Full and satisfied, Akasius leaned back and asked, " Fanmuir, what brings you to the Divine Realm of the Pantheon? I happen to know a few people around here—perhaps I could be of some assistance."
He wasn't exaggerating in the slightest. In fact, if anything, he was being modest. Though Thor's Peak reigned supreme in the world of artifact refinement, it was also an undisputed powerhouse in the cultivation world—perhaps not as dominant as the Pantheon itself, but still an elite force among the greatest factions.
For cultivators, divine elixirs could enhance their strength, but divine artifacts were just as valuable, offering unparalleled boosts to both offense and defense. Some even possessed the ability to harness the forces of heaven and earth, accelerating the wielder's cultivation. Since the pursuit of ever-greater power was the ultimate goal of all cultivators, these treasures were highly sought after, making divine artifacts objects of obsession and fervent competition.
With the founding of Mysteries of the Gods, its greatest beneficiaries—aside from the Pantheon and a handful of supreme factions—were undoubtedly the mighty forces specializing in alchemy and artifact refinement. In truth, Mysteries of the Gods served as the perfect marketplace for these powerhouses, providing an ideal platform to sell their wares. The majority of visitors came with a singular purpose: to acquire divine elixirs and artifacts. Naturally, as the leading authority in artifact refinement, Thor's Peak played a pivotal role in this grand scheme.
Just as in the mortal world, the more advanced the craft, the greater its value—and the greater the profits. A single Valdes Sword, crafted with mere dozens of pounds of Russian rhodium, could be exchanged for incomparably rare minerals—or, at the very least, several hundred pounds of Russian rhodium in return. With such astronomical profit margins, Thor's Peak had amassed an immense fortune through Mysteries of the Gods. And as one of its most influential figures, Akasius was not only an artisan of legendary skill but also a figure of unparalleled status within the organization.
Hearing his newfound brother's sincere concern, Fanmuir was deeply moved. However, the truth about the Leviathan's Blood was far too significant. Even the slightest slip could trigger an upheaval in the cultivation world. Thus, he decided to conceal the real reason for his visit. Instead, he offered a half-truth: "I've long heard that Mysteries of the Gods houses many divine elixirs and artifacts, so I came to test my luck—perhaps I might find something of value."
Akasius nodded, his voice laced with concern. "With your current level of cultivation, you'd be better off focusing on training in your clan's sanctuary rather than lingering in such a high-risk place."
His genuine worry made Fanmuir feel a pang of guilt. Unable to keep up the facade any longer, he flushed slightly and admitted, "Heh… I cast a minor spell on myself. That's why my cultivation appears to be only at the Martial Sovereign level."
"Oh?" Akasius raised an eyebrow in surprise. Judging by Fanmuir's apparent age, he had assumed the young man was barely a century old. If he had truly reached the mid-stage of the Martial Sovereign realm at such an age, even among the foremost sects of the cultivation world, he would be considered outstanding—let alone coming from a mere second- or third-tier cultivation family.
Achieving such mastery at such a young age, reaching the mid-tier of the Martial Sovereign realm, was already an impressive feat. Akasius had greatly admired Fanmuir's talent, but he had not expected his newly sworn brother to drop such a bombshell—claiming that his cultivation had already surpassed the Martial Sovereign level.
Curious, Akasius opened his mystical eyes to probe Fanmuir's true strength. The next moment, he was utterly stunned, his face frozen in sheer disbelief. By the gods! This little brother of mine is far too powerful—he has already stepped into the realm of True Gods!
Back in the day, when Akasius himself had reached the True God stage at the age of three hundred, the elders of Thunder God Mountain had hailed him as a prodigy. Yet now, his newly sworn brother had already attained True God status! At that moment, Akasius saw Fanmuir in an entirely different light. Pride swelled in his chest—not just for his brother's astounding achievements, but also for his own keen judgment in recognizing a true genius.
But what Akasius could not have imagined was that Fanmuir wasn't merely a True God-level martial expert—he was also concealing his identity as a member of the Blood Clan. In truth, Fanmuir was a Blood Angel, a supreme being of his race, and had lived for over fifteen centuries.
