Chapter 27: Methods for Refining Spiritual Tools

"Are you following me?"

Hearing Xu Ruolan's words, Chen Lin's face instantly flushed with anger, and his voice grew much colder.

Xu Ruolan waved her hands repeatedly. "Please calm your anger, Fellow Daoist. How would a lowly woman like myself dare to engage in such stalking? I merely overheard your conversation with that Zhang the Bastard in the Zhang Commercial Firm just now."

Chen Lin felt she was right; she was merely bluffing him.

Since the other party had guessed he used medicinal pills, Zhang the Bastard and the people in the shop at that time had likely guessed it as well.

But it didn't matter. Once he returned this time, he would stay behind closed doors. Anyone wanting to target him would first have to get past Yue Hai.

"If you want to buy medicinal pills, it's a pity I don't have any extras. You should try looking for someone from the Five Great Families instead."

He didn't even have enough for himself. Recently, perhaps because the core members of the Five Great Families were preparing to flee, various materials were in extremely short supply. He hadn't even been able to buy much just now, though materials for Enlightenment Pills were quite abundant.

This wasn't surprising; his Enlightenment Pills were an improved version of Yue Hai's, using low-end materials that were far removed from standard Enlightenment Pills.

If not for the exaggerated side effects that caused headaches, this modified recipe could be called a masterpiece.

Hearing Chen Lin's words, Xu Ruolan let out a bitter smile.

"You must be joking, Fellow Daoist. I am but a lowly rogue cultivator at the third level of Qi Refinement; how could I possibly approach the Five Great Families? Moreover, even among the Five Great Families, only core disciples have the right to obtain medicinal pills."

Chen Lin shrugged. "Then there is nothing I can do. I cannot help you."

With that, Chen Lin turned to leave.

After taking two steps, he hesitated, wanting to warn her that this place had become very dangerous. But thinking that to escape, one must first sever all ties, he let out a helpless sigh.

Xu Ruolan watched Chen Lin's receding figure, her expression shifting indecisively.

Finally, a flash of determination crossed her eyes, and she quickly caught up to him.

Seeing this, Chen Lin stopped in his tracks, his brow furrowing.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, I have already made myself very clear. I do not have any medicinal pills. If you continue to pester me, do not blame me for being impolite!"

Although they had met once before and he felt some pity that her life was about to end, her relentless persistence made Chen Lin somewhat indignant.

Xu Ruolan did not explain herself; instead, she directly produced an ancient-looking scroll.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, this is my family heirloom—the refining method for a Spiritual Tool. As long as you can provide a pill that allows me to break through to the middle stage of Qi Refinement, I am willing to trade it for this!"

A Spiritual Tool?

Hearing this term, Chen Lin couldn't help but be startled.

In the cultivation world, Dharma Tools are divided into low-grade, mid-grade, high-grade, and peak-grade.

Generally, Qi Refinement stage cultivators use low-grade and mid-grade Dharma Tools, while a few disciples from great families might possess high-grade ones.

As for peak-grade Dharma Tools, those are only within the reach of Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

Once one reaches the Golden Core stage, they no longer use Dharma Tools, but rather Dharma Treasures.

A "Spiritual Tool" is a special type of Dharma Tool that often possesses unique effects. They cannot be produced through ordinary refining methods and are extremely rare.

Most importantly, a Spiritual Tool can change its size to a certain extent, making it easy to carry and use—this is the most significant difference between it and an ordinary Dharma Tool.

The fact that she possessed a refining method for a Spiritual Tool was enough to prove she was no ordinary rogue cultivator; at the very least, her ancestors must have been illustrious.

Of course, it was also possible she had obtained it by chance rather than through family inheritance.

Chen Lin didn't care about the origin of the item. He took the scroll in surprise and unfurled it to inspect.

Xu Ruolan watched Chen Lin's expression nervously, one hand gripping a talisman with blue runes, ready at any moment to defend herself should Chen Lin attempt to kill her and seize the treasure.

