Chapter 23

  "I've met Tianyi's elder." Sun Ming said.

  "Aren't you supposed to go out and gain experience? Why are you still in Huoyun City?" Tianyi asked.

  "The disciple was a resident of Huoyun City before he started his cultivation, and after so many years have passed, the disciple has come to take a look at this place where he used to live." said Sun Mingdao.

  "Oh, I see. Let me introduce you to this person. This is a friend I made during my training days, we can be said to have gone through life and death together. He is Ling Xiao, the elder of the Ling Tian Sect." Tian Yi finished speaking and looked at Ling Xiao with a smile on his face.

  "Haha, so this Ling Ming is actually a disciple of the Qiling Sect. It's really a case of 'a big wave crashing against the Dragon King Temple'. I was just thinking that he would ask about the recent situation with the Qiling Sect." Ling Xū laughed and said.

  "Haha, Ling Xiu Shixiong, you think he's really found the right person." Tian Yi said.

  However, Tianyi's junior brother, I just heard Lingming say that your Qiling Sect's alchemists were ambushed by the demonic cultivators on other planets and almost suffered a complete defeat. What happened? Why are the demonic cultivators becoming more and more lawless? asked Lingxu Dao.

  "Alas, I was originally just refining a flying sword, but unexpectedly, Tianyun Shidi had an epiphany while refining the flying sword and turned what should have been an extreme-grade spiritual artifact into a divine sword. You know that when a mortal realm's equipment refiner creates a divine sword, they must undergo the heavenly tribulation to succeed. The spiritual energy fluctuations caused by this heavenly tribulation cannot be concealed. Moreover, Guangyue Xing is extremely close to that demonic path cultivator's planet. Once news of this got out, how could the demonic path allow our righteous path to gain a divine sword? They immediately sent someone to steal it. Although Guangyue Xing's Moonlight Sword Sect fought to the death to protect it, they were up against an opponent with scattered demon-level experts. In the end, only Tianyun Shidi escaped alive, and even his master, Xuankong, died that day." said Tianyi Dao.

  "Oh, I see. I was wondering why a big man like you is crying on the street." Tian Kui said thoughtfully.

  "Alas, although I've just added another great master-level artifact refiner to the Dao cultivation world, the cost is also... Alas! I hope Tianyun Shang can let go a bit, otherwise it will affect his Dao heart." said Ling Xudao.

  "Hehe, no need to worry about that. My junior brother Yun was enlightened by the guidance of our fellow brothers and is now in seclusion." Tian said with a smile, still gazing at Sun Ming.

  "Oh, I see, congratulations are in order." Ling Xū said.

  "Ah, Ling Xiu Shixiong, you've traveled across tens of star domains to come to our Qilingshen Sect. Are you here to have a drink with me?" Tian Yixiao asked.

  "Haha, what's with the drink, do you think we're still in the early days of our adventure in the Cultivation Realm? You and I are now both elders of a sect, those carefree days are gone." said Ling Xiao.

  "If you're not here to drink with me, then what's the point of this visit? In these 300 years, you've come a total of five times, and this is your sixth. The previous five times were all about drinking together; did you really come for something serious this time?" Tian asked.

  Upon hearing this interesting matter, Sun Ming couldn't help but burst out laughing. He turned his head to look and saw that Tian Kui and Yun Lei had also completely shaken off the feeling of being scolded just now, and they too started laughing loudly.

  "Tianyi, don't say another word, there are juniors present, so keep some dignity." Ling Xiao hastily said.

  "Alright, alright, say it, what's the real reason you're here this time? And you've even brought a junior along with you." Tianyi looked at Lingxu with a mischievous grin.

  "Fortunately, I have come to you this time with a purpose. Our Lingtian Sect needs to refine a batch of magic treasures, the grade doesn't need to be too high, just for use by our Golden Elixir stage disciples. You know that our Lingtian Sect is large and prosperous, so we also need a lot of magic treasures." said Ling Xiao Dao.

  "That's easy, doesn't your sect have a master craftsman?" Tianyi asked doubtfully.

  "Don't mention it, that alchemy sect which used to be affiliated with our sect has now become independent." Ling Xū said gloomily.

  "Leave independently? Isn't your Ling Tian Sect very good and powerful? How can this situation occur?" Tian Yi asked in puzzlement.

  "Alas, our sect is no different from before, but what's wrong is the emergence of that thing called the Equipment Refining Union." said Ling Xiao.

  "What's this 'Equipment Repair Alliance'? What thing is that? I've never heard of it before!" Tianyi said in confusion.

  "This Instrument Repair Alliance is formed by the alliance of some second and third-rate instrument repair schools. Your Instrument Spirit Sect, as a major sect, naturally wouldn't know about such trivial matters. Besides, the influence of this Instrument Repair Alliance currently only spans five or six star domains, you don't know what's going on." Ling Xiao explained.

