For weeks, Cao Yun stayed at the Golden Flowery Fragrance Institute. Director Hua allowed him a status of visiting student. Although he had a great understanding of alchemy, he realized fairly quickly that it was extremely shallow in many domains. As such, he talked a lot with Feng Yingyue, and with his sister Mei Hua as well. Even Director Hua and Cao Yun conversed a lot. The woman was learning his mind and soul cultivation method while he was deepening his comprehension of alchemy.
Considering that he wanted to refine the Nine-Souls Calamity Ascension Pill, they essentially focused on it. In fact, more than half the time they spent on alchemy was related to this pill. They shared insights and threw ideas out there. Sometimes, they all met with Xiao Xuefeng and even Song Guixiang. As time went by, they chose more and more alchemists to help them perform the refinement. Such a pill required a lot of people or a few extraordinary alchemists. Thankfully, no one in the Golden Flowery Fragrance Institute was arrogant enough to think they could refine this pill. Thus, they shared the burden.
In fact, after a few days passed, a huge part of the institute was fully dedicated to preparations for the pill. Even the Life Boiling Cradle pill that had made Xiao Xuefeng & Hua Fenfei's fame would be nothing in comparison. Although the two pills were Spirit pills, a 1-star Spirit pill and a 5-star Spirit pill were worlds apart. It was the difference between a cultivator who had just stepped into the Spirit Warrior realm and Emperor Weide himself. According to the documents they had, such a pill would almost have a will of its own, it would react violently and even try to escape upon refinement. Although it would lack intelligence and a true spirit, it would be akin to a wild animal, or maybe more accurately, to a carnivorous plant. Acting on instincts alone, it would lash out. So even upon success, they could fail.
All the alchemists, even those who would not help refine it, were impatient. Although it had a high risk of failure, just being there during the refinement process would most likely give them great insights. Besides, the two Spirit Masters would help refine it as well as the two beauties, Feng Yingyue and Mei Hua. Cao Yun's name was concealed as much as possible, but rumors started to spread nonetheless. As such, Director Hua made sure to spread other rumors as well. The best way to snuff out the truth was to envelop it in lies. No one would believe the original truth after some of the rumors spread by Hua Fenfei.
In this endeavor, Song Guixiang was also very useful. The plump man spent his time having banquets and throwing parties all around the institute. He even invited women from various places. He really had the time of his life. And for once, his own master agreed with it as it helped spread rumors everywhere. Obviously, there were spies among the women he invited, but he didn't mind since that was the point. He would get what he wanted, and his master would get what she wanted, everyone was happy. To be fair, he was probably the happiest.
Song Guixiang kept pestering Cao Yun to join his parties, but Feng Yingyue didn't quite like that. However, Cao Yun accepted to attend his more moderate banquets. As it turned out, Cao Yun was absolutely blown away by the food he savored that day. Moreover, he had to admit that the show was also exceptional. Song Guixiang knew how to live, and he knew as much about food as he knew about art or other forms of entertainment. Living such a life also helped Cao Yun stop thinking about alchemy. As a result, it improved his progress. Sometimes, it was preferable to let the mind wander off. Somehow, it would allow the ideas to settle. More often than not, those banquets provided Cao Yun with surges of genius.
Cao Yun was also allowed to meditate under the Heavenly Golden Peach Tree. According to the legends, Saint Guo An had sat under this simple peach tree when he had organized the entire alchemy system, that was still used to this day. Some actually believed that part of his insights, or maybe even his soul, was now living within the tree. Cao Yun wasn't sure but he could clearly feel that this tree was majestic and mystical. When he meditated under it, he felt much calmer. It helped him stabilize his cultivation. Just sitting under the tree, the young man felt his soul and his Soul Embryo embraced each other. At the same time, his progress on alchemy was also noticeable. To be honest, he couldn't tell if it was because of the tree, the location itself, or just his mind playing tricks on him.
