Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 521

At the same time, Senior Hwa-ryun used a silk cloth-like magical artifact to take Han Li away from Hwanwoon Peak towards a slightly smaller mountain.

“This is Senior Wi. He’s one of the best artifact refiners in our temple. From now on, you’ll learn artifact refinement under him. Don’t worry, we’re not asking you to make this your career. You just need to help refine an important treasure we’re currently working on. If you work hard for two or three years, we’ll provide you with spirit pills to help your cultivation and give you active support.”

Senior Hwa-ryun said to Han Li while standing in a secret chamber filled with various materials. Next to her, a red-faced old man in his fifties, at the early stage of Core Formation [a cultivation stage], frowned as he examined Han Li.

Han Li simply nodded at her words, agreeing to help.

“Senior Hwa-ryun, does Junior Han really know artifact refinement? His age and cultivation are too low. Didn’t you say the White Dew Academy would provide the necessary auxiliary materials?”

“I’m not comfortable bringing in an outside cultivator for this treasure refinement. Even if Junior Han has little experience, he’ll learn quickly if Senior Wi guides him.”

“Refinement requires talent, and I’m worried we might just waste materials… But since Senior Hwa-ryun says so, I’ll try to teach him.”

“Trust my judgment. Although Junior Han’s cultivation isn’t high, his magical power is very pure. He probably won’t be inferior in controlling magical power for refining artifacts.”

Hwa-ryun smiled at the old man’s reluctant reply.

“Ah, then he might have some potential. Well, Senior Hwa-ryun wouldn’t have brought just anyone.”

Only then did Old Man Wi look at Han Li again, his eyes gleaming.

“I’ve provided the help you needed, so please hurry with the refinement. Our progress is slightly behind the other two temples. If we mess things up at the end, neither of us will be able to bear the consequences. I’ll take my leave now.”

“Don’t worry, if this kid is useful, we won’t be late.”

The red-faced old man promised as he saw her off. Now, only Han Li and the old man were left in the secret chamber.

“You heard what we just said, right? Whether you’re interested in artifact refinement or not, I’ll do my best to teach you the related techniques for a month. And I’ll give you tasks every month. If you complete the tasks, you’re free to spend the rest of your time as you wish. If you fail to complete the assigned tasks, I’ll immediately kick you out and find another disciple, so be aware.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Of course, there are rewards for disciples assigned to our Artifact Refinement Hall. You can use some of the magical artifacts and the Earth Fire Pond in the hall for free, and you’ll receive much more spirit stones [currency in cultivation world] every month than other disciples. Now, let me introduce you to the other artifact refinement disciples who will be working with you.”

The old man’s expression softened as he was satisfied with Han Li’s attitude. Then, he led him out of the secret chamber, introduced him to the other three artifact refinement disciples, and provided him with a place to rest.

Thus began Han Li’s cultivation life at the Yellow Clear Temple.

The Artifact Refinement Hall was actually a separate building located in the middle of the peak where the Yellow Clear Temple was situated. Except for the Earth Fire Hall and a few artifact refinement chambers, it wasn’t a special building, so the disciples had to live in caves dug into the mountain.

Those belonging to the Artifact Refinement Hall included the red-faced artifact refiner old man, two middle-aged cultivators at the 8th and 9th level of Qi Refining [early stage of cultivation] who assisted him, and the four disciples, including Han Li.

It wasn’t very large, but there were so few people living there that it was rather spacious. However, many cultivators from the Yellow Clear Temple came to borrow the artifact refinement chambers or to have various magical artifacts or items refined every month.

Most of them were female disciples, and not all of them were Taoists. Some of the young women looked like noble ladies with their elegant demeanor.

As Han Li observed, the other three male disciples of the artifact refinement hall were working hard every day, but they were so infatuated with the women who came and went that they had made no progress in their cultivation for years.

Han Li shook his head at this sight but had no intention of interfering.

In the meantime, he was receiving specialized guidance on how to refine and purify materials. The red-faced old man taught him basic knowledge for an hour each day, demonstrating and guiding him directly.

Han Li, who had thought that he could barely learn anything from a Core Formation artifact refiner with his cultivation and knowledge, was greatly surprised in just a few days.

The old man’s cultivation wasn’t high, but he was renowned for his artifact refinement skills. He was proficient in various methods of refining materials, showing that he had studied the secret techniques of various sects. Some of the techniques and knowledge were new to Han Li.

He was greatly pleased to have gained considerable enlightenment in just ten days. It was true that the Great Jin was a holy land of cultivation.

If the skills of an inconspicuous artifact refiner in this temple were at this level, then the difference between them and the levels of the Southern Border and the Chaotic Star Sea was like heaven and earth.

To be honest, Han Li’s artifact refinement skills had already become ordinary. The refinement techniques he had obtained from Je Wun-so were just shallow knowledge from the perspective of a Nascent Soul mid-stage cultivator [a high cultivation stage].

So, he had looked through various scriptures from the Chaotic Star Sea after entering the Fallen Cloud Sect, but he hadn’t gained much useful information. But now, he had unexpectedly gotten this opportunity, so he was lucky.

He focused on cultivating the Underworld Monarch Art during the rest of his time, while also doing his best to learn Old Man Wi’s techniques.

As he showed his talent and good attitude, the old man was greatly satisfied, and even when Han Li asked questions that hit the old man’s weak points, he wanted to teach him even more.

