Immortality begins with becoming a master weapon refiner

Chapter 12 Golden Skin and Jade Luo
That's what they say, but the kindness of being guided is far more valuable than one or two divine weapons. Without Zhao Huaiyi's guidance, it would have been many years before he could reach this level.

"I, Gu, will remember this favor."

"Well, I shouldn't make any promises. I'm not sure if it will work out with you."

"When someone from the Sword Forging Manor arrives, I will make a recommendation."

When the topic of Sword Forging Manor came up, Gu Qing became quite curious and inquired about the specifics.

Zhao Huaiyi was originally trying to answer Gu Qing's questions, so he wouldn't hide anything from her, and he wasn't afraid of being overheard by outsiders on his own turf.

"The Sword Casting Manor is actually the branch of the Baiyue Mountains that governs the Yan Kingdom."

"Baiyue Mountain?"

"Yes, you can think of it as a sect of immortals."

"The Yan Kingdom is a mortal kingdom under its rule, and selecting disciples is only one aspect of it."

"The twelve states of Yan are mostly mountainous and marshy, rich in precious medicines and poisonous insects. For example, blood ginseng is extremely effective for people in the mortal transformation stage."

"Immortals also rose to the rank of mortals step by step, and these basic resources are essential for alchemy and medicine making."

"The clans in Yan who made their fortunes by collecting medicinal herbs are basically all connected with the Sword Forging Manor. They have to offer a certain amount of precious herbs every year before the manor will send people to them."

"In addition, gold, silver, iron and stone ores also need to be refined by mortal craftsmen before they can be supplied to immortals in their initial stages."

Gu Qing seemed to be deep in thought.

"That damned King Zhou is only at the peak of the Inner Qi Realm. Why are you still hiding when your Zhao family has already produced a disciple of an immortal?"

"Dragons do not dwell with snakes. How could a mere mortal who knows nothing, yet dreams of ruling the twelve states of Yan, possibly know the true secrets?"

"Even if they know, they're just pawns being pushed to the forefront."

"The players are mostly immortals, so how can the Zhao family resist? Hiding is the best option."

Gu Qing couldn't help but nod; it made a lot of sense.

The two then talked for most of the day, and by the afternoon, Gu Qing finally had a true understanding of the world.

In the mortal realm, places brimming with spiritual energy are extremely rare. They cannot produce the high-grade materials needed by immortals, yet they are the seeds for the continuation of lineage. The ruling immortal forces will protect these lands well, preventing any possibility of invasion by external enemies.

In this way, the rulers above would not want to see wars break out among mortals, because with fewer people, the probability of producing geniuses would also be lower.

But the land is only so big, and the total population that the twelve states of Yan can support is limited. They can't grow that much food. They either have to move people out of Yan, or they have to fight internal wars to consume the excess population.

Turbulent times produce outstanding talents, and different environments can cultivate different kinds of individuals.

Take, for example, the small county town where Liu Bang started his uprising. Almost everyone around him achieved great success. Was that innate? Of course not, it was the tempering of the times! There is no better example of how the times create heroes.

Relocating the surplus population of Yan to other places would be too dangerous, as demons, monsters, and evil spirits would not only require extra care but would also encroach on the living space of the immortals.

In short, the outside world is full of dangers.

Since it concerned their own interests, and since many talented people would emerge after the war, they simply let it go and rarely intervened unless the casualties were too heavy.

This gave Gu Qing a less than favorable perception of the outside world, not of people or events, but of her concerns about her living environment.

It sounds like they're surrounded by enemies.

in the afternoon.

Gu Qing was taken to the smelting room prepared for him by the Zhao family. The tools there were more complete than those in the blacksmith shop and even better than those in the military camp.

It's clear that the Zhao family is indeed well-off. Furthermore, they've obtained the much-needed blood of the five beasts; these were all captured live animals, ready for immediate use.

Gu Qing's breakthrough does not necessarily require the Five Spirit Blood Elixir.

He will eventually break through through his own gradual cultivation, but the timing might not be ideal. Since there is medicine available, why hesitate?

After Zhao Huaiyi shared some information, his relationship with the Zhao family will be even closer. According to him, the Sword Casting Manor will send people to collect the precious medicine every year.

They would also test the cultivation level of the Zhao family members and give them some pointers. If they met the standards, they would be taken to join the Sword Forging Manor. If they did not meet the standards, they would come back the following year for another test.

As long as one can reach the Inner Qi Realm before the age of eighteen, one has passed the standard and will have the opportunity every year. The messenger will arrive before winter and leave when the mountains are sealed off by heavy snow.

If you think about it, it won't be long.

There are at most three months left. Whenever he thinks about this, Gu Qing feels a sense of urgency. After all, he will be 21 years old this year, and his cultivation level is only at the Blood Transformation stage, which is far from meeting the requirements of the Sword Forging Manor.

Hope can only be placed on one's special skills.

"Age and cultivation are fatal flaws; it's too late to rush them."

"If we can put more effort into casting, there might still be hope."

Sword Forging Manor is the only passage to the upper levels. Who wouldn't want to become an immortal and enjoy longevity? If you miss it, you'll never leave the Yan Kingdom in this lifetime and never see the truly vast world.

It's a complete waste of time to have lived this life.

"Five Spirit Blood Medicine, Blood Beast Inner Energy".

"Let me see what you're really up to!"

The blood of the five beasts is the core material, along with twenty-one other auxiliary ingredients, all provided by the Zhao family. This means that Gu Qing is being supported by the Zhao family, and he will repay this by forging artifacts.

An hour later, a pool of red soup was brewed.

Gu Qing swallowed a third of the medicine, then took off all her clothes and applied the liquid to every inch of her body, including her private parts.

Under the stimulation of the drug, his whole body suddenly felt hot, and his pores opened to absorb the liquid. The burning sensation made him extremely uncomfortable.

Yet he forced himself to resist scratching, even adopting the stance of the Five Qi Profound Origin Technique, focusing intently on feeling the changes in his body, guided by the essence of breathing.

The surging blood and qi returned to the flesh and blood at this moment, as if they had never existed.

Muscles, bones, and blood are constantly strengthened through the perpetual consumption of vital energy and blood.

Its body is more resilient, its strength greater, and it glows with a golden luster under the lamplight.

The bones undergo secondary growth and development, becoming stronger and more resilient.

The blood and meridians are all undergoing changes.

At this moment, Gu Qing finally understood why the Five Spirit Blood Medicine could help him break through to the Inner Qi Realm; it all came down to the issue of blood and qi.

The so-called Inner Qi Realm is the process of transforming the vast amount of blood and qi accumulated during the Blood Refining Realm into resources for strengthening the body. The greater the amount of blood and qi, the higher the probability of completing the strengthening.

Even more perfect.

Only in this way can a controllable energy like internal energy be generated in a stronger body, reaching a state of transcendence.

Some martial artists, however, grow old and their vital energy declines.

That's why there's no potential for breakthrough. Only precious medicines can help one advance. The cultivation of the four steps to transcending the mortal realm is actually a race against time, which is why there are age requirements.

(End of this chapter)