To comprehend all laws and attain immortality

In the courtyard, Gu Fan and Bai Mingxuan sat facing each other.

Gu Fan lowered his head to consider the pros and cons, and the scene fell silent for a moment.

Bai Mingxuan didn't urge him. He poured himself a cup of tea, sipped it slowly, and patiently waited for Gu Fan's reply.

Without a doubt, Gu Fan was very interested in the Crimson Dragon Wood.

If one can obtain the Crimson Dragon Wood, one only needs to use a secret method to collect a wisp of aerial fire and combine it with the Flame Stone to refine the Samadhi True Fire.

The amplification of the Samadhi True Fire for weapon crafting and fire-based spells is secondary; its most renowned function is the condensation of magical power.

As we all know, the more refined one's magical power, the higher the success rate of Foundation Establishment. Samadhi True Fire itself is a special spiritual object for Foundation Establishment.

If the effects of a superior cultivation technique are added on top of that, Gu Fan's success rate in establishing his foundation can reach 50%, almost matching that of a superior spiritual root!

Most spiritual plants in the world are restrained by fire. Spiritual plants that can grow in places with abundant fire energy are already rare, let alone spiritual plants that can contain fire energy and nurture fire within wood.

The rarity of Crimson Dragon Wood is evident; if this opportunity is missed, it's uncertain when another chance will come to find the Fire within Wood.

Thinking of this, Gu Fan picked up the jade slip that recorded the method of refining the Dragon-Trapping Stake again.

When Bai Mingxuan saw Gu Fan's actions, he glanced up and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips before lowering his head to drink his tea.

Within his sea of ​​consciousness, Gu Fan studied the method for crafting the Dragon-Trapping Stake and secretly activated his Myriad Manifestations Dharma Eye.

There are only two key elements to crafting magical artifacts: forging spiritual materials and carving restrictions.

Although the Dragon-Trapping Stake is a mid-grade magic artifact, the restrictions it involves are not complicated. Under the watchful eye of the Myriad Manifestations Dharma Eye, it immediately transformed into several magic power circuits, operating stably.

Seeing this, Gu Fan felt slightly relieved and asked, "How many Dragon-Trapping Stakes does the Bai family need?"

"Thirty-six," Bai Mingxuan replied.

After some mental evaluation, Gu Fan realized that if calculated solely in terms of spirit stones, the spirit stones earned from forging thirty-six Dragon-Trapping Stakes were roughly equivalent to the value of a section of Crimson Dragon Wood. However, Crimson Dragon Wood was always in short supply, so he was still at a better price.

"Besides the number of Dragon-Trapping Stakes and the matter of secrecy, does the Bai family have any other requirements?" Gu Fan continued to ask.

Bai Mingxuan looked at Gu Fan with admiration and smiled, "Fellow Daoist is indeed quick-witted. Not bad, besides keeping it a secret, there are indeed other requirements."

"With the battle for the mineral vein imminent, all the Dragon-Trapping Stakes must be completed within three months. If they are completed later than this time, they will likely be useless, and the cost of forging them must be reimbursed!"

Gu Fan nodded slightly upon hearing this. This request was not unreasonable. Accepting a weapon-refining commission was different from purchasing from the market. Unless it was agreed upon beforehand, it was only right to lose money if the commission was not completed.

Even in the Lingxiao Sect's sect missions, failure to forge weapons still requires compensation; it's just that the thirty-six Dragon-Trapping Stakes are more valuable.

As for the three-month deadline, Gu Fan is fully confident that he can complete it as long as the raw materials provided by the Bai family are of good quality.

"Alright! I'll take this on!" Gu Fan nodded.

"Excellent!" Bai Mingxuan chuckled and immediately drafted a spirit contract: the Bai family would provide the refining materials, and Gu Fan would be entrusted to forge thirty-six complete sets of dragon-trapping stakes within three months, with the reward being a piece of red dragon wood.

After drafting the Spirit Contract, Gu Fan reviewed it and added some detailed clauses to it.

If the refining fails due to the spiritual materials provided by the Bai family, Gu Fan will be exempt from compensation, provided that the quality of the Crimson Dragon Wood is intact.

Bai Mingxuan did not raise any objections, and after the spirit contract was revised, the two signed it.

Then, Bai Mingxuan took off a storage bag and placed it on the stone table, saying, "The spiritual materials needed to refine the Dragon-Trapping Stake are all here. Please take a look."