Before two months had passed, Feng Yingyue took an exam to officially become a 5-star Heaven alchemist, like Cao Yun. Honestly, it was really a formality. That being said, she aced it splendidly in front of a large audience. Such a show improved morale as well. Seeing Feng Yingyue refine a Pure 5-star Heaven pill filled everyone with high expectations. Apart from an actual True Essence pill, she couldn't possibly have done any better.
Finally, two months had passed and the Golden Flowery Fragrance Institute was visited in secret. Indeed, at last, Ren Chao had arrived. The man was completely exhausted. In fact, he literally required two days of rest before he could even talk. Despite his constitution, it proved how fast he had come here. On his fingers, there were two spatial rings, one more than usual.
When Ren Chao arrived, he followed Director Hua's instructions in order to get in discreetly. Then, just as he met with her, he only said a few words.
"I need to see my brother..."
Then, he simply collapsed from exhaustion in her arms. Of course, Cao Yun was called. Looking at Ren Chao sleeping deeply, he felt warm and stayed the entire two days with his brother. It was obvious that the spear Ren Chao had crafted was in the other spatial ring he was wearing but Cao Yun wouldn't try to get it out before Ren Chao was awake and well. After all of his work, Cao Yun didn't want to rob him of the pleasure of giving him the spear himself.
After two days, Ren Chao opened his eyes and saw his brother and sister. Cao Yun and Mei Hua were both sitting beside his bed. In an instant, he jumped to his feet and grabbed his brother's shoulder. For an instant, Cao Yun thought Ren Chao was going to faint again, but his constitution was much better than that.
"Brother! I did it! My masterpiece! You need to see it! I need to see you wield it! Now!"
Both Cao Yun and Mei Hua wondered if Ren Chao had hurried so much because he wanted to please his brother or simply because he wanted to satisfy his curiosity. Honestly, it didn't really matter. Seeing Ren Chao so excited and with stars in his eyes, they simply couldn't tell him no. Of course, they had already made sure that they had a safe place to practice with the new spear. Director Hua had found the perfect spot so they went there, protected by many array formations.
This was a very deep underground facility, lit by an intense fire that was reflected by the stones of the entire chamber. Even a fight between 9th-grade Spirit Warriors wouldn't damage the chamber thanks to many array formations and the materials used, Ageless Marble and Bin Iron.
Finally, Ren Chao took off his other spatial ring and gave it to Cao Yun.
"Brother, be careful, this spear is much heavier than any other spear."
Heeding his brother's warning, the young man immediately spread his spiritual senses. Although his feet were touching the ground, he was technically levitating slightly above it. Then, he spread his senses into the spatial ring where he only found this one spear and unraveled a few seals just as Ren Chao had told him to do. Of course, Cao Yun and Dian Mo would have been able to decipher those seals given enough time, but Ren Chao had already given the method to his brother. The next instant, Cao Yun felt an intense strain. Although he had been prepared, the spear was still heavier than he had expected. Honestly, it had to be around five hundred thousand dan*. If he put the spear down, it would most likely begin to burrow into the ground. In fact, without his spiritual senses, Cao Yun would burrow into the ground by just holding this spear.
As a powerful 9th-grade Accomplished Demon, it was still a bit heavy for him, but nothing too intense if he simply got used to it. Besides, Chief Instructor Peng had always insisted on the importance of tempering one's body no matter how high their cultivation was.
In Cao Yun's hand, the spear was shining under the light of the fire in the underground chamber. The shaft was as black as the sky in a moonless night. But everywhere, one could see tiny cracks here and there, shining with purple glints, like venomous stars. As he was holding the spear with one hand, it was gently bent. Cao Yun immediately shook it. It vibrated nicely and made the entire air in the chamber vibrate as well with a powerful echo. Mere mortals would have felt their internal organs react violently by this sudden air movement, but Mei Hua and Ren Chao who were here too couldn't be hurt by such a thing. If Cao Yun actually wanted to hurt them, though, he could vibrate the spear with enough force to make them kneel before him.
