The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

The sunlight shone down, dispelling the last trace of the chill left after the rain, and it seemed to dispel the heaviness that had accumulated in his heart.

The life-or-death struggle on that stormy night three days ago, the encirclement by more than a dozen powerful families, the fatal blow from the top assassin of Tingyu Tower... all of this was forcibly suppressed with Xue Jin's strong intervention and the mysterious and unpredictable words "Cangshan Muxue" behind him.

Although the calm in the city was eerie, at least for the time being, the ever-present killing intent seemed to have truly disappeared.

Jiang Xuan could sense that the number of those secretly watching had decreased significantly, and even those that were present carried an undisguised sense of apprehension and avoidance.

This rare sense of ease allowed his long-tense nerves to relax slightly.

He strolled along, his gaze sweeping over the rows of shops and bustling crowds on both sides of the street.

Yanxia City seemed to have returned to the bustling and anxious atmosphere before the provincial examination.

Upon reaching the most bustling square in the city center, a huge spirit transmission light screen hung high, shimmering with colorful light, attracting many cultivators to stop and watch.

Jiang Xuan intended to pass directly through, but his gaze inadvertently swept over the image displayed on the light screen, and he stopped in his tracks.

On the screen, a beautiful and dignified woman was sitting and hosting.

Her voice was clear and penetrating.

"...Ladies and gentlemen, what follows is the highlight of this 'Treasure Appraisal Meeting'! We are honored to have invited the highly respected senior spirit pattern master Fang Yu from the 'Spirit Pattern Master Commune'! Senior Fang will appraise a spirit weapon, the Snowfall Battle Blade, which has recently caused quite a stir in Yanxia City! This blade was forged by a mysterious 'Master Xun,' and its spirit pattern structure is exquisite and unparalleled!"

The scene shifts, and an elderly man with white hair and beard and a gaunt face appears in the center of the light screen.

He was dressed in a plain-colored robe of a spirit pattern master, with gentle yet profound eyes. He was none other than the revered and influential Feng Yu master of the spirit pattern path in Yanxia City.

Master Fangyu's gaze fell on a battle sword that was floating beside him.

The knife was gleaming white, with a long and narrow blade, and a faint aura of icy coldness emanated from it. It was the very knife that Jiang Xuan had forged at the Spirit Pattern Master Commune!
Master Fangyu's eyes revealed undisguised appreciation and admiration. He spoke slowly, his voice calm yet possessing a convincing power.

"'Seeking the Master'... Although we have never met, just by looking at this sword, one can tell that his mastery of spirit patterns has reached a state of perfection! This 'Snowfall Battle Sword' is made primarily of cold iron refined gold, supplemented with ice soul stone powder. Its spirit pattern structure... is ingenious and unique!"

"Exquisite craftsmanship! Unique and unparalleled!"

These eight words, spoken by Master Fangyu, carried immense weight! The cultivators gathered in the square instantly erupted in gasps of amazement and discussion.

"Master Fang himself praised it! That's incredibly high praise!"

"Even Master Fang said it's unique? Just who exactly is this Master Xun?"

"The Snowfall Battle Blade... I heard it's caused quite a stir within the commune! I really want to see it!"

Master Fangyu ignored the commotion below. He extended his thin but unusually steady fingers and pointed at the magnified image of the sword's spirit patterns in the light screen.

"Please look, everyone. The core spirit rune of this sword is based on 'Thousand Waves,' but it is by no means a simple replication or superposition. Master Xun boldly incorporated the characteristics of two completely different spirit runes, 'Ice Soul Condensation' and 'Flowing Wind Returning Snow,' and with his unparalleled control, he perfectly blended the three together!"

"Look at the transitions and connections of these patterns, so smooth and natural, without any hesitation, as if created by nature! The depth of each pattern and the nodes where spiritual energy is infused are all extremely precise! What's even more wonderful is that this spiritual pattern system is not isolated, but resonates with the ice attribute of the blade material itself, which doubles the efficiency of spiritual energy flow. The ice blade energy it generates is not only incomparably sharp, but also has the effects of slowing down and freezing!"

Master Fangyu spoke eloquently, using concise and accessible language to clearly and thoroughly analyze the originally dry and profound knowledge of spirit runes.

His eyes shone with a pure appreciation for the craft, and every technical term he uttered carried a convincing magic.

The cultivators in the square listened with rapt attention, as if a door had been opened to the mysterious hall of spirit patterns.

However, Jiang Xuan, who was standing on the periphery of the crowd, felt uncomfortable all over and his face was burning.

