The entire class was stunned, exchanging confused glances. What Li Yunxiao had said completely exceeded the scope of the textbook.
But Luo Yunshang heard it clearly and distinctly!
Her pupils constricted, and she blurted out, "If that's the case, then the more Heavenly Crystal Sand you add during the refining process, the better. But why, when adding Yaojin to red-refined copper for melting, does the process fail more easily with the increasing amount of Heavenly Crystal Sand?"
This had been the problem that had been bothering her for days, one that she could never solve. It had left her in a bad mood for the past few days. Now, in a moment of impulse, she asked her question, no longer caring about the test, her demeanor purely one of seeking advice.
The entire class stared at her with their mouths agape, dumbfounded. Was this still the knowledgeable, ice-cold, and proud Teacher Luo?
Li Yunxiao remained calm, his expression unruffled, and answered patiently, "Red-refined copper is metal but leans toward fire. South Fire counters West Gold, so it has a strong dissolving effect on Yaojin. That's why many refining masters prefer to use Yaojin when enhancing red-refined copper for Xuan weapons. But if there's Heavenly Crystal Sand involved, it's a whole different story."
He paused for a moment, noticing the eager look in Luo Yunshang's eyes. He smiled lightly and continued, "That's because Heavenly Crystal Sand has water properties, which neutralize the fire element of red-refined copper. The more you add, the weaker the dissolving power of Yaojin becomes."
"Ah!" Luo Yunshang's eyes lit up with excitement. "So that's it! No wonder I've always failed! What should I do then?"
Li Yunxiao's gaze softened with a hint of a smile. "Simple. Treat the Heavenly Crystal Sand as an impurity and use purifying techniques to remove it."
"Ah!" Luo Yunshang gasped in astonishment. "How could I be so stupid? Such an obvious solution, and I couldn't figure it out!"
Her mind started racing, and the steps of the refining process flashed through her thoughts one by one, finally reaching a satisfying conclusion. Her eyes brightened, and a joyful smile spread across her face.
"Mm? Where did Li Yunxiao go?"
She felt a wave of gratitude, mixed with shock. The wasteful martial arts student, often looked down upon, turned out to have a deeper understanding of refining than she, a bona fide advanced refining apprentice!
With such strong talent in refining, his future seemed far brighter than that of someone focusing solely on martial cultivation. Was this really the same student they'd all thought of as a waste?
Her mind replayed everything about Li Yunxiao and she silently scolded herself. As a head teacher, how could she have missed such an outstanding trait in her student?
"He… he just went out…" one of the students said meekly, his eyes awkwardly shifting toward Luo Yunshang.
"Mm?" Luo Yunshang raised an eyebrow and said angrily, "He ignored me and sneaked out during class?!"
The student hurriedly averted his gaze and weakly responded, "But didn't you say that if he answered the question correctly, he could skip your class? If I were him, I would have left too."
"Bang!"
Luo Yunshang slammed her palm onto the black iron podium, leaving a deep imprint, shaking the entire class. Everyone held their breath, not daring to speak. "Who heard me say that?!"
Her cold gaze swept across the students. Those whose eyes met hers shivered, their faces turning pale, and they frantically shook their heads, "We didn't hear anything. Teacher Luo never said such a thing."
"Hmph!"
Luo Yunshang's voice was icy. "Class is dismissed! Tell Li Yunxiao that if I don't see him next class, he'll spend three days in the Tenfold Gravity Room!"
"Three days?!"
Everyone gasped in shock, staring at Luo Yunshang as she kicked open the classroom door and stormed off toward the Refining Hall. The class was left in stunned silence.
"Hey, what's going on here?" Du Feng was the first to speak, rising from his seat and walking over to a tall student. "Big Brother, what happened?"
"Hmph!"
The tall student, Lan Fei, seemed to be the leader of the group. Soon, a crowd gathered around him. He snorted and said, "How should I know? It seems this Li Yunxiao brat knows a lot about refining."
"No way," Shangguan Qing's eyes widened in disbelief. "Could this martial arts waste be a refining genius?! What are we supposed to do?"
"Smack!"
Lan Fei hit Shangguan Qing on the head with his textbook, annoyed. "What nonsense are you talking? He just read a few books! The talent required for refining is much higher than that for martial arts. A waste who can't even open a meridian—how could he ever succeed in refining?"
"Big Brother's right!"
The others quickly chimed in, nodding, though their expressions varied.
Lan Fei roughly shoved Shangguan Qing aside and walked toward the other side of the room where a few students were whispering to each other. He sneered loudly, "No one is to tell Li Yunxiao what Teacher Luo said. If he shows up next class… hmph!"
