Chapter 668: Third Heavenly Recognition of a Master

The Ice Rain Sword, though a mid-grade spiritual weapon, had a low melting point due to its cold attribute.

Upgrading a weapon involves fusing one or several rare materials into an existing finished product, and the most taboo thing is to let the original weapon melt.

Because once it melts and loses its form, it is equivalent to reforging, making the difficulty more than double.

Luo Qiqi kept increasing the flame temperature, multitasking without careful observation, never dreaming that in the few moments she added some herbs, the Ice Rain Sword here was about to melt!

Once it melted, its original properties would be completely lost—how could she still refine it?

It was easy to upgrade a peak mid-grade spiritual weapon to high grade, but to forge a high-grade weapon from scratch... she couldn't do it even if her life depended on it!

Just as she was at a loss, she heard Master Zhang's voice continue: "Add one drop of Purple Star Herb liquid to the Ice Rain Sword!"

"Purple Star Herb liquid? Good... Huh?"

Taking out the liquid, Luo Qiqi was about to put it into the alchemy furnace when she suddenly froze, almost going crazy: "Put it on the Ice Rain Sword?"

What kind of operation was this?

The Ice Rain Sword was for weapon forging; Purple Star Herb liquid was for alchemy!

Adding medicinal liquid to a weapon? It was like adding minced meat and ketchup to molten iron when casting a wok—are you sure this is forging, not barbecue?

Was he sure he hadn't said the wrong place?

"Yes, and be quick!" Zhang Xuan's voice was urgent.

"Alright!"

With a flick of her brow, she twisted her wrist, and the liquid fell onto the already melting Ice Rain Sword.

Sizzle!

A sound like meat frying arose, and the liquid flowed along the longsword, turning into a white mist that emitted a rich fragrance.

"So fragrant..."

Smelling this scent, Luo Qiqi couldn't help sniffing.

Admittedly, the roasted Purple Star Herb smelled quite good—maybe she should consider getting some to eat later...

As she was pondering, she felt the ground shake beneath her feet, and she became a bit dizzy.

"Oh no!"

Her heart tightened, and her pupils contracted.

Purple Star Herb was a rare broad-leafed medicinal herb covered in purple spots, hence its name. This herb had the effect of neutralizing other herbs, but used alone, it had mild toxicity that could cause hallucinations and dizziness!

She had only noticed the pleasant smell and forgotten this point!

Now, at the critical moment of alchemy and forging, if she fainted, without a doubt, the furnace would explode!

Being killed by both the alchemy furnace and the forging furnace exploding at the same time... this would probably be a first in the entire Hongyuan Empire in ten thousand years!

Frustrated, her eyelids kept drooping, and she couldn't open them no matter how hard she tried, on the verge of falling into a deep sleep.

"Oh no!"

Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

He had considered many possibilities but never imagined that this Luo Qiqi would be so careless as to be knocked out by Purple Star Herb.

A five-star alchemist, yet so lax!

Actually, it wasn't entirely Luo Qiqi's fault for not being on guard. Purple Star Herb was rare, and even when it appeared, it was used to neutralize other herbs, so its own effects were often forgotten.

Moreover, multitasking between forging and alchemy, distracted, she naturally didn't have time to discern and fell victim.

Once Luo Qiqi fainted, Zhang Xuan, though possessing forging and alchemy theories, couldn't refine—now, an explosion was inevitable!

Should he... remove the formation and lure the puppet over to be blown up?

But he couldn't control the timing or power of the explosion. If the blast was too strong, he might be killed on the spot, and even if he survived, the cave might collapse, burying him hundreds of meters underground—he probably wouldn't survive!

Most importantly, that puppet had astonishing defense. Although these two explosions were powerful, they probably wouldn't inflict fatal damage on it.

Gurgle, gurgle!

Just as he was anxiously about to rush over and wake Luo Qiqi, he saw the alchemy furnace boiling again, with狂暴气流肆虐, on the verge of exploding!

The Cyclic Alchemy Method kept the furnace constantly on the brink of explosion, about to blow.

Luo Qiqi's fainting had delayed at least two breaths; if she didn't add the herbs soon, it would be too late.

Even if he knew alchemy and rushed over to add the herbs, it would probably be too late!

"Continue adding Red Leaf Beard to the furnace..."

In desperation, he couldn't help shouting again, unconsciously incorporating the Heavenly Voice of the Master.

Whoosh!

The unconscious Luo Qiqi, without pause, lightly grabbed the Red Leaf Beard and tossed it in.

Splash!

The herbs entered the furnace, and the imminent explosion was once again averted.

"This..."

Blinking, Zhang Xuan was stunned, then nearly jumped with excitement.

Why hadn't he thought of using the Heavenly Voice of the Master in his desperation earlier?

The Heavenly Voice of the Master, as long as it conformed to natural laws and heavenly principles, could make the other person unconsciously follow his verbal instructions. Now, though Luo Qiqi was semi-conscious, it didn't prevent him from using the Heavenly Voice to make her body continue alchemy!

Moreover, alchemy this way, without emotional fluctuations, yielded even better results!

"Place the Cold Cyan Stone and the Ice Rain Sword together, and continue using the Bamboo Drawing technique to add another Ice Yin Cold Herb to the alchemy furnace..."

