248 - Made-Up Martial Arts, Have You Really Mastered Them, Disciple?

Chapter 248: The Artificing Genius Fang Hao Li Xuan glanced at the chubby young man, whose expression was laced with an air of secrecy and a sleazy look that caused Li Xuan to twitch slightly at the corners of his mouth. Just looking at his demeanor, it was clear that what he was selling was not something upright. The chubby young man seemed worried that Li Xuan did not know who Young Master Shen was, so he whispered further, "The precious item I'm talking about was praised by none other than Shen Haizhou, the eldest son of the prestigious Shen family!" Shen Haizhou? Li Xuan raised an eyebrow; wasn't that the notable nobleman Xu Yan knew in the Spiritual Domain? Curiosity piqued, Li Xuan smiled and asked, "Oh? What kind of treasure could earn the praises of Young Master Shen?" "Brother, come take a look. Let me show you." The chubby young man's face lit up with joy; another customer was at hand, and Shen Haizhou's reputation was proving indeed effective! Unfazed by potential trickery, Li Xuan followed the young man into the humble little shop. "And what's your name?" Li Xuan surveyed the simple store. It was cluttered with all sorts of refining materials and items that appeared rather peculiar. "Brother, my name is Fang Hao." While speaking, Fang Hao closed the shop's door, fearing Li Xuan might get the wrong idea, and explained, "This treasure is best appreciated in the dark." Saying so, he pulled out a box from behind the counter, opened it, and took out a case about a foot long and half a finger thick. The case had handles on either side, allowing for a two-handed grip. Fang Hao extracted two stands from the back of the case and placed it on the table. With a mysterious and sleazy grin, he said, "Brother, watch carefully. This is my meticulously crafted artifact, even admired by Young Master Shen." He also flaunted a jade plaque hanging from his waist and said, "See this? It was a gift from Young Master Shen. We're very close." Li Xuan chuckled silently. Fang Hao, fearing that his treasure might be snatched away, leveraged Shen Haizhou's name for determent. Observing the jade plaque on his waist, it indeed seemed to be a genuine emblem of a noble house. In a place as hierarchically strict as the Spiritual Domain, Fang Hao relying on Shen Haizhou's name was enough to intimidate many potential troublemakers. Curiosity turning into intrigue, Li Xuan focused on the box on the table, which was square, with handles on each side, and had a smooth surface like a mirror. "This is an artifact." The box was indeed an artifact, though its function was unclear and it did not appear to be a weapon. "Oh, I'm keen to see just how this treasure earned Young Master Shen's praise." Li Xuan said with amusement. "You won't be disappointed." Fang Hao grinned sleazily. He grasped one handle of the case, activated a technique, and channeled energy into the artifact box. Suddenly, the smooth surface of the box shone brightly, and a graceful silhouette appeared on the mirror-like surface. It was an exquisitely charming image of a maiden, and notably, the figure in the mirror-painting was unclothed. Li Xuan couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth. Though he had anticipated something like this from Fang Hao's sleazy demeanor, seeing it confirmed left him amused yet speechless. Initially, he thought the display of a maiden's image was the extent of it. To his surprise, after Fang Hao let out a sly laugh, the surface glowed once more. This time, the figures in the mirror moved, featuring two maidens who entwined themselves gracefully, their postures ever-changing. Li Xuan was genuinely astonished this time. At that moment, he felt like he was watching a romance film from his previous life, except the figures in the mirror were drawn, not live, and there was no sound. Everything else was remarkably similar. "What do you think? Quite the treasure, right?" Fang Hao laughed slyly. In the mirror surface of the case, two maidens intertwined, then were replaced by another pair doing the same. After watching Fang Hao's demonstration, Li Xuan realized that the scenes depicted by this artifact were limited, as were the intertwined movements of the maidens. Apparently, it was restricted. "A fixed price, a hundred thousand Spirit Crystals." Fang Hao stated expectantly. Li Xuan looked at Fang Hao, pondering deeply. Was this person a genius in artifact crafting? "Did you craft this artifact yourself?" "Absolutely!" Fang Hao immediately replied with pride, "Nobody else in the entire Spiritual Domain can create this. It's a pity the images are limited, but I plan to improve it." The more Li Xuan looked, the more he felt this chubby young man was talented. Could it be that the fourth disciple he was searching for was right in front of him? However, further testing was required. Fang Hao's strength was not overwhelming, having just entered the Great Grandmaster realm. Given his age and level of strength, he would be considered exceptional among loose cultivators. But within Spiritual Sects and noble families, he was merely above average. "Besides this artifact, do you have any others?" Li Xuan asked. "What kind of artifact are you looking for?" Fang Hao, without hesitation, pulled out another box from behind the counter. Selling one was better than none; he had recently bought materials and was quite broke. Young Master Shen hadn't visited for a while; who knew what he was up to? Without this generous customer, he couldn't sell a thing. "Have a look at this." Fang Hao took out an artifact resembling a telescope, wore it over his eyes, activated it, and