Free Web NovelChapter 261: Chapter 259: Heaven and Earth Natural Skill
Much like the Great Xuan Palace, the Thunder Saint Academy also placed great emphasis on fostering its students’ creativity and independence.
These venerable institutions didn’t force their students down a specific path of cultivation or demand they adhere to a particular school of thought.
Of course, with periodic assessments looming, no student was naive enough to think that getting into the Saint Institute was the end of their troubles.
The competition here was far fiercer than one could imagine. No one could afford to rest on their laurels.
As time went on, the periodic assessments only grew more demanding.
This environment spurred the prodigies to strive forward with a self-motivated frenzy.
On the other hand, the facilities here were exceptionally comprehensive.
There were dedicated schools and areas for disciplines like Talisman Crafting, Artifact Refining, and Beast Taming, each with its own instructors.
PATTER PATTER PATTER...
The sky was dark, filled with flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder.
Rain fell in dense sheets, hammering against the bluestone floors of the Forging Hall.
Students clutching oil-paper umbrellas hurried into the Forging Hall.
Today, Master Lanwen was scheduled to lecture on the art of Artifact Refining in the Forging Hall.
Although Master Lanwen was only a Tier Six Saint, he had forged over twenty Sacred Artifacts with his own hands. His fame was widespread, earning him acclaim both within and beyond the Thunder Saint Academy.
Sacred Artifacts...
They were supreme treasures, capable of turning father against son and Dao companions against one another—an artifact so vital it was considered a Saint’s second life.
How many Saints went their entire lives without ever obtaining a Sacred Artifact of their own?
One only had to think about it to understand just how precious they were.
Thus, even though Master Lanwen was only sending a wisp of his consciousness to deliver the lecture, the Forging Hall was still packed to capacity.
"Forging over twenty Sacred Artifacts."
Fang Yang nodded in acknowledgment. ’A being like that is truly remarkable.’
He was currently seated in a remote corner of the hall, ready to listen to Master Lanwen’s lecture.
He wanted to manifest the Sacred Artifact, the Flame Robe, as quickly as possible, and for that, he needed at least some direction.
In truth, he didn’t even know if the Flame Robe still existed, as every Sacred Artifact was one-of-a-kind.
But with an opportunity like this, he had to try.
It was worth noting, however, that his fame had grown immense.
Even now, other students would occasionally glance his way, their faces showing a hint of surprise.
WHOOSH...
Before long, a sound like a rushing river echoed through the hall, and all eyes turned to the high platform.
A short, white-haired old man with a rugged face appeared.
He tightly gripped a small, blue hammer.
Master Lanwen!
Master Lanwen glanced at the crowd, his expression impassive, and began his lecture.
"Ahem..."
"An ordinary artifact refining apprentice starts by working the bellows, heating the iron, or forging rough blanks..."
As he spoke, a curtain of light materialized in the middle of the hall.
Within the light, images of bare-chested, brawny men appeared. Just as he described, they were either working bellows, heating irons, or hammering out crude shapes.
However, Master Lanwen’s tone was exceptionally monotonous.
It was as hypnotic as a lullaby, making people drowsy. He sounded as if he were just going through the motions to get the job done.
His delivery reminded Fang Yang of the university professors from his past life who would simply read off their presentation slides.
Fang Yang’s brow twitched as some unpleasant memories surfaced.
’A massive public lecture really can’t compare to a small, private lesson,’ he lamented internally.
He wasn’t the only one; the other students looked equally disappointed, having gained little of substance.
Master Lanwen might have noticed their disappointment.
Perhaps concerned for his reputation, he suddenly shifted topics toward the end of the lecture, beginning to speak of the secrets of refining Sacred Artifacts.
The moment he brought it up, everyone’s spirits lifted instantly.
Visibly, everyone sat up a little straighter.
Master Lanwen smiled.
"I recall, five hundred years ago, a certain Saint from the Dongfang Race guarded the Sky-Jail for me for three hundred years, all to obtain the refining method for a particular Sacred Artifact."
"Heh, and even then, other Saints were green with envy, unable to even get a meeting with me..."
The audience listened in amazement, breaking into hushed discussions.
Fang Yang, however, found his thoughts turning to the newly ascended Saints like Qingkong, Sen You, Chen Kui, and Jiang Venerable Sword.
