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**
"Qiu Yuanqiao?"
Hearing Lan Yingying's voice transmitting from nearby, Mo Yu was momentarily stunned before a thoughtful expression crossed his face.
With the appearance of the Flaming Cloud Water Flame, the mysterious shadow's identity gradually became apparent.
After all, there were only twenty-three Heavenly Flames on the list. Anyone possessing one of them on the Dou Qi Continent was undoubtedly a renowned figure. Thus, as soon as the flame revealed itself, so did its owner's identity.
Mo Yu recalled that one of the elders from the Yan Clan in the original story also possessed a Heavenly Flame by the same name. However, since Heavenly Flames were not unique, it wasn't surprising for there to be two of the same type.
Moreover, the Yan Clan, as one of the Eight Ancient Clans, had a mysterious heritage. To most people, the only one who could possess the Flaming Cloud Water Flame would have been the infamous traitor of the Weapon Alliance from decades ago—Qiu Yuanqiao.
This traitor was well-known within the Weapon Alliance, and his name was one of resentment and disdain.
Sitting not far from Mo Yu, Lan Yingying transmitted more details about Qiu Yuanqiao's history to him within a few minutes.
After listening to her explanation, Mo Yu stroked his chin, a peculiar thought surfacing in his mind: Qiu Yuanqiao wasn't so much a traitor to the Weapon Alliance as he was an undercover agent planted by the Pill Tower.
According to Lan Yingying, Qiu Yuanqiao had joined the Weapon Alliance decades ago and was extremely talented. Within less than ten years, he had advanced to the rank of a seventh-grade weapon refiner, second only to the top figures in the alliance.
The senior members of the Weapon Alliance placed great expectations on Qiu Yuanqiao, entrusting him with highly classified information—including details about the Flaming Cloud Water Flame, ranked sixteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking.
No one could have expected that Qiu Yuanqiao would secretly steal this flame and then defect from the Weapon Alliance.
The Weapon Alliance was furious upon learning of this and immediately launched a full-scale manhunt for Qiu Yuanqiao, causing quite a stir across Central Plains.
It wasn't long before the Weapon Alliance discovered that Qiu Yuanqiao had a powerful background: he was a senior elder of the Pill Tower and a high-ranking member of the Qiu Clan, one of the five great clans of the Pill Tower.
Originally a skilled alchemist of the Qiu Clan, Qiu Yuanqiao had somehow infiltrated the Weapon Alliance under an alias. His extraordinary talent even led him to become a high-tier weapon refiner. If it hadn't been for the Flaming Cloud Water Flame incident exposing his true identity, who knew how long he would have remained undercover?
Despite attempts to negotiate, the power disparity between the Weapon Alliance and the Pill Tower was too great. The Pill Tower refused to return the Heavenly Flame or hand over Qiu Yuanqiao.
Adding insult to injury, rumors suggested Qiu Yuanqiao had likely reached the rank of an eighth-grade alchemist, making him a highly valued asset of the Pill Tower. The Weapon Alliance had no choice but to let the matter go.
Though this matter had passed decades ago, no one expected Qiu Yuanqiao to reappear at the current Refining Convention!
Mo Yu's mind drifted to an old memory.
Back in the Jia Ma Empire, the Alchemist Association once held an alchemist tournament, inviting participants from the empire and neighboring regions. During the competition, Yan Li, the vice president of the Alchemist Association from the Chu Yun Empire, used disguise techniques to participate as an ordinary contestant and vie for the championship.
If it hadn't been for Xiao Yan's unexpected emergence and strong performance, the Jia Ma Empire's Alchemist Association might have become a laughingstock among the surrounding nations.
Comparatively, the current Refining Convention faced an even graver crisis.
After all, Qiu Yuanqiao wasn't just a defector of the Weapon Alliance but a dual genius in alchemy and weapon refining.
If the tournament's championship, symbolizing the pinnacle of weapon refiner honor, were claimed by an alchemist, it would utterly shatter the already fragile reputation and dignity of weapon refiners on the Dou Qi Continent.
Glancing at the high platform where the senior members of the Weapon Alliance sat, Mo Yu noticed their expressions were as dark as a stormy night.
He inwardly marveled at the Pill Tower's cunning. This move was far more brutal than their usual covert suppression or assassination tactics—it was a psychological and reputational blow.
"Qiu Yuanqiao… I never thought he'd actually participate in the Refining Convention. How interesting..."