As a result, in just one month, the old man’s strict face had changed to a kind and friendly one, surprising the other artifact refinement disciples who knew the old man’s nature.

However, perhaps due to jealousy, the more Han Li was favored, the less the other disciples liked him. Han Li was glad that he could train in peace by himself.

After a month, Old Man Wi had taught him various material refinement techniques, as well as some of his own unique refinement techniques, and he was immediately assigned the task of refining materials.

Although he wasn’t given high-level tasks, he completed them easily and devoted himself to cultivating the Underworld Monarch Art in his remaining time.

He resolved that once he recovered his magical power, he would travel around the Great Jin, collecting artifact refinement techniques to perfect the refinement of the Seven Flame Fans and the Great Evolution Divine Lord’s puppets.

After three or four months, he thought that coming to the Yellow Clear Temple had been a good choice. Old Man Wi had suddenly become very busy and was rarely seen at the Earth Fire Hall except when he assigned tasks to the disciples a few times a month.

Senior Hwa-ryun had visited a few times during that time and discussed various matters with the old man in the secret chamber. The two of them always set up a restriction to guard against others’ awareness, but Han Li was also busy cultivating the Underworld Monarch Art, so he didn’t bother to risk listening to their conversation.

* * *

One day, Han Li, who was sitting cross-legged in his cave’s secret chamber, was making strange twists with his upper body and forming hand seals, remaining motionless. A thin golden protective film covered his entire body and was vibrating slightly.

His blood vessels and muscles bulged out and disappeared like living creatures, moving around his skin.

Han Li’s face, which was trembling and constantly sweating, looked very painful.

……

How much time had passed? The golden light covering Han Li’s body gradually disappeared. He let out a long breath, withdrew his hand seals, and returned to a normal cross-legged position.

Then, the strange phenomena that had been occurring on his skin disappeared in an instant.

The fiery heat slowly subsided, and Han Li opened his tightly closed eyes. The Underworld Monarch Art was so overbearing that even a body that had condensed a Nascent Soul [a high cultivation stage] had difficulty enduring the extreme pain of cultivation.

Han Li was both depressed and puzzled.

“Senior, is there something wrong with my cultivation method? If it’s this painful just learning the second level, then Buddhist disciples would have to be in the late Nascent Soul stage to cultivate this hand seal. It’s not just physical pain, but it also leaves pain in my consciousness.”

He suddenly asked the Great Evolution Divine Lord.

“It’s not strange. If the Buddhists have modified a demon clan technique, they would have prepared methods or tools to reduce the pain of cultivation. Buddhist techniques are originally excellent at enduring pain.

Moreover, a cultivator who has trained their body to be strong can cultivate it even at the Core Formation stage. It’s difficult for human cultivators or techniques, but demon clans and ancient demons all have incredibly strong bodies, so it wouldn’t be that painful.”

“Then that makes sense. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to cultivate other Buddhist techniques, so I have no choice but to endure it as it is. If it stays at this level, I can manage to endure it.”

Han Li frowned and smiled bitterly. He rolled up one sleeve and observed his forearm with his dark blue eyes.

After a while, he touched his skin and lowered his sleeve.

‘It’s painful, but the Underworld Monarch Art has an outstanding effect on training the body, unlike other techniques. My body is changing so surprisingly after just this much training.’

After sitting for a while, he got up, left the secret chamber, and headed to the Earth Fire Hall.

He had been refining materials for a few days, using the techniques that Old Man Wi had taught him, and had discovered a new technique. So, he was heading to the Earth Fire Pond around noon every day, on the verge of completing the refinement of the non-penetrating needle with the transformed demon core.

As he approached the hall, he heard a commotion at the entrance.

Three disciples from the Artifact Refinement Hall were leading a group of young Qi Refining disciples, with a young girl who looked to be about seventeen years old at the center, walking towards the gate.

She was looking around with a curious expression, dressed in a light green palace dress, with a beautiful face and a unique aura. The others’ cultivation seemed to be around the 8th and 9th level of Qi Refining, and the palace-dressed woman had the highest cultivation among the group, at the 10th level.

Han Li immediately recognized that their identities were not ordinary. Most of them had storage pouches full of items at their waists, and two or three even had exclusive spirit beast pouches.

It was clear from the way the three cultivators from the Artifact Refinement Hall were smiling and treating them with respect.

Han Li pretended not to see them and tried to enter the Earth Fire Hall first. But, unfortunately, the disciple with the highest cultivation among the three Qi Refining disciples, a disciple with the surname Go, saw his back and shouted.

“Junior Han, come here for a moment. Lady Noksu wants to refine a magical artifact, and she says that the materials need to be refined in a special way. The Fourth Temple Lord has personally ordered it, so we must not delay in helping the Lady.”

‘Lady?’

Han Li was slightly surprised at the word, and even more surprised at the mention of the Fourth Temple Lord’s order. He stopped and turned around. In the meantime, he had gained some understanding of the high-ranking cultivators of the Yellow Clear Temple.

This temple nominally had four Temple Lords, all of whom had late-stage Core Formation cultivation. And there was a Nascent Soul cultivator staying separately in a place called the Heavenly Clear Garden in the temple.

The Fourth Temple Lord had reached the late stage of Core Formation the latest, but he had mastered a special technique and was the strongest among the Temple Lords, and his reputation was well-known throughout the Southern Region.