Mortal: Starting with the Falling Cloud Sect, I proved my Dao through gacha pulls.

Su Mu mourned for a moment for the greatsword that had been with him for so long. Knowing that a low-grade magic weapon could no longer test the limits of his current physical body, he simply stopped hesitating and took out the top-grade magic weapon, the Molten Fire Prison Seal, which his master had given him.

He activated the magic seal with all his might, and his body was instantly enveloped in raging flames, transforming into a cage of fire.

The Molten Hell Seal hovered in mid-air, radiating an immense pressure that could suppress the entire area, and with overwhelming force, it crashed down directly on him.

"when!"

With a resounding boom, golden ripples quickly spread across Su Mu's body.

Immediately afterwards, a violent and unparalleled physical shock force suddenly erupted from his body, forcefully blasting the Molten Fire Prison Seal away. It transformed into a fiery rainbow and crashed heavily into the stone wall of the cave, embedding itself deeply, with smoke and dust flying everywhere.

Upon seeing this, Su Mu quickly stepped forward to check. He saw that the Molten Fire Prison Seal only flickered slightly and was not damaged in the slightest, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Even top-tier magic weapons couldn't budge a single hair from his body, so how do they compare to true magic treasures?"

Su Mu pondered to himself, but dared not be too certain. After all, the strength of a magic weapon is affected by cultivation level, materials, crafting techniques, and accompanying cultivation methods, with a huge difference between the upper and lower limits. It would be difficult to make a judgment by making a hasty comparison.

However, with his current physical strength, he's already practically invincible within the Foundation Establishment realm. If he were to participate in the Sword Trial Tournament, wouldn't he be like a kindergartener, easily crushing everything in his path?

However, Su Mu then thought of Han Laomo, who would transform into Lao Liu in the next Sword Trial Tournament and use his late-stage Core Formation cultivation to blast fish, even more outrageous than himself, which could be described as utterly insane.

Thinking of this, Su Mu became more self-righteous. If Han Laomo could do it, why couldn't I? Besides, I didn't have any hidden cultivation level.

"The Falling Cloud Sect is determined to win first place in this sword-testing tournament!"

A few days later, Su Mu arrived at the entrance of Duan Gu Cave again. This time, he came specifically to find his master, hoping to borrow some classic texts on alchemy and weapon crafting so that he could study them thoroughly.

Although there is a saying that there are a hundred arts of cultivation in this world, if we talk about the most universal and top-notch potential, we must mention the six major branches of formation, alchemy, weapon crafting, talismans, puppetry, and spirit beasts/insects. These are almost the foundation for cultivators to make a living in the world.

His choice to first delve into alchemy and weapon crafting was not without reason. The Luoyun Sect was originally renowned for its alchemy, and although the weapon crafting skills of his Huoyun Peak were not as advanced as those of the Baiqiao Academy, which specialized in this art, they still had their own profound lineage.

Su Mu already cultivated fire-attribute techniques and possessed a unique flame. Whether it was controlling and purifying fire or condensing pills into artifacts, he had an innate advantage that was hard for others to match. Therefore, he was perfectly suited to study the arts of alchemy and artifact crafting.

"what?"

As soon as Su Mu stepped into the cave, he heard a cry of surprise. A blurry figure flashed before his eyes, and Duan Gu was already standing in front of him, staring at him as if he had seen a ghost.

His eyes held a complex mix of emotions, a mixture of shock, doubt, and barely concealed joy.

"Master, why is there a fan-shaped pattern in your eye?"

Su Mu suppressed the urge to complain, bowed to Duan Gu, and began to speak according to his prepared remarks:

"Greetings, Master. I recently obtained a peculiar flame by chance. After refining it, my cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds. I am worried that there may be hidden dangers, so I have come to ask you for guidance."

Su Mu's expression was sincere, with a hint of worry on his face. His eyes were pure and innocent, showing no trace of the domineering demeanor he had displayed earlier in the cave, where he had crushed a magical artifact with one hand and withstood a top-tier magic seal.

"Flames? What kind of strange fire has such effects!"

Duan Gu slowly came to his senses. Every time he saw the disciple he had personally taken in, his cultivation level would increase dramatically. Even though he had cultivated for many years and had seen a lot, he had never seen such a strange situation before. Today had truly been an eye-opener for him.

"This is the fire. It resonates exceptionally well with my disciple's spiritual power. After being refined and fused together, it forcibly elevated my disciple's cultivation level on its own!"

Su Mu raised his hand and lightly summoned a cluster of transparent, colorless Fallen Heart Flame, which hovered quietly at his fingertips, exuding an eerie feeling that could stir the mind. He lowered his tone, carrying a hint of lingering fear and unease, acting just right.

Duan Gu leaned closer to sense it, and as soon as he touched the aura of the Fallen Heart Flame, his spiritual sense suddenly went off with alarm bells. A sense of crisis that made his heart jump rushed into his heart, and he subconsciously took a half step back.

"What a strange flame, and its power is so remarkable. You can even refine it to your liking. It seems that this flame is truly a match for you."

Duan Gu stroked his beard, barely accepting the unbelievable reality before him, and sighed inwardly. The fortune of his little disciple was unheard of; he had even encountered and safely refined such a rare and unique flame. His future achievements were truly limitless.

"As I observe, your true essence is extremely refined, far surpassing that of other cultivators of the same level. It seems that this fire has not only not damaged your foundation, but has actually been of great benefit to you. So please put your mind at ease."

Duan Gu stroked his beard and nodded, all his previous worries dissipating, and his gaze toward Su Mu became increasingly satisfied.

After offering Su Mu a few words of comfort, Duan Gu gradually felt a surge of excitement.

