Chapter 417: Refinement

A Mortal's Journey to Immortality, Volume 3, Chapter 4: Winds Rise Overseas

The lives of mortals were indeed very different from those of cultivators, filled with joy and sorrow, separation and reunion, birth, aging, sickness, and death.

Just a few years of observation allowed Han Li to experience many long-forgotten feelings, encompassing both positive and negative emotions.

Regardless of their nature, each stirred Han Li's state of mind, prompting him to re-experience them and then comprehend and reflect upon them from a cultivator's perspective.

Meanwhile, his artifact-refining skills and understanding of formations gradually improved with each passing day.

Most notably, after a year or two, Han Li's shop, "Azure Bamboo Abode," slowly gained a small reputation in the area.

This was because cultivators often found inexpensive but high-performing spirit tools at Han Li's place. Some lucky individuals even chanced upon rare mid-grade talismans in his shop.

Once this news spread in a small circle, many low-level cultivators immediately flocked to his shop.

The spirit tools and talismans were, of course, personally refined by Han Li. Since entering the Core Formation stage, he could finally cast some long-envied mid-grade spells.

Although these were only the most basic among mid-grade spells, Han Li was exceedingly satisfied.

However, mid-grade talismans could not be refined using ordinary talisman paper; they required the hides of rare demonic beasts as raw materials. Moreover, each type of mid-grade talisman had its own strict and unique requirements for beast hide, meaning not all demonic beast hides were universally suitable.

Fortunately, when Han Li sold off a batch of demonic beast materials, he had already anticipated this need and held back a large quantity of materials suitable for talisman crafting.

Otherwise, even if he had learned the spells, he would still have been unable to refine the talismans.

Han Li first practiced using inferior demonic beast hides, and only when he felt he was in good form would he use precious materials to refine a few special talismans.

These practice talismans were mostly offensive spells. Han Li would put one or two of them up for sale every month or two, available to whoever saw them first.

From Han Li's Core Formation stage perspective, these talismans were practically useless compared to the power of true magic treasures, making them seem like mere trifles. There was no point in keeping them.

However, Han Li clearly underestimated the allure of mid-grade talismans for Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment cultivators. Even after repeatedly raising their prices, cultivators still bought them without hesitation, allowing Han Li to make a considerable small fortune.

Unfortunately, mid-grade talismans were extremely difficult to refine. Even with so many demonic beast hides to practice on, Han Li's success rate was pitifully low, succeeding only about once every twenty or thirty attempts.

Compared to the high success rate of low-grade talismans, Han Li could only offer a wry smile.

Otherwise, Han Li could have become a wealthy local magnate among cultivators just by selling mid-grade talismans.

Furthermore, as Han Li's artifact-refining skills improved, more mid-grade and high-grade spirit tools began appearing in the shop, making the "Azure Bamboo Abode" even more renowned. Fortunately, this renown was only among low-level cultivators, so Han Li didn't have to worry about attracting trouble.

By his ninth year there, Han Li, incorporating some simple formations he had comprehended, began experimenting with refining formation flags and formation disks.

Thanks to the insights provided by Qi Yunxiao and Xin Ruoyin, Han Li avoided many detours and grasped some crucial small techniques.

Even so, refining a complete set of formation artifacts was an extremely difficult task for him, a newcomer to this art, and would not yield results quickly.

However, Han Li was not impatient. Having entered the Core Formation stage, he had ample time to slowly accumulate experience and understanding.

Moreover, the most important task at present was to simultaneously ponder the refining method for the "Azure Bamboo Cloud Swarm Swords" while crafting other items, to ensure success on the first attempt...

After all, when refining this magic treasure, there would be no extra materials for him to attempt a second time.

Time passed day by day as Han Li refined artifacts and delved into formations.

Spring turned to autumn!

Unbeknownst to many, Han Li's modestly famous "Azure Bamboo Abode" had been open for over twenty years, and Han Li himself had taken on the appearance of an old man in his fifties.

This was not Han Li's true appearance, of course. To conceal his ageless look, he had to disguise his appearance to seem older as time passed.

Currently, Han Li stood in the shop's backyard, his heart filled with a strange mix of emotions as he gazed at his surroundings.

Just yesterday, he had transferred the shop to someone else, finally ending his time in mortal society.

This was because, a few days prior, the long-awaited sixth stalk of "Golden Lightning Bamboo" had matured to ten thousand years, meaning he had to return to his cave dwelling to refine his magic treasure.

