Opening the Formation deep within the cave, Qian Duoduo couldn't help but take a deep breath: the Spiritual Qi emanating from the Spirit Tin Ore was too rich.
Upon entering the Spirit Tin Ore mine, Qian Duoduo filled all his empty bottles with Spirit Liquid.
After he reached the Early Stage Golden Core, his Golden Toad already contained over a hundred zhang, more than ten times larger than when he first acquired it.
By the time he had filled the Golden Toad with all the raw Spirit Tin Ore, one-third of the Ore in the entire mine had disappeared.
"This mine, I can't hand it over to the Sect."
Qian Duoduo looked at the messy mine and thought to himself, "If the Sect Leader knew I took these Ores and Spirit Liquid, he'd be so heartbroken he'd faint."
He was about to get up and leave when Liu Boli spoke from within the Golden Toad: "Ba Zu, have you forgotten that you are an Artifact Refiner?"
Qian Duoduo was startled, then immediately understood his Master's meaning—if he was Ba Zu, since he wasn't going to hand it over to the Sect, then he should take all the Spirit Tin and let the Spirit Tin Ore mine become a complete mystery.
"Master, let's refine it together."
Qian Duoduo took out two cauldrons and, together with Liu Boli, began refining the Ore in the mine.
Ten days later, the Spirit Tin Ore mine was completely empty.
The Spirit Liquid was collected into the Golden Toad, and the Ore was transformed into Spirit Tin.
Qian Duoduo came out of the cave, restored the five Spiritual Pines that concealed the entrance, and traveled at full speed for several days, finally seeing the majestic Sect of Refining Spirit Sect at dusk.
The city gate was dozens of zhang high, and the city wall was a hundred zhang high.
The city wall was constructed from massive Azure Gold Stones.
Between the stones, gold liquid was poured, and Formations were used to connect them.
The sunlight struck the city wall, dyeing it a reddish-gold, as if it were forged from pure gold.
Qian Duoduo quickened his pace, like an arrow, heading towards the city gate.
"Stop!"
He was still fifty or sixty zhang from the city gate when an angry shout came from the top of the wall, and at the same time, four long rainbows shot out from the city gate.
Qian Duoduo stopped his steps and then noticed that, unlike before, a Disciple stood every ten to twenty zhang along the city wall.
At the entrance of the city gate, twenty to thirty Inner Sect Disciples at the Ninth Level of Qi Condensation stood solemnly in Formation, ready for battle.
The four Cultivators who came to Qian Duoduo's side were led by an Elder in a green robe at the Golden Core Realm, and the other three were Orange Robe Disciples at Qi Condensation Great Perfection.
One of them was Yan Boyuan, who had fought him in the semi-finals of the Mengyuan Mountain Top Ten competition.
That green-robed Elder was from Wen'an Peak and was not familiar with Qian Duoduo.
He frowned and asked, "Name, which Immortal Mountains?"
Before Qian Duoduo could answer, Yan Boyuan had already respectfully saluted: "Greetings, Purple Gold Senior Brother!"
The other three were stunned for a moment, then immediately recognized Qian Duoduo.
The green-robed Elder had long heard of Qian Duoduo's glorious deeds: Purple-Gold Disciple Jin Buhuan, who selflessly saved fellow Sect Disciples, ranked first in the Xiong Jun battle, and helped over ten Disciples achieve Foundation Establishment with silver axes in the Ghost Head Secret Realm…
This was only what was publicly known.
According to rumors circulating among the Elders, Jin Buhuan, besides being the nephew of Meng Yuan Legion Palace Lord Tang Honggong, was very likely the personal Disciple of Sect Leader Niu Jinshui.
Among the tasks for the green-robed Elder on duty at the Sect, there was a secret instruction: upon discovering a Purple-Gold Disciple, he must report directly to the Sect Leader immediately.
The green-robed Elder secretly thought he was very lucky to have accomplished a merit.
He secretly squeezed a Jade Slip, sending the message "Purple-Gold Disciple returns to Sect" to the Purple Firmament Great Hall on Preaching Mountain, and respectfully gestured to Qian Duoduo.
"Purple-Gold Disciple, please enter."
Qian Duoduo quickly returned the salute to everyone, "No need for formalities."
He lowered his body and walked into the Sect.
Returning courtesy when received was his character.
Just as he passed the Sect gate, a kind voice sounded in Qian Duoduo's ear: "Bu Huan, you've returned to the Sect after completing your mission? Come to the Purple Firmament Great Hall, your maternal uncle is also here."
