Just then, Chu Yanqiu slowly raised his hand, waving it at Lin Zhentian, and gently smoothed things over, saying, "Elder Lin, please don't be angry, calm down."
Chu Yanqiu turned his gaze to Hu Nan, showing no disdain or reprimand, but instead smiled and said, "Young friend, since you claim to possess thousand-year-old black iron, why not show it to me? If you truly have it, the reward will be yours; if not, I won't blame you, consider it a misunderstanding."
His words were calm, without any sense of oppression, yet carried an undeniable sincerity.
Upon hearing this, Lin Zhentian, though still displeased, couldn't refuse Chu Yanqiu's request. He could only snort coldly and step aside, his gaze still sharply fixed on Hu Nan, waiting to see him make a fool of himself.
The disciples also focused their attention, their eyes once again fixed on Hu Nan. Some were curious, some mocked, and some were simply watching with amusement, wanting to see how Hu Nan would handle the situation.
Hu Nan slowly raised his right hand, and with a gentle flick of his wrist, a fist-sized piece of black iron appeared out of thin air in his palm.
The black iron was entirely deep black, its surface gleaming with a faint, eerie light. Its patterns were as fine as silk, and even from a distance, one could sense the immense spiritual power it contained—exactly the same thousand-year-old black iron that Chu Yanqiu had previously displayed in the bronze mirror!
The moment the thousand-year-old black iron appeared, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence once more, quieter than ever before. Even the breathing of everyone present could be clearly heard.
The mockery and disdain on the faces of all the cultivators were instantly replaced by utter astonishment. Their eyes widened, staring intently at the thousand-year-old black iron in Hu Nan's palm, their faces filled with disbelief.
They subconsciously rubbed their eyes, as if unable to believe what they were seeing.
"It...it really is thousand-year-old black iron!"
Someone was the first to recover, letting out a low, incredulous gasp, their voice trembling slightly, instantly shattering the silence of the hall.
Immediately, a clamor of voices erupted, no longer the previous mockery and disdain, but replaced by shock, curiosity, and envy.
"My god, Hu Nan actually has thousand-year-old black iron! How is that possible?"
"How did he get it? Such a rare treasure, and it's actually in his hands!"
"Incredible! I thought he was just joking, but it's true..."
"Hu Nan's luck is incredible!"
"The secret to forging a natal magic weapon, and an invitation from the Imperial Sword Manor!"
Amidst the murmurs, Xuan Yangzi, seated in the main seat above the hall, also showed astonishment.
Compared to Xuan Yangzi's astonishment, Lin Zhentian's face was extremely grim, as dark as the bottom of a pot, so dark it seemed to drip water.
Just moments ago, he was the one who rebuked Hu Nan, asserting that Hu Nan couldn't possibly possess the Millennium Black Iron, mocking him for grandstanding and disrupting order. The disdain and rebuke in his tone still echoed in the hall.
But in the blink of an eye, Hu Nan produced the Millennium Black Iron, delivering a resounding slap in the face. The humiliation of being publicly humiliated made it almost impossible for the usually dignified man to contain his anger, yet he had no outlet for it.
After all, Hu Nan had indeed produced the Millennium Black Iron; his rebuke had become a joke.
Lin Hao stood in the crowd, his face even more ashen than Lin Zhentian's, his eyes burning with hatred and resentment that spread like wildfire.
He stared intently at the millennium-old black iron in Hu Nan's hand, his body trembling slightly.
He knew better than anyone that the black iron should have belonged to him; it was a treasure he had been tricked into selling for a paltry three spirit stones.
Now, however, it was in Hu Nan's hands, under the spotlight, and about to be taken away from the opportunity that should have been his. This humiliation and regret almost consumed him.
In the main hall, only Chu Yanqiu's face showed undisguised excitement and joy.
He had originally thought that finding the millennium-old black iron would be extremely difficult; even with a three-year deadline, it was unlikely anyone would find it, and he had even prepared to spend several more years searching.
But to his utter surprise, no sooner had he finished speaking than someone produced a thousand-year-old black iron. This unexpected delight made even the usually gentle and easygoing weapon-refining master lose his composure.
Chu Yanqiu quickly stepped forward, his voice trembling slightly: "Young friend, may I have a look at this thousand-year-old black iron?"
Hu Nan nodded, raised his hand, and handed over the thousand-year-old black iron.
Chu Yanqiu took the thousand-year-old black iron with both hands, carefully examining its patterns, his eyes filled with treasuring and excitement.
Chu Yanqiu examined it repeatedly for a long time, confirming that it was indeed genuine thousand-year-old black iron, before slowly raising his head to look at Hu Nan, asking in a gentle but solemn tone: "Young friend Hu Nan, do you want to exchange this thousand-year-old black iron for insights, or sell it to me?"
"Reporting to Master, this junior wishes to exchange it for insights!" Hu Nan replied.
