Maiden Galaxy

"Your Highness, do you feel that brat can actually do it?"

On the way back, the female bodyguard still remained somewhat doubtful of Chen Mo.

"Since he is able to recognize Paradise Snow, he ought to still have some ability." Manao ruminated. "For the next few days, dispatch people to monitor his movements."

"Very well."

"Have the preparations for the Tower been completed?" Manao asked.

The female bodyguard nodded.

"For the time being, I do not want to alarm this Star Field. Avoid side issues, you understand what I mean?"

"Understood."

"En."

…

"What did that woman seek you out for?" Jin Wuliang pressed when he saw Chen Mo. To be ignored by a person from the Foreign Star Field made this Middle Stage Casting Master suffer quite a blow. 

"She's making me forge this." Chen Mo brought out the Astral Tool Diagram.

"Astral Tool Diagram." Jin Wuliang was flabbergasted. Even a Middle Stage Casting Master like himself was very hard-pressed to have an Astral Tool Diagram. This signified that a Casting Master could endlessly forge the same Astral Treasure. In any sect, this would fetch an incalculable price.

"This woman surprisingly had such a good thing. Be careful of her background." As one of the Great Chong Dynasty's most dominant casting masters, Jin Wuliang naturally would not become demented over a single, trifling Astral Tool Diagram, but he kindly reminded Chen Mo to be a bit cautious.

To be in possession of something so valuable, perhaps the other party would return to get rid of him once he outlived his usefulness.

"I want to borrow a casting hall from Senior." Chen Mo said. He had yet to cultivate a pill flame. Casting an Astral Tool required reliance on external power, even more so for something like an Astral Treasure. There was no way to complete it just by relying solely on the casting master alone. On the other hand, the Great Tool Court had specialized facilities to serve casting masters.

"This is no problem." Jin Wuliang forthrightly took out a purple arrow banner,1 "Take this to the Great Tool Court. You can choose any casting hall you want."

"Many thanks. Your Servant owes Senior a favor." Chen Mo replied straightforwardly.

Jin Wuliang laughed. "Compared to your friendship, what does a mere casting hall count for. In the future, you can come and go from the Great Tool Court as you need." From the Sword Casting Villa's perspective, a casting master with boundless prospects was a target to rope in using all available resources possible, and in the western branch, Jin Wuliang was currently in need of talent like him.

To be able to recognize rare, foreign spirit sand and forge an Astral Tool.

Across all of the Tail Fire Star Field, a casting master like this was as rare as phoenix feathers or qilin horns.

Chen Mo returned to the inn to first explain to Zhongli Sanmei about the Astral Tool Diagram. Afterwards, he hurried to the Great Tool Court.

Waiting for him was a fierce, big man with jutting cheekbones and a mustache across his entire face.

Upon seeing the purple arrow banner that Chen Mo held, the big man's expression that was filled with ruthless hostility immediately turned respectful. After he learned about Chen Mo's request, he brought him to a casting hall.

The casting hall was built underground, optimizing the leyline's lung-fire. A normal casting hall required fifty thousand gold a day for use. One of slightly higher quality would require more than a hundred thousand. A room like the Starfire Room for forging Astral Treasures would need at least two hundred thousand. Seeing the Great Tool Court plan everything so carefully, Chen Mo inwardly exclaimed that this was fully worthy of the Sword Casting Villa that even the Great Chong Dynasty's imperial family had to flatter. Such money-making ability was honestly too profitable.

Once underground, he entered an ash-white corridor. Passing through this passageway, various gates to casting halls appeared, and the temperature gradually increased.

The many surrounding casting halls were all shut tightly. Clearly, there were casting masters at work.

"Each of these rooms had a casting master's ancestor meticulously forge it. Using leucite, it can isolate the fire of the leyline very well. Fellow, you can relax." The man heartily explained.

"En!" Chen Mo nodded his head noncommittally. Indeed, this was incredible. Although leucite was not considered a rare thing, it was not a common material in the world either. Produced under the desert, it had very strong resistance towards high temperatures. To be able to find so much in an instant, and to use it as brick for the construction of a passage and rooms, just this facility was perhaps priceless. The Sword Casting Villa was showy indeed, for a branch to be like this.

