Longevity by Grinding Skills

Zhan Yan turned and smiled warmly at Xu Yunfan. "Good disciple, since you want a weapon forged, I’ll personally craft one for you. Even if it doesn’t turn out to be a Treasure Artifact, it will absolutely be a Sharp Blade Level weapon!"

"Thank you, Master!"

Xu Yunfan was overjoyed. If Zhan Yan could truly forge a Treasure Artifact—one capable of generating its own Blade Qi—his own Martial Power would rise to a whole new level.

Wielding the Divine Gilded Mace was too conspicuous, and every use placed a significant burden on his body. A Treasure Artifact that was perfectly suited to him would undoubtedly be a huge boost to his strength.

News that Zhan Yan, Hall Master of the Weapon Casting Hall, was planning to take on a True Disciple quickly spread throughout the Celestial Craft Cave. Most of the Nine Peaks and Six Ministries had heard.

’That old coot finally got a clue?’

Inside the Mechanical Hall, a short, stout old man with a white beard and hair looked on with some surprise. His left arm was a bronze prosthetic, and with every movement, it emitted the sound of grinding gears.

In the Hidden Blade Hall, several people also exchanged surprised glances.

Halfway up Guniu Mountain, at the headquarters of the Weapon Casting Hall, Xu Yunfan was shown to an elegant little courtyard to live in.

"You’ll live here from now on. In three months, the Weapon Casting Hall will hold the grand ceremony to accept you as a True Disciple!"

Zhan Yan couldn’t suppress a smile. "When the time comes, I’ll give them a surprise."

Xu Yunfan, of course, did not refuse and cupped his hands in thanks.

Zhan Yan waved his hand and paced around the small courtyard, stopping in front of a rockery in the corner. He then said slowly, "The Celestial Craft Cave didn’t originally have a Weapon Casting Hall. Years ago, Divine Weapon Ridge was destroyed, and the entire sect’s lineage was severed. Powerful enemies occupied the grounds, and any disciples who dared to try and rebuild the sect were killed."

"In the end, I found another way and came to the Celestial Craft Cave. That’s how the Weapon Casting Hall was founded, serving as a temporary home for one of the lineages from Divine Weapon Ridge. But you must remember: there is only the Weapon Casting Hall of the Celestial Craft Cave now, not Divine Weapon Ridge."

Xu Yunfan replied, "I will remember your words, Master."

Fu Jin, who stood to the side, chimed in, "Junior Brother, now that we’ve made our home in the Celestial Craft Cave, we’re its disciples. And I’ll have you know, our Weapon Casting Hall is the most sought-after ministry here. The earning potential of the other halls can’t even compare. If we forge a Sharp Blade Level weapon and sell it, a single one can go for tens of thousands of silver taels. A few years ago, Master forged a Treasure Artifact, the Cyan Gang Sword. A swordsman from Dao City in Yanbei State of Yanbei Dao bought it at auction for a full million taels of silver, one hundred taels of red gold, and ten taels of blue gold before he could take it home."

Xu Yunfan was left speechless. He never imagined weapon forging could be so lucrative. He couldn’t help but glance at the skills section of his Attribute Panel.

’Yep, weapon forging is a good career path.’

"Shoo, shoo! Enough about that. Go work on your forging. I need to speak with Yunfan."

Fu Jin departed in high spirits.

Xu Yunfan watched him go, finally allowing himself to relax a little. He had been terrified that the Celestial Craft Cave would be just like the Celestial Cicada Sect, where master and disciple were constantly scheming, each spending every day plotting how to kill the other.

Zhan Yan said, "It’s true, just as Fu Jin said. Weapon forging is a good path."

The corded muscles of his arms rippled as he spoke.

"But our Weapon Casting Hall... has only been established for twenty-five years. There will always be those who can’t stand to see a new furnace burning brightly, so naturally, there’s a bit of friction with the other ministries. It’s nothing serious, though. You just need to look after yourself. Don’t feel you have to hold back."

Although Zhan Yan spoke casually, Xu Yunfan knew better. With so many people in one sect, there were bound to be sordid dealings. The Weapon Casting Hall was an outsider, and now that it was on the verge of becoming the leading power in the Celestial Craft Cave, it would naturally stir up resentment.

