Rise of the Sword Son-in-Law

Chapter 198: Superior Grade Artifact Refiner

"Elder Song, what are you doing here?" Long Shan asked.

The elder surnamed Song didn’t immediately answer but instead glanced at Xu Ping’an, revealing a hint of surprise.

Only then did he look towards Long Shan and respond, "Young Master Long, there seems to be some misunderstanding here. This young friend is indeed qualified to enter the Fourth Layer."

As soon as Elder Song said this, the others all looked at Xu Ping’an with astonishment.

A Third Rank at the peak, qualified to enter the Fourth Layer?

How could that be possible?

Could it be that this fellow also comes from some major power?

But everyone is clear about the powers in the imperial capital, and there is no such figure within any of those powers.

If he comes from a power outside the imperial capital, then that’s even more unlikely. Aside from the Shangxian Sect, there’s only the Hehuan Sect left.

The Saintess of the Shangxian Sect is here, and she seems not to recognize this fellow.

And the Hehuan Sect only recruits women, which is clearly not possible.

For a moment, everyone was curious about the origins of Xu Ping’an.

Wu An was also extremely surprised, still somewhat in a daze up to now.

He had not expected that, with the token in hand, the elder from the other party would actually meet with him.

And now he was even stepping forward to explain on behalf of Xu Ping’an, so he too was extremely curious about Xu Ping’an’s identity.

The Shangxian Sect’s Saintess also looked at Xu Ping’an, seemingly trying to guess his origins.

"Elder Song, are you sure you’re not mistaken? If he is qualified to enter the Fourth Layer, then I am quite curious to hear from which power he hails. Could it be that he is a junior of yours, Elder Song?" Long Shan was arrogant, but not foolish.

Since the elder with the surname Song had taken the initiative to step forward, it was clear that Xu Ping’an’s identity was anything but ordinary.

Upon hearing this, Elder Song smiled faintly, "Young Master Long is jesting. This esteemed guest is not a person from our Song Family. In fact, with his status, he is also qualified to enter the Fifth Layer."

"What?"

A wave of surprise swept across the crowd.

Everyone’s expression turned to one of disbelief?

Even Long Shan didn’t have the qualifications to enter the Fifth Layer, yet this young man did?

Could it be that he is some kind of prince?

"Impossible, one cannot enter the Fifth Layer by depending on their heritage or background, unless he himself has achieved the cultivation of the Seventh Rank," Long Shan said.

The Shangxian Sect’s Saintess also nodded her agreement, as she too had no qualifications to enter.

This was a rule of the imperial capital’s trade association.

And clearly, Xu Ping’an did not possess the cultivation of the Seventh Rank.

Wu An was also exceedingly surprised, his reverence for Xu Ping’an growing stronger.

"There’s nothing impossible, Young Master Long. I think you recognize this token, right?" Elder Song said before taking out the token that belonged to Xu Ping’an.

Upon seeing the token, Long Shan’s expression instantly changed.

The Saintess of the Shangxian Sect also wore an expression of shock.

"A token of a Superior Grade Refiner? How can this be? The entire Great Qin Immortal Dynasty has only five Superior Grade Artifact Refiners, and not one of them is under the age of fifty," said the Shangxian Sect’s Saintess.

A Superior Grade Artifact Refiner?

This young man is a Superior Grade Artifact Refiner?

So young, and a Superior Grade Artifact Refiner?

Are you kidding me?

Those Sixth Rank Experts were completely baffled.

Clearly, they thought Xu Ping’an was an impostor.

Xu Ping’an merely smiled faintly.

This token was given to him when he left the Refining Alliance of Tianlong County by the Great Elder of the Refining Alliance.

That person had told him that the token had some uses within the Refiners Alliance and the trade association of the imperial capital.

Xu Ping’an had not paid much attention to the token before, but once he arrived at the commercial meeting in the Imperial City, he remembered it.

Even without a branch, the Refining Alliance has the authority to issue Artifact Refiner Tokens, so Xu Ping’an’s token came from Tianlong County and, in a sense, also represented the Refining Alliance of Tianlong County.

