence.
While the surroundings were quiet when the Yu family Ancestor was present, it did not prevent the observing cultivators from exchanging glances.
But now, everyone stared blankly ahead, frozen in place, not daring to move, and no longer having the inclination to observe the reactions of those around them.
The power of a single word was truly terrifying.
The Yu family had truly kicked an iron plate this time.
"The Yu family has truly kicked an iron plate this time!"
It wasn't just the observing cultivators who thought this; the Yu family members themselves harbored the same thought.
Although the Yu family was arrogant and reckless, they were not foolish. Their previous displays of power were built upon the strength of their ancestor being the strongest expert in荒城 (Huang Cheng - Barren City).
But now, with the appearance of a cultivator stronger than the Yu family ancestor, they naturally understood the meaning of keeping their tails between their legs.
The Yu family members, who had previously looked down on everyone, now shrunk their necks and lowered their heads like quail, their spirits depleted, resembling birds that had lost a fight.
The Yu family head wiped the bloodstain from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. His face was ashen, and his eyes, previously cunning like a fox's, now lacked their usual displeasing radiance, leaving only bewilderment and shame.
This time, the Yu family had suffered utter humiliation.
Yu Datong could imagine that in the future, when he went out to meet guests, they would greet him with utmost respect, but behind his back, they would be mocking him for today's events.
Yu Datong felt a pang in every organ just thinking about it, and thus did not notice the Yu family Ancestor's unusual behavior.
Until a rapid breathing sound came from beside him, Yu Datong turned to look and saw the Yu family Ancestor falling backward.
He instinctively stepped forward to embrace the Yu family Ancestor's body. Upon glimpsing the Yu family Ancestor's complexion, he was utterly terrified. "Ancestor!"