In front of the Xiao family's main gate, Han Feng was ready to set off. Under the escort of the Xiao family's guards, the group headed to the Forging Heaven Pavilion to participate in the Weapon Refining Conference.
The Forging Heaven Pavilion was the most powerful weapon refining sect in the Nanli Empire. Its sect master was a three-star Dou Venerate and an eighth-grade weapon refining grandmaster.
The Forging Heaven Pavilion's two unique skills, the "Divine Forging Art" and the "Heaven Refining Hand," were famous throughout the entire Nanli Continent.
The former was a rare soul art, while the latter was a high-level Earth-rank Dou Skill with an extremely special effect, said to be able to refine all things in the world.
Such a sect, even if placed in the Central Plains, would be a first-class faction.
As the convoy traveled, they arrived at a city with a spatial wormhole. Han Feng threw the two-star Dou Venerate level puppet from his sleeve, placed a spatial anchor point on it, and then let it go to the Jia Nan Academy in the Northwest Continent on its own.
The puppet, having received its orders, disappeared in the blink of an eye and rushed towards the spatial wormhole.
Its body directly submerged into the spatial wormhole, and the power of the void did not leave any trace on it.
A Dou Venerate expert was powerful enough to traverse the void!
After finishing this small matter, Han Feng continued on his way.
Although weapon refining was not as sought after as alchemy, it also had its unique and wondrous uses.
Especially for artifacts of the eighth grade and above, which possessed their own spirituality, they could completely execute some independent tasks.
Three days later, the convoy arrived at the foot of Forging Heaven Mountain.
People from all walks of life arrived one after another. The small town at the foot of the mountain was instantly bustling with voices, and business was booming.
Han Feng, who was meditating in the carriage, slowly opened his eyes. The Innate Primordial Magnetism in his body became a little active.
This Forging Heaven Mountain before him was somewhat extraordinary.
Relying on the perception of the heaven and earth magnetic field, Han Feng could sense that a rare spiritual vein was hidden in Forging Heaven Mountain, and its level was not low.
A spiritual vein, piled up with a large number of spirit ores, was a natural forging holy land. It was not an exaggeration to call it a blessed land.
In this kind of place, whether it was cultivation, alchemy, or forging, one could achieve twice the result with half the effort.
In addition to this, Han Feng also sensed a vast aura formed by the entire mountain. It seemed that some powerful barrier formation had been set up, enough to threaten a Dou Venerate expert.
"Mr. Han, we have arrived."
The Xiao family elder leading the team this time said respectfully to Han Feng.
Before setting off, he had already learned from the clan leader that this Mr. Han was a Dou Ancestor expert and would represent the family in the final match of the weapon comparison stage.
For the many matters of this trip, he would have to consult this Mr. Han.
Han Feng stepped out of the carriage, smiled and nodded at the Xiao family elder, and then looked around.
The upper-echelon factions of the Nanli Nation's weapon refining sects had almost all gathered in this small town.
"Is that the Xiao family?"
"Why is Xiao Teng bowing and scraping to a young man? Who is he?"
"Not clear."
In another convoy, people dressed in light green sect robes were discussing in low voices. They were the cultivators of the Jade Blade Sect, a famous weapon refining sect in the Nanli Empire. They were ranked fourth in the last session, just squeezing out the Xiao family.
Faced with their old rival's somewhat contemptuous gaze, the members of the Xiao family clenched their fists, feeling humiliated.
The decline of the Xiao family was an objective fact that had to be admitted.
But who would be willing to go downhill?
Han Feng glanced at the leader of the Jade Blade Sect. He was a Dou Ancestor cultivator, bare-chested, holding a green curved blade. As he walked with the gait of a dragon and the stride of a tiger, he exuded an arrogant aura.
The other party's gaze swept over and met Han Feng's.
Han Feng's smile did not change as he nodded in acknowledgment.
The other party snorted coldly and strode away with the cultivators of the Jade Blade Sect.
"That was the sect master of the Jade Blade Sect, Bi Changtian."
Xiao Teng introduced him to Han Feng. "A four-star Dou Ancestor. That large saber in his hand is a seventh-grade, mid-level spirit artifact."
Han Feng nodded.