Having lived here for over twenty years, even Han Li, typically unperturbed, felt a hint of lingering affection upon his departure.

Presumably, this period of life in the market city would become a rare and tranquil experience in his life.

Just then, loud shouts erupted from the neighboring shop. Hearing them, Han Li couldn't help but smile knowingly.

Without needing to use his spiritual sense, he knew it must be the shop owner next door once again trying to sell his "shop's treasure," an item that had been on sale for seven or eight years with no one willing to buy it.

This neighbor had inherited his father's business; the original old shop owner, present when Han Li first moved in, had retired to his home four years ago to enjoy his twilight years.

Although the old shop owner's son had a fiery temper, he was generally honest. However, when doing business, he frequently boasted loudly about his wares, often leaving many visiting cultivators quite bewildered by his pitch.

Han Li sighed, gently shook his head, and then, accompanied by Qu Hun, who was waiting in the front hall, walked out of the "Azure Bamboo Abode."

Soon after, their figures completely vanished from that corner of the market city.

Upon returning to his cave dwelling, Han Li immediately entered a secret chamber with numerous artifact-refining materials. Outside, he set up a small formation he had comprehended over the years.

This formation had no other purpose than effectively concealing spiritual energy fluctuations, making it perfect for Han Li to use while refining magic treasures.

He certainly didn't want his magic treasure to be halfway refined only to be spied upon by others.

Afterward, Han Li meditated quietly in the secret chamber for three days and three nights, ensuring his mental and spiritual energy were in their optimal state before he began refining the magic treasure.

First, he took out the jade paste box from his storage pouch and placed it flat on the ground before him.

Next, he opened the lid, revealing six emerald-green stalks of Heavenly Lightning Bamboo inside.

Han Li gazed solemnly at the bamboo stalks, took a deep breath, and then extended a finger to gently tap one of the green bamboo stalks inside the box.

Instantly, that foot-long Heavenly Lightning Bamboo flew out of the box and floated motionless before his chest.

Han Li solemnly formed a hand seal, and a faint green glow began to flow across his face, gradually intensifying.

As the green light grew thicker, Han Li opened his mouth, and a thread-like stream of azure alchemic flame shot out, landing precisely on the Heavenly Lightning Bamboo before him.

With a "crackling" sound, a faint golden electric arc appeared on the bamboo's surface, rudely isolating the alchemic flame and preventing it from approaching even half a step.

Seeing this, a glint flashed in Han Li's eyes. The azure alchemic flame immediately thickened by several points, instantly enveloping both the electric arc and the bamboo stalk within the azure fire, thus beginning the long refining process.

The alchemic flame consumed a significant amount of spiritual energy, but fortunately, Han Li was well-prepared. As soon as he released the flame, he simultaneously gripped two dark green spirit stones, absorbing the spiritual energy within them. When even the spirit stones couldn't replenish his energy quickly enough, he would casually take out a pill and swallow it.

Even if these pills couldn't be immediately converted into magical power, the abundant spiritual energy they contained was enough to allow Han Li, prepared for a protracted battle, to proceed without fear.

After the first three days, the electric arc on the surface of the Heavenly Lightning Bamboo finally dissipated as the bamboo's own spiritual energy was exhausted. The unobstructed azure alchemic flame then directly began refining the Heavenly Lightning Bamboo's main body.

Several days later, signs of melting appeared on the bamboo's surface. Some areas began to faintly glow, and numerous tiny liquid beads of various colors seeped out.

After more than ten consecutive days of this, the entire Heavenly Lightning Bamboo was finally rid of all impurities, refined by Han Li into a fist-sized mass of emerald green viscous liquid.

It appeared incredibly sticky!

Looking at the small mass of liquid, Han Li let out a great sigh of relief. As long as he could refine the Heavenly Lightning Bamboo, the subsequent steps would be much easier.

With that thought, Han Li ceased the alchemic flame from his mouth and put away the spirit stones in his hands.

Next, he spread the fingers of both hands, and ten thread-like spiritual strands shot out, precisely entering the green liquid.

Then, Han Li's fingers continued to flick, and under the pulling of the spiritual threads, the liquid mass began to spin and deform.

Guided by the spiritual threads, a small portion of the green liquid separated from the main body and floated similarly in the nearby air.

Then a second piece, a third piece...

When the last piece had separated, twelve equally sized liquid masses appeared in the air.