Chapter 489 - 249: Cold Abyss Jade

Liou Yuan descended outside the gates of the Artifact Refining Pavilion, following the path previously pointed out by Liou Hongjun, bypassing the main hall of the Artifact Refining Pavilion, and there stood the Celestial Craft Pavilion unexpectedly before his eyes.

With the help of the Inner Sect Disciple waist badge, Liou Yuan entered the Celestial Craft Pavilion unimpeded.

As soon as he stepped inside, the hot Spiritual Qi, laden with rich Fire Dao aura, rushed toward him.

Making Liou Yuan’s face heat up, his eyes were slightly squinted by the heat wave.

"Such a concentrated Fire Dao aura, an outsider might mistake this place for a magic duel," Liou Yuan muttered, following the source of the Fire Dao aura.

The view inside gradually broadened, with the high dome of the Celestial Craft Pavilion suspended in the center, embedded with gems reflecting natural light, shimmering like the stars in the night sky.

Liou Yuan’s gaze fell upon the center, where a gigantic furnace towered mightily, resembling an immovable mountain.

The furnace walls were hard in texture and exuded an ancient luster, seemingly untouched by time, adding a sense of mysterious charm.

In front of the furnace, Taiyu stood in mid-air, his robust elderly form continuously injecting waves of intense True Essence into the furnace.

The ancient furnace, driven by Taiyu, was entirely fiery red.

Evidently, that furnace was the source of the Fire Dao aura permeating throughout the Celestial Craft Pavilion.

Beneath the furnace, Qiu Can, with his bare chest, operated magic like a bellows, continuously blowing fierce winds into the furnace.

A cultivator at the Qi Cultivation Realm undoubtedly couldn’t withstand the high temperature of this fiery furnace, Liou Yuan’s gaze shifted to an ice crystal-colored magical artifact hanging around his neck.

It was that magical artifact emitting a constant coolness that prevented Qiu Can from being harmed by the furnace, even so, he was drenched in sweat.

Large beads of sweat couldn’t stop flowing down his robust body, soaking a considerable shadow on the ground.

Liou Yuan’s arrival was blatant, not deliberately concealing his tracks, both Qiu Can and Taiyu noticed his presence.

However, neither master nor apprentice had any intention of greeting Liou Yuan.

"Looks like it’s the most critical step," Liou Yuan muttered, discreetly retreating to the side, quietly waiting for the furnace to open.

Half a day later, Taiyu suddenly opened those elderly eyes.

He shouted sternly at Qiu Can beneath the furnace, "Get out!"

Qiu Can was no stranger to aiding his master in artifact refinement, after hearing those three words, he bolted, running out of the Celestial Craft Pavilion.

As for Liou Yuan, he did not move, watching Qiu Can’s back as he departed, still standing confidently in place.

Because Taiyu did not tell him to leave.

Almost the instant Qiu Can fled the furnace hall area.

Bang! A clear sword hum suddenly exploded from within the furnace.

A massive roar shocked the glow of the array within the Celestial Craft Pavilion to flare brightly, the pavilion’s array automatically activated, safeguarding the place.

"It’s coming out!" Liou Yuan gazed nervously at the fiery red furnace.

It trembled violently with the sword hum, the previously heat-radiating furnace suddenly withdrew its high temperature, as if something extinguished all of its warmth in an instant.

On the furnace body, the inscribed spirit patterns transformed into flowing light ribbons of water-blue.

With a crisp "crack," the heavy furnace lid seemed to be lifted by an invisible giant hand, soaring upwards not with blazing flames, but a silvery-white beam as clear as water.

In the light beam, a three-foot blade faintly emerged, the sword body flowed with liquid brilliance, droplets of water hovered in mid-air at the blade’s edge.

Liou Yuan quickly understood why Qiu Can had run.

When the Spiritual Sword fully freed itself from the furnace’s constraints, the vast sword light, centered on the Spiritual Sword, rampaged in all directions, launching an indiscriminate attack against the entire Celestial Craft Pavilion.

Liou Yuan and Taiyu were also within the attack range of that Spiritual Sword.

Taiyu, with years of artifact refinement under his belt, was already accustomed to this, he controlled the protective array of the Celestial Craft Pavilion with hand gestures, enveloping himself within.

Liou Yuan’s position, however, was not within the array’s protection.

Taiyu glanced at Liou Yuan, his old eyes carrying an amused smile, "An upper-grade Spiritual Sword’s debut is when it is at its most aggressive. Whether you can subdue it depends on your skills."

When Taiyu’s voice reached Liou Yuan’s ears, the sword light of that magical artifact already enveloped his body.

Liou Yuan maintained a stoic expression, his body spontaneously erupted Cyan Nether Sword Qi to protect his entire body.

With a resounding clang.

The ground where Liou Yuan stood shuddered, but his figure remained unmoved amidst the sword light.

"This kid indeed comprehended the Sword Qi," Taiyu observed with keen interest.

As an Artifact Refiner, he was only responsible for refinement, whether the visitors were harmed by the magical artifact he crafted and whether they could subdue the newly emerged magical artifact, that was not his responsibility.

In the arena, Liou Yuan was unscathed after a strike from the Spiritual Sword.

Yet the Spiritual Sword showed no signs of stopping, suspended in mid-air, its blade suddenly unleashed nine phantasmal sword beams, freezing crystalline flowers where the sword light passed over the floor.

The nine sword beams, with an overwhelming momentum, directly slashed at Liou Yuan.

"Hey, naughty!" Liou Yuan chuckled, the Cyan Nether Sword Qi protecting his body, detached under his control, transforming into a cyan sword qi to meet the nine swords unleashed by the Spiritual Sword.

Puff! Puff! Puff!

Where the Cyan Nether Sword Qi passed, the nine sword beams shattered decisively.

The two attacks were easily dissolved by Liou Yuan, Taiyu beside him rarely revealed a serious expression.