Under the continuous urging of Elder Chi Huo, Liu Bai quickly refined all the dozen or so pieces of metal on the ground until they reached a usable state.
During this process, the elder's eyes sparkled with excitement, and his entire beard seemed to stand on end with enthusiasm.
"Young one, I heard you are a freshman in this year's intake?" Elder Chi Huo asked as soon as Liu Bai finished.
"Yes," Liu Bai nodded in response.
"Haha, very good! Then, young one, have you considered joining my Weapon Refining Institute? Rest assured, if you agree to join, I will personally have someone teach you hand in hand. I believe you will soon become a true weapon refiner."
Only those who can forge low-grade spirit weapons are qualified to be called weapon refiners, and such people have a status even higher than spiritual array masters and spiritual pill masters.
Hearing this, Liu Bai scratched his head. Refining weapons was just one method on his path to becoming stronger. He did not intend to make this path his only pursuit. Moreover, he had no plan to remain here forging all the time, so he put on a hesitant expression. After a moment, he said, "Thank you for your trust, Elder, but I currently have no intention of becoming a full-time weapon refiner."
This was already very straightforward, and Elder Chi Huo naturally could tell. He immediately became furious again, his beard bristling as he glared.
"You are wasting your talent, do you know that? When you become a top-tier weapon refiner, even an artifact master, do you know how many great forces will compete to win your favor?"
Elder Chi Huo spoke with a look of frustration as if he hated that Liu Bai was not living up to his potential.
"But weapon refining is just one of my mediocre talents. I probably do not need to become an artifact master to have people competing to win me over by other means."
"You…"
The old man's nose twisted in anger. But in the next moment, he saw a series of spiritual seals rapidly fly out from the youth's hands. Numerous spiritual arrays formed in midair, flashing with different spiritual lights before quickly dissipating.
"This… you…"
Elder Chi Huo was stunned.
In that brief moment, he had seen the youth set up several large spiritual arrays within just a dozen breaths of time, including first-level, second-level, and even third-level arrays.
Elder Chi Huo had been at the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy for many years and was a famous figure even across Northern Heaven Continent. His vision was naturally sharp, and he immediately recognized that Liu Bai's proficiency in array arts far exceeded his skill in weapon refining.
At that moment, Elder Chi Huo suddenly felt somewhat dispirited.
In Liu Bai's eyes, the once fiery old man suddenly became listless. He casually tossed a very ancient-looking black ring and said, "Inside this are some diagrams I researched for forging low-grade spiritual weapons, three diagrams for mid-grade spiritual weapons, and some of my weapon refining insights. Take them."
"Oh, I'll also give you this Qian Kun Ring. I see you're still using a low-level Seed Bracelet. Don't you feel it's a bit beneath you? Also, take all the materials you just refined and be on your way."
Liu Bai stared at the black ring in his palm and listened to Elder Chi Huo's words, momentarily dumbfounded.
What was going on? Could it be that he was not from the Liu family but rather the lost grandson of this old man? Otherwise, the elder's generosity was a little over the top.
The materials were fine. If they were only basic ores for exchange at the Spiritual Value Hall, the value would not be high.
But the Qian Kun Ring was no ordinary item. Liu Bai had seen it before. It was worth five hundred thousand spiritual value. Its effect was on par with a high-level Qian Kun Bracelet, but because it was smaller and more compact, its value was doubled.
At that time, he had hesitated for a long time but ultimately did not dare to exchange for it.
As for Elder Chi Huo's refining diagrams and insights, those were even rarer and impossible to obtain through exchange. They were extremely precious to Liu Bai now.
"This is quite a big favor owed…"
Liu Bai scratched his head, feeling hesitant.
"Brat, what are you still dawdling for? Take your stuff and get out of here. Seeing you annoys me!"
Hearing this, Liu Bai stopped hesitating. He packed everything up, bowed deeply to Elder Chi Huo, and then turned to leave.
Such great kindness was beyond words. Liu Bai could only remember it deeply in his heart.
Watching Liu Bai's departing figure, Elder Chi Huo shook his head, the expression of regret on his face lingering for a long time.
After leaving the Weapon Refining Institute, Liu Bai went straight back to the Freshman Area.
