Spirit Realm

“A’Hai, what is it?” After Qin Lie and Tang Siqi left, Feng Rong instantly asked in puzzlement.

Mo Hai held the jade spirit tablet that Qin Lie had inscribed the Materialization spirit diagram on. He narrowed his eyes as he used his mind to feel it and inspect the diagram created from the spirit lines inside it.

After a while, Mo Hai stopped and responded in a deep voice, “This boy called Qin Bing, if he really has not learned the Materialization spirit diagram before, then his talent is astounding.”

Feng Rong’s expression shifted.

She knew just how proud Mo Hai was in the field of forging.

In these years, she didn’t know how many artificers had come to visit Mo Hai, but he rarely spoke of someone as having astounding talent. The most recent time was when he had judged Tang Siqi. He said that she had talent in artifact forging and would be able to take up great duties in the future.

He hadn’t even said how much talent Liang Shaoyang who had come this time had. All he had said was that he was acceptable…

Yet Liang Shaoyang had caused a change in the spirit pattern pillars and also disturbed the sect master and the three great reverends. Mo Hai had just said that he was acceptable, but he then said that Qin Bing’s talent was astounding?

How could Feng Rong not be shocked?

“I am going to see Sect Master to discuss this Qin Bing with him,” said Mo Hai after he thought on it for a while.

Feng Rong was even more astounded. “He is worth you going out on a trip?”

“You cannot understand.” Mo Hai did not explain. After saying this, he left hurriedly and walked towards the top of Flame Volcano.

An hour later.

Mo Hai appeared at the top of Flame Volcano. There was a crowd of beautifully constructed buildings here. Many stone towers formed strange furnace and stove shapes.

“Greetings, Great Elder.”

“Greetings, Great Elder.”

At the top of the mountain, many Armament Sect martial practitioners nodded their heads, their eyes filled with respect.

Mo Hai’s expression was calm as he walked to the Sect Master Hall at the top of the mountain. At the doorway, he stated, “I want to see Sect Master.”

“Great Elder, please come this way.” Someone ushered him.

Mo Hai quickly came to a hidden room, and inside of it, Ying Xingran’s complexion was ashen. He was coughing heavily as he spat out thick phlegm mixed with blood into a container.

Seeing Mo Hai come in, Ying Xingran drank a mouthful of grayish-brown, medicinal fluid. He seemed to recover some energy and uttered with a grimace, “My body is worsening. You really are going to be so cruel to the sect that you will not take the position of sect master?”

More than a decade ago, he had been too stubborn during the forging of an artifact and an accident occurred. His heart and lungs had been injured by the earthfire of Flame Volcano.

Before the spirit diagram had suddenly collapsed, it caused his psyche to also be damaged, and even now he was unable to heal it.

Only the three reverends and Mo Hai knew that he was heavily wounded. He usually used the reason of secluding himself to forge in order to disguise it and would have to force himself to look normal whenever he came out.

—He used this to stabilize morale so the elders and disciples of the sect could focus on artifact forging.

“Sect Master, please do not force me. I had made the decision long ago. Once I forge an Earth Grade spirit artifact, I will leave with Rong’er to visit even wider skies,” Mo Hai affirmed.

Ying Xingran coughed loudly. “A’Hai, with my present situation, I most likely cannot sustain for very long. There is Tang Siqi in the inner sect, and now there is Liang Shaoyang. Both of them are very talented, and in the future, they can definitely get the sect to prosper. I will not request anything else, I just hope that you can teach them well before they grow up. When they can truly stand on their own two feet, it would not be late for you to leave.”

“Sect Master, look at this spirit tablet.” Mo Hai did not accept or reject but handed the jade spirit tablet that Qin Lie worked on to Ying Xingran.

Ying Xingran took the spirt tablet. His soul entered it and made a close inspection of the spirit diagram inside.

“This is a portion of the Materialization spirit diagram. It is inscribed in great detail and there is no inaccuracy in the thickness and length of the spirit lines. However, the other’s control of spirit energy is not up to par, he probably has not found a suitable spirit art. He only knows how much spirit energy is needed in every spirit line during inscription which is how he managed to inscribe this spirit diagram.”

Ying Xingran raised his head and looked at Mo Hai, questioning, “Was it Liang Shaoyang that inscribed this? He has stayed for a month at your place. I’m not surprised at all that he managed to inscribe the Materialization spirit diagram so accurately. He definitely has the ability.”

“It is not Liang Shaoyang but an outer sect disciple called Qin Bing.” Mo Hai took a deep breath and shouted lightly, “He has not learned for a day under me. I only tore a piece out of the Materialization spirit diagram and told him to study and inscribe it. I only gave him six hours!”

“Six hours?!” Ying Xingran shouted.

“Yes, only six hours!” Mo Hai shouted.

“How is that possible?” Ying Xingran shook his head and exclaimed in disbelief, “Unless he learned the Materialization spirit diagram before, he cannot inscribe the Materialization spirit diagram in such detail in under six hours. I see this very clearly. Other than not knowing the technique of controlling spirit energy in the spirit lines, there are not any inaccuracies. It is impossible to reach this level after studying for six hours!”

Usually, one would need several months to learn a new spirit diagram.

Qin Lie had also used more than half a year when he first started learning the Spirit Gathering diagram. After many failures, he finally created a Spirit Gathering Board just before Ling Yushi left Ling Town.

