Translator: AnubisTL
"Perhaps I could replace them with water-attribute binding spirit patterns," Li Qing mused. "I was planning to refine the Water Entangling Net anyway. This would be a perfect opportunity to practice."
His eyes flickered with determination as he made up his mind. A spirit boat designed primarily for travel naturally prioritized speed. Li Qing doubted the offensive spirit patterns inscribed on the boat could rival a high-grade magical artifact.
Without hesitation, he channeled pure spiritual energy into his fingertips and completely erased the remaining ice-attribute spirit patterns from the spirit boat.
The Water Entangling Net was a binding-type magical artifact used to ensnare enemies. Although Li Qing hadn't begun refining it yet, he had studied its design extensively in private, becoming intimately familiar with the spirit patterns required for its creation.
Sizzle...
With the ice-attribute patterns removed, a faint glow emanated from Li Qing's fingertips as he began re-etching the surface. He meticulously reconnected the fragmented spirit pattern network, completing the circuit.
To his pleasant surprise, the water-attribute spirit patterns seemed remarkably compatible with the materials of the spirit boat. He sensed that this combination might yield unexpectedly excellent results.
His first attempt to connect the spirit patterns failed, as expected. After all, it was only natural to encounter such setbacks when first attempting to etch the Water Entangling Net's spirit patterns.
"Fortunately, this spirit boat is made of exceptionally refined materials, imbued with an absurd amount of spirituality. A few failures won't matter much."
With that, Li Qing patiently began etching a section of the Water Entangling Net's spirit patterns onto the boat once more.
Spiritual light flowed from his fingertips. As the process continued, his understanding of the spirit patterns deepened steadily. Unconsciously, his Artifact Refinement Technique grew increasingly refined.
Several days passed in a blur. As Li Qing completed the final pale blue stroke, he finally succeeded.
The segment of the Water Entangling Net's spirit patterns now seamlessly integrated into the spirit boat's existing network, forming a unified whole. No one would suspect anything amiss.
Buzz!
Seeing this, Li Qing finally exhaled in relief.
"Given the extreme ice properties of these materials, I wonder if the Water Entangling Net's spirit patterns will retain any of their original effectiveness!"
He immediately climbed into the spirit boat and channeled his pure mana into it to test his theory.
Whoosh!
A sphere of water, radiating wisps of icy mist, shot forth. It rapidly expanded in mid-air, transforming into a pale blue water net.
Li Qing's heart surged with delight at the sight. He quickly exited the spirit boat to examine the strength of the newly launched Ice Water Net.
Li Qing crouched down and reached out to touch the damp stains.
"Hiss! So bone-chilling!"
Li Qing muttered in surprise, then quickly discovered more peculiar effects.
"These water stains can penetrate the flesh and slightly impede the flow of my Vital Energy."
With that, Li Qing activated his abundant Vital Energy, completely expelling the icy power from his body.
"This is quite dangerous. Not all cultivators have my robust physique and vigorous Vital Energy. If someone were careless enough to be caught off guard, their Vital Energy might freeze solid."
He wondered if Fellow Daoist Nine Heavens would approve of this modification. Li Qing himself felt that achieving this level of refinement was quite remarkable.
If the other party disliked it, he could simply pay him two hundred spirit stones and erase the spirit patterns.
He decided to treat it as advance preparation for refining the Water Entangling Net.
With these thoughts in mind, Li Qing once again immersed himself in repairing the spirit boat.
Now that this particular spirit pattern had been restored, the remaining repairs proved relatively straightforward.
The lighter, more agile, and conductive spirit patterns were now trivial for Li Qing to inscribe.
In less than two days, he had completed them all.
With the final spirit pattern repaired, Li Qing stood before the ice-blue spirit boat, a profound sense of accomplishment swelling in his chest.
He had finally completed the restoration of this vessel, a spirit boat equivalent to a high-grade magical artifact!
In that moment, he felt his Artifact Refinement Technique had taken another leap forward. He was now confident enough to attempt crafting a mid-grade magical artifact.
Li Qing closed his eyes, carefully digesting his recent gains and diligently summarizing his experiences to fuel his growth.
After a long while, the insights gained from repairing the spirit boat settled deep within his heart.
"In a few more days, I'll try refining the Water Entangling Net," he muttered confidently, his tone reflecting a clear understanding of his abilities, not blind arrogance.
With that, Li Qing climbed back into the spirit boat, a slow smile spreading across his face. He intended to take this precious vessel for a thorough test drive.
"I wonder about Nine Heavens' origins. This spirit boat must have cost a fortune," he mused aloud.
Li Qing placed a hand on the spirit boat's spiritual energy injection point, channeling his abundant spiritual power into the vessel.
Boom!
The spirit boat surged skyward, leaving a dreamlike ice-blue trail across the pitch-black sky of the World of Eternal Night.
Inside the spirit boat, Li Qing gazed around in admiration.
A thin, ice-like barrier had risen around the vessel, completely shielding it from the rushing wind even at high speed.
As he piloted the boat, he meticulously examined its intricate design.
"So that's how it works," he mused. "This spirit boat was crafted using an ingenious structural framework, with each spirit pattern serving a distinct purpose and working in perfect harmony with the others."
Li Qing studied the luminous spirit patterns flowing along the inner walls of the boat, like veins that only functioned when interconnected. He carefully memorized the vessel's structural layout.
Although the core spirit patterns were protected by concealed Restrictions, rendering them undetectable, the fundamental design principles were invaluable for Li Qing's future endeavors.
