“Should we abandon him in this sea of people?”
“Let’s allow our elder brother to immerse himself in the literary atmosphere of the bustling crowd.”
Nan Yan dragged Yin Ya, who was still pale from the teleportation array, three streets away. Feeling exhausted, Yin Ya refused to walk any further. After looking around, Nan Yan spotted an extravagant forging shop nearby.
The areas surrounding the capital cities of all upper regions were known for their prosperity. This particular place, called ‘Forging Sun Tower’, stood five stories tall, with cultivators constantly coming and going.
After drinking two cups of spirit tea, Yin Ya’s energy gradually returned. Suddenly remembering something, he called over a cultivator from the tower. “Do you have any sixth-grade or higher artificers who can forge a ‘Sumeru Ring’?”
As Core Formation cultivators, they were immediately escorted to an elegant chamber upstairs, attended by Foundation Establishment cultivators. Upon hearing Yin Ya’s request for a ‘Sumeru Ring’, the attendants’ faces showed concern.
“Our humble establishment is a branch of the renowned ‘Forging Sun Tower’ from Wei Region. The master of this branch is a seventh-grade artificer who has forged Sumeru Rings before. However, the materials for Sumeru Rings are extremely rare. Even among Nascent Soul cultivators, very few possess such an item.”
Yin Ya replied, “I have the main material. The remaining auxiliary materials can be purchased with spirit stones.”
Hearing that he had the main material, the cultivator’s eyes lit up. “Excellent! Please wait, esteemed guest. This junior will immediately summon the master.”
After he left, Nan Yan asked, “What made you suddenly think of getting this Sumeru Ring?”
Cultivators with long lifespans typically kept their belongings in spatial pouches. However, these pouches, relying on formation power to create space for storing items, had their limits. Even the largest spatial pouch, like the one Mu Zhanting had lent her, could barely fit the complete skeleton of a hook snake.
Ordinary spatial pouches could only store inanimate objects and at most, spirit herbs. They couldn’t contain spirit beasts, which required separate spirit beast pouches.
The Sumeru Ring, on the other hand, was one of the few items Nascent Soul cultivators used to carry their possessions. It had an enormous internal space with abundant spiritual energy, allowing for the cultivation of spirit herbs and even the raising of spirit beasts.
“I’m just trying to share some good stuff with you all,” Yin Ya said mysteriously as he opened the spatial pouch he had brought from the seabed of the beast-sealing formation. “Look at this.”
Nan Yan looked down and saw a head-sized, jet-black jade sphere. Within it, a faint, shimmering mist swirled continuously.
“What is this?” she asked.
“This is the core of a Sumeru Turtle that died ten thousand years ago. I discovered it on the volcanic wall of a cavern. Artificers can polish and refine this to create a Sumeru Ring that could hold a hundred hook snake corpses, each a hundred zhang long. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time, but Sumeru Rings are rarely available, appearing occasionally only at Chen Region auctions, valued at tens of thousands of medium-grade spirit stones.”
A single medium-grade spirit stone could be exchanged for a hundred low-grade ones, highlighting the Sumeru Ring’s rarity.
Soon, laughter could be heard outside the chamber. “The last time I had the fortune to see a Sumeru Turtle’s core was thirty years ago. I never expected to encounter one again today. Quickly, bring out the ‘Cicada Dew Sorrow’ to entertain our esteemed guests!”
The door opened, and a robust Core Formation cultivator with graying hair entered. He cupped his hands in greeting and said, “This old man is Wu Lian, the master of this Forging Sun Tower branch and a seventh-grade artificer. Are you the esteemed guests who wish to forge a Sumeru Ring?”
The cultivation world categorized Dan, Qi, Formation, and Talisman specialists by grade. Those who specialized in these arts carried jade pendants to display their identity. These pendants, made from the hard-to-carve nine-eyed jade, took the forms of Dan furnaces, sword instruments, trigram disks, and jade tablets. The higher the grade, the more stars were carved on them.
Nan Yan noticed a sword-shaped jade pendant with seven stars hanging from Wu Lian’s belt, signifying his status as a seventh-grade artificer.
The two returned the greeting, and Yin Ya took out the Sumeru Turtle’s core. “I chanced upon this in a secret realm of my sect. Master Wu, please take a look and tell me how many Sumeru Rings can be forged from it?”
The moment Yin Ya revealed the core, Wu Lian’s eyes gleamed with excitement. He lunged forward as if seeing a peerless beauty, startling both of them.
“This… this quality!” Wu Lian exclaimed, oblivious to his surroundings. He took out a crystal mirror to examine the core against the light, repeatedly expressing his admiration.