Initially, when Xu Ping’an refused to join the Refining Alliance, the other party probably resorted to this small tactic.

Xu Ping’an was not averse to this, for had he not used this token, he would not have known about this matter.

It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, and now it seemed, the token indeed had no small use.

He had just arrived in the Imperial City and did not want to get into conflicts with the people there, especially offending a force like the Long Yan Army.

"It’s not fake, I’ve verified it, this Superior Grade Artifact Refiner’s Token is issued by the Tianlong County branch of the Refining Alliance. Not long ago, Tianlong County did report this matter, and this token needs to recognize its owner. Once it leaves the owner for a hundred meters, it will cease to function and cannot recognize a second master. So, whether the owner is dead or stolen from, it can’t be misused," said the elder surnamed Song.

With these words, everyone looked at Xu Ping’an again, their gazes becoming extremely different.

A Superior Grade Artifact Refiner held an extremely important status in the Imperial City and the entire Immortal Dynasty.

In the whole Immortal Dynasty, there was only one Immortal Refiner Master, and there were only five Superior Grade Artifact Refiners.

No, now there were six, and this one looked quite young.

This status was not at all inferior to that of an Eighth Rank Strongman, and perhaps even higher.

"Are you really a Superior Grade Artifact Refiner?" Long Shan sized up Xu Ping’an and asked.

"Yes," Xu Ping’an replied lightly.

He truly was a Superior Grade Artifact Refiner, now fully capable of refining Superior Grade Spiritual Artifacts.

If it wasn’t for his soul’s inability to materialize, he would have been able to refine Immortal Artifacts.

Thus, an Immortal Refiner Master needs at least Seventh Rank Cultivation to refine.

Hearing Xu Ping’an’s words, Long Shan fell silent.

If Xu Ping’an really was a Superior Grade Artifact Refiner, then Long Shan really couldn’t afford to offend him.

Because once offended, the entire Refiners Alliance would target you.

The power of the Refiners Alliance was immensely vast.

Every strongman, no matter their level, needed suitable weapons, and that required Artifact Refiners.

Therefore, in the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty, Artifact Refiners had a high status, and Superior Grade Artifact Refiners’ status was extremely prestigious.

The value of a genius Artifact Refiner was not comparable to an Eighth Rank Strongman.

"If you really are a Superior Grade Artifact Refiner, then I must apologize to you, you indeed have the qualifications to enter," Long Shan said.

Xu Ping’an was taken aback; he had not expected Long Shan to admit his mistake so directly.

It seemed that, despite how arrogant Long Shan was,

he wasn’t the kind of senseless scion.

"It’s fine, it’s all in the past, I don’t mind," Xu Ping’an said lightly.

Since Long Shan had apologized, he did not bother to hold a grudge.

Seeing Xu Ping’an respond this way, a smile appeared on Long Shan’s face, "Good, then let’s consider this an introduction through conflict, in the future if you need anything, feel free to come to me, Long Shan."

"My name is Qin Feng," Xu Ping’an responded.

Long Shan nodded and said no more.

"This humble woman Tang Qingyu, from the Shangxian Sect, has met Master Qin," said the Saintess from the Shangxian Sect as she approached, speaking respectfully.

"I have met the Saintess," Xu Ping’an replied lightly.

"This humble woman is in need of a suitable weapon, I wonder if the master could craft one for me, I will definitely offer a price that satisfies you," Tang Qingyu said.

"It’s possible, but it seems not for today," Xu Ping’an said.

"This is my Communication Talisman, whenever the master is free, you can contact me at any time," Tang Qingyu handed a Communication Talisman to Xu Ping’an.

Xu Ping’an accepted the Communication Talisman and nodded.

Tang Qingyu did not linger, bid her farewell, and then left.

Xu Ping’an then looked at the elder surnamed Song, who seemed to have been prepared, making a gesture to Xu Ping’an, "Master, please, let’s talk on the fifth floor."

No sooner had this been said than the several Sixth Rank Experts present were filled with envy.