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Extraordinary Journey
Chapter 4:Artifact

Chapter 4:Artifact

The anxious shopkeeper from the clothing store followed Zhang Lei, silently praying and beseeching the gods: "My money, may the Bodhisattva bless me!"

Cheng Zizhong introduced, "This is the best and largest silver house in our city, Zhao's Jewelry House. Don't stand there staring, go inside and greet them."

The shopkeeper from the clothing store hurriedly ran inside and shouted, "Master Zhao, I have brought an esteemed guest for you. Please come out and welcome them."

"Oh, it's you, Fat Qi. Slow down, don't trip. Who is the distinguished guest visiting?" A slender and energetic middle-aged man welcomed them with a warm tone. "Isn't this Master Cheng? You're a busy person, how do you have time to visit my humble shop!" His tone was enthusiastic.

"Old monkey, can't I come and have some fun?"

Cheng Zizhong also had a smile on his face, pointing at Zhang Lei and saying, "I've brought a big customer with me. How will you thank me?" While introducing Zhang Lei, he said, "This is Zhao Degui from Zhao's Jewelry House, renowned in Hanlin City. He is known by everyone from all walks of life. He even has jewelry shops in the capital." He continued, "And this is Zhang Lei, a prominent figure who just arrived in Hanlin. Please get acquainted. Hey, old monkey, why don't you invite Zhang Lei inside?"

Zhao Degui nodded and bowed, leading the group into the inner hall and seating them for tea.

With the chief steward from the Prefect's Office personally accompanying him, it was evident that Zhang Lei was an important customer. Zhao Degui joyfully attended to them, offering his hospitality. The four young girls, whom Zhang Lei referred to as sisters, brought out some refreshments to accompany their conversation.

"Our shop has recently received a batch of gold and silver jewelry. Does Mr. Zhang practice martial arts? I just acquired three top-grade immortal stones from the capital. Take a look!" Zhao Degui asked.

Zhang Lei nodded and placed two palm-sized exquisite jade pieces, a top-grade Rain Bi stone, and four diamonds of varying sizes on the tea table. He asked, "Old Zhao, take a look, are these valuable?"

Cheng Zizhong was the first to notice, and he took in a sharp breath, exclaiming, "Top-grade immortal stones, jade, and gemstones! Oh my! Old monkey, take a look!" His voice changed in astonishment.

While Zhao Degui was busy calling the shop assistants to bring out more jewelry, he was startled by Cheng Zizhong's reaction. He turned his head and saw the items on the tea table, leaving him dumbfounded. Despite running a jewelry business for so long, he had never seen such exquisite gemstones.

The chubby shopkeeper from the clothing store, whose eyes were usually squinted into narrow slits, suddenly widened with greed. His eyes gleamed with avarice as he wiped his mouth and repeated in his mind, "Benevolent Bodhisattva, show me mercy. I have climbed onto the path of wealth. The price I quoted was too low."

With a gentle tap on the tea table, Zhang Lei cleared his throat and chuckled inwardly, "Ha! When I held these stones in my hands, I wasn't even that excited. They are just a few pieces of rock."

Zhang Lei embarked on his cultivation journey from the Fusion Period. With the initial advantage of the Purple Flame Heart, which was essentially an unconscious Nascent Soul, he started by filling in the missing parts of his cultivation. Naturally, his mindset would change along with his progress.

"Quick, bring the old master!" Zhao Degui excitedly instructed the assistants.

"He is a cultivator, a renowned semi-immortal, and the true patriarch behind this place. He is quite formidable," Cheng Zizhong quietly informed Zhang Lei.

Zhao Degui picked up the Rain Bi stone and said, "This is the first time I've seen such a top-grade immortal stone." He carefully examined it and continued, "This Rain Bi stone is worth at least a hundred thousand taels of silver, and the price would be even higher in the capital."

"The old master has arrived," one of the assistants reported.

An elderly man of tall stature entered the room, his snow-white hair neatly combed on top of his head. His two prominent eyebrows resembled unsheathed swords, and his wide mouth featured a well-groomed steel needle-like beard. The old man exuded a sense of magnanimity, and Zhang Lei immediately developed a favorable impression upon seeing him.

As soon as Zhao's grandfather entered, his gaze locked onto Zhang Lei, not shifting elsewhere even for a moment. He seemed oblivious to Cheng Zizhong's greetings.