In Armament Sect, inner sect disciples would need to spend three months to half a year to learn a new spirit diagram. Even Tang Siqi, who was very talented, would need half a month to be able to master and inscribe a spirit diagram.

“Unless I saw it with my own eyes, I would not believe it either.” Mo Hai understood Ying Xingran’s shock. He divulged, “I didn’t quite believe it myself, so I arranged for him to become an inner sect disciple in order to confirm it. It seems that he has not learned the Materialization spirit diagram before. If he really has not learned it before and reached such a level after only six hours…”

Mo Hai raised his head, his eyes bright. “Then he will become the most talented person in the history of Armament Sect!”

Ying Xingran’s body shook.

……

Tang Siqi lead Qin Lie down the mountain with a dark face in complete silence.

Qin Lie did not know where he had offended her and was puzzled. He did not ask about it, however, and the two maintained the silence until they reached the base of Flame Volcano.

“Pack your things, I will go see Elder Tong first.” Tang Siqi’s face was cold as she left Qin Lie alone.

Qin Lie was puzzled. He walked to the stone towers, and when he passed the plaza, he turned to look and found there were still many martial practitioners standing under the spirit pattern pillars in the plaza.

Half a year had passed, but there were still a group of people that did not give up and felt they would be the lucky one.

“Qin Bing, you have been frequently going to the mountain recently.” Yi Yuan was in his stone tower as he waved his hand at Qin Lie. “Come in and chat?”

“Okay.” Qin Lie entered.

“I communicated with Elder Tang and also cleared it with Lian Rou. In the future, I will not waste any more time on artifact forging.” After Qin Lie entered, Yi Yuan seemed to have been released of a great burden as he said relaxedly.

“You are preparing to enter Blood Spear?” Qin Lie inquired indifferently.

Yi Yuan’s pupils contracted. He looked with shock at Qin Lie and asked, “You know of Blood Spear?”

“I’ve heard a bit.” Qin Lie nodded his head.

Yi Yuan looked deeply at Qin Lie. A moment later, he smiled and then honestly admitted, “Yes, I’m preparing to participate the Blood Spear entrance exam. It should be soon. The lowest cultivation that Blood Spear accepts of its followers is the late Natal Opening Realm. I just met the requirements, and my true goal in coming to Armament Sect is to enter Blood Spear.”

“I congratulate you beforehand for passing the exam.”

“Thanks, I think there won’t be a problem. Oh, right, Pang Feng should also be attending the exam. This guy is very powerful. Make sure you do not come into conflict with him in the future.”

“Mn.”

“After passing the Blood Spear Exam, my status would be equal to inner sect disciples. We get first crack at the high level spirit artifacts and armor that inner sect disciples forge. We can use as much spirit materials, spirit pills and spirit medicine as we want to increase our combat abilities.”

“I will be packing soon. I’m also going to move up the mountain,” Qin Lie smiled slightly with a lowered head.

Yi Yuan was slightly shocked. He saw the smile on Qin Lie’s face and concluded, “You are not the same as you were before.”

Qin Lie nodded, “In the past, I could not control the cold power inside my body, but now I can use it to my will and hide the cold energy so that it does not show.”

“So that’s how it is.” Yi Yuan understood. “It seems that your understanding of the concept has deepened. Oh right, what do you mean you are moving up the mountain?”

“Elder Mo has accepted me, I am now an inner sect disciple,” Qin Lie responded.

“Inner sect disciple?” Yi Yuan was astounded and then he hit Qin Lie. “Good boy! You actually went a step ahead of me without making any noise!”

……

“In the future, this will be your cavern.” Tang Siqi lead Qin Lie to a cave that used to be Yin Hao’s.

After Yin Hao died, Liang Shaoyang had lived in it for a month until the cave that the sect was constructing for Liang Shaoyang was finished. Liang Shaoyang moved away, and so, this cave became empty again.

As Qin Lie was admitted into the inner sect, this cavern was to be used again.

“In the future, forge your artifacts here. You do not need to assist me any longer. The sect will send down a certain ration of spirit materials for you to use to learn artifact forging every month. When you truly have the ability to forge by yourself, the sect will give you forging duties for you to forge all kinds of spirit artifacts which will be transported to the large Armament Pavilions to be sold…”

Tang Siqi’s face was stern as she recited the rules of the inner sect disciple and matters of concern.

Qin Lie listened attentively. When she finished speaking and was preparing to leave the cavern, Qin Lie finally could not suppress it and questioned, “Tang Siqi, where did I offend you? Ever since we left Elder Mo’s place, you seem very impatient with me. I don’t understand, how did I offend you again?”

Ever since he and Tang Siqi had that private conversation, their relationship had eased greatly. Over half a year, as they had more contact and as he assisted Tang Siqi in artifact forging, the two learned more about each other. He was able to feel the admiration Tang Siqi felt towards him.

But right now, Tang Siqi’s attitude changed again. This confused him, and he was ignorant where the problem was.

“You want to know?” Tang Siqi’s face was cold.

Qin Lie nodded, “Of course.”

“Alright, I also really want to know why you never mentioned to me that you understood how to inscribe spirit diagrams? You are an artificer to start with, but you let me order you about without a word, allowed me to have you do this and that, why? You kept me in the dark and fooled me like I’m an idiot. Do you feel accomplished?” Tang Siqi angrily demanded .