Chapter 582: Reshaping

When Bu Chi saw Lin Xuan’s insistence on doing the repairs himself, he had no choice but to agree. After all, a Sixth Grade Elixir was quite valuable and could be traded for plenty of materials to repair a Divine Artifact. He believed that after a few failures, Lin Xuan would come asking for his help.

But Lin Xuan had no intention of doing so. He didn’t believe for a second that he would fail.

Lin Xuan carried the Chi Dragon Heavens Rod to the Tripod Furnace. The massive furnace exuded an oppressive aura. Even without any flame inside, he could feel a wave of heat wash over him.

The two Stewards stood at his side. Fully activating this Tripod Furnace required the assistance of two Core Formation Stage experts, a measure that would be taken at Lin Xuan’s request.

Thus, Artifact Refining not only consumed materials but was also incredibly labor-intensive, especially when using such a large Tripod Furnace.

“I don’t need any help to repair this Divine Artifact, so I won’t trouble you two.” Lin Xuan cupped his hands in a gesture of thanks to the two Stewards standing beside him.

They exchanged glances. ‘Isn’t Lin Xuan being a bit overconfident? This will consume an immense amount of Elemental Power. The real question is whether he can last until the repairs are finished; that’s a huge problem.’

“Let him do it himself,” Bu Chi said, gesturing for the two Stewards to return. He figured he might as well let Lin Xuan give it a shot.

Lin Xuan had demonstrated astonishing skill before, but this task required an enormous amount of Elemental Power. Their concern wasn’t that he lacked the ability, but that he couldn’t sustain the consumption!

If his Elemental Power faltered, the flame would weaken. A weaker flame would drastically slow the process. If the fire went out midway, the attempt would be a complete failure. Worse, a botched attempt could leave the weapon even more damaged. Such were the risks of overconfidence.

However, Bu Chi chose not to say anything more. Lin Xuan would either succeed or fail. ‘And if he fails,’ he thought, ‘it will serve as a good lesson for him.’

Lin Xuan nodded at Bu Chi, thanking him for his trust.

WHOOSH!

The Phoenix Fire erupted. Without a moment’s hesitation, Lin Xuan channeled his strongest flame into the Tripod Furnace. He unleashed it at maximum power, his Elemental Power seeming as boundless as an ocean as he frantically poured the flame into the furnace.

In moments, the Tripod Furnace was filled with Phoenix Fire, and its temperature soared. The sight made Bu Chi nod. ‘His ability is impressive, but how long can he sustain it?’

When Bu Fantian heard that Lin Xuan had returned for Artifact Refining, he rushed over as well, eager to see how Lin Xuan would repair the Divine Artifact. He had seen Divine Artifacts repaired plenty of times, but a Cultivator at the Spirit Pill Stage Level attempting to do so was a rare sight indeed.

In truth, he was eagerly anticipating Lin Xuan’s failure. At the end of the day, he had come for the sole purpose of watching Lin Xuan fail.

Once the Tripod Furnace was full of Phoenix Fire, Lin Xuan tossed the Chi Dragon Heavens Rod into it. The weapon was instantly engulfed by the flames. He then added the raw materials, which immediately began to melt.

This process was far slower than Alchemy, meaning the consumption of power was absolutely ferocious.

Time ticked by, yet the power of Lin Xuan’s flame showed no signs of weakening. It continued to surge forth at maximum intensity, keeping the melting speed at its optimal rate. This was also thanks to the Tripod Furnace, which perfectly contained the flame, preventing any of it from escaping.

Free-form Artifact Refining consumed even more Elemental Power, so he had to rely on the Tripod Furnace. Otherwise, repairing this Divine Artifact would be nearly impossible. This method was also much more stable.

Under the intense heat of his Phoenix Fire, the materials quickly melted and began to integrate with the Divine Artifact, starting the repair process. This stage was also slow, and the intensity of the fire could not be allowed to drop. Otherwise, the molten materials wouldn’t fuse completely with the weapon, merely clinging to its surface.

