Unaware of the talk outside, Qin Sang was in the fire chamber making preparations for artifact crafting.
Since this was his first showing, he naturally had to make a stunning impression. Less critical steps could be handled with earth fire, but the crucial stages demanded the Nine Nether Demonic Fire to ensure a high success rate.
Inside the fire chamber, a subterranean fire vein ran beneath the ground, though it was invisible from the surface.
At the center of the chamber was a circular pit, its inner walls built from neatly laid square bricks carved with nine fire phoenixes in varying poses.
Qin Sang recognized at a glance that these carvings formed a wondrous restriction designed to stabilize the power of the earth fire and amplify its might.
When he cast the talisman given to him by the guards into the pit, a long cry of a phoenix echoed from within. The nine fire phoenixes seemed to come alive, their plumage blazing crimson as fiery streams of immense heat spewed from their beaks—the purest essence of earth fire.
His expression turning slightly solemn, Qin Sang retrieved several minor spiritual materials from his mustard seed bag to test the flames. He found the earth fire exceptionally stable, and channeling it required very little of his true essence.
Then he paused, remaining motionless for an entire day as he deliberated over how to make the best possible use of every material.
On the second day, Qin Sang finally made his move. One spiritual material after another was cast like a flowing stream into the earth fire to be tempered and purified, after which he sorted and neatly set them aside.
Throughout the process, he would periodically pause the refining, summon the Ten Directions Yanluo Banner, and channel the Nine Nether Demonic Fire to temper the most critical materials.
Whenever his true essence depleted too heavily, he would put away the Ten Directions Yanluo Banner, switch back to the earth fire, and slowly recover his true essence.
Repeating this rhythm, Qin Sang calculated every step with utmost precision, maximizing every sliver of time.
……
Over the past several days, Ran Luo had visited the fire chamber every evening to check on him. Not a sound had come from within, which inevitably left her somewhat anxious.
"Reporting to Steward Ran, Daoist Qingfeng has not yet emerged, nor has he given us any orders."
The guards were dutiful and conscientious, not daring to take a single step away from their posts. Seeing Ran Luo arrive once more, they took the initiative to report.
Ran Luo nodded. "Continue to stand watch. If the Daoist sends any word, notify me immediately."
She turned to leave, but had only taken a few steps when one of the guards behind her let out a soft exclamation. "The Daoist is out…"
Delight showed on Ran Luo's face. She whirled around to see Qin Sang striding briskly out of the chamber. "Daoist, have you completed the refinement?" she asked eagerly.
Qin Sang smiled faintly. "Fortunately, I did not fail in my mission. Have a look, Fellow Daoist."
With a flick of his hand, five streaks of flowing light shot from his palm, hovering before Ran Luo.
Each streak of light enveloped a magic tool: a pair of wings, a bone whip, a strangely shaped small drum, and two suits of armor—one of leather, the other of bone.
Without exception, every single one was a top-grade magic tool!
Qin Sang had truly spared no effort, racking his brains until he finally succeeded in producing five top-grade magic tools.
The magic tools used by cultivators of the Canglang Sea were inseparable from beast bones and hides, and the items Qin Sang had crafted were no different.
The primary material for the wings was forged from several pairs of demon bird wings. The bone whip was crafted from the segment of flood dragon bone. The drum was the most peculiar of all, forged from the skulls of several demon beasts; once activated, it could release shadowy phantoms of beast souls that assailed the opponent's mind.
Ran Luo took them up to examine each one, offering praise after praise. Only now was she truly convinced of Qin Sang's extraordinary attainment in artifact crafting.
"Ah, I nearly forgot to report to Elder Zou."
Ran Luo gasped softly and hastily sent off a voice transmission talisman, after which she continued examining the magic tools, unable to bear putting them down.
After a moment, a strange look flickered across her eyes.
She noticed that although these five tools were completely distinct in form—and their might, without question, made them exceptional top-grade magic tools—they shared one peculiar trait: every one of them carried a faint trace of chilling yin energy. This chilling power was exceedingly domineering, reminiscent of the distinct refinement techniques used in demonic and ghostly artifacts, yet it seemed quite out of place here.