Exquisite craftsmanship? Unique and distinctive?
He forged this knife purely to earn the five thousand gold coins reward! During the forging process, he relied more on the subtle control of spiritual power gleaned from the [Dongxuan Devouring Wilderness Scripture] and his intuitive understanding of the essence of spiritual runes, forcibly blending several spiritual rune configurations that flashed through his mind at the time, pursuing maximum practicality and efficiency. What profound "innovation" was there?
Listening to Master Fangyu's almost effusive praise and seeing the admiration and longing in the eyes of the cultivators around him, Jiang Xuan felt a wave of embarrassment.

That's a bit too much, isn't it? I just want to make some money quietly.

Just as he was about to turn away and avoid this "public execution" that made him feel like he was being pricked by thorns, a clear, melodious, and slightly coquettish voice clearly entered his ears from not far away.

"Miss, look at that knife! Master Fang praised it to the skies! But even the finest knife can't compare to your 'Ancient Musical Xun,' can it? That's a true treasure! What a pity..."

Ancient musical instrument, Xun?

These four words, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirred ripples in Jiang Xuan's heart.

He instinctively looked in the direction of the sound.

The speaker was a young maidservant, about thirteen or fourteen years old, wearing a pale yellow shirt and with her hair styled in two buns. She had a round face and bright eyes, and was pouting with a hint of regret and resentment.

A young man in a blue robe stood beside her.

The young man was tall and slender, dressed in a well-tailored blue brocade robe, with a simple jade belt around his waist, from which hung a warm, round jade pendant.

He had a handsome and refined face, fair skin, and a gentle, scholarly air about him. A faint, warm smile played at the corners of his mouth. He was like a green bamboo in spring, upright and serene.

At this moment, however, his gaze was fixed on the teleportation screen, and he seemed somewhat absent-minded. Only when he heard the little maid's words did he slightly come back to his senses.

"Xiao Zhu, be careful what you say."

The young man in the blue robe had a gentle and calming voice, which carried a soothing power.

“Each magical artifact has its own merits, so how can we presume to judge which is superior? The Ancient Law Spirit Ocarina… is ultimately incomplete.”

As he finished speaking, a barely perceptible hint of sadness flickered in his clear eyes.

Ancient music and spirit ocarina…

Jiang Xuan's mind was completely captivated by this name.

Of course, he was familiar with it! In his childhood, during those hazy years of wandering with Mr. Lu, he had seen Mr. Lu carry a similar, simple-looking pottery flute with him! Mr. Lu would occasionally take it out and play it to the wilderness, to the setting sun, and to the starry sky.

The sound of the xun is desolate, ancient, and melodious, sometimes like weeping and lamenting, sometimes like the clash of swords and the thunder of horses, containing an indescribable magic.

Mr. Lu once stroked his head and spoke in his usual tone, tinged with a sense of vicissitude and detachment.

"Kid, do you know what this is? It's the ancient Xun... one of the oldest musical instruments in the world."

Its melodies can reach the netherworld and guide the will of heaven.

A single thought can transform into a deadly, demonic chant, seizing souls and stealing spirits; a single thought can also become a soothing, liberating hymn, comforting the soul—its wondrous uses are boundless… Unfortunately, those who can truly master its laws and understand its essence are one in ten thousand. Most… are merely wasting its potential.”

The sound of the xun (a type of ancient Chinese wind instrument) was a rare source of comfort for him during his lonely childhood, bringing a strange warmth and strength.

He has an almost instinctive affinity for this ancient musical instrument that has long since disappeared from the world.

Jiang Xuan's gaze involuntarily fell on the ring-shaped jade pendant hanging from the waist of the young man in the blue robe.

The jade pendant was entirely blue-green, with simple and ancient carvings, and its shape... vaguely resembled the mouthpiece of the pottery ocarina that Mr. Lu had in his memory! Could it be... that was the ancient musical ocarina he had mentioned? Just disguised as a jade pendant?

"Incomplete?"

Upon hearing this, the little maid Xiaozhu's face immediately fell, and she looked even more unhappy.

"It's all that damned thief's fault! He stole the core 'Heavenly Sound Stone'! Now, Miss... uh, now, Young Master, your beloved possession is just a decoration! If I catch him..."

"Xiao Zhu!"

The young man in the blue robe frowned slightly, his voice still gentle, but carrying an undeniable air of restraint.

Xiao Zhu stuck out her tongue and quickly shut her mouth, but her big, round eyes were still glaring angrily at the air, as if the thief who stole the Heavenly Sound Stone was right in front of her.

Jiang Xuan understood immediately; the core component of the ancient musical instrument, the "Heavenly Sound Stone," had been lost.

He hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting to the gentle-looking young man in the blue robe, and spoke.

"Please, young master."

Upon hearing this, the young man in the blue robe turned to look at Jiang Xuan, his clear eyes carrying a perfectly appropriate hint of inquiry and politeness.

"What can I do for you, sir?"