The spear was quite supple. Despite being relatively thin, it was incredibly durable. Even without Ren Chao saying anything, Cao Yun could guess which materials had been used. It was an alloy of several metals with different proportions for the shaft and the blade. In fact, even the shaft and the blade had slightly different proportions of each metal at specific points. Ren Chao had taken everything into account while forging it. Silk Gold was harder than most metal and yet very supple. Lightning Silver was the sharpest metal in the Hongchen Kingdom. Celestial Inborn Bronze was a legendary metal from the sky that could absorb Qi easily. Dragon Tendon was a red metal that could conduct waves and vibrations like no other. Void Obsidian was extremely rare and could conduct spiritual senses. Wuzi Steel and Wind Bronze were said to be able to cut through almost anything. Green Platinum was said to be able to store any kind of energies. Heavenly Dust also came from the sky and could amplify Qi Manifestation. Breathing Copper was extremely rich in Wind element.
Considering all the metals used, some in extremely small amounts, Cao Yun could tell how difficult it had been to forge. Moreover, it was incredibly expensive. Most likely, it was the most expensive weapon not only in the Hongchen Kingdom, but in the entire Piaolu planet. At least, it was if one only considered the weapons forged during the Forsaken Dao Era.
Within the spear, Cao Yun could quite literally feel meridians and even what could be described as tiny Dantian here and there. It was as if it was alive. In fact, there was indeed some form of spiritual energy within, but no actual spirit yet. When Cao Yun traced the source of this spiritual energy, he found the Ebony Snake Dragon's scale from his original 'Nine Chi Black Dragon Spear'. The moment Cao Yun touched upon it with his own soul, he felt both the scale and the seven Piercing Stars in his sea of consciousness react to each other. For an instant, he heard the scream of the Ebony Snake Dragon and even saw the silhouette of the dragon moving within the deep black of the spear, slithering between bright stars.
"'Dark Abyss Wrathful Serpent Spear'."
Even before Ren Chao could give Cao Yun the name of the spear, he said it out loud. As such, his brother's eyes were shining. The connection between the two was already strong enough that Cao Yun had guessed the name that Ren Chao had given it. But it also indicated that this spear had a very tiny spark of spirit. Indeed, it was a 1-star Spirit spear.
After admiring the spear for quite some time, Cao Yun actively poured his Qi and soul within the shaft and the blade. It felt incredible. Compared to even the 'Tainted Heavenly Pillar', Cao Yun felt as though he was trying to fill an entire ocean. No matter how much energy he poured in it, it seemed bottomless. As such, he poured more and more energy. Of course, it wasn't actually bottomless. After a while, Cao Yun had reached the limit of the spear. By then, Qi was circulating between Cao Yun and the spear as though it was just another one of his meridians. It couldn't take as much as his actual meridians, but it was very close. Besides, Cao Yun was not yet used to it. With time, the spear would be able to take a bit more abuse.
Without using any technique at first, Cao Yun simply stabbed forward with all of his strength. The mere wind moved by the attack was enough to leave a dent in the farthest wall. Mei Hua and Ren Chao were both amazed and terrified. Had they been standing on the trajectory of this attack, they would only be a mist of blood at this moment. Unless they actively used everything they had, they simply couldn't survive a mere attack without any martial art behind it.
Then, Cao Yun used his Spear Heart. After that, he used his 'Azure Dragon's Seven Piercing Stars'. By the end, Cao Yun even performed some moves from his 'Azure Dragon Through the Seven Storms'. Finally, since they were perfectly well hidden, Cao Yun completely unleashed his asura cultivation. The spear reacted to it as well. Ren Chao had forged it to be perfectly suited to Cao Yun's martial arts and cultivation techniques.
In fact, Cao Yun spent almost an entire day just playing around with his spear, he couldn't get enough of it, despite knowing how much work he still had to do. Ren Chao was also fascinated by his brother's performance.
* 500k dan = approximately 25k tonnes