Cultivation Starting from Full Talent

Chapter 212: Chapter 210: The Old Man Departs!

At night, smoke and fire lingered in the refining workshop.

The masters and blacksmiths of the sword casting shop had all left early to go home and cuddle with their wives in their warm beds. Now, only two people and one deer remained in the workshop.

On the forging platform, an Azure Dragon Spear lay horizontally, its surface traced with delicate patterns, perfect in every way.

“This spear…”

Ou Yeping gently stroked the handle of the long spear, frowning, “There’s actually a trace of spirituality within this spear? This is indeed rare. Ning, where did you acquire this spear?”

Ning Daoran pointed at Big Stupid Deer, “I pulled it out of your good disciple’s butt.”

“Awoo~~~”

Big Stupid Deer cried out, indicating how such an embarrassing thing should not be spoken aloud.

“No wonder you, lad, wanted to reforge this spear.”

Ou Yeping pondered for a moment, then said, “I’ve forged countless heavy weapons in my lifetime. However, the best weapon I’ve ever made was only a top-grade spiritual tool level hammer. This spear of yours definitely has a chance to reach the level of a magic treasure level heavy weapon.”

Ning Daoran nodded, “That’s exactly my intention as well. However, I’m unsure where to start. Do you have any suggestions, elder?”

“It’s simple.”

Ou Yeping said in a deep voice, “Melt down this spear, refine it anew, and add one jin of Mo Gold and ten jin of Golden Essence. Furthermore, if you can incorporate the Spirit Marrow refined from the spine of a third-tier demon beast, the chances of it becoming a magic treasure level heavy weapon will be far greater. Of course, the success of reforging this spear will greatly depend on the hammering technique; that’s the key.”

“Don’t worry, elder. Old Lu’s hammering technique has now reached a divine level!”

“That’s only natural, who’s disciple is he after all?”

Ou Yeping stroked his beard, a face full of satisfaction.

A few days ago, every time Big Stupid Deer swung his hammer to forge, there was an extraordinary divine presence that Ou Yeping had never seen before. Now, he was convinced that Big Stupid Deer’s hammering technique was indeed better than his own, and by a significant margin.

Thus, Ning Daoran collaborated with Big Stupid Deer to begin reforging the Azure Dragon Spear.

The refining workshop was cleared, leaving just the two of them and the deer.

When Big Stupid Deer began melting the Azure Dragon Spear, Ning Daoran took out a complete spine of a Cold Pool Jiao Dragon from his storage bag. This was the spine of a third-tier mid-stage demon beast, still emanating a coldness after being dead for twenty years.

Ou Yeping tightened his collar; he actually felt a chill in this hot workshop, and his eyes sharpened immediately, confirming that Ning had brought out some extraordinary materials.

“Hu~~”

Ning Daoran exhaled a burst of Samadhi True Fire and began scorching the spine.

Around two hours later, the spine turned red-hot. Silver liquid began to trickle out from the tail end of the spine, slowly, taking several breaths’ time before a single drop emerged.

These were the Spirit Marrow of the Cold Pool Jiao Dragon. Even after being scorched by the Samadhi True Fire, it still surged with bone-chilling coldness!

In the end, the entire several dozen meters long spine was burned to smithereens, yet only a small bowl of Spirit Marrow was collected and handed over to Big Stupid Deer.

White Deer was the principal in this reforging of the Azure Dragon Spear. Ning Daoran was merely an assistant in the refining process; he did not possess the Returning to Nature Level hammering technique. Professional work was best left to the professional deer—that much Ning Daoran knew.

“Yoyoyo~~~”

In the early morning, Big Stupid Deer let out a loud deer call, beginning to incorporate the Spirit Marrow, Mo Gold, Golden Essence, and other precious materials into the molten liquid of the Azure Dragon Spear, also starting reshaping and repeated hammering to remove impurities.

Ning Daoran also became busy.

He released his Golden Core Divine Sense, his hands fluttering, taking layer upon layer of third-tier mid-grade Jiao Scales and refining them, then engraving spiritual patterns on the finely scaled Jiao scales.

Afterwards, he used the spiritual patterns to construct the core of a miniature array.

There were many kinds of arrays—augment weight, Gathering Spirit, Mana amplification, and other effects that were all possible.

“Old Lu, take these, embed them all.”

He gestured with his hand, and over two hundred micro-array cores turned into countless stars stretching out above Big Stupid Deer’s head.

“Awoo!”

Big Stupid Deer, like a skilled pancake chef spreading batter, hammered the metal as if he were making pancakes, adding a bit of chopped green onion, fried dough, cucumber, tenderloin, and other ingredients—oh no, in fact, he was adding the core of various micro-arrays with every few dozen hammer blows.

This process took an extremely long time, to the extent that Ou Yeping had fallen into a doze.

Having not much lifespan left and his vitality draining away, he was nearing death and couldn’t manage to stay in the refining workshop for long. Yet he was so eager to see the first magic treasure level work of this closed-door disciple that he stood by all the while.

Three days later.

Accompanied by the last round of hammering by Big Stupid Deer, which finally quenched the weapon with a “hum” sound, a stream of golden spirit light spread through the entirety of the newly born Big Green Dragon.

Then, the abundant spiritual energy contained within welled up, and immediately, the entire spear appeared as if it were coated in a layer of deep blue frost.

At this moment, the Big Green Dragon had acquired a part of the Cold Pool Jiao Dragon’s frosty nature!

“Yo ho!”

Big Stupid Deer stood upright, its front hooves presenting the Big Green Dragon.

“It is done!”

Ning Daoran’s eyes lit up, and he reached out with one hand to grasp the Big Green Dragon.

