Chapter 427: Chapter 147: Fifth Heaven of the Spirit Awakening Realm, Great Success in the Twelve True Forms Fist; Arrival of the Blood Curse Hunt...

"You dare call my Lower Grade Magical Artifact an ordinary weapon? I’ll show you what it can do!"

He let out a low snarl, raised the Long Saber from the Celestial Workshop, and channeled his Primordial Qi, bringing it down in a furious strike toward Chu Fan’s Thunder Blade.

CLANG—CRACK!

The ear-splitting clang of metal was immediately followed by a crisp cracking sound.

To everyone’s astonishment, he had sliced Chu Fan’s Thunder Blade in two with a single blow!

The cut was as smooth as a mirror.

The workshop fell silent, leaving only the roar of the furnace.

Chu Fan looked at the half-blade still in his grasp, then at the other piece lying on the floor. His gaze hardened, but there wasn’t a hint of anger on his face.

He looked up, nodded calmly, and said with a tone that even held a hint of approval, "It certainly is sharp."

Seeing this, the Artifact Refiner’s expression grew even more smug.

He was about to boast about his blade again when Chu Fan’s tone shifted. "In that case... time to pay up."

"???" The Artifact Refiner’s smile froze on his face.

Chu Fan stated calmly, "This Thunder Blade of mine was forged by a master craftsman using Hundred-refined Steel mixed with Thunder Pattern Stone. In total, it cost eighteen thousand taels of silver."

"I came to your Celestial Workshop today to discuss business, and you, an Artifact Refiner, broke my livelihood in half without a second thought. By all rights, you must not only compensate me for its full value but also offer a sincere apology. Otherwise, I’ll sue you blind... I mean, I’ll file a complaint that will bury you!"

"E-eighteen thousand taels?" The Artifact Refiner’s face flushed a deep crimson, his expression a mixture of shock and fury. "Bullshit! No Lower Grade Magical Artifact, no matter how good, is worth eighteen thousand taels!"

"This is extortion! A little brat like you dares to come to the Artifact Origin Sect’s territory and try to shake us down? You’ve got some nerve!"

Before he could finish, Chu Fan flipped his wrist, revealing a black token with gold lettering.

"I’m a Demon Suppression Guard."

Chu Fan’s voice wasn’t loud, yet it carried clearly to everyone present. "So, you’re saying a Demon Suppression Guard came to the Artifact Origin Sect’s territory to extort people? Are you slandering me, or are you slandering the entire Demon Suppression Bureau?"

"A... a Demon Suppression Guard?!"

The Artifact Refiner looked as if he’d been doused with ice water. The color drained from his face, cold sweat beaded on his brow, and his knees began to feel weak.

He realized with a jolt that his moment of impulse had landed him in deep trouble.

The commotion had already attracted the attention of the Celestial Workshop’s manager.

A middle-aged man who appeared to be the manager rushed over. When he saw the token in Chu Fan’s hand, his expression changed instantly. He hurriedly bowed with his hands clasped, forcing a smile. "So, an officer from the Demon Suppression Bureau has graced us with his presence! My subordinate is ignorant and has offended you, my lord. I deeply hope for your forgiveness! We will compensate you. We will absolutely compensate you!"

Seeing the man’s agreeable attitude, Chu Fan’s expression softened slightly. He nodded. "A much better attitude. In that case, as I said, pay up. Eighteen thousand taels."

The manager’s lips twitched. He silently cursed the refiner for an idiot. The price was absurd, but he maintained a strained smile. "My lord, please calm your anger. Would you permit me to invite a few of our Artifact Refiners to appraise the value of your broken blade?"

"We will certainly provide full compensation at market value. We would never let you take a loss, my lord."

Chu Fan gave an indifferent nod of consent.

Soon, two older Artifact Refiners were brought over.

The three of them carefully examined the broken blade, conferring in low voices for a moment. The manager then stepped forward to speak. "My lord, after our appraisal, this blade is indeed a Lower Grade Magical Artifact. The materials are decent, putting its market value at around five thousand taels of silver. However, because the blade was forged with a Thunder Attribute Ore, it’s slightly more powerful than a typical Lower Grade Magical Artifact, so its value could be adjusted upward."

He paused, watching Chu Fan’s expression, and continued cautiously, "Given the blade’s special materials, the Celestial Workshop is willing to compensate you with six thousand taels of silver and offer our sincerest apologies. What do you think... is that acceptable?"

Chu Fan mulled it over for a moment.

’He knew that without his Demon Suppression Guard Token, they probably wouldn’t have even willingly paid the five thousand taels.’

’Getting an extra thousand taels was already the result of him leveraging his authority.’

Deciding to quit while he was ahead, Chu Fan nodded. "Fine."

After accepting the silver notes, Chu Fan bent down, picked up the two halves of the broken blade, and tucked them into his storage pouch.

The Artifact Refiner who had broken the blade could only watch, his eyes wide with disbelief. ’He paid the compensation, and now he’s taking the broken blade, too?!’

But Chu Fan didn’t leave. Instead, he turned to the manager and said, "The reason I came here today was to have a weapon forged."

As he spoke, he took out the Demon Marrow Gold he had "extorted" from Baili Bing of the Medicine King Valley, drawing the curious gazes of the others.

The piece of metal was about the size of a fist. It was pitch-black but shimmered with a faint, dark purple luminescence, its surface covered in naturally twisted patterns.

Just holding it, one could feel a strange, bone-chilling cold emanating from it, an energy that stirred a sense of unease.

"This is... Demon Marrow Gold?!"

The Artifact Refiners all gasped in unison, their expressions changing the instant they looked at Chu Fan.

’This type of celestial meteorite iron is incredibly rare. It contains pure Demonic Qi and is a top-tier material for forging a Demon Divine Weapon!’

’And a Demon Suppression Guard wants to forge a blade with it?’

Chu Fan ignored their shocked and suspicious looks and asked directly, "Does your workshop have any materials that would complement this Demon Marrow Gold? I want to combine them to forge a new blade."

The manager suppressed his shock and thought for a moment, a glint flashing in his eyes. "What a coincidence! I happen to have a piece of Blood Pattern Steel in my personal collection!"

"This material was created by drenching high-grade Refined Gold in Ten Thousand Demon Essence Blood, then tempering it in Earth Vein Demonic Qi for a century. The resulting Evil Qi is overwhelming! It’s perfect for forging a light and incomparably sharp Demon Weapon. Plus, any wounds it inflicts will be continuously corroded by malevolent energy, making them nearly impossible to heal!"

Chu Fan was thrilled to hear this!

’These were exactly the properties he was looking for!’

’If he could use a blade like this to perform the Nine Tribulations Blood Prison Saber, combining it with the Evil Qi he cultivated, its power would increase exponentially!’

"How much?" he asked, getting straight to the point.

The manager did a quick mental calculation. "For you, my lord, I can let this Blood Pattern Steel go for sixty thousand taels of silver."

"To forge a Demon Blade using the Blood Pattern Steel and Demon Marrow Gold as the primary materials, supplemented with other ingredients, the crafting fee will be forty thousand taels of silver."

"The total comes to one hundred thousand taels, and it will take about half a month to complete."