The Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character Captured the Villainous Demon Venerable - Chapter 48

Chapter 48: A Vicious Bite

After Mo Xun declared she would refine a ninth-grade magic treasure within three years, the room was silent for a moment, followed by the lively female voice bursting into laughter.

After she finished laughing, she said, “This junior is quite arrogant! Throughout history, the artifact forgers who successfully refined ninth-grade magic treasures are few and far between, and all of them were supreme figures who had reached the Great Ascension stage. Since you just refined a fifth-grade magic treasure, perhaps you should first focus on refining a sixth-grade magic treasure within three years!”

The majestic female voice immediately followed: “The process of artifact forging continuously consumes spiritual power. The higher the grade of the artifact, the longer the forging time and the greater the spiritual power consumption. Only the spiritual power of the Great Ascension stage can support the refinement of a ninth-grade artifact. Mo Xun, remember that artifact forging requires a calm mind. Avoid impatience; haste makes waste.”

“Thank you for your guidance, Seniors. Mo Xun has taken note,” Mo Xun thought to herself. She wasn’t being impatient; she was just setting a small goal first.

If she couldn’t refine it within three years, she would spend another three years. Patience was something she had plenty of.

However, the lively Senior mentioned an artifact forger named Luo Baozhu from the Heavenly Mountain Immortal Gate who could refine an eighth-grade magic treasure every three years.

Artifact forgers were already rare, and high-grade artifact forgers were even rarer. The only Great Ascension stage artifact forger at the Heavenly Mountain Immortal Gate was likely this Luo Baozhu.

Could she be the person Yun Wushang wanted to kill?

In any case, Mo Xun didn’t want the other party to have an extra eighth-grade magic treasure in three years while she couldn’t produce a ninth-grade one to counter it.

“Pardon me, I have not yet asked for the names of the two Seniors,” Mo Xun probed.

The lively female voice answered cheerfully: “I am Xu Lizhi. Although you call me Senior, I am only two minor realms above you, currently at the Great Perfection stage of Soul Transformation.”

Mo Xun: Sounds delicious.

The majestic female voice spoke after a while: “Dongguo Zixi, Void Refinement stage.”

“Senior Xu, Senior Dongguo, Mo Xun will cultivate diligently and certainly not disappoint the high hopes you both have for me.” Mo Xun said, bowing again before passing through the stone door and heading upstairs to her room.

What was called a “room” was more like a stone chamber, containing nothing but a single crucible.

This was good; the fewer things there were, the less distraction.

Mo Xun entered the stone chamber and closed the stone door.

Although the Inner Sect tower was already equipped with defensive array formations, Mo Xun set up five layers of restrictions within the stone chamber before starting to forge, just in case.

After setting up the restrictions, Mo Xun took out all the materials from the two storage brocade pouches Yun Wushang gave her, neatly spread them on the ground, and observed and analyzed them carefully.

Different materials were suitable for refining different magic treasures.

The back armor was hard and lacked flexibility, making it suitable for relatively passive defensive artifacts.

The claws were sharp and possessed a strong desire for aggression, making them suitable for actively attacking artifacts of the strong attack or agile attack type.

The spine-like tailbone looked like a whip, but the barbs on it made it suitable for throwing as a concealed weapon. She wondered if it could be made into a multi-purpose artifact capable of both close and long-range combat.

The ribcage…

Mo Xun stared at the ribcage for a while. Seeing the hollowed-out sections in the middle, she thought of the Demon Suppressing Pagoda array patterns she had seen on the lowest floor of the tower, and then of Yun Wushang’s simple dwelling. A bold idea suddenly occurred to her.

Mo Xun: I want to refine a home for Yun Wushang.

No. Not just for Yun Wushang, but for both her and Yun Wushang.

A place where they could cultivate, rest, or even engage in that kind of activity comfortably and without any concerns.

A place where spiritual energy and demonic energy could coexist harmoniously, like the Taiji Yin and Yang symbol.

Although Mo Xun had not yet broken through to the Void Refinement stage, her understanding of space was no less than a Void Refinement cultivator’s. She was confident in refining a spatial magic treasure.

However, Senior Dongguo was right; refining high-grade magic treasures required a vast consumption of spiritual power. With her current spiritual power, she could only refine up to a seventh-grade magic treasure. And the quality of this ribcage was eighth-grade.

Mo Xun sighed regretfully, then put all the other materials back into the pouch, leaving only the spine-like tailbone. Its grade just reached seventh-grade.

