"Many thanks, Domain Lord."
Zhao Shengping took a deep breath. With an earnest expression, he rasped, "This old man doesn't have many years left to live. If the Domain Lord doesn't mind, I would like to work in Fan Domain until I die of old age, and do my utmost before I pass to train this bunch of good-for-nothing disciples behind me."
"Just be sure not to live past four years. Don't force yourself to hang on; when it's time to go, just go.
"Otherwise, I'd have to share some Heavenly Dao blessings with you."
After cracking that casual joke, Chen Fan pointed toward the Heavenly Artifact Pavilion and introduced it with a serious demeanor.
"This is the Heavenly Artifact Pavilion.
"A special building.
"It increases success rates and offers a slight chance to elevate any spirit treasure forged inside it by one rank. I prepared this Heavenly Artifact Pavilion specifically for you."
"Heavenly Artifact Pavilion?"
Zhao Shengping was slightly taken aback. Only then did he snap back to his senses, murmuring as he looked at the building, which was visibly distinct from an ordinary artifact refining workshop: "To think that in my lifetime, I would stay in a Heavenly Artifact Pavilion once again.
"This is already the finest artifact refining building among White-tier structures."
"There are better ones?" Chen Fan raised an eyebrow.
"I've never heard of an artifact refining building in the Green tier, but there is a Yellow-tier one called the 'Ten Thousand Weapons Pavilion,' and its effects are remarkably potent."
"Have you used it?"
"No, I've only heard of it."
"I see."
Chen Fan gave a thoughtful nod. Just then, Xiao Qiu walked over carrying an armful of clothes and command tokens.
"Let me introduce you."
Taking the garments from Xiao Qiu's arms, Chen Fan said, "This is Xiao Qiu, Pavilion Master of Fan Domain's Logistics Pavilion. You can go to him for any daily necessities or logistical matters. Once night falls, Fan Domain's core members will all return to camp, and Sick Monkey will take you around to meet everyone.
"Fan Domain had no artifact refiners before.
"Today, we establish the 'Artifact Pavilion.' The disciples behind you will join it alongside you. You are the first Pavilion Master of the Artifact Pavilion, though only temporarily for now."
Chen Fan drew a command token symbolizing the rank of Pavilion Master from his robes.
It was rectangular in shape.
The front was engraved with the words 'Fan Domain,' and the back bore 'Artifact Pavilion.'
"It carries Fan Domain's unique aura for anti-counterfeiting verification. When two tokens come within a certain distance, if a gentle warmth can be felt, it proves the other person's token is genuine.
"Fan Domain also has a department called the 'Dark Pavilion,' responsible for assassinations and intelligence gathering. You won't be able to meet the Dark Pavilion Master for now; he is away on official field duty.
"There is a batch of Earth Gold in the warehouse. I need you to forge it into daggers and night-travel suits suitable for the Dark Pavilion—thirteen sets for the time being."
Zhao Shengping accepted the token representing the Artifact Pavilion Master with both hands and turned it over to examine it. Hearing Chen Fan's words, he weighed his phrasing and whispered, "Domain Lord, crafting night-travel suits from Earth Gold consumes a massive amount of material...
"If there is only a small piece of Earth Gold, it could be used to forge thirteen daggers with Earth Gold tips. They would still retain a certain shield-breaking effect. While not as effective as solid Earth Gold, the cost-performance ratio would be very high.
"To forge them entirely from Earth Gold... the demand for material would be immense."
In his line of work, a major part of the job was making sure the boss understood the refining process. Otherwise, situations would arise where the boss handed over a tiny nugget of Earth Gold and expected thirteen full sets of night-travel suits. Let alone a Level 9 artifact refiner, even a Level 90 couldn't pull that off.
Even the cleverest housewife could not cook a meal without rice.
"The quantity should be plenty. The Dark Pavilion Master already assessed it and confirmed it is more than enough to forge them."
Chen Fan did not elaborate, saying casually, "You only joined Fan Domain today, so there's no rush. Get familiar with the surroundings first. Tonight, when the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Granary Pavilion returns, go requisition the Earth Gold from him. Then see what secondary materials you need, report them to Wang Mazi, and have him purchase them in Fan City.
"Once the secondary materials are secured as quickly as possible, forge this batch of daggers and night-travel suits."
"Understood!"
Zhao Shengping braced himself and agreed, though a twinge of regret over joining Fan Domain crept into his heart. This Domain Lord clearly knew nothing about artifact refining. And 'the Dark Pavilion Master assessed it'? What could a Dark Pavilion Master know about refining? He didn't know jack!
Earth Gold was an exceedingly rare heavenly material and earthly treasure.
Where the hell could anyone find enough Earth Gold to make thirteen night-travel suits?
You wouldn't even find that much across the entire Guanxi Plain.
"One more thing."
Chen Fan paused briefly before continuing, "Did you make that beggar's chicken you were eating at the city gate yourself?"
"Ah? Er, yes, this old man made it..."
"Once the braising room is set up, make one for me to try. It looked quite good, plenty juicy."
"No problem!"
