Immortal Refiner

Having just received the artifact refinement manual, Li Qing became completely engrossed in it, unable to tear himself away. The sections on crafting Magic Artifacts felt like opening a whole new world to him.

”I never realized the selection of materials for artifact refinement was so crucial. It’s not just about melting spiritual materials together.”

”You also need to consider the properties of the materials and the principles of the Yin-Yang Five Elements, their interactions and conflicts. This path of artifact refinement is truly vast and profound.”

What surprised Li Qing most was that the manual included an Artifact Refinement Diagram for a mid-grade Magic Artifact called the Water Entangling Net.

A mature Artifact Refinement Diagram contains detailed information on the materials needed, step-by-step instructions for the crafting process, and even the specific spirit patterns to be inscribed in the final step.

It’s similar to a pill formula in Pill Refinement. By following the diagram, the success rate of crafting the Magic Artifact is greatly increased, as it represents the accumulated experience of countless previous attempts.

For a cultivation clan or sect, such an Artifact Refinement Diagram is an invaluable treasure.

That meant as long as they gathered enough spiritual materials, they could mass-produce a Magic Artifact and equip all the cultivators in their clan.

In the cultivation world, Artifact Refinement Diagrams were as precious as pill formulas, considered strategic assets.

”To refine the Water Entangling Net, the primary materials required are: Water-Condensing Sand and Azure Water Silkworm Silk. The secondary material is the Spirit-Stabilizing Stone. The primary materials are essential, while the secondary material is optional.”

”If the Spirit-Stabilizing Stone is included, the Water Entangling Net will also gain the ability to immobilize a cultivator’s spiritual energy!”

”Once ensnared by the Water Entangling Net, even a late-stage qi refinement cultivator would struggle to escape.”

After reading the description of the Water Entangling Net, Li Qing’s eyes lit up. ”This is a great item!” he thought.

If a cultivator was trapped and unable to use their spiritual energy, wouldn’t they be at the mercy of their captor?

”Senior Zhang even recorded the spirit patterns in detail. He truly cared deeply for his descendants,” Li Qing murmured.

Li Qing sighed, already impatient to try refining his first Magic Artifact.

Unfortunately, his cultivation was still too low. He hadn’t even reached the first layer of Qi Condensation.

He could handle the forging and shaping, but neither quenching nor inscription—the two crucial steps in artifact refinement—was possible with his meager spiritual energy.

”Sigh, I really need to improve my cultivation first!”

Just as Li Qing finished his sigh, a knock echoed at the Blacksmith Shop’s door.

Dong dong dong!

Li Qing frowned slightly, then used the last trace of mana in his body to store everything in his storage pouch.

”Come in,” he said calmly.

As his voice faded, a figure hurried inside—none other than Miao Qi!

”Brother Li, I knew I’d find you here,” Miao Qi panted as he entered.

”What’s wrong? What happened?” Li Qing asked.

Miao Qi quickly explained the chaos unfolding in Giant Rock City:

”After Xiang Fa died, the City Lord’s Manor and the Red Fish Merchant Guild discovered his body. It caused a huge uproar, and now they’re joining forces to attack the Green Gang!”

When the person on top dies, those below naturally begin to stir. Li Qing, having seen enough of the Jianghu’s chaos, wasn’t surprised. He asked, ”Before Xiang Fa’s death, didn’t the Green Gang drive the City Lord’s Manor and the Red Fish Merchant Guild into retreat? Why are you losing now?”

”That’s because Brother Zhao Kou is in closed-door cultivation, preparing to break through to the level of an Inner Strength Martial Artist!” Miao Qi explained awkwardly.

Hearing Zhao Kou’s name, Li Qing couldn’t help but smile, the image of the young man with a wolfish, ruthless gaze flashing through his mind.

He hadn’t expected Zhao Kou to be on the verge of becoming an Inner Strength expert. His progress was even faster than Li Qing had imagined. With such talent in the Martial Dao, he was indeed quite promising.

