Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1442 - 1441 - Burning Creation

[Elimination round for Forging will commence shortly. Please take your assigned space.]

Lind was snapped out of his anger by the announcement. He really did not want to stop investigating but if he suddenly dropped out, it would be an unmitigated disaster.

Cyntilla kissed him on the cheek suddenly and smiled at him.

"Go, my love, and show them what you can do." He felt lighter and nodded before vanishing. He appeared in front of a roaring furnace already primed.

The young dragon bowed low to him and he smiled at them despite their look of concern. They could smell his emotions despite his attempt to hide them.

"It is being taken care of, just focus on what we do here." The dragon bowed again before moving on.

The arrangement of the tournament allowed for similar professions to compete in the elimination rounds so people could focus on the field of interest they desired.

Thus alchemy and elixir masters went first, now Forgers and refiners would go for their round. They saved formations and weavings for last as they were the most in depth fields.

It also required a lot more resources to fuel them.

Compared to the other 4, formations and weaving were resource hogs by far.

Weaving could be engraved on the air but relied on the cultivator or the ambient mana to work. For the tournament, they would actually be required to imbue it into an object this time.

Lind pushed it aside as he looked at the set up. The ores, crystals, and Qi stones were all present that one might need.

While he knew what was coming, he was not as confident as his elixir round. Forging was not as tolerant of pushing the limits like elixirs but he still wanted it to be fair.

Yet, as he took up the metals in his hand, it felt right. He felt more connected than ever before.

[The recipe is now in your jade slips. Proceed with the highest quality you can achieve.]

Lind picked up the slip and examined which one was chosen. To keep it completely fair, he only knew of a pool of possible choices, but not the final one. He arched an eyebrow as he saw what was chosen was rather difficult.

It was to be a flying artifact but it had to include 5 functions in materials that could only tolerate 4. That was the trick Forging had to overcome. Too many times the limits of inscription dictated what Forging could do as well.

The shape of the artifact was up to him but the functions had to be fulfilled.

{Flight}

{Defense}

{Offense}

{Enhancement of cultivator}

{Restoration of Qi, stamina, etc.}

{Alternate functions acceptable}

Lind was glad of the options but the materials were pre-selected. He was already a Maester so Law Grade was his starting point at least.

Normally, he might try to go for pseudo-Dao Grade items but that was not going to solve his problem. Even down that path, he could maybe only get 3 abilities on top of flight. It would also strain the materials badly.

It was the restriction he put on the elimination rounds to make them fair. No improving the ingredients. Only use them as is.

He began to smelt the ores as he contemplated how to fuse them. Although he had attempted the recipes to make sure they were possible, even he could not pull them off each time. He could truly lose.

Normally, that is.

At the moment, the fire and the molten metal seemed to draw on his emotions. He let them flow as he let his aura wash over the crystals and Qi stones.

He had been making ships for so long that he was quite rusty making an actual flying artifact but he felt like he should stop thinking and start feeling.

The frustration at knowing his enemies were on the move once more. The anger at their cavalier disregard for life and bonds. The worry that his tournament made the perfect distraction for them to progress their agendas.

It all flowed through him and the metal seemed to respond. He felt like he saw new sides of the materials and a new thought took hold.

Heaven and Earth were in all things. Organic and inorganic. The density and quality of Qi allowed for the creation or nurturing of ever more impressive levels of existence. Simple gold, iron, and other base metals only held traces but could absorb far more Qi during refinement.

Lind now beheld azure titanium, so infused with water and air elements that it changed to become a metal far more accepting of inscriptions or Forging to assist in flight. Viridian copper was a rare form of it that was found only in or near volcanic activity.

The crystals were of all natural elements as part of his restrictions but they were all top grade and far more powerful despite being much smaller than grade 1 or 2 crystals.

His emotions seemed to resonate and he saw new layers to all of it as concepts filled his mind. He had expected to struggle but it was like a new vista had opened before him.

The fire of the furnace roared as his aura began to break down the crystals and fuse the metals. The heat jumped enormously as his mind wandered to the past.

