Chapter 621 - 602: Never in a Thousand Years

After selecting his materials, Wang Meng pondered for a moment. A model of the Spirit Containing Artifact had already formed in his mind. In fact, he had been mulling it over for some time. Separate items were too troublesome; it would be best to have something he could activate all at once—a Five Elements Spirit Holding Bracelet. Simply combining them would be easy. The difficulty lay in creating a generative cycle for the Five Elements to maximize its power.

Using True Essence to nurture the Pill Flame was a trivial matter. When someone like Pang Hong performed Artifact Refining, he would have a junior brother maintain the Pill Flame for him. But here, this minor task naturally fell to him. Still, Pang Hong couldn’t resist showing off his current Control Power, raising the Pill Flame’s potency with speed and stability.

Yang Qi, standing to the side, said nothing. Pang Hong knew this meant he was satisfied.

Meanwhile, Yang Qi’s gaze was completely fixed on Wang Meng. Only true friends would exchange refining techniques like this. In Yang Qi’s eyes, this was a sign of Wang Meng’s complete and unreserved trust in him. Yang Qi’s heart was filled with both excitement and joy. ’It’s so hard to find a young man these days with such skill and magnanimity! Those rumors are nothing but the most blatant slander, born of pure jealousy!’

A large number of materials had been prepared. During the selection process, Wang Meng also asked for Yang Qi’s opinion. When it came to choosing between subtle effects, Wang Meng was indeed quite flexible.

Yang Qi answered every one of Wang Meng’s questions with great seriousness, even the simplest ones. ’After all, every question from a Master must have a deeper meaning.’ Yang Qi didn’t think he had any ulterior motives; someone so focused on Artifact Refining was often a simpler person.

Pang Hong, on the other hand, found it a bit hard to watch. ’This is all such basic stuff!’ For example, questions like whether an Amber Crystal Stone or a Tiger Eye Stone had a better mold-breaking effect during quenching were common knowledge even to a First Grade Artifact Refiner.

Pang Hong really wanted to speak up and show off, but since Yang Qi was answering so earnestly, he could only hold his tongue.

DONG! Suddenly, a Profound Stone placed by the door chimed, emitting a hazy white glow.

Yang Qi was taken aback, then his expression became incredibly animated. A notice from the Haojing Divine Artifact Pavilion headquarters! Yang Qi pressed the Profound Stone, and the information flowed directly into his mind, leaving him even more stunned.

’Of all the times to show up, why now! What is he doing here?!’

Wang Meng blinked. He sensed the communication Array and figured it was a notice for some important matter. He said, "Brother Yang, if you have something to attend to, please go ahead and handle it."

Yang Qi shook his head. "Forget him. Let them wait. They came all this way, so they can’t be in a rush. Let’s continue."

"Xie Xian, tell them I’m in the middle of something important and will be there shortly!" Yang Qi roared. Outside the door, Xie Xian took off at a run.

Pang Hong couldn’t help but ask, "Wang Meng, with so many materials, how many things are you planning to refine?"

Wang Meng smiled. "Just one. I probably won’t use all of this. It’s my first time trying this, too."

Pang Hong curled his lip. ’His first time...’ Everything in the Divine Artifact Pavilion followed a standard formula. Even a Master couldn’t innovate so easily. ’This is a classic case of being too young and reckless to be reliable.’

It wasn’t just Pang Hong; while Yang Qi was interested, he also had a thread of doubt.

But as an Artifact Refining Master, Yang Qi at least had that much patience.

Adopting the silent observation of a true gentleman watching a chess game, Pang Hong stepped aside. The Pill Flame had already been raised to a considerably high temperature.

To be honest, Pang Hong was still a bit skeptical of Wang Meng’s abilities. ’Can he really handle a Pill Flame of this temperature?’

The crimson flame flickered like fresh blood, utterly captivating. This was the obsession of an Artifact Refiner.

Pang Hong relinquished the Pill Flame, and Wang Meng’s Elemental Power connected directly to it. Instantly, Pang Hong’s face went pale, but Yang Qi wasn’t worried in the slightest.

