The night was quiet.

Yet it was completely different inside the Sky Clinic.

Ning Tao used the Blade of the Solar Eclipse to cut the Heavenly Hossu into pieces and put it into a delicate perfumed tripod along with some spiritual materials for refinement. As black and white alchemy fire burned, a chemical reaction was taking place every second in the delicate perfumed tripod. With different spiritual materials and magic tool pieces, and after removing the runes binding to its original master, it was melded together to become a new spiritual material. He named it “spiritual material alloy.”

This concept of the “spiritual material alloy” was a new attempt for him in the area of magic tool refinement. His past attempts at upgrading or repairing a magic tool had always started by destroying the magic tools and then adding a bit of spiritual material to fix them with the rotten broken tripod. The rotten broken tripod thus had become part and parcel in the process of fixing magic tools. But it was too troublesome and inefficient, and the results were not very desirable, either.

He was suddenly struck by an inspiration an hour before, when he was picking silk and weaving fabric. Why not use the Tianbao Weaving Method for refining magic tools? In the Tianbao Weaving Method, seven spiritual materials were refined into a thick soup-like “raw material,” then silk was picked. He could easily make the fragments of different spiritual materials and magic tool pieces into something like a raw material, then upgrade the magic tool with it, giving birth to the concept of “spiritual material alloy.”

The clock ticked. Until an unknown time later, alchemy fire fizzled out and a metal resembling white jade appeared at the bottom of the delicate perfumed tripod. It appeared to be crystal clear, yet it was emanating an iridescent glow of energy.

Buzz!

The delicate perfumed tripod buzzed and the alchemy fire was extinguished. The spiritual material alloy in the tripod was ejected. Its size was bigger than what he had seen. It had yet to solidify so its shape was not stable. The spiritual energy it could release was extremely thick, like a steamed bun fresh from the steamer. The spiritual energy it harbored was also extremely powerful, so much that the air around it was a little warped by it!

Ning Tao didn't have time to look carefully and readily grabbed his Blade of the Solar Eclipse; he cut the spiritual material alloy into smaller pieces before it cooled and solidified.

The spiritual material alloy cooled down. Every piece was clear like white jade, yet it produced a constant iridescent glow, as if there were a hidden rainbow inside every piece, invisible to the naked eye. Not only did the spiritual energy and ability of the cooled down alloy not decrease, there were signs of it being strengthened. When Ning Tao activated his state of looking, he could see every piece of spiritual material alloy steaming like hot buns; spiritual energy was shrouding them and there were signs of s.p.a.ce and light around it being folded and bent slightly. They had a mysterious aura.

“I wonder whether the ledger of bamboo slips could recognize this spiritual material?” After cutting the alloy, Ning Tao suddenly thought this, so he took out his ledger and placed a small piece of alloy over it.

The spiritual material alloy's weight was just nice; not too light, not too heavy.

A small piece of alloy was placed on the ledger. A few seconds later, Ning Tao took it away and opened the ledger.

No content appeared on the ledger of bamboo slips.

It could recognize elixirs but not spiritual materials. Furthermore, even if it could recognize a spiritual material, it probably would not be able to recognize an alloy created out of an inspiration.

“Who cares? Let's just upgrade Senior Yin's Blade of Brotherhood first then see how it goes.” Ning Tao didn't bother to study the alloy anymore and placed the ledger back where it was. He then took Yin Molan's Blade of Brotherhood and put it inside the delicate perfumed tripod; he also added a piece of spiritual material alloy and started the upgrading refinement.

Black and white alchemy fire rose from the delicate perfumed tripod. The fire was so strong that it felt as if something were being stir fried.

This was the first time Ning Tao had used the delicate perfumed tripod, instead of the rotten broken tripod, to upgrade a magic tool. Using the rotten broken tripod would require destroying magic tools to repair them later. Instead, he decided to try with the delicate perfumed tripod to upgrade magic tools, using a piece of spiritual material alloy to meld into the Blade of Brotherhood…

Two hours later…

Inside the Shennongjia old-growth forest.

Yin Molan followed behind Ning Tao and went through the convenient door, visibly excited.

Ning Tao threw the upgraded Blade of Brotherhood to Yin Molan. “Senior Yin, give it a try.”

Yin Molan grabbed the Blade of Brotherhood and pulled it out of its sheath; an iridescent glow was immediately released. The initially silver blade had become crystal clear, resembling an art sculpture carved from white jade.

A weird expression appeared on Yin Molan's face. “This… isn't this my Blade of Brotherhood? It feels like it would break once I use it.”

Ning Tao smiled, saying, “Try first.”

Yin Molan stepped back and suddenly jumped, waving his blade at a huge ancient tree which would require a few people to wrap their arms around it.