the artifact emitted a beam of light that illuminated the dark shop. "This is a must-have for entering dark places. Although it consumes a lot, it's pretty handy." Li Xuan's mouth twitched; this was certainly an oddity. However, its consumption was too great, rendering it rather impractical. What warrior, upon entering a dark domain to explore, wouldn't maintain peak condition to handle potential crises? Who would willingly drain themselves, casting light thus becoming a vulnerable target? This artifact was downright impractical. Warriors mostly preferred using Moonstone or Night Pearl for illumination, instead of such a contraption. Evidently, Fang Hao's creation cost wasn't low. Let alone selling it at a high price, he couldn't even recoup the material cost. Fang Hao appeared slightly embarrassed, setting the artifact down, muttering, "This is a semi-finished product. My envisioned final product could shoot a deadly beam when stared at." Li Xuan nodded. Ambitious indeed, though the difficulty was too high; Fang Hao clearly couldn't achieve it. Fang Hao removed a claw tool from the box, put it on his hand, and then raised his hand, causing the claw to sparkle with light. "You scoundrel, have a claw!" To Li Xuan's astonishment, the claw emitted sounds. "Roar!" Fang Hao swung it again, and this time the sound was a beast's roar. "Die!" Finally came a man's angry shout. "For now, it only has these three sounds, but while fighting an enemy, it can disrupt their concentration. It has practical value." Fang Hao explained earnestly. In his imagination, a claw attack should release a sort of demonic sound that would intimidate foes. After forging, however, it could only emit sounds without any intimidating effect. No matter how he studied it, he couldn't achieve his initial expectation. "Did you craft all these artifacts yourself?" Li Xuan inquired, glancing at the assortment of oddities in the box. "Indeed!" Fang Hao nodded. Then, eagerly, he asked, "Brother, which one caught your eye? I can give you a discount!" The more Li Xuan observed, the more favorable an impression Fang Hao made. This chubby young man, with his peculiar ideas and not-too-shabby talent, seemed perfect for cultivating in the Mysterious Martial Path. "Why do you create such unconventional artifacts? They seem a bit impractical." Li Xuan inquired with feigned curiosity. "The artifact crafting in the Spiritual Domain lacks novelty, and my dream is to establish my own artificing family, becoming the foremost in the Spiritual Domain. "Surpassing all others and creating innovative artifacts is the only way to achieve that." Fang Hao declared with determined eyes. "How can a loose cultivator establish a family?" Li Xuan asked with a smile. "I know it's difficult, but if I don't try, how could I ever be content?" Fang Hao replied earnestly. "Is your artificing skill inherited from your ancestors?" Li Xuan asked curiously. "No." Fang Hao shook his head, smiling bitterly, "My father wasn't strong, just reaching the Grandmaster level before dying in an accident. I self-assessed my martial talent as average, so I chose to study artifact crafting. "I bought the basic crafting technique and studied every bit of artificing myself to reach my current level of expertise. "I dare boast that in the entire State of Zheng, no one understands artificing better than I do!" --- **New Terms:** 1. **Fang Hao (方昊)** - The name of a character introduced as a young, somewhat sleazy artifact craftsman selling unconventional items, potentially a genius in artifact crafting. 2. **Spirit Crystals (灵晶)** - A currency or valuable resource in the narrative world, used to price the artifact's value. --- In this translation, Fang Hao is depicted as a character with quirky talent and ambition, adding a comedic element with his odd creations and overconfident claims. His dream and motivations provide depth to his character. The term Spirit Crystals was kept to hint at its importance as a valuable resource with spiritual significance, often found in fantasy settings. Alternate translations for "artifact" could be "tool," "device," or "treasure," depending on the context or material description, but "artifact" conveys an object of handcrafted and mystical nature. Li Xuan felt more satisfied upon hearing this—Fang Hao indeed possessed substantial talent in the Mysterious Martial Path. It seemed that his own Mysterious Martial Path was finally going to emerge in the world. Li Xuan continued to question Fang Hao, who answered all inquiries thoroughly and even led Li Xuan to the courtyard behind the shop. This courtyard, along with the shop in front, was rented by Fang Hao. It was in this courtyard that Fang Hao crafted his devices. In the courtyard, there was a forging platform surrounded by various crafting materials. Beside the forging platform stood an ironclad warrior, roughly as tall as a person. "This is the battle puppet I've carefully researched and crafted. Currently, its limitations are significant—it can't fight independently and requires manual input of martial power to control, which makes it somewhat impractical. "However, I've already thought of a solution, though proving its feasibility might take a long time." Fang Hao said excitedly, patting the battle puppet. Li Xuan was genuinely surprised; Fang Hao's talent was unquestionable. He had even managed to create a combat puppet. Raising his hand, Li Xuan infused a strand of Divine Essence into the puppet. Instantly, the puppet raised its hand, wielding a battle blade that slashed forward, executing vertical chops, horizontal sweeps, and diagonal strikes repeatedly. Indeed, it was not very practical. Yet, for the