Just as before refining the “Infinite Evasion Bracelet,” Mo Xun first closed her eyes and perfected the blueprint of the magic treasure in her mind, including the final appearance, the function it would perform, and the creation and verification of the array patterns.

After completing all this, she set up a Spirit Gathering Array beneath herself and scattered a full ten thousand spirit stones around to compensate for her lack of spiritual power.

Ensuring everything was foolproof, she then let the ninth-grade spiritual fire ignite on her palm, placed the forging material into the crucible, and began to cut it patiently and meticulously.

She carefully separated every barb on the tailbone and then connected them with spiritual power.

She polished the middle section of the tailbone smooth and connected the ends.

Twenty-three bone spurs were reduced to the eighteen sharpest and most suitably sized ones, which were simultaneously refined into spiritual blades.

The middle section of the tailbone was polished into a bracelet size, with eighteen indentations to house the eighteen spiritual blades.

The entire process took nearly a year.

During the refining process, Mo Xun unknowingly advanced to the late Soul Transformation stage.

After carving the final array pattern, the refining ended, the flames extinguished, and the temperature dropped. A pristine white and smooth bone bracelet appeared on Mo Xun’s wrist, inlaid with eighteen cyan-blue beads that emitted a soft glow.

With just a thought from Mo Xun, the eighteen beads flew out together, instantly transforming into slightly curved blades, slicing through the air like claws and letting out piercing shrieks!

A seventh-grade strong attack artifact was complete!

Its power could rival the seventh stage of the Sword Riding Technique, “Rain of Swords.”

As for the name…

“Let’s call it the Bone Bracelet Eighteen Blades!” Mo Xun was very satisfied with the name she gave the magic treasure.

Mo Xun: Bone Bracelet Eighteen Blades. What a domineering name! It sounds strong!

However, the system mercilessly poured cold water on her: Whether it sounds strong or not, I don’t know, but it sounds exactly like a bracelet made of animal bones that can control eighteen sharp blades. Host, although I don’t understand artifact forging, I must say that the names you give your magic treasures are too honest.

Mo Xun: It shows I am an honest person.

System: …

Mo Xun: Alright, seriously, how can I be less honest?

System: It’s simple. Exaggerate the effect. For example, exaggerate “eighteen” to a thousand: Bone Bracelet Thousand Blades!

Mo Xun: !

System: [Or, add some words that sound like they can destroy everything, like “Heaven-Slayer”: Heaven-Slayer Thousand Kill Bone Blade Bracelet!]

Mo Xun: “…”

Mo Xun: You sit at the same table as the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion. I’m leaving, I’m leaving.

This bracelet was refined for Mo Xun’s personal use, not for auction, so the name should be whatever made her feel comfortable. So, Bone Bracelet Eighteen Blades it is!

Mo Xun collected the remaining spirit stones, wore the bracelet, removed the five layers of restrictions, opened the stone door, and stepped out of the stone chamber.

As soon as she took half a step, an exclamation reached her ears; it sounded like Senior Xu Lizhi’s voice.

“Oh my god! If I’m not mistaken, is this the aura of a seventh-grade magic treasure?”

Since she heard the voice, Mo Xun replied, “Yes, Senior.”

“You, a seventh-grade magic treasure in one year? Oh my god! The ninth-grade white flame is truly astonishing!” Xu Lizhi exclaimed repeatedly. “I take back what I said a year ago… Refining a ninth-grade magic treasure within three years is still too ambitious a goal, but you might be able to refine an eighth-grade magic treasure within three years!”

“I shall take that as your blessing, Senior,” Mo Xun said with a smile, then asked curiously, “Where is Senior Dongguo?”

Xu Lizhi: “She is currently in seclusion refining an eighth-grade magic treasure. I don’t know if she will succeed this time. Her last seclusion took five years, and the final product was still only seventh-grade.”

Mo Xun: “I see. And you, Senior?”

Xu Lizhi: “I… I am ashamed. I am still perfecting the blueprint. It is common for artifact forgers to spend several years on blueprints. The higher the grade of the magic treasure, the more complex the structure and array patterns are, and one must ensure absolute certainty before beginning the refinement.”

Mo Xun: “Senior speaks wisely.”

Xu Lizhi: “What are your plans next, Fellow Daoist?”

Hearing the address “Fellow Daoist,” Mo Xun paused for a moment, then smiled and said, “I’m going to meet someone, and then I’ll return to seclusion to attempt refining an eighth-grade magic treasure.”

