The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

He paused, his tone filled with strong confidence.

"I'll find a way! Whether it's buying it or 'getting' it from somewhere else, I'll definitely meet your needs!"

As he spoke, he seemed to remember something, and a thought struck him.

A golden light flew out from his sleeve, landed on the ground, and transformed into an adorable spirit beast that was entirely golden, shaped like a squirrel, but had a pair of fiery wings and a tail like a small hammer—it was Chiu Chiu!
Chiu Chiu affectionately rubbed against Jiang Xuan's trouser leg, then curiously looked at Yang Ling.

Jiang Xuan pointed to Qiuqiu and introduced it to Yang Ling.

"Senior Yang, this is Qiuqiu. It is born with 'Shattered Star Golden Fire,' making it an excellent assistant in smelting materials, especially adept at purification and shaping. With its help, you will surely achieve twice the result with half the effort."

"Shattered Star Golden Flame?! A born master of smelting?!"

Yang Ling stared intently at Qiu Qiu, his breathing becoming rapid!

As a top-notch weapon refiner, he knew all too well what a powerful spiritual fire meant for weapon refining!

Not to mention this legendary, intelligent smelting spirit beast!

This is practically the partner every weapon refiner dreams of!
He looked at Qiuqiu, then at Jiang Xuan, and could no longer hide the ecstasy and excitement on his face. He slapped his thigh and laughed loudly.

"Excellent! Excellent! With such a spirit beast assisting us, how can we fail to forge divine weapons?! Jiang Xuan, no, my lord! I, Yang Ling, am convinced! From now on, leave the forging work to me!"

Yang Ling, hereby returns home!
In the blink of an eye, two of the three powerful figures had expressed their opinions. Naturally, everyone's gaze fell on the last one, the most taciturn old eagle.

The old eagle slowly raised its head, its sharp, eagle-like eyes looking at Jiang Xuan, its voice hoarse and brief.

"I am skilled in setting up formations and spirit patterns."

Just six words, yet they reveal his core abilities—arrays and spirit patterns!

In any power, this is a strategic-level talent!

Jiang Xuan was secretly delighted, but on the surface he remained calm and solemnly said.

"Senior Diao, the repair, setup, and maintenance of the protective array of Xixin Peak, as well as the various spiritual arrays within it, are entirely entrusted to you! Please don't hesitate to ask for any resources you may need. Also…"

He changed the subject, his tone becoming both tentative and sincere.

"I also have some knowledge of spirit runes. If I encounter any difficulties in the future, I may discuss them with you, senior."

Upon hearing this, the old eagle's eyes showed disapproval.

Even Ci Xue and Yang Ling, who had just surrendered, as well as Ling Jiu, Xiao Ke, Jiang Zhong, and others beside them.

They all looked doubtful.

Jiang Xuan is so young, yet his cultivation and talent are already astonishing. Could he also be accomplished in the complex and profound art of spirit patterns?

That's an exaggeration.

Jiang Xuan could see that the crowd did not believe him, but he did not argue.

He calmly took out an antique-style badge with a faint spiritual glow from his storage ring and wore it on his chest.

The badge clearly bears a simple spirit rune pattern and a star symbol—this is the badge of a junior spirit rune master officially certified by the Empire!
"A beginner spirit pattern master?"

The old eagle glanced at it, a barely perceptible smile curving its lips, its meaning clear—a novice spirit pattern master, worthy of discussing things with him?
Ci Xue and Yang Ling also shook their heads slightly, feeling that Jiang Xuan was being a bit too arrogant.

In the eyes of these seasoned veterans, a novice spirit pattern master is indeed nothing special.

Jiang Xuan took in everyone's reactions without getting angry. Instead, he smiled faintly and dropped a bombshell.

"The badge is just proof of identity, not the whole story. Speaking of which, the core power spirit pattern group of the Empire's latest 'Purple Hero' class spirit pattern warship was conceived and designed by me in the early stages."

"what?!"

"You designed the Ziying warship?!"

"This is impossible!"

Even Zhu Laosan, who had been expressionless the whole time, twitched his eye slightly!
Purple Ying Warship!

That is the Empire's most prized new weapon of war in recent years!
Its performance far surpasses that of older warships. It is said that the core design was created by a mysterious master named "Old Mo," and it is one of the Empire's top secrets!

How could Jiang Xuan possibly be involved?

"Kid, there's a limit to bragging!"

Yang Ling couldn't help but exclaim.

"Who doesn't know that the Ziying warship is the masterpiece of Master 'Old Mo'!"

"Old Mo?"

Jiang Xuan's lips curled into a meaningful smile.

"Is the Old Mo you're talking about an old man who likes to drink, has an eccentric temper, and spends most of his time in the Bloodthirsty Camp's warehouse?"

Everyone was stunned.

Jiang Xuan continued.

