By the end of the afternoon, Nie Shiyun’s notebook was filled with over a dozen pages of names. Many tiger demons, hearing that he would only stay until autumn before heading to the Middle Layer, wanted to secure their magic treasures for the long term, requesting several items at once.
Most of the prime-aged tiger demons in the manor were at the Nascent Soul or Soul Transformation stages, and they sought high-grade spiritual tools from Nie Shiyun. Spiritual tools yielded the highest profit, which was exactly what Nie Shiyun wanted. Beyond that, some asked for cheaper but handy treasure tools for the younger generation in their families. Fearing that Nie Shiyun might disdain such minor work, they were surprised to find that he accepted every single order.
As the sun began to set, Hong Lang, worried about delaying Nie Shiyun’s rest, chased away the clansmen who hadn't reached the front of the line yet. Naturally, the tiger demons at the back were displeased. They had all heard that Nie Shiyun wouldn't be staying long; usually, an artifact refiner’s queue could stretch for half a year or more with just a few orders. The demons were anxious that Nie Shiyun would leave before their turn came.
Hong Lang himself was feeling uneasy. Although Nie Shiyun wasn't working for free, the sheer volume was staggering.
He entered the courtyard to inquire, telling Nie Shiyun not to worry about their feelings and to simply announce how many orders he could actually complete. It would be better for them to know now that they wouldn't make the cut than to wait months only to be disappointed.
"Don't worry. Since I've accepted them, I will finish them. Please tell those outside to return tomorrow at noon," Nie Shiyun said, organizing his notebook. "If it were beyond my capabilities, I would certainly refuse. There is still room for more at this current volume."
Hong Lang: "..." Still room for more? Really?
He Yin, the Tiger Clan refiner standing beside Nie Shiyun, fell into a deep state of self-doubt along with Hong Lang. There were only a few months left until autumn, right? Did this human not need to rest? Could he use cloning techniques? Was artifact refining... really such an easy task?
Nie Shiyun knew his efficiency was somewhat suspicious. If he were among knowledgeable human refiners, he would never have exposed his true speed. However, after interacting with them for two days, he felt there was no need to be so cautious in the Tiger Clan’s territory. Firstly, these fellows didn't have many devious schemes in their hearts; secondly, even if word got out, it was doubtful whether outsiders would believe a bunch of hotheads like them.
Since Nie Shiyun had spoken, Hong Lang gave up on thinking and went out to relay the message truthfully.
"That wraps things up for today. How should I address you, Daoist friend?" Nie Shiyun hadn't expected the tiger refiner beside him to actually listen in silence for several hours.
"I wouldn't dare... I am only a Nascent Soul cultivator. Senior can just call me He Yin."
"We're neighbors now; there's no need for such formality," Nie Shiyun said with a wave of his hand.
Finally alone, the two managed to chat for a bit.
As He Yin had mentioned before, he had been coaxed into refining by his peers. Originally, he was just an ordinary tiger demon cultivator who, like the others, went out hunting and gathering every few days and made small handcrafted trinkets when he was bored.
It wasn't that the Tiger Clan never produced refiners. He Yin’s predecessor had much better talent than him. According to He Yin’s description, that senior could refine spiritual tools and was considered a talent even among the demon race. Such aptitude was enough to earn a living refining for the main branch in the Middle Layer, so not long after that senior succeeded in refining spiritual tools, he was promoted and left. He Yin was the one forced to take up the mantle afterward.
"Before the senior left, he looked through the clan and eventually chose someone like me." He Yin scratched his ear, his tone somewhat dejected. He had always been under great pressure, with the clan’s expectations weighing on him. Yet, in over a hundred years, he had likely wasted more materials than he had put to good use.
"Don't say that. I saw that you understood most of what I said earlier. You clearly have a good grasp of things."
He Yin said with an embarrassed face, "I've read the classics left by the senior over and over again. I understand the theory, of course. It’s just that getting hands-on is a completely different matter."
Artifact refining was a mysterious business. It did rely on a cultivator’s cultivation and spiritual power, and it required a meticulous and skillful hand. The former could be improved, and the latter could be trained, but beyond that, the so-called "comprehension" was something that couldn't be explained in words.
Seeing him so troubled, Nie Shiyun was reminded of the juniors in the Yunqing Pavilion. Although he hadn't taken any disciples in the past century, he would occasionally accompany his cousins to guide the disciples of the front mountain.
"If you're interested, you can come and observe when I refine later. If you have any questions, we can discuss them together," Nie Shiyun offered proactively.
"How could that be allowed!" He Yin’s mouth hung open in shock. An artifact refiner’s work was a deeply private affair! If a high-level refiner merely demonstrated their process once in front of a peer, the junior might grasp something even without an explanation. Therefore, refiners of a certain level valued their refining locations most, requiring them to be both practical and highly private.
"I won't be showing you the process for spiritual tools. Look, aren't there many treasures for the juniors and children on the list? It will only be for those types," Nie Shiyun said, shaking the notebook in his hand.