Xu Lizhi: “That person must be very important to you.”

Mo Xun replied with a light but firm “Yes.”

After saying goodbye to Xu Lizhi, Mo Xun left the Inner Sect tower of the Artifact Forging Immortal Gate. The moment she stepped out of the tower gate, her primordial spirit instantly left her body and began searching for a certain person.

Her primordial spirit flew with a clear purpose to the cave dwelling where Yun Wushang was staying.

She saw Yun Wushang sitting cross-legged on the stone bed. Sensing her primordial spirit, Yun Wushang opened her mouth while keeping her eyes closed: “Who allowed you to peek at me?”

Yun Wushang was about to say something but stopped, eventually sighing helplessly and opening her eyes.

Their eyes met, and both their lips curved into uncontrollable smiles.

However, Yun Wushang quickly forced her lips down, then feigned composure and shifted her gaze to the bone bracelet on Mo Xun’s hand, asking indifferently, “Where is my ninth-grade magic treasure?”

“That… is still being conceived, but I have successfully refined a seventh-grade magic treasure!” Mo Xun showed the bracelet on her hand to Yun Wushang without reservation.

The Bone Bracelet Eighteen Blades looked very delicate; even a non-spiritual replica would require a lot of polishing.

Yun Wushang raised her left hand, compared it with the black jade bracelet on her own wrist, and narrowed her eyes with dissatisfaction: “The one you make for yourself is clearly special.”

Mo Xun’s movement froze, and the smile on her face also stiffened.

She wasn’t sure if Yun Wushang was serious or just saying it casually, but either way, what she needed to do was the same.

Mo Xun put down her left hand, gently took Yun Wushang’s right hand with her own right hand, lowered her head, and softly kissed her ring finger: “Wushang, I promise you, within three years, a ninth-grade magic treasure will appear right here.”

Mo Xun: And then we’ll get married!

Yun Wushang didn’t know the significance of wearing a ring on the ring finger, but she was still stirred by Mo Xun’s actions, and her heartbeat involuntarily quickened slightly.

The finger Mo Xun was holding slightly curled, her eyelashes lowered, and her lips pursed. It took her a long time to regain her voice and say, “Alright.”

Hearing this “Alright,” Mo Xun knew she had passed the test and smiled again, bringing her lips close to Yun Wushang’s: “May I kiss you?”

Yun Wushang turned her head to avoid her voice: “…Too talkative.”

Mo Xun then kissed her.

In fact, before meeting Yun Wushang, Mo Xun had many things she wanted to say, but now, she felt that none of them were necessary.

She wanted to ask Yun Wushang if the artifact forger she hated was named Luo Baozhu, but it was unnecessary, because no matter who Yun Wushang hated, she would help her kill them.

She wanted to tell Yun Wushang that she planned to refine a home for them, but this was also unnecessary. Although she didn’t think she would fail, it would definitely be better to surprise Yun Wushang after successfully refining it; otherwise, it would be akin to making empty promises.

In the end, Mo Xun condensed everything she wanted to say into this kiss.

After the kiss, Yun Wushang lay back on the stone bed. Mo Xun looked at her in surprise. Although she understood her meaning, at the moment, rather than possessing Yun Wushang, she wanted to know more about the situation outside: “I was in seclusion for a bit longer this time. How have you been? Are Senior Sister and Master doing alright?”

Yun Wushang raised one leg, her toes touching Mo Xun’s chest. Mo Xun immediately cradled her calf with her palm.

Yun Wushang lay on the stone bed, looking at Mo Xun and saying, “What do your Master and Senior Sister have to do with me?”

Her posture was too tempting. Mo Xun finally couldn’t resist leaning forward and pressing her beneath her. But before making a move, she whispered in her ear: “They are your Master and Senior Sister, too.”

Yun Wushang pursed her lip and didn’t say anything, raising her hand to wrap around Mo Xun’s neck.

Three days later, Mo Xun left Yun Wushang’s dwelling and went to a nearby market to purchase some auxiliary materials for artifact forging, including but not limited to red copper, dark iron, fine gold, purple gold sand, and white jade marrow.

As soon as she returned to the Artifact Forging Immortal Gate, a purple-robed female cultivator suddenly rushed up excitedly, sweetly calling out, “Mo Xun, Mo Xun, Mo Xun!”

Mo Xun backed away vigilantly, keeping her distance.