WHOOSH!

The Phoenix Fire didn’t weaken in the slightest; it continued to pour in at maximum intensity. This caused the onlookers’ expressions to shift. ‘Isn’t Lin Xuan’s Elemental Power a bit too abundant?’

Lin Xuan’s own Elemental Power wasn’t actually that immense. The key was the vast amount of Elemental Power stored within his Soul Pearl. As he wildly consumed his own reserves, the Soul Pearl rapidly replenished them, giving him a seemingly endless supply.

‘If I didn’t have this ace up my sleeve, I really wouldn’t dare attempt this,’ Lin Xuan thought. ‘Unless my cultivation was much higher, I know I couldn’t sustain this level of consumption on my own.’

Several days passed in the blink of an eye. The materials had completely fused with the Divine Artifact, plating its surface with a new red layer that filled in all the previous nicks and cracks.

“This kid’s reserves of Elemental Power are terrifying. To think he could make it this far… can his Elixir Core Pearl really store that much Elemental Power?” Bu Chi’s expression changed. He felt that Lin Xuan’s sustained output could rival that of a Core Formation Stage expert.

Bu Fantian was completely stunned, utterly intimidated by such terrifying endurance. Even if Lin Xuan ultimately failed, just reaching this stage was enough to prove he was on a level far above them.

“It truly is astonishing. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be worth getting to know…” Bu Qianfan said with a smile. If their standings weren’t comparable, he wouldn’t have bothered befriending Lin Xuan. It wasn’t that he looked down on those with lesser abilities; he simply didn’t have the time for such associations.

Lin Xuan paid no mind to their opinions. The moment the material fully integrated into the Chi Dragon Heavens Rod, smoothing over all its imperfections, his eyes lit up. With a swift wave of his hand, the flow of flame stopped, though the fire inside the Tripod Furnace continued to burn.

This action, however, made Bu Chi frown. ‘The Divine Artifact repair isn’t finished yet. There are still steps remaining. Is Lin Xuan planning to stop now?’

‘Has he run out of steam? Is it all going to fall apart now? It really feels like a strong start but a weak finish. As long as the process isn’t complete, it counts as a failure.’

“Heh, look at him trying to act tough. He should’ve known better than to show off if he didn’t have the skills…” Bu Fantian hated Lin Xuan to the core. After being so thoroughly embarrassed by him before, he certainly didn’t want to see Lin Xuan’s success continue.

But to everyone’s surprise, after stopping the flame, Lin Xuan opened the Tripod Furnace and drew out the weapon. The searing-hot Chi Dragon Heavens Rod flew out, its entire shaft glowing crimson. All the previous engravings and patterns had vanished, leaving only a plain red staff. The original patterns had long since been melted away.

This was mainly because the weapon no longer contained a soul, making it easy for the engravings to be erased. The beautiful dragon patterns on its surface were completely gone.

The instant it flew out, a glint flashed in Lin Xuan’s eyes. With a sudden WHOOSH from within his body, the Yulan Sacred Fire surged forth, enveloping the Chi Dragon Heavens Rod.

An extreme cold instantly filled the space, making everyone feel as though they had been plunged from the height of summer into the depths of a bitter winter!

As the onlookers stared, dumbfounded, the Yulan Sacred Fire erupted with incredible force, completely encasing the staff. The weapon itself was no longer visible, and all that could be felt was a terrifying, bone-chilling cold.

A moment later, Lin Xuan swiftly retracted the Yulan Sacred Fire. With a soft THUD, the staff fell into his hand.

The Chi Dragon Heavens Rod in his hand was no longer entirely crimson. It was now a staff of intermingling red and blue, the blue sections being the result of its complete fusion with the Yulan Sacred Fire.

He had completely reshaped its appearance. As he gripped it once more, he could feel a faint warmth and a faint coldness emanating from it simultaneously.