BXBX NOVEL Chapter 57: Making An Enchanted Tool
Chapter 57: Making An Enchanted Tool
When she saw Chu Liang enter, she promptly closed the book and wiped her eyes.
Chu Liang gazed at her silently for a moment before inquiring, "Teacher, are you crying?"
"No," Di Nufeng replied with her red, puffy eyes, shaking her head.
"Is the relationship between the male and female leads in turmoil?" Chu Liang asked.
"It\'s not that severe," Di Nufeng said, shaking her head again. She explained, "The male lead is just dead."
"Sorry for your loss," Chu Liang offered his condolences solemnly.
Who would have thought that the feared tyrant of Mount Shu possessed a sensitive and sympathetic side?
Di Nufeng looked at him again, asking, "Did everything go smoothly?"
Chu Liang selectively shared what he could with Di Nufeng, stating that things had mostly gone smoothly and that he hadn\'t used the tracking jade talisman that his teacher had given him.
"Nice. You\'re capable of handling things on your own," Di Nufeng praised.
"It\'s because you\'ve given me the confidence to do so," Chu Liang responded promptly, displaying his emotional intelligence.
"Alright, return the tracking talisman to me," Di Nufeng casually suggested.
"Eh?" Chu Liang frowned, as if Di Nufeng\'s words didn\'t quite register. "Return?"
"You\'ve completed your task. Don\'t you plan to return it to me?" Di Nufeng asked, blinking.
Chu Liang said, "But didn\'t you mention that you have given me this divine artifact to keep me alive...?"
"Eh, who would\'ve thought you\'d never use it." Di Nufeng sighed. "I\'ve been on edge these past few days, worrying I might receive your call for help too late. Typically, I sleep for fourteen hours a day, but now I wake up after ten hours. If this continues, I might suffer from nervous exhaustion."
Alright, so you do know you usually sleep for fourteen hours a day. Aren\'t you afraid of sleeping too much and turning into a plant? Chu Liang silently remarked.
Nevertheless, he maintained a smile and said, "Esteemed teacher, I suddenly remembered that I found a delicious beverage down the mountain. I bought some for you to try."
Chu Liang took out a jar of honey jelly tea.
"What\'s this?" Di Nufeng took it and sniffed it suspiciously. "You\'re not trying to poison me, are you?"
Chu Liang smiled.
If a poison potent enough to affect your constitution were mixed with water, the mixture could probably drug thousands of elephants. How could this small jar contain that much poison?
While Di Nufeng spoke, she took a sip, and her eyes lit up.
"Hm... This tastes really good. I\'ve never had such... sweet-tasting water," Di Nufeng mused. Then she added, "It would be even better with a bit of alcohol mixed in."
"Esteemed teacher, do you like it?" Chu Liang asked.
Di Nufeng nodded. "It\'s not bad."
"Then I will buy more to show my filial respect," Chu Liang said. He promptly bid farewell, stating, "If there\'s nothing else, I\'ll take my leave. I have some matters to attend to at the Hall of Weapons."
Chu Liang didn\'t even wait for Di Nufeng to wave him off. He departed swiftly, his leaving figure appearing somewhat impatient.
As Di Nufeng watched him go, she suddenly furrowed her brows.
"Eh? Have I forgotten something?"
...
Chu Liang hadn\'t been lying when he mentioned going to the Hall of Weapons.
He made his way to the Heaven Reaching Peak, where he exchanged some miscellaneous items he had acquired but had no use for in return for a few more sword coins. Afterward, he ascended to the second floor of the Hall of Weapons.
The corridor walls on the second floor of the Hall of Weapons were adorned with numerous ancient painting scrolls, all featuring worldly divine artifacts highly ranked in the Catalog of the Mortal World\'s Ten Thousand Treasures.
The most prominent of these was the well-known depiction of Mount Shu Sect\'s Demon-Suppressing Pagoda.
Initially, Chu Liang had wondered whether the white pagoda he possessed might be the long-lost Demon-Suppressing Pagoda. However, the substantial disparity in appearance between his white pagoda and the one illustrated in the scroll had laid those suspicions to rest.
On either side of the corridor, there were several private chambers.
Chu Liang entered one of these chambers and straightforwardly stated his purpose, "Hello, I would like to make an enchanted tool," "Hello, Senior Brother. Please, have a seat."
