Endless Refiner

Neel clutched his head and screamed.

It felt like his mind was being crushed under the strange information.

As time passed, the pressure only grew stronger and his head felt like it was swelling.

Finally, after some time.

Neel's eyes sparkled.

He had received a complete refining method for the Copper Sword.

And not just any refining method, it was for elemental weapons!

If it had been a method for regular swords, Neel wouldn't be this excited.

But elemental weapons were ten times more valuable and powerful than regular ones.

One was a Flame Copper Sword and other was Water Copper Sword.

Even better, the method wasn't just for one weapon.

It included full instructions to refine low-grade, mid-grade, high-grade, peak-grade, and excellent-grade elemental Copper Beast Swords.

It meant Neel hadn't just gained the method for the highest tier weapon. He could refine lower grades and sell those without drawing any attention.

But the best part?

Every time Neel used the Origin Cube to restore an object, he would receive the full refining method for that item.

This was a huge advantage for Neel.

In this world, refining methods for weapons, pills, and talismans were extremely rare and strictly controlled by powerful families and sects.

After reviewing the information carefully, Neel copied the refining methods onto animal skin.

He even made two copies of the low grade method, just in case.

Looking back at the Origin Cube, Neel saw the two excellent grade elemental swords still floating inside.

The two swords were of excellent grade.

Neel breath heavily and he reached for the Flame Copper Sword.

As his hand entered the Origin Cube, it felt like touching airless space but it wasn't uncomfortable.

He grabbed the sword and pulled it out.

Whoosh!

The moment Neel took out the Flame Copper Sword, his hand became hot.

However, he felt confused because he hadn't felt that heat inside the cube.

After thinking for a moment, Neel realized.

The Origin Cube had no star energy of its own. Once the sword left the cube, it began absorbing star energy from surrounding and converting it into Fire Star Energy.

His theory was confirmed when he pulled out the Water Copper Beast Sword.

As he felt wetness.

Between the two swords, Neel felt more connected to the flame sword. So he decided to keep it for himself.

Although he could sell the swords, doing so would be courting death.

As the saying goes, having treasure you shouldn't possess is a crime.

He placed both swords inside his storage ring.

Then, Neel tossed the broken dagger and the green vase into origin cube.

Immediately, the cube send information that.

Broken dagger cost 10 Star Stones and Green vase cost 100 Star Stones to repair to their original state.

Neel frowned and he felt something not right.

He could accept that the dagger costing 10 star stone as it was only normal grade weapon.

But it didn't feel right that the green vase, which had even excited the Origin Cube, would only cost 100 Star Stones.

Was I imagining that reaction?

Still confused, he decided to find out for himself. He tossed in 110 Star Stones.

The cube emitted blue light again and began the restoration process.

Ten minutes later, it stopped.

Neel stepped forward and touched it.

Once again, new knowledge flooded into his mind.

The dagger was, as expected, a simple Bone Dagger, which was a low grade, non-elemental weapon made from Star Beast bones.

Its refinement method was easy.

But what shocked Neel more was the green vase.

It wasn't ordinary.

It was called Evergreen Vase.

Its purpose? If you placed 100 Star Stones into it, it would produce a liquid that shortens the growth cycle of Star Plants or Stars Herbs.

Neel took deep breaths, again and again.

In this Westland, herbs and plants were far rarer and more valuable than elemental weapons.

"Heck yeah! I hit the holy jackpot!!"

"Ha ha ha!"

Neel couldn't help laugh loudly.

The importance of star herbs and plants was so great that even star refiners who followed the path of clans or sects relied heavily on them.

If they didn't have pills, then they wouldn't advance to higher levels and neither would the clan or sect.

So the importance of pills could be clearly seen.

This Evergreen Vase felt like it was ready made for Neel, as he was one step away from his goals.

He was grinning ear to ear, until he read more about the Evergreen Vase.

The next second, he was almost choked to death.

Only low grade liquid?!

That's right currently, the Evergreen Vase could only produce low grade liquid.

As low grade liquid were effect only to low grade herbs and star plants.

Neel was stunned. He had believed the Evergreen Vase could grow high level herbs.

but reality slapped him very hard.

He felt hot in his cheeks.

"This…"

Neel was speechless at his situation.

Just a moment ago, he had been laughing like a fool.

Now, he felt like one.

Sighing helplessly, Neel took out the bone dagger. Without a second thought, he tossed it into his storage ring and pulled out the Evergreen Vase.

Neel carefully examined the Evergreen Vase.

He noticed that compared to before, the vase now emitted more green light.

What caught his eye the most were green lightning like cracks on it that glowed even brighter than the vase itself.

Neel raised an eyebrow and snorted.

"Hmph. How can a vase that even makes the Origin Cube shake be a normal treasure?"

"This vase almost fooled me."

Even though Neel was transported to this world without explanation, he was a veteran who had read countless novels and manga.

How could he believe nonsense so easily?

Fortunately, he trusted his instincts and he decided to refine the Evergreen Vase inside the Origin Cube.

But there was a problem.

How to know the secret of the Evergreen Vase?

Neel racked his brain for a while.