Chen Mo used his hands to feel the two ash-white stone walls on each side of him. Although the surrounding temperatures were soaring, the stone nevertheless was cool as ice, completely without heat.

Walking like this, Chen Mo reached the deepest room in the casting hall. According to this big man's introductions, the deeper the room was in the sword casting hall, the more vigorous the earthly fire. Altogether, the sword casting hall was set up with forty-two Earthly Fire Rooms for tool refinement, and the best room was in the deepest section after number forty.

For rooms forty to forty-two, room number forty-two was already occupied by a casting master, so Chen Mo chose room forty-one.

When the big man saw this, he immediately took out a jade talisman that he stuck onto the door. The white stone doors slowly opened, then the two of them entered this room. The interior of this casting hall was circular. An iron hammer hung on the wall, and the center of the room had a furnace with several valves and faucets at its base. The surroundings had an open channel, some forging platforms, and more. Other than these, there were also mats, stone tables, and other items that allowed for rest and recovery of stamina.

After all, one day cost several tens of thousands. The Great Tool Court's arrangements were considered very thoughtful. This time, Chen Mo had also used the purple arrow banner, something categorized in the Great Tool Court as super VIP status, so materials were even more plentiful.

"Fellow, the leyline's lung-fire are emitted from these ten valves, and you can even adjust the size and temperature of the flame yourself according to your needs. For more specific directions, use this token." The big man explained.

But then he pointed to some materials on the wall and said:

"Because this room is special, and that Fellow is a member with the purple arrow banner, This Pavilion has specially prepared some Astral Crimson Sand to give Fellow. It can bolster the might of the lung-fire. It is best used for refining Astral Tools, but the duration does not last too long. If Fellow feels you are running low, you can have Your Servant arrange for more. However, separate usage fee will need to be charged. Each casting hall has its own formation, and after the doors are shut, all connection with the outside will be severed. Only Greater Thunder Tribulation cultivators will be able to breach, so Fellow can rest fully at ease that there will be absolutely no one to disturb you!" 

When Chen Mo heard these words, he nodded to himself. The Great Tool Court had operated in casting for close to a century. Any of the particulars or arrangements were already considered very readily. There was practically nothing to nitpick.

After a few instructions, the big man finally took his leave.

Chen Mo watched the big man leave the room, and then he promptly activated the purple arrow banner in his hand. A wisp of purple qi emerged, completely sealing the casting room.

Chen Mo first inspected the fire valves, first slowly testing the heat control of the faucet spewing earthly fire. Over the past few months, although Chen Mo did not have too much casting experience, the influence of the Divine Clinging Cinnabar gave his every forging session even more rich understanding compared to other casting masters. A weapon's quality resembled a pill's, the important part was the process of flame control.

As for the casting, the Astral Tool's raw materials, quantities, procedures, and details all already had clear-cut explanations in this Astral Tool Diagram. Chen Mo did not need too much thinking.

However, talk was easy enough, the execution was definitely extremely difficult!

How to precisely control the flame, under what temperature to proceed with the forging, and what magnitude of strength to use in order to dissolve every kind of material into the weapon, these difficulties would confound many so-called casting great masters.

Chen Mo took out the Astral Tool Diagram and first carefully pondered upon it, confirming every part and step, committing it to his mind. Then, he took out all the materials and piled them one by one to the side.

After a long time, Chen Mo finally began his work.

He had only forged several pieces of the Astral Tool's materials, "Melting Star Crimson Iron," a kind of very high-grade ore, placing these Melting Star Crimson Iron pieces into the furnace to melt. This melting process was not very simple, however, because he needed to consider the object's surface. Chen Mo needed to control the flame, and then he needed to add in spirit sand and the other supplementary materials.

A simple Astral Tool required at least thirty-six different kinds of materials.