"Elder Xiao Teng, what place does the Xiao family want to get in this conference?"
Xiao Teng was taken aback for a moment, then clenched his fists.
"Naturally... to do our best!"
Han Feng smiled.
"Then perform well. I look forward to seeing your performance."
Xiao Teng really wanted to say that the Xiao family's disadvantage in the weapon refining competition was not large, and they had achieved relatively good results in the previous few times. The real difficulty lay in the final round of the sect's foundation comparison.
Han Feng seemed to have seen through his thoughts. He patted Xiao Teng on the shoulder and said, "This time, just charge forward with all your might. The Xiao family's weapon refining foundation is no worse than any sect's."
Xiao Teng's body trembled upon hearing this, and then he nodded heavily.
This time, no matter what, he could not lose!
———
In a spacious room, Han Feng sat quietly and rested.
He took out a promotional booklet for this Weapon Refining Conference and began to look through it.
On it was an introduction to this conference and the final prizes.
As expected of a conference held by the number one artifact sect in the Nanli Nation. The prize for first place was actually an eighth-tier spirit ore!
This was a material for refining an eighth-grade spirit artifact.
No wonder it made so many people enthusiastic.
But then again, with the foundation of the Forging Heaven Pavilion, they had always dominated the top spot.
This first prize, in the end, was still theirs.
After looking at it for a while, Han Feng closed the booklet.
He also had many spirit ores in his storage ring, all of which were dug out from the Heaven-Breaking Mountain Range's secret realm, so this reward was really nothing to Han Feng.
He would just see how far the people of the Xiao family's generation could go.
If Xiao Teng's weapon refining skills were good enough to touch the championship of this conference, Han Feng wouldn't mind helping him and pulling the highest-ranked Forging Heaven Pavilion off its horse.
As for whether the Xiao family deserved this honor afterward, what a joke. Xiao Tianbao was the ancestor of the Xiao family, after all. Could he really not care about his descendants?
The next day, the Weapon Refining Conference officially began.
The Forging Heaven Pavilion removed the barrier at the foot of the mountain, and all the sects went up the mountain.
Between the mountain paths, immortal mist lingered. Occasionally, some white cranes flew by, stirring up the cloud-like mist.
"This is a high-grade spirit-gathering formation..."
As soon as Han Feng stepped into the mountain gate, he felt the difference inside.
Formations and artifacts were inseparable. Those who understood weapon refining also knew some formations, but they were far from being as profound as formation masters. And spirit ores were excellent materials for setting up formations.
The concentration of heaven and earth energy here had almost reached one-third of the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool.
One must know that the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool was a famous blessed land, and when its energy concentration was at its highest, it could summon the heavenly tide.
For Forging Heaven Mountain to be able to reach one-third was already very remarkable.
And this was just on the mountainside. The mountaintop, as the gathering point of spiritual energy, definitely had another treasure land. The effect there could probably be on par with the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool.
Han Feng secretly nodded but was not particularly envious, because his Medicine Saint Valley was in no way inferior to this place.
The group arrived at the mountaintop, and their vision finally became open and clear.
An attendant from the Forging Heaven Pavilion led them to a large open space and seated them according to their rank.
Although the Xiao family had been beaten by the Jade Blade Sect several times in a row, they were still one of the four major artifact sects, so they were arranged at the highest platform.
Han Feng calmly took his seat, meeting the surprised and suspicious gazes of the crowd.
"Why has the leader of the Xiao family changed this year? Could it be that something happened to Xiao Feng?"
Xiao Teng stood up at this time and explained, "Everyone, this Mr. Han is the contestant recommended by my Xiao family. He will fight in the last match of the comparison stage."
Han Feng gave a calm salute. "I am Han Feng. Having received the grace of Senior Xiao Tianbao's Dao discussion for several months, I have come to seek guidance from all of you."
"Good lad. So young, and you already want to test this old man?" The sect master of the Divine Mechanism Sect said with a faint smile, stroking his long beard.
"A newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger," the owner of the Hundred Refinements Villa also said with a smile.
They were all hundreds of years old. Seeing such a young junior, they did not take him seriously and instead treated it as a joke.
Han Feng made no defense, sat back down, and gave Xiao Teng a reassuring smile.
