Chapter 744: Charging Toward Six-Star Artifact Refiner

"It's definitely too late..."

Forging a weapon blank, like alchemy, requires countless days and nights of practice to master. With only a little over half an hour left, learning on the spot was certainly impossible.

"Right, if it really won't work, I can just hammer the iron disc into a hammer! That's much simpler than swords or other weapons..."

Rubbing his brow, worried about what to do, his eyes suddenly lit up.

There are many types of weapons. Swords, blades, and the like are constrained by their shapes, making forging complex. But a hammer is simple to craft!

With just a few strikes on the "iron disc" he had made earlier, he could succeed!

"Let's do it!"

With a slight smile, he stood up and continued, "I'll take the six-star artifact refiner exam!"

Buzz!

The scene before him shifted, and a more spacious location appeared.

Countless rare ores and metals, hard to find in reality, lay not far away.

Based on his understanding and knowledge of artifact refining, Zhang Xuan selected several dozen types and approached the furnace again.

Whoosh!

Flames blazed, and refining began!

...

Outside the Artifact Sea, Yuan Hong and the others waited.

After all the commotion, it was already late at night, but no one seemed inclined to leave.

This fellow named Zhang Xuan had caused such a mess in the guild, yet Vice Dean Yuan Hong not only didn't blame him but also let him take the artifact refiner exam, piquing the curiosity of all the master teachers.

Everyone wanted to see just who this person was, capable of making a six-star peak artifact refiner change his attitude.

"What star do you think he can pass?"

"Do you even need to ask? With only two hours, passing one star would be good enough!"

"Even if he's talented, refines very fast, and has abundant true energy, two stars is the limit. Three stars is absolutely impossible!"

"Right, artifact refining isn't like other professions. Just forging a weapon blank takes a very long time. It's not something you can speed up just because you're capable!"

...

Everyone lowered their voices.

This guy had come claiming to take the five-star artifact refiner exam, so he should have the ability to forge a peak spiritual-grade mid-rank weapon. However, the Artifact Sea exam had a time limit; two hours was too short. Passing one star would be good, two stars... extremely difficult!

Charging higher was even less possible!

Thus, not only did Yuan Hong think he couldn't pass the five-star exam today, but everyone present felt the same.

Just hammering an iron block into the shape of a sword or blade was hard to accomplish in two hours, let alone the fusion and quenching.

For someone who had never taken an artifact refiner exam before, jumping two stars in one go would be an unprecedented feat.

"Look, the dean is coming..."

"Not just the dean, but also Vice Dean Xiong and the others... Why are they all here?"

"They probably heard about what happened. With such a big incident, they'd definitely come to see."

Just as everyone was wondering whether that guy could pass two stars, a series of voices rang out. Looking up, they saw several elders striding over.

It was the dean of the Artifact Refining Academy, Zhao Bingxu, one of the Ten Great Master Teachers.

Behind him followed three elders, the other three vice deans of the academy.

After finishing the marrow cleansing for Luo Qiqi and the others, they had come over to see if this selfless "meritorious figure" could pass the five-star artifact refiner exam.

"Dean!"

Having guessed the dean would come, Yuan Hong clasped his fists.

"Mm, how is it? Has he started the five-star exam? According to the time, it should be almost over, right?" Zhao Bingxu smiled as he looked over.

"Five-star exam, well..."

Yuan Hong looked a bit embarrassed.

"What's wrong? Isn't that Master Teacher Zhang taking the exam?" Zhao Bingxu asked, puzzled.

"He is taking the exam, but... Master Teacher Zhang has never taken a rank exam before. He should be... taking the one-star exam now!" Yuan Hong said.

"Never taken an artifact refiner exam?"

Not only Zhao Bingxu was stunned, but the other three vice deans were also taken aback.

If he hadn't even passed the one-star exam, why was he here to take the five-star?

"Yes!" Yuan Hong nodded. "When he went in, he seemed to want to pass one star within two hours and then continue to two stars. Now we just don't know if he succeeded!"

That guy had specifically asked before entering whether he could take the two-star exam, so he must have been prepared. The question was whether he could get the desired result.

"Whether he succeeded... that's simple. Let's just check!"

Zhao Bingxu smiled.

"Check? The Artifact Sea hasn't stopped. How can we check?"

Yuan Hong was startled.

Until the Artifact Sea stopped and the person inside came out, there was no way to know the result. Otherwise, they wouldn't be waiting here idly.

"It's indeed impossible to see if he passed the exam, but... we can try to apply for the rank badge! As long as the one-star badge appears, it means he passed the one-star exam!"

Zhao Bingxu stroked his beard.

"That... right! Why didn't I think of that..."

Yuan Hong slapped his thigh and laughed too.

Passing the Artifact Sea exam didn't mean getting the rank badge inside; it was applied for outside after coming out. As long as the exam was passed inside, the badge would appear outside upon application.

