Chapter 143: Sensation

At Gu Xiaopang’s command, hundreds of elders and disciples of the Formation Pavilion—who ordinarily preferred to stay indoors—rushed to their stations. Casually picking up freshly forged weapons, they examined them briefly before swiftly beginning to etch array patterns upon them.

Meanwhile, many disciples from both the Inner and Outer sects, who had hit cultivation bottlenecks during their forging tasks, finished handing over their work and promptly approached the exquisite Foundation Establishment Pills and Purple Sun Pills beside Gu Xiaopang. After taking what they needed, each bowed deeply to him.

Seeing Gu Xiaopang nod, they stepped back several paces, then sat cross-legged on the spot to begin breaking through their bottlenecks. Under the watchful eyes of all, aided by the medicinal power of the pills, their auras noticeably surged with remarkable speed.

“Crack, crack, crack...”

In less than a cup of tea’s time, the crisp sounds of breakthrough resounded repeatedly. Each one succeeded without exception.

Feeling their power multiply several times over, they bowed again to Gu Xiaopang before returning to their respective posts to resume their forging duties, whether taking over or assisting in various stages of the process.

“Everyone! Give it your utmost effort!” Gu Xiaopang commanded. “Work until you can no longer continue! Struggle until you move even yourself!”

“The potential and talent within you are far greater than you imagine!”

“The task before us is not merely forging weapons—it is also your greatest life-and-death challenge!”

“Real combat is the best catalyst for solidifying and rapidly advancing your cultivation and strength!”

“Those in the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages who need pills for breakthroughs, step forward and take them!”

“For those in the Golden Core stage who have reached bottlenecks and require breakthroughs, come to me directly. I, the Young Sect Leader, will personally tailor pills for you!”

“The same goes for the numerous Nascent Soul elders and stewards. I will not show favoritism!”

“Since you have helped me, I promise that whatever you need afterward, I will personally craft it for you!”

“Thank you, Young Sect Leader!”

Over twenty thousand elders and disciples, eyes burning with fervor, responded in unison, their voices shaking the heavens and causing ripples to spread across the sect’s high-altitude protective formation.

...

Watching over twenty thousand sect members bustling about with tireless energy, drenched in sweat yet reaping great rewards, the elders and disciples from other elemental factions grew envious and anxious.

Mountains of pills—each an extremely rare and supreme treasure—were being distributed in batches. Though these were not theirs, the sight still pained their hearts. After all, these were top-tier pills, incomparable to the precious high-grade elixirs they usually treasured. Seeing their fellow disciples in the forging process sparked nothing but envy.

Not a few cursed themselves inwardly for their elemental affinities, wishing they could be among those lucky ones.

Especially those in the Golden Core and Nascent Soul stages—each step of cultivation advancement at their level was agonizingly difficult.

When they heard Gu Xiaopang’s promise to personally tailor pills for comrades at the same cultivation level within the forging teams, they nearly lost their minds.

“Young Sect Leader, is there anything we can do to help?”

“We want to contribute some effort for you, Young Sect Leader! Even doing chores is fine!”

“Yes, yes! We’re willing to do anything, even just serving tea or carrying water!”

...

Countless elders and disciples from the outer circles, no longer able to hold back, shouted at the top of their lungs regardless of age or gender.

“Rest assured, everyone. When the time comes, I will definitely need your help,” Gu Xiaopang replied. “I won’t hold back or be polite!”

“All right, Young Sect Leader! Whatever you command, we won’t refuse!”

“Me too! Me too!”

Having temporarily calmed the anxious tens of thousands outside, Gu Xiaopang refocused entirely on the forging grounds.

At this moment, no fewer than three hundred magical instruments and over five hundred treasured artifacts of at least high-grade quality were rapidly having array patterns inscribed by the Formation Pavilion disciples.

Gu Xiaopang then swiftly visited the Second Peak Herbal Pavilion again, retrieving a large quantity of spirit herbs of various ranks, including a substantial pile of fifth-rank herbs.

Without distraction, he resumed pill refining. Under the watchful eyes of all, countless fourth- and fifth-rank pills continuously emerged from the spinning alchemical furnace.

With a phantom-like hand of spiritual power, he grabbed them without even a glance, casually distributing these pills—all supreme quality—to several disciples stuck at the pseudo-elixir stage.

“Didn’t expect the Young Sect Leader’s alchemy skills to have reached such a realm!”

“Indeed, managing so many furnaces at once and producing nothing but top-grade pills!”

“He’s already mass-producing fourth- and fifth-rank pills after starting with second- and third-rank. What level master do you think he is now?”

“Not sure, but watching him refine fifth-rank pills as effortlessly as drinking water, a sixth-rank master level seems within reach.”

“Does that mean he can rival Elder Mu now?!”

“That’s hard to say. Elder Mu also refines supreme pills, but in terms of mastery...”