Xiao Teng's heart fluctuated slightly. He actually didn't know Han Feng's true strength, but since he was a Dou Ancestor, he was more qualified than himself to face those old monsters.
In the arena, the various sects and factions were in heated discussion, some mulling over the rules of this conference, others guessing the outcome.
However, many people believed that after this conference, the Xiao family would be expelled from the four major artifact sects.
In fact, this guess was not wrong. The Xiao family members themselves were a bit pessimistic. Weak was weak. The cultivation world was not a place to talk about feelings. The weak were prey to the strong, and if you fell behind, you would be beaten.
The real opportunity for the Xiao family to rise was not in this conference, but in how Xiao Tianbao would act afterward, and how the members of the Xiao family would act.
There was no sect that did not decline, and no dynasty that did not fall.
If you wanted to become stronger, you could only find the future for yourself.
Clang!
A melodious bell rang, and the Pavilion Master of the Forging Heaven Pavilion, Duan Hong, finally appeared.
A Dou Venerate expert arrived in an instant. The venue was affected by this aura, and everyone fell silent.
Duan Hong slowly sat down in the highest seat. He had long black hair, a face that looked no more than forty or fifty, and his aura was profound and powerful.
He faintly swept his gaze over the audience, his eyes pausing for a moment on the Xiao family's seats.
"Thank you all for coming to my Forging Heaven Pavilion to participate in the Weapon Refining Conference. The rules this year are a bit different from the past. You will all know the specifics when the rules are announced. I won't say much more. Let the competition begin."
As his voice fell, the official personnel in the venue began to move. The Weapon Refining Conference had begun.
One by one, the weapon refiners entered the arena and began to prepare for the competition.
The first round of weapon refining was a test of forging ability. They had to take the most primitive iron ore and forge it once, ten times, or even a hundred times.
It was not that the higher the number of forgings, the better. Because different materials have their own most suitable number of forgings. Sometimes, blindly pursuing a higher number would, on the contrary, destroy the iron material.
The specific degree was in the hands of the weapon refiners themselves.
The participants were only allowed to use the most basic forging tools. Some special tools were forbidden, increasing the fairness of the competition.
Han Feng watched as everyone below showed their skills. Each contestant had an independent soundproof formation under their feet, so it would not be too noisy to interfere with the others' breathing frequency.
After the first match, all the iron ores were subjected to on-site quality inspection. The weapon refiners who had reached the intermediate level or higher remained.
In the second match, everyone was required to refine a fourth-grade mechanism box. The blueprint was announced, and they had to use the materials on site.
This round stumped many people, because this fourth-grade mechanism box was too complicated, its difficulty catching up to an average fifth-grade one. Many people could only make it halfway before they couldn't continue.
In the end, as long as one was above the passing line, they were declared to have passed.
Even so, nearly half of the contestants in the arena were eliminated.
The small sects and factions were almost completely wiped out, but it wasn't as if they had gained nothing. At least the blueprint for this fourth-grade mechanism box was worth the trip.
The third match was a free-for-all.
Everyone could freely choose their materials and refine the highest quality weapon within their capabilities.
The time limit was seven days.
This was the last match in the weapon refining competition. Whoever could refine the highest quality weapon would win.
Seven days was very tight for refining a high-grade weapon.
Everyone was not only competing on skill, but also on speed.
Seven days passed in a flash. The spectators at the conference came and went. Only on the last day did everyone return to the venue, waiting for the final result.
One after another, pillars of energy light shot up into the sky. Similar to refining a sixth-grade pill, when a sixth-grade spirit artifact was refined, a phenomenon of heaven and earth would also be produced.
In the arena, a full five energy pillars lit up, which meant that five sixth-grade spirit artifacts had been born in this conference.
As the weapons were successfully forged one by one, the participants also left the stage in turn.
In the entire conference, only two people were left, still persisting.
Seeing that the time was about to end, the two of them, as if by agreement, spat out a mouthful of blood, bathing their spirit artifacts.
Rumble!
Thunder rumbled in the sky.
Everyone's expression changed. This was a seventh-grade spirit artifact...
The two people in the arena: one was the young pavilion master of the Forging Heaven Pavilion, Duan Tianci, and the other was an elder of the Xiao family, Xiao Teng.