At first, she only felt that the person looked somewhat familiar. Thinking of the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion because of the color of her clothes, she finally recalled her identity and name: “Lin Lanyue?”

The junior from the Pavilion Master of the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion’s family, the Soul Transformation stage female cultivator who raced her in the secret realm and lost two demonic beast tusks to her?

“Wow, you actually remember my name!” The other party looked pleasantly surprised.

It was indeed Lin Lanyue.

“You’re looking for me?” Mo Xun pointed to herself uncertainly, unable to figure out why the other party would suddenly seek her out, though she didn’t look like she was seeking revenge.

Lin Lanyue chuckled twice and held up eight fingers: “I heard you successfully refined a seventh-grade magic treasure. If you refine a seventh-grade magic treasure for me, I’ll give you eight million spirit stones. How about it?”

Eight million…

Mo Xun’s mouth dropped open into an ‘O’ shape.

She had previously auctioned a fourth-grade magic treasure and a pile of pills at the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, earning a total of over six million. And Lin Lanyue was offering eight million right away!

It was impossible not to be tempted, but Mo Xun had already decided what she was going to refine next. She had just gone to the market to buy materials for that specific artifact, and those materials alone cost her over two million spirit stones.

So, after some internal struggle, Mo Xun made a decision: “I apologize, but I don’t have time right now.”

“How long is ‘right now’?” Lin Lanyue looked somewhat disappointed but asked anyway.

Mo Xun thought for a moment and said, “A minimum of two years, maybe five years at most.”

“Five years!” Lin Lanyue was shocked.

Mo Xun thought she disliked the long wait, but her next sentence was: “For an artifact forger, spending ten years on one artifact is normal. The last artifact forger I commissioned has been in seclusion for eight years. I, Lin Lanyue, have nothing but patience. Within ten years, if you are willing to forge an artifact for me, come find me at the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion. The price is negotiable, but it will be eight million spirit stones, no lower!”

Since she put it that way, Mo Xun no longer refused and simply said, “Alright.”

Receiving the confirmation, Lin Lanyue left happily.

Mo Xun was about to return to the tower for seclusion, but suddenly thought of something and returned to Yun Wushang’s temporary dwelling.

Yun Wushang saw her and raised an eyebrow: “Why are you back again?”

“I’m about to go back into seclusion. I came to tell you,” Mo Xun said with a smile, “Also…”

She took out a black jade bracelet from her storage brocade pouch and handed it to Yun Wushang: “This is the ‘Infinite Evasion Bracelet’ I refined for Master. Could I trouble you to deliver it to her?”

Yun Wushang looked at Mo Xun’s hand but did not take it: “Why don’t you deliver it yourself?”

Mo Xun: “I’m afraid I’ll be delayed for a few more days if I go, and besides… you are her favorite disciple.”

First the Sword Riding Technique, then the Compendium of Array Formations. The secret manuals Bai Muqing gave Yun Wushang always ended up in her hands in the blink of an eye. So, Bai Muqing must think Yun Wushang is constrained by her.

Mo Xun couldn’t deny feeling a little disappointed when she figured this out, but she wasn’t surprised.

Who wouldn’t like Yun Wushang?

She was beautiful, possessed the rarest variant Ice Heavenly Spiritual Root, and had such a lovely personality.

Yun Wushang lowered her head and remained silent for a long time.

Mo Xun’s hand remained suspended in the air for as long as Yun Wushang was silent, looking as though she insisted on her taking it.

Finally, Yun Wushang spoke, saying these three words: “I am a demon.”

Mo Xun: “So what?”

Yun Wushang: “She won’t like me now.”

Mo Xun: “That’s not necessarily true. Don’t forget, the Water Moon Immortal Sect is under your protection.”

Yun Wushang chuckled softly, sounding somewhat self-mocking: “Isn’t it precisely because I said that in the secret realm that the Water Moon Immortal Sect was targeted by the Spiritual Sword Immortal Gate?”

“Do you have to keep finding fault with yourself?” Mo Xun sighed helplessly. She finally put down the hand holding the bracelet, then leaned forward and gently embraced Yun Wushang.

She rested her head on Yun Wushang’s shoulder, cheek against cheek, and whispered in her ear: “Wushang, you haven’t done anything wrong. Being a demon only means your emotions are more intense than ordinary cultivators. The cultivators of the Spiritual Sword Immortal Gate targeted the Water Moon Immortal Sect because they are trash, not because the Water Moon Immortal Sect cultivators did anything wrong, and certainly not because of you. Senior Sister Jiuchu doesn’t say it, but I think she has already accepted you. Master will definitely accept you too.”