Now that Zhang Xuan hadn't come out, they indeed didn't know if he had passed, but they could test it by applying for the badge!

If the one-star badge could be successfully applied, it meant he passed the one-star exam. Since he hadn't come out yet, he must be charging for two stars...

It was that simple!

"Let me try!"

Having decided on the method, Yuan Hong stepped forward to the portal for applying badges in the Artifact Sea and pressed his palm lightly on it.

A flash of light, a tremor, and a badge immediately fell out from the gap in the door.

"Oh? He passed the one-star exam..."

Taking the badge, Yuan Hong glanced at it and couldn't help but be startled.

It was indeed Zhang Xuan's one-star artifact refiner badge.

The badge coming out meant the person inside had passed the one-star exam.

"He passed the one-star exam, so he should be taking the two-star now..." Zhao Bingxu nodded.

"Yes, and it's almost two hours now. Let me try if he passed two stars..."

Seeing that the guy had indeed passed one star within two hours, Yuan Hong was slightly surprised. Smiling, he pressed his palm on the portal again.

Buzz!

Another flash of light, and another badge fell out.

"This... is two-star? He passed two-star too?"

Catching it hastily, Yuan Hong was stunned.

In his view, passing one exam within two hours was already good. Even if there was time to charge for another, it would be hard to complete. But this guy not only succeeded but also finished two stars... Was it real?

"He passed two-star?"

Not only was he surprised, but Zhao Bingxu was also taken aback. He came over, picked up the badge, and saw that it indeed bore Zhang Xuan's name. That meant within two hours, this guy had not only passed one star but also completed two stars!

"He passed two stars... and still hasn't come out? Could it be that he wants to charge for three stars in one go?"

His eyes widened.

He passed two stars but hadn't come out. Didn't that mean he was still charging for a higher level?

Within two hours, he passed two stars successfully and still had energy to charge higher... How did this guy do it?

"It's possible, but in such a short time, three stars definitely can't succeed..."

Yuan Hong shook his head.

He knew very well the complexity of artifact refining.

Even he, when forging a ghost-grade low-rank weapon, needed a considerable amount of time. Completing two pieces in two hours would already be incredibly impressive. More... was absolutely impossible!

The other party had passed one-star and two-star, meaning he had forged at least two weapons. How could he be faster than him and succeed in forging a third?

"Whether he succeeded or not, let's find out..."

Interrupting him, Zhao Bingxu stepped forward and pressed on the portal.

Buzz!

Another flash, and another badge fell.

"This... is three-star?"

Not only Yuan Hong was startled, but even Zhao Bingxu was stunned.

Forging three weapons in two hours, advancing from apprentice to three-star artifact refiner... Wasn't this speed a bit too exaggerated?

"Could it be..."

The two exchanged glances, both startled. Yuan Hong couldn't help but press again.

Clatter!

Another badge fell.

"Four-star... He really intends to charge for five-star artifact refiner within two hours..."

Swallowing saliva, Yuan Hong's voice was dry.

When this guy said he wanted to take the five-star exam, he had dismissed it as nonsense, thinking it impossible within a day. Never in his dreams did he expect it to actually happen!

The four-star badge appeared, and he still hadn't come out, meaning he was charging for five-star.

In less than two hours, he had taken four exams in a row, forging four weapons that all met the criteria... How did this guy do it?

"He passed four levels in a row... Do you think he might also pass five-star?"

Xiong Bing, standing by, couldn't help but say.

"Impossible!" Hearing his old friend's words, Yuan Hong shook his head. "If he passed five-star, he would have come out long ago. Why would he still be inside?"

Though he said it was impossible, Yuan Hong still reached out and pressed.

Clatter!

Before he finished speaking, another badge fell.

Catching it hastily, seeing the level and name on it, Yuan Hong couldn't help but sway twice.

"Five-star badge... He, he... passed the five-star artifact refiner exam too? Then... what is he taking now?"

Feeling his worldview shattered, Yuan Hong was almost in tears.

If the five-star badge could be applied for and he still hadn't come out, didn't that mean he had not only passed five exams but was also charging for six-star?

How could that possibly succeed?

Even if he wanted to charge... his strength wasn't enough!

To become a six-star master teacher, one needed to forge a spiritual-grade supreme-rank weapon. To succeed, one needed at least the strength of the Mortal Transformation Ninth Layer, the Silkworm Sealing Realm!

Otherwise, the meridians in the body couldn't contain the pure spiritual energy, which would leak out like an hourglass, making it impossible to forge a supreme-rank spiritual weapon.

A supreme-rank spiritual weapon, full of spirituality like a living being, was flawless and complete. If one couldn't even control oneself, how could one make such a weapon reach that level?

"Buzz!"

While still in shock, Yuan Hong's hand involuntarily pressed on the door again. Another sound rang out, and another badge fell.

"Six-star..."

His body swayed, and everyone stood frozen, silent as death.