Chapter 242: Melting Gold to Refine Swords

“Fellow Daoist Jiao Fifteen, no need to be surprised. I contacted you today because there is a special mission I wish to invite you to join.” The cyan-light figure said calmly.

“If I remember correctly, I haven’t had much interaction with Fellow Daoist Lin Nine before. Why have you specifically come to invite me?” Han Li raised an eyebrow and asked.

“The name of Fellow Daoist Jiao Fifteen has spread quite widely among the alliance members in recent years. In our only previous cooperation, you left a deep impression on me. I know you are not one to gain fame without merit, so I specially came to invite you to participate in this mission.” Although Lin Nine praised Han Li, his tone was flat, as if merely stating a fact, without any flattery.

“Speaking of fame, how could I compare to Fellow Daoist Lin Nine? Since it’s a mission that catches your eye, it must be no easy task, I presume.” Han Li smiled and probed.

“Apologies, this mission is indeed somewhat special. Junior members have no right to participate, and others involved must be proficient in formations and escape techniques. If you have not yet decided to accept the mission, I cannot reveal the specific details.” Lin Nine said slowly.

“If you can’t reveal the mission content, can you at least disclose the mission location?” Han Li thought for a moment and asked.

“The Nethercold Continent.” Lin Nine answered directly.

“If the mission is on the Nethercold Continent, then I’m afraid I cannot accept it. I have some trivial matters to attend to recently and am not fit for a long journey. Please forgive me.” Han Li frowned slightly and declined.

North of the Guyun Continent lies a vast, boundless frozen sea. On the other side of that sea is a continent covered in permafrost and ice, shrouded in endless snow—the Nethercold Continent.

Crossing the frozen sea, though not as difficult as the Thunderstorm Ocean, is said to have teleportation arrays, but a round trip would still take at least several years.

“Fellow Daoist, don’t rush to refuse. First, hear the reward for this mission before deciding whether to accept.” Lin Nine seemed unsurprised by Han Li’s refusal and continued.

“I’m all ears.” Han Li nodded.

“Besides three hundred immortal spirit stones, an additional piece of Langxuan Cloudstone.” Lin Nine said slowly, seemingly confident in his offer.

“It seems you’ve gone to some trouble to persuade me, knowing that I need Langxuan Cloudstone and thus offering what I desire.” Han Li’s heart stirred, but his face under the mask showed no joy; he said coldly.

“Your task seeking Langxuan Cloudstone has been posted for seven or eight years now, still hanging in the alliance with no one taking it. I trust you won’t miss this opportunity?” Lin Nine said meaningfully.

Han Li listened and lowered his head in thought.

Seven or eight years ago, during an outing for an Illimitable Man mission, he had chanced upon the beast-skin booklet he had taken from the gaunt old man who attacked Bai Suyuan in the Xuanbing Mountains. From it, he learned a very peculiar technique for melting gold to refine swords.

This technique could greatly enhance the power of flying swords by melting special refined gold and materials.

If a set of multiple flying swords were melted together, they could merge into one during battle, unleashing power far beyond the original swords.

Most importantly, after melting, the flying sword would not only look completely different but also emit a changed aura due to the addition of several auxiliary materials.

Han Li decided almost immediately to use this method to re-refine his seventy-two Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords.

However, the spiritual materials needed for this method were extremely rare. The most important main material was Huwen Refined Gold, and the most important auxiliary material was Langxuan Cloudstone.

As luck would have it, Han Li already had Huwen Refined Gold—the dark gold metal he had obtained in the Mirage Beast’s palace. Later, in the Xuanbing Mountains battle, he had acquired more from the gaunt old man.

As for the other materials, Han Li had managed to gather them using some immortal spirit stones within the Candleguard Sect. Now, only the Langxuan Cloudstone remained unfound, with no news from either the Illimitable Man or the markets inside and outside the sect.

“May I ask how large this piece of Langxuan Cloudstone is?” Han Li asked after a long silence.

“You know how precious this item is. The reward offers only a fist-sized piece. But even so, it’s more than enough as the main material to refine one flying sword.” Lin Nine said.

“I accept this mission.” Han Li nodded without much hesitation.

Although the Langxuan Cloudstone was only fist-sized, as an auxiliary material, it would be sufficient to refine the seventy-two flying swords.

“Good! With Fellow Daoist Jiao Fifteen joining, this mission will surely be completed smoothly.” Only then did Lin Nine’s voice reveal a hint of cheerfulness.

“Since I’ve accepted the mission, can you now tell me the specific details?” Han Li asked.

“There’s no rush. The personnel for this mission are not yet assembled. You can make your preparations. Three years from now, we will gather at Longarc Island at the northern tip of the Guyun Continent. Then I will reveal the specifics of the mission.” Lin Nine waved his hand.

