Only four simple words, yet each one landed with the weight of a mountain.
It wasn't the polite I believe you, nor the cautious we can give it a try. It was trust, real trust, the kind that came straight from the heart.
When Luo Xinglan heard it, she froze for a second. Then her clear eyes burst into a light so bright it almost looked unreal. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but she was too overwhelmed to make a sound. She just nodded again and again, her eyes turning red at the corners.
Her tears fell without any warning.
She'd waited far too long for someone to say this to her. She hurried to wipe her face with the back of her hand, but the more she wiped, the more her tears came. Her voice trembled so much she could barely form a complete sentence.
"R… really? You… you really believe in me? You don't think I'm weird? I… I…"
She was so excited she couldn't even string her words together. In the end, she could only nod hard, pouring every bit of strength she had into that one motion.
Xie Zhaolin watched her and felt her heart soften. She stepped forward, took out a clean handkerchief from her sleeve, and handed it over. Her voice grew even gentler as she said, "Yes, really." Something in her tone soothed the soul like a warm hand on a cold night.
"When I saw all this, I knew it. There's no one more suited for this than you."
She looked over the room full of ribbons and said softly, "Because you understand them."
"You understand the softness and the stubbornness in their threads, the restrictions and the killing intent hidden inside, the practicality behind the ornate surface, the danger wrapped within the beauty. More importantly, you treat them with the devotion of someone who loves them with all her heart."
"And also…" She paused, her gaze shifting to the red ribbons again. Her voice was calm, yet it held a power that allowed no argument. "We're not making something equal to the past. We're making something that surpasses it, something that's meant for you, and perfect for me, the strongest ribbon of all."
"Not imitation, not following. But inheriting the soul, blending in your own path, shaping the future."
"My life-bound artifact, I'm entrusting it to you."
Luo Xinglan grabbed the handkerchief, wiped her face in a rather haphazard way, then let out a firm hum. Her cheeks were still wet, but she was smiling so brightly it was almost blinding, her voice thick from tears.
"I… I won't let you down! I'll definitely… definitely forge the best ribbon for you!"
Once her emotions settled, Luo Xinglan quickly returned to the sharp focus a proper artificer should have. She carefully examined the materials Xie Zhaolin handed her. Every now and then, light flashed through her eyes, a mix of excitement and deep thought. She'd already begun forming the forging plan in her mind.
Seeing this, Xie Zhaolin took out a heavy storage bag and offered it over. "Master Luo, this contains two hundred thousand top grade spirit stones. If you're missing any auxiliary materials, or if you need to find higher quality ones, use these spirit stones freely. Don't save them for my sake."
She knew that forging a top tier life-bound artifact, especially one that would fuse both spirit qi and baleful qi while meeting her strict performance requirements, would demand a terrifying amount of resources. Some rare materials were practically impossible to acquire unless luck intervened.
Two hundred thousand top grade spirit stones sounded like a fortune, but it might only scratch the surface.
This was sincerity, but also support. She wanted Luo Xinglan to have complete freedom.
Luo Xinglan glanced at the bag, and this time she didn't refuse. She took it straightforwardly and nodded. "Alright. There are indeed a few materials I'll need to search for in specific places."
She paused for a moment, then looked up with complete seriousness. "To forge this ribbon, the work will be complicated. I need to perfectly fuse the core materials you gave me and carve in the layered formation arrays I'm planning. It'll take at least three months."
"Come find me here again in three months." She added, "Until then, don't disturb me. I need absolute quiet."
"I understand." Xie Zhaolin nodded.
When an artificer forged something important, the last thing they could afford was distraction.
Three months was actually fast for something this complex. It showed just how deep Luo Xinglan's foundation was and how prepared she already seemed.
After leaving the small courtyard, Mo Yan immediately walked up to her.
He sensed instantly that the tension that had been subtly clinging to his master was completely gone. In its place was a lightness, even… a good mood?
"Master, did everything go well?" Mo Yan asked quietly.
"Yes." Xie Zhaolin answered softly, her gaze turning toward the distance. Now that her life-bound artifact was finally arranged, she felt the weight on her chest lift.
This marked a crucial step in rebuilding her strength after her rebirth. A powerful life-bound artifact that perfectly fit her was something a cultivator couldn't live without.
Three months passed in a blink during quiet cultivation.
Xie Zhaolin and Mo Yan stayed secluded in the quiet courtyard they'd rented in Heiyan City.
That day, while Xie Zhaolin was meditating, the transmission jade at her waist suddenly flickered urgently, carrying a strong sense of alarm.
It was an emergency message from Luo Xinglan.
Xie Zhaolin opened her eyes instantly. Her divine sense swept over the jade, and her expression changed. She snapped toward Mo Yan who stood guard outside. "Move!"
They vanished from the courtyard and arrived outside Luo Xinglan's place in just a few breaths.
The gate was already open. Luo Xinglan still wore her oversized black robe with the hood pulled low, waiting anxiously at the entrance.
The moment she saw Xie Zhaolin, she rushed forward. Her voice trembled with excitement and urgency.
"Hurry! Three hundred li west of the city, Heifeng Valley! We need to go right now! It's about to succeed!"
Xie Zhaolin understood immediately. The birth of a top tier artifact often stirred the surrounding spiritual qi, drawing attention from all directions.
Luo Xinglan must have sensed that the final step would cause a disturbance and feared forging it inside Heiyan City would attract trouble or greedy eyes. That was why she sent the emergency message, demanding they relocate instantly.
The three of them transformed into streaks of light, shooting silently out of Heiyan City and racing toward Heifeng Valley.
Maybe it was their speed, or maybe Luo Xinglan picked the perfect moment, but they encountered no obstacles or pursuers along the way.
About one incense stick later, they reached a barren, rocky valley.
Heifeng Valley.
Luo Xinglan clearly knew this place well. She led the two through several twists and turns before entering a very well hidden cave deep inside the valley.
The cave was wide, with a simple gathering and concealment array carved into the ground.
Only then did Luo Xinglan finally push back her hood. Her face was exhausted, but her eyes shone brilliantly, full of excitement and the pride of someone who'd completed a masterpiece.
She turned toward Xie Zhaolin, her expression serious. She took a deep breath and asked solemnly:
"Are you ready?"