[Sting Bee, a first-rank Worm, its poison needle is sharp…]
[Refining Method: Let forty-nine Tiger Head Bees kill and devour each other, then add Luster Star Grass, Hundred Tempered Fine Iron…]
Hong Yuan looked at the boiling hot stone pot, his mind filled with information on how to refine a first-rank Sting Bee Worm.
BOOM! RUMBLE! RUMBLE RUMBLE!
The stone pot's vibrations grew more intense as the Tiger Head Bee Worm inside furiously slammed against the heavy lid.
After the Luster Star Grass and other yin-cold herbs had completely melted, all that remained in the stone pot was the Hundred Tempered Fine Iron, its temperature rising higher and higher.
The Hundred Tempered Fine Iron turned into molten iron, continuously poured upon the body of the Tiger Head Bee Worm, forcing it to either actively or passively merge.
The tumultuous noise created by the Tiger Head Bee Worm was a sign of its inability to withstand the high temperature as it attempted to escape the stone pot.
"The sharpened sword comes from the whetstone, the plum blossom's fragrance from the bitter cold."
"My dear sweetheart, you must hold on. Don't let all my efforts go in vain~"
Hong Yuan watched the stone pot sinisterly.
There is a success rate in forging weapons, and Worm Refining is no exception.
It could be said that for this refinement of the Sting Bee Worm, he, Hong Yuan, had already expended a great deal of effort.
If it fails… if it fails, then I'll just try again.
I'm a practitioner of Longevity Martial Arts, after all! Thief Hahaha!!!
Hong Yuan chuckled deviously.
「Two hours later.」
The firewood had burned down to ashes, and three Energy Stones had turned into powder, drifting away with the wind.
The stone pot also slowly ceased its strange noises, as if everything had returned to calm.
The process of refining the first-rank Sting Bee Worm had come to an end.
From the outside, it seemed the refinement of the Sting Bee Worm had failed; otherwise, there would not be complete silence inside the stone pot.
But Hong Yuan revealed a sinister smile, "My little darling, have you actually developed Spiritual Wisdom? Playing mind games with me? Do you not realize that your growth is thanks to my use of True Essence!?"
Inside the stone pot, an oversized Tiger Head Bee with a fierce maw, wielding dual blades—a first-rank Sting Bee Worm—was holding its breath and clinging to the stone lid, ready to attack Hong Yuan as soon as he opened it.
Thanks to the nourishment of Essence Qi, the Sting Bee Worm had developed a slight degree of Spiritual Wisdom.
At this juncture, Hong Yuan did not lift the heavy stone lid.
He took out two Essence Qi Stones from his storage bag and placed them on his knees.
Then, he released the True Essence from his Aperture, refining the stone pot along with the Worm inside.
This method greatly consumed True Essence, but Hong Yuan didn't care!
Hmph. Competing with me in True Essence? I have a Class A Aperture with ninety-five percent True Essence; I have plenty, Hong Yuan snorted coldly.
Water-blue True Essence flowed from Hong Yuan's palm, enveloping the stone pot and the first-rank Sting Bee Worm within it.
At first, the stone pot showed no response, but as Hong Yuan injected more and more True Essence, it suddenly emitted a sharp sound, like metal clashing against stone.
The consciousness of the Sting Bee Worm was being wiped away bit by bit by Hong Yuan's True Essence!
Hong Yuan possessed a Class A Aperture, which contained ninety-five percent True Essence. The speed at which the Worm repelled True Essence was slightly slower than his own recovery rate. Hong Yuan placed two Energy Stones nearby as a precaution against sudden beast attacks, always wanting to be prepared.
After all, refining a Worm could fail, but his life must not be threatened.
「After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.」
The Sting Bee Worm actively knocked open the lid and flew onto Hong Yuan's shoulder, standing still and dazed.
Having been endlessly washed by True Essence, this Sting Bee Worm had been completely refined by Hong Yuan. It was like a Flying Sword, entirely subject to Hong Yuan's will.
