Time slipped away; the years rolled on.
Heaven's waves ebb away, and fleeting moments cannot be held.
In what felt like a daze, five years flashed by.
To the entire Northern Sea cultivation world, five years was but the snap of a finger. The blue seas remained unchanged, the mulberry fields unmoved.
The so-called Great War Between Orthodox and Demonic Sects still raged like wildfire, serving as an ever-present backdrop.
Yet for low-tier cultivators, five years meant that far too much had changed.
Perhaps a minor advancement in cultivation, a crucial life choice, or even the birth of a new life.
Within Longyuan Immortal City.
A man with weathered eyes was chattering away, negotiating business with another cultivator.
"Why is the price for this batch of copper essence different from usual? It's a full twenty percent higher!"
"I must inform Fellow Daoist Zhang that Mount Shouyang has fallen."
"You mean Mount Shouyang, known to have the highest proven copper deposits in the Northern Sea?"
"Indeed. Mount Shouyang was originally under the Canghai Alliance's control, reliably mining vast amounts of yellow brass every year and refining copper essence. But the Moluo Stream launched a massive invasion, and with the Penglai Immortal Sect tying down forces from the rear, Mount Shouyang was taken by storm despite heavy garrisons. Without a stable source of copper essence now, prices naturally surged."
Speaking to this point, the cultivator gave a wry smile. "In fact, it isn't just copper essence. Even iron essence, leadwood, and foundational materials like the cinnabar needed for talisman crafting have all spiked in price recently due to the war between orthodox and demonic factions."
Seeing Zhang Jiadi's shifting expression, the cultivator smoothly shifted the topic.
"Actually, your Qingyang Firm isn't that large. Why do you need such an immense quantity of copper essence?"
Zhang Jiadi frowned. "That's none of your concern."
After pondering for a while, he made up his mind.
"Supply me with three thousand jin of copper essence at the price you quoted, but the quality must be top-notch—not a single flawed piece."
Three thousand jin!
Another big deal!
Even if brass essence was relatively inexpensive, the profit to be made on a volume like this was no small sum.
The cultivator beamed and agreed to the deal immediately.
"Oh, right. Before I came in, I saw a white horse displayed at your storefront. Throw that in as a free bonus!"
The other man froze. "That is a Tier 2 puppet capable of treading across waves and galloping through the sky, worth no less than five thousand spirit stones. As a bonus..."
Yet, catching sight of the intimidating baleful aura honed by Zhang Jiadi over years of battle, he reconsidered and agreed.
"Very well. Given the seamless cooperation between your Qingyang Firm and us over the years, what's a mere puppet?
"However, Fellow Daoist Zhang, could you reconsider my earlier proposal?"
Zhang Jiadi waved his hand without hesitation.
"Forget about that. At present, Qingyang Firm's production capacity is limited. Our fine magical artifacts are reserved strictly for our own shop's retail; we cannot wholesale them to you in bulk.
"Just deliver the copper essence to Fengbo Pavilion on the shores of Penghu Lake at the scheduled time. I will arrange for someone to receive it. As for that little white horse, I'll take it now."
With that, Zhang Jiadi walked out of the inner courtyard and retrieved the little white horse from the front courtyard.
Walking down the street, his heart swelled with lofty aspirations.
If he had to count the major life-changing opportunities in his life, all in all, there were only three.
The first was obtaining an immortal method, cultivating a true technique, and stepping onto the path of Qi Refining. That had allowed him to leap out of the mundane masses and become a cultivator.
The second was rescuing a beauty and tying the knot with Wen Xiu. That fallen daughter of a noble house, with her breadth of vision and insight, had spurred him to leave his original little island and come to the Myriad Immortals Association. Not only did it broaden his horizons, but his cultivation had even advanced to the late Foundation Establishment stage.
And the third was making the acquaintance of Master Qingyang!
Ever since meeting him, a mundane life whose end was once visible at a glance had suddenly brimmed with hope.
Not only was his young daughter safely born, but they established a cultivation clan on Cailian Island in Penghu Lake, and using Master Qingyang's name, they even acquired a shop in Longyuan Immortal City.
Named after Master Qingyang, this shop was an enterprise scraped together from his years of connections and savings.
Most of the resources sold there were resales earning slim profits, and he had harbored no grand expectations for it, treating it merely as family income.
Yet who would have thought that three years ago, Master Qingyang would suddenly produce a magical artifact and hand it to him to sell?
That artifact's grade had not been high—only low-grade—yet its quality was extraordinary.
Even among low-grade magical artifacts, it stood out as exceptionally well-made.
Not only that!
As time passed over these three years, the magical artifacts Master Qingyang handed to him grew greater in number!
