novelraw 501. Inlaying Magic Core
501. Inlaying Magic Core
Over the course of fourteen days, amidst the constant striking of Haika's hammer, the basic form of the Xuanzhong Ruler was beginning to emerge from the raging sea of fire.
Using the original Xuanzhong Ruler as a base, and through continuous forging, it was reconstructed with molten steel as the skeleton, star black iron as the surface, and fire-shine plate iron as the vein.
Haika truly lived up to his reputation as a top forging master of the Pill Tower. He completed most of the reforging of the Xuanzhong Ruler in just fourteen days. Of course, the most important step was still missing: adding a soul to the new version of the Xuanzhong Ruler—the magic core of the ninth-order ferocious beast, the Heavenly Demon Phoenix!
After a long period of forging, Haika was now quite exhausted, his broad face showing signs of dejection. While most Dou Zun experts could go ten days without rest without any effect, Haika's fatigue was internal and external. During the forging process, others only needed to release their own flames, but he alone had to withstand so many flames with different effects to complete the most crucial forging task.
He had already consumed two of the three grade-eight pills in the jade bottle. His skin, cracked like parched earth from excessive pill consumption and the draining of his potential, was covered in dark red scabs mixed with iron filings. He lifted the water gourd with slightly trembling hands and took a swig, but because he hadn't controlled the force he used while forging, he crushed the gourd to pieces as soon as he took a sip.
Haika wiped his lips and said, "The magic core... it's time to embed it."
His hoarse voice sounded like sandpaper rubbing against black iron, and his bloodshot right eye was fixed on the Xuan Heavy Ruler embryo floating in the center of the fire array—the ruler body had been fused and solidified from three rare metals, but the diamond-shaped groove left at the junction of the handle and the body was glaringly empty. That was the "cage" he left for the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Demon Core, and also the soul of this new version of the Xuan Heavy Ruler.
Haika glanced at the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Core, which was being held captive to one side, and then instructed Xiao Yan, "Xiao Yan, I don't have the energy to flatten that feathered beast right now. You do it yourself!"
"If I leave now, what will happen to the temperature here?"
"It's mostly finished, and with these few people maintaining it, there shouldn't be any problems."
Xiao Yan nodded, then withdrew the Red Lotus Heart Flame; he had also expended considerable energy. While the others only needed to release their flames in coordination, he alone needed to control the Red Lotus Heart Flame while simultaneously releasing his own.
"What should I do, Master Haika?"
A fierce glint appeared in Haikan's weary eyes: "Use whatever method you prefer, as long as you can embed that magic core!"
"Alright!" Xiao Yan took out one pill each to restore his Dou Qi and soul power, and chewed them haphazardly. The forging of the Xuan Heavy Ruler had reached a critical moment, and he didn't have time to recover slowly.
He then broke the restriction left by Yuan Chen, and the purple-gold demon core successfully broke free, with an extremely fierce aura soaring into the sky.
A colossal phantom of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix appeared, its illusory phoenix feathers dazzling. The Heavenly Demon Phoenix's eyes were filled with resentment and venom, eager to tear the person before it to shreds.
Xiao Yan looked at the illusory figure and snorted coldly, "You've been dead for many years. Even if you were a Dou Sheng in life, only a tiny remnant of your soul remains in this demonic core. You'd better get back here!"
Xiao Yan condensed his soul power and smashed it down. The purple-gold demonic core emitted a powerful force, colliding violently with Xiao Yan's soul power.
Crimson flames rose in Xiao Yan's hands, and the Dou Qi within Xiao Yan's body surged wildly, the flames transforming into raging waves of fire.
"Wind-Boosting Palm!"
Haika's ultimate technique allows for extreme control over flames, a product of years of painstaking effort. This fighting technique is naturally of great significance to Xiao Yan, so in his spare time while striving for the Heavenly Talent Ranking, Xiao Yan has only just begun to grasp its basics. The flames, following Xiao Yan's will, completely enveloped the demonic core without affecting the others in the forging room.
The phantom of the Heavenly Phoenix was ultimately just a remnant of energy. As Xiao Yan poured the Red Lotus Heart Flame into it at any cost, the remnant soul let out an unprecedented scream. The fear that had been deliberately buried grew wildly like poisonous buds, and its phantom shadow twisted uncontrollably, eventually collapsing into a phantom shadow the size of a human.
Xiao Yan's right hand was enveloped by the Crimson Lotus Heart Flame, and he forcefully gripped the Demon Core in his hand. The purple-gold light struggled again, trying to break free from Xiao Yan's grasp. Several glaring bloody cuts appeared on Xiao Yan's right palm due to the impact of the Demon Core, and blood soaked into the Demon Core, while the Phoenix Cry grew even more excited.
"You get even more excited when you see blood, but I can't possibly let a feathered beast like you absorb the blood of your master!"
Xiao Yan unleashed his combined soul power and battle qi, firmly imprisoning Huang Ying. He then rushed to the Xuan Heavy Ruler and forcefully slammed the demonic core into it. The intense heat generated by the continuous burning caused Xiao Yan to momentarily lose his senses.
Seeing this, Haika disregarded his own energy expenditure, crushed the jade bottle, and swallowed the last pill, causing his aura to rise once again.
"Only one last step left. Xiao Yan, get out of the way and wait!"
The Battle Qi Hammer reappeared, its surface now stained with a hint of blood. Xiao Yan stepped aside, looking at Haika who was practically risking his life in the forging process, a trace of guilt appearing in his eyes: "Is it really worth it?"
He naturally wanted the enhanced Xuanzhong Ruler, but he had only met Haika a few times, and Haika was already going to such lengths for him. Xiao Yan couldn't accept this with a clear conscience.
"Of course it's worth it!" Xuan Leizi, who had the least interaction with Xiao Yan among the three giants of the Pill Tower, was standing next to Xiao Yan and explained to him without hesitation.
"Xiao Yan, Haika is a man of true feelings. In his eyes, it's certainly not worth sacrificing his life for you, Xiao Yan. But he also has his own obsessions; he's actually enjoying all of this."
"Obsession?"
"That's right. He can be considered a master in the field of forging now, but there is still a gap between him and the true pinnacle. This gap may seem like a small step, but it is actually a world of difference, like heaven and earth. It is this visible but unattainable gap that can drive a person crazy."
Xuan Leizi sighed softly, his eyes filled with understanding and envy: "The materials you brought gave him a sense of opportunity to reach the same level as those senior experts. His excitement is definitely not feigned. This is the best opportunity of his life. If he succeeds this time, even if he is injured and needs decades to recuperate, it will be absolutely worth it."
Xiao Yan nodded, "I see."
"So you're really lucky. This ruler you're looking at could very well be his one and only masterpiece!"