Among their ranks, there were no clear reports of anyone possessing a Sacred Artifact.
In fact, several of them were frantically searching for a Sacred Artifact, but to no avail.
Thinking of this, Fang Yang felt a flicker of smug satisfaction.
He instantly quashed the feeling.
His eyes narrowed as a thought formed in his mind:
’In one respect, I am indeed ahead of some Saints.’
’But they aren’t who I should be comparing myself to. My rivals are Sen Wei and Sen Yue.’
’If I want to compete with them when it comes to Sacred Artifacts, I still have a lot of work to do.’
’Besides, this Master Lanwen still hasn’t offered any real substance. What a sly old fox...’
At that moment, Fang Yang once again appreciated the immense value of Sen Hui having Bai Zhi the Medicine Saint as her master.
With that thought, he composed himself.
Soon after, he rose and headed straight for the Scripture Pavilion.
He was determined to thoroughly investigate the art of Artifact Refining.
「Meanwhile.」
「Immortal Mountain Training Grounds.」
Zhang Ye, who was cultivating there, was shocked to learn from Muri Guanglong that Fang Yang had attended Master Lanwen’s lecture.
In an instant, a jolt went through Zhang Ye’s body.
In this world, there was a saying: "When a skill is perfected, it approaches the Dao."
In truth, Artifact Refining, Alchemy, and Talisman Crafting were all disciplines within the school of the Refining Dao.
’Is Fang Yang broadening his horizons? Is he about to delve into the school of the Refining Dao?’ Zhang Ye’s eyes gleamed.
He took a deep breath, stepped out of his courtyard, and went to accept another mission to continue honing his skills.
......
「Scripture Pavilion, Artifact Refining Section.」
As soon as he left the Forging Hall, Fang Yang had come here.
Although Master Lanwen’s lecture had been mostly fluff, it had still been somewhat effective.
Thanks to the master’s explanation, Fang Yang now had at least a rough outline of what Artifact Refining entailed.
He was now studying in the Scripture Pavilion’s Artifact Refining section.
He spent a large number of Merit Points to access and review various texts and manuals.
He didn’t even overlook the collections of strange and unusual lore.
The deeper he delved, the more he felt that Alchemy, Talisman Crafting, and Artifact Refining were deeply interconnected.
Stranger still, he came across a general introduction on a particular ancient jade scroll:
"In the Desolate Realm, there is a sect known as the Five Poison Sect. Its disciples’ cultivation and skills are entirely dependent on Gu Insects."
"The art of the Gu Insect involves three aspects: nurturing, using, and refining. The method of Refining Gu, in turn, is divided between the Heaven and Earth Natural Skill and artificial refining methods."
"Artificial methods usually require a quiet, isolated environment, cut off from the outside world. While this is safer and may increase the chances of success in Refining Gu, it is a short-sighted approach."
"The Heaven and Earth Natural Skill, though more demanding of its environment, requires neither silence nor isolation. To be amidst nature is like an infant in the womb; one borrows the power of the heavens and the earth to aid the process. The natural world is the ultimate location for Refining Gu!"
"The direct heirs of the Five Poison Sect exclusively use the Heaven and Earth Natural Skill. This skill relies heavily on innate talent, but the Gu Insects it produces not only have a higher chance of success, but can even function like a Sacred Artifact, far surpassing anything made through artificial means."
"..."
One day passed, then two, then three.
For days, Fang Yang remained in the Scripture Pavilion, silently poring over and examining all sorts of texts.
Gradually, he became more and more inclined to refine the Flame Robe Sacred Artifact using the Heaven and Earth Natural Skill.
The very moment he settled on this Skill, the image of Sen Yue’s Purple Gold Refining Fire Hall flashed through his mind.
At this, realization dawned on Fang Yang:
’So that’s why Sen Yue was constantly drawing upon heavenly thunder and Earth Flame to temper the Purple Gold Hall. He was refining a Sacred Artifact.’
’Wait... could his blood sacrifice of thousands of clansmen have been part of that consideration as well...?’
The more he thought about it, the more certain he became.
A cold smile slowly spread across his lips.
If Sen Yue could do it, then there was no reason he couldn’t.
After all, the power of lightning and fire was his specialty, too!
