Chapter 246 | Hall Master of the Artifact Pavilion

Chapter 246: 246 | Hall Master of the Artifact Pavilion

Morning sunlight broke through the high mountain clouds, casting a warm golden sheen across the Artifact Pavilion.

Situated above the eastern ridge where the subterranean Earth-Fire Vein branched outward from the central mountain range, the pavilion echoed constantly with the deep, rhythmic clang of forging hammers and the hiss of quenching baths.

Today, however, every outer furnace in the front courtyards had fallen silent.

Inside the grand Central Forge Hall, over forty official refiners, array engravers, and forge deacons stood arranged in two neat rows along the dark stone floor.

At the front of the hall, standing just below the ruling seat, was the grey-bearded senior steward of the pavilion, Master Gu, alongside Aunt Lin.

Every pair of eyes in the hall was fixed intently upon the at the entrance.

Yesterday morning, the bells of the Grand Council Hall had announced that Lin Tian had not only stepped into the Core Formation Realm, but had been officially appointed by Sect Master Hong and the Upper Council as the presiding Hall Master of the Artifact Pavilion.

For the past three years, ever since the previous pavilion elder had passed away, the Artifact Pavilion had been managed by Master Gu as an acting steward under the supervision of the First Elder.

Now, a true Core Formation refiner had come to claim.

Footsteps sounded, and Lin Tian calmly stepped inside.

He did not release spiritual pressure to intimidate the room, yet the natural majesty of his Core Formation made the ambient heat rising from the floor vents part smoothly around his boots.

Across the hall, Master Gu did not dare show a trace of hesitation.

Whatever quiet ties he had maintained with the First Elder’s faction while the pavilion lacked a master, sect law was absolute: a Core Formation Elder holding the council’s decree outranked an acting Foundation Establishment steward as heaven outranked earth.

"All refiners and deacons of the Artifact Pavilion, bow and welcome Hall Master Lin!"

Master Gu stepped forward and bowed low to the waist, holding up a heavy lacquered tray containing the pavilion’s master formation disk, the primary vault keys, and the bronze furnace-control tallies.

Behind him, forty refiners and deacons dropped into a deep, unified salute.

"Greetings to Hall Master Lin!"

Standing at the front of the left row, Aunt Lin bowed alongside the others, though as she lifted her head, her dark eyes shone with a fierce, radiant pride that made her cheeks glow warm in the furnace light.

Lin Tian walked down the center aisle, climbed the three obsidian steps, and stopped before Master Gu’s tray.

Taking his Purple-Gold Elder Seal from his waist, Lin Tian pressed its base directly onto the center of the pavilion’s master formation disk.

HUMMMMM—!

A deep ring of dark-gold spiritual light rippled outward from the disk, traveling instantly through the rune lines carved into the stone pillars of the hall and down into the subterranean Earth-Fire Annex below!

Every protective barrier, material vault lock, and Earth-Fire valve throughout the entire Artifact Pavilion hummed in unison, shifting their highest authority imprint directly to Lin Tian’s seal.

"Rise," Lin Tian said evenly, taking the master disk and vault keys into his spatial ring before sitting down upon the wide obsidian chair at the center of the dais.

"Master Gu," Lin Tian said, looking down at the grey-bearded steward. "For the past three years, you have managed the daily quotas of the furnaces. Bring forward the current tally of our Profound Iron, Spirit-Copper, and Tier-3 ore reserves."

"Yes, Hall Master!" Master Gu kept his head respectfully lowered as he stepped up and presented three thick jade slips. "Following the recent northern tournament shipments, the primary vault currently holds twelve thousand catties of refined Profound Iron, four hundred catties of Earth-Marrow Ore, and ninety-six completed Tier-2 and Tier-3 martial blades awaiting transfer to the Martial Arts Peak."

Lin Tian swept his spiritual sense across the three jade slips.

With a single glance, he saw how the distribution quotas over the past two years had subtly favored the deacons loyal to the First Elder while starving the independent engravers in the eastern annex.

Setting the jade slips down on the armrest, Lin Tian’s gaze swept across the forty refiners standing below.

"From today onward, the Artifact Pavilion will no longer operate under an acting steward system," Lin Tian announced calmly, his voice carrying clearly to every corner of the hall. "As a sitting Elder, my primary focus will be on high-tier refining in the subterranean Earth-Fire Annex and overseeing major sect arrays. The daily administration of the pavilion, the allocation of all furnace hours, and the management of the primary material vaults require a Deputy Hall Master of absolute skill in both forging and rune engraving."

Lin Tian’s golden eyes rested on the woman standing at the front of the left row.

"Chen Lin," Lin Tian said.

Aunt Lin’s heart gave a sharp, joyful throb against her ribs as she stepped forward into the center aisle and cupped her hands respectfully.

"Subordinate Chen Lin is present, Hall Master."

"During the Outer Sect weapon trials and the forging of the pavilion’s recent Tier-3 artifact, your mastery of Earth-Fire control and spirit-channel engraving has exceeded every standard of the Inner Sect," Lin Tian declared, picking up a newly minted Bronze-Gold Deputy Seal from the tray and tossing it smoothly into her hands. "From this hour forth, Chen Lin is appointed Deputy Hall Master of the Artifact Pavilion. Every ore requisition from the Inner Sect Resource Hall, every furnace assignment, and every weapon inspection will require her seal before leaving this hall."

Across the floor, none of the refiners dared raise a single whisper of objection.

Everyone in the pavilion had witnessed how Aunt Lin’s array engraving had soared over the past months after practicing the Myriad Heart Engraving Scripture, and everyone knew how close she stood to the new Hall Master.

Even Master Gu hurriedly bowed his head lower. "This old steward congratulates Deputy Hall Master Chen!"

"Greetings to Deputy Hall Master Chen!" the forty refiners echoed in unison.

Holding the warm Bronze-Gold Deputy Seal in her palm, Aunt Lin looked up at the young man sitting on the obsidian throne.

She remembered when he had first entered the pavilion months ago as an outer apprentice carrying a basket of scrap iron. Now, he was giving her the second-highest position in the entire division. Her eyes filled with emotion.

"This Deputy Hall Master obeys the Hall Master’s decree," Aunt Lin said clearly, her voice steady and dignified.

"Master Gu will assist Deputy Hall Master Chen in transferring all outer furnace ledgers before noon," Lin Tian said, rising from the obsidian seat. "In addition, seal the lower entrance to the Earth-Fire Annex. For the next two days, Deputy Hall Master Chen and I will be using the central subterranean furnace to refine a Tier-4 Artifact. No one is to approach the lower stairs without my personal summons."

"Yes, Hall Master"

***

From an outer apprentice to Deputy Hall Master. Aunt Lin got her reward, but two days alone in a subterranean furnace? The forging is about to get very hot. Drop your Power Stones and Golden Tickets.