Although he did not gain any spiritual value from this mission, what he obtained from Elder Chi Huo far exceeded the mission reward.
Combined with the experience gained from the previous battle, a mid-level Spiritual Beast like Heaven Fusion Realm early armor dragon gave an average of eight thousand experience. Four of them would give thirty-two thousand. The armor dragon king was comparable to a late-phase Heaven Fusion Realm being, two realms above Liu Bai, giving triple experience. This turned his original fifteen thousand experience into forty-five thousand.
This was the advantage of defeating higher-level monsters, and it was the main reason Liu Bai had delayed upgrading his own realm.
Previously, Liu Bai had simply raised three cultivation manuals to level two, spending a total of thirty-eight hundred experience, leaving over three thousand experience points remaining. Now, after this mission, he gained over seventy thousand experience. Liu Bai checked and found he now had over eighty thousand experience.
Calculating, to raise these three new cultivation manuals to the same level as the Golden Crow Manual, he needed fifty thousand experience, which was enough.
With a few quick taps, Liu Bai quickly raised the levels of the three cultivation manuals. He could clearly feel the surge of spiritual power within his body. Its depth and richness were no weaker even than the late-phase Heaven Fusion Realm.
Moreover, under the effect of the Profound Water Manual, Liu Bai's kidney orifice space condensed a black Profound Water orb about the size of a fist.
"Huh, why hasn't the Flowing Gold Spirit Transformation Manual formed a shape? Oh right, because it hasn't absorbed any gold energy."
Soon Liu Bai figured it out. He then took out a refined piece of metal from the Qian Kun Ring on his left middle finger, which was the Purple Crow Gold he had successfully forged twice.
"You're next."
Liu Bai murmured to himself, then sat cross-legged on his bed holding the Purple Crow Gold. He began circulating the Flowing Gold Spirit Manual.
In an instant, a miraculous scene occurred. Under the effect of the manual, the once extremely hard Purple Crow Gold surface turned into a purple-black liquid, which slowly flowed along his meridians into his body.
When the liquid reached his lung orifice, it transformed into a metallic spiritual liquid. With a thought, Liu Bai could draw a thread of golden energy quickly through his meridians into his palm, forming whatever shape he desired.
After this piece of Purple Crow Gold was fully absorbed, the metallic spiritual liquid in his lung orifice was already the size of a grain of rice. Although it looked like a droplet of water, when Liu Bai's soul approached, he could feel endless sharpness.
"So much Purple Crow Gold ends up as only this little gold energy…"
Liu Bai felt a bit of pain in his teeth. Even if he absorbed all the metal pieces in his possession, the gold energy would not increase by much.
With a thought, a golden long sword quickly condensed in Liu Bai's hand. The sword tip emitted a chilling white cold light. The air around faintly echoed with the sound of sword energy slicing through it.
"Good, good!"
Liu Bai's expression brightened greatly. This was even sharper than any low-grade spiritual weapon longsword he had seen before.
"However, I currently do not lack mid- to close-range attack methods. I even have the Hundred Spirit Sword Array, a wide-area strong attack array. What I lack is a very long-range attack method…"
Thinking of this, Liu Bai's mind moved, and the longsword in his hand quickly transformed, eventually turning into an arrow.
If he could have a spirit weapon longbow and also cultivate an archery spiritual manual, wouldn't he be perfect?
Thinking this, Liu Bai could not help but start searching through his spiritual value Token.
He still had 130,000 spiritual value. If he sold the five heavenly beast spiritual essence in his hand, he could get another three to four hundred thousand spiritual value, enough to exchange for a good longbow or a powerful attack spiritual manual.
With this in mind, Liu Bai could no longer contain himself and immediately headed back to the Spiritual Value Hall.
When Liu Bai entered the Spiritual Value Hall again, he suddenly noticed more eyes secretly watching him. Many people whispered among themselves like village gossips.
This made Liu Bai feel puzzled. So many days had passed since the previous events, and the attention should have died down by now. Why were these people acting even more intensely than before?
"Is that the one who was taken away by the Weapon Refining Institute's Elder Chi Huo?"