The audience in the stone plaza began buzzing with interest. Many leaders of major forces recognized the Flaming Cloud Water Flame, ranked sixteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, and were reminded of past events.
The story of Qiu Yuanqiao's betrayal of the Weapon Alliance and subsequent exposure as a member of the Pill Tower had been a major scandal back then.
If not for the Pill Tower's overwhelming strength, the two sides might have gone to war. Even so, their already strained relationship had become even more tense.
Now, with the reappearance of this infamous traitor and a member of the Pill Tower at the Refining Convention, the situation had reached a boiling point.
The leaders of various factions who had been bored just moments ago were now fully engaged, eager to witness the unfolding drama.
On the high platform, the graceful yet stern Cai Ya turned to the shadowy figure wielding the Flaming Cloud Water Flame, her face pale and tense. "Master Bing, Master Yun Kong, I was in charge of this tournament's participant registration, but I never expected Qiu Yuanqiao to infiltrate Wan Bing City and participate in the tournament. This oversight is my fault."
"Hmph, Qiu Yuanqiao may be a traitor, but it's rumored he has already reached the rank of an eighth-grade alchemist.
If he dares to participate in this tournament, it's likely that he has also achieved the level of an eighth-grade weapon refiner. Damn that Pill Tower—they're determined to trample on our dignity!" Master Yun Kong's dark face twisted with anger.
"Should we arrest him under the guise of capturing a traitor? Even though Qiu Yuanqiao belongs to the Pill Tower, we could detain him for a few days until the tournament ends and then release him. The Pill Tower might not make a fuss over it," suggested Master Hui Shan, frowning slightly.
"No," Elder Bing interjected, his voice low and steady, though his expression was grim. A cold glint flashed in his cloudy eyes. "Since he's already entered the tournament, he must have a backup plan. There could very well be Pill Tower experts hidden among the crowd, waiting for us to act rashly.
"While Qiu Yuanqiao is indeed a traitor, he is also a legitimate weapon refiner. His participation is reasonable. If we detain him now, it would violate the rules and tarnish the reputation of the Weapon Alliance and this tournament. That would only worsen the situation."
Elder Bing's expression shifted unpredictably before he finally sighed. "Let's hope a top-tier weapon refiner steps up to stop Qiu Yuanqiao from taking the championship."
Hearing this, Cai Ya and the others couldn't help but look grim.
Before defecting, Qiu Yuanqiao had already reached the rank of a seventh-grade weapon refiner. Given his extraordinary talent and decades of growth, it wasn't surprising if he had become an eighth-grade weapon refiner.
Against such a formidable opponent, even they weren't confident of winning, let alone the contestants...
However, at this point, all they could do was pray for a miracle.
Otherwise, the reputation of the Weapon Alliance and all weapon refiners would be utterly trampled underfoot.
…
"Hmph, those old geezers are definitely plotting how to deal with me. But it's too late now. Once I claim the championship of the Refining Convention, let's see what face they'll have left!"
On the stone platform, a mysterious figure named Qiu Yuanqiao stood, cloaked in shadows. His lips curled into a cold sneer as he glanced at the Weapon Alliance executives seated in the audience.
His gaze shifted briefly to the water-blue flame in his hand, then turned sharply toward Mo Yu in the distance.
"This kid… seems a little odd…"
For some reason, he felt a faint sense of threat from the young man with a cold aura. However, he quickly shook his head and dismissed the thought.
"Just a snot-nosed brat. What qualifications does he have to compete with me?"
With a flick of his finger, the flame shot into the furnace before him. At this moment, all he cared about was winning the championship, claiming the rewards from the Heavenly Profound Treasure Hall, and slapping the faces of the Weapon Alliance executives.
When the shadowy figure finally withdrew his gaze, Mo Yu's eyes narrowed slightly. He raised a hand, and a finely refining furnace appeared before him.
With a wave of his sleeve, Dou Qi transformed into flames and surged into the furnace, igniting a blazing fire that quickly began to heat its icy interior.
As the furnace's temperature steadily rose, Mo Yu's hand swept through the void, and a variety of materials flew out from his beast ring, eventually suspending themselves around the stone platform.
At a glance, there were at least a hundred different materials. The complexity of upgrading the Divine Might Black Thunder Spear to its next level was indeed terrifying.