The other party's small movements did not escape Chen Lin's perception, but he didn't care. After all, they were not well-acquainted, and in this lawless shantytown, it would be abnormal *not* to be on guard.

The unfurled scroll was about two feet long. Aside from some ancient cultivation script, it contained many lifelike illustrations.

A cursory glance revealed that it recorded a Spiritual Tool called the "Azure Dragon Halberd." Everything from material selection and refining steps to the engraving of array patterns was recorded in great detail.

Furthermore, beside every refining step, there were notes and insights regarding precautions and refining techniques written in the common script used by modern cultivators, and these notes belonged to more than one person.

From this, it was clear that this was indeed a legacy item.

"Are you truly certain you want to exchange this?"

Chen Lin rolled the scroll back up and looked at her.

To be honest, this was the first time he had seen such precious information recorded on a scroll.

Most high-level information of this sort was stored in jade slips, which were not only more secretive but also easier to consult and comprehend.

Regardless, one could not deny the value of this item.

The refining data for a Spiritual Tool would be considered extremely valuable even in the eyes of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

For a small refining clan, it would be sufficient to serve as a clan-protecting treasure.

Xu Ruolan pursed her lips, her beautiful eyes revealing a deep sense of reluctance, but she spoke with extraordinary determination: "Yes. As long as you can provide a pill that allows me to break through to the middle stage of Qi Refinement, this item belongs to you!"

"Fine!"

Chen Lin agreed readily.

Although the refining materials for this Azure Dragon Halberd were things he had never heard of and were certainly rare—making it uncertain if he could gather ten sets—refiners were not like alchemists; they were relatively common. Once the raw materials were gathered, he could find other refiners to assist with the process.

Even if he didn't use it himself, the value of this item when sold would far exceed that of a Chuyuan Pill.

It was only because this was a closed environment like Kaiyuan City, where the Five Great Families controlled the medicinal pills and drove their value up significantly, that such an exchange was possible. Otherwise, seeking an equivalent exchange would be nothing more than a dream.

Since he had agreed, he did not dally. He immediately took a small bottle from an inner pocket of his robe and poured out two Chuyuan Pills.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, I must state beforehand: although this pill is for increasing cultivation, it is not specifically designed for breaking through realms. I cannot guarantee whether it will actually allow you to break through to the middle stage of Qi Refinement."

At this point, he shifted his tone. "However, with my aptitude, it only took two of these pills to break through to the middle stage of Qi Refinement. I believe your aptitude is stronger than mine, so there is great hope."

Looking at the pills emitting a thick medicinal fragrance, Xu Ruolan couldn't help but swallow hard.

But she suppressed her impulse and said in a heavy voice, "If it is merely an ordinary pill for increasing cultivation, it cannot compare to my item. Even two of them are far too much of a discrepancy."

The other party had a point, and Chen Lin admitted there was a vast difference in value between the two.

Yet, he still shook his head. "Fellow Daoist Xu must understand that the value of all items is not constant. At this very moment, these two pills of mine are worth this price. If you miss this chance with me, it will likely be very difficult for you to obtain similar pills again."

Seeing Chen Lin's resolute attitude, Xu Ruolan gritted her teeth and nodded. "Fine, two it is. Could you perhaps leave an address? If I have a need for medicinal pills in the future, I may have to trouble you again."

"Haha, there is no need. If we miss today, it seems unlikely that we will meet again."

Chen Lin gave a faint smile and declined her proposal.

After handing the pills to her and putting away the scroll, he walked away without looking back.

Xu Ruolan stood still for a moment, then cast a wary glance around. Seeing that no one had noticed, she also put away the pills and prepared to leave.

Suddenly, the aura on her body shifted abruptly. She cast a sidelong glance and let out a cold sneer, about to say something, but the jade pendant hanging from her chest glowed faintly, and she immediately returned to normal.

She looked at the jade pendant, then at the sky, and quickly hurried away with a look of anxiety.