After the great restriction of Tianmo Mountain collapsed, many smaller restrictions followed suit, engulfing nearly half of the mountain.
Mo Tiange and Qin Xi were fortunate enough to enter the Void Heaven Realm in time, avoiding the catastrophe. Others were not so lucky; very few managed to escape Tianmo Mountain in time. Even among Nascent Soul cultivators, many perished within.
This expedition to Tianmo Mountain was even more devastating than the one over eighty years ago. The heavy casualties among high-level cultivators even surpassed those of the previous beast tide, causing a sensation across Tianji for a time.
Of course, the two of them were unaware of these events. During their time hiding in the Void Heaven Realm, Mo Tiange occasionally opened a portal to observe the situation outside. She found that the chain reaction triggered by the restriction's collapse had not ceased. The heavens seemed to crumble and the earth to split, with flashes of lightning illuminating the scene as the entire Tianmo Mountain shook violently.
Unable to leave, the two had no choice but to temporarily set aside external matters and settle into their own little life within the Void Heaven Realm.
First, Qin Xi had suffered some loss of strength due to his use of essence blood. Fortunately, the spiritual qi concentration within the Void Heaven Realm was extremely high, allowing him to recover faster here than outside.
Strangely, however, Qin Xi said that he had to convert the spiritual qi here through his Three Primal Cycle technique before he could rapidly absorb it into his dantian. Otherwise, his cultivation speed wasn't much faster than outside. The two pondered this for a long time and finally speculated that the world had changed, and contemporary cultivation techniques had evolved accordingly. The Void Heaven Realm, however, still maintained the spiritual qi concentration of ancient times, leading to this discrepancy. Mo Tiange was unaffected because she cultivated an ancient technique, while Qin Xi's Three Primal Cycle technique also originated from antiquity.
Yet Mo Tiange thought again: his Pure Yang Art came from Yuan Bao, who had long resided in Zhong Muling's Void Heaven Realm under similar conditions. Why didn't it work for him? When she asked Qin Xi this, he was also puzzled. Perhaps Yuan Bao, thinking he would never enter a Void Heaven Realm again, had omitted some crucial method?
This problem was beyond their current cultivation realm to comprehend, so they simply put it aside. After all, they could still cultivate here.
Second, trapped within the Void Heaven Realm, Mo Tiange found herself with ample free time. She and Qin Xi leisurely began organizing the Medicine Field within the realm. She had already picked many Ten Thousand Year Spirit Herbs but hadn't refined them into pills. Many other spirit herbs still grew in the field. She directed the two stone puppets to pick them one by one, reorganizing the Medicine Field.
These spirit herbs were then refined into pills by them. Qin Xi's alchemy skills were also exceptional. Working together, their pill-refining speed increased significantly. After a year, the Medicine Field was finally fully organized.
By this time, Qin Xi's injuries had mostly healed. Mo Tiange began considering the matter of refining her Life-Bound Artifact.
Previously, she had planned to ask a sect artifact refiner to craft it for her. But trapped in the Void Heaven Realm for an unknown duration, she had to rely on herself and started learning artifact refining from scratch. However, her talent in this area was truly lacking. While spirit herbs were abundant in the Void Heaven Realm, the various materials needed for artifact refining were scarce. In the end, Qin Xi, unable to bear watching her struggle, stepped in to refine it for her.
Qin Xi's talent in miscellaneous arts surpassed hers. Whether in alchemy, artifact refining, or even talisman-making, he possessed considerable skill. However, he dared not be overconfident about refining a Life-Bound Artifact and spent much time practicing again.
As they studied artifact refining while slowly cultivating, the years passed one by one...
Initially, Mo Tiange frequently checked the situation outside the Void Heaven Realm. But this restriction collapse of Tianmo Mountain lasted a very long time. Eventually, she only checked after long intervals.
Opening the portal to the outside world once more and seeing the scene still shrouded in darkness and chaos, Mo Tiange sighed.
