"This Senior Brother, I wonder where one goes to take the exam for Fenbaoyan treasure refining masters? I asked just now, and every year Fenbaoyan recruits a large number of treasure refining masters from the outside."
The Prince Wula that Fang Han morphed into faked it extremely well, looking like a kid coming out of some remote backward village. Looking at the giant plain teleportation array, along with Fenbaoyan and various kinds of cultivators, he was shocked into a stupor for a long while, muttering something in his mouth, before finally snapping back to reality and speaking to that black-clothed youth cultivator, while presenting three hundred thousand Pure Yang pills.
Weighing the weight of the Pure Yang pills in the magical treasure pouch, the black-clothed youth cultivator said casually: "Correct, in the Cultivation Great World, what is lacking the most are treasure refining masters. Because at every moment, countless cultivators will sell the materials they gathered here. But turning those materials into magical treasures is extremely difficult. If you possess some methods to refine magical treasures and a few unique skills, you can absolutely mix excellently like the wind and water in the Cultivation Great World. Of course, within the Cultivation Great World, our Fenbaoyan's treasure refining masters are the harshest and have the most requirements. Though the treatment is the best, basically no one can successfully pass the recruitment. If you lack the capability, you can go to the Horizon Azure Country to try your luck."
"Many thanks for Senior Brother's guidance!"
Fang Han immediately said.
"Over there is the recruitment ground for treasure refining masters. I will take you over." The black-clothed youth pointed to the distance at the foot of the massive Fenbaoyan, at the palaces erected one by one.
"Good." Hearing this, an expression of joy appeared on Fang Han's face.
The black-clothed youth led him, flying over the plain for a short moment, before arriving in front of a palace beneath Fenbaoyan. In front of this palace, everywhere were scattered rogue cultivators, all seemingly coming to take the treasure refining master exam. Some cultivators were internal disciples of Fenbaoyan, while others were external cultivators.
"Junior Brother Ning! This is the rogue cultivator you brought over to take the treasure refining master exam?" Inside the palace, there was a table. Sitting at the table were several experts of the Undying Body. Seeing the black-clothed youth bring Fang Han in, they casually said: "Why aren't you taking the exam yourself?"
"This is an acquainted rogue cultivator. He bribed me and insisted on taking the treasure refining master exam. Having no choice, I can only let him come and give it a try." The black-clothed youth, Senior Brother Ning, said.
"Very well, Junior Brother Ning, are you clear about this rogue cultivator's background?" The several experts of the Undying Body swept their gazes over Fang Han. They indeed saw that Fang Han's cultivation was at the Ten Thousand Years Realm tier, his power a little over one hundred million, possessing nothing out of the ordinary.
"He is a wandering rogue cultivator, nothing much actually." The black-clothed youth recounted Fang Han's background once.
"Alright! You pay a one million Pure Yang pill examination fee. Collect this jade tablet and then wait for the exam." An expert of the Undying Body said.
Fang Han immediately stepped forward and handed over one million Pure Yang pills.
"Attention, if you fail the exam, these one million pills are non-refundable." Another cultivator reminded. One million pills were worth roughly half a low-grade Dao Artifact, a very considerable sum.
"No matter, I am confident I can pass the treasure refining master exam." Suddenly, Fang Han became high-spirited and full of confidence, which actually startled the black-clothed youth beside him.
"Go over there and wait."
The several cultivators of the Undying Body seemed used to this kind of scene. Casually waving their hands, seeing Fang Han go over to wait, one cultivator laughed: "Rogue cultivators are all brimful of such confidence, yet they do not know how arduous our exam is. I don't know how many come in high spirits and leave in disappointment. I wonder how this cultivator will do?"
"Looks to be just average."
"I actually hope a genius treasure refining master can emerge. You must know, in our Cultivation Great World, a genius treasure refining master holds massive value. Recently, I've heard the Horizon Azure Country produced several genius treasure refining masters in succession and gave them major cultivation. Some of the low-grade Dao Artifacts they refined are of exceptionally good quality, holding ingenious thoughts. Business increased greatly, even obtaining a large batch of orders from the Buddha World."
"This cultivator looks like a barbarian, possessing blonde hair and blue eyes. His cultivation is also just average; I suppose his methods for refining magical treasures won't be that brilliant."
"Mm, another person coming to take the exam just entered over there, it's a rogue cultivator."
"Pay attention, investigate their backgounds clearly, do not let people sneak in."
"Sneaking in is useless. Even a legendary Void Immortal sneaking into Fenbaoyan wouldn't obtain any benefits."
Fang Han twitched his ears, absorbing all the discussions of these people into his ears. Smiling slightly, he actually learned some secrets, making his plan even more complete. Walking over to a side hall and sitting down, he saw more than ten cultivators, both men and women, holding waiting tablets. Seeming just like him, they were all here to take the treasure refining master exam.
Among these cultivators, some were giants of the ages, while some were even tyrannical figures of the Undying Body. Three people among them caught Fang Han's attention.
One was a woman. Her face always carried a faint smile, and her looks were average. Seeing Fang Han's gaze sweep toward her, she smiled and nodded, making one feel exceedingly approachable.
However, given Fang Han's cultivation, he immediately knew that this woman had definitely trained in a strange technique, able to make people develop favorable impressions unknowingly.
This woman was an expert of the Undying Body.
Another was a large man. His face overgrown with whiskers, eyes glaring wide, wearing a suit of antique bronze armor. The armor was densely covered with patterns; it was actually a mid-grade Dao Artifact. Looking at it, it was arguably a life-source Dao Artifact. Worn on his body, it displayed his own exquisite item refining techniques. However, Fang Han kept feeling that this large man possessed some profound depths.
Yet he did not use his divine sense to investigate him.