"Yes, yes, it's him, the top freshman Liu Bai! I heard Elder Chi Huo favors him and wants him to join the Weapon Refining Institute…"
"Where did these rumors come from? Just a freshman? And isn't he a spiritual array master? Why does he want to become a weapon refiner? What is he thinking!"
"…"
Frowning, Liu Bai walked straight to a counter.
Behind the counter was also a young student. Upon seeing Liu Bai, his eyes lit up and he smiled warmly.
"Junior Brother Liu Bai, what would you like to exchange for this time?"
Liu Bai was surprised and looked at the youth.
"You know me?"
"Hehe, of course. Junior Brother, you don't know? You are a celebrity at Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy now. Not just me, many students know you."
Liu Bai: "…"
Well, he always felt his fame was a bit strange. Was it just because he defeated Huo Yun? But Huo Yun himself was not exactly a famous figure in the academy.
"I need a spirit-grade mid-level spirit manual Seven Star Arrow and a Mid-level Spiritual Wepon Star Moon Bow."
The young senior was surprised. "Did not expect you to like bows and arrows. That is quite rare."
Clearly, the senior was very talkative. While retrieving the two items, he kept chatting.
"I remember our Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy's best archer should be Senior Brother Huang Yue. He was said to be most skilled with the Ghost Soul Arrow Manual. His arrows are silent and deadly, killing without a trace!"
Liu Bai was surprised and curiously asked, "Ghost Soul Arrow Manual? What level is it? Does the academy have it?"
The young senior paused, thought for a moment, and said, "It should be spirit-grade high level. We have it for exchange in the Spiritual Value Hall. Let me check... Oh, found it. It costs 550,000 spiritual value."
Liu Bai's eyes lit up. Only 550,000 spiritual value? Isn't this the lowest price for a spirit-grade high-level spiritual manual?
Although attack spirit manuals usually have the lowest prices among manuals of the same level, this is a spirit-grade high-level manual, and the price was very affordable!
After some thought, Liu Bai took out the five armored earth dragon spiritual essence.
"Senior Brother, please see how much spiritual value these spiritual essence can be exchanged for."
"Oh?" The senior was surprised, then looked down at the five glowing orbs on the counter.
Because Liu Bai had sealed them with spiritual power, the five spiritual essence did not leak any spiritual energy.
"These are… armored earth dragon spiritual essence? So these are from the task you completed for Elder Chi Huo? No wonder. The Weapon Refining Institute loves these kinds of materials."
Liu Bai was speechless but understood why the people around him acted so differently. It was related to him being taken by Elder Chi Huo before.
It must be known that the Weapon Refining Institute, the Spiritual Pill Institute, and the Array Institute are special existences in Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy. Many want to enter these places, but they are very difficult to get into, with strict talent requirements. Many decisions are made by the elders alone, and even the dean cannot interfere.
Although this senior talked a lot, he worked quickly. In a short time, he graded the five spiritual essence and gave a price.
"These four similar ones can each give you 80,000 spiritual value. This one is obviously stronger and can be priced at 100,000 spiritual value. Junior Brother, do you want to exchange?"
"Exchange!"
Liu Bai's face showed joy. He did not expect to have exactly enough to cover 550,000 spiritual value. What was there to hesitate about?
"Also, Senior Brother, please bring me the Ghost Soul Arrow Manual. I don't want the original two items."
The senior was stunned but did not say much. He put away the previous two items and took out a jade slip glowing with gray spiritual light.
"Junior Brother, this is the Ghost Soul Arrow Manual. Also, here is your spiritual value…"
After a flash of light, 420,000 spiritual value entered Liu Bai's spirit value card. Before it could warm up, 550,000 spirit value was deducted again.
This time, Liu Bai really became broke…
Although he had no spirit value left, no trace of difficulty appeared on Liu Bai's face. Instead, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he picked up the gray jade slip.
"Ding, spirit-grade high-level spiritual manual Ghost Soul Arrow Manual discovered. Would you like to record it?"
"Record!"
After recording completed, Liu Bai directly threw the jade slip into the Qian Kun Ring and turned to leave.
"Hey, wait. Junior Brother, if you don't want the Star Moon Bow, what will you use? Without a bow, what use is the Ghost Soul Arrow Manual?"
The hospitable senior spoke up again.
"Hehe, that's simple. I'll just make a bow myself…"
...
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