Zhao Shengping's eyes suddenly lit up, and he nodded with overflowing confidence. "Domain Lord, just you wait and see—it's a flavor you've definitely never tasted before!"
Compared to his confidence in artifact refining, he was far more confident in his braised dishes.
In this field, he was sovereign. In all his travels, he had never met anyone whose cooking surpassed his own. He was the absolute authority of the braising world. Moreover, he didn't just love eating braised food; he loved making it even more.
Seeing that look of sheer bliss and satisfaction on people's faces when they ate his food brought him immense fulfillment.
His sense of self-worth was largely rooted in braised cuisine. Artifact refining was merely his job, while braising was his life.
Chen Fan gave a soft chuckle, then turned his gaze toward the disciples standing behind Zhao Shengping. "The position of Vice Pavilion Master of the Artifact Pavilion is currently vacant. Over the coming days, your performance will be evaluated, and one Vice Pavilion Master will be chosen from among you."
With that, he lingered no longer.
As he turned around, the eyes of the disciples trailing behind Zhao Shengping sparkled with excitement. Clearly, this news came as a delightful surprise to them.
Vice Pavilion Master... That was no small position.
These people were all Zhao Shengping's disciples. Even after joining Fan Domain, their primary loyalty would undoubtedly lie with Zhao Shengping, and they would obey his commands above all.
Yet what Chen Fan needed was not for them to follow his orders merely because Zhao Shengping told them to.
The best approach was to select a Vice Pavilion Master from their ranks—one who represented him in managing the other members of the Artifact Pavilion.
A degree of division was necessary; it was a standard method of management.
They couldn't be too united.
If the Artifact Pavilion remained bound together like a single tight rope from top to bottom, what purpose would he serve? They might as well just break off and work for Zhao Shengping directly.
Night fell.
This was the opening day of Fan City. As of yet, not a single ghost stone had been collected and brought back, since traveling back and forth took time.
Some Fan Domain members stayed behind in Fan City, while the core members all rushed back to the camp.
Sick Monkey guided Zhao Shengping on a tour of the camp, introducing Fan Domain's core figures along the way: "That man sitting over there picking at his face is Wang Mazi, Pavilion Master of Fan Domain's Commerce Pavilion. He handles our foreign trade and acquisitions. Lately, he's also the main person overseeing Fan City.
"That middle-aged man sitting cross-legged cultivating inside the Spirit Accumulation Pavilion is Zhou Mo, Pavilion Master of Fan Domain's War Pavilion. He's in charge of external operations and patrols within our territory. He was also the one who plucked your disciples and grand-disciples out of the crowd."
"The... Spirit Accumulation Pavilion?"
Zhao Shengping froze on the spot, stuttering as he pointed at the pavilion brimming with spiritual qi.
"Yeah."
Sick Monkey was already used to it. Everyone who saw the Spirit Accumulation Pavilion for the first time wore that exact expression. He didn't know whether to call these people narrow-minded or well-traveled, seeing as every single one recognized it.
At first, they hadn't known it was a Spirit Accumulation Pavilion either; they only found out after the young master explained it to them.
"Over here is the warehouse.
"There are five sections in total, one of which is the Mustard Seed Chamber. We fetch most of our goods here on ordinary days. The man sorting supplies by the door of the Mustard Seed Chamber is Wang Kui, Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Granary Pavilion. Whenever you need artifact refining materials, you'll have to get his approval."
"Pavilion Master Wang!"
Standing at the entrance of the warehouse, Sick Monkey smiled and called out to the busy Wang Kui, "The young master told me to bring out all the Earth Gold and hand it over to Pavilion Master Zhao so he can forge specialized weapons and night-travel suits for Shao Qiu and the others."
"Pavilion Master Zhao."
Hearing the call, Wang Kui strode out of the warehouse. Looking at Zhao Shengping standing at the doorway, he said solemnly, "Welcome to Fan Domain. Right now, there are only two things you need to feel: fortunate and regretful.
"Fortunate that you joined early enough.
"Regretful that you still joined a little late."
Then he couldn't help but chuckle. "Come, this way, please. I'll get the Earth Gold for you. We're all one family from now on, so please take good care of us."
"Certainly, certainly."
Zhao Shengping hurriedly cupped his fists, his face beaming with smiles. From the looks of it, Fan Domain's core members were all quite friendly toward him. It was just... Fan Domain's foundation ran deeper than he had imagined. This was yet another Green-tier warehouse building.
Could an organization like this really be born in Jiangbei?
Soon, Wang Kui stood at the entrance of the Mustard Seed Chamber and skillfully manipulated emerald mist, wrapping up all the Earth Gold stored within and placing it onto ten handcarts waiting by the warehouse entrance.
"It's all here, Pavilion Master Zhao. Please take a look. I'll have men deliver it to the Heavenly Artifact Pavilion shortly."
Zhao Shengping's pupils snapped wide. He froze in disbelief, utterly paralyzed. Only after a long while did he look up at the others in disbelief, then dart forward, picking up piece after piece of Earth Gold to inspect them thoroughly. Finally, he arrived at a terrifying conclusion.
This Earth Gold was real!