It was already the fifth year, and the restrictions were still unstable. She truly wondered when they would be able to leave. Before the restriction collapsed, her master had gone to Yushen Palace. Had he managed to escape? And Zhenji had been missing for several years by then. Had he returned by now?
"Don't dwell on it. When the time comes, we'll naturally be able to leave," Qin Xi's voice came from behind her.
Mo Tiange waved her sleeve, dispersing the external scene, and turned. "Why have you come out?" They had failed once in refining the Heaven-Earth Fan. He had shut himself in his room for many days, saying he couldn't afford another failure and needed to carefully study the properties of the materials.
Qin Xi smiled. "I've finished my research, so I came out."
"Oh?" Mo Tiange's eyes brightened. "Then can we start refining again?"
"Hmm..." Qin Xi thought for a moment. "We should be able to. How has your cultivation been these past few days?"
"Very smooth." Mo Tiange extended her hand. "Take a look."
Qin Xi placed his fingers on her pulse gate, sending a wisp of spiritual qi to probe. After a while, he withdrew the qi and smiled. "Here, your cultivation truly yields twice the result with half the effort."
With the Qingyun Pills and the Void Heaven Realm, her cultivation speed compared to ordinary cultivators was simply meteoric. Even when encountering bottlenecks, she had the experienced Qin Xi to guide her, so she hardly needed to worry.
"And you? When will you form your Nascent Soul?" Trapped here together, unsure when they could leave, Qin Xi's cultivation had reached its peak, and his mindset had adjusted. One could say Nascent Soul Formation was a natural progression awaiting only the right moment.
This question made Qin Xi ponder for a good while. Finally, he said, "When I form my Nascent Soul, it will undoubtedly be guided by the Three Primal Cycle technique. Forming it here won't be an issue. But there's no need to rush. Let's refine your Life-Bound Artifact first."
Mo Tiange chuckled. "The youngest known age for Nascent Soul Formation in Tianji is 208 years old. You're exactly 206 now. Forming your Nascent Soul now would set a new record. Waiting a few more years wouldn't be as sensational. Don't you want to break that record?"
Qin Xi shook his head with a slight smile. "What's the point of competing for such empty fame? Delaying a year or two isn't detrimental."
Hearing this, Mo Tiange felt greatly reassured. In previous years, Qin Xi's mindset had been too impatient, leading to repeated failures in Nascent Soul Formation. Now that he was so calm, it showed his mental state was stable. With that, there should be no major obstacles during the formation.
In truth, Qin Xi's mindset had always been extremely steady. In previous years, he had fallen into a trap of his own making, creating a flaw in his mental state. The root of that flaw was Mo Tiange. Now that their feelings were settled, he naturally returned to his original state of tranquil composure.
The two chatted a while longer before returning to their respective cultivation sessions.
Their cultivation techniques did not conflict. One was Pure Yang, the other Pure Yin, making them perfectly complementary. Therefore, they didn't need separate cultivation chambers and simply cultivated together in Mo Tiange's original cultivation room.
After a day of meditation, both their spiritual qi and mental states were restored to peak condition, and they prepared to refine the artifact.
Refining a Life-Bound Artifact was not like refining an ordinary Magical Treasure. For ordinary treasures, even if they required blood-binding, the cultivator didn't need to be present during refinement. A Life-Bound Artifact, however, required the cultivator's essence blood to be incorporated during the refinement process. So, although Qin Xi had taken on the refining task, he still needed Mo Tiange's personal cooperation.
Having failed once, Qin Xi was exceptionally cautious this time—they only had enough Qiyun Stone for one more attempt. If they failed again, they would have to search for materials anew, and Qiyun Stone was extremely difficult to find. It might take decades.
For the artifact-refining flame, Qin Xi used his own Extreme Yang True Fire. Sunlight Stone or Little Fire's Sun True Fire would have been good options, but Qin Xi's Extreme Yang True Fire was more intense. With an ample supply of Spirit-Replenishing Pills, he chose to use the Extreme Yang True Fire.
