"The quality of this blade has exceeded my expectations, but it also nearly overwhelmed me. The reputation of ten thousand year old red copper is well-deserved. If it weren't for my knowledge of the secret method of refinement, using your essence blood for irrigation, and the fact that the red flame in my Nine Dragons Red Flame Cauldron is no ordinary spirit flame, I wouldn't have been able to successfully refine it. With the ten thousand year old red copper as the base, your essence blood as the guide, and the addition of a trace of the soul of a dragon spirit beast, the quality of this blade is now top-notch within the yellow tier. Take good care of it, and when it advances to the level of a divine artifact, it shouldn't take too long," Uncle Jiang said to Li Lin.
"Thank you, Uncle Jiang." Li Lin bowed deeply, remembering every bit of Uncle Jiang's kindness.
"This blade has not yet been named. You should give it a name," Uncle Jiang said to Li Lin.
"This blade was forged with my essence blood; let's call it Blood Slaughter," Li Lin said lightly.
"Blood Slaughter." Uncle Jiang smiled slightly and said, "What an arrogant and domineering name. Remember my words, don't engage in too much slaughter in the future, it will affect your cultivation."
"Yes, I'll remember that," Li Lin responded.
"This blade is now of the highest quality within the yellow tier, only a step away from the black tier. Do you know what this represents?" Uncle Jiang asked.
"Did you not notice anything when you used the blade just now?" Uncle Jiang asked with a slight smile.
"I felt like this blade could mobilize my true qi, making a single slash far more powerful than a palm strike," Li Lin pondered for a moment before saying.
"Correct, that's the power of a spirit weapon, especially since your Blood Slaughter is now your life-bound spirit weapon. Spirit weapons are crazily sought after by the strong because they can enhance attack power. A yellow-tier spirit weapon or soul weapon can almost double the strength of martial artists and spirit practitioners. That is to say, with the power of Blood Slaughter alone, one could contend against a martial artist of the second tier with the strength of a first-tier martial artist. If combined with martial skills, the effect is even more pronounced. The same martial skill, when performed with a common weapon and a spirit weapon, can differ in power by more than three times," Uncle Jiang explained.
"That powerful?" Li Lin was somewhat surprised.
"That's just a yellow-tier spirit weapon. With a black-tier spirit weapon, a first-tier martial artist could contend against a third-tier one. As for earth-tier spirit weapons, they could kill a third-tier martial artist and barely contend with a fourth-tier. If it reaches the level of a heavenly-tier spirit weapon, which is the so-called divine artifact level, a first-tier martial artist could contend with a fifth-tier martial artist, even kill them," Uncle Jiang said again, then smiled slightly, "But heavenly-tier spirit weapons are too rare, so rare that I've never seen one. Even if someone has the materials to forge a divine artifact, it's definitely not easy to make."
"Terrifying," Li Lin exclaimed. He was already at the peak of the third-tier martial artist level, and he estimated that with his enormous dantian qi sea, he could barely contend against an average fifth-tier martial artist. According to Uncle Jiang, if he combined his efforts with Blood Slaughter, even his own strength could kill a sixth-tier martial artist. And after Blood Slaughter advances to the black, earth, and even heavenly-tier divine artifact levels, that would be even more terrifying. But hearing Uncle Jiang say this, advancing to a heavenly-tier spirit weapon, to the level of a divine artifact, is definitely not going to be easy.
"Do you think spirit weapons are found everywhere in the world? Not to mention the materials for spirit weapons are extremely hard to find, even the spirit practitioners capable of forging spirit weapons aren't too many. That's why those strong ones are crazy about spirit weapons," Uncle Jiang glanced at Li Lin and said, "But enhancing strength several times is also true for martial generals, martial souls, and martial marshals. Once at the level of a martial king, the difference between each tier is like heaven and earth. Relying on spirit weapons to leapfrog challenges becomes extremely difficult."
Li Lin nodded slightly, understanding that the higher the level of strength, the bigger the gap naturally becomes.
"Having you forge the blade also has some special reasons. Here is a set of mid-tier black-level earth-series blade martial skills called Splitting Sky Nine Strikes. When you can practice up to the last strike, its power approaches that of a high-tier black-level martial skill, which is quite extraordinary. Your main attribute is earth, combined with your current cultivation of Blood Slaughter, the power will definitely not be weak," Uncle Jiang looked at Li Lin, then handed him a jade slip filled with a rich earth attribute aura.
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"Thank you, Uncle Jiang." Li Lin excitedly accepted the jade slip from Uncle Jiang. Nothing given by Uncle Jiang was ever of poor quality.
"It's been a month and a half since you left. Practice this martial skill when you have time. If you don't go back now, your mother and your little fiancée will start to worry," Uncle Jiang said to Li Lin with a slight smile.