Xiao Zhu immediately took a small step forward warily, blocking her young master's path. Her large eyes scrutinized Jiang Xuan from head to toe with undisguised scrutiny, and she said crisply.

"Hey, what do you want?"

His tone had a rather fierce and protective quality.

Jiang Xuan ignored the little maid's slight hostility and focused his gaze on the young man in the blue robe, speaking directly.

"I just heard you mention the ancient musical instrument, the Xun."

This item is extremely rare and precious, and it is a real pity that it is damaged.

"Since you are in Yanxia City, why not go and seek out that 'Master Xun'?"

He pointed to the screen where Master Fangyu was still giving his explanation.

"Master Fang speaks highly of him, so this Master Xun must indeed have extraordinary attainments in the art of spirit patterns. Restoring ancient artifacts, especially those with spirit patterns, might be his forte?"

"Looking for a master?"

Upon hearing this, the young man in the green robe smiled gently on his handsome face. He glanced at the light screen as Jiang Xuan pointed, his gaze lingering on the Snowfall Battle Blade for a moment before he shook his head slightly, his tone calm yet carrying a sense of detached indifference.

"Thank you for your kindness, brother. However... this ancient Xun of mine is not comparable to ordinary spiritual artifacts. Its core mystery lies in the origin of music, not in the spiritual patterns of the instrument. Even if a master's skill is high, I'm afraid it would be difficult to understand its true meaning. Forcing it will be of no use, so let it be as it may be."

He nodded slightly to Jiang Xuan as a thank you, and then spoke gently to Xiao Zhu.

"Xiaozhu, let's go."

"Yes, son!"

Xiao Zhu immediately responded, then glanced warily at Jiang Xuan before quickly following the young man in the blue robe. The two quickly blended into the crowd and disappeared from sight.

Jiang Xuan watched their departing figures, lost in thought.

This young man in blue robes appears gentle and refined, humble and polite, but his underlying sense of detachment and aloofness is exceptionally clear.

He seemed to have little interest in the rising star "Master Xun," or rather, he had his own assessment and did not believe that "Master Xun" could solve his problems.

At this moment, the explanation by Master Fangyu on the spiritual light screen was nearing its end.

He gazed at the Snowfall Battle Blade one last time, his eyes filled with reverence, and solemnly addressed the light screen.

"Although Master Xun has not shown himself, this sword is enough to reveal the breadth of his mind and the profound skill he possesses! I am fortunate to have seen this masterpiece today! If Master Xun is fortunate enough to meet him, I sincerely invite him to the 'Spirit Pattern Master Commune' for a chat, to brew tea and discuss the Dao, and to explore the mysteries of spirit patterns together!"

Master Fangyu's heartfelt praise and public invitation were like a bucket of cold water poured into a hot oil pan, instantly igniting the entire square!
"Master Fang personally invited me! My God! What an incredible honor!"

"Just who is this Master Xun? Even Elder Fang speaks of him with such high regard!"

"Incredible! It seems that another extraordinary spirit rune master has emerged in our Misty Cloud City!"

"Snowfall Battle Blade! Master Xun! Now it's impossible for him not to become famous!"

A cacophony of exclamations, speculations, and adoration arose one after another.

Everyone was filled with boundless curiosity and admiration for the mysterious "Master Xun".

Listening to these discussions that were practically elevating him to godhood, and looking at the battle sword he had personally forged and now revered as a standard on the light screen, Jiang Xuan's lips twitched involuntarily, and he felt a headache coming on.

Fame? That's not what he wants!
He just wanted to make money quietly, cultivate his skills peacefully, and then participate in the provincial examination! Being thrust into the spotlight under such intense public scrutiny was definitely not a good thing! It would only bring more trouble!
This place is no place to linger! Jiang Xuan immediately turned around, quickened his pace, and hurriedly left the noisy center of the square, heading towards the "Spirit Pattern Master Commune".

He needs to get his huge reward as soon as possible, then find a place to go into seclusion, digest the gains from the previous battle, and prepare for the provincial examination with all his might!

Shortly after Jiang Xuan's figure disappeared around the street corner.

At the edge of the square, an inconspicuous bronze palanquin, crafted entirely from dark blue metal with sleek and ancient lines, rested quietly under the shade of a tree. A thin layer of blue gauze veiled the palanquin, shielding it from outside observation.

Inside the carriage, the space was elegant, with the gentle fragrance of incense.

A woman dressed in simple palace attire, her face hidden behind a light veil, watched Jiang Xuan's almost hasty retreat through a gap in the curtain. Listening to the still-rampant, fervent discussions about "Master Xun" in the square, she finally couldn't help but cover her mouth with her sleeve and let out a very soft, yet utterly mischievous and amused laugh. (End of Chapter)