Nan Yan pulled Yin Ya aside and whispered, “Are all artificers like this?”
Yin Ya replied knowingly, “Anyone involved in Dan, Qi, Formation, or Talismans has this quirk. The more obsessed they are, the higher their skill level.”
Nan Yan said, “Oh, but Shao Cang is involved in all of these. Why isn’t he obsessed?”
Yin Ya replied flatly, “I don’t know. Perhaps he’s not sincere enough and is obsessed with women instead.”
“…”
After a full quarter hour, Wu Lian looked up, energized and smiling. “This old man got carried away. Please forgive my rudeness. This core belonged to a three-thousand-year-old Sumeru Turtle hatchling that likely died prematurely. The core fell into a fiery region and crystallized over time. If refined into Sumeru Rings, it can produce six rings, each capable of containing a space as vast as a lake.”
Yin Ya asked, “How long will it take to forge them?”
“Half a month,” Wu Lian replied.
“That’s a bit slow. Could you forge four rings first?”
Wu Lian’s face lit up with a businessman’s smile as he rubbed his hands. “If you’re in a hurry, I can use eighth-grade earth vein fire to forge four rings day and night. They’ll be ready in ten days, but I have one small request.”
Experienced in dealing with merchants, Yin Ya understood the implications. “I only need four rings. If you can forge them, we can discuss everything else. Are you interested in purchasing the remaining materials with spirit stones?”
“Splendid! Let’s discuss the details inside.”
“Agreed.”
Nan Yan watched as the elderly Wu Lian and Yin Ya sat together in the corner, arms around each other’s shoulders, whispering back and forth, presumably negotiating prices.
At that moment, another cultivator entered carrying a long-necked jade pitcher and three lotus-shaped jade cups. He placed them before Nan Yan and poured them. A mist flowed from the pitcher’s mouth like a cloud waterfall, creating a cool, misty atmosphere in the cups.
Surprisingly, Nan Yan didn’t smell alcohol but rather a fresh mountain breeze.
“What an intriguing wine,” she remarked.
The cultivator serving the wine smiled. “This is ‘Cicada Dew Sorrow’, a famous wine from Yin Region, produced by the Red Emperor’s Jade Palace. Only one jar is made each year. Please enjoy, esteemed guest.”
Nan Yan, not particularly strict about alcohol abstinence, thanked him and took a sip. Suddenly, her face showed surprise.
“This wine…”
The cultivator tensed, worried the wine had gone bad. “Is something wrong, esteemed guest?”
Nan Yan set down the cup, her expression distant. “No, this wine reminds me of what my mother used to brew occasionally when I was young. The ingredients weren’t as fine, but the crisp, sweet taste is remarkably similar.”
The cultivator explained, “The recipe for ‘Cicada Dew Sorrow’ was created by Madam Nan Fang of the Red Emperor’s Jade Palace in her youth. She used autumn dew collected before and after the appearance of cold cicadas. Drinking it evokes deep emotions from the past. Madam Nan Fang only gave it to those with whom she had a connection. We cultivators outside the palace could hardly even smell its fragrance. After Madam Nan Fang went into seclusion, the recipe was passed to others in the palace. Our establishment managed to acquire half a jar through great effort.”
Madam Nan Fang…
Nan Yan’s thoughts drifted. Her mother wasn’t skilled at cooking but excelled at brewing wine. She never sold it, instead giving it and the wine lees to their elderly neighbor, who would use them to make wine-soaked meat or drunken shrimp.
As a child, Nan Yan had eaten plenty of chicken, duck, fish, and meat prepared with this wine. The taste was etched in her memory, instantly recognizable.
“May I ask… where else can I find this wine?” she inquired.
Surprised that a Buddhist cultivator would be interested in wine, the cultivator replied, “It would be difficult to find ‘Cicada Dew Sorrow’ outside, esteemed guest. However, in a few days, it’s Consort Yu Tai’s millennial celebration. This wine will surely be served at the banquet.”
“Thank you.”
Yin Ya and Wu Lian finished their negotiation. One looked pleased, wagging his tail, while the other wore a wry smile, having bled financially. They raised their cups to seal the deal.
“You’re formidable, my friend. I admit defeat,” Wu Lian said. “I’ll waive the labor cost as a gesture of friendship. Here’s the deposit and proof of purchase. You can collect the rings in ten days. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must get to work.”
As they left Forging Sun Tower and headed back to find Mu Zhanting, Yin Ya noticed Nan Yan’s distracted expression. “What’s on your mind?” he asked.
“I was thinking,” Nan Yan replied, her expression pained as if making a great decision. “It’s a rare opportunity. Perhaps we should let our elder brother take us to the Red Emperor’s Jade Palace after all.”