Upon hearing this, Chu Yanqiu showed no hesitation and nodded slightly to Hu Nan, "Of course, of course. I always keep my word. Since you've offered the Millennium Black Iron, this opportunity should be yours."
As he finished speaking, Chu Yanqiu flicked his wrist, and a jade slip, pure white and intricately patterned, flew from his sleeve, carrying a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy, and landed steadily in Hu Nan's hand.
The jade slip felt slightly cool to the touch, its surface patterns faintly glowing, exuding an ancient aura, clearly not an ordinary object.
Watching Hu Nan accept the jade slip, Chu Yanqiu slowly explained, "Young friend Hu, this jade slip in your hand was crafted with my own painstaking effort. It contains all the methods and insights I've gained throughout my life in refining my natal magic treasures!"
"From material selection and flame control to spiritual energy fusion and spiritual nourishment, every step is detailed and easy to understand. Even if your cultivation is still shallow, you can gradually learn and comprehend it, saving you countless detours when refining your natal magic weapon in the future."
Many Foundation Establishment cultivators looked on with envy upon hearing this.
They also wanted to obtain this opportunity.
However, they didn't possess the Millennium Black Iron.
Even Jiang Lijuan, standing not far away, looked at Hu Nan with some envy.
After Chu Yanqiu finished speaking, he reached into his robes and took out an exquisite invitation.
This invitation was dark red throughout, with intricate embroidery of the Imperial Sword Manor's totem on the cover. The edges were inlaid with delicate silver patterns, radiating a faint spiritual energy, appearing both luxurious and solemn.
He gently handed it over, and the invitation, like a jade slip, slowly flew into Hu Nan's hand.
"This is the invitation from the Imperial Sword Manor," Chu Yanqiu said gently, yet with a hint of solemnity. "I hereby invite you to the Imperial Sword Manor five years from now to attend the opening ceremony of the Imperial Sword Pool."
"With this invitation, you will be among the first to enter the Imperial Sword Pool and choose a precious sword."
Hu Nan cupped his hands in thanks to Chu Yanqiu, saying, "Thank you, Master Chu."
Chu Yanqiu looked at him and waved his hand lightly, "No need for formalities. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement."
...
Heavenly Sword Sect, outer courtyard.
Qin Changsheng sat alone cross-legged on a futon. He slowly raised his right hand, and with a gentle flip of his palm, a pure white jade slip appeared in his hand.
This jade slip was the one Chu Yanqiu had just given to Hu Nan.
Qin Changsheng carefully circulated his spiritual energy, gently placing a wisp of pure spiritual energy onto the jade slip.
The jade slip instantly emitted a soft white light, which entered Qin Changsheng's mind.
The next instant, Qin Changsheng's mind was filled with numerous insights and techniques regarding the crafting of natal magic weapons.
Qin Changsheng focused his mind, studying each word carefully, his expression focused and serious, afraid of missing any crucial detail.
The jade slip began by detailing the essence of natal magic weapons.
A natal magic weapon is a cultivator's exclusive magical artifact, bound to their own essence and spiritual energy, and connected to their own soul. Unlike ordinary magical artifacts, once a natal magic weapon is formed, it accompanies the cultivator throughout their life, sharing glory and disgrace, life and death.
The insights stated that the core of a natal magic weapon lies in the concept of "symbiosis."
It is not a static, inanimate object, but a living entity that grows and strengthens alongside the cultivator's cultivation level.
When a cultivator reaches Foundation Establishment, their natal magic weapon can solidify their foundation;
When a cultivator reaches Golden Core, their natal magic weapon can condense its spiritual essence;
When a cultivator reaches Nascent Soul, their natal magic weapon can even develop a spirit, connecting with the cultivator's mind and soul, thus multiplying its combat power.
Conversely, if a cultivator's cultivation level declines, the power of their natal magic weapon will weaken accordingly; if the cultivator dies, the natal magic weapon will dim and shatter, turning to ashes.
Qin Changsheng slowly nodded, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes. Although he had heard rumors about natal magic weapons before, he had never known the core secrets of their growth. Chu Yanqiu's insights undoubtedly cleared away the fog for him.
Continuing to study, a passage about the conditions for refining a natal magic weapon captured his entire attention.
The text clearly states that the first step in crafting a natal magic weapon is selecting a primary magic artifact.
This primary magic artifact is the foundation of the natal magic weapon, like the pillars of a building. The higher its grade and the better its quality, the higher the potential of the natal magic weapon and the greater its future growth potential.
The text emphasizes that the primary magic artifact should ideally be a mid-grade Xuan-level artifact or higher. While artifacts below mid-grade Xuan-level can be used to craft natal magic weapons, they will limit their growth potential. Even if the cultivator's cultivation level increases significantly in the future, the natal magic weapon will struggle to break through its limitations and will ultimately become just an ordinary object.