NOVPUB
Chapter 123: Preparation to Create a Divine Grade Artifact
Duke Valiard knew the significance of attempting to create a divine-grade artifact again after tens of thousands of years. Even if it was just a low-tier divine artifact, it would be enough to prove to the Forgeheart Kingdom and the entire continent that, despite his brother’s absence, he too had something to show those damned nobles.
The highest achievement for a blacksmith on this continent was to successfully forge a divine-grade artifact—whether done alone or in collaboration. If someone could do it alone, their name would be engraved in the history of the continent. There were some ancient blacksmiths whose names were still revered for this accomplishment.
However, in this era, no one could create a divine-grade artifact alone. The strange situation that had persisted across the continent for millions of years remained unexplained by its inhabitants. To forge such an artifact, one needed not only top-tier materials but also a forging technique capable of supporting its creation—specifically, a divine-grade technique.
The materials would have to be the finest available, which were incredibly difficult to obtain. As for the technique, Duke Valiard possessed a divine-level forging technique, though he couldn’t yet perform it to its full potential. Even if he had all the required materials and mastered the technique, he would still need an immense amount of Heaven and Earth energy to shape the artifact’s intricate patterns. Creating such complex patterns that could sustain a divine-grade artifact was still a daunting task, even for him.
That was why most divine-grade artifacts required more than one person to create, and at least one of them needed to be at the Emperor stage. No one at the King stage had ever created a divine artifact alone. For Aldrian to ask him to forge one while he was ’only’ at the King stage, and Aldrian himself at the Earl stage, seemed completely unrealistic—at least for now.
While Duke Valiard wasn’t surprised that Aldrian was pointing out the obvious—despite it being impossible at the moment—he still believed that Aldrian would achieve it someday with his immense talent, though not anytime soon. Aldrian’s rapid development in blacksmithing was nothing short of outrageous, to the point where he could now be considered on par with, if not a greater blacksmith than himself.
He wasn’t sure how long the current status quo with the nobles and himself could hold, but he hoped that time wouldn’t come before he managed to create the divine-grade artifact. He also needed to begin preparations for its creation, starting with the design of the artifact he wished to make.
"I know you’re thinking that creating a divine-grade artifact isn’t something that can be achieved anytime soon. And you’re uncertain about what the nobles are planning next. You’re just hoping the status quo lasts as long as possible. Am I right?" Aldrian asked.
Duke Valiard was stunned by the young man’s ability to read his thoughts, and he nodded.
"Yes, although your suggestion makes sense, it’s still far from realistic for me to create a divine-grade artifact at this moment. If I want to craft one, I need to start by designing the artifact, gathering the resources, and your help—well if you’re willing to help. But you’re still at the Earl stage, and what I need is an Emperor-stage cultivator who can channel enough energy to create the divine-grade patterns. And that’s not even mentioning the need to master a divine forging technique. There’s just so much that needs to be prepared."
Aldrian nodded, understanding the complexity of the task, but his mind straightforward in confronting the problem.
"Then please teach me the divine technique for forging—your secret technique, the ’Heaven’s Hammer of Creation.’ With me comprehending this divine technique, it will fulfill one of the requirements. As for the material, you can use the Divine Iron. Believe me, this is the best material for crafting a divine-grade artifact. And, though it may sound arrogant, I have an enormous energy reserve within me—perhaps enough to make not just one divine-grade artifact. We can even work on the pattern together, you already know about my talent in that area, right?" Aldrian added.
If Duke Valiard had heard such remarks from Aldrian a few weeks ago, he would have kicked him out for his arrogance and absurdity. But now? He found himself thinking twice instead of dismissing Aldrian outright.
"Duke Valiard, you only need to believe in yourself. I’ll do my part, but ultimately, your effort is the center of all this. In the end, it’s your battle, not mine. I’m just a passerby," Aldrian said, his steady gaze locking with the duke’s.
