Chapter 123 | The First Artifact

Chapter 123: 123 | The First Artifact

By the fourth week since the breakthrough, the Cloud-Sea Pavilion had returned to its usual quiet.

The heavy mist surrounding the Crimson Nimbus Sect concealed the pavilion from wandering Divine Senses, while the Shadow Web continued to develop beneath the sect’s notice.

Inside the grand hall, Lin Tian stood in dark obsidian robes. His golden Liquid Qi had become denser and more refined, while the Abyssal Shadow Veil continued to conceal his true cultivation.

The spirit-wood doors leading to the subterranean forge opened.

Aunt Lin stepped into the hall, carrying a dark-silver umbrella.

"I’ve finished the latest refinement," she said. "The formation is stable now."

"Let me see it."

Aunt Lin placed the umbrella on the spirit-wood table and opened it.

The dark-silver canopy spread smoothly over its polished bronze ribs. Faint formation paths ran along the ribs, merging into the canopy.

Lin Tian activated his Insight Eye.

[System Scan Complete: Artifact Evaluated]

[Name: Umbrella of Shifting Heavens]

[Crafter: Aunt Lin]

[Grade: Tier 2 Defensive Artifact]

[Core Properties: Force Redirection, Reduced Spiritual Recoil]

[Status: Stable]

Lin Tian studied the scan.

"The recoil?"

"Much lower than during the first test," Aunt Lin replied. "Ordinary attacks place little strain on the formation, but stronger attacks will still test its limits."

Lin Tian nodded.

"That’s enough. It doesn’t need to absorb the force directly. The curved canopy should redirect it toward the edges."

"That is exactly how the formation works."

Lin Tian lightly touched one of the bronze ribs. A faint ripple of spiritual energy passed through the structure.

"The basic principle is sound."

Aunt Lin nodded. "The first test showed where the spiritual flow was losing force. I corrected those parts while keeping the original formation unchanged."

"Good. There was no need to make it more complicated."

Aunt Lin closed the umbrella.

"The prototype proved the idea. This version is more stable and produces much less recoil."

Lin Tian looked at the artifact again.

The Umbrella of Shifting Heavens did not rely on overwhelming force. Its strength came from guiding an incoming attack away from the user instead of resisting it head-on.

"Good work."

"The refinement was my responsibility," Aunt Lin replied.

Lin Tian gave a slight nod. "Then let’s see how well it performs."

He looked toward the underground forge.

"The previous test proved the principle. Now we need to test the refined version against a stronger attack."

"We can use an Early Foundation Establishment attack," Aunt Lin said.

"That should be enough."

She picked up the umbrella.

"There is still some formation strain under heavy force. Too much pressure could damage it."

"We’ll test it carefully," Lin Tian said. "I want to understand its limits, not destroy it."

Aunt Lin nodded.

"Understood."

Together, they turned toward the subterranean forge.

The first prototype had proven the concept.

Now they would see how far the refined Umbrella of Shifting Heavens could go.

Lin Tian led Aunt Lin beyond the subterranean forge into the pavilion’s sealed training chamber.

Thick stone walls surrounded the room, reinforced by sound-dampening and defensive formations that would keep their battle from disturbing the rest of the pavilion.

Aunt Lin moved to the far end of the chamber and raised the dark-silver Umbrella of Shifting Heavens.

She sent a thread of silvery Liquid Qi into the handle, and the canopy opened with a soft hum.

Faint formation paths along the bronze ribs lit up, guiding the spiritual flow across the Iron-Hide Boar hide.

"Prepare yourself," Lin Tian said.

He raised one hand and gathered a dense surge of golden Liquid Qi.

Without using a martial technique, he sent it toward Aunt Lin.

The concentrated force shot across the chamber, carrying the pressure of a Foundation Establishment attack.

Aunt Lin steadied her stance and angled the umbrella slightly.

The golden Qi struck the center of the canopy.

The formation activated immediately.

Instead of resisting the attack head-on, the curved canopy guided the force along its surface and into the bronze ribs. Most of the power was redirected toward the outer edge before crashing into the reinforced walls.

A dull boom shook the chamber.

Aunt Lin remained standing, but a faint recoil passed through her arm and into her Dantian.

"Some recoil remains," Lin Tian said.

Aunt Lin nodded. "Much less than before. Stronger attacks will place greater strain on the formation."

"Then let’s test that limit."

Lin Tian increased the flow of golden Liquid Qi and launched another strike.

Aunt Lin adjusted the umbrella’s angle.

The second attack struck harder than the first. The formation trembled as the force traveled along the canopy and bronze ribs before being redirected into the walls.

Aunt Lin’s sleeve fluttered from the recoil, but her foundation remained stable.

Lin Tian followed with several controlled strikes from different angles.

Front, side, and above.

Each time, Aunt Lin adjusted the umbrella rather than meeting the attacks directly. Most of the force was redirected, but the strain on the formation became more noticeable as Lin Tian increased the strength of his attacks.

After the final strike, Lin Tian lowered his hand.

The golden glow around his fingers faded.

Aunt Lin closed the umbrella and examined the formation paths.

"The redirection remains stable," she said. "But the stronger the attack, the faster the strain builds through the ribs."

