Subsequently, he carefully placed the Transformation Pill Fruit into the jade box he had prepared in advance.

However, Hongyi did not notice that at the moment he picked the Transformation Pill Fruit, a faint wisp of ghostly spirit from a nearby scarecrow silently attached itself to his body.

...

...

Meanwhile.

In the artifact refining room on Thousand Leaves Mountain, specially opened by Xu Ping.

Xu Ping stood in the center of the artifact refining room, his forehead beaded with sweat, his clothes already soaked through.

His gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, firmly locked onto the ball of searing flames hovering in mid-air in front of him.

This flame had a faint purple hue, emanating from the demon fire spat out by a Water Lake Rat, and with the enhancement of a delicate array, Xu Ping could control its size at will.

With a grave expression, Xu Ping's hands rapidly formed seals as streams of Spiritual Power flowed from his fingertips into the array.

Under his precise manipulation, the flame's color gradually changed, from a gentle light purple at first, slowly turning into a deep, intense purple.

Each color shift was accompanied by a dramatic spike in temperature.

Within the flames, the embryonic form of a longsword began to faintly take shape.

The sword body was crystalline, with the cold gleam of Profound Crystal Iron and the fiery patterns of Flame Sun Crystal intricately intertwined.

Subsequently, Xu Ping methodically continued to add various auxiliary materials into the flames.

These auxiliary materials, like dots of starlight, merged into the flames' embrace.

Time passed slowly, and under the thousand-fold tempering of the flames, an embryonic longsword gradually began to take form.

"Just the final step left..."

Xu Ping murmured softly, forming a seal with his hands as Mana continuously surged into the array.

In an instant, the flames abruptly surged, and the temperature soared, causing the air in the artifact refining room to distort from the extreme heat.

Various materials, forged under the insufferable demon fire, gradually fused into one, with the sword's outline becoming increasingly clear.

Xu Ping could feel the Spiritual Power within the sword embryo gradually coalescing, a sharp aura sweeping across the entire artifact refining room.

His mind was taut, not daring the slightest relaxation, fearing that a single mistake would lead to failure.

"Condense!"

Xu Ping shouted in a low voice, his hands clasping together abruptly, causing the demon fire to instantly contract, enveloping the sword embryo tightly.

The sword body trembled slightly within the flames, emitting a crisp humming sound, as if responding to Xu Ping's call.

"Quench!"

Xu Ping's eyes remained as grave as an abyss, his Mana furiously rushing into the array without reservation.

The array operated at its limit, the flames soaring to unprecedented heights, turning the entire artifact refining room into a sea of fire.

If not for the array's protection, the refining chamber would have long turned to ash.

Clang!

At this moment, from within the flames, the sword embryo emitted a crisp and resonant sound.

"Extinguish!"

Moments later, Xu Ping pinched a hand seal, causing the demon fire to gradually extinguish, and the temperature inside the refining chamber to slowly decline.

With the fire's disappearance, a wholly crystalline longsword, emitting a gentle glow, slowly descended into Xu Ping's hands.

"The Lingxiao Sword... finally succeeded!!" Xu Ping couldn't help but let a slight curve form at the corner of his mouth.

The hard work of this period was finally not in vain!

He had officially become a Quasi-Tier Three Artifact Refiner!

Xu Ping's eyes held a hint of joy as he began to carefully examine the Lingxiao Sword he had crafted.

The sword was about three feet long, two fingers wide, the blade extraordinarily sharp, exuding a faint chill.

On the spine of the sword, the Profound Crystal Iron and Flame Sun Crystal patterns weaved into a mysterious rune, as if containing boundless power.

Xu Ping gently caressed the blade, sensing a faint pulse from within, as if the sword had developed its own spirit.

He took a deep breath, injecting Spiritual Power into the sword, causing it to immediately emit a brilliant light, and a sharp Sword Qi shot into the sky, sweeping across the entire artifact refining room.

"Not bad!"

Xu Ping nodded in satisfaction.

Although this was his first attempt at crafting an Artifact Embryo, the current Lingxiao Sword, in terms of quality and power, was no less than a typical Artifact Embryo, and in some aspects, it even surpassed them.

Xu Ping gripped the hilt tightly, swinging lightly, a Sword Qi sweeping out, slicing a deep crack into the stone wall of the refining chamber.

"Congratulations, Master, on successfully refining the artifact!"

Upon witnessing this, even though the Water Lake Rat was now panting exhaustedly, it still forced itself to perk up, its face wearing a flattering smile.

"Mm."

Xu Ping nodded slightly, a hint of warmth in his eyes, then spoke, "You have worked hard during this time."

"Not at all, not at all, as Master's Spirit Pet, it's only what this little mouse should do."

The Water Lake Rat spoke, its flattering smile growing even brighter, its little paws waving to express its loyalty.

"I am not one to let merit go unrewarded. Open your mouth!"

As Xu Ping spoke, he flicked his fingers, sending two special Pills like two streams of light straight into the Water Lake Rat's mouth.

Gulp!

The Water Lake Rat's throat moved, and the two Pills smoothly slid down, landing in its belly.

Soon after, under the continuous refinement of its own demon fire, the two Pills steadily transformed into pure Spiritual Qi, flowing into its Demon Core like a gentle stream.

"Thank you, Master, for the reward!!" The Water Lake Rat beamed with joy, bowing diligently in gratitude.

"Off you go."

Xu Ping nodded slightly, then gave another instruction.

"Alright."

The Water Lake Rat cheerfully responded, then cheerfully left the refining room,

After the Water Lake Rat left the refining room, Xu Ping once again carefully examined the Lingxiao Sword in his hand, unable to help but feel a myriad of emotions in his heart:

"If only the 'Profound Turtle Mountain-Suppressing Skill' could be cultivated as smoothly as the Lingxiao Sword."

This whole time, besides putting his whole heart into studying and crafting the Lingxiao Sword, he had been tirelessly delving into the 'Profound Turtle Mountain-Suppressing Skill' as well.

However, despite spending a significant amount of time and effort, after all this time, he hadn't even grasped the basics of this Cultivation Technique.

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