Spiritual senses!

Once a person becomes a Star Refiner, their mental strength increases tenfold and they develop a strange skill.

That skill is called Spiritual Sense, which helps to probe surrounding objects.

Neel quickly spread his spiritual sense to probe the Evergreen Vase.

BOOM!

The moment his spiritual sense touched the vase.

Neel's consciousness was sucked by powerful vortex.

...

After some time, Neel slowly opened his eyes. In front of him stood a giant golden man.

Just one glance made Neel almost faint in fear.

The man was so enormous, Neel couldn't even see his face clearly.

"Insolent mortal! How dare you disturb my slumber?!"

A majestic voice, filled with supreme authority, thundered in Neel's ears.

As the giant's voice echoed through the blank space, even the space itself trembled in fear.

"Hmph."

The giant snorted coldly, then glared down at Neel.

"Mortal realm ant. Shall this god kill you?"

Once again, Neel was hit with a cold voice.

This time, a chill ran through his heart as a crushing pressure forced him to his knees.

Each word from the giant echoed like thunder, making Neel feel as if he should kneel and beg for his life.

But because of his cursed face, he couldn't even show fear, his expression remained blank.

Only his eyes full of hopeless despair.

"Damn this cursed face."

For the first time, Neel wanted to tear his own face off.

He was lost, not knowing what to do.

In the end, with no other choice left.

He gathered all his courage and stared straight into the giant's golden eyes.

Giant eyes were full of indifference and cold.

"A man kneels only to the heavens and his parents, never to anyone else. Not kings. Not gods. Not even in front of death."

Silence.

The space fell deathly quiet.

Even though Neel accepted that he might die here.

Who wouldn't be afraid of death?

Even so, he without any fear in his heart, he stared coldly at the giant's glowing eyes.

The golden red eyes flickered.

Neel's heart sank.

"I'm dead meat."

"Ahh… I died a virgin..., again."

Even the last shred of hope drained from his body.

This time, Neel was truly helpless and scared.

The golden-red eyes flickered again.

"HA HA HA!"

The giant laughed so loudly that even the space began to crack.

"Mortal… you're interesting."

The giant eyes turn to normal.

"You passed the test."

Neel was stunned and confused.

Test?

What test?

Just as he was about to ask.

The giant's enormous body began to crack.

Eventually, it turned into golden light and rushed into Neel's forehead.

The moment it touched him.

Neel opened his eyes.

He see his own room.

Instantly, new information flooded into his mind.

From that information, he learned that.

What the test was.

Why the Evergreen Vase required 100 star stones.

What its true purpose was.

In simple terms, the Evergreen Vase was created by the Formless God, and the giant he met was a projection of that same god.

The vase's true purpose? To select an heir for the Formless God.

The "test" was to choose someone brave enough to face a god, even in the face of death.

If Neel had failed, he wouldn't have died but the memory of test would be erased.

The good news was Neel bluffed helped him to pass to test.

The bad news was truly inherit the full legacy, he would need to collect the other four Evergreen Vases.

In total Formless God had created five vases.

Fortunately, Neel was the first person to pass this test in millions of years.

As a reward, he received two god grade techniques:

Fortune Gaze Technique and Element Bloom Technique

The Fortune Gaze Technique was tailor made for him, as it allowed him to.

See someone's fortune and loyalty.

That meant if Neel founded a sect or clan in the future, he could recruit only those with great fortune and strong loyalty.

Neel took a deep breath, calming his excitement, then turned his attention to the Element Bloom Technique.

It was even more powerful.

Why? It allowed even talentless people to become Star Refiners!

This was even better than the Fortune Gaze Technique because it meant Neel could build a massive army of refiners.

But there was more.

Its second function was even more heaven-defying. it allowed a person to cultivate more elements than they were born with.

In this world, once someone becomes a Star Refiner, they awaken an innate element.

Neel had only awakened fire element.

But those with only one element were seen as less talented.

The more elements one had, the greater their talent and potential.

That's because star energy is violent and made up of many mixed elements.

Trying to refine star energy with only one element could cause slow growth in cultivation.

So having multiple elements was seen as genius level talent.

...

After calming down, Neel dropped blood onto the Evergreen Vase to make him as its master.

Buzz…

The vase shook, and he felt a direct connection to it.

Neel even tried to sense the locations of the other vases, but there was no response.

That meant none of them had recognized a master yet.

Neel was relieved. He was still too weak.

Neel then retrieved the Origin Cube, which still floated in the air.

He realized that his vase was the main vase and the other four were copies.

They couldn't even produce liquid to accelerate star plants growth.

Shaking off those thoughts, Neel sat down on the bed and he began practicing Element Bloom Technique.

As Neel switched his cultivation from the Basic Breathing Technique to the Element Bloom Technique, he initially thought he would only compare a few parts of it.

However, to his surprise, as he began cultivating the Element Bloom Technique, he understood it as naturally as drinking water.

Boom!

Neel's dantian shook once again and a vortex formed.

Then that vortex rapidly devoured star energy.

Soon after, a small red bean like seed appeared in Neel's dantian.

"So fast... is this the Element Seed?"