Martial Saint through Reading

This person...

Hoong Ying wanted to avert her gaze, not to stare.

But after trying, she found she simply couldn’t look away.

It wasn’t that her body was out of control, but that her consciousness was tangled in confusion.

Just like a man faced with the allure of beauty, knowing full well that beauty could bring trouble, yet his innermost thoughts keep hinting to himself.

It’s okay, just a few more glances won’t hurt.

This was Hoong Ying’s self-suggestion that made it impossible to look away.

Just as she was trying hard to shake off this emotion, a pair of gentle eyes came from straight ahead.

”Master Hoong Ying, I’ve finished my painting.” Chu Ming cupped his hands in gesture.

Huh?

Hoong Ying met Chu Ming’s eyes, and her consciousness immediately escaped from that difficult situation.

The white radiance vanished...!

”You...” Hoong Ying stood up, dragging her red robe toward Chu Ming.

Her beautiful eyes were as sharp as a torch, scrutinizing up close.

The white light indeed disappeared.

Was it an illusion?

But why did she feel like she was facing a living Saint?

In those few moments just now, she felt as if she was face to face with a Saint in the world.

”I wonder if Master Hoong Ying is satisfied. If not, I can continue to copy.”

Chu Ming looked at Hoong Ying donned in a red robe, his expression respectful.

He knew why Hoong Ying appeared this way.

The special ability ’Natural Charm’ achieved after advancing in [Calligraphy and Painting] gave him the radiance of a Saint or rather the aura of a Saint.

The aura of a Saint is foundational on the vast Book Collection Lake in the Sea of Consciousness and bridged by the painting of the heavens above the Sea of Consciousness.

Natural Charm, the radiance of a Saint.

It doesn’t have a strong offensive effect or invincible defense, but it can strike directly at the heart.

Hoong Ying took a few more looks at Chu Ming, and, with curiosity, turned her gaze to the copied painting.

Walking on the void, Sword Pointing to the Sky!

Buzz——

Just one glance, and Hoong Ying was shocked by the content on the painting.

This was no mere copy, this was a painting more soul-stirring than the original.

”What’s your name?” Hoong Ying’s red lips slightly moved, ”Tang Bai taught a good disciple.”

The feeling of reverence from the white radiance residue lingered in her heart, she initially didn’t intend to praise, but couldn’t help but follow her heart.

”...” Chu Ming was silent for a moment, then slightly bowed: ”I won’t deceive Master Hoong Ying, I am not a disciple of Mr. Tang Bai.”

Hoong Ying lifted her gaze, her eyes flashed with streaming light.

She wasn’t angry, nor was she surprised, rather she was delighted.

”Really not?” She confirmed again.

At this moment, the effect of the radiance fully faded, and she seemed relieved from having to ’speak untrue words’.

”I have never met Mr. Tang Bai.” Chu Ming replied solemnly.

”Good, it’s better you’re not.” Hoong Ying suddenly was very joyous, her red sleeve waved, a slender white hand placed on Chu Ming’s shoulder, ”If you want to learn Artifact Refining, you must agree to one condition.”

”Please tell, Master.”

”Come with me to Qin Capital,” the red sleeve danced, from Chu Ming’s right shoulder to his left shoulder, ”to challenge those renowned masters of calligraphy and painting in Qin Capital.”

”When will we go?” Chu Ming furrowed his brows slightly.

”I haven’t decided, no sooner than half a year, no later than a year.” Hoong Ying stated.

”Okay.” Chu Ming nodded in agreement.

Half a year would be enough for him to accomplish many things.

”Come with me.”

Seeing Chu Ming agree readily, Hoong Ying said no more, and took Chu Ming away from the calligraphy and painting room, to the courtyard behind the iron shop.

The center of the courtyard was a melting furnace, which had gathered quite a bit of dust, surrounded by many iron racks, with all sorts of weapons, blanks, and strange materials scattered about.

”Have you learned Artifact Refining before?”

Hoong Ying waved her red sleeve, sweeping away the dust on the furnace, then fired up the furnace.

Buzz!