The third person was an old man. His face was wooden, motionless, both of his hands cracked open, skin rough, seemingly often roasted by flames. He was also an Undying Body.
As for the rest of the cultivators, Fang Han could tell at a glance that they all possessed some exquisite treasure refining methods on their bodies to varying degrees. The exquisite methods for refining magical treasures passed down from ancient times were as numerous as Ganges sand. Without absolutely any methods, they would not waste the one million pills examination fee to come and sign up.
这些 cultivators sat silently completely still. The atmosphere was somewhat solemn and tense, seemingly waiting for the exam. This reminded Fang Han of those xiucai and juren in the mundane world participating in the imperial civil service exams.
It was indeed exactly like this. Once one passed the Fenbaoyan treasure refining master exam, it was akin to leaping over the dragon gate. Their statuses would differ. Fang Han already knew the power dynamics of the Cultivation Great World; if one became an important treasure refining master, no one would dare to provoke them. Even taking a stroll to the Xuanhuang Great World, their status would probably be comparable to the supreme headmasters of the Ten Gates of the Immortal Path.
These people were all silently calculating how to deal with the upcoming exam.
Fang Han found it of no concern. He possessed the item refining techniques from the Heavenly Dragon Secret Manual on his body, and furthermore possessed the "Great Treasure Refining Art". Even disguising his cultivation at the Ten Thousand Years Realm, he could make people's eyes light up.
"You are also a rogue cultivator? I wonder which sect you originated from? Looking at your appearance, you seem to be a descendant of the ancient barbarians; could it be you come from the Barbarian Great World? Rumor has it that people from the Barbarian Great World are all the blonde-haired, blue-eyed type like you."
Fang Han had just sat down and observed his surroundings, when that large man with overgrown whiskers walked over. His voice carried a suppressing weight, and his tone seemed somewhat unfriendly.
"Barbarian Great World? I am a person from the Wula Planet, I just happened to wander over here." Fang Han smiled: "Fellow Daoist, what sect are you from?"
"Wasting one million pills to participate in the exam, it seems your Wula Planet is quite affluent." The smile on the large man's face harbored malicious intent, yet he did not state his origin.
"Alright, this fellow Daoist's cultivation is a tier below yours; suppressing him like this does not seem to be what a Dao cultivator should do." That woman spoke out.
"What business is it of yours?" The large man sneered.
"I speak a fair word, what business is that of yours? Could it be you won't allow me to speak?" The woman continued to say with a smile.
"Enough, the envoy for the exam has come." The old man with withered, cracked palms coldly uttered a sentence. They then saw several people walking over from the front. With a casual movement from these people, the power of space condensed; they were actually powerhouses of the "Cavern Heaven Realm"! Each of them wore purple clothes, appearing extremely noble.
"All of you stand up. The exam begins now. Follow us inside toward the depths of Fenbaoyan." These several purple-clothed cultivators held indifferent expressions. Stating this sentence, they turned around and walked.
Swish, swish!
The waiting cultivators immediately stood up and followed behind.
Not long after, the scene shifted, and Fang Han perceived that a tyrannical force pervaded the air. Should he want to rush out, it would probably be difficult. They had entered the interior of Fenbaoyan.
Fenbaoyan was a tyrannical Peerless Dao Artifact, absolutely originating from immemorial times. Compared to the Origin Womb of Chaos, the Seal of the Common People, and the Heavenly Emperor Mirror, it was not inferior in the slightest.
"There are fifteen of you here in total, forming one group. Up ahead are fifteen low-grade Dao Artifact pill furnaces. Beside them are sufficient materials. This exam tests you to refine a low-grade Dao Artifact within the span of sixty years." A purple-clothed cultivator pointed forward at rows upon rows of pill furnaces.
The flowing of the power of time in this place had evidently accelerated vastly.
Fang Han did some slight calculations; one hour outside was equivalent to sixty years of time inside. Refining a low-grade Dao Artifact in a span of sixty years, even with complete materials, was not enough time.
Generally, giant of the ages refining a low-grade Dao Artifact required several hundred, or even over a thousand years.
This exam was truly perverse.
Hearing this time limit alone could eliminate a large batch of people.
"Now, everyone may begin!" A purple-clothed cultivator clapped his hands.
"This is easy to handle!" The large man with overgrown whiskers gave a savage grin and stepped forward. His techniques changing constantly, he spat a mouthful of vital energy onto the pill furnace. Immediately, that surge of vital energy morphed into a golden-yellow flame, curling into the pill furnace. Some materials inside the pill furnace leapt up one after another.
"Profound True Golden Flame! A flame refined by ancient cultivators? This person was actually able to obtain it, it is a good item for refining magical treasures. No wonder he holds such confidence." The several examinees nodded secretly. Looking further at the exquisite item refining techniques of the large man with overgrown whiskers, as he struck out consecutive streams of treasure seals, "This is the Profound True Item Refining Hand created by ancient experts. It is capable of stealing the heavens and swapping the sun, deriving sentience from the void."
"I will begin as well!" The woman walked to the side of a pill furnace. With a sweep of her divine sense, she seemed to look at the various materials in the pill furnace. Analyzing them slightly, a ball of purple flame flew out from her fingertips: "Purple Fire Heart Flame!" Curling inside, she struck out a series of profound techniques. Within a scant two hours, numerous materials had already crystallized, transforming into the embryo of a treasured sword.
Fang Han observed for a long time, then also flicked his finger, snap! A clump of transparent pure fire flew out, and the temperature instantly soared.
"Heavenly Realm Pure Fire!" The several examining cultivators were all massively shocked! Even the hands of that large man with overgrown whiskers trembled while forming seals, almost ruining an entire furnace of materials. Glints of cold and sinister light flashed in his eyes.