’A Master Level Artifact Refiner should have True Essence at least equivalent to the Sixth Layer of the Profound Wheel Realm. To be frank, even the Sixth Layer is a bit low, but it’s barely acceptable. After all, Artifact Refiners aren’t combat-focused Cultivators.’

However, the moment Wang Meng took over, he handled it with an effortless grace that Pang Hong could never achieve.

But that was far from all. Once the Pill Flame was in Wang Meng’s hands, he steadily fueled it. The flame grew an even deeper crimson, but the biggest difference was that as the Pill Flame’s temperature rose, the flame itself became gentler and more stable.

This was the Control Power of an Artifact Refiner.

Then, Wang Meng began the refining process, completely immersed. In truth, he had spent a great deal of time studying Artifact Refining—besides cultivation, it was his most time-consuming pursuit, rivaling even Alchemy. This dedication forged his Treasure Divine Scripture and built the immortal legend of the Treasure Artifact Sect. Yue Shan, the first and most powerful Female Sect Leader of the Treasure Artifact Sect, had even appended a note in the Treasure Divine Scripture, filled entirely with her worship and hidden love for Wang Meng. It was just a shame that Master Wang would never see it.

This was Wang Meng’s first time performing such a grand-scale refining here. With his previous life’s experience, Master Wang was actually much more proficient.

One by one, the materials were added. Seemingly conflicting Five Elements materials began to be thrown in, which was the biggest problem. Yang Qi was instantly alarmed. ’It’s going to explode!’

A startled Pang Hong stumbled backward, but Wang Meng was not the least bit disturbed. He had already entered a state of pure creation.

Material after material entered the Refining Furnace in an orderly fashion. With each addition, the Pill Flame constantly shifted, weaving between the Five Elements.

Pang Hong couldn’t understand what was happening; he only thought it was spectacular. But Yang Qi, standing opposite him, had a face that was deathly pale, a pallor that was soon tinged with a fanatical, reddish flush.

Madness. It was indeed a kind of demonic madness.

This was Five Elements refining. The Artifact Refiner had to maintain the generation and destruction cycles of the Five Elements to create a loop, while also keeping the powers consistent. Otherwise, the balance would be lost.

This was something that, according to legend, only an Artifact Refining Grandmaster could achieve...

An Artifact Refining Grandmaster who was only twenty years old... Yang Qi felt like he was going insane. But he had no time to ponder this issue now, completely captivated by Wang Meng’s refining.

His control was terrifyingly tyrannical. Logically, his level of True Essence shouldn’t be enough to manage it. Yet, every time it was on the verge of collapse, he would somehow just barely bring it back under control. It was a cycle that would make one tense to the point of death, then suddenly relax, only to be thrown back into that same life-or-death tension. It was enough to drive a person mad.

As for Pang Hong, he felt a thrill coursing through his entire body. His mind seemed to have become sharper. That feeling... it was back!

Yes, that was the feeling, and it was even stronger this time.

’Is this the influence of a Master Level performance?’

Wang Meng was completely in his own rhythm. He only had to say what he needed, and Yang Qi would swiftly find it for him. Without a doubt, Wang Meng only needed to utter a single word for Yang Qi to know exactly what he wanted—something only another Artifact Refining Master could do. Yang Qi somewhat understood what Wang Meng was trying to accomplish, but he didn’t dare believe he could actually succeed.

Time passed, second by second. The three people in the Artifact Refining Room all seemed to have gone mad.

Wang Meng was sweating profusely. For him, creating such a Spirit Containing Artifact was a major undertaking, but the feeling of the process was incredibly gratifying. He had to admit, Yang Qi’s help at his side was immense. For any minor details he might have missed, Yang Qi could intuitively understand and save Wang Meng the effort of searching or studying.

The large pile of materials dwindled, while the Pill Flame burned ever more intensely. Wang Meng knew the critical moment was approaching. In the instant before the artifact was to be completed, he submerged his Divine Sense into it.

BOOM...

