Translator: AnubisTL
For the next dozen days, Li Qing devoted all his energy to artifact refinement and cultivation.
In addition to that, he occasionally sent a jar of aged Winter Plum Wine to the Old Miner surnamed Zhou.
Time flew by, and twelve days passed in the blink of an eye.
Now, in Li Qing's courtyard, he was engraving spirit patterns onto a palm-sized heart-protecting plate with unprecedented focus.
As his fingertips moved across the plate, faint, earth-yellow lines of light flickered into existence.
The spirit patterns on the plate formed a cohesive whole, though not directly connected, they possessed an underlying mysterious connection.
It was clear that this engraving was highly successful and nearing completion.
Finally, Li Qing's fingertip moved with precision and force across the iron plate, completing the final Earth Attribute Spirit Pattern.
Buzz!
In an instant, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth around him began to stir, converging toward the heart-protecting plate covered in earth-yellow spirit patterns.
Being only a Low-Grade Magic Tool, the process of absorbing heaven and earth spiritual energy lasted only a short time before ceasing, attracting no attention.
However, the sudden appearance of a line of text information before Li Qing's eyes sent his spirits soaring!
[Successfully refined a Low-Grade Magic Tool: Earth Essence Heart-Protecting Plate. Reward: Six Years of Lifespan!]
Six years!
Seeing this number, Li Qing exhaled sharply, feeling that all his hard work over the past few days had been more than worth it!
Gaining six years of lifespan at once was unprecedented. Even when he had used pure Ink Gold to refine the Qing Hong Sword, he hadn't gained so much.
Li Qing raised his eyes and saw that his remaining lifespan had jumped to 185 years!
What an astonishing number! Even reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm only granted a lifespan of two to three hundred years. Yet here he was, still in the second layer of Qi Refining, already capable of living past two hundred.
Li Qing was actually nearing twenty-eight years old. However, his bone age and physical condition still resembled that of a twenty-five-year-old.
It wasn't that his aging had stopped entirely, but rather that it had slowed down dramatically. He suspected that the lifespan he had gained through artifact refinement was now being consumed to maintain this youthful state.
Put another way, because of his abundant lifespan, Li Qing's youth—the most golden period of his life—had been significantly prolonged!
"Twelve days... finally done!"
Li Qing's smile was one of immense satisfaction. He channeled a wisp of spiritual energy into the iron plate covered in spirit patterns.
Buzz!
A thin layer of pale yellow light emerged, enveloping part of Li Qing's body.
This was a simple ability granted by the Earth Attribute Spirit Pattern he had inscribed. Li Qing had named it the Earth Essence Shield.
As the name suggested, it could deflect some magical attacks, especially those of the water attribute, against which it offered considerable defense.
"Not bad," Li Qing mused, a smile playing on his lips. "With just a small amount of spiritual energy, I can conjure a protective shield. It's not large, but if I wear it over my heart, it should cover my entire torso."
"Still, it's only a Low-Grade Magic Tool. It's already at its limit deflecting minor spells from the Early Qi Refining Realm. Against Mid Qi Refining Realm cultivators, or even those skilled in using their cultivation manual's attribute-specific spells, I might still be at a disadvantage."
Li Qing spoke with self-awareness, fully aware of the limitations of the heart-protecting plate he had just crafted.
After speaking, he happily tucked the plate into his chest.
Next, Li Qing took a moment to replenish his depleted spiritual energy before once again carrying a jar of Winter Plum Wine to visit the old miner surnamed Zhou.
He had made up his mind: if the old miner still refused to share any information about the mine this time, Li Qing would never bring him another bottle.
Though he had plenty of fine wine stored away, he wasn't about to waste it like this!
Li Qing was now considered a Weapon Refinement Apprentice, capable of crafting simple Low-Grade Magic Tools. Earning a few spirit stones wasn't particularly difficult for him.
Moreover, with his abundant lifespan, Li Qing could afford to be cautious and patient, slowly accumulating experience.
He had no special talents, but he lived longer than anyone else, possessing unparalleled patience.
Knock, knock, knock!
As usual, Li Qing knocked on the gate of Courtyard No. 16. Senior Zhou had clearly grown accustomed to Li Qing's visits, and he responded quickly:
"Come in."
