Immortality begins with becoming a master weapon refiner

Chapter 52 The Twelve Immortal Sects
The plot of land closest to the core Baiyue Peak is a sixth-grade spiritual land.

This was the secluded retreat of the patriarch of the Baiyue people. The mountain lord and the elders built their huts around the core treasure area, and few disciples could see them.

The next level up consists of the mountain peaks of the various halls.

With the temple master as the main person in charge, the influence spread outwards.

Among them, the Refining Hall is one of the top three Daoist art sects in Baiyue Mountain, with nearly a thousand eighth-grade refiners, second only to Flame Mountain, which is also skilled in refining among the Twelve Immortal Sects.

The Refining Hall oversees the Sword Forging Pavilion, the Hundred Weapons Hall, the Myriad Treasures Shop, and the Masterful Hands Workshop.

Three of the four locations are production sites, and Wanbaozhai is responsible for selling them.

Not only domestically but also internationally.

The Twelve Immortal Gates of the Human Race, also known as the Twelve Immortal Mountains.

Baiyue, Flame, Chongque, Heavenly Sword, Thunder Marsh, Cloud Dream, Taihe, Purple Cloud, Misty Clouds, Green Hill, Kunlun, Nine Li.

These twelve immortal sects were all created by twelve celestial immortals.

They are undoubtedly the pillars of the human race.

Currently, Gu Qing is not at a high enough level to have any contact with other immortal mountain sects outside of Baiyue Mountain.

When they arrived at the weapon-refining hall...

The fire elemental energy here is extremely abundant, making it particularly suitable for Gu Qing's cultivation. He and Chen Yin were both placed at the entrance, waiting for them to enter and talk with the person in charge.

Then it was their turn to go in.

Three years of seclusion is quite a tight schedule, and Gu Qing has a lot to do.

Chen Yin went directly to the Sword Casting Pavilion to report.

Gu Qing still needs to complete an assessment of refining a mid-grade magic weapon.

Inside the weapon-refining hall.

The person who liaised with Gu Qing was named Jiang Yuan.

He is the deputy hall master of the weapon refining hall. He is a seventh-grade weapon refiner who can refine spiritual weapons. He serves as the chief examiner for the assessment, along with a group of eighth-grade weapon refiners as judges.

As a junior, Gu Qing was confident that he was no less skilled than them in weapon crafting, but he still had to put on a show.

"Gu Qing, I have read your message."

"Are you Fang Henshao's disciple?"

This problem came quite unexpectedly.

Gu Qing said honestly.

"Elder Jiang, when I was at the Sword Forging Manor, I was Master Fang's weapon-forging apprentice. I did not formally become his disciple, but I did receive guidance from Master Fang, so I can be considered a disciple in name only."

"Hmph, this old man Fang is really not afraid of misleading the younger generation. Let's begin the demonstration. I'll give you seven days to refine a mid-grade magic weapon with eight patterns."

"You can decide the shape yourself."

"Yes!"

A mid-grade magic weapon is a combination of five or more weapon patterns. The greatest purpose of weapon crafting blueprints is to provide the weapon pattern combinations researched by predecessors for future generations to study.

Until the required grade of magical artifact is achieved through stable crafting.

Gu Qing relied on the [Divine Machine Pattern] to have a way of freely combining them.

Since the target this time is an eight-patterned ritual implement, the selection of materials at the beginning is also particular.

The formal assessment stage has begun.

Gu Qing stayed alone in the Earth Fire Chamber. The weapon-refining furnace of Baiyue Mountain was very large, about ten feet tall.

There is one main fire inlet and eight secondary fire inlets. The main fire inlet is directly connected to the ground fire and is used to smelt materials, while the eight secondary fire inlets are used to control the temperature.

After gaining spiritual power, using fire control techniques became incredibly easy.

The fire element affinity brought by the innate fire spirit body.

He wielded the crimson and yellowish earth fire with ease, and with a few hand gestures and thoughts, streams of fire snakes surged into the fire, heating the refining furnace.

