Chapter 1531 — The Peerless Divine Artisan
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 5
In the Ancestral Court, the Silent Artisan gazed upon the Dao Fire Ancestral Ground, his heart surging and falling like the tide. That ground's aura was kindred to his own; all at once layer upon layer of Dao fire blazed fierce and shot straight to the clouds!
His dantian was like a great furnace. The Dao fire he had forged within it resonated with the Dao Fire Ancestral Ground, and rose slowly from his dantian like a blazing sun!
After a moment, the sudden roar of surging water came from his dantian. A celestial river circled the sun, revealing Dao principles beyond pure yang. Water and fire stood opposed, yet within his body they became one.
Shen Mu watched the Silent Artisan, and his heart stirred. The Silent Artisan's Heavenly Palace was the Forging Heavenly Palace; his cultivation method, too, belonged to the Dao of Forging. Heavenly artisans opening up the works of creation, with creative power most magnificent.
Yet the Silent Artisan also cultivated the Dao of Pure Yang and the Dao of Fire. Shen Mu had not known, however, that he had already cultivated to the stage where yang reaches its extreme and yin is born!
"With the Dao Fire Ancestral Ground, there still lacks a place of utmost yin."
The Silent Artisan studied and sensed the Dao Fire Ancestral Ground, then spoke: "With so many treasures to forge your sword, the Dao fire can indeed melt them, but cooling them will be difficult. Forge once, quench once, and through the quenching the treasures' quality will rise greatly. The Heaven Yin Realm has the Sea of Heaven Yin; its waters can be used for quenching."
Shen Mu said in a deep voice, "Then we go to the Heaven Yin Realm!"
The Silent Artisan shook his head. "I also need every Heavenly Artisan in Jingping who has entered the Dao to lend their strength. Beyond that, the finest Heavenly Artisans under heaven, to aid my forging."
Shen Mu hesitated, then ventured, "Emperor Shitian Li Youran?"
The Silent Artisan fell silent, unwilling to speak Emperor Shitian's name.
His surname too was Li; he was a descendant of Emperor Shitian Li Youran. Yet Emperor Shitian's deeds had lodged in his heart, and he could not move past them.
Shen Mu pondered, then said, "I will send someone to invite him to the Heaven Yin Realm."
The Silent Artisan said, "I also need formation masters to help brand your Dao runes, Dao patterns, and domain into the sword during the forging. The Blind Elder can aid me, but your cultivation is powerful; the Blind Elder alone could hardly manage it. Even all the formation masters of Jingping together might not accurately brand your Dao into the sword."
Shen Mu said, "Crown Prince Youming is deeply versed in formations, and Yan Yunxi is a master of formations as well."
The Silent Artisan went on, "For the quenching, I need the most powerful of the ancient gods to control the water qi and help me master the quenching method."
Shen Mu's heart stirred. "The two Emperors of the Black Tortoise, perhaps I can invite them to lend their strength."
"The Southern Emperor's Dao Fire Ancestral Ground we have, but the materials you use are too fearsome; the metal qi is too abundant."
"The Western Emperor, the White Tiger, is an old acquaintance of mine. Inviting her to aid my refining of treasures will not be difficult."
The Silent Artisan continued, "When branding your blood and qi into the divine sword, with Jingping's abilities, that step will be hard to achieve."
Shen Mu pondered, "Though the Eastern Emperor, the Azure Dragon, is arrogant and unruly, the Southern Emperor, the Vermilion Bird, can persuade him to come and lend his strength."
The Silent Artisan mused for a moment, then said, "I also need the most powerful swordsmen under heaven, to hone the divine sword's edge with their own sword Dao at the moment it is nearly complete!"