The knife was in the air; spiritual energy and air were rubbing against each other, creating a spiritual ember phenomenon. It was an impressive view, once it was paired with the iridescent light from the knife.

Crack!

The Blade of Brotherhood chopped across the tree trunk, one meter above ground. There was no sign of friction; to cut it was easier than cutting a sugarcane!

Crack crack crack…

There came an odd sound from inside the tree trunk and then it collapsed over a large area of the forest. The remaining tree stump was smooth as a mirror, as if someone had used quality sandpaper to polish it. It could really capture someone's reflection!

Yin Molan was stunned momentarily and then he suddenly yelled and hacked the blade at a huge rock.

A crescent shaped shadow of the sword was launched and that huge rock was shaken. It cracked with a deafening sound; a grotesque fissure appeared over it!

Yin Molan laughed out loud. “Hahaha! I never thought my Crescent Blade could be this powerful! With the Blade of Brotherhood you've upgraded for me, even if Nicholas Conway were here, I'm confident that I can chop his head off and kick it around like a ball!”

Ning Tao was very happy but he didn't get carried away. “Senior Yin, Nicholas Conway is not any ordinary enemy. It's better not to underestimate him. You have to be careful, if we really end up fighting him one day.”

Yin Molan smiled. “It was just a casual remark. Now I'm serious: you have upgraded my Blade of Brotherhood; I think its power has increased by at least a few folds. You are a one in a million cultivation genius.”

Ning Tao smiled as he said, “Senior Yin, aside from this, have you discovered anything off when you were surveilling Huang Donglin and Fang Min lately?”

Yin Molan said, “The couple is very normal. They go to work and get off work on time every day. n.o.body suspicious has visited their house. They have never interacted with anyone suspicious, either.”

Ning Tao furrowed his brows slightly. “Could it be that I'm being overly cautious?”

“Should I continue the surveillance?” Yin Molan asked.

Ning Tao said, “If that is the case, then forget about it. We should head back now. I still have three magic tools to upgrade. You and Bai Jing's clothes have yet to be completed.”

Yin Molan instantly placed his fists together in a gesture of respect to Ning Tao. “Thank you for the hard work.”

Those few days had indeed been hard, but they had benefited from them a great deal. Apart from a dramatic increase in combat ability after the team upgrade, just the spiritual material alloy alone was of great use to Ning Tao. Not only could he expand his magic tool repair business, he could also start a magic tool upgrade business. Once he had finished upgrading the Unbreakable Fan, Sea Soul and the Bright Light of the Sea of Misery, he would announce it and sure there would be many pract.i.tioners who would give up anything just to get him to upgrade their magic tools!

Back in the Sky Clinic and after Yin Molan had been sent away, Ning Tao continued with his grand business of refining magic tools…

A week later.

Shennongjia. At the same forest.

Ning Tao pa.s.sed the Unbreakable Fan to Qing Zhui, the Sea Soul to Jiang Hao, and the Bright Light of the Sea of Misery to Bai Jing. Lastly, he gave the two shopping bags each containing a set of Heavenly Gem Magic Garments to Yin Molan and Bai Jing.

In ten days, he not only completed Yin Molan and Bai Jing's Heavenly Gem Magic Garments, but also completed the upgrade for four magic tools. For the past ten days, he had only slept for less than ten hours. However, other than being a little tired, he appeared to be alright.

Ning Tao said, “Qing Zhui, try the fan I gave you. You have never used it as a weapon, so you don't know what powers it has; perhaps you can after the upgrade. And Hao, you can also try the Sea Soul Blade, too.”

Whoos.h.!.+

The Unbreakable Fan opened in Qing Zhui's hand. The fan which was originally made of plant fiber had transformed into an alloy fan. It was crystal clear, radiating a colorful glow. After demon power was charged, a slight warp of s.p.a.ce and air around the fan appeared. Just then, she swiped the Unbreakable Fan.

A gust of wind blew across and wherever it touched, sand and stones blew, and tree barks were peeling!

Clank!

The Sea Soul Blade was out of its sheath. Its blade was also crystal clear with a s.h.i.+mmer of iridescence and faint signs of a warped s.p.a.ce. Right then, the temperature of the air around it suddenly dipped; the trees and plants around Jiang Hao were instantly frozen!

Jiang Hao brandished the blade. There was no blade aura; instead, a wave of cold wind rushed towards the forest with a howl. The trees and rocks touched by the wind had all become frozen! With Jiang Hao, the initially ordinary forest had turned into Siberia.

A lantern in Bai Jing's hand was lit up.

Light rays were warped. The icy surroundings turned into a volcano instantly; magma was spewing and the heat wave was overpowering! The flowing lava seemed to be threatening to devour everything. No human would be able to escape it!

This time it was not just an illusion. The feeling was also real!

Every tool had its own strengths.

The cultivation team upgrade was completed!