Chapter Thirty-Eight: Forging

Li Mu, decisive and without hesitation, threw a top-grade treasure into the tower.

“This treasure cannot be enhanced.”

With no alternative, Li Mu took the artifact back, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. “So, after all my pondering, treasures truly cannot be improved.”

Nevertheless, the ability to “enhance” was extraordinary—possessing limitless potential, akin to “fusion,” another vital function of the Spirit Tower.

With anticipation, Li Mu turned his attention to the sixth floor. What astonishing surprise might await him?

“Forging?”

Forging? Could it be the forging of treasures?

Li Mu’s emotions surged beyond his control; he jumped up, his head knocking against the thick wall, yet he felt nothing.

He only knew that the Spirit Tower’s previous abilities had revolved almost entirely around materials and pills. If this forging truly applied to treasures, then… the Spirit Tower would be even more complete. In fact, it was already remarkably so.

He casually stuffed an item in.

“Forge.”

“Not suitable. Please review the forging method.”

His spiritual sense focused on the sixth floor. In an instant, a multitude of treasure forging methods unfurled within the Spirit Tower, leaving him stunned.

“Top-grade treasure, Flame Gourd. Ingredients required: Cloud Flame Silica, Green-Yellow Gourd, Silken Vine, Spirit Fire Stone. Top-grade treasure, Condensing Cloud Sail. Ingredients required: Yellow Silk Nanmu, Spirit Brocade Cloth, Pure Mica, Divine Water. Top-grade…”

After scanning a few, Li Mu stopped and pondered quietly.

He understood the main conditions for the forging ability and was not particularly shocked; instead, a calm settled over him. His temperament was such—adapted to survive in this world, be it fortune or misfortune, he could quickly regain composure and assess his gains.

Forging was precisely the treasure-refining spoken of in cultivation. The Spirit Tower could indeed refine treasures—a remarkable, formidable power.

Treasure-refining was even more complex than pill-refining. While there were similarities, there were also significant differences.

Treasure-refining demanded skill in talisman arrays. These arrays served as the soul of a treasure, determining its technique. The same materials, in the hands of different master refiners, could yield entirely different treasures—the distinction lay in the mastery of the talisman arrays. The more numerous and intricate the arrays, the greater the treasure's power, though sometimes smaller and more refined.

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Some cultivators, ignorant of talisman arrays, tried to refine treasures nonetheless. This merely released the materials’ innate properties, lacking any technique, and amounted to waste. The higher the grade of the forged treasure, the less anyone would care to use it.

Treasure-refining required a variety of flames. Ordinary flames could not melt treasures; many materials needed special flames, which were not only rare but extremely difficult to obtain, and expensive.

Treasure-refining also demanded cultivation strength. Only advanced cultivators could draw out the potent spiritual power from high-grade materials. Typically, a Spirit Foundation stage cultivator could forge top-grade treasures; for second and third-grade treasures, Meridian Training was necessary, and anything above fourth-grade could only be attempted at the Pill Formation stage.

These requirements directly limited many cultivators from becoming master refiners. As a simple example, in Deyang City, there were dozens of pill shops but only a handful of treasure shops.

Yet the mythic Spirit Tower’s forging ability disregarded all three limitations. As long as materials and tower points were available, treasures could be forged. In this world, this was truly monstrous.

Li Mu’s understanding of the Spirit Tower grew deeper, and his faith in his own future grew stronger.

But as he continued to study, he realized excitement was premature; the Spirit Tower had many shortcomings.

The tower’s recorded treasure forging methods were few—perhaps only a few dozen. Compared to the myriad treasures in the world, it was indeed scant. Moreover, only top to fifth-grade treasures were available; nothing higher. Perhaps those would be unlocked when the Spirit Tower advanced further.

Furthermore, forging a top-grade treasure required a hundred tower points; second-grade needed a hundred and fifty, while fifth-grade demanded over a thousand. Even forging above top-grade treasures was currently out of reach.

He did not know how the Tower’s forged treasures compared to those crafted by cultivators—what talisman arrays were used, what power could be attained—all remained unknown.

“Let’s first try forging a top-grade treasure.”

Li Mu withdrew his spiritual sense, memorized the ingredients for several top-grade treasures, and began to gather materials.

He slowly walked toward the cultivation chamber, just as Elder Wang entered.

Elder Wang’s gait had been steady, but upon seeing Li Mu, she paused slightly, her gaze flickering, questions rising in her mind.

“Greetings, Lady Wang.”

Li Mu, grateful toward Elder Wang, hurried forward to salute.

She scrutinized him further, the questions in her eyes deepening. The Li Mu before her seemed transformed—his energy vibrant, yet his demeanor reserved and composed.

Her brows knitted, expression somewhat grave. “Much faster than I expected. More than a month early. Did you see my notice and grow anxious, forcing your Spirit Foundation with pills?”

Li Mu shook his head. “Lady Wang, I used a divine fruit for Spirit Foundation, and it happened to succeed.”

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“A divine fruit?”

Elder Wang nodded slightly. “So swiftly—where did you get this divine fruit, and what kind?”

She, too, was surprised. Though she had given Li Mu some guidance, she never imagined he could actually obtain such a fruit. Divine fruits were not easily found by Qi Condensation stage cultivators.

Li Mu did not wish to reveal the purple-red peach. Such a fruit was unattainable even in Deyang City. He smiled lightly and said, “A few days ago, I happened to acquire a common Divine Fire Fruit, and used that.”

“A second-grade Divine Fire Fruit.”

Elder Wang nodded in understanding.

Among divine fruits, Divine Fire Fruit was relatively common. When a spirit tree near a volcano absorbed an abundance of fire spiritual energy, it could produce Divine Fire Fruit, which was worth about a hundred mid-grade spirit crystals.

“A bit of a pity, but stronger than a Spirit Foundation Pill.”

Elder Wang shook her head, a trace of regret flashing in her eyes before she looked at Li Mu again. “After Spirit Foundation, do you plan to join the Jade Iron Sect? For Spirit Foundation cultivation techniques, regardless of attribute, only Jade Iron Sect offers the best in Deyang City.”

“Lady Wang, I understand your intentions. Thank you for your kindness.” Li Mu still shook his head.

She did not press further, stepping lightly toward the Spirit Gathering Array.

Li Mu stepped aside, waited for Elder Wang to pass, then left immediately.

As for cultivation techniques, Li Mu was not concerned.

Compared to Qi Condensation, Spirit Foundation would entail far more conflict. Most cultivators, after Spirit Foundation, would choose techniques favoring one of the five elements. These techniques not only allowed the use of matching elemental shields, but also boosted their spell power. For example, cultivators of the Flame Art would find their Fire techniques, such as Burning Fire or Flame Crow, greatly enhanced.

Yet such advantages had drawbacks. Practitioners of Flame Arts, when using water healing or stacking methods, might find their power less than those at Qi Condensation.

Li Mu did not intend to follow this path. He planned to learn a balanced technique, training in all aspects to suit various attributes. Five-element techniques were good, but not suited to him.

Moreover, he had already prepared a Three-Spirit Art, purchased for dozens of mid-grade spirit crystals.

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