Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

The seven refiners all looked at Li Yao suspiciously.

They had all heard that Li Yao had spent a fortune on Grey Crystals.

It had spread among the circle of refiners and became a joke for many of them.

Pondering for a moment, Li Yao retrieved the meteorite, which was like a lump, from his Cosmos Ring and put it on the Divine Anvil.

”This is the Red Streak Gold Hair Stone that I bought in the auction yesterday.”

Of the seven refiners, five did not participate in the auction yesterday. They all went close and studied the material carefully.

Xie Qianhe took out a magnifying lens from his pocket and put it to his right eye. He observed the pattern on the surface of the meteorite while he touched the ’hair’ with his two fingers.

The refiner from the Red Line School, in the meantime, retrieved a glittering gem from his Cosmos Ring. It was emitting dozens of different colors like a lantern.

When the brilliance of the gem reached the Red Streak Gold Hair Stone, it would be reflected into entirely different shades.

The refiner from the Red Line School observed the reflection, deep in thought.

”In my opinion—”

Master Huangpu did not resort to any examination magical equipment but simply sniffed his fingers after scratching the surface of the stone casually. He said certainly, ”It is beyond a doubt that Grey Crystals are stored inside the stone. Besides, 60% of them are corrupted by impurities, which means that they are of a low quality even among Grey Crystals.”

The other refiners came to similar conclusions.

Two of the refiners had already examined the stone in the auction. They thought they had made a mistake and examined it again today, but the result was the same.

”I seem to have taken advantage of you in the barter just now,” Li Yao said frankly. ”Now that everybody is interested, please step back and trigger your best defensive magical equipment. I will dissect the stone here and now. Consider it compensation for everybody.”

Everybody recalled how Li Yao had swung the Star Basher so fast that it seemed to disappear entirely. They knew how terrifying the human-shaped beast’s refining arts were already.

Thankfully, it was Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that the hammer was smashing. If the target of the hammer were a skull, even ten grand masters of refining would have been smashed to pieces.

Was he going to perform an even more brutal skill in refining?

Everybody looked at each other in bewilderment and retreated to a corner.

As refiners, they carried a lot of magical equipment with them. Now, every one of them triggered five or so pieces of defense magical equipment, which wreathed them in multiple layers of colorful spiritual shields. Then they calmed down and observed Li Yao again.

They had thought that Li Yao would bring out an even more appalling hammer than the Star Basher.

But Li Yao simply took out a pair of silver, glittering gloves from his Cosmos Ring and put them on.

Li Yao’s face was extremely solemn. Veins and nerves bulged on his two arms again, and his fingers were cramping crazily, as if he were using a piece of invisible magical equipment.

”What’s the meaning of this?”

Xie Qianhe squinted and maximized his sight. He saw that Li Yao was extremely prudent and no more as confident and smooth as when he was waving the Star Basher, but he did not see anything in Li Yao’s hands at all.

Right then—

Shua!

One of the protruding bumps on the top right corner of the Red Streak Gold Hair Stone was dismembered from the main body and fell down onto the Divine Anvil, before it rolled on the ground just in front of everyone.

The fracture was as smooth as a mirror, without the slightest error, like a piece of tofu that was cut by the sharpest scalpel.

But it was not tofu; it was an extremely hard meteorite!

With the illumination of the lights, Xie Qianhe vaguely saw that something gold was blinking right in front of Li Yao. Several gold threads that were thinner than a hair were floating in midair.

The threads were almost transparent and would only glimmer when the lights were at the appropriate angle.

The source of the threads were Li Yao’s gloves.

He was extremely cautious about the threads, too, while he drove the threads toward the Red Streak Gold Hair Stone with his spiritual energy.

The threads were very thin, but they were also very sharp when filled with spiritual energy. When they brushed the meteorite, it was peeled apart layer by layer as if it were an onion.

Gazing at the Red Streak Gold Hair Stone, Li Yao spoke softly after a moment, with drops of sweat hanging all over his naked upper body.

”This is ’Monocrystal Mica Thread’, which I invented recently. They are very sharp but equally difficult to utilize. I haven’t got the hang of using them yet and might lose control at any moment. I was worried that I might hurt you.”

Although he spoke very casually, the refiners all felt that their eyelids were twitching when they chewed on it.

The Monocrystal Mica Thread were so sharp, erratic, and unpredictable. It was naturally prefect to cut Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, but wouldn’t it be easier to cut the body of flesh and blood?

They all shuddered when they thought of dozens of Monocrystal Mica Thread piercing through them silently and dismembering them into several pieces without them feeling any pain.

This is too brutal. The Monocrystal Mica Thread is not a piece of refining magical equipment at all. It is meant for attacks!

Several refiners were all mumbling to themselves.

When they were back to themselves, Li Yao had already removed the outmost shell of the Red Streak Gold Hair Stone. The raw minerals inside looked like grey coral stained with white spots.

Grey Crystals indeed!

The experts all recognized it immediately. If the real Radiating Crystals were inside, the spots on the surface would have been bright silver instead of the lifeless pale white right now.

But Li Yao did not even bat an eye. He suddenly widened his half-closed eyes, while his hands turned into a cluster of mist.

The countless Monocrystal Mica Threads phantomized into streaks of gold like invisible darts that completely wreathed the Grey Crystals. After a while of clattering noises, the Grey Crystals and the other impurities were all cut off the stone and flung into the air!

Shiu!

When the Monocrystal Mica Threads reached the core of the Grey Crystals, a weird shriek suddenly echoed on the Divine Anvil. Something green soared to the ceiling and flooded the entire workshop with a green glow. Everybody seemed to smell a certain fragrance!

”What?”