Gu Fan picked up the storage bag without ceremony and carefully sifted through all the spiritual materials with his divine sense, confirming that there were no hidden dangers. Moreover, the Bai family seemed to have taken into account the losses during the refining process, and there were still some spiritual materials left over. So he nodded and said, "Confirmed."

"In that case, I await your good news, fellow Daoist."

After speaking, Bai Mingxuan stood up, bowed, and took his leave.

After seeing Bai Mingxuan off, Gu Fan picked up the jade slip again and began to ponder the method of refining the Dragon-Trapping Stake.

The next morning.

After completing his Qi-gathering cultivation as usual, Gu Fan simulated inscribing the restriction several times in his sea of ​​consciousness to ensure he wouldn't easily fail, then got up and flew towards Shenji Peak.

......

After leaving Lingxi Peak, Bai Mingxuan flew straight to Qingyun Peak and landed in a luxurious villa halfway up the mountain.

Two tall servants guarding the gate knelt down and bowed to Bai Mingxuan, saying, "Greetings, Second Master."

Bai Mingxuan's gaze did not linger on the two of them for a moment. He stepped into the courtyard. In the spacious courtyard, a young man with a gloomy face was controlling a fiery eagle with a wingspan of more than ten feet, moving back and forth.

Upon seeing Bai Mingxuan's figure, the young man immediately extinguished the flames, stepped forward, and bowed, saying, "Uncle."

"Hmm." Bai Mingxuan responded casually, passed by the young man, and went inside to rest on a soft couch.

After Bai Mingxuan appeared, the maids made their own preparations. When he lay down on the soft couch, two graceful maids came forward to remove his shoes, and then a maid served him fragrant tea.

After all the maids bowed and withdrew, the young man stepped forward with a forced smile and asked, "Uncle, did your trip go smoothly?"

"Ziming," Bai Mingxuan called out, as if sighing.

Bai Ziming quickly nodded and asked, "Uncle, do you have any instructions?"

"Has anyone ever told you that your smile looks fake?" Bai Mingxuan said calmly.

Bai Ziming's smile froze, a flash of anger crossed his eyes, and he said in a low voice, "Uncle is right."

Bai Mingxuan turned to look at Bai Ziming, recalling Gu Fan's information in his mind, and couldn't help but sigh at the Bai family's bad luck.

After a moment, he picked up the fragrant tea, took a sip, and put down the teacup, saying, "I've met the person, and he's accepted the matter of weapon forging. Now, we just need to wait for news."

"Congratulations, Uncle, on the success of your plan!" Bai Ziming cupped his hands in celebration.

Bai Mingxuan shook his head slightly: "If you were truly capable, I should be enjoying myself in the clan. Why would I need to personally resort to such methods?"

"I am useless, Uncle, and I have troubled you." Bai Ziming bowed his head and replied, trying his best to suppress his resentment: "I will definitely work hard to cultivate and reach the Foundation Establishment stage as soon as possible to share the burden of the clan."

"See, this is why I look down on you."

Bai Mingxuan extended a finger, pointing it at Bai Ziming, and scolded, "You appear respectful on the surface, but that's only because I control the clan's resources. In your heart, you mock me for having no hope of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage and having my path to cultivation cut off, yet you can't hide your intentions. Let alone Zihao, even that junior I met today is far superior to you."

Upon hearing that nightmarish name, a shadow crossed Bai Ziming's eyes, but he repeatedly said he dared not.

"You wouldn't dare?" Bai Mingxuan snorted coldly, turning his head to change the subject and asking, "Have any of your concubines become pregnant recently?"

"My nephew has been working tirelessly, and two of his children are already pregnant."

"Alright, step back." Bai Mingxuan waved his hand, and Bai Ziming retreated, his fist hidden in his sleeve clenching slightly, his knuckles turning pale.

After Bai Ziming left, his followers came in one by one.

After bowing respectfully, he reported on the recent events one by one. Bai Mingxuan listened quietly, occasionally interrupting to give some instructions.

Once no one else entered, Bai Mingxuan, with the help of his maid, put on his shoes and flew towards the foot of Qingyun Peak on his magical artifact.

In a secluded courtyard at the foot of Qingyun Peak, Qi Yan was drawing eyebrows for Bai Qiaoyun, occasionally offering a word of praise. Upon hearing the servant's report, he quickly put down his eyebrow pencil and rose to greet her.

"Father!" Bai Qiaoyun called out sweetly as she saw Bai Mingxuan and went to greet him.

Looking at his daughter's charming face, Bai Mingxuan finally burst into laughter.

"Greetings, Father-in-law." Qi Yan also stepped forward and bowed.