George often got sentimental when drunk. He talked about the anime and cartoons that shaped him as a kid. Lind had never understood the appeal of most of those but one stood out. It was likely true for all kids back then but it was honestly a crazy concept.

An all powerful barbarian protector of a planet of magic and technology combined. The castle he guarded looked like a villainous lair but was the source of all goodness. The stories were the usual fair but the whole premise just resonated with kids back then.

One thing in particular stuck out to Lind as George talked. The concept of the bike seating in a flying ship. Essentially like a motorcycle jet plane. He had never seen anyone make an artifact that did not hold multiple people or have a shape outside of boats or other similar themes.

The flying disc he once had was still based on a frisbee in his mind. As Lind worked, he needed more metal and so he brought it out. The basic shape was in his head but he let that image stay sharp in his mind.

The long sloped nose flowed back into a mid-back height chair. Handlebars flowed to a crystal windscreen. The crystals also changed attitude, direction, and speed. He then literally made resonance chambers that extruded into gun ports out the front.

The colors of the alloy flowed in different parts as he Forged what he wanted.

Flight was a given and the guns gave him offense, but he also gave it a shield of water and light. Dispersing the forces of nature as well as an attack. It was able to absorb the Qi and redirect it or simply disperse it as well.

The speed was also a part of it. He gave it speed unlike anything other flying artifacts had before. The final thing was synergistic as it nullified gravity on the pilot. He had forced it so many times before, it had never occurred to him to get a 5th effect by resonating with others.

The artifact cooled with a nearly black dark green front and pale orange seating area. The handle bars flickered with crystal controls. The whole underside glowed with crystals as well.

It was not the best thing he had ever made but he felt proud to make something that was fictional into reality.

"Can't keep the name, but that is not up to me anyway." He smirked as he finally stepped back. He was covered head to toe in sweat and he nearly stumbled as he realized he was running on fumes. He had only ever felt that way after attempting pseudo-Dao creation!

He quickly confirmed only Laws were Forged into it and sighed. The staff came back as he marked he was done. They paused, confused, looking at his creation.

Still, they took out the slate and quickly analyzed the artifact. A look of stunned shock spread on their face.

"A–ancestor, do you know what you have done?" Lind looked confused. He had confirmed no Dao was involved but he waved for them to continue. "You only needed 5 stable effects but I am getting 6!"

Lind snapped up at that. What did he mean 6?

He quickly took the slate and examined the results.

{Unidentified flight artifact confirmed}

{Effect 1: Flight}

{Effect 2: Acceleration}

{Effect 3: Resonance Cannons}

{Effect 4: Dispersal Light/Water Shield}

{Effect 5: Gravity nullification (Resonance effect)}

{Effect 6: Aura Enhancement (Emergent Effect)}

Lind felt a smile spread on his face ear to ear! No wonder he was exhausted! He had missed it because he had not activated the artifact! The last effect only appeared once Qi was infused into it but he had none left to give!

Emergent effects were like a blessing from Heaven and Earth! He had only had a handful of them himself and he never understood the principle behind them. Some were powerful but others seemed damned odd.

He had a farming artifact at Heaven Grade that for some reason gave hand to hand mastery enhancement for instance!

Why would a farming implement have a combat effect?!

Still, he handed the slate back and could only laugh.

"Unexpected but I will take it. Any other issues?" The dragon shook his head but then nodded.

"We will need a ruling as this exceeds the elimination parameters. You might be able to skip the next round and go to the main tournament bracket." He frowned at that but an Emergent Effect was not accounted for in the rules.

"As it is not something I consciously controlled, I would say no but have the oversight committee vote on it. I may not be the only one to have this happen." The dragon bowed and left. Lind looked at his creation once more and smiled.

He itched to test it out but now was not the time. There was a reason flight artifacts were chosen and if he was right, then an exciting event would come that he would get to see it fly.

For now, he had to recover and prepare for his final elimination round. Weaving would be easier for him as there was no real way to negate his advantage but they could still test him for damn sure. He downed an elixir and went to the recovery area to cultivate.

His imagination wondered what George would think of his creation and his large friend would likely have flung him aside to be the first to ride it. Lind smiled and hoped it would live up to his image!