84: Chapter 39: Ping’an Finally Makes a Name for Himself_3 84: Chapter 39: Ping’an Finally Makes a Name for Himself_3 The Sect Leader’s hearty laughter echoed in the hall:
“Dazhi, I know Ping’an is quick-witted, but don’t speak too definitively; if Ping’an doesn’t amaze us, I’ll have to penalize you!”
He had essentially paved an escape route for Li Dazhi and his son.
Li Dazhi bowed slightly, clasping his hands with a smile, “Rest assured, Sect Leader, it won’t disappoint…
Ping’an, show us the Artifact Refining technique you stumbled upon.”
“Father, it was you who taught me after all.”
Li Ping’an sighed with a smile, then with a sweep of his wide sleeves, twelve ring-shaped Storage Treasures floated in front of him, slowly dispersing.
Li Ping’an called out, “I need the help of twelve disciples, the lower their cultivation, the better!”
Those around looked at one another, slightly confused, but Ningning Mu immediately stepped forward.
A Sword Cultivator with a sword on his back jumped out, it was Gu Qingcheng from Jianyun Peak, who had met Li Ping’an during the grand competition.
As soon as Gu Qingcheng made a move, more than a dozen disciples stepped forward, all with cultivation levels in the Refining Void and Merge True realms.
Li Ping’an clasped hands with the disciples, then had each stand behind a Storage Magical Artifact and proceeded to extract twelve oddly shaped Magic Artifacts, each quite large.
Rolling up his sleeves, Li Ping’an got busy for a while, setting up two ‘Conveyor Belts’ and connecting these twelve large Magic Artifacts in a series.
After that, Li Ping’an filled these Magic Artifacts with Spirit Stones, their enchantments lighting up one after another.
Li Ping’an volunteered an explanation:
“This is an enchantment modified from the technique used to forge array foundations; as long as Spirit Stones are embedded, these twelve Magic Artifacts will operate on their own.
If one prefers not to consume Spirit Stones, it can also be modified to be driven by immortal power or Mana.”
A certain Elder from the outer sect exclaimed softly, “Isn’t this the casting furnace and Pill Furnace I gave to Uncle Dazhi back then?”
Li Dazhi laughed, “Once you gave them to me, you can’t ask for them back—maximum I can do is treat you to a couple of drinks later!”
The Elder burst into hearty laughter, “Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!”
Li Ping’an announced loudly, “Sect Leader!
These twelve Magic Artifacts were all modified by my father with most coming from the various Elders of our sect!”
After speaking, Li Ping’an walked to the first cauldron-shaped Magic Artifact and took out a piece of ordinary Treasured Material called ‘Meteoric Iron’ from his sleeve, handing it to Gu Qingcheng.
“Please place the Treasured Material into the furnace,”
Gu Qingcheng did as instructed, watching as the cauldron sprouted tongues of flame, quickly melting the Treasured Material.
His task was now over.
Li Ping’an waited a while longer, then pointed at the cauldron, making the two ‘Conveyor Belts’ slowly start to turn.
The silvery molten metal was completely siphoned by a jug-shaped Magic Artifact on the Conveyor Belt and shakily moved into the second piece, a large Magic Artifact resembling a ‘clay stove’.
Sounds of mechanical operation emanated from within the second Magic Artifact, sparks flew, and it began repeatedly tempering the Treasured Materials.
This was the automatic Artifact Refining standard assembly line prototype that Li Dazhi and his son Li Ping’an were presenting to the sect today!
The Artifact Refining technique consisted of ten main steps:
Melting Materials, Hammer Training, Casting Shape, Covering Fire, Engraving, Lifting Spirits, Smoothing Edge, Embedding, and Spirit Sealing.
There were two additional steps mainly for inspecting the Magic Artifact’s quality and preliminarily packaging them.
Li Ping’an wasn’t intentionally taking credit for his father’s work;
Although he designed the ‘assembly line,’ it was assembled bit by bit by his skilled craftsman father, with Li Ping’an only resolving a few key technical issues.
Under the simple operations of these twelve disciples, or merely their idle observation, a medium-to-high quality, Spirit Stone-embedded, ordinary flying sword slowly took shape.
For the Immortals of the sect to understand the concept of ‘assembly line,’ Li Ping’an had placed enough Treasured Materials in the Melting Materials cauldron to forge more than a dozen flying swords, after which he casually stepped back and closed his eyes to wait.
The stage behind him belonged to Old Li now.