Who Let Him Cultivate?! (WX)-Chapter 529: Artifact Refinement Competition

Compared to Lu Yang, Li Haoran had always counted himself lucky to have a relatively dependable shifu. Although this reliable shifu had once tossed me into molten lava, it had solely been to help me better understand the arcane wonders of my Fire Spirit Root.

Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined my great shifu would have enemies within the Five-Elements Sect.

And an entire Fire Branch at that.

Bai Ming patted Li Haoran’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, this is just an exception. I’ve heard Elder Zhou Xin is well-connected in the artifact refinement community and gets along with many people.”

This was the truth. Fifth Elder’s artifact refinement skills were unparalleled in the cultivation world, and his reputation was impeccable. Artifact-refining masters were often evaluated by the number of patents registered under their name, and Fifth Elder held the record for most patents secured. These patents had amassed him staggering wealth, and even Seventh Elder, a pill-concocting master, couldn’t rival Fifth Elder when it came to spirit stones.

Of course, Fifth Elder’s wealth still paled beside the Taciturn Daoist Priest’s. It wasn’t because the Taciturn Daoist Priest currently owned a fortune, but simply that his bounty on the black market was worth a fortune.

“What are those people doing?”

Lu Yang spotted several near-naked senior male disciples lying prone on the scorching earth, eyes closed in concentration. Their bodies glistened under the sun, seemingly coated with a layer of liquid.

A severed tree branch was planted in the ground beside them. The last time he had seen such a sight was during beach sunbathing in his previous life.

“Oh, them? Is it so hard to understand? They’re comprehending the meaning of the sun. Through the Fire Branch Elder’s research, it was discovered that greater skin exposure to sunlight increases the probability of epiphany.

“That tree branch was brought back by Shifu from Wilderness Province. Apparently, it’s a fragment of the Fusang Tree, spoils from defeating an archaic cultivator. It is tremendously helpful for comprehending the essence of the sun. What you see coated on their bodies is a specially formulated ointment.”

“An ointment that enhances comprehension of the sun’s meaning?”

“It’s sunscreen.”

Lu Yang quietly withdrew his gaze. The Five-Elements Sect’s cultivation methods are certainly unique...

“Come, I’ll show you the Water Branch’s cultivation grounds.”

Before they could set off, cultivators bearing flame symbols on their foreheads strode toward the group in an imposing manner.

“Which one is Li Haoran?”

“What are you trying to do?” Meng Jingzhou frowned slightly, stepping forward to shield everyone else.

“So you are Li Haoran?” The cultivator with the flame mark eyed Meng Jingzhou.

Bai Ming interposed himself between both parties, his tone displeased as he addressed the senior male disciples from the Fire Branch. “Senior Brother Yuan Gang and other senior brothers, what are you trying to do?”

“Nothing much. We just heard Elder Zhou Xin’s prized disciple was visiting and wanted to see what he looks like.”

“They’re our guests,” Bai Ming stated.

Yuan Gang replied lazily, “I know. I wasn’t planning to fight.”

“I am Li Haoran.” Now that the matter had escalated to this point, Li Haoran stepped forward without letting others speak up for him further.

“So you are Fire Spirit Root Li Haoran. Never judge someone by their appearance indeed. I heard you’re an exceptional artifact-refining master who has inherited Elder Zhou Xin’s true teachings. Is that true?”

“True or false—does it matter?”

Yuan Gang’s eyes gleamed sharply. “It doesn’t matter. My cultivation surpasses yours by a minor realm. Beating you would be meaningless. How about we compete with our artifact-refining skills instead?”

“Senior Brother Yuan Gang, Li Haoran is a guest,” Bai Ming reminded him again.

Yuan Gang chuckled. “Exchanging artifact-refining techniques lets him learn our Five-Elements Sect’s artifact-refining methods. What’s wrong with that?”

“Compete in artifact refinement? Sure.” When it came to artifact-refining skills, Li Haoran feared no one.

“See? Even Li Haoran himself agrees.”

“When do we compete?”

“There’s no time like the present. Everyone can be a witness.”

As tensions rose between both parties, more Five-Elements Sect disciples gathered; even those sunbathing came over.

“Well, well, what’s happening?”

“It's probably Yuan Gang standing up to win back honor for the Fire Branch Elder with an artifact-refinement duel.”

“Did the other party accept?”

“He did.”

“This will be exciting to watch. Even the elders praise Yuan Gang’s artifact-refining skills all the time, saying he’s a future artifact-refining grandmaster.”

“Absolutely.”

Yuan Gang smiled while surveying his surroundings, then fixed his gaze on Li Haoran. “Well? Shall we begin now, or should I give you preparation time?”

“What preparations? We can begin now. Say it, what are we competing in?”

After some consideration, Yuan Gang said earnestly, “Artifact refinement ultimately serves cultivators, and what cultivators value most is power. Why don’t we compete to see whose creation unleashes greater power?”

“How is the power measured?”

Yuan Gang pointed at a few red boulders in the distance. “Those are Lava Essence Stones, formed when lava from volcanic eruptions is condensed by a mighty expert’s great power. They are extremely sturdy. The winner will be determined by who deals greater damage to them, with a maximum charging time of no more than one hundred breaths.”

The longer a magical treasure was charged, the greater its destructive power. Without a limit on its charging time, the competition would simply become a test of whose artifact could be charged the longest.

“It’s a deal then.”

“Say, can the two of us participate as well?” A soft chuckle rang out as Yuan Gang noticed Lu Yang raising his hand with a smile and Meng Jingzhou standing beside him.

“You two know artifact-refining techniques too?” Yuan Gang eyed them skeptically. While he certainly recognized Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, he had never heard of them being adept at artifact refinement.

“We’re passable. Defeating you shouldn’t be a big problem,” Meng Jingzhou replied cheerfully.

Yuan Gang laughed in his fit of anger. “Impressive courage! It’s my first time hearing someone claim they can beat me in artifact-refining skills! Well then, let me see what you’re really capable of!”

Bai Ming was perplexed and secretly transmitted an auditory message to Man Gu and Tao Yaoye. “Do they really know how to refine artifacts?”

Man Gu shook his head blankly, while Tao Yaoye remained silent, her thoughts drifting back to their sect’s entrance trials two years ago.

Their ambiguous responses only deepened Bai Ming’s confusion.

Yuan Gang signaled one of his lackeys, who produced an extensive collection of artifact-refining materials from his identity jade tablet: refined steel, ironwood, agate, pure yin water...

“These are raw materials for artifact refinement, available for use during the competition. Common materials are unlimited, but the precious materials aren’t sufficient, so it will come down to who grabs them first.”

Lu Yang quipped, “I’ve never seen such a fair competition before. You’re the one who proposed it, set the terms, and now say there aren’t enough materials and we have to fight for them. I trust you won’t mind if I use some minor spells?”

Yuan Gang acted as if he didn’t hear Lu Yang’s sarcasm and replied calmly, “Up to you. Are you still competing or not?”

Lu Yang’s smile didn’t waver. “Of course, we’ll compete! How else would you witness our amazing artifact-refining skills? Since it’s a competition, what are the stakes? Surely not mere pride, right?”

“If I lose, you may choose any true fire from our Fire Branch’s cultivation grounds.

“If you lose, you shall not cultivate in the Fire Branch’s territory for your entire stay at the Five-Elements Sect!”