Red flames instantly ignited at the bottom of the furnace.

”Yes, I have.”

”Come and try, let me see what level you’re at.”

”Okay.”

Chu Ming looked around, picked up a rusty iron ingot, and walked to the furnace.

Melting... Extraction... Refining... Shaping... Into a blank...

After about two hours, the rusty iron ingot transformed into a short blade emitting heat.

”The basics are good.” Hoong Ying watched from the side, eyes showing admiration, ”But that is just the method of refining ordinary soldiers.”

With that, she picked up another iron ingot and threw it into the melting furnace, the fierce flame melted it.

”No matter how well ordinary soldiers are refined, they are just ordinary soldiers. To refine Profound Soldiers capable of withstanding Martial Artist power, you must learn how to extract the materials to their limits...”

”...”

...

The night sky sparsely dotted with stars.

The red furnace billowing with scorching waves of heat, Chu Ming sat silently in front of the furnace.

Thump thump——

Suddenly, the top lid of the furnace jumped, as if something inside wanted to leap out.

Heart Thought flickered, Primordial Consciousness seeped into the furnace, the thick black liquid returned to furnace bottom.

This black liquid was formed from the melting of black stone pieces obtained from defeating Evil.

[Sword Gourd Spirit] sensed that Hoong Ying was inside the calligraphy and painting room admiring the painting ”Sword Pointing to the Sky” he copied during the day.

”It’s about time.”

Chu Ming’s eyes focused, the black viscous liquid broke through the lid, falling into the already prepared container.

After half a quarter hour, the blank was essentially formed.

Primordial Consciousness enveloped it like a tide, Primordial Qi engraved patterns on the short blade like a carving knife.

Inscriptions were engraved, white Primordial Qi from the Sea of Consciousness poured out, attached to the inscriptions, infused into the short blade.

When the short blade cooled down, when Primordial Consciousness enveloped the short blade and soared into the void.

The Primordial Artifact, complete.

He didn’t know if this was the way Primordial Qi Warriors refined Primordial Artifacts, but this short blade could certainly be called a Primordial Artifact.

The black short blade fell into his palm, Primordial Qi lingering on the surface.

Swish——

Primordial Consciousness subtly moved, the black blade shot out forcefully.

In an instant, it seemed to slice through the moonlight.

Finally, no need to rely on smashing anymore.

Chu Ming put away the Black Blade, concealed the joy on his face, found an iron ingot, and tossed it into the melting furnace.

The searing fire melted the iron ingot into molten iron.

Refining and extraction reduced the molten iron to a tenth of its original size.

This tenth was iron essence, capable of crafting materials for the Profound Soldier to withstand a Martial Artist’s strength.

Shaping, forming, cooling, a shiny long knife emerged under the moonlight.

On the panel.

[Artifact Refining (Minor Success)]

[Progress: 67/100]

Chu Ming placed the long knife on the iron stand beside him, emitting the sound of gold and iron clashing.

Before long, a red robe came slowly upon hearing the sound.

”Refined it?”

”It’s finished.”

”Let me see.” Hoong Ying picked up the long knife and flicked it gently.

Clang—

Crisp and melodious.

”You...” She stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

The refinement level of this long knife had surpassed hers.

”Master Hoong Ying,” Chu Ming bowed respectfully, ”I disturb you for a day, for which I am most grateful. The night is deep, so I shall take my leave.”

”...” Hoong Ying remained silent, though her heart was in turmoil.

How could anyone learn artifact refining to such a degree in just one day?

”Will you return tomorrow?” She asked with forced composure.

She immediately realized that the question was probably unnecessary.

Her level in artifact refining seemed inadequate for teaching...

”If Master Hoong Ying is heading to Qin Capital, you can find me at the Treasure Medicine Tower in the southwest city.”

Chu Ming said, taking out twenty silver notes and several special minerals from his bosom.

”Farewell.”

He tapped the tip of his toe, leaping to the rooftop, then vanished into the moonlit night.

Hoong Ying looked at the silver notes and minerals before her, then at the empty moonlight, slowly revealing a look of anger, as if she had just realized.