”Alright, I’ll help you eliminate the Martial Artists from the Red Fish Merchant Guild and the City Lord’s Manor. I won’t interfere with anyone else,” Li Qing nodded.

After all, it was called the Green Gang, and it wouldn’t be right for him to sit idly by.

Moreover, he would need the Green Gang’s help for something later, so he had to lend a hand now.

Upon hearing that Li Qing was willing to intervene, Miao Qi’s face lit up with joy. He repeatedly expressed his gratitude: ”Thank you, Brother Li!”

Before Li Qing’s words could even fade, his figure vanished from the room.

At the Green Gang’s headquarters in Giant Rock City, the City Lord’s Manor and the Red Fish Merchant Guild had occupied all surrounding streets.

Chaos reigned. Figures clashed in fierce combat everywhere.

”Damn it, those dogs from the City Lord’s Manor! Today, I’ll slaughter every last one of you!”

”Die! Kill every one of these Green Gang scum! Giant Rock City is our territory! Get out!”

”Get out of Giant Rock City!”

...

Everyone’s eyes were bloodshot. Limbs and severed body parts littered the ground, creating a scene of utter carnage.

Inside a stone tower, An Xuan, clad in black robes and radiating an aura of cold danger, watched the chaos unfold outside with a grim expression.

Everything had happened too suddenly. She hadn’t been prepared for this battle.

”How did Xiang Fa die? Who else in the city could have posed a threat to him? It’s too strange,” An Xuan muttered, clenching her sleeve.

The next moment, footsteps echoed through the stone tower.

Dong dong dong!

”Heh, Gang Leader An, it’s been a while!”

At the foot of the steps, a man in silver light armor strode up with a smile.

His gaze, burning with undisguised lust, swept over the alluring figure leaning against the window. He even licked his lips to express his thoughts.

An Xuan watched him coldly, her voice icy as she spoke his name: ”Qin Jie.”

The current de facto ruler of the City Lord’s Manor, Qin Jie.

Before the death of the previous City Lord, Qin Xiu, he had forced his offspring into becoming External Strength Martial Artists using Vital Blood Pills.

Qin Jie’s eyes burned even hotter at her frigid tone, a morbid obsession gleaming within them.

Though An Xuan was past thirty, her years of power as the leader of an entire gang had cultivated an aloof, unapproachable aura.

Yet it was precisely this cold, unyielding demeanor that ignited Qin Jie’s desire to conquer.

He wanted to whip this poisonous mushroom of a woman until she crumbled into a pathetic, tearful mess.

This thought had taken root in his mind the moment he first laid eyes on An Xuan.

”Gang Leader An, do you like the gift I gave you?” Qin Jie’s breathing grew heavy, and he could barely restrain himself from lunging forward.

An Xuan clenched her jade-like fingers, her voice laced with anger. ”Qin Jie, you truly aren’t afraid of death. You dared to bring men to attack the Green Gang’s territory.”

”Hahahaha! Don’t think I don’t know, An Xuan. Zhao Kou has entered seclusion, and my men have tied up the rest of your gang’s Martial Artists. Now, who can save you?!”

With that, Qin Jie charged forward like a madman, completely consumed by his desires. Today, he would unleash the years of twisted obsession he had harbored for this woman.

Clang!

A sharp, metallic sound pierced the air, startlingly abrupt.

Qin Jie, only a step away from the woman he had longed for day and night, froze in his tracks.

Drip... drip... drip...

First came the sound of dripping water, followed by a thick, metallic scent that filled his nostrils.

Then, Qin Jie felt his strength draining away. The years of pent-up desire in his chest vanished in an instant.

Qin Jie stared down in shock at his chest, now pierced by a bloody gash through his silver armor.

”This...”

Thud!

Before he could finish speaking, Qin Jie collapsed to the ground with a muffled thud.