Even the pair of wings, teeming with rich fire element energy, failed to suppress that trace of chilling power.
Ran Luo cast a subconscious glance at Qin Sang, suspicion and doubt rising in her heart.
Qin Sang caught her expression and gave a wry smile inwardly.
He had not anticipated that refining artifacts with the Nine Nether Demonic Fire would leave them tainted with its aura, endowing them with an indelible chilling force.
This was by no means a flaw—if anything, it enhanced the might of the tools. If questioned, he could simply brush it off as an idiosyncratic refinement technique.
Yet Qin Sang could not help feeling disgruntled. Ran Luo had already harbored suspicions about his background, and bringing out these artifacts would likely cement his identity as an arch-fiend in her eyes.
Fortunately, sectarian prejudice was not strong in the Demon Sea. If they took him for a demonic cultivator, then so be it.
Even if the Qiongyu Guild turned him away because of this, it was no great loss. If they had no place for him here, plenty of other places would.
Qin Sang tossed a mustard seed bag to Ran Luo. "These are the magic tools refined from the remaining materials. Their quality varies, but you may take them all, Fellow Daoist."
By this point, Ran Luo had regained her composure. Evidently, she had also come to terms with it: whether Qin Sang had walked an orthodox or demonic path in the past, all that mattered was that he could craft artifacts.
A moment later, Elder Zou and the others arrived in haste. Seeing that Qin Sang had delivered all five promised tools without falling short by even one, not a single voice of doubt remained. The young man surnamed Zhuo had nothing to say either; he gave Qin Sang a respectful bow, seemingly thoroughly humbled.
"Daoist Qingfeng, in my capacity as chief steward of the Qiongyu Guild, I formally invite you to become an outer sea guest elder of our guild. From this day forward, by presenting this token, you may requisition resources from both our inner and outer sea branches at your discretion…"
Elder Zou acted decisively, confirming Qin Sang's status as an outer sea guest elder on the spot and handing him a medallion.
"The Daoist is one of our own now. If you have any requests, feel free to speak."
Qin Sang turned the guest elder token over in his hands. It sounded as though his position was more important than Huiwen's, and the authority that came with it appeared substantial. Not only could he mobilize a portion of the Qiongyu Guild's resources, but in times of crisis, he could even seek assistance from the entire Eastern Pole Alliance.
Meanwhile, having joined the guild as an artifact crafter, he only needed to fulfill his responsibilities in forging.
"Since Elder Zou asks, this poor Daoist shall speak plainly. Artifact crafting is merely a secondary pursuit of mine; my own cultivation remains paramount. The cultivation method I practice is rather unique, requiring me to venture out at regular intervals to temper myself through hunting demon beasts. I cannot remain on this island endlessly crafting artifacts."
Elder Zou agreed without hesitation and promised that Qin Sang could draw upon the guild's resources to ensure his safety while hunting.
Qin Sang raised several more conditions, all of which Elder Zou accepted one after another.
Finally, operating on the principle of taking full advantage of what was available, Qin Sang said, "Seeing that the guild has acquired so many demon beast carcasses, it seems this poor Daoist will be occupied on Duyan Island for half a year to a year. However, I urgently require the spirit souls of eight flood dragons at the peak of the Demon Spirit stage, and they must be extracted while the beasts are still alive. I wonder if the guild has any means to gather them quickly?"
Ran Luo pondered for a moment before replying, "Refining high-grade Fiend Demon Pills also requires the inclusion of demon beast spirit souls. Furthermore, the Daoist insists on capturing living peak Demon Spirit flood dragons, which might not be easy to come by. Still, I will do my utmost to help you gather them."
Qin Sang cupped his hands. "I appreciate your trouble, Fellow Daoist Ran. If they cannot be assembled right away, it would suffice if you could look into where flood dragons roam nearby. It would be no trouble for me to go out and hunt them myself."
Chapter 679