Translator: AnubisTL
After refining the Soft Water Whip, Li Qing crafted six more Inferior-Grade Magic Tools, creating a comprehensive arsenal of common weapons: knives, spears, swords, halberds, and more.
The entire process took him nine days. Each weapon was crafted with impeccable skill, but due to the limitations of the materials, they could only be classified as Inferior-Grade Magic Tools.
Having exhausted all the Mortal Iron he had accumulated from the mundane world, Li Qing would need to replenish his supply.
The gains, however, were substantial. His remaining lifespan was now approaching the three-hundred-year mark, surpassing the longevity of many cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm!
Notably, after refining the fifth Inferior-Grade Magic Tool, the increase in lifespan had begun to diminish, dropping from six years initially to five.
Stowing away his newly forged Heavenly Halberd, Li Qing sighed, "The Marginal Effect is kicking in so quickly. Fortunately, I can now refine Low-Grade Magic Tools."
This underscored the fundamental importance of his Artifact Refinement Technique. He must continuously improve his skills, striving for ever greater mastery of the art of artifact refinement.
With some time remaining before he needed to deliver the Magic Artifact to Ye Feng, Li Qing decided not to rush back to Heavenly River Market. Instead, he turned his attention to the World of Eternal Night.
"Time to check on the Green Gang in Giant Rock City," he murmured.
No sooner had the words left his lips than Li Qing leaped into the air and vanished from sight.
World of Eternal Night, Black Wind Domain, Giant Rock City.
The majestic city still stood imposing, its unique character enhanced by the eerie glow of the crimson moon in the sky.
Across the vast and desolate plains, a tall figure strode steadily toward the horizon. His pace appeared leisurely, yet he covered ground with surprising speed.
This figure was, of course, Li Qing.
In a world devoid of heaven and earth spiritual energy, he preferred to conserve his own spiritual energy whenever possible. However, he kept over a dozen spirit stones stored in his pouch for emergencies.
The movement technique he had used to advance was a Martial Dao skill from the Limitless Art.
In Li Qing's memory, he had only been away from the city for a few years. But considering the accelerated time flow in the World of Eternal Night, over a decade had likely passed since his last visit.
After all this time, I wonder how the Green Gang is doing, he mused.
With this thought in mind, Li Qing's figure flickered several times as he effortlessly leaped onto a corner of the majestic city wall, unnoticed by anyone.
Standing atop the wall, he surveyed the cityscape below. The city glowed with luminous mushrooms, lending it a vibrant, prosperous atmosphere.
This was hardly surprising. Since his departure, the Green Gang had become a colossal power, controlling two entire cities.
Given An Xuan's demonstrated administrative prowess, it was no wonder Giant Rock City had flourished into such a thriving metropolis.
"Hmm?"
Li Qing, his hawk-like vision scanning the streets, suddenly murmured in surprise. He had spotted a peculiar demon beast walking down a street.
It was a deformed wild bull with two heads growing from its neck, each crowned with three horns. The creature's massive frame was twice the size of a normal wild bull.
Yet this bizarre bull ambled down the street without attracting much attention. Passersby seemed completely accustomed to its presence.
Having already embarked on the Immortal Path, Li Qing wasn't overly astonished. In the world of cultivation, one encountered all sorts of wondrous and bizarre demon beasts.
A mere two-headed, three-horned bull wasn't enough to overly surprise Li Qing.
"With the Red Moon hanging in the sky in this bizarre world, it's no wonder such grotesque creatures appear," he mused.
He figured the World of Eternal Night must have undergone further changes in the decade since he'd last been here.
After a moment's contemplation, Li Qing decided to enter the city and investigate. In the next instant, his figure vanished silently from atop the city wall.
"Erya, help me draw some more blood," a weak voice called out from a building resembling a charity hall within the city. A gaunt man with unsteady steps entered the hall.
"Uncle Yan, you just gave blood the day before yesterday! You can't give any more, or you'll die!" Erya's delicate voice rang out from inside the hall. A slender girl emerged, her face etched with concern.
"Enough talk! My wife is about to give birth, and we need to rush her to the temple to beg the Immortal Master for a healthy child," the gaunt middle-aged man snapped impatiently.
Hearing this, Erya fell silent, unsure how to respond.
"No! You'll die if you do this!" Erya exclaimed, her hands clenched tightly in anxiety.
"Hurry up, or I'll tell your Master!" the middle-aged man snapped impatiently.
Finally, Erya retrieved some strange objects from the hall: a silver needle and a jade bowl. She pierced the man's arm with the specially crafted needle and began drawing his blood into the bowl.
But before she had even filled half the bowl, the man's breathing grew shallow, his eyes dimmed, and his body slumped lifelessly to the ground.
Thud!
Seeing this, Erya cried out in panic, "Uncle Yan! Uncle Yan!"
A tall, upright young man strode into the hall. Without a word, he pressed his fingertip firmly against the man's philtrum, the acupoint just below his nose.
"Severe Vital Energy depletion. His organs are failing. He's beyond saving."
Erya gasped. "You're a Martial Artist? Wait! Just keep him alive for a moment while I fetch a Blood Qi Pill!"
"It's useless. His organs have deteriorated too far. His weakened body can't absorb any nourishment. The pill won't replenish his Vital Energy."
"What are we going to do? Uncle Yan has a family," Erya said, her face etched with distress.
"I've managed to cling to a sliver of his life force, but it won't last. All I can do now is help him regain his last shred of consciousness so he can leave some final words," the young man said calmly.
"Then hurry and wake him up! I'll deliver his last words to his family," Erya urged anxiously.
At her words, the young man's fingertips flickered. A surge of potent Inner Strength flowed into the middle-aged man's body, igniting the last vestiges of his vital energy.
The middle-aged man soon regained consciousness. A rare flush bloomed on his pale cheeks, giving him a fleeting appearance of health. Everyone present knew it was merely the deathbed glow.
"Ugh... Erya, is my blood all drained yet? I still need to take it to the temple..."
Before he could finish, Erya, her eyes brimming with tears, choked out, "Uncle Yan... You... You need to say your last words quickly. I'll make sure your family gets them."
Uncle Yan froze, finally understanding his imminent end.
He blurted out urgently, "Drain all my blood and send it to the temple. Ask the Immortal Master to pray for a good reincarnation. Leave the rest of the money to them."
Uncle Yan struggled to lift his head and glance at the young man who had desperately tried to keep him alive. "Thank you, young man," he rasped gratefully.
As his words faded, his head lolled to the side, his pupils fully dilated. Even his Inner Strength could no longer sustain him.
Li Qing slowly withdrew his hand, his expression calm, though a flicker of anger flashed in his eyes.
How has Giant Rock City fallen into such a state?
Indeed, this was Li Qing. With his hands clasped behind his back, he calmly asked Erya, "Little girl, I'm an outsider. Can you tell me why they were draining this man's blood? And what's this about an Immortal Master at the temple who helps women conceive?"
Erya belatedly realized Li Qing was an outsider. She stared at him in astonishment. "You... you don't know about this? Hasn't the Red Moon affected your lands?"
The Red Moon? What changes have swept through the World of Eternal Night?
A flicker of unease stirred within Li Qing. "I've been secluded in the mountains for years, focused solely on martial cultivation," he replied. "I haven't had contact with others in a long time. Could you explain what's happening in detail?"
(End of the Chapter)
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