Xie Qianhe gasped.

Li Yao suddenly stopped his movements and retracted the Monocrystal Mica Threads. It was not until this moment that he took a long breath in relief, and his sweat poured down like rain.

On the Divine Anvil, amid the scraps and powder of the Grey Crystals, a weird material that looked like metal, wood, stone, and jade was lying quietly.

It was the size of a fist and a warm green color. It seemed like water that had been frozen, and green mist was gradually spreading out from the material.

Just one glance at it was enough to refresh one’s heart and soul!

”This is—”

The six refiners, including Xie Qianhe, scratched their heads and looked at each other in confusion. They thought hard, but they couldn’t tell what the material was.

They all looked at Master Huangpu to ask for help.

But after pondering for a moment, Master Huangpu shook his head with a bitter smile, too, and looked at Li Yao.

Li Yao warmed up his arms, which were sore and aching. With a smile of relief, he explained, ”This is ’Green Sky Jade’, a very ancient material. I only browsed through its introduction in an ancient notebook a while ago.”

”It looks like jade, but it is actually some sort of ’amber’. For some reason, it fell underground and experienced countless accidental events and changes. After billions of years, it is finally condensed.

”Even in the ancient Cultivation world forty thousand years ago, Green Sky Jade was also very rarely-seen. I did not expect that I to sense the signs of Green Sky Jade in the meteorite when I saw it. Although I was only 30% sure, I decided to take a shot anyway.”

”That explains a lot!”

All the refiners realized what had happened.

The refiner from the Red Line School said somewhat in embarrassment, ”Fellow Cultivator Sand is indeed knowledgeable. Even rarely-seen materials from forty thousand years ago could not escape your attention. I did not think too much of it when my friends talked about the matter, but now I know that I misjudged. Fellow Cultivator Sand has found an invaluable treasure!”

”Not necessarily invaluable,” Li Yao said. ”It is indeed an ancient treasure, but items from the past are not always good.

”Every stone below our feet were formed billions of years ago. They could be called ’Wonderful Stones from Billions of Years Ago’ if you will. But are they of any use?

”The Green Sky Jade, although rarely-seen, does not have many amazing effects. Honestly speaking, it can only cleanse the veins and build up the body for the user.

”Besides, it will take a long time before the effects reveal themselves. Therefore, the Green Sky Jade is only suitable to be crafted into personal ornament for the low-level Cultivators to wear.

”In terms of value, it is not necessarily worth the price I paid.”

The refiner from the Red Line School was confused. ”If there was only a 30% likelihood that the Green Sky Jade is stored inside, and it won’t pay off even if it does, why did you buy it, Fellow Cultivator Sand?”

Pausing for a moment, he slapped his head and realized the reason. ”Fellow Cultivator Sand is a collector who loves the rarely-seen items, aren’t you? Since it is a collection, measuring it with its value is not appropriate.”

Li Yao smiled casually and glanced at Xie Qianhe. He shook his head and said, ”I didn’t buy it for my personal collection.

”I have a student who is extremely determined but not very talented. She has been doing very harsh training with my guidance.

”I mean to recruit her as a true disciple, but her life will become even more difficult.

”This student of mine is a girl. I don’t want her to be exhausted because of over-training, nor do I want her to become a thick and hideous monster. Therefore, I have been hesitating.

”Thankfully, with the Green Sky Jade, her nerves, veins, and bones will gradually be strengthened, and her aptitude will be more or less improved. Besides, it will also help her recover after the harsh training and maintain her body figure.”

Xie Qianhe was dumbfounded and immediately blushed.

He was so ashamed of himself that he was about to find a hole in the ground and crawl in.

As it turned out, Sand Scorpion had bought the meteorite with such a fortune because he wanted to give the gift to his daughter!

The guy had made thorough plans for Anan!

He was only 30% certain that the Green Sky Jade was stored inside, which meant that there was a 70% likelihood that he would gain nothing and really become a big joke in the circle of refiners!

All he did was for Anan!

The refiner from the Red Line School was amazed. ”Fellow Cultivator Sand is not only erudite but also considerate of the students. Those who are recruited as his true disciples must’ve done a lot of good things in their previous life!”

”You don’t say. Just look at Wu Mayan.”

Another refiner smiled. ”Although the arts of combats and the arts of refining are different, after witnessing Fellow Cultivator Sand’s… intimidating skills today, I’m pretty sure that Fellow Cultivator Sand’s new true disciple will be a new superstar before long just like Wu Mayan!”

”Master Sand!”

Xie Qianhe’s face was so rad that somebody might have dipped pepper oil on it. He could not help it any longer and strode forward. He bowed so deeply to Li Yao that his head nearly hit the ground, and he said, ”I—I was really blind. I’m terribly sorry!”

The refiners looked at each other in bewilderment, not knowing why Xie Qianhe, the deputy director of a major department in the Silver Heart School, suddenly became so courteous toward Sand Scorpion.

It seemed a bit too much, even if Sand Scorpion’s skills were better than his.

Li Yao was dazed, too. He frowned and said, ”Fellow Cultivator Xie, we can talk in private.”

”No!”

Xie Qianhe was breathing heavily and his hands were shivering, while he said, ”Master Sand thought and did so much, but I’ve been—

”If I don’t explain it to everybody right now, I will deserve to be neither a refiner nor a father!

”It’s perfect that so many fellow Cultivators are here today. Please be my Observers. I’m going to make an announcement.”

Taking a deep breath, Xie Qianhe turned to Huangpu Bo. He bowed to the ground again and said solemnly, ”I’m very sorry, Master Huangpu, but I didn’t know that my daughter Anan had found the best master for herself since long ago!”