Xu Yi stood before the artifact forging platform. Without haste, she closed her eyes, gathering her thoughts and calming her mind before slowly opening them again.
It had been a long time since she had settled down to forge an artifact. Even without the so-called test, she was determined to give her all and perform at her best.
Xu Yi turned to face the small mountain of forging materials. Her gaze swept over them one by one.
Soon, she selected the materials she desired.
When Gongshui Yi saw the materials Xu Yi chose from the eclectic assortment, his eyes twitched slightly, and a knowing smile graced his lips. He was particularly moved when he saw the last forging material Xu Yi took out.
Xu Yi, now too focused to notice Gongshui Yi's expression, meticulously arranged the forging materials in order before her. She then placed her palm on the forging platform, activating the Earth Heart Green Flame within her.
As the green flames danced above the platform, Gongshui Yi's expression shifted subtly once more.
"Splendid Stone," Xu Yi murmured, naming the first forging material. She channeled her spiritual energy to cast it into the Earth Heart Green Flame.
Under the intense heat, the Splendid Stone quickly melted into a pool of shimmering, colorful molten metal, the very origin of its name. At the optimal state of the Splendid Stone, Xu Yi introduced the second forging material.
"Tairo Blue Rhinoceros Bone." The skull of the Tairo Blue Rhinoceros contained its vital essence, which, when used in forging, could enhance an artifact's defense.
"Golden Gang Sand."
"Chicken Heart Diamond."
"..."
One by one, the forging materials vanished from Xu Yi's sight, only to be cast into the Earth Heart Green Flame. Her expression was focused, the green flames dancing in her eyes. The rapid depletion of her spiritual energy caused the stray hairs at her temples to dampen slightly.
Xu Yi looked down at the last forging material before her.
Boundless Water, the extreme cold water from a land of ultimate yin. If the Earth Heart Green Flame could ignite all things, then Boundless Water could melt all things. The Earth Heart Green Flame and Boundless Water were natural nemeses.
From ancient times, no one had ever dared to forge an artifact using these two rare and unusual substances, for the results were unknown. Xu Yi did not know either.
Her choice of Boundless Water was not due to absolute confidence, but rather an adherence to her own intuition. She had originally chosen another material to conclude the process, but as she reached out, she felt a sudden inspiration and picked up the Boundless Water beside her.
Upon holding the Boundless Water, she regretted it for a moment, but quickly decided to follow her gut feeling. She had a premonition that Boundless Water might be the most inspired choice she had ever made in her forging career.
The Boundless Water was contained in a small, unassuming bottle. Faint, ethereal floral imprints adorned its surface. As Xu Yi removed the stopper, her fingertips instinctively brushed against the bottle, wanting to remember the texture.
Swathed in spiritual energy, the Boundless Water slowly drifted towards the Earth Heart Green Flame.
*Boom—*
Sensing the approach of the Boundless Water, the Earth Heart Green Flame seemed to boil, spreading outwards in a frenzied surge. The Boundless Water, meanwhile, struggled within Xu Yi's spiritual energy, and she could faintly hear the sound of rushing water.
Xu Yi worried. Would placing these two opposing spiritual substances together truly yield the magical effect she envisioned? However, the arrow was already loosed from the bow.
Xu Yi, steeling herself, withdrew her spiritual energy. The unrestrained Boundless Water was instantly cast into the Earth Heart Green Flame.
*Sizzle, sizzle!*
Vast clouds of mist materialized from nowhere and quickly dissipated. In the blink of an eye, Xu Yi's vision was filled with a milky haze. Her divine sense penetrated the mist, focusing on the Earth Heart Green Flame and Boundless Water locked in a standoff.
One, the extremely yang fire; the other, the extremely yin water. They remained locked in a stalemate for a long time. Now, even Xu Yi could not control the situation, and could only wait for events to unfold.
An unexpected turning point soon appeared. The Earth Heart Green Flame, perhaps realizing it could not immediately overpower the Boundless Water, began to press the lustrous forging materials within it towards the Boundless Water, attempting to exert pressure. In response, the Boundless Water refused to yield, pushing the forging materials back towards the Earth Heart Green Flame with its own essence.
Caught between two vastly different spiritual entities, the forging materials began to undergo astonishing changes. Xu Yi watched as dark impurities were squeezed out from the mass of materials, and the once radiant molten metal gradually became transparent and viscous.
Xu Yi's eyes grew brighter. She had succeeded.
If the Boundless Water and the Earth Heart Green Flame were to truly compete, it would be difficult to declare a winner. However, at this moment, the Boundless Water was finite, while Xu Yi continuously supplied the Earth Heart Green Flame to the forging platform. The subtle difference determined the outcome of the competition.
As the last drop of Boundless Water was refined by the Earth Heart Green Flame, only a mass of transparent substance remained within the flame. Looking at it, an astonishing brilliance erupted in Xu Yi's eyes. She instantly overturned her previous plans and decided to forge an inimitable supreme treasure.
"Reignite!"
Under Xu Yi's control, the Earth Heart Green Flame surged anew. The transparent liquid began to stretch and deform, fusing multiple times. As the artifact took shape, a peculiar fluctuation spread outwards. Simultaneously, the ground beneath Xu Yi's feet began to tremble, the intensity of the shaking gradually increasing over time.
Gongshui Yi's expression turned to horror for the first time. He looked upwards in disbelief. A barely visible, narrow crack had appeared above. Gongshui Yi could sense a vast power stirring beyond the crack, poised to enter this secret realm.
"How is this possible?" Gongshui Yi murmured, lost in thought. Xu Yi was indeed a forging master he favored, but he had never imagined she could be this formidable. Her unique forging techniques and boundless imagination had led her down a path no one had trod before.
Gongshui Yi's resolve wavered. Perhaps his plan would once again fall through. But this time, he felt no disappointment; an unprecedented sense of exhilaration surged within his chest. He felt a long-lost human emotion.
Meanwhile, Xu Yi was also aware of her surroundings, but nothing could divert her focus. The final step of the forging process was imminent. The moment the artifact was completed, the heavens and earth shook. Directly above Xu Yi's head, a massive crack split open, followed by a lightning strike, powerful enough to cleave through a majestic mountain, crashing down.
Xu Yi's figure was instantly engulfed in the lightning's glow. The surging electricity spread to Gongshui Yi's body, sending a tingling sensation through him. He was forced to retreat, moving away from the area, his anticipation reaching its peak. He was eager to see what kind of artifact would emerge from such a powerful heavenly tribulation.