Inside the room, a junior disciple awaited Chu Liang\'s arrival. This disciple seemed even younger than Chu Liang, with fair skin and a somewhat frail appearance. While traces of youthful innocence lingered on the junior disciple\'s face, his gaze projected a surprising degree of composure and maturity.
Nonetheless, Chu Liang didn\'t underestimate him. Those in charge of crafting enchanted weapons here were disciples of the Weapons Master, the Guardian Elder in charge of the Hall of Weapons, so they had to possess a certain level of expertise.
The Weapons Master held a position higher than the thirty-six Peak Masters. Those who became his disciples were required to possess both talent and diligence.
Since this disciple before Chu Liang was rather young, it indicated that he was exceptionally gifted.
"I\'m Wen Yulong. Senior Brother, if you have any requests or questions about tool-making, feel free to discuss them with me."
The young disciple was very polite and courteous.
"I happened to acquire a very good material," Chu Liang mentioned as he retrieved the Lifeforce Green Leaf. "I wish to make an enchanted tool. Do you have any recommendations?"
Wen Yulong accepted the Lifeforce Green Leaf, placing it on his palm for careful examination. He then infused a trace of foundational qi into it, causing it to emit a gentle glow.
"Hmm?" Wen Yulong nodded slightly. "This green leaf... should be the life-bound item refined by a tree demon at the peak of the fourth realm or higher. The material itself can\'t be used by itself, but it is indeed excellent."
Wen Yulong remained absorbed in his thoughts as he continued, "If you want to make a tool, I recommend two sets of inscriptions. One set is for flight, allowing you to make an enchanted tool that can manipulate wind. The other set is for defense, resulting in a defensive enchanted tool. These two sets of inscriptions are more compatible with the material. If you desire other capabilities, you can certainly try, but the effects may not be as satisfactory."
Flying... and defense... Chu Liang pondered for a moment.
Both of those aspects were indeed areas in which he currently lacked proficiency.
However, being unfamiliar with tool-making, Chu Liang inquired, "Which of these two sets of inscriptions do you think is better?"
"Flight inscriptions are simpler and carry lower risks. You are aware that we bear no responsibility for failed tool-making attempts, right? We only offer a refund for the labor cost; material losses are not refunded," Wen Yulong explained. "Defense-boosting inscriptions are somewhat more intricate but also more practical. Having a defense-boosting enchanted tool during a battle is definitely advantageous."
With that, he appeared somewhat hesitant, as if he had more to convey.
Ultimately, Wen Yulong couldn\'t resist adding, "Of course, because the first attempt yields the best results, it\'s best to include both sets of inscriptions in the initial refinement."
"Both sets?" Chu Liang was momentarily puzzled. "Well, if that\'s the case, I\'d like to have them all."
"Adding both sets is indeed optimal, but it will be more... costly," Wen Yulong whispered. "Furthermore, it\'s more challenging, and the failure rate is high. Our teacher typically discourages us from taking this approach..."
Chu Liang then understood the reason for Wen Yulong\'s hesitation.
Suggesting a more expensive option like this might be perceived as a sales pitch, possibly leading to misunderstandings among the disciples of the Hall of Weapons. Moreover, the recommended option carried a higher risk of failure, which could potentially tarnish the Hall of Weapons\'s reputation over time.
Making simpler enchanted tools that cater to a broader audience might seem like a safer bet.
However... those mediocre enchanted tools served little purpose and could easily become obsolete as one\'s cultivation advances, which would ultimately result in a loss.
Chu Liang didn\'t hesitate as he said, "Then I\'ll include both sets to achieve the best possible outcome."
Wen Yulong\'s eyes lit up as he asked, "Senior Brother, aren\'t you concerned about the risks?"
"In tool-making, there\'s always a degree of risk, and I believe you\'ll give it your all, right?" Chu Liang smiled. "How much will it cost?"
"If you include both sets of inscriptions, it will be one hundred sword coins," Wen Yulong replied.
The smile on Chu Liang\'s face faded instantly.
Nonetheless, he recognized that this was a reasonable price for tool-making. After all, if successful, it could result in a high-quality enchanted treasure.
So, Chu Liang gritted his teeth and said, "One hundred sword coins is no small sum. I hope it will be a success."
"Senior brother, don\'t worry. Despite my youthful appearance, I\'ve already attempted to make enchanted tools independently twelve times..." Wen Yulong replied. He nodded earnestly as he added, "I too hope for one successful attempt.”