"Hehe!" Li Lin chuckled as he emerged, having previously told his mother, Yun Hongling, Li Wushuang, and others that he would be gone for about a month. It ended up taking him one and a half months to refine the Blood Slaughter, and looking at the Blood Slaughter in his hands, Li Lin was overjoyed. He finally had a natal martial spirit weapon of his own.
Outside the canyon, as two figures leaped up, a Skywing Snow Lion was waiting in mid-air. At this moment, the aura of the Skywing Snow Lion had once again strengthened significantly, its wings spread out, directly shaking up the spatial airflow.
"Broken through to the mid-stage of the fourth order," Li Lin smiled slightly. A Martial Spirit Holy Fruit had allowed the Skywing Snow Lion to break through from the early stage of the fourth order to the mid-stage. Ever since the little dragon had consumed the Martial Spirit Holy Fruit, Li Lin felt that the breakthrough effect of the Martial Spirit Holy Fruit on demonic beasts seemed to be much weaker than on martial artists and spirit practitioners. If a martial artist consumed it, a single Martial Spirit Holy Fruit could be enough for a first-layer Martial Soul to break through to above the ninth layer, or perhaps even more. Initially, Du Gu Jingwen had taken a Martial Spirit Holy Fruit in a secret place and had broken through from a first-order Martial General to the peak of a second-order Martial General. Breaking through one order at the Martial General level meant advancing by a whole level at the Martial Soul level.
However, the effect of the Martial Spirit Holy Fruit, now stored in a jade box, had weakened somewhat. The effect was strongest when consumed immediately.
"Chi!" The little dragon spit out its tongue, a slight smile appearing in its small eyes, "Snow Lion, it's good that you've broken through. You can't fall too far behind me."
"Snow Lion, back to the Li family," Li Lin said.
"Yes, master," the Skywing Snow Lion responded, its massive body radiating a king's majesty, unmatched by ordinary demonic beasts, not even by the Nether Scale Demonic Peng, Blood Jade Tiger, Lunar Rabbit, or the Dual-Headed Water-Fire Serpent, despite these four also being extraordinary creatures.
"I wonder how many levels Li Xiaobai has broken through?" Li Lin mused atop the Skywing Snow Lion.
"Li Xiaobai's cultivation talent isn't that great, but over these three years, I've almost finished transforming his physique. Plus, with the Martial Spirit Holy Fruit you gave him, advancing to Martial King in the future isn't out of reach. But breaking through further will likely be much harder," Uncle Jiang spoke softly.
"Uncle Jiang, thank you for these past three years," Li Lin said, his eyes full of gratitude, knowing that Uncle Jiang had helped train Li Xiaobai because of him.
"What's there to thank for? That blockhead Li Xiaobai has wasted decades' worth of collected spiritual herbs, worth far beyond your imagination. Do you think he could have broken through to Martial Soul in three years with his talent alone? Someday, you owe me," Uncle Jiang glared at Li Lin.
"Uncle Jiang, whatever I have in the future is yours, including my life," Li Lin bowed deeply, grateful for Uncle Jiang's help over the past three years. Having mistakenly consumed two spiritual pills, he had become a Yin-Yang body, facing death. If not for Uncle Jiang, he would have died long ago. His current strength and the Yin-Yang Martial Spirit Art he practiced were all thanks to Uncle Jiang.
"When did you start with this? I'm not swayed by such talk. Hurry back. The Li family will likely see some excitement soon. It seems I can't stay with the Li family much longer," Uncle Jiang stretched on the back of the Skywing Snow Lion, his previously energetic appearance now reverted to his old and tired demeanor.
"Uncle Jiang, is something going to happen to the Li family?" Li Lin asked, puzzled.
"Probably. I've been with your Li family for over thirty years. Since twenty years ago, your Li family has been a mix of dragons and snakes, quite the spectacle. It won't be long before a big drama unfolds. Be careful then," Uncle Jiang spoke lightly.
"Li Wushuang, why hasn't that thief returned yet? He said he would be in seclusion for a month, but now it's been one and a half months," Yun Hongling expressed her worries to Li Wushuang in the Li family courtyard.
"Lin'er has the little dragon by his side; he shouldn't run into any trouble unless..." Li Wushuang frowned, her worries growing.
"Could it be the Zhao family has sent another strong person?" Yun Hongling's beautiful face darkened.
"Don't worry, the young master will be fine," said Li Xiaobai in the courtyard, the only one who knew the young master was out with Uncle Jiang, so the chance of encountering danger was not great.
"Xiaobai, you should still send someone to look for Lin'er," Luo Lan said, hearing Yun Hongling and Li Wushuang's concerns, her own worries intensifying.
"Mother, no need to look for me, I'm back," Li Lin's figure appeared in the courtyard as his voice fell.
"I told you the young master would be fine," Li Xiaobai said.
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