With the first success, Zhang Xuan continued with the Heavenly Voice of the Master.

Luo Qiqi had previously struggled to multitask, but now under the Heavenly Voice, her left and right hands worked separately, one forging and one alchemizing, unaffected.

Efficiency more than doubled.

Sizzle!

The Cold Cyan Stone and the Ice Rain Sword placed together emitted a "sizzle" as they began to fuse.

Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow: "Take out the longsword and use the Layered Hammering technique to hammer it seven hundred and seventy-nine times!"

Hearing the instruction, Luo Qiqi's left hand flicked, and the longsword flipped onto a nearby stone platform. Her hand grabbed the forging hammer prepared by Wu Yangzi and began hammering continuously.

"Add Xu Flower Stem and Bao Xing Juice to the furnace, increase the flame by thirty percent, and use the Falling Clear Hand to shake the furnace seven times!"

He continued instructing.

Clatter, clatter!

Luo Qiqi followed his words meticulously and strictly.

Everyone has a fear of difficulty. Luo Qiqi had never simultaneously performed alchemy and forging. Seeing the furnace about to explode, fear would naturally arise in her heart. If she allowed such thoughts to grow, simultaneous refining would be very difficult to accomplish.

No one expected that accidentally ingesting Purple Star Herb and falling unconscious during the process would actually increase her efficiency.

Zhang Xuan spoke faster and faster, and Luo Qiqi's movements became more and more smooth. The two cooperated seamlessly, as if the former were personally refining.

Though the furnace was turbulent and on the verge of exploding, it always hovered at the critical point, remaining safe.

The Ice Rain Sword, fused with Cold Cyan Stone and Purple Star Herb, regained its longsword form under hammering, appearing even sharper.

"Good, open the furnace!"

After an unknown time, Zhang Xuan suddenly raised an eyebrow, pushed his mental state to the limit, and called out softly.

Whoosh!

Luo Qiqi's right hand grabbed the furnace lid, opening it. The previously thick medicinal power instantly condensed, on the verge of forming pills.

"Put the Ice Rain Sword into the furnace!"

Zhang Xuan continued.

Hearing the instruction, the girl subconsciously tossed the longsword in.

Hum!

A sharp ring, like a dragon's roar, sounded, and the entire cave echoed with a clear, pleasant sound, intoxicating.

Whoosh!

Then, the longsword just placed in the furnace flew out again, hovering in the air, shaking incessantly like a bird escaping its cage, emitting an excited long cry.

Streams of cold light radiated from the sword body, flowing with brilliance, giving a sense of cutting metal and breaking jade, so sharp it seemed to pierce one's eyes.

"Come here!"

Beckoning with his hand, the longsword immediately flew over and landed in his palm.

Looking down, this Ice Rain Sword was still the same size as before, its length unchanged, but it appeared thinner and lighter. The previously smooth, shiny surface was now covered with stars, like the patterns on Purple Star Herb, or as if containing the stars of heaven and earth, giving a special charm.

He lightly flicked the sword body, and the longsword rose like a swimming dragon, emitting a pleasant long ring, as if it would transform into a giant dragon at any moment, galloping across heaven and earth, slaying filth.

"This is... half-step saint grade?"

His pupils contracted, and Zhang Xuan was stunned.

After studying the six volumes of Heavenly Dao Forging, he had gained a high level of discernment for weapons. Even without the library, he could tell that this Ice Rain Sword had clearly surpassed the limit of top-grade spiritual and reached half-step saint grade!

Weapons were divided into five grades: divine, saint, spiritual, ghost, and mortal.

Half-step saint grade, though not truly "saint," had still broken free from the shackles of spiritual grade and reached another level!

A weapon of this level was difficult even for a peak six-star forger like Wu Yangzi to forge successfully!

Unless one reached the seven-star level!

That is to say, using the Heavenly Voice of the Master and through Luo Qiqi's hands, he had actually forged a half-step saint weapon—if this got out, it would scare countless people to death!

A weapon of this level was rare and countable even in the Hongyuan Empire.

Terrifying!

Turning his wrist, he put away the longsword and turned to look at Luo Qiqi.

She was now sitting cross-legged on the ground, eyes tightly shut, seemingly immersed in some kind of enlightenment.

Though she had been unconscious earlier, the experience of simultaneously forging and alchemizing with both hands under the Heavenly Voice of the Master had remained in her heart, forming muscle memory.

In the future, her understanding of both alchemy and forging would increase again, reaching a higher realm.

"Her fainting earlier should have put her in a state of no thought, no idea. This way, whether it's true qi circulation or muscle memory, the memory is deeper, and the effect is even greater than the guidance at the Alchemist Guild before!"

Looking at her, Zhang Xuan pondered.

"It seems the Heavenly Voice of the Master can not only teach students cultivation and let them practice autonomously but also temper their minds, allowing better progress!"

"People have laziness and fear of difficulty. If kind words can't make them learn, they must be forced to act, forming muscle memory and true qi circulation. Even without supervision later, they can practice on their own..."

A sudden enlightenment struck him, and the entire underground palace shook. A special aura descended from the void, completely enveloping Zhang Xuan!

Third Heavenly Recognition of a Master.