"A True God-level expert indeed ought to step out and explore the world," Akasius remarked. Now that he was certain of Fanmuir's cultivation, he had no further concerns. However, a slight frown soon appeared on his face. He suddenly realized that despite reaching such a formidable level, Fanmuir did not possess a single protective toga, divine armor, or even a decent weapon or artifact. This was simply unacceptable.
True, Akasius knew that lower-tier factions were often poor, but this was a True God-level warrior they were talking about! How could he be so... ill-equipped?
Of course, he was unaware that the Alessandro family had always been mere vassals, tasked with guarding Fanmuir for over fifteen hundred years without ever leaving the Alps. They had never dabbled in alchemy or artifact forging, and naturally had no knowledge of divine armor or protective togas.
But Fanmuir was now his sworn brother—and Akasius was the undisputed number-one master of artifact forging! No matter what, Fanmuir might be able to endure the shame, but Akasius absolutely could not.
Without another word, Akasius reached into his spatial ring and began pulling out artifact after artifact—a series of protective togas, exquisite Valdes divine swords, and more. Instantly, their surroundings were flooded with dazzling light, brimming with pure spiritual energy.
"My brother, we've only just sworn our bond, and I haven't had time to forge anything specifically for you," Akasius said, his tone filled with sincerity. "But these artifacts should be decent by the standards of the cultivation world—take them for now. When I get the chance, I'll personally craft one or two treasures tailored just for you."
Decent?
If any cultivators had been present to witness this spectacle of hovering, top-tier artifacts, they would have been driven completely mad with envy. Their eyes would have burned with uncontainable greed. These weren't just 'decent'—these were premium-grade divine artifacts!
But to Akasius, a master of his craft, these were nothing special—mere items he had forged casually in his free time.
Still, Fanmuir was the first sworn brother Akasius had ever recognized in his life. If he didn't carefully forge a masterpiece for him, how could he, the greatest forger in the realm, ever hold his head high? The very thought made Akasius' face flush with embarrassment.
Fanmuir, meanwhile, stood utterly speechless. Even as the noble leader of his clan, even with his esteemed status, he had never seen such a radiant display of treasures floating before his very eyes. His hands itched to reach out, his eyes sparkled with pure admiration.
What an incredible big brother!
What an unparalleled master of artifact forging!
Look at that luster! Look at the materials! My gods, every single piece is engraved with at least thirty-six intricate formations!
Seeing Fanmuir's expression frozen in awe, his eyes fixed on the floating artifacts, Akasius misunderstood.
His face grew even redder.
Just look at my little brother!
The very first time we met, he had personally prepared a sumptuous feast for me, carefully crafted exquisite cocktails for my enjoyment.
And what did I do?
I—the greatest forger of the cultivation world—am giving him a handful of casual artifacts as a first meeting gift?!
This… this is outrageous!
Achasius retrieved a few more top-tier artifacts from his storage ring and handed them to Fanmuir.
Fanmuir felt his world spin momentarily—his brother had misunderstood him! Fearing that Achasius might change his mind, he moved with lightning speed, sweeping all the floating artifacts into his storage space, the "Bloodline Scepter," in one swift motion.
Fanmuir had always been a keen learner, and now, having the fortune of forging a brotherly bond with the world's greatest artifact forger, he certainly wouldn't let the opportunity to learn slip away. Without hesitation, he prepared to take out each artifact one by one and consult Achasius about their craftsmanship. The first he withdrew was a golden Waldès Arcane Sword, three feet in length, gleaming with an ethereal luster.
Scanning the sword with his Angelic Inferno vision, Fanmuir quickly discerned that its material was already near perfection. Even if he used his magic to rearrange the atomic and molecular structure, he would at best achieve the same level of refinement. Of course, once he reached the level of a Phantom God, he might be able to manipulate electron layers and surpass this golden Waldès Arcane Sword in material composition. However, when it came to the arcane formations inscribed on the sword, Fanmuir could only stand in awe—the complexity of the engravings far exceeded his understanding of formations. At most, he could grasp the sheer number of formations and distinguish their general offensive and defensive properties.