His heart had been severed. He was dead.

An Xuan, who had been clutching a short dagger, watched the scene in disbelief. ”Zhao Kou? Have you broken through?” she asked, her voice filled with doubt.

Only someone truly exceptional could have so decisively defeated an External Strength Martial Artist, piercing through both layers of his iron armor with a single blow.

”No, Zhao Kou wouldn’t have broken through so quickly. This couldn’t have been him!”

”Who could it be?”

An Xuan’s expression grew grim as she scanned her surroundings, but she saw no sign of anyone.

After a long moment, a tall, familiar figure appeared before her.

”Miss An, it’s been a while,” a familiar voice said.

At the sound of that voice, tears welled up in An Xuan’s eyes, blurring her vision.

”Brother Li... you’ve finally returned,” she whispered.

With those words, the renowned icy beauty of Giant Rock City, the Snow Mountain Maiden, completely melted away.

She threw herself into Li Qing’s arms, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck as if she never intended to let go.

”Cough, cough!” Li Qing coughed, and after a long moment, he finally placed his hand on her waist.

”Alright, Miss An. I’ve taken care of the Martial Artists from the City Lord’s Manor and the Red Fish Merchant Guild. Now it’s time for you to take charge of the Green Gang’s affairs,” Li Qing said softly, patting her back.

Hearing this, An Xuan’s cheeks flushed crimson as she released Li Qing.

For over a decade, she had never considered marriage. Now, at long last, the person she had been waiting for had finally arrived.

To be honest, Li Qing felt somewhat embarrassed to still call her ”Miss An,” as An Xuan’s actual age was undoubtedly far greater than his.

Time truly was a miraculous thing! Li Qing sighed.

”Brother Li, where have you been all these years?” An Xuan gently wiped away the tears from her eyes, her smile soft and gentle.

”You should go handle the Green Gang’s matters first. I’ll wait for you here. Once you’re done, we can talk slowly,” Li Qing said with a smile.

”Alright!”

The An Xuan of today was no longer the little girl who used to hide behind her grandfather. She had long since become a capable and independent woman.

An Xuan was naturally clear about the priorities of the matter.

As she turned to leave, her cold and dangerous aura quickly returned.

Li Qing watched this scene with admiration, thinking how fate could play such tricks. Who could have imagined that An Xuan would change so drastically?

In nearly a day, An Xuan had ruthlessly cleaned up the mess, leaving no trace of hesitation.

Without the Red Fish Merchant Guild and the City Lord’s Manor, no one posed any real threat to Green Gang.

After finishing everything, An Xuan immediately fabricated the identity of a mysterious powerhouse, leveraging Li Qing’s earlier actions to completely intimidate Giant Rock City.

She then ordered her subordinates to occupy the entire city as quickly as possible.

No one doubted whether An Xuan truly had such a mysterious powerhouse backing her. Even the members of the Green Gang Elders Council were completely convinced.

Just moments before, the enemies who had clashed with their gang’s Martial Artists had died mysteriously, without any warning.

This silent method of taking the life of an External Strength Martial Artist sent chills down everyone’s spines. They wondered if Zhao Kou had emerged from seclusion.

Regardless, An Xuan’s terrifying image had been deeply etched into everyone’s minds.

With this, the dust settled, and Giant Rock City fell into the Green Gang’s grasp.

The small gang that had once struggled to survive in Blackrock City under the Yan Family’s thumb had now become a behemoth, controlling two cities!

By simultaneously controlling Giant Rock City and Blackrock City, the Green Gang’s influence had reached its peak in its history.

Li Qing, witnessing all this, couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.

An Xuan’s management skills had far exceeded his expectations. She had brought order and efficiency to such a large gang.

Even her adoptive father, Tian Long, couldn’t match her skill in this regard.

After resolving everything, An Xuan sought out Li Qing once more.

(End of the Chapter)

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