Chapter 34

"Are you looking at this hexagonal shield?" Liu Yan asked with a puzzled expression, saying, "The spirit array inside the spirit artifact has been damaged, and now it can't even be infused with spirit energy. What's the point of looking at it?"

Not only was Liu Yan confused, but Ling Yushi, Ling Feng, and the other Ling family members also looked at him strangely, not understanding why he suddenly took an interest in Liu Yan's damaged spirit artifact.

"Curiosity," Qin Lie said calmly amidst the puzzled gazes of the crowd.

Liu Yan was taken aback. He looked deeply into Qin Lie's young face, nodded indifferently, and then handed over the one-meter-tall hexagonal shield.

"Since it's already damaged, if you want to look, go ahead. This shield... I exchanged it for 2,000 contribution points from the pavilion. Those 2,000 points were my savings over three years. Now that the shield is damaged, just thinking about it makes me feel the pain."

Under the surprised gazes of the crowd, Qin Lie took the hexagonal shield. The shield was very heavy, giving him a sense of weight and simplicity.

Putting down the shield, he ran his fingers over the strange patterns on its surface, feeling the texture, and quietly released spirit energy and a thread of mental energy to investigate the internal condition.

As mental energy entered, the damaged spirit array inside the shield suddenly appeared in his mind. It was a combination of "Spirit Gathering" and "Amplification" spirit arrays.

Compared to the "Spirit Gathering" and "Amplification" spirit arrays inside the Soul Suppressing Pearl, these two spirit arrays were much simpler and cruder.

During this period, he had been memorizing the "Amplification" spirit array inside the Soul Suppressing Pearl during his training breaks.

Now, he was almost done memorizing the entire "Amplification" spirit array, so when he saw the simpler and more fragmented spirit array, he immediately understood.

The "Spirit Gathering" and "Amplification" spirit arrays inside the shield occupied most of the shield's interior, with the "Amplification" embedded within the "Spirit Gathering." After a detailed inspection, he saw that only the "Spirit Gathering" array was damaged.

Some of the lines were twisted due to a powerful attack, blocking the flow of spirit energy, which is why Liu Yan couldn't infuse it with spirit energy.

With the "Spirit Gathering" array unable to function, spirit energy couldn't be channeled, and the embedded "Amplification" array also failed, rendering the spirit artifact completely useless.

To Qin Lie, the two spirit arrays inside the shield were very simple, seemingly just a small part of the "Spirit Gathering" and "Amplification" arrays he had memorized. However, they still possessed the functions of spirit gathering and amplification. If the twisted lines could be untangled and smoothed out, the "Spirit Gathering" array could function, and the spirit artifact could be used again.

Qin Lie's fingers caressed the shield, his brows slightly furrowed, his expression focused as he pondered.

Liu Yan and the others looked puzzled, finding his actions strange, not like someone seriously examining the hexagonal shield.

"Liu Brother, the Ice Shattering Manor is still tracking us. Although they will be slower at night, we can't waste too much time," Gao Yu said coldly. "I think we should keep moving."

Liu Yan nodded and said, "Yes, we can't stay in one place for too long."

"Qin Lie, you continue to lead the way, and we'll all follow you," Ling Xin said proactively.

Qin Lie, lost in thought, was awakened by these words. He returned the hexagonal shield to Liu Yan and said, "Let's go. We'll leave this place first and find a safe spot."

"Why should he lead the way?" a member of the Gao family asked, dissatisfied.

"Because under his guidance, although we took a longer route, we didn't encounter any spirit beast groups, and no one was injured!" Ling Xin huffed.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yan and Gao Yu were both surprised. After exchanging glances, Liu Yan spoke, "Alright! We'll all follow Qin Lie!"

"Then let's go." Qin Lie frowned and walked at the front of the group, sometimes taking out the map in his chest to glance at it and then re-determine the direction.

The Ling family members followed closely behind, and after Liu Yan and Gao Yu quickly bandaged their wounds, they also joined.

"Qin Lie is not simple," Liu Yan said in a low voice.

Gao Yu's face was stern, and he grunted without responding.

"Let's not conflict with the Ling family for now. Some things can be put aside. The priority is to survive together," Liu Yan advised.

"I know what to do," Gao Yu said impatiently.

Liu Yan nodded.

As Qin Lie hurried along, he pondered, the twisted "Spirit Gathering" array inside the shield often appearing in his mind. He thought about how to repair it if he were to try.

It wasn't that he had any particular fondness for Liu Yan; he simply wanted to try using the two spirit arrays he had memorized over the past period to see if they could work as he imagined.

This way, his efforts in memorizing them wouldn't be in vain, and it would help him decide whether to invest more energy in the "Spirit Storage" and "Strengthening" spirit arrays.

Two hours later.

In the dead of night, he led everyone to a place with ancient trees. "Everyone, rest here for a while. You should also treat your wounds," he said, looking at Liu Yan and Gao Yu, who still had blood seeping from their bodies.