Zhao Degui panicked as he had never seen such an expression from his grandfather before. It was a strange mixture of crying and smiling. Zhao Degui called out, "Father, father, what's the matter with you?"

Zhao's grandfather waved his hand to silence Zhao Degui and asked, "Have you 'fused' already? Hmm, doesn't seem like it... You..." He even used honorific language, his tone respectful and fearful.

Zhang Lei was momentarily stunned but quickly reacted. Cheng Zizhong had just mentioned that he was a cultivator. He smiled and uttered two words, "Nascent Soul."

The entire room fell into bewilderment, unable to comprehend the conversation between the two.

With a "thud," Zhao's grandfather knelt down on the ground, touching his forehead to the floor. He said, "Please enlighten me, Master, guide me through this path. I initiated my 'divine light' just two years ago, but I seem to have hit a plateau recently. Please, Master, take me as your disciple."

Zhao Degui was dumbfounded. If his father was kneeling, he couldn't remain standing either. With a subsequent series of "thud" sounds, the assistants, seeing the head of the household kneeling, followed suit and knelt down as well.

Zhang Lei couldn't bear to witness this. Besides paying respects to ancestors and deities, who would kneel before a living person in modern China?

As soon as he stood up, there was a loud thud sound next to him, startling Zhang Lei. Who made such a loud noise, like throwing a huge cow? He looked down and saw the chubby shopkeeper from the clothing store also kneeling on the ground. Zhang Lei suppressed his laughter and said, "Get up, all of you. Otherwise, I'll leave."

Approaching Zhao's grandfather, Zhang Lei tried to help him up. Unexpectedly, the old man was stubborn and refused to stand, continuously pleading, "Master, have mercy! Master, have mercy!"

Zhang Lei sighed helplessly and said, "Alright, alright, I have mercy. Please get up quickly." He thought to himself, "Is it necessary to go to such lengths for cultivation?" He didn't know that on this planet, cultivating was such a difficult task. Apart from expending energy, it required a substantial amount of money to purchase immortal stones and seek guidance from experienced masters. If one didn't achieve the Nascent Soul stage in their lifetime, all their efforts would be in vain.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"Master, please have a seat," Zhao's grandfather respectfully said.

Zhang Lei exclaimed, "No, no, I dare not accept you as my disciple. Please, don't kneel anymore. How about we exchange knowledge instead?" He thought to himself, "I'm just selling gemstones, and now I've ended up with a disciple older than my father. How am I going to make a living?"

Cheng Zizhong wasn't surprised that Zhao's grandfather wanted to become Zhang Lei's disciple. After all, it was common for the accomplished to become teachers, and it wasn't a shameful matter. What puzzled him was that Zhang Lei seemed afraid whenever someone knelt before him. Seeing Zhang Lei decline, Cheng Zizhong smilingly intervened, "Allow me to speak, everyone. It seems that Lord Li is not inclined to take on disciples."

Zhang Lei vigorously nodded his head and said, "Yes, that's right."

"But Zhao's grandfather is determined to become your disciple," Cheng Zizhong continued.

Anxiously, Zhao's grandfather said, "Don't call me Zhao's grandfather, call me Zhao Hao. Honorable Master, you must accept me as your disciple, I implore you sincerely." His resolute attitude sent shivers down Zhang Lei's spine.

"In that case, let Zhao Hao become Lord Li's formally registered disciple. How about that?" Cheng Zizhong proposed.

After a heated argument, Zhao Hao finally achieved his wish. This elderly man in his seventies became Zhang Lei's first officially registered disciple.

Upon Zhang Lei's insistence, the gemstones on the tea table were given as gifts to Zhao Hao and his family, while the Rain Bi stone was gifted to Zhao Hao for his cultivation. The silver from the silver shop settled the accounts with the clothing store. Zhang Lei generously gave the cloak to Cheng Zizhong and selected some jewelry and accessories for the four little sisters.

Zhang Lei was well aware that "harmony among people" was essential in any setting.

After staying for only one night in the magistrate's guest room, Zhang Lei requested to move to an inn. It wasn't that he had any complaints about Feng Kaiyun, but he simply wanted to learn more about the local customs and culture. He couldn't experience much within the confines of the magistrate's office.

Through Cheng Zizhong's mediation, Feng Kaiyun reluctantly agreed. Before leaving, Zhang Lei gave many gifts to Feng Kaiyun, Cheng Zizhong, and the four little maidservants. Feng Kaiyun was pleasantly surprised by the gifts, not because of the items themselves, but because he could sense that Zhang Lei had no ill intentions towards him.