”Men are indeed all the same! Use and then run!”

”...”

Chu Ming left Hoong Ying and concealed his form, heading east toward the major clan of Xirong County, the Zhou Family.

...

Zhou Family’s ancestral residence, beneath the ancestral hall.

”Old thing, have you made up your mind?”

The place that should have been solemnly respectful was now a bit noisy.

In the high seat of the ancestral hall, three elderly men with silver hair sat in chairs, with several rows of Zhou Clan Members kneeling in front of them.

And in the courtyard before the ancestral hall, stood dozens of people carrying weapons, exuding a chilling, bloodthirsty aura.

”Who on earth are you? Dare to hold my Zhou Family hostage...” An elderly man in the high seat rose in anger, pointing at the people in the courtyard and reprimanding them.

”Who are we?” A man stepped out, came before the elderly Zhou family member, ”Then let you see who I am!”

A sinister smile on his lips, his palm flashed with a chilling light.

Slice—

The icy long knife pierced into the body of the elderly Zhou family member.

”Clan Elder!” A Zhou Family Martial Artist rushed out.

However, as soon as this person stood up, his chest was pierced by a bloody hand.

It was not merely a bloody hand, but a blood claw, like the beastly claw of a tiger or wolf!

The beast claw withdrew, a crimson tongue licking it.

The Zhou Family members were terrified.

”Is there anyone else who wants to ask us who we are?”

The leader disdainfully scanned the Zhou Family.

Then, he looked at the two remaining clan elders in high seats, already scared out of their wits.

”Old things, I’ll give you three breaths to decide, either obediently comply or... face destruction!”

”Three... two....” The leader’s palm also transformed into a wolf claw pattern.

”We agree, we agree, we are willing to submit.”

”Smart choice.”

The person’s palm returned to normal, with a wave of his large hand, several corpses flew into the courtyard.

”These are your Zhou family’s three Refining Organ Realm, rather tasty.”

The clan uncles who guarded the family were dead, all dead...

The last bit of hope in the hearts of the Zhou Family members was shattered.

”Listen well, my name is Lang Jin, if anyone from your Zhou Family dares disobey, they will end up like them, heart out and bowels exposed.”

”...”

Lang Jin?

On the rooftop, concealed within the night, Chu Ming furrowed his brows.

Refining Organ Realm Late Stage, half wolf transformation...

He thought of a tribe that had vanished for a century—Wolf Race.

The Great Qin Dynasty’s Thirteen Prefectures, vast territories, with customs, cultures, and histories differing greatly.

Some regions, due to unique environments, had historical heritages differing significantly from the outside world, producing special tribes.

There are not many special tribes remaining within the dynasty, either assimilated or exterminated through generations of change.

The Wolf Race is such a special tribe, worshipping the Wolf Emperor, nurturing fierce wolves.

Their cultivation techniques are even more unique, enabling wolf transformation.

A hundred years ago, the Wolf Race plotted to massacre a town for a so-called millennial Wolf Emperor blood sacrifice.

That town was in Pingzhong County, adjacent to Xirong County.

This massacre led to the death of nearly ten thousand people, angering the Great Qin Dynasty, prompting Pingzhong County to unite with surrounding counties and commanderies to besiege the Wolf Race.

Historical records state that the great battle involved one Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm, ten Meridian Unlocking Realm, and a hundred Refining Organ Realm.

The Wolf Race thus completely disappeared into the historical stream.

What was unexpected was that a hundred years later, today at the Zhou Family’s ancestral hall in Xirong County, a group of Wolf Race members had appeared.

Chu Ming observed the people below in secret.

The one named Lang Jin held the greatest power, a skilled expert at Three Meridian Unlocking.

Among the remaining fifty people, thirty were like Lang Jin, exuding a chilling, bloodthirsty aura, evidently members of the Wolf Race.

As for the other twenty...

Thick Blood Evil Qi, all had cultivated the Blood Evil Technique, devouring organs.

It seemed the Wolf Race had not been exterminated, having considerable connections with the Blood Evil Sect.