Chapter 188: Gathering Lightning and Raging Flames

Lu Zheng stood at the centre of the arena in the middle of two other people. He was one of the finalists to win the competition.

One of the two was the elephant headed Yu Hong Mei. Her topaz blue gemstone hung freely from her neck as she smiled brightly.

She was just one more test from making her brother proud.

The last was a hairyman female. She was incredibly beautiful and wore a simple red dress. Her entire body, except for her face, was covered in inch long thick hair.

She gazed at Lu Zheng and Yu Hong Mei and shook her head. She was a hairyman and her natural talent at refining was far greater to that of any other race. She was sure that she would win this competition.

"You may begin!" Old Zu's voice travelled into their ears.

The cauldron before them transformed from its mundane appearance into a dazzling cauldron made entirely out of green jade. Intricate designs were made all over it and small runes were carved around its base.

A few refinement materials appeared with the new cauldron and merely by glancing at them, Lu Zheng was shocked.

"Rank seven calm lake water, rank seven deep void jade, rank seven demon ashura blade and this…" Lu Zheng's gaze finally settled on a small vial. The vial was extremely small and simple but what it contained was anything but simple.

Inside the vial was a blazing thunder bolt that flashed around the insides of the vial as if wanting to explode out. The rank eight aura that emanated from it was extremely strong.

"Rank eight astral thunderbolt" Lu Zheng recognized the refinement material at once.

Lu Zheng wasn't the only surprised person. Yu Hong Mei and the female hairyman were also shocked by the appearance of a rank eight refinement material.

"What could they possibly want us to refine?" Yu Hong Mei was surprised.

It was common knowledge that cultivation materials above rank four had dao imprints and could be used to refine even the simplest Spirit Grade artifacts.

The higher the rank of the refinement material, the more dao imprints it would have and the higher the grade of artifact it could be refined into. However, more dao imprints made refining artifacts very difficult and even the smallest mistakes could cause strong backlashes.

Because of this, even Grandmaster artificers were very careful when refining Spirit Grade and Immortal Grade artifacts. Some backlashes could even kill the artificer on the spot.

An Jian seemed to enjoy the shock on the faces of Lu Zheng and the others: "You will now be refining a sword that can gather lightning from the nine heavens [1] and unleash raging flames of fire. Only such an artificer is worthy to become the next Child of Aptitude"

Yu Hong Mei and the female hairyman took in his words and were suddenly pressured and invigorated at the same time. They knew that An Jian was right. Only the next Child of Aptitude could refine such an artifact and it must surely be at the Immortal Grade.

Anything lesser would be demeaning to the title of the Child of Aptitude.

Lu Zheng didn't seem to hear as his attention was trained at the vial of astral thunderbolt. His bloodline was yearning for the material and Lu Zheng felt like if he did not take it for himself, he would run crazy.

It took him all of his control to prevent himself from spatial skipping away with the astral thunderbolt.

~I understand that the astral thunderbolt has numerous fire path dao imprints but its lightning path dao imprints are even more. Why would the Vermillion Bird Race's Regal Bloodline be attracted to such impure fire?~

Lu Zheng did not understand the attraction he felt towards the astral thunderbolt but he knew that he had to take it. If he didn't, he might regret it for the rest of his life.

Yu Hong Mei was the first to start as refinement path aura surged from her body. Seven ghostly flames appeared around her and her hands moved so rapidly that a mirage of a third hand appeared.

"This… the long lost refinement path technique of the beastmen! The Nether Beast Three Claws technique has appeared in Blacksteel City!" Old Fang nearly lost his composure when he saw Yu Hong Mei.

"Nether Beast Three Claws technique?" Di Wei was surprised. He did not know what the technique was but from Old Fang's expression, it must be extremely special.

The female hairyman snorted as refinement Essence poured from her meridians. Strong green winds blew as numerous layers of images of the refinement process appeared around her body.

It was like space was directly fragmented by the female hairyman.

"Another refinement path technique!" Someone amongst the crowd that was watching exclaimed as the female hairyman worked.

"Ah… Blacksteel Association has surely been blessed by the god of refinement path himself" Another person mouthed.

"Why hasn't that man done anything yet?"

"What do you mean? Two refinement path experts appearing is a surprise on its own and you're expecting a third? Keep dreaming"