With all preparations complete, the two entered the refining chamber, set up a barrier to prevent their spirit beasts from disturbing them, and began the refinement.
This refinement took a full month and more.
This duration was not at all long for a Life-Bound Artifact. If not for Qin Xi's Extreme Yang True Fire quickly melting the materials and his prior practice, it would have taken at least several months.
Over a month later, the two stepped out of the refining chamber. The Heaven-Earth Fan had taken initial form.
Dragon bone formed the fan ribs, heavenly silk brocade the fan surface. Qiyun Stone and Moonlight Illusion Stone were melted to create pigments for painting landscapes, flowers, and birds on the surface. Finally, it was enveloped in Thousand-Year Jade Marrow and carefully refined. The hardness of the dragon bone combined with the resilience of the Thousand-Year Jade Marrow made the successfully refined Heaven-Earth Fan arguably one of the most durable Magical Treasures. Even Qin Xi's Three Yang True Fire Sword could not completely destroy it.
Regarding the artifact's form, the two had initially disagreed. Qin Xi naturally assumed it should be a round fan. Mo Tiange insisted on a folding fan. If she favored palace attire, a round fan might suit, but she usually wore the Xuanqing Sect's Daoist robes with only one or two hairpins. Holding a round fan would look out of place. A folding fan was better, suitable for both men and women. If she occasionally wanted to disguise herself as a man, she could play the part of a scholar.
Unable to win the argument, Qin Xi conceded.
When the Heaven-Earth Fan emerged from the furnace, it was Mo Tiange who couldn't tear her eyes away. The landscape painted with Qiyun Stone and Moonlight Illusion Stone was exquisitely detailed, blurring the line between reality and illusion. The flowers, birds, fish, and insects were vividly lifelike. Regardless of its actual power, the fan itself was extraordinarily beautiful.
Emerging from the refining chamber, Qin Xi watched Mo Tiange's fond admiration of the Heaven-Earth Fan and teased, "I said you weren't like other women, but it turns out you also like pretty things."
Mo Tiange played with the Heaven-Earth Fan in her hand. "Who doesn't like beautiful things? I just rarely indulge in them." For instance, when she first entered the Xuanqing Sect, she had actually liked the hairpins and ornaments he sent very much. But liking was one thing; after appreciating them, cultivation remained the most important.
"Alright, first test the artifact's power. Its beauty is secondary."
"Mm." Hearing Qin Xi's reminder, Mo Tiange looked up. "How should we test it?"
Qin Xi thought for a moment. "This treasure can trap and kill; trapping also provides defense. How about I test its defensive capabilities first?"
"Good." Mo Tiange waved the Heaven-Earth Fan, unfurling its surface. Instantly, radiant light shimmered, reflecting a luminous landscape painting that seemed almost real.
Qin Xi extended his left hand, concentrating. Golden light flickered as the Three Yang True Fire Sword materialized in his palm. With a shake of his arm, the sword transformed into a golden streak of light. Encircled by True Fire, it revolved around him twice before suddenly changing direction and shooting toward Mo Tiange.
Mo Tiange watched intently. The Heaven-Earth Fan was immediately deployed. The landscape painting abruptly expanded, resembling real mountains and waters, enveloping the sword light.
Once surrounded by the landscape, the sword light halted, revealing the true form of the Three Yang True Fire Sword. The sword began to charge left and right, but under the obstruction of these seemingly tangible yet intangible mountains and waters, it was unable to break through.
Finally, Qin Xi recalled the Three Yang True Fire Sword, sighing helplessly. "The sword alone can't break through. It seems I'll need to use sword techniques."
In its initial test, the Heaven-Earth Fan displayed remarkable power, filling Mo Tiange with joy. Even the Three Yang True Fire Sword by itself was something an ordinary early Core Formation cultivator couldn't block. With this test, she gained immense confidence in the Heaven-Earth Fan.