“Very well, I’ll see you then.” Han Li nodded.

Then Lin Nine took his leave, his figure blurring and gradually fading away.

Han Li put away the ox-head mask, turned, and left the secret chamber.

…

Time flew, and three years passed.

At the northernmost tip of the Guyun Continent, there was a peninsula jutting out into the sea, long and narrow, curving slightly toward a vast, white, boundless ocean.

The island was entirely black, covered with a thick layer of frozen soil and ice crystals, barren with no vegetation.

At the end of the long island, on a huge black rock, sat a tall figure cross-legged. He wore a wide cloak-like black robe and a cyan deer-head mask on his head—it was Lin Nine.

Beside the black rock where he sat, there leaned a tall, thin man in an ochre-yellow robe embroidered with plum blossom patterns. His face was covered with a rat-head mask, also cyan.

Through the two hollow eye sockets of the mask, one could see that his pupils were extremely small, with more white than black, looking exactly like a rat’s eyes, glinting with a shifty gleam.

“We’ve already waited seven days, and that person still hasn’t come. What a high-and-mighty attitude.” The man with the rat-head mask said in a sharp, thin voice, glancing toward the Guyun Continent with some dissatisfaction.

“Fellow Daoist Lin Seventeen, we arrived early ourselves. Since the agreed date hasn’t arrived, we just need to keep waiting.” Lin Nine said indifferently.

The man with the rat-head mask habitually twisted his neck, let out a few low sneers, and said nothing more.

After about a quarter of an hour, a flash of cyan light flew from the distant sky and landed before the black rock.

Where the cyan light landed, a man in a cyan robe with a cyan ox-head mask appeared—it was Han Li.

“Fellow Daoist Lin Nine.” Han Li’s gaze swept over Lin Nine and the other man, then he cupped his hands in greeting.

“Fellow Daoist Jiao Fifteen, this is Fellow Daoist Lin Seventeen.” Lin Nine stood up from the rock, nodded at Han Li, and introduced.

“I’ve long heard of you.” Han Li nodded.

“We’ve been waiting a long time…” Lin Seventeen stared at Han Li with his small eyes, looking him up and down, and said bluntly.

Han Li caught the dissatisfaction in the other’s words but just smiled and said nothing.

“Since everyone is here, I’ll now explain the specific details of this mission.” Lin Nine jumped down from the rock and came to stand beside them, speaking.

Han Li looked at him, and Lin Seventeen also withdrew his gaze to focus on Lin Nine.

“According to the mission intelligence, in the Blizzard Forest region in the southern part of the Nethercold Continent, there is a place called Hand-in-Hand Valley. Outside the valley, there is a high-grade restrictive formation. Our task is to sneak into the valley without triggering the formation and kill a True Immortal mid-stage cultivator cultivating inside.” Lin Nine glanced at the two and continued.

“Do you know the name and characteristics of that restrictive formation?” Han Li thought for a moment and asked.

“The mission intelligence only contains what I’ve said. As for the specifics, we’ll only know when we get there.” Lin Nine said.

“It doesn’t seem too difficult. But why are the alliance’s special missions always like this? Always secretive and never giving clear information…” Lin Seventeen curled his lip and complained.

“Alright, there’s no time to lose. Let’s set off now.” Lin Nine ignored Lin Seventeen and announced.

With that, he waved his wrist, and a brilliant golden light scattered down like stars falling over the wilderness, revealing a three-story golden treasure ship.

The ship was about thirty zhang long and five zhang high. Both sides of the hull were densely inscribed with runes for lightness and speed. The three-story pavilion on the ship was also richly decorated with carved beams and inlaid jewels, extremely luxurious.

“To reach the Nethercold Continent, we can take a teleportation array from Yanling Island. Before we get to Yanling Island, we’ll travel on my Goldvein Spirit Boat.” Lin Nine said, then flew up first and landed on the deck of the treasure ship.

Han Li and the other man also leaped up, landing one after the other on the port railing of the spirit boat.

After stepping onto the spirit boat, Han Li’s gaze swept over and saw that the pillars, doors, and windows of the three-story pavilion were all engraved with various complex runes, from which waves of spiritual power emanated.

Outside each floor stood several slender-waisted, beautiful young women, all wearing pure gold or multicolored silk feathered garments, looking ethereal, like celestial maidens.

However, Han Li soon realized that these seemingly enchanting women were actually exquisite puppets.

“You two, each choose a floor to stay in. If you have any trivial matters, just instruct these puppets.” Lin Nine said, then flew up to the top floor and entered.

Lin Seventeen glanced at Han Li, said nothing, flew up, and landed in the open space before the second floor’s door. He reached out and touched the cheek of the female puppet at the entrance, smacking his lips in praise: “Oh, the feel is really not bad…”

With that, he chuckled, pushed open the door, and walked in by himself.