As his knowledge of spirit patterns deepened and he mastered more techniques related to spirit boats, he might one day attempt to craft his own vessel capable of soaring freely through the skies.
After a while, when his spiritual energy was nearly depleted, Li Qing gradually slowed to a halt and returned to his starting point.
"What a treasure!" he exclaimed. "With this thing, both long journeys and desperate escapes will become far simpler."
Unfortunately, no matter how precious the spirit boat was, it had to be returned.
With lingering reluctance, Li Qing once again traversed back from the World of Eternal Night, resolving to forge a spirit boat for himself in the future.
Cave Abode District, Little West Mountain.
Upon returning, Li Qing immediately sat cross-legged to replenish the spiritual energy he had expended and consolidate his cultivation.
In this area brimming with spiritual energy, his mana rapidly refilled, stabilizing his sixth-layer Qi Refining realm.
As he concluded his meditative recovery, Li Qing suddenly sensed that the Restriction guarding the entrance to his cave abode had been triggered—someone was visiting.
With the year-long deadline approaching, Li Qing instantly guessed the visitor's identity.
"Haha, Fellow Daoist Nine Heavens! It's been too long!"
Li Qing rose and strode out, bowing respectfully with cupped fists to the tall, jade-like man standing before him.
"Fellow Daoist Er Niu, you seem exceptionally pleased. Could it be...?" Nine Heavens trailed off, his words hanging in the air. Li Qing's smile widened.
"Mission accomplished!"
Nine Heavens' eyebrows arched. A flicker of joy flashed in his eyes before his expression turned solemn.
The simple, earnest young man standing before him was now an artifact refiner capable of repairing high-grade magical artifacts!
Li Qing's artifact refinement skills alone would command respect from most people in the Heavenly River Market.
"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist, on your further refinement of your artifact refinement technique. I hope we'll have more opportunities to collaborate in the future," Nine Heavens said, his tone hinting at a genuine desire to forge a closer connection.
"My pleasure, Fellow Daoist Nine Heavens. Here's your spirit boat. I've made a few modifications—I'll explain them..." Li Qing retrieved the spirit boat and began detailing the changes he had made.
"Ice Water Net... does it truly possess such extraordinary effects?" Nine Heavens asked skeptically after hearing Li Qing's explanation.
"Why don't you try it yourself, Fellow Daoist?" Li Qing suggested confidently, extending his hand.
Nine Heavens nodded and activated the spirit pattern on the spirit boat that had originally been designed for attack.
Whoosh!
Just as Li Qing had demonstrated earlier, a water orb radiating icy coldness erupted and rapidly expanded into a large, pale blue net.
The visual effect alone wasn't particularly striking, but when Nine Heavens lightly touched the net, frost instantly formed on his fingertips!
"Such potent freezing power!" Nine Heavens gasped, his eyes gleaming with renewed interest. "Excellent! This is far superior to the original Ice Arrow technique!"
Indeed, the original spirit pattern inscribed on the spirit boat had been designed to fire a single ice arrow.
The spirit boat now projected a much wider Ice Water Net. While less lethal than the original ice arrows, its expansive coverage and powerful restraining effect on cultivators made it far more effective.
Even a single droplet of the net required significant mana to dispel.
This modification maximized the spirit boat's utility, significantly enhancing both pursuit and escape capabilities.
Li Qing wasn't concerned about the slight decrease in offensive power. After all, the spirit boat was primarily for transportation, not combat.
"Fellow Daoist Er Niu, I owe you a favor. The refinements to these spirit patterns are truly ingenious!" Nine Heavens clasped his hands in a respectful bow.
Seeing his satisfaction, Li Qing breathed a sigh of relief, reaffirming his artifact refinement approach.
The spirit boat's main function was transportation. The Ice Water Net, which could severely restrict cultivators, was undoubtedly superior to the original offensive spirit patterns, whether for fleeing or hunting.
"Fellow Daoist Nine Heavens, there's no need for such formalities. This is simply my duty," Li Qing demurred politely.
However, Nine Heavens insisted on owing Li Qing a favor, promising to repay it whenever possible.
Ultimately, Li Qing accepted his goodwill.
After Nine Heavens departed on the spirit boat, Li Qing watched his receding figure, silently marveling at the man's depth.
"Nine Heavens is quite impressive," Li Qing mused. "If I ever need his help in the future, I'll have some established rapport with him. And if he asks me to refine artifacts for him later, I won't feel obligated to refuse."
That's how relationships work—give and take.
Having grasped the key point, Li Qing couldn't help but admire Nine Heavens' social skills.
At first glance, it seemed like Nine Heavens was losing out by extending this favor. But that wasn't the case at all. Establishing a connection with an artifact refiner capable of repairing high-grade magical artifacts would undoubtedly yield significant long-term benefits.
Those who focus solely on immediate gains rarely foster lasting relationships. Those who understand this principle are destined for greater achievements.
"Still, it's for the best," Li Qing reasoned. "In the immortal cultivation world, having connections like this is essential for survival."
From what he could tell, Nine Heavens seemed trustworthy both in character and financial resources. If Li Qing ever needed assistance in the future, he could certainly turn to him for help.
With his task completed, the weight that had been pressing on Li Qing's heart finally lifted. He immediately felt lighter and more at ease.
"Time to check on the Jade Locust Tree's Spirit Seed," he thought. "It should be sprouting soon."
(End of the Chapter)
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