Chapter 266: Golden-Scaled Cudgel and 72 Style Earthly Fiends Cudgel Techniques (2/2)
Junior Leopard returned to the valley the next day. Cao Xuetang obviously had not recovered from his injury. After Junior Leopard said to Cao Xuetang that he had known how to get the kindling, Junior Leopard took the Wood Spirit Bottle from Cao Xuetang's hand and entered the cold pool before Cao Xuetang stopped him.
In a quarter of an hour, the calm mirror-like cold pool began to form bubbles as though the water was boiling. Seeing that, Cao Xuetang, who sat beside the pool, felt alarmed.
The alien change of the cold pool lasted for an hour. Then the pool gradually regained its calmness. An hour later, Junior Leopard rushed out from the pool with a Wood Spirit Bottle in hand. Smiling satisfactorily, he walked to Cao Xuetang.
”Cao Xuetang, I have succeeded in carrying out the assignment. You see, this is the kindling of Nanming Ignis.”
When Cao Xuetang reached out to take the Wood Spirit Bottle, he could easily notice the warm feeling of his finger and the active movement of the Ignis Mysterious Gang inside his body. With an expression of joy on his face, he stammered. ”Yes, yes, yes. Well-done, well-done. This is the kindling of Nanming Ignis, the kindling of...”
”I'm glad that I found it,” Junior Leopard said with a smile, ”and it seems that you have not recovered from your injury. Now that you have got the kindling of the Nanming Ignis, you should come back with me to heal your wound!”
”Ah, okay, okay, no problem!” Cao Xuetang who was still in a state of great excitement nodded his head.
”He's wild with joy. Just leave him alone. Let's go back”, Green Spirit said beside Junior Leopard, ”I haven't made a wizard weapon in a long time. Let's hurry back to melt your two big hammers and produce a Divine Weapon to my heart's content!”
After hearing Green Spirit's words, Junior Leopard rolled his eyes and said,”Nuts!” He then ignored Green Spirit.
”I'll never forget your kindness,” Cao Xuetang recovered his composure and said with great gratitude, his eyes looking at Junior Leopard, ”but you might not know that the Meteorite Metal forged by the kindling of Nanming Ignis for many years at the bottom of the cold pool has turned into a good material for refining weapons. The great Venerable, Prince Xiaoming reckons that if refined properly, the meteorite could be made into a wizard weapon”.
”Really?” Junior Leopard raised his eyebrows and seemed to be astonished. Then he smiled and continued, ”the meteorite is so heavy. If we want to pull it out of the pool, we need to take more time to discuss this matter. Since the meteorite has no feet to run away from the bottom of the pool, we can talk about it later. For now, we'd better go back!”
Cao Xuetang nodded his head and said, ”That would be fine!” He thought, ”What Junior Leopard said is correct. The Meteorite Metal can't run away. Junior Leopard can pull it up at any time since it is in his territory. There are plenty of methods to get the meteorite. I should not worry about that.”
Five days later, Cao Xuetang recovered his health. After integrating the kindling of Nanming Ignis into Internal Qi, his strength improved. Afterward, he said goodbye to Junior Leopard, and in high spirits, along with his wife, son and Cao Zhi, set out on a journey. Patting his chest, he promised Junior Leopard that he would offer a helping hand whenever Junior Leopard needed it in the South. From then on, Junior Leopard's business was Cao Xuetang's business.
Junior Leopard smiled and said a few words of courtesy to Cao Xuetang. After that, he saw them out of his territory. Along with them were the masters of martial arts and experts that had hunted Cao Xuetang and had been subdued by Junior Leopard.
The Qi functions of those unlucky guys were sealed by Junior Leopard. Besides, they were still in a coma after taking large doses of Anesthetic Pills. As for how Cao Xuetang would take over power in Sect of Flame and punish these people after he went back, Junior Leopard did not know and it was none of his business.
Now that Cao Xuetang's rival had lost an expert at Level Eight and three experts at Level Seven, people could say that their strength suffered a fatal attack. In this case, it was very likely for Cao Xuetang, who had the support of Prince Xiaoming, would take power. If he still failed, Zhou Bao could only say that he had a bad luck.
After parting with Cao Xuetang, Junior Leopard felt relieved. He had over 20 days away from the World Hero Competition. Though Central Plains was far from here, Junior Leopard could reach the competition venue in a day with his high speed. He did not intend to join the contest and would not register for it, so he could take his time.
Junior Leopard asked, ”Can you refine the Divine Weapon within 20 days?”
”Of course I can. With the Tusita Fire, I'm able to refine anything,” Green Spirit said, ”but you need to find a suitable place. We can't refine weapons here, for the process requires the frequent use of Tusita Fire. Though you could launch the Yin and Yang Dust Formation to separate the Tusita Fire from the environment, you couldn't guarantee that the surroundings wouldn't be ruined”.
