Ye Liuyun was startled by Chen Lianyu’s sudden shout.

“How did she know I was using illusion?!”

There was no time to think. To keep the Heavenfire Ancestor from striking first, Ye Liuyun instantly activated his power over time, released his soul, and plunged into the old ancestor’s sea of consciousness, planting slave seals on both of the man’s souls.

Then he began a soul-search. The materials he needed were all inside the ancestor’s spatial world—plenty of them, enough to forge the gilded armor.

Next, he treated Chen Lianyu the same way. Through the soul-search he learned that she had deliberately lied, hiding the fact that her master’s stockpile was ample. From that she had deduced Ye Liuyun wasn’t controlling her with a slave seal but with illusion.

Had it been a slave seal or a master-servant contract, she couldn’t have deceived him. She had recognized the illusion yet feared her soul force was no match for his; at the time she dared not expose him, afraid he would truly plant a seal or damage her soul.

So she waited until she had brought Ye Liuyun here, planning for her master to deal with him. She never expected her master to lose as well and end up sealed.

“You’re sharp,” Ye Liuyun said with genuine admiration, then swept both master and disciple into his spatial world and used the black teleportation tower to return to the inn.

He had hoped to net a few more weapon-refining master through Chen Lianyu, but the chance was gone. As the tower activated, Chen-family experts were already racing toward the Heavenfire Ancestor’s residence.

Still, the ancestor he had taken was the clan’s top artificer; snaring one of him was worth more than ten lesser smiths.

Back at the inn, Ye Liuyun had them hand over every material in their spatial worlds, then immediately sent the Heavenfire Ancestor ten drops of life spring to restore his vitality. He also passed on the Condensing Origin Art to both master and disciple so they could advance faster and focus on forging.

The sudden surge of life force delighted the ancestor, and Ye Liuyun promised an endless supply of life spring whenever needed. Forging here was no different—only the regret of no longer serving the Chen family lingered.

“The Chen clan won’t miss a couple of weapon-refining master. With so many people, your absence might force them to improve even faster,” Ye Liuyun consoled him.

It made sense. Besides, the slave seals left them no choice. The environment was excellent, rich in spiritual energy, and Ye Liuyun treated them well, never hindering their cultivation.

Tong Xin and the other original weapon-refining master showed the newcomers nothing but respect, earnestly seeking instruction. Gradually, the captives accepted their fate and settled in.

The Heavenfire Ancestor first forged virtual-grade pill cauldrons for Lin Luoyi and Lin Xiyao. Chen Lianyu busied herself crafting gilded armor for Ye Liuyun, while the remaining Chen weapon-refining master made gear for the beasts and the women who would fight.

Chen disciples and other smiths forged armor and weapons for the ancient demon army. Tong Xin and the less-experienced weapon-refining master studied on the sidelines as the ancestor lectured.

Soon the quick learners among them could craft true-grade weapons and treasures.

Before long Ye Liuyun’s group all wore ninth-grade true-tier gilded armor and wielded the high-level weapons they needed, their confidence in the coming battles soaring.

Tang Xinyao’s nine companions benefited as well, upgrading to ninth-grade true-tier arms and armor. Each secretly rejoiced at having gambled on following Ye Liuyun; back in their clans, neither their cultivation speed nor their gains would have matched this.

Such ninth-grade true-tier gear could serve as heirloom treasures in their families, yet here they could take it freely; the weapon-refining master had already produced plenty of spares.

Tang Xinyao even secured a set of ninth-grade true-tier gilded armor to keep her clothes from being shredded in battle—awkward for a woman. Now she wore two layers of ninth-grade true-tier armor; dying would be difficult.

Ye Liuyun was generous with the captured weapon-refining master, providing ample cultivation resources so they never worried about supplies. They, too, found forging here agreeable, free from resource concerns. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

With these smiths in hand, Ye Liuyun no longer feared a shortage of true-tier weapons and treasures. He emptied the blue-whale treasury of its true-grade stock and let his people pick what they liked.

The virtual-grade warblade he had taken from the Ninth Prince went to Tiger-Head Beast King. Yu Xiaofeng and the others, having long since forged their own life-bound weapons under Ye Liuyun’s tutelage, refused outside help. The beast king, however, was thrilled, swaggering about with the blade strapped to his back, never storing it away.

Once again Ye Liuyun’s faction upgraded its equipment. Yu Xiaofeng and the other commanders intensified the final drills for Black Rock and Sand Xenocide, leading the ancient demon legions in practice battles while soldiers grew familiar with their new gear.

Meanwhile the Chen clan was in an uproar, the entire clan on high alert.

They had lost several renowned weapon-refining master in succession, and now even an ancestor was missing. Suspecting deliberate targeting, they issued a warrant for Ye Liuyun yet received no useful information.

The Chen family approached the royal court, only to be told the Ninth Prince could not be found. Convinced the court was stalling, they began to suspect the whole affair was a royal conspiracy.

But the Chen family was still at a complete loss; all they could do was wait for word from the Ninth Prince while dispatching men to hunt Ye Liuyun and track down the missing weapon-refining master.

Ye Liuyun and his avatar seized the lull in forging to slip into the avatar’s spatial world and cultivate at accelerated speed. They had already pushed their cultivation to the late stage of Unity Fourth Layer, refining their divine essence again and again until it was as condensed as it could possibly be.

Once Qiong Qi felt his Thousand Illusions Technique was solid enough, he tucked Yao Feng and several formation masters into his spatial world and set off for the Myriad Transformations Sect.

To deal with that sect, Qiong Qi intended to lead the formation masters himself. Before leaving, he even paid a visit to Old Ancestor Skyfire to have a few life-saving treasures forged.

Ye Liuyun offered to send an avatar along with him, but Qiong Qi declined, so he didn’t press the matter.