Chapter 223 - 178: Body Refining Breakthrough, Tier Two Spirit Furnace
Chapter 223: Chapter 178: Body Refining Breakthrough, Tier Two Spirit Furnace
Soon, Lin Changheng, who had slightly altered his appearance, emerged from an Artifact Refining Shop. They didn’t have a Tier Two Refiner.
Which meant they couldn’t refine Spiritual Artifacts.
He went to three or four shops in a row without any success.
One of the larger shops did have a Tier Two Refiner, but their schedule was booked two years out. His only option was to wait.
Shaking his head, Lin Changheng continued on, visiting several shops that sold finished artifacts. They had Spiritual Artifacts, but none met his high standards, so he had to give up on them.
After all, a single Low Grade Spiritual Artifact cost upwards of six thousand Lower Grade Spirit Stones, and a masterpiece could easily go for eight or nine thousand.
He had plenty of Spirit Stones, but he couldn’t spend them recklessly.
Lin Changheng was naturally not one to be rash. After all, his Spirit Stones had been hard-earned, refined one pill at a time.
After looking around some more, he found that a standardized item like a Pill Furnace was easy enough to buy. There weren’t many styles to choose from; all that mattered was the quality. Lin Changheng spent 6,300 Lower Grade Spirit Stones and bought one.
It was an entirely crimson Pill Furnace. Standing five feet tall, it had three legs and two handles. Its body was adorned with relief carvings of nine lifelike Fire Pythons, and a faint golden light seemed to flow between their scales.
It was called the Nine Pythons Swallowing Flame Furnace.
Its primary material was Red Flame Hard Copper, and a Third Layer Fire Gathering Array was inscribed within its belly to gather and concentrate the fire’s power.
The quality was quite good.
...
But offensive and defensive Spiritual Artifacts were harder to find.
Soon, Lin Changheng decided to give up searching. It would be better to find a Tier Two Refiner and commission an artifact directly.
’If others can come to me for pills, why can’t I go to someone else for Artifact Refining?’
’I could control the quality, guarantee a baseline of power, and even have it tailored to my tastes. What’s not to like?’
He had previously met a Tier Two Refiner in the Cyan Spirit District who had even refined a Celestial Thunder Pearl for him. Unfortunately, it was too far away, and the cost of returning just for Artifact Refining was too high.
’There should be plenty of Tier Two Refiners in the Outer Lake area, right?’
With his mind made up, he immediately turned back. Yan Mingyi was already waiting for him at their appointed meeting spot.
...
Over the next few days, Lin Changheng took some Spirit Wine and paid a visit to several of his neighbors.
He received an incredibly enthusiastic welcome from all of them.
Those neighbors had long heard of Lin Changheng’s fame, and they became even more fervent upon learning that he had refined Masterpiece Foundation Establishment Pills.
With the exception of one indifferent Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivator who had no heirs, all the others—be they Foundation Establishment Cultivators with family backing or Hundred Arts Cultivators with children and grandchildren by their side—directly addressed Lin Changheng as Brother Lin.
It even led to the bizarre scene of a silver-haired old man cheerfully calling a cultivator who looked no older than twenty-four or twenty-five "Brother Lin" again and again.
As for the Elder Alchemist neighbor from before, the one who liked to lecture and carry himself as a senior, he now took the initiative to greet Lin Changheng on sight. Lin Changheng merely offered a slight nod in return, with no intention of stopping to chat.
And from these neighbors, Lin Changheng learned what he wanted to know.
There were several Tier Two Lower Grade Artifact Refiners in the Outer Lake area, but only one possessed both an excellent reputation and outstanding skills.
His name was Guo Jinye, also known as Artifact Master Guo.
Having learned the location of his cavern estate, Lin Changheng planned to pay him a visit in the coming days.
As it turned out, a Foundation Establishment neighbor named Lü Tong said he was acquainted with Artifact Master Guo and offered to make an introduction.
Naturally, Lin Changheng did not refuse.
...
「The next day.」
The two met and headed toward Cavern Estate Number 38 together.
Lü Tong, who had a round and somewhat chubby face, stepped forward to knock on the door.
A short while later, a young boy opened the door.
When Lin Changheng saw the boy and heard Lü Tong mention his "grandfather," he was instantly reassured.
The boy exchanged a few words with Lü Tong, after which they both turned to look at Lin Changheng. The boy, his eyes wide with surprise, nodded repeatedly and opened the door to let them in.
Because Lü Tong was a veteran Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Lin Changheng refrained from rashly using his Divine Sense.
Besides, it was just a simple knock on the door; there was no need to use it.
"You’re Alchemist Lin? The Alchemist Lin whose fame is shaking the Immortal City?"
As Lin Changheng walked past, the boy suddenly asked with curiosity.
"That’s right." Lin Changheng gave a gentle smile. "Do I not look the part?"
’Such a youthful Heart Nature... it’s been so long. After nearly fifty years, I can barely remember what it was like.’
"It’s not that! You’re just... you’re too young, Alchemist Lin!"
The boy was incredibly excited, like a starstruck fan meeting a long-admired idol.
Just then, Lü Tong, who was walking ahead, turned around with a laugh. "Alchemist Lin is a Pill Master, of course he has ways to preserve his youth. Have you ever heard of the Solid Face Pill or the Fixed Face Pill?"
"Of course I have! So that’s why!"
The boy’s face lit up with understanding. "I’m going to get my hands on one of those pills someday and stay young forever, just like Alchemist Lin!"
"Hahaha..."
Lin Changheng and Lü Tong exchanged a glance and couldn’t help but laugh in unison.
"What’s so amusing?"
Just then, an old man with salt-and-pepper hair, swarthy skin, and a vigorous spirit walked out and asked teasingly.
"Great-grandfather! Elder Lü and Alchemist Lin are here to visit," the boy exclaimed, scurrying over to Artifact Master Guo’s side.
"Oh?"
Artifact Master Guo glanced at the boy with a fond smile, then nodded to Lü Tong before turning his attention to carefully size up Lin Changheng.
"They say seeing is believing. Your reputation precedes you, Alchemist Lin, and meeting you today, I see you are truly extraordinary. I was occupied with some matters recently and couldn’t pay you a visit. I hope you’ll forgive my lack of courtesy."
Hearing Artifact Master Guo’s words, Lin Changheng couldn’t help but wonder, ’Could it be that this Artifact Master Guo also needs something from me?’
He immediately replied, "You are too kind, Artifact Master Guo. As the newcomer, I should have been the one to visit my established neighbors first."
"Hahaha..."
The two shared a laugh, and along with Lü Tong, accepted the invitation to sit down in the main hall.