Li Qing entered, placed a jar of aged Winter Plum wine in the courtyard, and prepared to leave.
To his delight, however, Old Zhou stopped him this time:
"Hmm, stay and have a drink. It's been too lonely drinking alone these past few days."
At these words, Li Qing's smile widened even further.
Today truly was a day of double blessings! Not only had he successfully crafted his first Magic Artifact, but he had also finally gotten the notoriously eccentric Old Miner to open up.
"Hehe, Senior Zhou, you don't know the best way to enjoy Winter Plum wine. You need some braised dishes to go with it."
Li Qing spoke with the air of an expert, then gleefully pulled out plate after plate of braised delicacies from his storage pouch.
Platters of braised pig head meat, soy-braised beef, spicy braised beef heart, and red-braised donkey meat were served one after another, their aromas filling the air.
The secret recipes for these braised dishes had been pilfered from the Prosperous Heaven Peach Blossom Tavern back in the day. Fortunately, the mortal realm where the Liu Clan lived had all the necessary ingredients readily available.
Li Qing had prepared these braised meats while replenishing his supplies, specifically for this occasion.
It was clear that the Old Miner, consumed by his cultivation, hadn't tasted such delicacies in a long time.
He picked up a red-braised pig trotter and devoured it in large bites. "I never expected you to be such a good cook, kid."
Li Qing poured the wine himself, humbly saying, "I spent my early years struggling in the mortal realm, so I naturally picked up a few skills. How do you like the dishes, Senior Zhou?"
Senior Zhou didn't say a word. He simply drained his cup, then continued happily gnawing on the collagen-rich pig trotter, savoring every bite.
"Mm, not bad, not bad. Have you ever considered becoming a Spirit Chef?"
"In the path of cultivation, relying solely on mining and odd jobs won't get you far. You need to master a skill to make your way in the world."
Today, the Old Miner was clearly in a good mood and willing to chat with Li Qing.
"I've considered it, but I've only recently entered the cultivation world and still want to save up some spirit stones before deciding which craft to learn," Li Qing replied honestly.
Senior Zhou nodded repeatedly and said, "Mm, you're on the right track, kid. Old Zhou likes you."
"You've been delivering wine these past few days. It's probably about the mine, isn't it?"
Li Qing didn't hide anything and admitted directly, "Please, Senior, enlighten me!"
Seeing Li Qing's straightforwardness, without a hint of hesitation, and his generosity as if he weren't the one seeking a favor, the Old Miner burst into laughter.
"Hahaha, you've got a good temperament, kid. Thick-skinned—you're the type who'll live a long life."
"Well, this old man doesn't have much else worth mentioning in this life, except for my experience in the mines. I don't mind sharing it all with you."
Li Qing perked up his ears, determined not to miss a single word, and waited quietly.
"The mine is in the far west of Jade Ridge. The Liu Clan controls a secret passage. Before you set out, they'll provide each of you with a spirit horse. It'll take about a day and a half to reach the destination."
"The spirit stone vein belongs to the upper sect. We're just helping with the mining. Absolutely no embezzlement of spirit stones is allowed, and you must never use the mined spirit stones for cultivation!"
"That area used to have some demon beasts, but after all these years, the mining pits have become much safer. At most, you'll find some Spirit-Eating Lizards, which aren't really demon beasts at all."
"If you catch one, it can be a tasty snack to break up the monotony of digging."
"Actually, we occasionally unearth some accompanying spiritual materials within the spirit stone mine."
"I think it was three or four years ago... I remember someone dug up a piece of Profound Cloud Mother Iron. It caused quite a stir at the time."
"I heard that material is a primary ingredient for crafting top-grade magical artifacts, and it's even used as an auxiliary material in some magic treasures!"
"Tsk tsk! But in the end, that person still handed it over to the upper sect's cultivators and received a generous reward."
Li Qing listened intently, his eyes gleaming.
As a Weapon Refinement Apprentice, he naturally understood the immense value of spiritual materials in the cultivation world. They were essential for artifact refinement.
"Alright, now that I've covered all that, let me give you a brief overview of how to prospect for ore veins."
"..."
(End of the Chapter)
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