"Could he actually create another miracle?" Duke Valiard wondered. "If we manage to create a divine-grade artifact in such a short time, it would set a new record in blacksmithing history. The youngest, the fastest, the most brilliant blacksmith who went from a novice to creating a divine artifact in just months... Well, it’s better than doing nothing."
"Alright, let’s give it a try. It’s better than standing still, even though I still have doubts about myself. I’ll put my faith in your talent," Valiard finally agreed.
Aldrian smiled at the duke’s response. "Then what are we waiting for? Let’s get started."
After that, they set aside the actual forging for a while. Aldrian focused on comprehending and mastering the secret technique, while Duke Valiard began designing the artifact they intended to create—a sword. To Valiard’s shock, it didn’t take long for Aldrian to fully comprehend the technique.
Duke Valiard decided to test Aldrian’s comprehension of the secret technique, and the results left him baffled. Aldrian’s mastery was far more advanced and intricate than his own, leaving him questioning why he had struggled so much with cultivation. Why had he suffered all this time when someone like Aldrian made it seem effortless? 𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙥𝒖𝒃.𝒄𝒐𝒎
For Aldrian, it was as easy as drinking water. To him, the Heavenly Demon’s Scripture was far more complex, although incomparable since it was a different type of technique altogether. Reflecting on the Heavenly Demon’s Scripture, a thought suddenly occurred to him.
"The Heavenly Demon’s Scripture must be at least a divine-grade technique. The fact that I can comprehend all of these divine-grade techniques so easily must be tied to my past. The usual stories of divine-grade techniques being nearly impossible to comprehend clearly don’t apply to me. Although, Baek Ji-Min and Kang Yong-Jin can also comprehend parts of the Heavenly Demon’s Scripture. It feels like there’s a missing link about why most divine-grade techniques are so difficult to comprehend on this continent, making them the stuff of legends."
He also knew others like Xin Haotian who seemed to have mastered divine-grade techniques, but he set that aside for now. His focus remained on blacksmithing. Aldrian continued practicing the forging technique, the ’Heaven’s Hammer of Creation,’ and successfully created several artifacts using it. The results were truly satisfying, although he hadn’t yet forged a divine-grade artifact. He could feel he was just a few steps away from being able to create one on his own. He only needed an epiphany on how to take that final step, and he knew Duke Valiard’s help would be crucial.
After five months inside the workshop, with Aldrian and Duke Valiard working tirelessly together, they finally completed the blueprint for a divine-grade sword. Duke Valiard’s experience from creating divine-grade artifacts with his brother had been invaluable in this process. Meanwhile, Aldrian had gained a wealth of new knowledge from the experience, and he now had a much clearer understanding of how a divine-grade artifact was created.
The primary material for the sword was decided: Divine Iron, supplemented with a small mixture of Solar Illumination Steel—a rare material found only on Solar Peak Mountain, deep within the Buddhist sect’s territory. Fortunately, Duke Valiard had a small supply of this precious metal stored in his treasure vault. After months of research on Divine Iron, with Aldrian’s help, Valiard was astounded by its profound nature and unparalleled sturdiness.
"It’s incredible that such a material exists! Young master, you’re truly fortunate to have something like this. I’m not entirely sure what level this material reaches, but I’m confident we can create a divine-grade artifact with it. This is also my first time seeing a material that connects with a cultivator, making it controllable only by you," Duke Valiard remarked, still amazed.
The Divine Iron was so dense and heavy that Valiard couldn’t lift it, even with all his strength, despite it being only 10% of the total Divine Rock. It was also impossibly hard—resistant to any attempts to work with it. Yet, under Aldrian’s control, the Divine Iron became as light as a feather and as soft as a pillow. Valiard couldn’t grasp the principle behind it, but it helped him better understand the unique properties of this extraordinary material. In the end, they decided to use just 5% of it to forge the sword.
Finally, after all their preparations were complete, the day arrived when they were ready to begin forging the divine-grade sword!