”What about going to the cold pool valley? We could make weapons beside the cold pool where it is uninhabited!” Junior Leopard suggested.
”It's a pity that you don't have an Elixir Furnace with which the refining of weapons or elixirs are just a piece of cake for you. Though I know the method of making an Elixir Furnace, there are no appropriate materials in this world. If I make it with ordinary materials, the Elixir Furnace wouldn't be able to stand the power of the Tusita Fire!” Green Spirit explained.
”Now that we cannot produce the Elixir Furnace, we'd better ignore the treasure. The valuables that I possess are more than enough. Owning too much is not necessarily a good thing,” Junior Leopard said.
”You always look on the bright side of things!” Green Spirit said, ”Let's begin. First, I'll teach you the method of making a Divine Weapon!”
...
An hour later, Junior Leopard's expression changed.
Sitting in the house, he complained. ”Why is the process so complex? It's just making a weapon!”
”Kiddo, what you are going to refine are wizard weapons, to be more specific, Divine Weapons. Do you think it's easy to get all those good things?” Green Spirit continued, ”Damn it, I forget you have never learned the method of talisman formation. Without it, you can't make any wizard weapons, er, or even Pure Yang Celestial Devices. If you know nothing about it, you can't produce Pure Yang Celestial Device even though you have materials!”
”But the refining ways of Air-frozen Bead do not contain the talisman formation!”
Junior Leopard added defiantly, ”You once said that the Air-frozen Bead was a Taihao Fairy Weapon which was more powerful than Pure Yang Celestial Devices. Why not refine the Taihao Fairy Weapon with those materials?”
”Nonsense. You could try to refine the Air-frozen Bead with the ways that you learned and see what things you will make. Let me tell you, though you could make something, the thing could only calm the wind and would be weaker than a Mysterious Celestial Device. In other words, it's useless!” Green Spirit shouted angrily. ”How about learning the methods of talisman formation in these 20 days instead of refining weapons? You should at least grasp the basic principles of the talisman formation's methods. After that, I'll teach you the talisman formation of refining Pure Yang Celestial Devices and Divine Weapons. You don't need to make sense of it. Knowing how to launch it is enough. What do you think?”
”No objection. This is my only choice,” Junior Leopard said with a forced smile.
In the next 20 days, Junior Leopard learned the methods of talisman formation from Green Spirit.
The methods were profound and obscure. Junior Leopard was not a smart man, and his achievements today was mainly attributed to his luck. He studied very hard, but only managed to master the talisman formation of refining Divine Weapons after 22 days.
”Stupid, very stupid. It took only 10 days for me to master the foundation of talisman formation!”
Hearing this, Junior Leopard rolled his eyes. In his previous life, he was a student of arts. He did not learn liberal arts because he loved literature, history or other subjects, but because he was afraid of math. From middle school to high school, his math score had been about 60, the passing line. In the college entrance exams, he only flunked the math exam. The talisman formation, however, was closely related to math. Its calculation and evolution in nature were similar to recondite mathematical principles. So it was difficult for Junior Leopard to grasp the talisman formation.
Thanks to the system of learning by heart, Junior Leopard succeeded to launch the Highest Ruyi Talisman Formation. If Green Spirit asked him to make sense of it, he would definitely give up refining weapons.
”Well, now that you're able to launch the talisman formation with great efforts, it's time for you to refine a Divine Weapon. The Highest Ruyi Talisman Formation is not too profound to understand. It's the most frequently-used talisman formation for refining wizard weapons. If you could master it, you can earn a lot of money from refining weapons for others with a talisman formation and Tusita Fire!”
”This is a good way to be a rich person. But if I provide such services, I'll die without a complete body,” Junior Leopard sneered and said, ”what you taught me is all useful knowledge that failed to be handed down from past generations. People in this world are eager to acquire them. You know, though the owner himself was not guilty, his valuables would finally bring him misfortune. If I want to live longer in this world, I have to be prudent!”
Speaking of this, Junior Leopard smiled. ”So I've decided to join the World Hero Competition a few days late. During this time, I will stay here to refine a Divine Weapon.” He seemed to think of something. ”It's nice of you to teach me how to refine wizard weapons. Since I have weapons, of course, I need some movements to match them. I have never learned cudgel skills. Even though I could make a cudgel, I'm afraid that it will be useless!”
”The cudgel is the ancestor of all the weapons and is the most widespread one at our time. The cudgel skill is the most thoroughly studied weapon skill and its refining method the most popular. This is the reason why I want you to refine a Golden-Scaled Cudgel. You shouldn't worry about the cudgel skill. I have a set of 72 Style Earthly Fiends Cudgel Techniques. Once you master it, you will triumph over the method of sword practitioner with the Golden-Scaled Cudgel. If you are lucky enough to comprehend the spirit of cudgel, hehe...”
”Come on. Are you kidding me with the spirit of cudgel? It sounds f*ucking unbelievable!” Junior Leopard complained.