With his youngest disciple's current cultivation and foundation, coupled with that unique flame, it would be a piece of cake for him to break into the top ten of the Sword Trial Tournament. Perhaps, he might even be able to compete for the coveted champion position!

"Haha, this time my Fire Cloud Peak will definitely stand out, let's see how Old Man Xin and Old Ghost Meng can laugh at me now!" Duan Gu laughed loudly, his expression extremely cheerful, as if the pent-up anger he had been holding in for so long was about to be swept away.

Seeing that he had successfully fooled everyone, Su Mu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and then bowed to reveal the true purpose of his trip.

"Master, I have come here today also hoping to find some books on alchemy and weapon crafting."

Su Mu paused slightly, his tone becoming increasingly respectful, "Master's mastery of alchemy and artifact crafting is renowned throughout the sect. This disciple also wishes to study diligently so that I may inherit Master's mantle in the future."

Duan Gu naturally agreed, and immediately turned around and took out several ancient books and a few warm jade slips, handing them to him together.

"These books contain introductory explanations of alchemy and weapon crafting, as well as numerous alchemical formulas and weapon manuals collected by your master. The jade slip contains my lifelong insights and understanding of alchemy and weapon crafting; how much you can comprehend depends on your own destiny."

As soon as Duan Gu finished speaking, he seemed to still be worried and earnestly instructed, "Alchemy and weapon crafting are ultimately just sideline aids. You must not become obsessed with them and put the cart before the horse. For us cultivators, our own cultivation and foundation are the foundation. Remember, never abandon the essential for the trivial."

Su Mu nodded solemnly, keeping these words firmly in his heart. He didn't want to become a "figure king" like the Great Evolution God Lord who was obsessed with playing with puppets.

He practiced alchemy and weapon crafting only to be self-sufficient, not to become addicted to these arts.

Su Mu secretly pondered: He possessed a cheat ability, and if he were to draw rare spiritual herbs or ancient divine iron in the future, he couldn't just leave them idle and waste them. He should first lay a solid foundation in alchemy and weapon crafting so that he could make the most of them and not waste any opportunities.

Seeing that he had taken the advice to heart, Duan Gu nodded in satisfaction. But then he noticed that Su Mu looked hesitant, as if he had something difficult to say. Duan Gu raised his eyebrows slightly, becoming more curious.

"Judging from your expression, there must be something else on your mind. Just tell me."

Su Mu scratched his head sheepishly and coughed lightly.

"Master, all I have now is an ordinary medicine cauldron that the sect gave me when I entered the sect. Its material is ordinary, and I'm afraid it can't withstand the special flames, nor can it bear the weight of your exquisite alchemy skills..."

As soon as he finished speaking, he opened his eyes and stared at Duan Gu with a docile and pleading look.

Duan Gu: ......

He chuckled, reached into his storage bag with one hand, took out a black medicine cauldron, and slammed it down in front of Su Mu with a bang.

"This cauldron is called the Hundred Medicines Cauldron, a top-grade item, more than enough for your use!"

Duan Gu waved his hand, looking annoyed.

"Alright, alright, go back and study hard. Don't be like your third senior brother, always thinking about my meager savings. Go take a break!"

Duan Gu waved his hand, feigning impatience as he dismissed Su Mu, but his eyes were full of indulgence and expectation.

Su Mu chuckled, and seeing that he had gained something, he obediently took his leave.

Back in his cave dwelling, Su Mu first tidied up the existing alchemy room, and then set about opening up a private weapon-refining room, where he arranged the medicine cauldron, books and materials one by one, just waiting to start practicing.

Before officially starting the furnace, Su Mu first took out the books given to him by his master and studied them carefully. One of them contained detailed records of the identification and cultivation methods of common spiritual herbs in the cultivation world, as well as the medicinal properties and compatibility of various herbs, which was the foundation for beginners in alchemy.

The other book covers the identification of basic refining ores and special spiritual materials in the cultivation world, as well as the complete refining steps of several basic standard magic weapons, which is just enough for him to lay a solid foundation in weapon refining from scratch.

Fortunately, with his current level of spiritual strength, it only took him a short while to read and memorize these basic classics. In less than half an incense stick's time, he had imprinted the contents of the two books into his sea of ​​consciousness and made them thoroughly familiar to him.

After memorizing all the contents, Su Mu went straight to the market and purchased a batch of basic refining ores and alchemy herbs. These were common materials for beginners to practice with, and although the cost was not high, it was enough for him to try repeatedly. Once everything was ready, he officially stepped into the alchemy room to prepare for practical experience.

One month later...

Looking at the four round, full, golden-yellow Yellow Dragon Pills in his palm, Su Mu felt a surge of excitement. The pills had a clear and refreshing fragrance, and their quality far surpassed that of ordinary beginner cultivators.

In just one month, from first encountering the spiritual herbs to achieving stable pill formation, and now being able to refine the Yellow Dragon Pill of such high quality, it would have been impossible to achieve such a smooth progress without the Fallen Heart Flame's ability to control temperature with ease and its divine sense far exceeding that of ordinary people.

In the past month, Su Mu's alchemy and weapon crafting skills have improved by leaps and bounds, thanks in large part to the Fallen Heart Flame.

The temperature control of the strange fire is extremely precise, resulting in a very high success rate in alchemy, and the quality of the pills far surpasses that of cultivators of the same level.

However, due to limitations in low-level practice materials, he only managed to forge a few crude magical artifacts, which were better than nothing but truly useless.

Seeing that the spiritual herbs he had bought last time were all gone, Su Mu packed up and left the cave, preparing to go to the market again to replenish the materials for alchemy and weapon crafting.

Just as Su Mu activated his magic weapon and flew into the air, he heard a familiar voice coming from behind him.

"Junior brother, wait!"