He Yin breathed a small sigh of relief; that was more acceptable. But even for low-level treasures, he was deeply moved. Nie Shiyun’s mention of "discussing together" was clearly just a polite way of putting it; what could he possibly have to discuss with a master...
"I'll be in your care for the next few months."
Having strengthened the bond with his neighbor, Nie Shiyun finally finished his busy day and returned to his room.
Most of the tiger demons had only finalized the treasures they wanted today and still needed to go out and purchase materials. Nie Shiyun couldn't start work yet, so he unhurriedly cross-referenced the list and calculated his estimated income.
Items below the spiritual tool grade were merely extras. He only accepted them because he had plenty of time within the jade pendant. All of them combined—dozens of pieces—would barely scrape together four thousand immortal crystals. The important ones were the custom spiritual tools for the Soul Transformation tiger demons. For a mid-grade spiritual tool, an outside refiner would quote around a thousand immortal crystals; for high-grade or even peak-grade ones, the price could at least double.
Even so, his projected income was less than a hundred thousand crystals, still a gap of more than half from his goal of two hundred thousand.
Nie Shiyun sighed with some worry. It was indeed a bit difficult. If he could refine immortal tools, even a low-grade Mortal-rank one would start at five thousand.
He pulled out the hand-copied Yunqing Pavilion ancient text he had brought and read it several times. Unfortunately, this fragmented book had too few pages; being able to repair some immortal tools after comprehending it was the limit. Creating something out of thin air was still a step too far.
Nie Shiyun fell into a deep dilemma. A hundred thousand was roughly enough to try his luck at a trading house to buy a complete manual for Mortal-grade immortal tools. Instead of putting all his money toward a ferry ticket, should he first improve his own level so that he could earn money more efficiently?
After all, from the information he had gathered, the great families and commercial centers were all in the Middle Layer. If he could only refine spiritual tools, he would likely be unimpressive there. With the surrounding level rising abruptly, earning money would only be harder than it was now. Heaven knew how many crystals a ticket from the Middle Layer to the Upper Layer would cost.
He understood the principle of taking a long-term view.
It was just... truly hard to endure.
Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong hadn't been glued together every moment over the past century. The higher one’s cultivation, the longer the required seclusion. They had been in seclusion for years without seeing each other more than once before, but the feeling was different. During seclusion, they knew exactly where the other was, and they only needed to wait for the day they emerged. But now, they couldn't even contact each other. Not knowing if Zhai Bairong was safe made it hard for Nie Shiyun to settle his mind.
In any case—he would earn the first hundred thousand crystals first, then decide whether to save for the ship or buy a manual.
After making his decision, Nie Shiyun didn't waste the night and entered the jade pendant alone to cultivate. He had wanted to spend a few leisurely days before the intense bout of refining, but his physical instincts were disappointing. As soon as he lay down, he habitually sought the company of the person who should have been by his side. Nie Shiyun couldn't help but shake his head, thinking that the growth of his Daoist state of mind over the past hundred years had likely gone down the drain. He had to sit up and silently recite several Heart-Clearing Incantations, eventually giving up on sleep altogether and simply meditating.
A month passed quickly within the jade pendant. By the time Nie Shiyun opened his eyes, it was just dawn in the real world.
Nie Shiyun extended his palm, then withdrew it, quietly letting the thick spiritual energy circulate through his body. He felt an inscrutable voice urging him to break through his current barriers and elevate his cultivation to a higher level. He knew he could now put the advancement to the Void Refinement stage on his agenda.
Previously, he had no fixed abode and felt uneasy in the wild, while in towns, he couldn't afford to compensate for the many buildings that would inevitably be destroyed by lightning. Now, the Tiger Clan manor was spacious. He only needed to stay a while longer and get to know these tiger demons better before he could safely find an auspicious day to advance here.
Walking out of his room, the sun was shining brightly. The manor was naturally filled with trees, and in the scorching summer, the sound of cicadas was everywhere.
Not long ago, it had been spring, and he and Zhai Bairong were still fishing in the mountains. Now he was in the Heavenly Realm, living in the den of a pack of big tigers. One could only say life was unpredictable.
"Good morning, Senior Nie. Are you starting the furnace today?"
Nie Shiyun turned his head and saw He Yin, who lived across from him, also happening to come out of his room. It seemed the other was determined to call him "Senior," so Nie Shiyun stopped bothering with formalities and accepted it.
"Not yet. It will take at least a day or two for your clansmen to prepare the materials. I just want to take a stroll around the manor." Nie Shiyun saw that He Yin wasn't wearing yesterday’s robe but was dressed in a capable set of a short jacket and long trousers, looking like he was about to head out.
"Ah, I’m... going to the nearby forest to meet my wife. She went out hunting with the clansmen a few days ago and should be back today," He Yin responded.
"Oh? So you have a wife." Nie Shiyun’s mood was very complex. While his own partner’s whereabouts were unknown, his neighbor actually had a wife. That
