Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World

When it comes to the secret techniques of ordinary artifact refining, they might not be as good as Haori Mountain.

But that's compared to Haori Mountain, as for Jiushan Sect...

Well, it's truly a bit of a bullying.

Upon hearing this, Yan Wushuang also laughed and said, "Then can we help Zheng Fa in some way?"

Elder Han nodded with a smile, and Yan Wushuang, full of excitement, exchanged a few more words before happily stepping back to cultivate.

As Yan Wushuang disappeared into the distance, Xie Qingxue finally turned her gaze to Elder Han, her eyes unreadable.

Elder Han understood that she had seen through his thoughts and whispered, "Zheng Fa... is a person who knows gratitude and righteousness."

"..."

Xie Qingxue looked up towards the Heavenly Palace, a trace of guilt in her eyes.

She understood Elder Han's meaning, her master... was probably going to face a major crisis; Tianhe Sect might also face a significant issue.

Now, be it the Unrivaled Society's smuggling or the artifact refining methods, Elder Han was seeking something useful for Jiushan Sect...

In the end, it's... holding gratitude to request something in return.

If nothing happens to Tianhe Sect in the future, that's fine; but if something does occur, he's hoping that Zheng Fa could save Tianhe Sect.

Only Yan Wushuang hasn't realized this.

"Elder Han, don't you usually enjoy complaining about Tianhe Sect?"

Elder Han paused, then suddenly chuckled:

"I've heard too many secrets; there's something I've already discovered..."

"Hmm?"

"Many people's words and hearts run in different directions," Elder Han paused, "I'm the same, all of it is bullshit."

Xie Qingxue didn't say anything.

Because... she was the same.

...

The next day, Elder Han and the others were invited to participate in an experiment— the test voyage of the Shenxiao Mining Ship.

It was said that this would be the second time.

Last time, Zheng Fa suddenly remembered that Xiao Yuying had no news; fearing she might be in danger and time was critical, he and Zhang hurried to Chongxuan Sect.

Thus, the experiment was shelved.

Now, with Xiao Yuying safe, the experiment was back on schedule.

This time, besides Zheng Fa and Zhang, there were also three people from Tianhe Sect attending, along with Xiao Yuying.

A group of people landed on the ore vein from before, gazing at the Shenxiao Mining Ship.

Especially Elder Han, who, for the first time during this period, visited the Jiushan Realm and found this Shenxiao Mining Ship to be extremely unfamiliar.

It even made him feel a bit incomprehensible.

Lady Xuanhua stood in front of the crowd and called out loudly, "Begin!"

The bow of the Shenxiao Mining Ship in the sky first emitted a bright light, scanning the mountain peaks below the ship.

"This is the Spiritual Energy Scanner," Lady Xuanhua explained to everyone, "Add some disciples with the Void Spirit Eye, complementing each other in exploration."

Zheng Fa and the others naturally had no questions.

But Elder Han craned his neck, squinting at the Shenxiao Mining Ship with a curious look.

"Prospecting?"

"Hmm."

Lady Xuanhua explained, "We tested it; the sensitivity of the Shenxiao Mining Ship for underground mineral deposits even surpasses that of an average Golden Core, comparable to a weaker Nascent Soul."

For a moment, Elder Han didn't know what to say, but there was some disbelief in his expression.

However, looking at the silent Zheng Fa and Zhang, he remained quiet as well.

"Drill!"

With the order from Lady Xuanhua, the Shenxiao Mining Ship slowly descended, hovering low in the sky; two doors at the bottom of the ship opened slowly, revealing a drill.

"Earlier, we roughly clarified the distribution of underground ores."

"This drill also has a Spiritual Energy Scanner, making the data more specific after penetrating the earth."

Seeing how deep the drill penetrated, Elder Han's doubts slowly faded away— an ordinary Golden Core, no matter how powerful, couldn't use its Divine Sense to go that deep underground.

What Lady Xuanhua said about the Shenxiao Mining Ship being stronger than a regular Golden Core in prospecting didn't seem to be an exaggeration.

Yet, the experiment of the Shenxiao Mining Ship did not stop.

A mechanical arm with a digging bucket precisely cut through the mountain stone, lifting large chunks of mountainous rock mixed with spirit ore, sending them into the mining ship between the two doors at the bottom.

"Next is ore separation, care to board the ship?"

Seeing the experiment proceed smoothly, Lady Xuanhua couldn't help but show some smile on her face.

Elder Han became even more curious, following the group onto the ship and entering the cabin.

"On this Shenxiao Mining Ship, aside from the storage room, there's this ore refining and separation room."

Elder Han listened, somewhat confused.

He watched a slab of freshly unearthed rock fixed inside the separation room, with another mechanical arm carrying a metal nozzle, from which suddenly flames burst out.

Elder Han was greatly startled, shouting, "This Heavenly Thunder Mysterious Iron is extremely volatile; without someone skilled in artifact refining, refining it can easily cause an explosion!"

What puzzled him, however, was that the people from Jiushan Sect seemed indifferent, and even Zhao Jingfan, who was there to watch the fun, leaned against the window without any fear of explosion.

More awkwardly, the mountain stone slowly melted, leaving only a blob of cyan liquid.

Once the flame extinguished, this purple-cyan droplet gradually solidified, turning into a lump of round Mysterious Iron.

"..."

Elder Han stood at the window, not knowing what to say.

However, Lady Xuanhua explained, "Actually, Elder Han, you're not wrong; the refining spell was indeed designed by me..."

Elder Han froze for a moment, his heart more shocked, exclaiming,

"You mean this Shenxiao Mining Ship not only matches an average Nascent Soul in prospecting, but it also uses Nascent Soul's refining techniques?"

Lady Xuanhua nodded gently and added with a smile, "But you need to pre-design various parameters."

Elder Han was speechless for a moment, his Divine Sense probing, discovering the reality on the ship: "Five Foundation Establishment, ten Qi Cultivation... and that's enough to operate such a ship?"

"More or less."

"More or less meaning..."

"Actually, at the most extreme, three Foundation Establishment suffices..." Lady Xuanhua explained, "More people are added to prevent accidents."

Elder Han fell into silence.

He secretly calculated the efficiency of the mining ship just now: "So that means... this one ship can equal a Nascent Soul cultivator mining?"

"That... I don't know."

"Hmm?"

Lady Xuanhua helplessly replied, "Nascent Soul cultivators don't mine..."

Indeed...

Who would possibly have the heart to use a Nascent Soul cultivator for mining?

Elder Han remained silent, staring blankly, then heard Zheng Fa instruct Lady Xuanhua, "Reserve some of this Heavenly Thunder Mysterious Iron, and for the other part, try to see if it can be transformed into other spiritual materials..."

Transformation...

He understood those words, but... it also seemed as if he didn't understand.

Can spiritual materials really be transformed among each other?

With the efficiency of this Shenxiao Mining Ship, coupled with the transformation technique, will Jiushan Sect's spiritual materials really be constrained?

Haori Mountain spent so many Spirit Stones, gathered so many cultivators against Zheng Fa, and sealed... what exactly?

Elder Han suddenly raised his eyes and exchanged a look with Xie Qingxue...

With this method, are those few smuggling channels of the small Unrivaled Society still important?

He stared dumbfounded at this Shenxiao Mining Ship, feeling as if this cold steel behemoth had crushed Haori Mountain's schemes and his own little calculations into genuine dog shit.