Duan Tianci, as his name suggested, was a heaven-sent talent. He was already a Dou Ancestor expert and a seventh-grade weapon refiner. It was not strange that he could refine a seventh-grade spirit artifact.
But this Xiao Teng, he was clearly only a Dou Emperor, and it had never been heard that he had refined a seventh-grade spirit artifact before. By doing this now, was he not afraid of a backlash?
However, thinking that this might be the last time the Xiao family would participate as one of the four major artifact sects, everyone understood why Xiao Teng was doing this.
With no one in the family's younger generation breaking through to Dou Ancestor, only by refining a powerful weapon would they have a chance to protect their foundation.
In order to maintain the status of the four major artifact sects, he had to refine a seventh-grade spirit artifact!
Xiao Teng's eyes were wide as he looked at the heavenly thunder and roared at the sky.
Rumble!
As the lightning struck down, his Dou Emperor-level defense shattered with a boom. His seven orifices bled, and he looked like a mad demon.
But even so, he still poured all his soul power into the spirit artifact before him.
"He's risking his life!"
Xiao Teng's action made several of the big shots on the high platform stand up, looking at the arena in astonishment.
Was it necessary to go this far...
Even if the Xiao family withdrew from the four major seats, they would at most be a little desolate. No matter what, they would not be exterminated. After all, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse.
"Are the Xiao family people so stubborn?" some of the audience members remarked.
Duan Tianci glanced at the commotion on Xiao Teng's side and smiled contemptuously.
He slowly offered up a hand seal. His soul power trembled fiercely. On the other side, Xiao Teng, who was concentrating on refining his weapon, was instantly affected, his face turning as white as snow paper.
"It's over now. The spirit-condensing process has been disturbed. I'm afraid Xiao Teng is going to die this time."
"Young Pavilion Master Duan has gone a bit too..."
"Shh, you don't want to live!"
Xiao Teng bared his teeth in a grimace, blood filling his teeth. He gave a relieved smile and poured all his soul power into the spirit artifact.
Rumble!
The last bolt of heavenly thunder fell.
Two seventh-grade spirit artifacts were finally born.
The long sword in Duan Tianci's hand emitted a faint spiritual light. After inspection, it was rated as a seventh-grade, low-level spirit artifact.
On the other side, the long saber forged by Xiao Teng had a blood-colored blade that flickered. Its spirituality was abundant. After being graded...
It was ranked as a seventh-grade, high-level spirit artifact!
When the results came out, everyone present was surprised.
A mere Xiao Teng could actually refine a spirit artifact of this grade.
Duan Tianci's face was a little grim. He had refined a seventh-grade spirit artifact in such a short time. Although it was only low-level, it was unprecedented in the previous sessions.
He had originally thought of making a big splash this time and breaking the record, but he hadn't expected it to be ruined by a small Xiao Teng.
However, seeing Xiao Teng's state, hovering between life and death, he felt much more gratified.
Old thing! So what if you refined a seventh-grade, high-level spirit artifact by sacrificing your life? If you lose the weapon comparison, you still lose. The foundation of the Xiao family is no longer sufficient to stand on this stage.
Duan Tianci had not originally held the Xiao family in any regard, but today, Xiao Teng's behavior had angered him a little.
He was prepared to go and plunder the Xiao family as soon as it fell.
At that time, this seventh-grade, high-level spirit artifact would still belong to their Duan family.
The results of the weapon refining competition were set. The Xiao family was ranked first.
The face of the Jade Blade Sect's master was a little grim. This ranking meant that even if the Xiao family lost to him in the weapon comparison competition, they would not be thrown out of the four major artifact sects.
This Xiao Teng was really an eyesore!
Why did he have to stop him at the last moment!
The Weapon Refining Conference was an authoritative conference recognized by the Nanli Empire. The results of the competition were not a private matter and would be officially recognized.
Therefore, even if he wanted to change it, it was useless.
In other words, Xiao Teng had used his own life to buy the Xiao family a few years of breathing room.
Han Feng walked down from the high platform and came to the side of the dying Xiao Teng.
"As expected of someone from that family."
Han Feng smiled lightly and took out a seventh-grade pill, placing it in Xiao Teng's mouth.