Achasius had originally planned to explain the functions, strengths, and weaknesses of these artifacts, but when he saw Fanmuir swiftly stowing them away into the "Bloodline Scepter" space, he instantly understood the meaning behind Fanmuir's earlier gaze. He felt a slight pang of heartache—these were, after all, treasures that powerful cultivators across the realm would fight tooth and nail to obtain! Yet, Achasius truly valued Fanmuir; otherwise, he wouldn't have placed such weight on the word "brother" just moments ago.
"This sword is called the Golden Halberd Arcane Blade," Achasius began. "It is forged from premium Russian rhodium, infused with the scales of a millennia-old sea kraken. The fusion of these materials grants it exceptional properties, particularly underwater. It functions as a repelling artifact, allowing its wielder to remain untouched by water and fight with enhanced precision beneath the waves. The blade itself is inscribed with thirty-six formations, the most formidable being the 'Water Magic Array,' which significantly amplifies its offensive capabilities in aquatic environments."
Fanmuir then retrieved another artifact—a divine armor so thin and translucent it resembled ethereal silk, its surface shimmering with an ever-shifting iridescence.
He scanned it with his Angelic Inferno vision and was immediately overcome with excitement—this was unquestionably a top-tier defensive artifact. The material was exceptionally dense, and the armor bore an intricate weave of forty-nine interlinked defensive formations. His Angelic Inferno vision managed to penetrate only the first ten layers before being completely obstructed, a testament to just how formidable these formations were.
" Fanmuir, tell me about this divine armor," Fanmuir asked.
"This armor is called the Glazed Divine Armor. While not quite an ultimate-grade artifact, it is still an exceptional piece," Achasius explained. "Forged from ten-thousand-year-old Frostglass Silk and the crown feathers of the Nine-Colored Longevity Bird, it is inscribed with forty-nine interwoven defensive formations. With your True God-level cultivation, you can wield this armor to withstand a full-force strike from a Phantom God without suffering the slightest injury. Your cultivation is already formidable, but caution is the key to longevity. Refine the Glazed Divine Armor into your body as a protective measure."
Hearing that this armor could endure a full-power attack from a Phantom God, Fanmuir was overjoyed. No wonder so many cultivators were obsessed with artifact refinement and the pursuit of superior armaments—a single Glazed Divine Armor could allow a True God-level cultivator to survive an attack from a Phantom God. This was nothing short of a life-saving treasure.
Determined to assimilate the armor immediately, Fanmuir took a deep breath, clenched his right fist, and struck his own heart with force. A mouthful of celestial golden blood spewed forth, landing directly on the armor. The moment the divine blood touched its surface, the Glazed Divine Armor greedily absorbed it. Following the method Achasius had taught him, Fanmuir systematically unraveled the forty-nine defensive formations within the armor. When the final formation was conquered, the armor seamlessly merged into his body. Instantly, he felt an overwhelming sensation of unity, as though his very flesh and blood had fused with the artifact. Power surged through his being, filling him with newfound strength. Peering inward, he saw the formless, ethereal armor draped across his body. Wearing the Glazed Divine Armor, he exuded an aura of effortless grace and commanding majesty.
Without pause, Fanmuir proceeded to retrieve and study each artifact, consulting Achasius at every turn. It was clear that Achasius held genuine affection for his sworn brother—he answered every question with patience and remarkable detail. If not for the strict laws of Thunder God Mountain forbidding the transmission of secret techniques, he might well have imparted the mountain's entire artifact-forging legacy to Fanmuir.
Before long, Fanmuir had mastered the refining techniques and incantations for every artifact Achasius had gifted him. With each revelation, his excitement became impossible to suppress—his sworn brother was truly generous beyond measure.
Among the treasures he refined was a stunning arcane sword, the Purple Jaya Sword, its two-foot-long blade gleaming with a luminous violet radiance, as fluid and mesmerizing as autumn waters.
Fanmuir's luck was nothing short of extraordinary. These artifacts had all been forged by Achasius himself—who could possibly understand their intricacies better? With the master guiding him personally, Fanmuir avoided all detours, unraveling each formation with unstoppable momentum. Even the control incantations he learned were the most authentic, unaltered originals. Though he could not yet wield them with the full mastery of an artifact-forging grandmaster like Achasius, he could still unleash eighty to ninety percent of their potential—a feat in itself.