Chapter 14: Beginning the Art of Forging

Chapter 14: Beginning the Art of Artifact Refining

The next day.

Yu Xian saw off the chief steward Li Gonggong of the Wang residence, who had come to deliver gifts, then turned to look at the piles of gift boxes filling the courtyard and shook his head slightly.

So much fuss—he might as well have taken the cash instead.

Fortunately, his monthly salary had increased; five hundred taels of silver wasn’t a large sum, but it was steady and reliable.

Moreover, the going rates for mid-innate and early-innate stages differed significantly. From now on, the Wang residence likely wouldn’t assign him ordinary tasks anymore, as the cost-effectiveness was too low.

Of course, even if they did assign him tasks, he wouldn’t accept them.

Why exert effort when you can enjoy benefits lying down?

Meanwhile, Yulan was quite delighted.

After Li Gonggong left, she flitted among the gift boxes, occasionally opening one to admire and play with its contents. She especially treasured a few rolls of brocade said to be tributes to the royal family, holding them with great affection.

“Master, this fabric is truly beautiful. I’ll make you a garment,” Yulan exclaimed joyfully.

Yu Xian glanced at Chen Yi, who was quietly waiting by his side. Suddenly recalling her adorable image from last night, tightly biting the blanket corner and unwilling to cry out, he smiled.

“Sure, there’s plenty of this material. Make sure you save some to make clothes for yourself and your little sister Yi.”

“Master, you’re way too kind to me! Little Sister Yi, you’ll help me, right?” Yulan looked to Chen Yi and invited her.

Nowadays, it was rare for girls not to have needlework skills. Even the princess’s embroidery was exquisite.

Chen Yi answered softly with a reluctant tone.

But Yulan seemed oblivious to her mood. She took Chen Yi’s hand and began whispering plans for the clothes’ styles.

“By the way, you two stay home today. I have some errands to run. If that Ding Attendant comes to demand compensation, just accept it.”

Yu Xian ignored the subtle scheming between the two women, gave his instructions, then pocketed his wine gourd and left the Wang residence.

...

Baibao Tower.

This was the largest trading house in Changning City, reputed to hold treasures worth millions, connecting north and south. The wealth contained within could buy half the city. Rumor had it that the Wang residence stood behind it.

Yu Xian didn’t need rumors.

Not long ago, he’d asked Li Gonggong where in the city one could buy jade, preferably large pieces.

Li Gonggong immediately recommended Baibao Tower, explaining that the Wang residence was its major backer.

If Yu Xian went personally, his status as a Heavenly-level attendant would entitle him to a 30% discount.

Yu Xian didn’t bother with any cloak-and-dagger approach. Upon entering, he showed the reception his Wang residence token, and soon a senior steward came to attend him.

Upstairs, in the VIP lounge.

A maid arranged two plates of pastries, then bowed and withdrew. The steward personally served Yu Xian tea, wearing a perfectly respectful expression.

“Attendant Yu, please have some tea. May I ask what you’re seeking this time? Anything we have, I will find for you.”

Yu Xian took a sip of tea and stated his purpose.

“I want a single, intact jade piece—material doesn’t matter. The larger, the better. At least three feet square.”

In the mundane world, the chance of finding a genuine artifact by luck was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Yu Xian never considered himself so fortunate to stumble upon one casually.

Therefore, he planned to craft one himself.

Of course, he wouldn’t proceed with proper artifact forging, but he knew a bit about primal blood refining.

This method belonged to impoverished cultivators.

They would find passable materials and nurture them day and night with blood essence, magical power, and spiritual awareness. After about three months, an initial artifact embryo could form.

If this nurturing continued for three to five years, it could gradually transform into a low-grade artifact.

Such a low-grade artifact, connected with its maker’s intent, was more harmonious and wielded about thirty percent more power than ordinary artifacts.

With continued addition of materials and refining, the artifact could even be upgraded.

However, this method consumed much effort and time, impeding cultivation. Most cultivators could only craft one artifact this way, and if it was damaged, the owner would suffer a severe energy blow.

It was said to be the original forging method.

Later, with advancements in artifact forging, this outdated method was gradually abandoned in the cultivation world.

But for paupers, as long as it cost no money, spending time and energy was trivial. This blood-refining method remained popular and widespread.

As a former aspiring immortal, Yu Xian was naturally unwilling to lag behind and had procured a set early on.

“Any material, large intact jade, you say?”

The steward repeated Yu Xian’s request quietly, quickly running through Baibao Tower’s inventory in his mind.

Yu Xian quietly sipped his tea and did not disturb the steward’s thoughts.

In his view, the most valuable commodities in the mundane world were probably minerals.

Whether gold, silver, copper, iron, or jade ore, all held certain value even in the cultivation world.

Refining materials like golden essence, silver liquid, copper ore, and mysterious iron could be extracted from ordinary ores, but the raw material needed was massive, well beyond the reach of ordinary cultivators.

Not to mention, he couldn’t even afford a large-capacity storage artifact.

Yu Xian had considered buying iron ore to refine himself.

But thinking of the workload and the mundane world’s environment, where even spiritual energy replenishment was difficult, he promptly gave up.

Hence, he chose jade.

Jade was the essence of stone, naturally containing faint spiritual energy, making it a natural forging material. Its advantage was simplicity and ease of use; even a single material could produce an artifact embryo.

The downside was that cheap jade yielded weak artifacts, often suppressed in magical battles.

But functional was enough; no need for extravagance.

Yu Xian was fully aware of his own status and combat level.

The steward racked his brains but could not find any jade matching Yu Xian’s requirements.

“Apologies, Attendant Yu, but we truly do not have any large jade pieces you seek. The largest we have is a branch of jadeite with a green core, but it measures only about a foot in length and width. Would you like to see it?”

Yu Xian felt somewhat disappointed and shook his head.

“No need. Just keep an eye out for me. If you hear anything, send someone to the Fu Wang residence to find me.”

He stood up.

“Please wait, Attendant Yu.”

The steward called after him, as if suddenly remembering.

“Your words just now reminded me—if you want large jade pieces, it might be better to come back in a few days.

A group of jade merchants from the southwest will auction jade ore and some jade collectibles here at Baibao Tower.

There will also be merchants from surrounding prefectures coming to buy. If they don’t have what you want, then it’s unlikely the entire Changning Prefecture has jade matching your requirements.”

Changning City was a waterway hub with vibrant commerce. Every year, caravans and shipping merchants from across the country paused here for trade.

Baibao Tower, backed by the Wang residence, was the best intermediary, providing communication channels and platforms for unfamiliar merchants, and had prospered thus.

Hearing this, Yu Xian suddenly felt lucky. Though he hadn’t directly stumbled upon an artifact, at least he had an immediate solution when facing difficulty.

“Good. What’s your name? I’ll find you when I come back.”

“My name is Liu Sanquan.”

The steward’s smile grew more sincere.

Yu Xian’s Wang residence token was for all Heavenly-level attendants, granting him high status in the residence.

Today he had established a connection, making future dealings at Baibao Tower much easier. He might even have the chance for his name to reach the Wang Lord’s ears.

“Alright, I’ve got your name.”

Yu Xian didn’t waste words, replied briefly, and left the room.

He always bought things straightforwardly—wanted something, bought it; disliked wandering around.

But suddenly, his steps halted, then he briskly approached two guests chatting idly in the main hall.

“What were you just saying about the arms case? And what’s this about the Guangnan rebellion?”

(End of chapter)