This much Earth Gold?
It was more than enough to forge thirteen night-travel suits and specialized weapons! Given his mastery over material waste, he could forge at most thirty sets!
How could there be so much Earth Gold?
He strongly suspected that all the forces in the Guanxi Plain combined didn't hold as much Earth Gold as this place.
"Please," Wang Kui said with a grin. His expression remained calm on the surface, but inwardly, he was gloating with satisfaction. A Level 9 artifact refiner—someone he wouldn't have even had the right to meet in the past. But things were different now.
Times had changed.
Now was the era of Fan Domain.
It was high time you old fellows saw what it meant to measure Earth Gold in batches.
"Phew..."
Only after a long while did Zhao Shengping draw a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart. His lips trembled slightly. "Alright, then I will trouble Pavilion Master Wang."
He suddenly realized that while rumors outside painted Fan Domain as formidable, the reality was even more formidable than the rumors claimed.
This wasn't an organization merely capable of surviving in Jiangbei.
This was an organization lying in wait within Jiangbei.
Just waiting for the day it would soar into the heavens and astonish the world with a single cry.
"What about that one?"
Following Sick Monkey to explore the camp, Zhao Shengping pointed outside the cavern toward Qi Yue, who was standing in an open clearing with his eyes closed, seemingly resting his mind. "That man doesn't look ordinary."
"Him?"
Sick Monkey clicked his tongue and pulled a voice transmission talisman from his robes. "Pavilion Master Qiu, aren't Qi Yue's robes ready yet? Why is he still wearing his old ones?"
Xiao Qiu's voice soon came from the talisman.
"Pavilion Master Sick, the Domain Lord hasn't assigned a position to Qi Yue yet. I... I don't know which style to make."
"All right, I'll ask later."
Sick Monkey gazed at Qi Yue's back and sighed with emotion. "He's probably the strongest person in Fan Domain right now, though who's stronger between him and Shao Qiu is hard to say; the two of them haven't fought. Formerly, he had quite a resounding title: Old Demon Jiangbei."
"So it's him." Zhao Shengping's expression turned solemn at the name.
"You know him?"
"Several years ago, he came to Jiangdong and killed quite a few people. On the ninth day of the ninth month, at Jiangdong's Jiangdong Marketplace, the market master—who was a Level 4 architect at the time—died by his sword. Then, on the same day the following year, he stormed Jiangdong's One Sword Sect, slaying numerous disciples and an elder.
"They say he was only half a step from Martial King."
"This old demon has quite a reputation, eh?" Sick Monkey clicked his tongue. "He was half a step from Martial King several years ago, and he's still half a step from Martial King now. That step really is too hard to cross.
"He has joined Fan Domain now too. He seems to be cultivating and comprehending something right now, so I won't take you over there. In the future, you two can..."
Before his words could finish, he suddenly felt as though an air current gripped his throat, rendering him unable to utter a single sound.
Standing on the ground of the sinkhole in green robes with his eyes closed, Qi Yue's garments suddenly billowed without wind.
Clang!
The pocket-sized azure blade hovering beside him began vibrating at high frequency, giving off a droning hum.
The next instant—
Qi Yue's spiritual qi surged frantically from his body, coalescing in midair into dozens of sword-shaped projections of sword qi. Immediately after, these streaks of sword qi pierced toward Qi Yue at blinding speed.
Rip!
The faint sound of tearing flesh rang out. 'Myriad swords piercing the heart' described precisely this.
Every streak of sword qi ran through his body.
With each piercing pass, it pulled out wisps of black vapor.
Though not a drop of blood fell, the contorted, hideous grimace on Qi Yue's face made it clear what agonizing pain he was enduring.
The commotion alerted Chen Fan and the others inside the cave, and they all stepped out.
"This is the Myriad Swords Piercing the Heart body tempering!"
"He's breaking through to Martial King!"
Zhao Shengping immediately assessed the situation before him, crying out in panicked terror, "This is a special method for breaking through to Martial King! The danger factor is extremely high; only by enduring the Myriad Swords Piercing the Heart body tempering can one advance to Martial King!
"However—
"Even though that sword qi doesn't inflict external wounds, while purging internal impurities, it inflicts tremendous agony upon the mind. An ordinary person can't endure it at all, and the only end is descending into madness!"
He had not expected Old Demon Jiangbei to truly practice demonic cultivation!
This was a classic technique of demonic cultivators.
To break through to Martial King, one had to purge every impurity from the body. Normal cultivators could only expel them slowly, which was inherently a protracted process. Demonic cultivators, however, were far more direct and ruthless.
Straight to Myriad Swords Piercing the Heart body tempering.
Using sword qi to rip impurities out of the body.
Was it fast?
Undoubtedly fast!
It was the difference between someone defecating from their rear versus slicing open their belly to scoop it out. In terms of speed, the latter was undeniably faster.
Yet the latter died just as quickly.
Only demonic cultivators dared attempt a breakthrough method that staked one's life as a wager. But with Fan Domain's current potential and foundation, there was no need to take such a gamble at all; steady development would make one strong in time.
What if he died?
Chapter 136