Chapter 131: Supreme Spiritual Treasure

"Under-the-table deals certainly exist, but those are only possible after you've built a rapport with the shopkeepers. Most shops naturally won't display anything too precious on the surface; doing so would likely attract greedy eyes and bring unnecessary trouble upon themselves. That is why the truly valuable transactions always happen behind closed doors. Because I have frequented this market to purchase materials, I am already well-acquainted with the proprietors, which is why they are willing to show me the real treasures. Some time ago, I discovered the existence of refined gold essence in one of the shops, and this trip was specifically to acquire it," Lin Ling explained.

"I see. That explains why I haven't been able to find any useful materials in the various shops. I suppose you don't forge weapons very often, Brother Lin Tian, which is why you were unaware of these matters?" Yang Xiao remarked.

"You are correct; I am indeed unfamiliar with these private dealings. I rarely forge weapons, and when I do, they are only simple spirit weapons. The materials for those can be fully gathered from the surface offerings of the market without any need for clandestine transactions. I imagine only a master artisan like Sister Lin Ling would encounter such things while scavenging for supplies." Lin Tian seemed to be hearing about these under-the-table deals for the first time.

"Exactly. Materials for crafting spirit weapons are everywhere in the market, but to craft spirit treasures, one must negotiate privately with the shopkeepers. The materials required for spirit treasures are extremely rare and are not something shown to just anyone. This isn't really much of a secret; once you decide to craft spirit treasures, Brother Lin Tian, you will naturally come to understand this," Lin Ling said.

"My success rate even for high-grade spirit weapons is currently very low, let alone spirit treasures. I doubt I would have a single chance of success with those. It seems I lack talent in forging; I would be better off spending that time cultivating and improving my cultivation base," Lin Tian said, shaking his head.

"Brother Lin Tian, your cultivation has been progressing quite rapidly lately. At your age, your level is already among the best of your peers. In another two years, I believe you will be able to enter the late stage of Qi Condensation. You will surely become a pillar of the family, and when that time comes, this little sister may have to rely on your guidance. While I have achieved some success in forging, I have neglected my cultivation. I actually hope to develop both simultaneously," Lin Ling replied.

"There are gains and losses in everything, but if one is willing to put in the effort, it is not impossible to achieve success in both," Yang Xiao said. Indeed, many predecessors were not only exceptional in alchemy and forging but also possessed formidable cultivation bases, though this required efforts far beyond what ordinary people could endure.

"Brother Yang Xiao is right. It seems I must redouble my efforts in the future. By the way, what is the name of that sword of yours? I have grown quite fond of it," Lin Ling said, changing the subject.

"This sword is called the Dragon-Snake Sword. It is named so because the blade is curved like a snake, while the hilt is carved with a golden dragon," Yang Xiao replied.

"This sword must have a significant history, right? It doesn't look like something an ordinary artisan could craft, and its power is indeed considerable," Lin Ling asked again.

"I am not sure of its exact origins, as I stumbled upon it while exploring an ancient cavern," Yang Xiao said, naturally concealing the fact that he had crafted it himself.

"This sword has great potential to become a top-tier spirit treasure. I am currently researching methods for crafting such items. Would Brother Yang Xiao be willing to lend me the sword to experiment with? Please rest assured, even if the refining fails, it would only result in the loss of some materials; the damage to your sword should be minimal," Lin Ling requested.

"What is your success rate, Miss Lin Ling?" Yang Xiao asked.

"The success rate is, of course, quite low—perhaps less than one percent," Lin Ling replied after a brief silence.

"Less than one percent? Isn't that practically zero? What is the point of such an attempt?" Yang Xiao asked, puzzled.

"How can less than one percent be zero? At the very least, there is a one-in-a-thousand chance. If I want to advance my forging skills, I must conduct more experiments," Lin Ling insisted.

"So, my sword is to become your test subject? I have heard that if a secondary refining fails, the item itself is often destroyed. How can you guarantee that my Dragon-Snake Sword will remain intact if the attempt fails?" Yang Xiao questioned.

"It is true that most artisans face the risk of destroying an item during a failed refining. However, my constitution is somewhat unique, and I have mastered a certain secret formula that can drastically reduce such occurrences. Even if the refining fails, I will do everything in my power to ensure the item remains undamaged," Lin Ling assured him.

"This... I will need to think it over before giving you an answer." Although Yang Xiao had already decided to agree to Lin Ling’s request, he felt it necessary to feign hesitation. This would show that he valued his treasure, as anyone else in his position would likely do; if he had agreed too readily, it would have seemed suspicious.

"Brother Yang Xiao, do think about it. If your Dragon-Snake Sword is upgraded to a top-tier spirit treasure, its power will increase significantly, and your own strength will be bolstered as well," Lin Ling urged, seeing his hesitation.

"You are right. Once the Dragon-Snake Sword becomes a top-tier spirit treasure, it will indeed be of great help to me. Very well, I will take this gamble." After a moment of feigned hesitation, Yang Xiao finally gritted his teeth and agreed.

Lin Ling was overjoyed. She had been looking for exactly this kind of opportunity to practice. Most high-grade spirit treasures have no room for improvement, and only items like the Dragon-Snake Sword, which were already on the verge of being top-tier, had such potential. Otherwise, to craft a top-tier spirit treasure, one could not rely on secondary refining; one would have to find rare, heavenly materials and succeed on the first attempt. However, such materials were incredibly difficult to come by, even in the Linlang Blessed Land, especially the primary components.

"Brother Yang Xiao, why don't you come to my residence shortly? I can refine the Dragon-Snake Sword for you there. Of course, if you are worried, you are welcome to watch me work," Lin Ling invited him cordially. She also extended an invitation to Lin Tian to visit her cave dwelling.

Yang Xiao naturally accepted Lin Ling’s invitation; he was curious to see what her forging techniques were like.

Lin Tian, however, declined, as he wished to report the situation at the market to his grandfather. With that, Lin Ling and Yang Xiao no longer pressed him.