Spiritual Domain, it was an innovative and groundbreaking achievement. Fang Hao's face flushed with embarrassment, "I do wish for the puppet to have more autonomous combat capabilities, but it's quite difficult to achieve." "Didn't you say you found a solution?" Retracting his Divine Essence, Li Xuan smiled and asked. "Yes, but it's very challenging." Fang Hao sighed and explained his solution. "You know about corpse beasts, right? They emerge in special places over time. I've been wondering if I could place a battle puppet in such a location to nurture it. "I've already buried a battle puppet in a special spot, but proving its feasibility is very challenging." Fang Hao sighed once more. This idea was inspired by the transformation of the Azure Dragon into a corpse beast. However, the birth of a corpse beast takes hundreds, thousands, or even ten thousand years to nurture. Verifying its feasibility cannot be accomplished in the short term. Even if feasible, the nurturing process for a battle puppet would be too lengthy, and the final combat effectiveness might not even be strong. This impracticality was also the source of Fang Hao's frustration. "I want this battle puppet. I have something for you to craft. If you succeed, it would mean we're fated, and I'll offer you a great opportunity." Li Xuan thought for a moment and said with a smile. "My battle puppet isn’t cheap; purchasing the materials alone cost..." Fang Hao's eyes glowed as he hurried to speak. Li Xuan pulled out several Spirit Notes, currency issued by the esteemed Spiritual Sects of the domain, which Xu Yan had acquired from the Dai family. "Here are five hundred thousand Spirit Crystals." "Brother, the battle puppet is yours. I'll even throw in that 'Spring Night Mirror' for you." Fang Hao exclaimed in excitement. Li Xuan couldn't help but twitch at the mention of the "Spring Night Mirror," which he did not want. "You should keep that for yourself." He shook his head. Fang Hao chuckled, quickly asking, "Brother, what do you want me to craft? I will ensure it's made for you." Li Xuan took out an array diagram—one of the smallest and most basic array diagrams. "See this diagram? You just need to integrate it into an artifact." Li Xuan smiled and explained, "I don’t care what tool you use, how you integrate this diagram, or how you decide to arrange the patterns. You just need to imbue the diagram into the artifact and comprehend the intricacies of this diagram. "If you can accomplish that, it means we're fated." This was a test. If Fang Hao could succeed, it would confirm his talent in the Mysterious Martial Path, making him the ideal fourth disciple. Fang Hao examined the diagram in his hands, noting its profound intricacies. His instincts told him that if he could comprehend it, it would open a new world for him. "Rest assured, Brother. I will get it done!" Fang Hao declared with hearty assurance. "Good, here are one hundred thousand Spirit Notes. Consider it an advance for purchasing materials." Li Xuan handed over an additional one hundred thousand Spirit Notes. "Thank you, brother! You're really generous, just like Young Master Shen!" Fang Hao was overjoyed. Besides Young Master Shen, it seemed he had secured another regular customer? There would no longer be a lack of Spirit Crystals for buying materials and engaging in research. "The opportunity to change destiny is right in front of you, my chubby friend. Make good use of it!" Li Xuan chuckled, patting Fang Hao on the shoulder. "In a few days, I'll come see how things are going." With a gesture, the battle puppet landed in Li Xuan's grasp, and with a step, he vanished from the courtyard. Li Xuan was in high spirits, for he'd finally found a talented candidate for his fourth disciple. "I hope you pass the test." Li Xuan thought to himself. After their conversation, Li Xuan had gained an appreciation for Fang Hao's personality and drive. He saw Fang Hao as ambitious, with dreams and a focus on the Mysterious Martial Path and its techniques. Once Li Xuan disappeared, Fang Hao gazed at the diagram in his hand, increasingly finding it extraordinarily profound, as if he had obtained something monumental. "If I can understand this, if I can craft the artifact my brother needs, it will surely be remarkable." Lost in thought, he suddenly paused, realizing something transformative. --- **New Terms:** 1. **Battle Puppet (战傀)** - A mechanized or enchanted construct created for combat purposes, controlled via martial power input, showcasing Fang Hao's innovative talent despite its current limitations. Alternate terms could be "War Automaton" or "Combat Golem." 2. **Spirit Notes (灵票)** - Denoted a form of high-value currency, similar to promissory notes, issued by eminent Spiritual Sects, highlighting a financial transaction resource. Alternate terms could be "Spiritual Note" or "Mystic Bill." 3. **Spring Night Mirror (春宵镜)** - An artifact created by Fang Hao, its purpose seemingly comedic and unexpected, hinting at Fang Hao's whimsical and inventive character. Alternate terms could be "Night Bliss Mirror" or "Nocturnal Reflection." 4. **Azure Dragon (青天蛟)** - A mythical creature that became a catalyst for Fang Hao’s idea of nurturing a battle puppet, drawing from the creation of corpse beasts. Alternate terms may include "Blue Sky Dragon" or simply "Azure Serpent." This segment emphasizes Fang Hao's inventive genius, as he attempts to create functional yet whimsical and unique artifacts—an example of ingenuity despite challenges and limitations. Fang Hao's ambition and creativity align with Li Xuan's search for disciples, marking potential mentorship rooted in innovative martial crafting.