But in the moment Big Stupid Deer let go, Ning Daoran felt a sudden weight. Good heavens, the reforged Big Green Dragon weighed at least twice as much as before. Fortunately, he was now a Golden Core Cultivator, and his Blood Qi Power had increased substantially; otherwise, he might not have been able to wield it.

Third-tier top-grade, a magic treasure level heavy weapon!

Ning Daoran’s eyes sparkled, not expecting that the final product, the Big Green Dragon, would actually be a top-grade magic treasure!

Firstly, it was due to the rare materials used, secondly to Big Stupid Deer’s masterful Return to Nature hammering technique, and thirdly because the Azure Dragon Spear had spirituality to begin with, which was completely preserved by Big Stupid Deer during the reforging process.

“I… May I touch it?”

Ou Yeping, standing beside them, was tremendously excited.

He knew he couldn’t lift it, so he only asked if he could touch it.

“Sure.”

Ning Daoran held the Big Green Dragon out in front of his chest.

The elder reached out and touched the patterns on the gun handle, his palm trembling slightly, his eyes filled with excitement. When he reached the blade, he didn’t dare to touch it—the spear’s edge was sharp enough to draw blood upon contact.

This was Ning Daoran’s weapon, one naturally not to be taken lightly.

“Ning, what are you waiting for? Refine the weapon with your blood!” Old Lu said with a raised eyebrow and a smile.

“Alright!”

Ning Daoran immediately forced out a drop of essence blood which was swiftly absorbed by the sharp tip of the spear. Immediately, the whole Azure Dragon Spear began to hum as if a true dragon was roaring inside it.

The refining process took only a moment, and soon after, the Azure Dragon Spear was once again in spiritual harmony with Ning Daoran, becoming one of his treasures again.

A magical treasure of a heavy weapon is hailed as a “Divine Weapon” in the blacksmithing world.

Even for the Divine Weapon Sect of Red Leaf Valley, it takes decades to forge a Divine Weapon, but who would have thought that Big Stupid Deer, after eighteen years of apprenticeship in the sword casting shop, had managed to forge a Divine Weapon!

“Hahaha~~~”

Ou Yeping sat on a stool, holding his thigh, and suddenly burst into laughter.

He suddenly remembered how, when he was young, he sought to join the Divine Weapon Sect but was mocked by Mo Yunting, Mo Shaoting, and others. He thought of how for a hundred years the sword casting shop had been sneered at by the Divine Weapon Sect, enduring so much humiliation.

Now, who would dare to say the sword forging ability of the sword casting shop is inferior to that of the Divine Weapon Sect?

Just now, when the Big Green Dragon was quenched for the last time, there was a burst of spirit light that shot out of the sword casting shop.

That spirit light signified the birth of a Divine Weapon, something that the average person might not recognize, but old blacksmiths and swordmasters could identify at a glance.

The Divine Weapon Sect had so many informants in Fanshu City that news of this would be hard to keep secret.

Thinking of this, Ou Yeping laughed even more heartily.

“Hahahahaha~~~”

Old Lu laughed until his belly ached.

Then, while laughing, he was about to pass away.

…

“Ning, disciple, come here.”

Ou Yeping, pale-faced, leaned against the wall behind him.

His lifespan had truly run out.

“Old master, do you have any last words?” Ning Daoran asked.

“I don’t have much to say. After taking in a closed-door disciple, I have no regrets left. My little disciple has actually forged a Divine Weapon, what regrets could I, Ou Yeping, have? Hahahaha~~~”

After laughing a few times with difficulty, Ou Yeping slapped his Storage Bag and took out a shining golden Token, along with some land and house deeds, and said, “This is the token of the shopkeeper of the sword casting shop, and all the deeds are here.”

He looked at Ning Daoran and said, “Although I’ve had a Daoist couple in my life, unfortunately, she was taken early and left no children. Now there’s only me left, and none of the Ouye family’s descendants have amounted to anything, so… I leave the shop to you.”

He smiled slightly, “I know you’re just passerby in Fanshu City, and you will leave eventually. But that’s alright, I believe you will handle the sword casting shop properly, entrusting it to you is definitely better than to those incompetent descendants.”

“Old master…”

Ning Daoran knelt on one knee, accepting the Token and deeds, and asked, “Are there any other last words?”

“That’s all.”

Ou Yeping looked at White Deer and said, “Good disciple, continue to pass on your master’s skills. No matter how far you go, never forget it was I who led you into this craft.”

“Awoo~~~”

Big Stupid Deer also knelt down, tears welling in its deer eyes.

“Don’t cry.”

Ou Yeping said with a smile, “To die at two hundred and twenty, from old age, is a cause for celebration, nothing to cry about.”

He sat upright on a small stool, tidied up his clothes, and with a weak voice said, “I’m going now, don’t worry about me, you all be good… I’m off!”

With that, he slowly closed his eyes, and there was no more breathing; he had passed away just like that.

…

“Old master, rest in peace…”

“Yoohoo…”

Both man and deer were somewhat saddened, yet they were the only ones to manage Ou Yeping’s funeral.

Soon after, Sang Ping’an arrived.

When the swordsmiths of the sword casting shop learned of Ou Yeping’s passing, they all showed grief. Although the old master was strict, he never withheld salaries, always provided what should be provided, and taught what should be taught, with this alone he exceeded most unscrupulous bosses.

The mourners of the sword casting shop hammered and banged, paying their last respects to the old master.

…

At Red Leaf Valley, the Divine Weapon Sect.

The news sent ripples of shock through Mo Yunting and Mo Shaoting.

“A Divine Weapon phenomenon appeared at the sword casting shop last night…”

“Ou Yeping passed away in the early hours of the morning…”

Mo Shaoting furrowed his brow, “Could it be that Ou Yeping, just before his death, finally advanced his hammering technique, in a moment of returned light, created his final piece, and the only Divine Artifact of his life?”