He let out a heavy snort, and the others turned pale under his gaze, lowering their heads in silence.
Lan Fei grinned smugly and turned to address a few students. "Chen Gung, Han Feizhu, and you, Ru Xue—you little girls better not mess this up! If Li Yunxiao shows up next class, I'll be the first to deal with you."
These students had always been closer to Li Yunxiao, and they were considered part of the opposing faction against Lan Fei and his group.
Qin Ruxue's face hardened, and she clenched her fists. "I'll go tell him. What can you do about it? You wanna fight me?"
"Whoosh!"
Lan Fei was enraged. He jumped from his seat, striding to the podium and launching a punch. "Bang!" His fist struck the black iron, leaving a shallow imprint.
"Black iron imprint! Did Lan Fei open the seven meridians and form Yuan Force?"
"Impossible! Only after opening all seven meridians can you enter the Yuan Realm and become a warrior. He's only fifteen!"
"Even if he hasn't opened them all, it's close enough. A fifteen-year-old warrior, another genius from Tian Shui Country!"
Whispers of awe filled the room, and dozens of eyes were filled with envy and jealousy. Lan Fei felt a surge of superiority and arrogantly pointed at Qin Ruxue. "Even if you are a princess, with my talent, if I occasionally make trouble for you, the King won't care."
Qin Ruxue's face flushed with anger, her hand raised, ready to strike. She was immediately held back by Chen Zhen and Han Bai, two of Li Yunxiao's staunch supporters.
Han Bai whispered, "Princess, we're at a disadvantage right now. Don't clash with them."
The sixty-odd students in the class were all children of prominent families from Tian Shui Country, divided naturally into two factions based on their family backgrounds—one led by Lan Fei and Shangguan Qing, the civil official faction, and the other by Li Yunxiao, Han Bai, and others, who were from the military families.
The princess had always despised the arrogance of Lan Fei and his group, and she had instinctively sided with Li Yunxiao.
Meanwhile, Li Yunxiao was walking alone down the streets of Tian Shui Country's capital.
Since his memory had been restored, his soul power had been gradually recovering. The first benefit was an enhanced spiritual sense. He checked his body carefully.
"This body really is problematic. No wonder they call me a martial arts waste. Many hidden meridians in my Great Zhou Tien are completely dry, making it impossible to gather energy, so naturally, I can't open any meridians. It looks like I'll need to take care of my body first. No point in thinking about restoring my strength anytime soon."
He lifted his head and saw the tall and imposing building ahead. He quickened his steps. "This is the capital of Tian Shui Country. I remember Yang Di is from here. I wonder if he's at the Refining Master Guild. If I can find him, everything will be easier."
The Refining Master Guild was a powerful force that spanned the entire Tian Wu Continent, with an esteemed position wherever it existed. The Refining Master Tower, as its center, was the tallest building in any given area.
Li Yunxiao glanced at the Refining Master Tower. Though it was far lower in level than the one he had stayed in before, it still gave him a strangely nostalgic feeling.
An old stone tablet in front of the tower bore several inscriptions: "Refining Master Guild," "Tian Shui Country Branch," "Year 1001 of Tian Wu Calendar, Yang Di."
"The tablet was rebuilt in 1001 of the Tian Wu Calendar? 1001? That's when Yang Di was promoted to a Tier 3 Refining Master and became the president of the Tian Shui branch. I wonder if he's still here."
Li Yunxiao had lived in Tian Shui Country for fifteen years, but figures of such high status were out of his reach. The highest-ranking refining master he knew was someone called Liang Wenyu, who was a Tier 2 Water Master.
There were no guards outside the tower, as no one dared cause trouble here. The hidden power within the tower made it one of the safest places in Tian Shui Country.
Li Yunxiao pushed open the door and stepped inside. The spacious hall inside was far larger than it appeared from the outside. The bustling crowd made it feel like a lively market.
"Welcome to the Refining Master Guild!"
A sweet voice rang out, and a fashionable beauty named Lu Yao appeared, smiling warmly. "How may I assist you, dear young master?"
These service attendants, present in every Refining Master Guild, were always polite and respectful when welcoming visitors. This casual and friendly demeanor was something Li Yunxiao hadn't seen in years. He smiled faintly and said, "Young master?"
Lu Yao beamed. "You're the youngest gentleman I've ever had the pleasure of serving. How may I assist you?" Her smile was as sweet as a flower, though she kept an eye on him with some curiosity.
Typically, first-time visitors to the Refining Master Tower were nervous and excited, especially children, who would often sneak peeks from behind their parents. But not this one—he scanned the room calmly, with an air of someone who had seen his share of important places.