Lin Tian nodded.

"That’s acceptable. The artifact isn’t meant to withstand limitless force. Its strength lies in reducing the burden on the user."

Aunt Lin gave a faint smile.

"Then the core design works."

"It does."

Lin Tian looked at the umbrella again.

The refined version was more stable than the prototype, redirected force more efficiently, and placed far less pressure on the user’s Dantian.

"It has reached a usable level," Lin Tian said. "You can refine it further later, but there’s no need to rush."

Aunt Lin nodded. "Understood."

Lin Tian then took out a dark-jade communication talisman.

"The sect’s ordinary communication talismans leave spiritual fluctuations that skilled cultivators may detect. The Shadow Web cannot rely on them."

He handed the talisman to Aunt Lin.

"I want a more concealed version. Keep the transmission brief and make its spiritual flow difficult to distinguish from the surrounding aura."

Aunt Lin studied the talisman.

"This can be done. I can alter the formation path so the transmission becomes much harder to trace."

"Good. Keep the mechanism simple. We only need a safer way to exchange information."

Aunt Lin nodded.

"I’ll use this as the foundation and refine it without attracting attention."

Lin Tian gave a slight nod.

"That will be enough. The Shadow Web needs quiet tools, not complicated ones."

Aunt Lin stored the talisman.

"I’ll begin after the umbrella’s final adjustments."

Lin Tian looked once more at the dark-silver artifact in her hand.

"For now, the umbrella has passed its first serious test."

The two left the training chamber together, leaving the formation lamps to fade behind them.

As Aunt Lin headed back toward the subterranean forge, the shadows at the edge of the chamber shifted quietly.

Lady Yun stepped out of the darkness, her dark outer robe concealing her aura. Her Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivation remained completely restrained as she approached Lin Tian.

She gave him a slight bow.

"My Sovereign."

"Report," Lin Tian said.

Lady Yun’s expression remained calm.

"The investigation into the two Outer Sect disciples has produced another lead. The Inner Sect enforcer who used a middleman to hire them has become cautious."

Lin Tian’s gaze sharpened.

"What changed?"

"The middleman stopped appearing at their usual meeting place, and the enforcer has also changed his movements. It seems someone noticed that the two disciples have gone silent."

"Have you found out who the enforcer reports to?"

"Not yet. The connection is still incomplete," Lady Yun replied. "I have not found enough evidence to link him to anyone near Alchemy Peak."

Lin Tian considered the information for a moment.

"Continue watching the enforcer and the middleman. I want to know who they contact and where the information eventually goes."

Lady Yun nodded.

"Understood."

"Do not confront them yet," Lin Tian added. "Information is more valuable than an early move."

"I understand."

Lady Yun stepped back and disappeared into the shadows.

Lin Tian watched the darkness settle again.

The people behind the spies were becoming cautious, but they still had no idea that someone was following their trail.

A short time later, the heavy spirit-wood doors of the training chamber opened again.

Madam Shen, the Vice-Manager of the Resource Hall, stepped inside in her dark-crimson robes and bowed respectfully to Lin Tian.

Lady Yun emerged quietly from the shadows again, while Aunt Lin returned from the forge shortly after.

The three women were soon gathered before Lin Tian.

Lin Tian sat at the head of the room and motioned for them to gather around him.

"The threads of the Shadow Web are in place," he began.

"Madam Shen is applying pressure to Elder Liu’s access to high-grade Yang-attribute herbs through irregular delays, incomplete deliveries, and slightly reduced-quality batches."

"Lady Yun is tracing the people connected to the spy network and checking whether the trail reaches Alchemy Peak."

"Aunt Lin has already placed the hidden flaw along the existing Earth-Fire formation path."

Lin Tian paused, his gaze moving between them.

"Our target is a Core Formation cultivator and a 4-Star Alchemist. She will not bend easily."

"If I approached her now and offered a cure for her Pill Toxicity, she might see it as an insult rather than an opportunity. We need to let her situation worsen naturally first."

Madam Shen nodded. "So we gradually narrow her options."

"Exactly."

Lin Tian continued, "The herb supply will become less reliable, while the formation flaw will remain dormant until heavy use of Earth-Fire causes the spiritual flow to become unstable."

"At the same time, Lady Yun will continue tracing the people behind the spy network without exposing us."

He leaned back slightly.

"Her Pill Toxicity and Phantom Burns are already causing her trouble. As her symptoms worsen and her alchemy suffers more setbacks, she will eventually have to seek another solution."

Madam Shen’s eyes sharpened.

"What if she suspects someone is interfering?"

"Then she should find nothing."

Lin Tian’s voice remained calm.

"The delays must stay irregular. The formation instability must appear to come from heavy use. No single problem should point toward us."

Silence settled over the chamber.

"We do not go to her," Lin Tian said. "We let the pressure build until seeking outside help becomes her own choice."

Madam Shen, Lady Yun, and Aunt Lin exchanged brief glances before nodding.

The Shadow Web needed no decisive blow. Each setback had to appear unrelated, leaving Elder Liu to believe that her difficulties were simply worsening on their own.

Lin Tian looked toward the closed doors.

"Until then, we wait."