"Back in the Blood Slaughter Camp in Qingyang Town, I had the opportunity to collaborate with Senior Mo. The initial inspiration for the Ziying Warship did indeed come from some of our discussions and some of my sketches."

Of course, the later refinements and finalization were mainly thanks to Senior Mo. However, some unexpected things happened later, and Senior Mo…”

He said no more.

But the meaning is already quite clear.

At this moment, Xiao Ke, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke, her voice clear and cold but with an undeniable certainty.

“What Jiang Xuan said is true. Back in the Blood Killing Camp, Instructor Xu Sanqi and I personally witnessed him discussing spirit patterns with Senior Mo, and we also saw those sketches. Senior Mo did indeed have high praise for Jiang Xuan’s talent in spirit patterns.”

Everyone knows Xiao Ke's identity and personality; she would never lie for Jiang Xuan!
Her testimony completely confirmed Jiang Xuan's words!

In an instant, the entire training ground fell into dead silence!
Ci Xue, Yang Ling, and Lao Diao stared at Jiang Xuan in disbelief, their faces filled with extreme shock and disbelief!

Designing the Purple Ying warship? Collaborating with the legendary Old Mo?

This...this is beyond their comprehension!

How many secrets is this boy still hiding?

Jiang Zhong was so excited that tears streamed down his face, his whole body trembled, and he murmured.

"Heaven has eyes! Heaven has eyes! The bloodline of Young Master Wenjing and Miss Qingxun... is indeed... truly extraordinary! The Jiang family... the Jiang family has a worthy successor!"

Seeing that the three powerful figures, Ci Xue, Yang Ling, and Lao Diao, each with their own strengths, had expressed their opinions one after another, Jiang Xuan was delighted, but also had doubts in his heart.

He turned to the vulture and asked in a low voice.

"Senior Lingjiu, the three you recruited this time are an alchemist, a weapon refiner, and a spirit pattern master... they all seem to be support-type talents. Although they are extremely important."

But given the current situation of Xixin Peak, shouldn't they first recruit some powerful guards or assassins?

Upon hearing this, Lingjiu revealed a profound smile on his pale face. He gestured for Xiao Ke to push the wheelchair, and he and Jiang Xuan walked and talked as they left the training ground.

"My lord, you are unaware of this."

Lingjiu spoke slowly, her voice calm yet radiating wisdom. "Xixin Peak is a top-tier blessed land, and the very foundation of the Jiang family. It is not merely a mountain, but a complete system. On the peak are spirit herb gardens, weapon-refining workshops, alchemy rooms, and the foundation of spirit arrays... These are all goose eggs that can lay golden eggs!"

He glanced at Jiang Xuan and continued.

"The three of them, Ci Xue and Yang Ling, are the key to turning these resources into real value! Ci Xue can refine pills, Yang Ling can forge weapons, and Lao Diao can set up and maintain formations. As long as they start working, they can continuously create wealth for Xi Xin Peak! With wealth, we can hire more powerful people and buy better resources, forming a virtuous cycle."

"As for directly recruiting combat personnel..."

Lingjiu shook his head.

"Firstly, truly top-tier combat talents are proud and arrogant, and difficult to be swayed by money; they require a special opportunity and a stroke of luck. Secondly, even if recruited, they are mostly outsiders, whose loyalty is unpredictable and who could easily become uncontrollable. On the other hand, the Bloodthirst and his group have relatively pure desires, making them easier to satisfy and control."

He paused, his gaze lingering on the distance.

"More importantly, my lord, your goal is to revitalize the entire Jiang family! If we can truly unify all branches of the Jiang family in the future, what we need are foundational talents who can cultivate the clan's members and strengthen the overall strength, not just a few henchmen."

Only through development from the inside out can internal conflicts be truly resolved, allowing the Jiang family to rise again. Alchemy, weapon crafting, and spirit runes are indispensable pillars for any powerful force!

After listening, Jiang Xuan suddenly understood! Lingjiu's plan was far more profound than he had imagined!
This is indeed a more stable and sustainable path.

He praised it sincerely.

"Senior's wisdom and foresight are truly admirable; Jiang Xuan has learned a great deal!"

Lingjiu smiled and offered a reminder.

"However, my lord, initial investment is unavoidable. If you want the horse to run, you have to feed it. Supporting the three of them to carry out their work requires a large amount of start-up capital."

This first step of 'spending money' is crucial.

Jiang Xuan nodded, already having made up his mind.

“I understand. I’ll take care of the funding issue.”

……

As evening fell, Jiang Xuan, accompanied by Jiang Zhong, once again rode in the imperial carriage to the Shidingzhai in the center of the Forbidden City.

Shi Yu seemed to have anticipated his arrival and led him directly into a quiet room.

After listening to Jiang Xuan's explanation of the huge amount of funds required for the initial investment, Shi Yu didn't hesitate and immediately took out a gold note with a face value of 300,000 gold coins and stuffed it into Jiang Xuan's hand.