Yin Ya fell silent for a moment before responding, “I can understand if you don’t value your life, but if you’ve lost all sense of shame, I’m afraid we’ll have to part ways.”
Nan Yan pleaded earnestly, “Shao Cang has already risked his life to cause trouble in Si Region. Are you going to abandon me to face our elder brother’s literary enlightenment alone? What happened to our sibling unity?”
Yin Ya replied with a look of despair, “Sibling unity is fine, but I draw the line at mutual destruction. If I hear him recite even two more lines, I fear I won’t overcome the heart demon when forming my Golden Core.”
As they argued on the street, Nan Yan suddenly noticed a group of Core Formation cultivators from Chen Region entering the cave dwelling where they had agreed to stay.
“What are they doing here?” she wondered.
Seizing the opportunity, Yin Ya broke free from Nan Yan’s grasp and fled. “This place is nice. I’ll go buy you twenty new dresses. See you at Forging Sun Tower in ten days!”
Nan Yan was left speechless.
After hesitating for a while, she had no choice but to enter the cave dwelling. The dwelling wasn’t restricted to her, and upon entering, she heard the Chen Region cultivators surrounding Mu Zhanting, solemnly reporting on various military matters.
“…Two days ago, news came from Chen Region that the Heavenly Evil Sect’s Vice Leader, Huo Wuji, has returned. The Prison Evil Marquis personally welcomed him. Originally, only Zi Region and Chen Region possessed the Destruction Iron treasure, but now Si Region has it too. The morale at the Qi Tian Yuan frontline is low, and the situation looks grim.”
Destruction Iron was a powerful treasure that could threaten Nascent Soul cultivators, which was extremely unfavorable for Chen Region.
Mu Zhanting, contrary to his usual carefree demeanor, rested his chin on his hand thoughtfully. “Who ended up with the Destruction Iron?”
“Huo Wuji excels in blood magic artifact refining and is an eighth-grade artificer himself. The Prison Evil Marquis entrusted him with forging a treasure from the Destruction Iron. It’s estimated to be completed within half a year. The agreed-upon three-month period is almost over. The Dragon Lord hopes the Prince will quickly return to Dragon City with Miss Nan, avoiding any complications.”
“Why such a rush?”
“The Si Region crisis has already consumed much of the Dragon Lord’s energy. Now he’s also secretly investigating Madam Nan Fang’s death. The pressure he’s under is evident. We ask for the Prince’s understanding.”
As he pondered, Mu Zhanting noticed Nan Yan standing at the doorway for a long time. He beckoned her, “Ah Yan, will you return to Dragon City with me?”
Having experienced so much, Nan Yan knew that her uncle had once massacred Chen Region’s Linglong Capital. The Dragon Lord, whom she had never met, had no obligation to investigate her mother’s death.
“We agreed at Panyin Temple to meet in Dragon City after three months. I’m deeply grateful that the Dragon Lord is willing to gather various parties to uncover the truth about my mother’s death. However, after the meeting in Dragon City, my background will become widely known. Before that happens completely, I’d like to investigate the Red Emperor’s Jade Palace to see if my mother’s life jade has shattered.”
The cultivator from Chen Region said, “Indeed. When the Dragon Lord first heard the terrible news, he also wondered why the Red Emperor’s Jade Palace had kept the mourning secret for so many years. Consort Yu Tai’s millennial celebration is in a few days. Prince, why not take Miss Nan to attend the banquet and see what the Red Emperor’s Jade Palace is hiding? We can then verify the situation with Yin Region.”
“Alright, I’ll leave this to you. Send an invitation to the Red Emperor’s Jade Palace today.”
After everyone else left, Nan Yan noticed Mu Zhanting’s deep, thoughtful expression.
She cautiously asked, “Elder Brother, the millennial celebration includes both literary and martial competitions. I think the literary one sounds boring. Why don’t we sign up for the martial competition? Winning it could help us comprehend the Red Emperor’s Campaign Painting.”
“No, I’ll enter the literary competition. You can go for the martial one,” Mu Zhanting replied. His face suddenly lit up as he continued, “I’ve inquired about it. The literary theme is birthday congratulations. I’ve composed a poem. Would you like to appreciate it?”
Nan Yan’s hands trembled slightly. “No, I suddenly remembered I need to buy a new dress…”
“Your taste is poor. Let your second brother buy dresses for you. Come, come, I’ve already written it down. Take a look.”
Nan Yan glanced at the paper on his desk and immediately felt her soul leave her body.
The poem read:
“Congratulations call for drum-beating,
One drink lasts all afternoon.
May descendants never cease,
Next year, add one more soon.”