By the time a man and a cat emerged from the cave, the sky outside was already brightly lit.
Just then, a beastly roar suddenly came from the distant forest.
"Tsk, it's that little thing, seems like it's provoked a big one." The silver cat's eyes flickered, and it spoke.
Yuan Ming also attempted to release his Divine Sense to probe the surroundings, but the distance was too limited to detect Huo Chan'er's tracks.
However, the commotion from afar was huge, and with Xi Ying confirming it was Huo Chan'er, Yuan Ming did not hesitate any longer. He executed the Wind Swift Skill, heading straight toward the source of the noise.
Huo Chan'er was the Three Cave Masters' darling, absolutely not to be lost!
He ran for less than five minutes when he saw Huo Chan'er with a three-inch long, red plant root in its mouth, running towards him as if possessed, frantically waving its short legs.
Behind it was a fire mane lizard about ten to twelve feet long covered in scales, spitting a red tongue, relentlessly pursuing it.
Clearly, Huo Chan'er had snatched its treasure.
The little creature, relying on its agile figure, darted left and right through the woods, cleverly avoiding the fire mane lizard's attacks. Seeing Yuan Ming approaching, it ran even more desperately, as if seeing a life-saving straw, its eyes shining brightly.
The lizard's tongue kept striking, causing the forest trees to snap and rocks to scatter.
Yuan Ming watched, speechless. It was just a Level 1 Middle Stage Fierce Beast. If Huo Chan'er was willing to drop the object in its mouth and spit a flame backward, even if it couldn't kill the fire mane lizard, it should be able to repel it.
But the glutton insisted on being chased around rather than letting go of the delicacy it had gotten.
Once it reached behind Yuan Ming, it stopped running and ceased to dodge.
Looking at the fire mane lizard rushing towards him, Yuan Ming sighed lightly, "Bad luck for you, just in time to test the power!"
With that, he gripped the newly refined Cold Star Sword and slashed downward with a powerful stroke.
An extremely cold Wind Blade burst from the blade, instantly striking the fire mane lizard's head.
The Fierce Beast, unable to stop its charging momentum, ran two more steps then suddenly stiffened. A crack ran through its entire body, splitting it in two, which then fell to the ground.
Upon seeing this, Yuan Ming immediately went to inspect it and soon discovered that the fire mane lizard's body was completely frozen, even the blood inside its veins congealed, leaving not a single trace of blood on its body.
At this moment, Huo Chan'er caught up, still chewing on the root in its mouth, it leapt onto the lizard's head and kicked furiously with its short legs.
Yuan Ming could now clearly see that what was held in its front paws was indeed a "Red Yellow Spirit," a Fire Attribute Spiritual Medicine, which seemed to be a hundred years old judging from its appearance.
No wonder the fire mane lizard was fighting to the death for it.
Yuan Ming grabbed Huo Chan'er by the scruff of its neck, lifted it onto his shoulder, and turned to glance at the leisurely approaching Xi Ying.
The little creature seemed somewhat fearful of Xi Ying, shrinking its body and only peering out at the silver cat with half of its head exposed. At a mere glance from Xi Ying, the little creature's body shuddered and slid right off Yuan Ming, falling onto his leg and hugging it tight.
Xi Ying gave Huo Chan'er a glance and then, with a graceful leap, landed on a nearby branch. After a few more leaps, it vanished from sight.
After watching Xi Ying leave, Yuan Ming took Huo Chan'er and left Mist Island, returning to the Sect.
By the time they returned to Biluo Cave, it was already evening.
To Yuan Ming's surprise, the Three Cave Masters had rushed back and actively sought him out.
"Follow me, I'll help you craft the sword." Her condition appeared poor as if she had just been through a battle, looking rather fatigued.
Seeing this, Yuan Ming felt a touch moved.
No wonder Fang Ge held the Three Cave Masters in such high regard; despite her high status, she was indeed someone who kept her promises.
Seeing Yuan Ming standing still, the Three Cave Masters frowned and said, "What are you waiting for? We don't have much time left."
"Thank you, Three Cave Masters, but the Disciple's sword has already been completed," Yuan Ming bowed with his hands clasped and said.
Now it was the Three Cave Masters' turn to be stunned.
"Which elder helped you forge this sword?" After regaining her composure, the Three Cave Masters asked.
"All the elders were in closed-door Artifact Refining, leaving me no choice but to seek help from an Artifact Refiner in the workshop," Yuan Ming explained, taking out the Cold Star Sword.
"Artifact Refiner from outside, are there Artifact Refiners everywhere out there?" The Three Cave Masters' gaze swept over the sword but she didn't seem to take it seriously, smiling.
"This Artifact Refiner's skill is not inferior, and the choice of runes for the sword is also quite brilliant. The rank of your sword should be above Mid-grade Magical Artifact, nearly High Grade," the Three Cave Masters commented.
Hearing this, and seeing that the Three Cave Masters had finished speaking without further inquiry about the Artifact Refiner, Yuan Ming felt relieved. He took out the Yunling Sword Box and returned it to the Three Cave Masters.
"Come, follow me on another trip," the Three Cave Masters said as she put away the Sword Box and addressed Yuan Ming.
Having said that, she turned and walked outside.
Not understanding the reason, Yuan Ming could only follow her immediately.
Upon returning to the Three Cave Masters' courtyard, she spoke again, "Give me the Green Fish Sword."
Yuan Ming hesitated briefly, but then took out the sword and presented it to her with both hands.