Their grades and quantities rose steadily!
Most recently, Master Qingyang had bestowed a shroud-type magical artifact. Although merely top-grade, its defensive power was astonishingly formidable, rivaling that of a supreme-grade artifact!
The moment it was put on display, it became Qingyang Firm's crowning treasure, drawing immense attention.
Had a steward from Longyuan Immortal City not dropped a hint about including it among the lots for the upcoming Longyuan Auction, Zhang Jiadi would have sold it off for a handsome price long ago.
In short, with the influx of new artifacts bestowed by Master Qingyang, the once-unremarkable Qingyang Firm now had flagship products.
Within the vast Longyuan Immortal City, it gradually carved out a firm foothold.
In turn, the shop's other business flourished more and more.
"Revenues are growing better, more spirit stones are flowing in, and with Master Qingyang's occasional guidance, perhaps I, Zhang Jiadi, might one day have a shot at seeking the Golden Core Grand Dao."
Full of high hopes, Zhang Jiadi returned to the small shop in the southern district of the city.
Before he even stepped inside, he saw an endless stream of people bustling in and out of the store.
With a single glance, a broad smile spread across his face.
"Shopkeeper, you're back!"
"Senior Zhang, how have you been?"
"I heard you voluntarily gave up your Three-Star Demon Hunter title? That takes real boldness!"
Zhang Jiadi's final mission had seemed simple on the surface, but in reality, it had been fraught with extreme danger.
It was precisely through that mission that he had risen from a long-time Two-Star Demon Hunter to Three-Star.
Giving up such a star ranking for nothing seemed like profligate foolishness in the eyes of outsiders.
However, Zhang Jiadi had no regrets!
As long as the Demon Hunter title remained, many things were beyond his control, and he had to submit to the Myriad Immortals Association's summons.
Furthermore, relinquishing the Three-Star Demon Hunter title had earned him the leasing rights to this small shop, so he hadn't lost out at all.
Greeting the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators along the way, Zhang Jiadi headed up to the second floor of Qingyang Firm.
Wen Xiu, who was busy going over the ledgers, instinctively looked up.
"Did you manage to buy the copper essence Master requires?"
"I got it," Zhang Jiadi replied, though his expression was rather sour. "The price went up again. I don't know how to explain it to Fairy Tianxuan."
Having given birth and recuperated for several years, Wen Xiu had long since fully recovered.
She had not suffered a realm drop from childbirth as rumors often warned. Instead, thanks to a stable life and a high-grade spirit vein supporting her cultivation, she had advanced from the third layer of Foundation Establishment to the fourth, stepping into the mid Foundation Establishment stage in one stroke.
Managing Qingyang Firm over these past few years had only deepened the composed elegance native to her noble upbringing.
Setting down her writing brush, she said calmly, "You don't need to worry about that. Senior Tianxuan may seem unapproachable, but she is quite protective of our own people. When someone tried to rob our caravan last time, she handled it personally. It's just a slight price increase; as long as we explain the true situation, she won't blame us."
"I hope so!"
Zhang Jiadi shrugged.
Before his own Dao companion and women like Fairy Tianxuan, even though he was in late Foundation Establishment, he could never bring himself to feel completely at ease.
Especially with the latter—the immense pressure of her cultivation realm combined with an inexplicable aura made him instinctively hesitant to draw close.
Zhang Jiadi pointed downstairs. "There are so many customers today!"
Wen Xiu smoothed back a stray strand of hair and walked to the window, a smile gracing her delicate face.
"Most of them came for the magical artifacts crafted by Master Qingyang."
Zhang Jiadi was surprised. "Didn't we already announce that the Nine Dragons True Fire Shroud was reserved by Longyuan Immortal City officials?"
Wen Xiu shook her head. "Even if they can't buy it, admiring it is good enough for them. Besides, the other artifacts in the shop are also of exceptional quality. For rogue cultivators at the Qi Refining stage, they are rare treasures not easily encountered elsewhere."
Speaking to this point, she could not help sighing with admiration. "Who would have thought that Master Qingyang was also a master artifact craftsman?"
Zhang Jiadi was equally filled with emotion. "Indeed. Not only are the artifacts he crafts of superior quality, but his output is astonishingly high. In just three short years, he has produced no fewer than thirty magical artifacts! Among the rogue craftsmen I know, only the master of Moyun Cave could perhaps surpass him by a hair."
The Cave Master of Moyun Cave, the foremost artifact craftsman in the Myriad Immortals Association!
Not only did he produce many high-grade magical artifacts, but he had also forged numerous low-grade magic treasures, and even took on commissions to custom-tailor natal magic treasures.
His yearly earnings were enough to make any outsider green with envy even from a rough estimate.