For anyone lacking precise soul control, just looking at the vast array of materials would cause dizziness, let alone attempting to refine them with such precision.
After retrieving the supplementary materials, Mo Yu flicked his wrist, and two jade boxes along with a long spear floated gently before him.
The jade boxes contained two essential materials for upgrading the Divine Might Black Thunder Spear. As for the long spear—it was the Divine Might Black Thunder Spear itself.
To upgrade the Divine Might Black Thunder Spear, its core component naturally had to be the spear itself. Or rather, the Divine Might Black Thunder Spear was also a type of material.
"Phew…"
Exhaling deeply, Mo Yu's half-closed eyes suddenly opened, revealing a sharp glint in his concealed silver pupils. With a sweep of his sleeve, several materials among those hovering around were sent into the furnace in an orderly sequence.
Once inside the furnace, the materials began to melt slowly under the terrifying heat of the Dou Qi flames.
Although the melting efficiency couldn't compare to that of the Vermilion Burning Sky Thunder, Mo Yu was now a Dou Zong. The steady and powerful Dou Qi flames he produced could rival some potent beast flames, so it didn't hinder his progress.
In addition, Mo Yu's past life as a masterful weapon refiner endowed him with extraordinary expertise. Even the combined experience of the five major giants present couldn't compare to his own.
Although an unexpected strong opponent had emerged during the competition, Mo Yu remained calm, showing no sign of panic. After all, when it came to artifact refinement, he had never feared anyone!
Under his exceptionally strong soul control, the materials were quickly refined into pure molten iron within just over ten minutes, neatly separated and suspended in the corners of the furnace.
In this nearly relentless refinement process, a third of the materials were successfully transformed into the required molten iron and purified substances within just over an hour.
Despite refining such a large quantity of materials, Mo Yu's expression remained composed. Exhaling lightly, his gaze shifted to the two jade boxes and the Divine Might Black Thunder Spear before him.
With the supplementary materials completed, it was time for the three primary components.
With a flick of his finger, the lid of one jade box flew open, revealing a piece of emerald-green withered wood. An intense vitality continuously emanated from it—it was none other than the Ten Thousand-Year Azure Spirit Wood, an essential material for upgrading the Divine Might Black Thunder Spear.
Gazing at the withered wood, Mo Yu hesitated briefly before waving his hand to send it into the furnace. He then focused his mind on controlling the flames.
Inside the furnace, flames roared and surged. Despite the high temperature, the seemingly fragile Ten Thousand-Year Azure Spirit Wood remained untouched.
Upon closer inspection, one could see faint fluorescent light seeping out from the wood, shielding it from the intense heat.
All heavenly treasures possess self-protective mechanisms. Mo Yu wasn't surprised by this—it was merely a matter of persistence. Given enough time, the Ten Thousand-Year Azure Spirit Wood would eventually be refined.
Maintaining the flame's intensity, Mo Yu closed his eyes slightly. Refining the Ten Thousand-Year Azure Spirit Wood would take considerable time.
As expected, just as he had predicted, the refining process lasted for over half a day before the Ten Thousand-Year Azure Spirit Wood began to crack open. Droplets of emerald-green sap gradually emerged from the fissures.
Upon extracting the sap, Mo Yu's face lit up with joy. He promptly placed the Divine Might Black Thunder Spear into the furnace.
To upgrade the Divine Might Black Thunder Spear, apart from adding rare materials, the spear itself required a thorough purification to remove any impurities.
Back when Mo Yu originally crafted the Divine Might Black Thunder Spear, his strength had been far too weak, inevitably leaving behind excessive impurities within the weapon.
After completing this step, Mo Yu took a brief rest before diving once again into the intricate refinement process ahead.
In the sky, numerous stone platforms floated. On each platform, all contestants wore solemn expressions as they carefully controlled their flames, refining the weapons within their furnaces.
The entire sky and plaza were enveloped in silence. Countless gazes fixated on the busy figures in the air.
Everyone was waiting, waiting for the final day to arrive.
Because on that day, the Refining Convention would reach its climax.
The ultimate champion of the tournament would emerge, deciding the outcome of the subtle confrontation between the Weapon Alliance and the Pill Tower.
-------------------------------------------------------
For exclusive access to 500+ advanced chapters and more, visit my Ko-fi page and support the journey:
ko-fi.com/laoyao95
Laoyao with L yeahh..thanks for the support.
or Support me at patreon for 500+ advanced chapters :
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