# Chapter 1618: Mu Yi’s Request
Mu Yi casually flipped through the ancient books on the bookshelf beside Lin Feng, occasionally glancing over at him.
"Uncle Mu Yi, in this Flame Gold City, is there any figure who is a master of artifact refining?" Lin Feng turned his head and asked Mu Yi with curiosity. If one could forge an Imperial Weapon, even a Great Emperor would have to do their utmost to befriend them. Their influence through connections would be terrifyingly vast.
"As far as I know, within the Flame Gold Tower in the central district of Flame Gold City, there is indeed a master artifact refiner." Mu Yi smiled at Lin Feng. A master artifact refiner—such a person held an extremely high status. Mu Yi himself had never even had the chance to make contact with one. A master refiner capable of forging Imperial Weapons would have a terrifying success rate when crafting eighth or ninth-grade Imperial Artifacts, easily producing many of them. Their refining arts alone were a vast fortune, capable of bringing them an army of powerful warriors.
Lin Feng nodded slightly and continued browsing through some basic books on artifact refining. Others nearby were also flipping through books on the shelves, but when they saw what Lin Feng was reading, faint sneers appeared on their faces. This fellow was clearly a novice, probably just starting to learn about artifact refining. Those books were ones no one ever looked at.
However, Lin Feng paid no attention to the gazes of others. He extended his divine sense into some jade slips, probing the information recorded within. He didn't study them carefully, just casually skimmed through. After making a full round of the pavilion, he had gained a decent understanding of the basics of artifact refining.
"Uncle Mu Yi, let's go out," Lin Feng said to Mu Yi. Mu Yi nodded slightly, but when they reached the exit, he voluntarily handed some Essence Fragments to the person guarding the pavilion as a browsing fee. This pavilion couldn't provide free access for people to read.
"Flame Gold City often has many outsiders, so there are quite a few pavilions like this at the city's entrance. Those with some interest in artifact refining usually take a casual look without spending too much. But for the owners of these pavilions, it's still a considerable income," Mu Yi explained to Lin Feng as they walked out of the pavilion. Lin Feng naturally understood. Everyone had to find their own way to make a living. In his previous life, people struggled for money, while in this world, people struggled endlessly for martial arts.
"So, are you interested in artifact refining?" Mu Yi asked Lin Feng with a smile.
"I do have some interest, but I can see that the art of refining is vast and profound. Reaching a high level is certainly no easy task; it would require investing a great deal of time and energy. I think it might not necessarily suit me," Lin Feng said honestly.
"I think so too." Hearing Lin Feng's words, Mu Yi responded with a smile, which surprised Lin Feng somewhat. Then Mu Yi continued, "In the world of martial arts, whether it's artifact refining or alchemy, the ultimate goal is the same: to strengthen oneself. Artifact refining can make one powerful, gaining connections and powerful weapons, but it also consumes a lot of time. Therefore, many people with extraordinary talent prefer to focus solely on martial cultivation. As for weapons, they can obtain them through trade. And you, Lin Feng, are not yet thirty. Perhaps that means nothing in the Great World, since many there are born at the Mysterious Martial or Heavenly Martial Realm. But for someone born in a Small World, reaching close to the Martial Emperor Realm in thirty years is already a considerable achievement. If you need offensive power, your talent in the Array Dao can fully replace powerful weapons. So, artifact refining may not be right for you."
"We'll see. Maybe one day I'll have a sudden enlightenment and step directly into the ranks of master refiners," Lin Feng joked casually. He was quite surprised by Mu Yi's thoughts. He had originally thought Mu Yi wanted him to learn artifact refining, but it seemed that wasn't the case.
"Lin Feng, to be honest, bringing you to Flame Gold City this time, I had selfish motives." Mu Yi looked ahead, his brow no longer carrying its usual casualness, as if he had something on his mind.
"Uncle Mu Yi, you saved my life. If there's anything you need, I'll do my best if I can," Lin Feng said without surprise at Mu Yi's words. In fact, when Mu Yi had spoken earlier, Lin Feng had sensed that Mu Yi might have other matters, perhaps related to what Mu Yi had mentioned about being expelled from his clan.
"I hope you can get close to someone." Mu Yi's eyes showed a trace of warmth at Lin Feng's words, and he looked directly at Lin Feng.
"Get close to someone?"
"Yes. The clan I belong to is the Mu Clan of the northern district of Flame Gold City, a fairly large artifact-refining family. In the clan, almost all talented young disciples learn artifact refining. Mu Linxue is the outstanding one among the younger generation of the Mu Clan. Her cultivation is at the Ninth Layer of the Sovereign Martial Realm, and she has strong attainments in both flames and soul power. I hope you can get close to her."
Mu Yi said seriously to Lin Feng, which made Lin Feng somewhat puzzled. He asked Mu Yi, "Uncle Mu Yi, may I ask, what is Mu Linxue's relationship to you?"
"My daughter!" Mu Yi said without concealment.
"Ah!" Lin Feng's expression froze slightly. This was quite unexpected. Mu Linxue was actually Mu Yi's daughter. But then why was Mu Yi expelled from the Mu Clan?