Zhao Hao, the old disciple, did his utmost to invite Zhang Lei to the silver shop. Zhang Lei also wanted to leverage his experience and inquire about the situation of the Tian Ting Star. Additionally, he hoped to find a peaceful place to cultivate some much-needed artifacts. Thus, he followed Zhao Hao to the silver shop.

Zhao Hao was overjoyed and became extremely busy in the silver shop. He not only cleared the entire backyard but also specially found several maids and servants to serve Zhang Lei. After finishing all the tasks, he followed closely behind Zhang Lei, eagerly awaiting his teachings.

That evening, Zhang Lei began cultivating his first weapon. When he returned to his residence with the collected materials and tools, Zhao Hao insisted on staying and refused to leave the room. He dismissed the maids and servants and closed the door, standing devoutly by the side, gazing intently at Zhang Lei.

Zhang Lei was both amused and exasperated, but he didn't have the heart to drive him away.

First, he set up a defensive formation in the room and activated it with his true elemental force to ensure its accuracy. Then he explained to Zhao Hao the method of entering and exiting, instructing him to stand at the Kun position of the defensive formation. Once the cultivation began, the temperature within the defensive formation would be unbearable for Zhao Hao, except for the Yin corner of the Kun position, which would remain unaffected. After all the preparations were completed, Zhang Lei started his first cultivation session.

Zhang Lei decided to start by cultivating a protective gear, a wrist shield, a handheld crossbow, and a long spear.

All three items were already in the bracelet left by Fu Shan, but they were still unfinished prototypes, lacking the final touch. Zhang Lei decided to complete these three items first and accumulate some experience since crafting artifacts was still a new endeavor for him.

He took off his clothes and remained only in his underpants. He took out the protective gear, a small diamond-shaped arm shield measuring only thirty centimeters, silver in color with no patterns on it. He glanced at Zhao Hao and reminded him, "While I'm crafting, please don't disturb me. Just watch."

Zhao Hao had not reached this stage in his cultivation and didn't know how to practice. He couldn't help but feel nervous.

The Starry Sky Inner Armor emerged from Zhang Lei's body, and Zhao Hao suddenly understood why he had to take off his clothes. The underpants immediately turned into ashes, and a purple light illuminated the entire room. The small silver shield floated in mid-air, and two purple flames shot out from Zhang Lei's hands, continuously burning.

Zhao Hao was astonished. This was the Samadhi True Fire, also known as the Heart Fire. Only those who had reached the Nascent Soul stage possessed such formidable true elemental force. He thought to himself, "So, Master has already cultivated his Nascent Soul and become a divine being."

Zhao Hao was actually quite ignorant of the cultivation world. Cultivators in the realm of cultivation never considered themselves divine beings. Moreover, there were countless cultivators who had reached the Nascent Soul stage. Most of them chose to retreat from the secular world and cultivate in seclusion. Tian Ting Star was not a planet where cultivators gathered. The true cultivation-focused planets, such as the Feng Yuan Star where Fu Shan resided, were more common. Zhang Lei's appearance here could only be considered an accident.

Zhang Lei's consciousness was completely immersed in the small silver shield. He discovered that there was a small defensive formation inside it, devoid of any energy. Since the manufacturing method was recorded in the Jade Eye Manual, it wasn't difficult for him. After careful adjustment, Zhang Lei began infusing energy into it.

Due to Zhang Lei's foundation as the Purple Flame Heart, which had a fiery attribute, it greatly aided him in artifact refinement. Artifact refinement had two methods: "Craft Refinement" and "Mind Refinement," and the difference between the two was like night and day. "Craft Refinement" utilized tools as the cauldron and immortal stones as the base fire, using true elemental force to control the refinement process. "Mind Refinement," on the other hand, used the heavens and earth as the cauldron and employed the Samadhi True Fire along with true elemental force to refine the artifact. It was the supreme method for crafting top-quality artifacts.

As Zhang Lei's foundation was the Purple Flame Heart, which had a strong affinity for fire, it greatly benefited his artifact refinement. Refinement techniques could be categorized into "Craft Refinement" and "Mind Refinement," with a stark contrast between the two. "Craft Refinement" relied on tools as the cauldron and immortal stones as the base fire, using true elemental force to control the process. "Mind Refinement," however, utilized the heavens and earth as the cauldron, employing the Samadhi True Fire in conjunction with true elemental force to refine the artifact. It was the supreme method for crafting exceptional artifacts.