Listening to Mo Xun’s words and feeling her embrace, Yun Wushang’s nose stung. It was too late when she tried to control her emotions.

Her tears slid down her cheeks, dripping onto Mo Xun’s shoulder and seeping into her clothes.

Mo Xun gently rubbed her head with her palm, planting a kiss on her neck, trying to soothe her with intimate touch.

Compared to Yun Wushang, Mo Xun’s emotions were truly light. Even if she could clearly sense Yun Wushang’s emotions, she wouldn’t be carried away by them and cry along. Perhaps this was what Meiyan meant by being “heartless and soulless.” However, Mo Xun’s love was not light at all. She had already committed to Yun Wushang and was willing to die for her, though this was something she would never say out loud for Yun Wushang to know.

Mo Xun knew Yun Wushang wanted a sect that would accept her, and she wanted her Master and Senior Sister because Yun Wushang’s obsession was the “self in the eyes of others.” She subconsciously wanted to get along well with everyone around her, but was stopped by her identity as a demon cultivator and her past experience of betrayal.

Therefore, Mo Xun wanted to give Yun Wushang a chance to be accepted by the Sect Master Bai Muqing and the Water Moon Immortal Sect.

If Bai Muqing did not accept Yun Wushang… well, she might as well not send the bracelet.

“Alright,” Yun Wushang accepted the bracelet, but immediately wrapped her arms around Mo Xun’s waist, preventing her from pulling back.

Mo Xun understood her intention and chuckled lightly: “You don’t want me to see your current expression? What’s the big deal? I’ve seen you at your most distressed…”

Before she could finish her sentence, Yun Wushang bit her shoulder viciously.

Although it was through her clothes, Yun Wushang bit down hard, causing Mo Xun to let out a pained groan.

Mo Xun: Revenge, this is revenge!

Mo Xun suspected that Yun Wushang had been waiting for an opportunity to bite her back ever since she bit Yun Wushang.

But Mo Xun didn’t flinch at all; she even hugged Yun Wushang tighter: “Bite away, bite away. I have spiritual energy for healing anyway, bite as much as you like. I’ll just pretend I’m raising a naughty cat.”

Yun Wushang originally only intended to bite once, but hearing that sentence, she bit again.

Mo Xun: “…”

It turns out some suffering is purely self-inflicted.

After a while, Yun Wushang calmed down. After circulating her demonic energy to eliminate the redness and swelling around her eyes, she finally let go of Mo Xun.

Mo Xun straightened up, clutching her waist, looking pained.

Yun Wushang looked at her and said coolly, “You’re weak.”

Mo Xun resisted the urge to roll her eyes: “…I guess the rain has passed, and you can be verbally tough again.”

Yun Wushang scoffed: “I will deliver the bracelet. Go refine your artifacts.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Mo Xun turned to leave.

However, just as she was about to depart, she suddenly felt reluctant. She turned back, kissed Yun Wushang one last time, and whispered, “I’m going now.”

Yun Wushang acknowledged with an “En.”

Mo Xun: “If a Great Ascension stage cultivator infringes upon the Water Moon Immortal Sect, and you really want to protect it, just give everyone a Thousand Mile Teleportation Talisman. The Water Moon Peak can be reclaimed, but if people die, everything is lost.”

Yun Wushang: “Alright.”

Mo Xun: “I’m leaving.”

Yun Wushang: “You’ve said that already.”

Mo Xun: “I love you.”

Yun Wushang: “That, too, has been said.”

Mo Xun: “Yes, I said it a long time ago…”

Mo Xun smiled and didn’t say anything more. She used a Spatial Folding technique to return to the entrance of the Inner Sect tower of the Artifact Forging Immortal Gate.

Sensing her aura, the heavy doors automatically opened to both sides. She entered, her steps no longer showing any hesitation.

Yun Wushang picked up the black jade bracelet in her hand and examined it closely. The bracelet meant for Bai Muqing only had array patterns, no “extra” characters, and not even the inscription “From Mo Xun to Master.” The one for Chu Jiuchu must be the same.

Only her own was special.

Yun Wushang’s lips curved into a slight smile. She then took the bracelet and left the cave dwelling, flying toward the Water Moon Immortal Sect.