"Anyway, now that business here is settled, I'll head back to Penghu Lake to deliver the goods." Zhang Jiadi gathered his spirits and looked tenderly at Wen Xiu. "My lady, mind your health as well. Don't overwork yourself."
Wen Xiu playfully scolded him, "These are just trivial matters. I am a Foundation Establishment cultivator, after all; how could I tire so easily? You should head back early. Qingqing has been getting wilder by the day lately; don't let her disturb Peng Island."
Qingqing was their daughter.
She was currently four and a half years old.
Her formal name was Zhang Jingqing, the meaning of which was self-evident.
They had originally hoped Master Qingyang would name her, but during the first two years, he had been in closed-door cultivation, not emerging until three years ago.
Thus, the couple had chosen the name in advance.
Simple as it was, it fully reflected their deep respect for Master Qingyang.
"Hehe, I brought a little gift for her. She's bound to love it."
Zhang Jiadi chuckled sheepishly, his smile brimming with doting affection.
After bidding farewell to his wife, he hurriedly left the shop, taking flight toward the Dragon Taming Mountain Range and heading straight for the eight-hundred-li Penghu Lake.
Master Qingyang forged artifacts on a grand scale and required a vast array of basic raw materials. Having received his favor, the Zhang family naturally had a duty to run errands for him.
When Zhang Jiadi arrived at the newly built Fengbo Pavilion outside Penghu Lake, a Qi Refining cultivator immediately came forward to greet him.
"Greetings, Clan Head!"
"Mm."
Zhang Jiadi nodded. This Qi Refining cultivator was one of the rogue cultivators he had recruited over the years as family retainers.
There was no need to pay any stipend; with cave dwellings on a spirit vein provided, plenty of rogue cultivators practically begged for the opportunity.
His gaze fell upon a colossal creature sprawled outside Fengbo Pavilion, and surprise flashed in his eyes.
"Which guest is visiting?"
A lavish cloud carriage drawn by an exotic beast.
The owner had deliberately halted the carriage outside Penghu Lake to show respect to the master of the lake.
The cultivator stationed at the pavilion immediately explained, "It is that master from Moyun Cave."
"Cave Master Moyun?"
Zhang Jiadi was stunned, then muttered, "We were just talking about that master craftsman, and to think he has come to visit in person. Master Qingyang's renown truly spreads far and wide; he has established a solid place for himself even in the Myriad Immortals Association."
...
Meanwhile, on the central island of Penghu Lake, an old man and a young man sat facing each other.
Judging from the smiles that surfaced on their faces from time to time, the conversation was clearly going very smoothly.
"I went to see your Nine Dragons Shroud in person, Fellow Daoist. Tsk tsk, such exquisite crafting techniques—truly unprecedented. Had Longyuan Immortal City not claimed it first, I would have bought it to study thoroughly."
"You flatter me, Cave Master. It is merely an ordinary top-grade magical artifact. Once the Longyuan Auction convenes, you are welcome to bid on it. To you, a few spirit stones are surely a drop in the ocean."
"A single artifact's worth of spirit stones is naturally no issue. But Fellow Daoist Qingyang has a remarkably high output. The artifact business you affect within this Myriad Immortals Association involves an amount of spirit stones that is far from a drop in the ocean."
"You worry too much, Cave Master. The Myriad Immortals Association is vast, and Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators are as numerous as carp crossing a river. You and I keep to our own lanes and make our own fortunes—would that not be wonderful?"
"That is true enough. No single family can swallow such a rich piece of meat alone. However, this old man wishes to know: do you intend to dabble in the magic treasure business in the future?"
"Haha, my crafting skills are unrefined. Forget magic treasures—I haven't even forged a single supreme-grade magical artifact. You are overthinking things, Cave Master."
...
"Master, this Cave Master Moyun did not come with good intentions!"
On the shore of Peng Island, Tianxuan wore a cold expression.
Luo Chen waved his hand dismissively, his eyes slightly narrowed as he looked in the direction Cave Master Moyun had departed.
"No matter. He was likely instigated by someone. The Myriad Immortals Association is huge, and I am not the only one in the artifact crafting business. His grand visit today was merely to test the waters.
"By intentionally showing weakness, I made him believe my skills are unrefined. He won't pay too much mind to me in the short term.
"Besides, artifact crafting is merely the tip of the iceberg of my abilities. My sources of wealth will never be held hostage by anyone."
Tianxuan came to a sudden realization.
Having maintained her human form for longer and longer, she had grown increasingly adept at thinking from the perspective of human cultivators.
She was no longer as naive about Luo Chen's explanations as before.
Pondering it carefully now, it was no wonder Cave Master Moyun had seemed so cheerful when he left.