  "Doesn't the Zither Repair Union and the Sword Repair Union seem quite similar?" Tianyi smiled and said.

  "Yes, how did you know?" Ling Xū asked.

  "You think, back then the Danxia Sect couldn't stand being exploited by cultivator sects like yours and led the opposition to the Danxiu Alliance. Now this Qixiu Alliance is almost the same, haha, this was expected from the start. Who knows, our Qilingshan might even join in too." Tianyi laughed.

  "Hey, you guys can't do this now. The entire Instrument Refining Union is no longer refining magical artifacts for us. Although we bought back many magical artifacts at a high price, it's just a drop in the bucket. I finally found you guys after great difficulty, and if you join them again, then my trip here would be in vain."

  "Haha, look at you getting anxious, we haven't even joined yet." Tian said.

  "Well, it's better if I don't join in, hehe, can't let me come here for nothing." Ling Xiao said.

  "Although I didn't join, now there's no way to dispatch an alchemist to go with you either." Tian Yi said.

  "Why? Didn't you secretly take a bottle of Hundred Flowers wine from me last time? Do you have to be so petty?" Ling Xū said urgently.

  "That has nothing to do with it," said Tianyi.

  "What does that have to do with anything?" Ling Xiao said. Ling Xiao was clearly anxious, his voice had changed. Also, whoever spent so much on transmission fees, crossing over a dozen star domains to handle something, only to be told at the end that it's impossible, wouldn't get angry and start a big fight, just shows that this person is quite cultured.

  "Didn't I just tell you?" Tian said. Ling Xue thought for a moment and said:

  "Tianyi Shixiong, I just lost my composure, but is there really no other way?"

  "The order to seal the mountain was given by the Council of Elders, even the leader can't do anything about it. Although I'm also an elder, but compared to those people in the council, you know it's not the same." Tian Yi said.

  "Alas, it seems I've come in vain this time." Ling Xiao said disappointedly.

  "Tianyi Elder, you just said that Qiling Sect has closed its mountain?" Tiankui asked.

  "Ah, yes, it's sealed off, who are you? Oh, I remember now, you must be the talented female disciple that Old Wine Ghost took in, what was her name again... let me think." Tian Yi Dao.

  "I don't dare to be called a genius, I'm just Tiankuai, your disciple. I want to ask, since the Qiling Sect has sealed off the mountain, why is this spirit consciousness here? Is it being expelled...?" Tiankuai didn't finish her sentence because she had already noticed Sun Ming's gaze fixed on her.

  "Hehe, what's with the expulsion? Lingming has come down from the mountain for training." Tian said.

  "Hmph, this woman is born so beautiful, unexpectedly she's also a sharp-tongued and heartless person." Sun Ming said.

  "This Lingming has passed the assessment within the sect and has been specially approved by the Sect Master to go down the mountain for training." Tianyi said.

  "Oh, I see, so it was you, Disciple Tang. I hope Master Lingming will forgive me." Tiankui said.

  Sun Ming softly answered and stopped talking again.

  "Tianyi Shixiong, I remember that when your Qilingshan Sect goes down the mountain to practice, you must pass the assessment of a one-star Lianqi Master, right?" Ling Xiao said.

  "Ah, yes, I didn't think that after all these years you still remembered the things I told you back then." Tianyi Lao said with a face full of vicissitudes.

  "You used to carry a three-star Refiner's Spirit Badge when you went down the mountain to practice, I wonder how many stars this Refiner's Spirit Badge has now?" Ling Xiao said with a sly and pleased tone.

  "Alright, alright! I was just about to mention this matter to you, and now that you've brought it up, Lingming," Tianyi shouted.

  "Disciple in"

  "I, as the Equipment Spirit Patriarch's elder, command you to follow Ling Xiao Patriarch and assist Ling Tian Sect in refining the treasure." said Tian Yi.

  "But elder," Sun Ming said reluctantly.

  "There's nothing to worry about, you're alone and have experienced the dangers of this vast spiritual realm. With the protection of the Ling Tian Sect, I can at least rest assured, haha." said Tian Yi Dao.

  Sun Ming listened to Tian Yi's tone and knew that it was useless to say anything else, so he replied weakly.

  "The disciple follows the arrangement of the elder."

  "Good, this is good, now I can rest assured." Tian said.

  "Tianyi senior, I'd like to ask, what level has this Lingming's equipment refining skills reached? A one-star or two-star equipment refiner, our Lingtian Sect doesn't need." Tiankui said.

  Sun Ming heard this and thought he was being looked down upon. Without saying another word, he took out the token from his storage ring.

  "Is this level enough, young lady?" Sun Ming said.

  "Who's the big sister? What are you talking about, is it a fairy, do you understand?" Tiankui said. But her words stopped there, and then she said foolishly

  "Five stars, it's actually five stars."