"This sword's appearance and might have both undergone significant changes, and I have already named it 'Cold Star'," Yuan Ming said.
"The name is well chosen. However, your magic sword's refinement is not complete until the Forbidden Array is engraved. I will attend to that for you," responded the Three Cave Masters. She initially furrowed her brows slightly at his words but soon her expression softened.
"Forbidden Array?" Yuan Ming exclaimed in surprise.
"As I mentioned when teaching you the refining mnemonic, magical artifacts generally have restrictions. The more advanced the artifact, and especially with Magic Treasures, the more complex the Forbidden Arrays attached to them. This is to ensure that if your enemies seize the artifact, they cannot immediately activate it with Mana and turn it against you," the Three Cave Master explained.
"I see, I am grateful to the Three Cave Master," Yuan Ming immediately said with a clasped fist.
"I had agreed to help you with the engraving and spirit implanting. Compared to that, inscribing the Forbidden Array is much simpler," the Three Cave Master said.
Having finished speaking, she took the longsword from Yuan Ming's hands and, with a flip of her wrist, pulled out the Spirit Awakening Engraving Knife to begin etching a complex rune Array onto the other side of the blade.
About two hours later.
The Three Cave Master returned the sword to Yuan Ming, having completed the engraving of the Forbidden Array.
"This Forbidden Array has not yet been activated. Once you channel your Mana into it, it will become effective. Aside from yourself, others will not be able to wield this magic sword easily," the Three Cave Master said.
Hearing this, Yuan Ming was delighted. After offering his thanks, he immediately grasped the hilt of the sword, eager to channel a thread of Mana into it.
"Don't be too pleased. It's only a temporary measure. If you die and it's taken from you, it could still be refined by others," the Three Cave Master warned.
"Disciple understands," Yuan Ming replied.
As Mana flowed in, a flash of light appeared on the blade, and a red Forbidden Array emerged, then vanished as quickly as it had appeared, no longer visible to the naked eye.
Yuan Ming then noticed that the characters "Green Fish" originally engraved on the blade had been replaced with "Cold Star."
He remembered Huo Chan'er, who was still hastily packed away in the Spiritual Beast Bag due to their rushed journey. He quickly opened the bag and released it.
The little creature burst out of the bag the moment it was opened, dashing out at a frenzied pace.
However, it immediately ran into the Three Cave Master, who embraced it in her ample bosom, once again robbing it of its freedom.
"Since you'll be attending the White Deer Hill assembly, you should, like Chen Wan, enter closed-door cultivation for the next period. There's no need to visit the Fire Refining Hall for now. Try to enhance your Cultivation level before the assembly. Go," the Three Cave Master instructed, then proceeded to dismiss him.
"Disciple will remember your instructions," Yuan Ming said with a bow.
Returning to his abode, Yuan Ming rested briefly before taking out the incense burner and starting to channel Mana into it, lighting up the Tai Chi Pattern.
A few days later, Yuan Ming packed his belongings, donned a long black robe and a wide bamboo hat with a curtain of gauze, and prepared to leave. This is part of a series from My Virtual Library Empire (*).
Before stepping out the door, he turned for one last look at the window. Xi Ying seemed to have been absent for a few days, likely at a critical moment in her Cultivation. With a shrug, Yuan Ming closed the door.
Just as Yuan Ming was about to leave, a silver figure suddenly appeared on the windowsill, scoffing, "Off to play the hero again?"
Then she tossed him the gold-plated gauze that Yuan Ming had given her.
"Why is this?" Yuan Ming caught the golden gauze, puzzled.
"I'm lending this to you, and you'll owe me if it gets damaged! Goodbye!" The moment the telepathic message ended, the silver cat's figure had already vanished from sight.
After two days of travel, Yuan Ming finally reached Ghost Cry Gorge in the depths of the Ten Thousand Mountains, arriving at the agreed-upon time.
By then, about fifty individuals had already gathered at the cool entrance of the canyon, sitting or standing in groups of two or three, each keeping a distinct distance from one another.
For Yuan Ming, who already knew the ins and outs, the number of people was not surprising.
As Yuan Ming arrived, many eyes turned to watch him.
However, all but one quickly diverted their gaze. The white-clothed young man who had previously tested Yuan Ming's qualifications kept his eyes fixed on him and approached him directly.
"Fellow Daoist, please this way," the white-clothed young man said with a welcoming smile as he neared.
Yuan Ming also nodded with a smile in response.
He walked towards the group of people, noting that most of them were men with few female cultivators among them. Their appearances and attires varied greatly, contrasting starkly with the uniformly white-clad members of the White Night Scatter Alliance.
Many of them, like him, either wore veiled hats or masks on their faces, unwilling to reveal their true identities.
While it was only a temporary mission, Yuan Ming felt both anxious and eager as he sat down on a rock amidst the crowd, quietly waiting for the White Night Scatter Alliance's arrangements.
That's when he suddenly realized that Bai Ye and Huan Shi, the Alliance Hierarch and Vice Alliance Hierarch of the White Night Alliance, were not among the gathered members.
Just then, two figures emerged side by side from the gorge. It was precisely those two.
Bai Ye, as the Alliance Hierarch, did not come forward to speak but rather returned to the ranks of the official members of the Scatter Alliance, quietly instructing them.
On the contrary, Huan Shi, who seemed to handle ordinary affairs within the alliance, approached the waiting temporary members with a warm smile on his face.
Seeing him approach, most stood up politely, while some remained sitting nonchalantly on the ground, their behavior indicating they frequently participated in such tasks and did not consider it a big deal.