When the furnace was almost warmed up, Gu Qing added the materials into it.

Two types of materials were used in this weapon crafting process.

Both are mid-grade spiritual materials, namely [Phoenix Flame Gold] and [Molten Fire Stone]. He had come into contact with the former before, and it was even transported from the Sword Forging Manor.

The metal's explosive nature is tempered with a gentle touch.

Two kinds of metals were fused together using a hundred-fold forging technique, and after being coated with the same artifact pattern, the materials were perfectly integrated. As time passed...

Amidst the raging flames, a sword gradually took shape.

This is the prototype; for now, only the Hundred Refinement Pattern remains.

This step alone took Gu Qing a whole day. After that, he diligently studied seven different artifact patterns, choosing some patterns with less conflict to work with.

First, there's the [God Machine Pattern].

Then come [Flame], [Explosion], [High Temperature], [Burning], [Blazing Fire], and [Flaming Sword].

All six types of vessel patterns are fire-related patterns.

This stacking method can easily cause the embryo to be unable to withstand the pressure, resulting in damage.

Generally speaking, when forging a fire-elemental magic weapon, there are at most three types of patterns. The rest are used to strengthen other parts and combine them to achieve a "1+1 greater than 2" effect.

[Sturdy], [Sharp], [Weight].

These three basic runes are universal types, used in the forging of almost all weapons and magical artifacts, and are the first runes that weapon refiners learn when they begin their training.

Gu Qingjian took an unconventional approach, but the effect of the [Divine Machine Pattern] was excellent enough.

It can perfectly smooth out the bursts of flames.

Until the casting is complete.

A fire-elemental magic sword of unparalleled power was born in his hands. In terms of killing power alone, this [Phoenix Flame Sword] can be called top-notch, and can even be compared with the power of a high-grade magic weapon.

However, it is slightly inferior in terms of toughness and hardness.

Even so, due to the [Hundred Refinement Pattern], it is considered top-grade among mid-grade magic weapons, with no obvious flaws.

If he could fuse five kinds of mid-grade metals and stones, the Hundred Refinement Weapon Pattern would be perfectly utilized, and Gu Qing was confident that he could forge even stronger high-grade magic weapons.

This is the true foundation he has built up over this period of time.

The Phoenix Flame Sword was forged three days later.

It took him two days to burn the inscription, and he used up a third of his spiritual power. Not bad.

There's only a little bit of spiritual energy left.

Pushing open the door to the Earth Fire Chamber, one finds many examiners sitting on futons cultivating. Gu Qing's noise startled them awake, surprised that he had come out so quickly.

"Success or failure?"

Elder Jiang's question was also the question of everyone else.

Gu Qing nodded, took out the Phoenix Flame Sword, and handed it to the elder.

The magical artifact had just been forged and bore the marks of being brand new.

It must have been made by Gu Qing.

Based on Jiang Yuan's experience, he could immediately tell that Gu Qing had a talent for weapon crafting.

"Good, good, good!"

"Although my weapon-refining techniques are a bit rusty, my foundation in weapon patterns is already incredibly solid. Given time, I will definitely become a seventh-grade weapon refiner."

The Phoenix Flame Sword was passed around among the people.

The other examiners were all surprised by Elder Jiang's evaluation. There was still a sword-testing process to follow, so Gu Qing didn't need to participate anymore.

For him, forging an eight-patterned magic weapon was already a success.

"Originally, I wanted to arrange for you to be in charge of the Hundred Weapons Hall."

"However, your potential has not yet been fully realized, so stay in the main hall and work as a professional weapon refiner."

"This disciple will follow Elder Jiang's instructions."

"Alright, come with me. I'll arrange your accommodations and tell you about the situation in Baiyue Mountain, as well as what you need to do."

"Disciple, obey."

Gu Qing followed Elder Jiang out of the main hall and stood at the highest point of this sacred mountain.

Below, countless buildings stand side by side, and birds and beasts fly by in a flash.

Different rainbows occasionally streaked across the sky, which were the true disciples on their way.

(End of this chapter)