"You must be wondering why I was expelled from the Mu Clan. It's actually very simple. My daughter's talent is very good—both in martial cultivation and artifact refining—so good that she would eventually surpass me, her father. And the current head of the Mu Clan wanted to control my daughter's future, so he couldn't tolerate me." Mu Yi smiled bitterly. The reason sounded absurd, but it was exactly that kind of reality. The Mu Clan wanted to use his daughter Mu Linxue to form an alliance with an even more powerful artifact-refining family.
"Uncle Mu Yi, but what does that have to do with me getting close to Mu Linxue?" Lin Feng still didn't understand.
"It has to do with a grand gathering half a year from now. Once you get close to Linxue, you'll know everything. Lin Feng, I brought you to Flame Gold City hoping you could help Linxue. You won't blame me for being selfish, will you?" Mu Yi said self-deprecatingly. When he had risked danger to save Lin Feng from the hands of the Reverse Dust Martial Emperor, wasn't it partly out of selfishness?
"Uncle Mu Yi, I'm only one major realm away from the Martial Emperor Realm now. Training elsewhere is still training. Coming to Flame Gold City is the same. I can meet many master artifact refiners and broaden my horizons. Isn't that also a form of life cultivation?" Lin Feng smiled dismissively. A person's martial achievements depended not only on talent but also greatly on their state of mind. The more one experienced and saw, the broader one's mind became, able to accommodate all things, like a sea receiving a hundred rivers. This invisible force could sometimes influence a martial artist's fate. Otherwise, wouldn't those with good talent just need to sit at home in seclusion to cultivate?
Lin Feng deeply understood one truth: even with his strong talent, he couldn't just sit in seclusion and break through to the Martial Emperor Realm.
"Thank you, Lin Feng. I'll take you to the Mu Clan's location now. After you get close to Linxue, don't tell her I asked you to do this, and don't let the Mu Clan know either." Mu Yi instructed Lin Feng. Then he put on a mask that Lin Feng had seen used in the Nine Immortal Palaces and Heavenly Fortress Region, changing his face. After all, once they got close to the Mu Clan, he could be recognized at any time.
Outside the Mu Mansion's gate, there was an open space, followed by crisscrossing avenues leading in all directions. Mu Yi looked at the Mu Mansion ahead, his heart filled with melancholy. It had been several years since he had last returned. He wondered how Linxue was doing. With her temperament, he didn't know if she had restrained herself a bit.
"Uncle Mu Yi, how should I get close to her?" Lin Feng asked with a wry smile. He didn't know much about Mu Linxue at all. For him to just go and get close to her like this was quite difficult.
"My daughter Linxue appears somewhat proud on the outside, but she's actually very simple-hearted. If you can make her develop a favorable impression of you, you can gradually get close to her. Of course, if she dislikes someone, it's very thorough. That's all I can tell you, Lin Feng. From now on, it's up to you. If anything happens, contact me anytime."
After saying this, Mu Yi turned and left, laughing as he said, "Lin Feng, if you can win over my daughter, I wouldn't mind either!"
"Ah!" Lin Feng smiled bitterly. He wouldn't have such thoughts. Over the years, he could only see Meng Qing and Yuexin in his dreams, which had been hard on them. But Meng Qing was truly too extraordinary. Not to mention her identity as a Snow Linglong, even her peerless beauty would cause many troubles if she walked outside with her Sovereign Martial Realm cultivation. And in this Great World, without reaching the Martial Emperor Realm, he had no strength to protect Meng Qing and the others.
Looking at the Mu Mansion ahead, Lin Feng felt a headache coming on. He had always acted according to circumstances and followed his heart. Deliberately trying to get close to someone was something he wasn't used to. But since Uncle Mu Yi had asked, he would certainly do his best.
At that moment, a group of young men and women walked out of the Mu Mansion toward this direction. Seeing Lin Feng frowning slightly, they noticed him.
"What are you looking at?" a girl in green asked Lin Feng. The girl had long, smooth hair draped over her shoulders, and behind her hung a white fur cloak, giving her a somewhat heroic air. Her features were quite beautiful. Seeing Lin Feng's aura was unremarkable, she questioned him.
"Admiring the majesty of the Mu Clan," Lin Feng replied casually, having restrained his aura to appear as an ordinary Sovereign Lord.
"If you're going to look, don't block the front of the mansion gate next time," the girl said coldly. The group walked past Lin Feng.
Lin Feng watched the group walk away, then moved to the street opposite the Mu Mansion. He asked a passerby beside him, "That girl just now, do you know her name?"
The passerby sized Lin Feng up, then said with a low laugh, "Brother, that's Miss Qingying, the jewel of the Mu Clan. You're not thinking of pursuing her, are you?"
"No, just asking casually," Lin Feng said with an awkward smile, seeing the sly look in the other's eyes.
"Hehe, little brother, I know these things well. No need to explain," the passerby said, patting Lin Feng on the shoulder with an ambiguous smile. Lin Feng could only shrug helplessly.
"Qingying, that guy was asking about you," the young man beside Mu Qingying said with a laugh from the distant group.
Mu Qingying didn't respond, but another young man laughed, "In this northern district, how many people covet Sister Qingying? What's so strange about that?"
"I'm just laughing at those who don't know their limits," the first speaker replied with a laugh. Their figures gradually disappeared down the avenue. Lin Feng naturally heard their conversation, as they hadn't bothered to lower their voices. But he didn't care about others' opinions. He was still pondering how to get close to Mu Linxue!