With a thought, Hong Yuan directed the Sting Bee Worm to devour the tiger corpse.
Worms need to feed, or they will lose their functions due to hunger, and even die.
The food for the Sting Bee Worm was meat!
As the Sting Bee Worm fed, Hong Yuan unexpectedly found that the attributes on his panel had greatly changed.
[Casting +220]
[Skills and Arts: Casting Zero Order (453/500) → Casting First Order (173/1,000)]
Hong Yuan was shocked.
Then, an ecstatic expression emerged on his face.
Refining Worms is also a craft of casting! And it added 220 points to my proficiency, allowing me to jump from a pseudo-Caster to a First Order Caster all at once!
First Order Caster? A First Order Caster!
"I am going to walk the Road to Light. I have found a shortcut to becoming a Caster," Hong Yuan murmured softly.
A First Order Caster could now discuss weapon profit-sharing with the Refining Equipment Hall.
For every First Order weapon he forged, he could take a cut of the profit.
Currently, he was earning twenty Energy Stones a month, but his income would soon triple, or even quadruple!
"GURGLE." Hong Yuan suddenly looked at the bee prison cage, his eyes shining green with greed.
Using the logical thinking he had learned at Blue Star University in his previous life, he quickly mapped out a rough, positive-cycle diagram in his mind.
Use the Sting Bee Worm to collect refining materials → Success in refining greatly increases Caster proficiency → Caster realm advances, Energy Stone income soars → Use Energy Stones to continuously acquire Cultivation Techniques, increase strength → Better use of Sting Bee Worm to collect refining materials → ...
"GAHAHAHA!" Hong Yuan's laughter grew wilder, startling the Tiger Head Bees in the cage into trembling.
Hong Yuan had found a stable way to enhance his power and escape poverty.
He felt an immense satisfaction in his heart!
「The next day at noon.」
Hong Yuan repeated the Worm Refining process, this time using First Order Cold Iron as a material.
Under the suppression of a First Order Sting Bee Worm, these Tiger Head Bees devoured and fought each other at an accelerated pace, quickly determining the Tiger Head Bee Worm victor.
Hong Yuan again took out various herbs, First Order Cold Iron, and other items from his storage bag and placed them into the stone pot.
The Tiger Head Bee Worm inside struggled even more violently than the one from the previous night, but everything proceeded without undue risk.
This Sting Bee Worm, forged from First Order Cold Iron, had even sharper twin daggers and tail needle, enough to make one's heart palpitate.
Hong Yuan skillfully wiped away its will, then nurtured it in his Energy Sea of Aperture.
[Casting +201]
[Skills and Arts: Casting First Order (173/1,000) → Casting First Order (374/1,000)]
Looking at the rapidly advancing proficiency, Hong Yuan felt invigorated.
He proceeded with a third, fourth, and fifth attempt. He then attempted to refine three more Sting Bee Worms in succession. Two of these efforts were successful, but regrettably, the refining of the fifth Sting Bee Worm failed. With his materials exhausted, it was time for him to return to the Sect.
His Caster realm was now not far from the Second Order. At that point, he could open his own workshop and be his own boss!
[Skills and Arts: Casting First Order (542/1,000)]
"BUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ!"
In the cave, countless Tiger Head Bees flew around the four Sting Bee Worms. They were completely subdued by the Sting Bee Worms, obeying their commands.
And the Sting Bee Worms were just tools in Hong Yuan's hands.
Hong Yuan simply needed to activate the Sting Bee Worms to issue orders to the swarm.
In other words, Hong Yuan had now become a Southern Border Worm Master who manipulated Insects!
Like a dark cloud, the Tiger Head Bees morphed into various shapes before Hong Yuan—now swords, now a curtain.
"HEHEHE..."
I remember the Book Pavilion has a collection of Formations. If I go back to the Sect to learn about Formations, could things become even more interesting?
"Thief Hahaha!!!"