Knowing he was an outsider, the explanation was changed to a clearer phrasing: "A piece of material the size of a fingernail and a piece of material the size of a washbasin, when subjected to equally complex refining internally, the smaller material will undoubtedly pose a higher difficulty due to the limited space for refinement."

Shi Chun responded with an "Oh" and immediately felt at ease; his main concern was being sabotaged at the critical finishing stage.

He focused entirely on worrying about such possibilities.

As soon as the artifact was handed over, the sensation in the elder's hand from the Li Huo Sect already gave him a preliminary sense of certainty.

Although it was clearly composed of metal, holding it presented an oddly soft texture.

After inspecting the artifact closely, despite being mentally prepared, the elder's face still showed astonishment. He raised his head to glance at Tong Mingshan and then looked around at the elders from other sects serving as judges.

Following this, he conducted further verifications in full view of the audience.

Releasing his supporting hand, the Exquisite Heart began to levitate in front of him. He pointed at it through the air, channeling a stream of mana into one of its apertures.

"Boom... Boom..."

In the previously silent competition grounds, a low and rumbling sound akin to rolling thunder suddenly echoed.

The inexperienced instinctively looked around, scanning both the earth and the sky. It was a clear sunny day—where could thunder possibly come from?

Shi Chun's group reacted in the same way.

However, attention quickly converged on the origin of the sound. All eyes turned toward the levitating Exquisite Heart.

The heart began to move—it was beating.

Under the sunlight, with each pulsation and rhythmic contraction and expansion, its surface tirelessly refracted a ghostly blue glow, dazzling to the point of piercing the eyes.

Even though it was understood that the glow was refracted sunlight, what the audience's eyes perceived was a shimmering, otherworldly blue heart beating. It pulsated with an enchanting indigo phantom-like aura.

Especially striking was the sound of its beat—low and deep "boom-boom" noises like drumming, mixed with the resonant density of metallic undertones, forming a sound akin to thunder rolling among storm clouds without fully erupting.

The volume wasn't too high, yet its guttural resonance was potent enough to reverberate through one's eardrums and core, faintly echoing within the valley.

The valley seemed like a hollow chest cavity, with the levitating and pulsating heart acting as its own living organ.

Tong Mingshan's face showed undisguised surprise, as if even he hadn't anticipated the Exquisite Heart he refined to exhibit such a grand auditory phenomenon.

Not far away, Li Hongjiu, who was still tending to his Divine Fire, stood stunned, his expression resembling that of someone in a daze.

On the mountainside, Young Master Nan gazed with wide eyes, swallowing hard as he muttered, "It truly feels alive..."

To outsiders, the sight of a small heart creating such a spectacle in the valley was nothing short of astonishing.

For insiders, however, the unceasing "boom-boom" sound seemed to possess a mysterious allure. Many tilted their ears as if magnetized, expressions revealing a mix of seriousness, awe, and fascination—some even looking as if they could listen forever.

The majority of those present were experts, and their expert-level reactions contrasted sharply with the chaos among the external onlookers on the beach.

"Hey, that heart is really beating!"

"Look, that lump of metal really seems to have come alive!"

"Its glowing radiance is stunning!"

Listening to the surrounding chatter, Duan Xiangmei glanced around nervously and excitedly. Could they truly win first place? If so, she would certainly be overjoyed.

On the terrace, the expert surnamed Wang, deserving of his reputation, gazed at the enchanted reactions of those within the valley through the mirrored projection. His expression suddenly shifted as he pressed his hands to his ears, mimicking the act of eavesdropping with his cupped palms directed toward Qi Yun Valley. His eyes darted around, and after a moment of realization, he stomped his foot and exclaimed, trembling, "Listening to thunder—they're listening to thunder!"

This revelation struck a chord with Lan Qiaoyan, Gong Yuanzhi, and the others, shedding light on what they had overlooked.

After exchanging glances, Gong Yuanzhi asked, "What does listening to thunder mean?"

The expert surnamed Wang seemed to regret not being present at the scene, scratching his ears in frustration as he explained, "To determine whether the 'True Nine-orifice Exquisite Heart' has been successfully refined, the examination involves three stages: first, its form; second, its pneuma; and third, its sound.

The form involves using spellwork to probe the artifact's internal and external structure. The pneuma tests whether the inscribed breath channels connect seamlessly when infused with mana. If both aspects pass scrutiny, the Exquisite Heart will begin to beat like a real heart and produce authentic pulsation sounds.

While a refined True Exquisite Heart is considered successful, different artisans inevitably create variations in quality. Even seemingly minor discrepancies can lead to distinct differences in the sound produced during its pulsation.

The more chaotic the sound, the greater the flaws in the artifact.

Only when its structural design approaches perfection and its pneuma achieves harmonious unity can the artifact echo the profound workings of heaven and earth. Such flawless pulsation emits deep rolling sounds akin to thunder, capable of repelling venomous creatures and pests. In other words, the 'True Nine-orifice Exquisite Heart' capable of thunder resonance represents the pinnacle of excellence!"

As he spoke, he pointed to the mirrored projection once more, his expression filled with regret. "Refining a 'True Nine-orifice Exquisite Heart' that produces thunder resonance requires an unimaginable level of crafting precision. In the current Artifact Refining World, even Situ Gu likely couldn't accomplish this feat. A rare opportunity to witness it, and yet I'm stuck outside the valley instead of listening in person."

The group exchanged another round of glances. Lan Qiaoyan curiously asked, "Sir, are you exaggerating? Are you suggesting Tong Mingshan's refining skills might surpass Situ Gu's?"

The expert surnamed Wang quickly waved his hands and said, "Madam, you've misunderstood! That's not what I meant. In terms of artifact refining skill and capability, even if you tied up several Tong Mingshans together, they wouldn't compare to Situ Gu. For instance, artifacts requiring immense cultivation power as a foundation for refinement—those are beyond Tong Mingshan's reach at present. What I was referring to is the level of precision in his craftsmanship. Situ Gu might not be able to surpass Tong Mingshan in this particular area, though this isn't to equate their overall abilities."

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