Chapter 344: Chapter 344: Refining Artifacts without a Cauldron Furnace

“Your grandfather is back!” Yang Xiaotian strode out of the courtyard, asking with joy.

“Yes, my grandfather is outside.” Tie Qiulan said with a brilliant smile, like a flower on the snow, “He wanted to come in to thank you, but he was afraid of disturbing your cultivation.”

As Yang Xiaotian hurried out of the grove, he saw at the entrance of the village where Tie Xiaodan usually refined artifacts, a thin old man with snow-white hair, dressed in a green robe, standing in the cold snow, his robe fluttering.

This was Tie Qiulan and Tie Xiaodan’s grandfather, Tie Jianfeng.

When Tie Jianfeng saw Yang Xiaotian come out, he walked over with Tie Xiaodan, and as soon as he was in front of Yang Xiaotian, he bowed deeply: “This old man thanks the young master.”

Clearly, he had already heard about Yang Xiaotian rescuing Tie Qiulan from the City Lord’s Mansion.

“You are too polite, senior,” Yang Xiaotian quickly helped Tie Jianfeng up.

After Tie Jianfeng stood up, he looked at Yang Xiaotian in front of him, filled with emotion, having already heard about the incident at the City Lord’s Mansion of Qinghe City on his way back.

He kindly asked with a smile, “I heard from Qiulan that Young Master Yang wants to enter the Dwarf Tribe?”

Yang Xiaotian, upon hearing this, did not hide anything, “Not to conceal from senior, I have been searching for Innate Divine Iron, and I’ve heard that the Dwarf Tribe possesses a piece.”

Tie Jianfeng nodded and said, “The Dwarf Tribe indeed has a piece of Innate Divine Iron.” He then showed a troubled expression, “I can take the young friend into the Dwarf Tribe, but that piece of Innate Divine Iron is a treasured legacy of the Dwarf Tribe, and it might be difficult for you to obtain it from them.”

Yang Xiaotian quickly said, “As long as senior can take me into the Dwarf Tribe, that’s enough. As for the Innate Divine Iron, I will find a way myself.”

The furrow in Tie Jianfeng’s brow eased as he smiled and said, “Alright, then I will take you to the Dwarf Tribe now.”

Yang Xiaotian, upon hearing this, could not have asked for more.

So, under Tie Jianfeng’s lead, Yang Xiaotian and the Iceflame Qilin, among a few others, arrived at the Dwarf Tribe.

This time, with Tie Jianfeng, they easily entered the Dwarf Tribe.

Within the Dwarf Tribe, the buildings of the Dwarf Clan were very low.

The cities of the Dwarf Clan were also small in stature.

The city walls of human cities were generally dozens of meters high, but those of the Dwarf Clan were only a few meters tall.

Upon entering the Dwarf Clan Royal City, at a glance, all were Dwarfs, nearly all of them about one meter three or one meter four in height.

Yang Xiaotian, who was one meter seventy, walked on the streets of the Dwarf Clan and looked quite tall in comparison.

The streets of the Dwarf Tribe were wide, crowded with people, and the shops on both sides of the street were almost all artifact refining shops, with the rhythmic sound of hammering iron continuously coming forth.

Just as Yang Xiaotian was pondering how to speak when he met the Dwarf Clan Leader, suddenly, a loud boom resounded, shaking the entire Dwarf Tribe Mountains violently.

Tie Jianfeng was taken aback and abruptly looked up into the sky to see the prohibition light of the Dwarf Tribe Grand Array surging continuously.

“Someone is attacking the Grand Array of the Dwarf Tribe!”

Yang Xiaotian and the rest were also surprised.

Boom!

At that moment, a terrifying Sword Qi fell from the Nine Heavens, once again bombarding the Grand Array’s prohibition of the Dwarf Tribe.

The Dwarf Mountains shook violently once more.

The once peaceful Dwarf Royal City was suddenly in utter chaos.