The flames instantly blasted out a column of white light. It was as if in a hallucination, a golden radiance shimmered within the Refining Furnace.

The room fell silent. All three men stared at the Refining Furnace, their breathing seeming to stop in that moment.

Wang Meng wiped away his sweat. That was truly exhausting. He opened the furnace lid, and amidst a backdrop of crimson light, a five-colored bracelet appeared.

The Five Elements Spirit Holding Bracelet. Its design wasn’t ornate, but it wasn’t ugly either. Master Wang had put in a bit of effort on its appearance this time.

Yang Qi felt his throat go hoarse. "May I take a look?"

"Heh, of course, Brother. Be my guest."

Yang Qi’s hand trembled as he touched the Spirit Containing Bracelet, his heart quaking. ’My God, he actually did it???’

’The Five Elements of the entire Spirit Containing Artifact are so perfectly balanced, completely flawless! How did he do it?’

’Is this the level of an Artifact Refining Grandmaster?’

’No, that can’t be right. To become an Artifact Refining Grandmaster, one needs strength at the Peak of the Earth Wheel Realm, at the very least. Wang Meng is clearly far from that.’

’Could this be the legendary genius?’

Suddenly, Yang Qi clenched his jaw and handed the Spirit Containing Artifact back to Wang Meng. "I can’t look at it anymore!"

If he kept looking, his cultivation heart would become unbalanced. He would become overly ambitious and find it difficult to make any further progress.

"Younger Brother Wang, I am utterly convinced. I never believed in geniuses, but after seeing you, I have nothing to say. An Artifact Refining Grandmaster at the age of twenty... in the thousand-year history of the Great Zhou, there has never been another!"

Beside them, Pang Hong was looking at Wang Meng as if he were looking at a god.

Wang Meng smiled. "Brother Yang, you’re mistaken. I’m no Artifact Refining Grandmaster. The reason I can master the Five Elements Balance is actually due to my own Five Elements deficiency. Because I have no elemental alignment, it’s easier to control them. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to manage it either. I suppose with every loss, there is also a gain, isn’t there?"

Yang Qi thought about it and realized it made sense. Even if someone started practicing from inside the womb, they could never achieve this.

"In any case, I’ve truly seen something today. Pang Hong, now you know that there are always mountains beyond mountains, and people better than you, right? From now on, follow Master Wang and learn well from him."

Pang Hong immediately dropped to one knee. "I ask for the Master’s guidance in the future."

Wang Meng was stunned and quickly moved to help Pang Hong up, but Yang Qi stopped him. "It’s only right for him to pay his respects to you. You’re my younger brother, which makes you his Martial Uncle. If you think the kid has potential, give him some pointers when you have time. In any case, there’s no harm in having him do more work for you."

"Meeting Martial Uncle is fate. This disciple has accepted your gold and doesn’t dare to return it. I am willing to serve you with utmost loyalty."

Pang Hong was completely conquered by the power Wang Meng had displayed. He was fundamentally talented; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so affected by Wang Meng’s presence. At this moment, he felt as if he had been completely transformed. He knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so he was being completely sincere.

"This is also fate. Get up. I wouldn’t dare say I can guide you, but we can learn from each other. To be honest with you, Brother Yang, I’m also self-taught and started late. There are many areas where my knowledge isn’t comprehensive."

Yang Qi sighed. "The things you don’t know are simple basics. The things you already understand are what give us trouble. In the future, I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you quite a bit."

’Without a doubt, Wang Meng is an artifact refining prodigy that appears once in a millennium. Perhaps his cultivation is a bit lacking—a Five Elements deficiency makes for a useless body in combat—but in Artifact Refining, it’s the ultimate advantage!’

Incredible.

For Wang Meng, in this aspect, there was no difference between his Five Elements Body and his Five Elements deficiency.

"Martial Uncle, with your incredible strength, why did you leave Haojing to come here?" As he was still young, Pang Hong couldn’t help but ask.

(It’s the end of the month, the last few days. I’m sure my dear senior brothers and sisters have plenty of monthly tickets stocked up. Please cast one for Skeleton ^_^) (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)