The energy gradually filled the silver shield. Zhang Lei used the "Severing Mantra" to separate the true elemental force, the "Stabilizing Mantra" to seal the formation, and the "Transforming Mantra" to allow the formation to flow slowly within the silver shield. Although he wasn't very proficient, he successfully completed the process.

Zhang Lei had a brilliant idea and decided to add another formation inside the silver shield, an offensive formation.

At this moment, he realized the importance of the storage bracelet. One by one, immortal stones emerged from his hand and were thrown into the silver shield. They consisted of four water-type immortal stones for their softness, two gold-type immortal stones for their sharpness, and one fire-type immortal stone for its explosive properties. As it was his first time crafting, there were inevitable bumps and modifications, but he finally completed it.

After finishing the core part, Zhang Lei decided to make the appearance of the silver shield more aesthetically pleasing. The first image that came to his mind was that of a "dragon." After all, the dragon totem was deeply rooted in the hearts of every descendant. Zhang Lei felt that a dragon-faced shield would be perfect.

Using the Samadhi True Fire to forge the shield's surface turned out to be extremely easy. Whatever he imagined in his mind, the shield's surface transformed accordingly. Zhang Lei also crafted the edges of the silver shield to resemble flames and added some golden and silver threads as embellishments. Finally, he successfully completed his masterpiece.

His old disciple, Zhao Hao, felt like he had opened his eyes to a whole new world. Despite guarding the shield for seven days and nights, he was still filled with immense joy.

Zhang Lei opened his eyes and looked at the arm shield in his hand, a proud expression on his face.

The thirty-centimeter silver arm shield had undergone a transformation. The silver color now had a golden-purple hue. The embossed dragon on the shield's surface slightly protruded, its teeth and claws ready to take flight. The fiery edges of the shield seemed to be truly ablaze. Even Zhang Lei himself couldn't help but be amazed and doubtful, thinking, "Could I really have crafted such a beautiful arm shield? It's hard to believe."

With a raise of his hand, the arm shield automatically attached itself to his left arm. He immediately felt a fusion between himself and the shield. As long as he activated his true elemental force, the formations within the shield would immediately activate. Zhang Lei was eager to test its power and looked at Zhao Hao with a joyful smile.

His old disciple, Zhao Hao, gripped his renowned weapon, the "Gale Blade," exerting eighty percent of his true strength, and shouted, "Watch my blade!"

The Gale Blade sliced through the air, emitting a sharp sound that made one's scalp tingle. Zhang Lei followed his thoughts, and the protective formation of the arm shield began to activate. A purple-golden dragon coiled around his body, and the offensive formation also activated. "Ping... Boom..."

The Gale Blade shattered.

Zhang Lei inwardly exclaimed in alarm and quickly retracted the offensive formation. With a swift movement, he grabbed Zhao Hao by the collar and flung him away. "That was close! So close! He almost got himself killed. It would be such a joke if the first disciple I refined with my first arm shield ended up dead. Ridiculous!"

Zhao Hao's strike was like hitting a steel pillar, and what terrified him was that the steel pillar seemed to counterattack. As the Gale Blade shattered, the recoil force caused his entire arm to go numb, and blood gushed from his tiger's mouth. Helplessly, he watched the purple-golden dragon pounce towards him and thought, "It's over." Suddenly, he felt a tight grip on his collar, and he soared away as if riding on clouds.

Sitting on the ground, Zhao Hao was filled with mixed emotions. "My martial arts skills are outstanding even in the 'Green Basin' of the Three Kingdoms. No matter how you look at it, I'm considered a master. Yet, when the master just used a small arm shield for a test, I couldn't even land a single strike. If it weren't for the master's intervention, it would have been unimaginable."

Zhang Lei felt guilty and helped Zhao Hao up, saying, "Aiya, I've damaged your weapon. How about this, I'll refine a new one for you as compensation."

Zhao Hao was both shocked and delighted. A weapon bestowed by the master must be a treasure of the immortal realm. "Thank you, Master. Does your arm shield have a name?" Seeing Zhang Lei shaking his head, he continued, "I have a name in mind. I wonder if Master would like it?"

Curiously, Zhang Lei asked, "Tell me."

"Let's call it the 'Crimson Flame Dragon Shield,' how about that?"

Zhang Lei applauded loudly and exclaimed, "Great! I like it. Let's call it the 'Crimson Flame Dragon Shield,' haha."