“It’s the Elf Clan! The Elf Clan Army has come!” someone shouted in astonishment.

Within the Dwarf Royal City, squad after squad of the Dwarf Army flew out.

Not only from the Dwarf Royal City, but also from other cities, regiment after regiment of the Dwarf army swarmed out.

Inside the Dwarf Royal Palace, an enormous airship flew out, and atop the airship, stood a host of strong warriors from the Dwarf Clan.

“That’s the Dwarf Clan Leader, Man Fang,” Tie Jianfeng said as he spotted a burly dwarf on the prow of the airship.

“Let’s follow and take a look,” Yang Xiaotian said without hesitation, immediately rising through the air with Tie Jianfeng and a few others, including the Iceflame Qilin, to catch up to the airship.

Soon, everyone arrived at the forefront of the Dwarf Mountains.

Yang Xiaotian looked ahead and saw the sky filled with the Elf Clan Army, dressed in silver-grey armor that formed an overwhelming mass, almost eclipsing the sun, probably numbering in the tens of millions!

The silver-grey armor, under the sunlight, refracted blinding rays of light.

“Xi Mo, stop dreaming. I’ve told you, Innate Divine Iron is our Dwarf Clan’s ancestral treasure, and we will not give it to you!” Man Fang, on the airship, glared at Xi Mo, an ancestor of the Elf Clan.

Xi Mo, one of the strongest ancestors of the Elf Clan, responded with a smile, “Man Fang, we come with no ill intentions this time.” Saying this, he took out a golden seed the size of an egg.

When the golden seed was revealed, it shone with dazzling light, and a surge of vitality spread out like the sea.

“A seed of the Life God Tree!” Everyone was astonished to see that seed.

Yang Xiaotian was also surprised.

The Life God Tree was the Elf Clan’s inherited divine treasure, known for its many miraculous functions.

The Liquid of Life produced by it was a holy medicine for healing.

Moreover, cultivating under the Life God Tree and absorbing its spiritual energy could greatly enhance one’s cultivation.

Currently, Yang Xiaotian needed two months to break through a minor realm, but with the aid of the tree’s spiritual energy, he would undoubtedly need less than two months.

Moreover, unlike elixirs, this spiritual energy came with no side effects whatsoever.

Unexpectedly, in addition to a Life God Tree, the Elf Clan had a seed of the Life God Tree as well.

“Indeed, this is a seed of the Life God Tree,” Xi Mo said with a smile.

Man Fang eyed the Life God Tree seed in the other’s hand with a puzzled look, “Do you intend to trade this Life God Tree seed for our Innate Divine Iron?”

Xi Mo shook his head with a smile, “Of course not.” Then he said, “Man Fang, doesn’t your Dwarf Clan pride itself on being a clan of master artificers? Let’s have a metalworking challenge. If you win, you take this Life God Tree seed!”

“If you lose, you give us the Innate Divine Iron!”

Xi Mo’s proposal caught everyone by surprise.

After all, everyone knew that in terms of artifact creation, the Dwarf Clan was undoubtedly the strongest on the Azure God Continent.

Xi Mo actually suggested a metalworking challenge?

Man Fang’s brow furrowed.

“What, are you afraid?” Xi Mo taunted with a smile, “If you’re not confident, you can also have people from other races join the competition. No matter the outcome, I will lead the Elf Clan Army away, and henceforth, the Elf Clan Army will never step into the Dwarf Mountains again.”

Man Fang took a deep breath and looked firmly at the other party, “Fine! How do you propose we compete?”

“Today, we won’t be using cauldron furnaces for the challenge,” Xi Mo said with a smile.

The expressions of Man Fang and the other experts of the Dwarf Clan changed at this, not using cauldron furnaces for artifact refining? Even if Man Fang was the number one artifact refining expert of the Dwarf Clan, he couldn’t refine without a cauldron furnace.

“We’ll see who can create an Innate Spirit Instrument first without using a cauldron furnace. That person will win,” Xi Mo said with a smile.