Reading between the lines, the True Disciple ceremony in three months likely wouldn’t be a peaceful affair.

Xu Yunfan nodded. "I understand."

A laugh like rolling thunder rumbled from Zhan Yan’s throat. Seeing Xu Yunfan’s expression, he knew the young man had understood his unspoken meaning, and the appreciation in his eyes deepened.

He suddenly clapped his rough palm onto Xu Yunfan’s shoulder, his five fingers gripping like a vise, only to see the veins on the young man’s neck bulge as he remained perfectly still.

Instinctively, Xu Yunfan’s muscles coiled like steel cables. It was his Copper Body Skill, at the Great Mastery of Skin Cultivation, activating on its own. A golden sheen faintly shimmered beneath his bronze-colored skin, and thread-like bloodlines squirmed restlessly, delicate as a cicada’s wings.

Xu Yunfan snapped out of it, his tense body instantly relaxing. He couldn’t help but force a wry smile. "Sir, could you please not be so startling? I’m already a little on edge."

’I almost summoned the Gilded Mace again.’

Zhan Yan broke into a wide grin, the wrinkles on his face fanning out like a blooming chrysanthemum.

"The Golden Skin State... I haven’t seen that in ages. I couldn’t resist taking a closer look. Not in the old Divine Weapon Ridge, nor in the current Celestial Craft Cave, has anyone achieved this in the last two or three hundred years."

Xu Yunfan was speechless.

Zhan Yan then changed the subject. "Besides Skin Cultivation, do you have martial arts for tendon and bone training?"

"Rest assured, Master. For tendon training, I have the Flying Leg technique, and for Bone Training, I use the Celestial Cicada Force. Both can be cultivated all the way to the Perfection Realm."

"Good. It’s good to have such ambition. Within two months, I will forge a Treasure Artifact for you."

Zhan Yan understood that Xu Yunfan wanted to bring his skin, tendon, and bone cultivation all to the Perfection Realm, and he had no intention of interfering. After asking a few more questions and confirming Xu Yunfan had no other needs, he told him to focus on his training. He promised that Xu Yunfan would have Spirit Fish and Exotic Beasts for every meal, along with a daily supply of the Celestial Craft Cave’s Primordial Candle Pills to replenish his qi and strengthen his body.

Xu Yunfan, of course, did not refuse. Seeing that Zhan Yan was about to leave, Xu Yunfan hesitated for a moment before calling out to him and pulling a fragment of the Purple Gold Earth-Shaking Hammer from within his robes.

"Master, when you forge the weapon, would it be possible to smelt this into it?"

"A Divine Weapon Fragment?!"

Zhan Yan’s pupils contracted. He took the fragment and ran his coarse fingers over it again and again, his eyes filled with shock.

"To think, a Divine Weapon of this caliber was shattered... What a pity. It’s been completely destroyed, its spiritual essence has faded entirely. There’s no hope of restoring it."

He looked surprised. "You’re one lucky kid. Anywhere else, this Purple Gold would be impossible to melt. As it happens, the Celestial Craft Cave has a Thunder Fire Pool that can handle such materials."

Xu Yunfan was delighted and put on a foolish grin. "Just found it on the road. Just found it."

After asking a few more questions and confirming that Xu Yunfan didn’t need anything else, Zhan Yan tossed him the True Inheritance Disciple Token and left in high spirits.

...

Without stopping, Zhan Yan headed straight for the depths of the Celestial Craft Cave, entered the Celestial Craft Hall, and struck the Council Bell.

As the bronze bell’s toll pierced through the Twelve-Layered Lava Cave, the Chief Steward of the Mechanical Hall was plunging a red-hot iron billet into the Cold Pool with his bronze-gloved left hand.

A disciple’s report came from within the white steam of the quench: "Hall Master, it’s the bell from the Weapon Casting Hall!"

The short, stout old man with the pristine white hair and beard raised an eyebrow. A suspicion formed in his mind, and he instantly lost interest in developing his mechanisms, tossing the iron billet in his hand aside.

’Interesting. That old coot hasn’t rung that thing in years. Today is a first.’

Before long, the Chief Stewards of the Nine Peaks and Six Ministries were hurrying across the iron chain bridges toward the Celestial Craft Hall, their footsteps causing flakes of bronze rust to patter down from the links.