It was because Master had deliberately feigned weakness.
Still, the fact that he had been so polite must also have been related to Master's circulating reputation as 'Demonic Lord Qingyang'!
Otherwise, with his cultivation at the seventh layer of Golden Core, Cave Master Moyun would never have treated a mid Golden Core cultivator with such courtesy.
"Have your injuries fully healed?" Luo Chen suddenly asked.
Tianxuan looked at Luo Chen with deep gratitude and reverence. "Thanks to Master's aid, they healed long ago. Not only that, but I have already reached a respectable proficiency in the Huanyu Secret Scripture, and my cultivation is progressing by leaps and bounds."
Luo Chen nodded slightly; his efforts had not been in vain.
Tianxuan was born with a natural Wind Spirit Root physique, and the Huanyu Secret Scripture had been custom-tailored for her, so rapid progress was only to be expected.
Suddenly, Luo Chen raised an eyebrow.
"Zhang Jiadi is back. He should be looking for you. Go on."
Tianxuan blinked in surprise and extended her divine sense, but even after searching for a good while, she caught no sign of him.
Shock stirred in her heart. Had Master's divine soul foundation grown yet again?
Even when she actively sought out the target, she found no trace, yet Master had perceived him in an instant.
Could such a vast divine sense range truly belong to a mid Golden Core cultivator?
After sending Tianxuan off, Luo Chen lingered in place for a brief moment before returning to a side hall on the island.
The massive Hunyuan Cauldron stood right in the center of the hall.
Beneath it, fierce flames blazed endlessly, as if they would burn forever.
Standing beneath the Hunyuan Cauldron, Luo Chen appeared as tiny as an ant.
Suddenly, with a wave of his broad sleeve, several streaks of flowing light flew out from within the Hunyuan Cauldron.
As the brilliance dissipated, the items revealed their true forms.
Sabers, spears, swords, shields—every variety was present, with flying swords being the most numerous.
Judging by their quality, every single one belonged to the ranks of supreme-grade magical artifacts!
Had Cave Master Moyun witnessed this scene, he certainly wouldn't have departed with a smile on his face.
Supreme-grade magical artifacts!
This meant that Luo Chen, the Demonic Lord Qingyang renowned for his combat prowess, had already begun dabbling in the refinement of magic treasures. He was by no means an unrefined craftsman capped at top-grade magical artifacts!
Yet surveying the quality of this batch of artifacts, Luo Chen shook his head in dissatisfaction.
"There simply hasn't been enough time. Even with the help of the panel's proficiency boost, three measly years still haven't allowed me to successfully forge even a single low-grade magic treasure.
"Looking back, when Azure Pill Valley claimed forging the Hunyuan Cauldron was simple, they were probably deceiving me as well."
Muttering to himself, Luo Chen fell into silence.
His reason for crafting artifacts on such a grand scale had never been to earn spirit stones.
If he truly wanted to make spirit stones, his familiar pill trade could have earned him overflowing wealth.
In truth, forging artifacts en masse was merely to hone his crafting skills, preparing for the eventual refinement of the Demon Sovereign's remains.
The artifacts placed in Qingyang Firm were just a way to put his waste products to good use and recoup his capital.
The so-called reputation of 'Master Craftsman Qingyangzi' was merely an accidental byproduct.
After a long pause, Luo Chen shook his head and gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"It seems I've grown greedy. Expecting to bridge a century of an ordinary craftsman's labor in a mere three years—I was indeed too impatient."
Taking a deep breath, Luo Chen waved his hand to extinguish the azure flames in the hall, drawing the Hunyuan Cauldron into his abdomen.
Quietly closing his eyes, the scenery within his sea of qi presented itself before him.
Amidst a surging sea of fire, a colossal bronze basin contained boundless crimson magic power. Above it, the Hunyuan Cauldron rested in the center, flanked by a pair of wings and a small hammer.
Besides these, a crimson Golden Core hung high in the sky of the qi sea like a brilliant sun, continuously swallowing and exhaling the radiance of the great sun without pause.
Outside the crimson Golden Core, faint shadows flickered.
Looking closely, it was no shadow at all, but a flawless white pearl.
Like a satellite, the pearl orbited slowly around the sun of the crimson Golden Core. The magic power within it was equally pure, its aura even more vigorous and surging!
Under his internal observation, his magic power rippled outward like spreading water waves.
The formidable spiritual pressure of the fifth layer of Golden Core instantly permeated the entire side hall.
Luo Chen slowly opened his eyes, a look of satisfaction appearing on his face.
Then, in his mind, he silently uttered, "Panel."
Instantly, a screen of light poured down like a cascading waterfall.
Chapter 603