“Look, the disciples in the Alchemy Pavilion have red eyes from envy.”

“True, but understandable—if it were me, I’d be jealous too.”

“Our Young Sect Leader is the living embodiment of surpassing the master.”

“The key point is, not only is his alchemy peerless, but his combat power is even more...”

“Look! The Young Sect Leader is about to personally forge a weapon!”

While the outer sect members watched and whispered among themselves, Gu Xiaopang had just finished his last batch of fifth-rank supreme pills.

After glancing at the forging progress inside, he nodded subtly.

Swiftly swallowing several spirit-recovery pills, he summoned the deepest, unused smelting furnace reserved for the Pavilion Master Nangong Xun.

Leaping in, five sturdy elemental spiritual dragons surged into the furnace, completely enveloping the Falling Star Five-Spirit Bracelet on Gu Xiaopang’s arm.

“Roar, roar, roar...”

At Gu Xiaopang’s summons, all eyes fixed on the five molten pools where five dragon-shaped molten liquids roared with intelligence, darting into Nangong Xun’s furnace.

The dragon-shaped molten liquid circled the magnified Five-Spirit Bracelet in an orderly fashion, elemental spiritual power forming dragons that roared, biting and whipping fiercely.

With Gu Xiaopang’s hand signs flowing, the five molten dragons rapidly and rhythmically entwined around the bracelet, the power of the five elements boiling.

At this moment, countless gazes were drawn to the scene inside the furnace before Gu Xiaopang.

“Clang! Clang! ...”

What had once been several dragon-shaped elemental energies transformed into massive hammers of various elemental attributes, rhythmically hammering the Five-Spirit Bracelet at the center.

Like the commotion caused by his alchemy, Gu Xiaopang’s figure within the forging process seemed ever grander, increasingly unreachable.

As his mind immersed deeply, the Golden Core aura within him rose unconsciously, soaring higher and higher.

Seemingly entering a state of unity with heaven and man, a sudden enlightenment, Gu Xiaopang felt that the entire world centered on him had shrunk to just himself and the furnace before him.

Eight Golden Core pills within his body revolved with surging power, the celestial might radiating overwhelmingly, shaking all onlookers.

Even the Nascent Soul elders standing tens of thousands of meters away felt as if the Young Sect Leader was a god descending to earth, utterly incomparable to their own forms.

Zhao Xianyun, who had been casually knocked unconscious by Gu Xiaopang, and several other renowned Earth-Ranking participants in the Hundred Sect Disciples War, saw this and momentarily dimmed their eyes, before regaining brightness and resolve.

After nearly the time of an incense stick burning, the Five-Spirit Bracelet inside the giant furnace remained ring-shaped but had undergone tremendous change in shape and aura.

Originally smooth, the bracelet now bore five dragon-shaped protrusions, each lifelike and vivid.

What had once been merely a high-priced magical instrument had ascended to the level of a supreme-grade artifact, and its aura continued to surge rapidly.

...

“What do you two Pavilion Masters, Mu Laohuo and Nangong Xun, think?”

“Uh... that brat is my disciple!” Mu Laohuo replied sheepishly, causing the assembled elders to scowl darkly.

Inwardly, many muttered in frustration. Everyone present knew well that brat was Mu’s disciple—did he really need to emphasize it so pointedly? Moreover, that brat had been wandering outside since adulthood, causing trouble while training, with little real guidance from Mu. How could he shamelessly claim him as his disciple? How embarrassing!

Particularly Gu Lao Wu, who was inwardly displeased, thinking, “That brat is still my own grandson. See? I don’t brag, do I? That’s the demeanor of a true master!”

“Ahem! Ahem! Nangong Xun, your thoughts?”

“Alright,” Nangong Xun responded. “The Young Sect Leader’s alchemy skills have probably surpassed Mu Laohuo.”

“Hey, Nangong Xun, what about your face? Instead of speaking about your forging skills, you drag Mu Laohuo into this? Are you saying that brat’s forging skills are better than yours?!”

“Hahaha...”

The usually honest Pavilion Master Nangong Xun said nothing about Gu Xiaopang’s forging, focusing instead on his alchemy, dragging Mu Laohuo into the fray.

Mu Laohuo’s embarrassed expression vanished, replaced by indignation as he retorted, mocking Nangong Xun’s forging skills. The elders burst into hearty laughter.

In truth, the assembled masters all knew each other’s backgrounds well. Even without asking Mu Laohuo and Nangong Xun, they each held similar evaluations of Gu Xiaopang.

“Hmm? What’s this? ...A spiritual instrument aura?!”

“You two continue talking, I...”

Suddenly, from the giant furnace where Gu Xiaopang was hammering, a faint spiritual instrument aura rippled out, instantly sweeping away all elders and disciples within thousands of meters.

Before Nangong Xun could react in shock, the other masters had already surged forward, appearing outside Gu Xiaopang’s side without him noticing.

...