How to most effectively melt the ores was a very big test for a casting master. Ordinarily, even a Middle Stage Casting Master could not guarantee perfection. Thankfully, with the Astral Tool Diagram's instructions, he was saved a lot of trouble.

Chen Mo grabbed the spirit sands and other materials, following the breakdowns strictly according to the Astral Tool Diagram.

The furnace's flames turned from bright red into a dark red. Under Chen Mo's control, after he added some Crimson Star Sand, the flames became vigorous and fluid. The Melting Star Crimson Iron dissolved into molten iron within the flame, flowing into the trough.

Chen Mo then brought out the Heavenly Mother Cloud Sand, pouring in the molten metal. Immediately, he took up a pair of tongs and began to swing his hammer.

Now was the time to put a casting master's skills to the test.

Each strike of the hammer required enormous strength, and each time he hit, that powerful force surged through all of his body's qi and blood like a wave. Sparks endlessly rose and showed the surroundings. Even the smallest speck of the leyline's lung-fire was sufficient to melt skin and invade internal organs. If it was not for Chen Mo's sturdy body, even an Early Stage Peak Casting Master would have no way to work like this.

In order to evenly forge the Heavenly Mother Cloud Sand into the tool, Chen Mo needed to use Star Energy to counterbalance.

Forging Astral Tools generally required Star Energy, and Manao had specifically prepared several Grade Five "Flowing Star Pills." Each one was worth more than plain gold and could only be purchased with Star Coins. One Flowing Star Pill could temporarily imbue a body with Star Energy, more or less for use in forging Astral Treasures.

However, she did not realize that Chen Mo possessed two Star General contracts and had already begin to refine Star Energy himself. Forging an Astral Treasure was as natural to him as a fish was to water. Chen Mo very gratefully kept the pills for himself.

Relying on the past few days of experience, Chen Mo concentrated all of his attention.

A Star Crest flashed on his forehead.

Star Energy flowed through his whole body. He wielded the hammer, and the casted steel slowly began to take shape.

Forging the Heavenly Mother Cloud Sand and other materials into the Star Iron was the most challenging process. Each step required caution. Chen Mo was extremely exhausted, having used three days to finally complete it. After the spirit sand was completed, he could save on the Star Energy.

Afterwards, it was another cycle of forging in the furnace, settling, and smelting.

After a few repetitions.

Chen Mo forged it into shape each time, brandishing his peak skills as an Early Stage Casting Master. Each hammer blow concentrated his effort, his ironlike will not daring to be the slightest bit careless. 

Inside the desolate room, only the ringing of steel accompanied him.

On the sixth day of his stay in the casting hall.

Chen Mo finally breathed a sigh of relief.

In front of him was a chariot. This chariot was completely platinum in color, with mica patterns distributed over it. Chen Mo was very satisfied with the masterpiece in front of him. This was the first Astral Tool of his life, but it still had a Middle Stage Casting Master's style.

Generally speaking, for the sake of giving the casted tool a good look, casting masters would carve some flower, bird, totem, and other motifs, even embedding some arrays, however, Chen Mo was currently unable to do these, and he did not dare try. The woman did not have too big a request, so Chen Mo did not have thoughts of embellishing it.

Chen Mo tried to stand on the chariot. It was not large, able to seat three people simultaneously. Following his Star Energy control, the chariot wheels spun like the wind, and the vehicle surprisingly rose into the air. A cloud emerged automatically from the chassis, rising suddenly like mist. This was the effect of adding the Heavenly Mother Cloud Sand.

"Nebula Chariot." Chen Mo tested it a few times. Its speed was far swifter than a horse.

Flight Astral Tools like this could easily be sold for several million in the Outer Star Fields, and there was no guarantee they could be purchased. Even Chen Mo felt that with an Astral Tool like this, journeying would be far more convenient, stirring a bit of his excitement.

"An Astral Tool that can fly."

"The Tower?"

Chen Mo's brow locked tight as he suddenly felt this perhaps had some connection. He looked at the the remaining pile of materials. Chen Mo blinked.

1. 令箭, a really archaic symbol of authority. ↩