"Three hundred thousand, is that enough to tide us over for now? If not, I'll figure something out!"

Shi Yu said with great enthusiasm.

"The auction will last a few more days. Once it's over, we'll have even more funds."

Jiang Xuan was moved, but without any pretense, he accepted the gold note and said solemnly.

"Shi San, thank you! I'll remember this favor."

Shi Yu waved his hand and laughed.

"We brothers don't talk about this. Oh, right, this is for you."

He then took out a purple-gold token, which was engraved with the intricate emblem of Shidingzhai.

"This is the highest-level guest token of Shi Ding Zhai. With this token, you can enjoy the highest priority treatment and the biggest discounts when you consume in all of Shi Ding Zhai's businesses, and you can also mobilize some intelligence resources. It will make things more convenient in the future."

Jiang Xuan accepted the token, knowing that this gift was of great importance, and thanked him again.

The two chatted for a few more minutes, and Shi Yu mentioned that the Imperial National Examination was about to begin, and he and Ning Meng, along with a group of his former Bloodthirsty Camp comrades, would be participating.

In his words, he couldn't help but feel sorry for Jiang Xuan for giving up this opportunity.

Jiang Xuan's eyes also held a hint of regret.

But it was quickly and decisively replaced.

"Each has their own path. The national examination is good, though."

But that's not suitable for me right now. Best wishes for your success! Let's have a good get-together after the assessment.

"must!"

Shi Yu patted Jiang Xuan's shoulder heavily.

……

Late at night, Jiang Xuan and Jiang Zhong rode in the imperial carriage back to Xixin Peak.

The imperial carriage traveled along a relatively secluded official road, surrounded by complete silence.

The only sound was the clatter of wheels on the road. The moonlight was obscured by dark clouds, and the night was as black as ink.

Just as the imperial carriage was about to enter a section of road flanked by dense mountains and rivers.

Jiang Zhong, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them!
"Young Master, there's an ambush! Stay in the car and don't come out!"

Jiang Zhong's voice was low and urgent, carrying an unprecedented solemnity!
Before he finished speaking, a sudden change occurred!
"Boo! Hah! Hah!"

Dozens of sharp, piercing sounds erupted from the Mijiang River on both sides of the road!

Arrows, darts, and various spiritual attacks, all radiating different colors, rained down on the precious carriage!

In an instant, all escape routes for the imperial carriage were blocked!
A powerful pressure from the Cave Heaven Realm descended from the sky, locking onto the precious carriage!

Furthermore, several powerful auras at the Spirit Sea Realm or above emerged from all around, completely surrounding the precious carriage!

The other side has dispatched a Cave Heaven Realm expert and several Spirit Sea Realm masters!
This was absolutely a meticulously planned, do-or-die ambush!

"Hmph! You cowardly rat hiding your head and tail!"

Jiang Zhong snorted coldly, showing no fear whatsoever, and instead straightened his perpetually hunched back!

A powerful aura, vast and boundless, completely different from his usual self, suddenly erupted from his body!
His originally hunched figure became as upright as a pine tree at this moment, and an overwhelming and powerful aura soared into the sky, even diluting the pressure of the Cave Heaven Realm!
He reached out and grabbed at the air, and a long spear, its body gleaming silver, its design ancient and its tassel as white as snow, appeared out of thin air in his hand!
With the spear in hand, Jiang Zhong's entire demeanor underwent a dramatic transformation!
No longer that humble old servant, but a peerless powerhouse with overwhelming power and unparalleled elegance!
Jiang Xuan, inside the carriage, saw this scene through a crack and was deeply shocked, finally confirming it completely.

"White Horse Scholar... Shen Jinglun! Uncle Zhong... it really is you!"

Holding a silver spear, Shen Jinglun stepped out of the carriage and stood in mid-air, his robes fluttering. His eyes, sharp as lightning, scanned the ambushers in the darkness, his voice icy and filled with boundless killing intent.

"Who dares to block my way? State your name!"

From the darkness came a low, hesitant gasp.

"Shen Jinglun?! You...you're still alive?! And you've ended up like this?!"

The ambushers were clearly shocked by Jiang Zhong's sudden change!
Shen Jinglun stopped wasting words, flicked his silver spear, and let out a clear dragon's roar!

"Since you're here, let's all stay!"

The moment Shen Jinglun unleashed his powerful aura from the Cave Heaven Realm, it instantly stunned the entire audience!

The enemy lying in ambush clearly did not expect that their target would have such a powerful bodyguard, and that the bodyguard was none other than the "White Horse Scholar" who had disappeared for decades!
Several urgent whistles and furious growls came from the darkness.

The oppressive aura of the Cave Heaven Realm cultivators, which had pressed down like a mountain, receded rapidly like a receding tide. (End of Chapter)