Divine King of Honour Chapter 1827: Forging Failure

Next, Shi Shanshan commenced her preparations for the forging of a Divine Artifact.

She procured a piece of Top-Grade Divine Iron, a material Xu Nian immediately recognized. It was Blue Pattern Mysterious Thunder Divine Iron, distinguished by its exceptional conductivity for lightning, allowing it to swiftly absorb ambient Thunder Attribute Elements.

"It appears she is dedicating significant effort to crafting the Divine Thunder Pestle," Xu Nian mused silently.

Unaware of Xu Nian's recognition or his thoughts on her chosen material, Shi Shanshan produced a colossal cauldron. This cauldron, two meters in diameter, was forged entirely from robust Divine Iron. Xu Nian discerned that it was, in fact, a Top-grade Divine Artifact in its own right.

He recalled Emperor Ye Tian mentioning that only Divine Artifact-level cauldrons are suitable for refining Divine Artifacts. Shi Shanshan's intention to create a Top-Grade Divine Artifact necessitated such a superior cauldron, and Xu Nian surmised that this would represent the pinnacle of her current crafting capabilities.

With the cauldron in place, Shi Shanshan initiated her Fire Attribute Principle. Ten Flame Law Discs materialized behind her, engulfing her in a formidable aura of Flame Law.

"Buzz!"

A surge of flame erupted from her palm, its temperature astonishingly intense, surpassing even the Divine Fire Xu Nian possessed.

"This flame seems to originate from her Cultivation Technique; who would have imagined a technique could yield such a terrifying flame?" Xu Nian wondered aloud in surprise.

Typically, divine craftsmen possess inherited flame cultivation techniques, closely guarded secrets passed down through their lineages. It was evident that Shi Shanshan's technique stemmed from her master.

"Buzz!"

Shi Shanshan directed her Divine Fire into the cauldron, quickly elevating the internal temperature to extreme levels.

Wasting no time, Xu Nian began adding the Divine Iron to the cauldron, subsequently directing both the fire and the metal with his Soul Power.

He recognized this initial phase as melting, a process mirroring his own refining method: reducing the Divine Iron to a molten state.

The potent heat of Shi Shanshan's flame facilitated a rapid melting.

"Buzz!"

Under Shi Shanshan's precise Soul Power control, the molten metal was drawn from the cauldron. The subsequent stage was Condensation Embryo.

However, Shi Shanshan's approach diverged from Xu Nian's. She introduced a pre-prepared mold, specifically designed for the Divine Thunder Pestle.

Xu Nian observed that the mold was crafted from Reincarnation Soil, renowned for its malleability and heat resistance. As Shi Shanshan poured the molten metal into these molds, it flowed seamlessly, filling every intricate recess.

The next crucial step involved solidifying the molten metal. Shi Shanshan had contingency plans for this as well. She presented an exceedingly cold block of ice, into which she placed the mold, causing it to freeze rapidly.

The molten metal within experienced a swift temperature drop. After approximately two hours, the metal within the mold had completely solidified.

Shi Shanshan carefully broke away the mold, revealing the foundational form of the Divine Thunder Pestle. Xu Nian noted that this embryo appeared considerably denser than those shaped solely by his Soul Power.

Nevertheless, he also observed that it contained more impurities compared to his method.

The process moved to tempering. Shi Shanshan's method differed markedly from Xu Nian's; she eschewed the use of a Divine Hammer. Instead, she employed a specialized cultivation technique to impress a series of unique divine seals onto the artifact.

Each divine seal applied to the Divine Thunder Pestle dislodged a portion of impurities from its surface. Shi Shanshan applied nine such seals, a process that visibly weakened her.

Despite her fatigue, Shi Shanshan seemed content with the results of these nine tempering rounds. Xu Nian, however, frowned slightly.

Though he did not fully comprehend the mechanics of the divine seal tempering, he observed that even after nine applications, approximately half of the impurities remained on the Divine Thunder Pestle.

He understood the critical importance of impurity removal in the final formation of a Divine Artifact; failure to eliminate them could jeopardize the entire endeavor. Specifically, the Divine Thunder Pestle, destined to incorporate Divine Thunder, risked shattering if residual impurities could not withstand the potent energy.

Yet, Xu Nian refrained from offering any counsel, recognizing that Shi Shanshan's refining process was far from concluded.

To Xu Nian's disappointment, Shi Shanshan simply polished and carved the Divine Thunder Pestle afterward. She did not proceed to refine the impurities within it further. Finally, she retrieved the Divine Thunder that Xu Nian had collected. To commence the final stage, it was necessary to fully integrate the Divine Thunder into the Divine Thunder Pestle. Once this integration was achieved, the pestle would be imbued with Divine Radiance.

"Boom!" However, just as Shi Shanshan was on the cusp of success, the Divine Thunder Pestle proved incapable of withstanding the integration of the Divine Thunder and completely shattered.

"Impossible! How could I possibly fail?" Shi Shanshan gazed at the destroyed Divine Thunder Pestle, her heart filled with intense unwillingness and pain. All her meticulous preparations had culminated in failure.

At that moment, she sat in utter despair, her eyes vacant. Xu Nian observed this scene and shook his head with a sigh.

"Your failure stems from your inability to thoroughly temper the impurities within the artifact, which left it unable to withstand the enhancement from the Divine Thunder," Xu Nian explained.

"I understand, but reinforcing nine divine seals is the utmost I can achieve. Moreover, this is my very first attempt at crafting a Top-Grade Divine Artifact," Shi Shanshan replied, her voice laced with regret.

Xu Nian suddenly realized the extent of her situation. Shi Shanshan's current skill level had not yet reached the proficiency required for crafting Top-Grade Divine Artifacts. This entire endeavor was her inaugural attempt.

"Since you are undertaking this for your Master, why not allow your Master to refine it himself? His chances of success should be considerably higher," Xu Nian proposed.

"My Master can no longer refine artifacts. He passed the cultivation technique onto me, but he himself can no longer utilize it for artifact refinement. The technique can only be mastered by a single individual," Shi Shanshan responded.

Xu Nian was taken aback, astonished by this peculiar rule.

"Alas, my skill is insufficient to craft the Divine Thunder Pestle for my Master and aid him in his Tribulation Crossing," Shi Shanshan explained, a sense of guilt washing over her.

Xu Nian remained silent for a moment before speaking with a helpless tone, "Do you happen to have any more Artifact Refining Materials?"

"There is one remaining set, but given my current skill level, success is virtually impossible," Shi Shanshan admitted.

"Allow me to refine it," Xu Nian stated calmly.

The moment he uttered these words, it was as if a thunderclap had struck Shi Shanshan's heart. "You intend to?" she looked at Xu Nian, incredulous.

After all, the ability to refine a Divine Artifact was not commonplace. "Yes, let me. I neglected to mention it earlier, but I am also a Divine Craftsman," Xu Nian replied.

Shi Shanshan could hardly believe what she was hearing. Could there truly be a third individual, besides herself and her Master, capable of crafting Divine Artifacts?