Liu Yan and Gao Yu didn't speak, stopping to choose a place to sit and taking out healing powders to apply to their wounds.

During the two hours, they didn't encounter even a single spirit beast, which made them believe that the Ling family's words were true—Qin Lie could indeed lead them to avoid spirit beast groups!

"Your hexagonal shield, I can try to repair it, but I can't guarantee success," Qin Lie quietly approached Liu Yan, thought for a moment, and said seriously.

"Ah!" Liu Yan suddenly looked up, his eyes shining, his shoulders trembling slightly, and he said excitedly, "Are you serious? Not joking?"

The hexagonal shield was a Fifth Rank Common spirit artifact, which he had exchanged for 2,000 contribution points earned over three years. It could enhance his strength when used with his spirit technique, making it a prized possession.

After it was damaged, he was heartbroken. Hearing that Qin Lie could repair it, how could Liu Yan not be excited?

"I can't guarantee success. I can only say I'll try. It might be completely ruined, and it might never be repairable again," Qin Lie, seeing his excited state, quickly tempered his expectations to avoid giving him false hope.

Liu Yan's hexagonal shield was different from the short spear he had destroyed with lightning. The short spear's material was damaged by the lightning, leaving him with no options, but the hexagonal shield's damage was only to the spirit array, which he could try to repair.

However, he had never done this before and had no confidence, so he couldn't guarantee success.

"Qin Lie, don't mess around. The hexagonal shield is a Fifth Rank Common spirit artifact. If you ruin it, it will be..."

Ling Yushi had been paying attention to Qin Lie. Seeing him approach Liu Yan, she also quietly came over.

Hearing that he wanted to help Liu Yan repair the spirit artifact, Ling Yushi was shocked and quickly came to warn him, fearing that he would completely ruin the shield and earn Liu Yan's resentment, affecting his future prospects.

"Uh, I was just saying. It might really be completely ruined, so... let's not do it?"

Ling Yushi's words made Qin Lie hesitate. After all, he had never tried it before and had no confidence, fearing that he might ruin the spirit artifact.

"Bang!"

Liu Yan suddenly threw the hexagonal shield at Qin Lie's feet, stood up, and looked deeply into Qin Lie's eyes, smiling bitterly. "Brother, don't listen to your fiancée. If you think you can do it, try. Don't be afraid. If it's really ruined, I won't blame you. Our situation is too difficult, and we might not even survive. Even if you have a 10% chance, I think it's worth a try. If the spirit artifact is repaired, it will greatly increase my chances of survival!"

"Are you serious?" Ling Yushi looked at Liu Yan in surprise.

"A hexagonal shield that can't be infused with spirit energy doesn't enhance my strength at all. If I encounter a martial artist of the same level from the Ice Shattering Manor, I would find it hard to fight back," Liu Yan said helplessly, spreading his hands. "If it weren't for those relentless pursuers, I might not take the risk and would wait to return to the pavilion to find an artifact master to examine it. But now... whether we can return is uncertain, and there are no other options."

"Understood." Qin Lie took a deep breath, squatted next to the hexagonal shield, and said, "Find some fire crystals for me."

"Here!" Liu Yan directly handed over a leather bag, which contained at least a dozen fire crystals, each as big as a fist, red and fiery, and of the highest quality.

"Qin Lie!" Ling Yushi called out, her expression anxious. "Are you really going to do it? How confident are you? Even your grandfather could only repair spirit artifacts below Fifth Rank Common. This hexagonal shield is Fifth Rank. Are you sure you want to try?"

"Your grandfather is an artifact master?" Liu Yan's spirits were lifted, and he became even more eager.

Qin Lie didn't respond, took out a flint, and lit the fire crystals. When three fire crystals touched, they suddenly burst into red flames, and a wave of intense heat spread out.

To repair the spirit array inside the spirit artifact, the material of the spirit artifact needed to be softened first. The high temperature from the fire crystals could achieve this effect.

After softening, spirit energy would be infused to carefully untangle and smooth out the spirit lines of the spirit array. Once adjusted, the burning would stop, and the spirit artifact would be cooled slowly, allowing the spirit patterns inside to solidify, thus repairing the spirit artifact.

"What? Qin Lie is going to help Liu Yan repair the spirit artifact? Did I hear that right?"

"No way! How does he even know about artifact making? Is this guy omnipotent?"

"Liu Yan's hexagonal shield is a Fifth Rank Common spirit artifact! Back when Qin Shan's grandfather was around, he wouldn't dare repair a spirit artifact of this rank. If the internal array is completely destroyed, what will he do? Is he crazy?"

The Ling family members, upon hearing that Qin Lie was repairing the spirit artifact, were all shocked and gathered around, chattering.

Gao Yu, hearing the commotion, also came over, looking at Liu Yan with a dark expression. "Liu Brother, what are you doing? A Fifth Rank Common hexagonal shield, you're letting him mess around with it? What are you thinking?"

...

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