The Geared Immortal

The Great Wu Cultivation Academy: 8

/*unedited*/

A young woman standing in the middle of the crowd wearing a light silver robe with her hair tied in a bun. She showed a complicated look on her eyes as she slowly lifted both of her hands.

"This would be my first official artifact and I hope that master would be proud of me." Ai Ji thought as she turned on the power core on both of her gloves.

Bzzt!

A faint sound of something vibrating suddenly enters the people around her. Then suddenly the crafted items on the table began to float and immediately flew towards Ai Ji. When the objects are about 1 meter away from her, they suddenly stopped and floated in a stationary motion.

"This is the first defensive form, Dome Defense." She said.

People noticed that her fingers are formed like the left and right parts of the dome following the formation of the objects.

"And this is another form, I call it The Wall." She said as she put out her palm in a pushing motion which made all the floating object form into a shield wall in front of her.

Then Ai Ji smiled…

"Actually your imagination is the limit, as long as you can form your finger; these floating things would follow it."

Everyone guffawed when she formed a couple of hand gestures which the objects followed.

"That is amazing!"

"How is this done? If this is an artifact then it would consume too much Qi of the bearer. This would only be useful to core-forming realm cultivators and above."

"I think not, look at her hands… those are cores."

The people began to discuss.

Shin Jiao, on the other hand, didn't imagine that Ai Ji would create something like this. He only taught her a little about gravity and magnetic force as part of her basic subject. But he didn't know that her mind would be so intricate that she can design something like this.

"Though it is a crude way of using a magnetic field, still it is already enough to be considered as a low-level artifact. If she uses higher-level materials, then this would be a lifesaver." Shin Jiao thought.

As the people began to clamor, a man suddenly walks inside the hall.

While waiting for his daughter outside, Guang Lobai suddenly heard the commotion and decided to go inside the hall.

Since the elder was already attracted to this a while ago, no one is watching the door.

Upon seeing the young woman in the middle attracting many, his irritation suddenly erupted.

What he could not accept is the ability of the young woman to craft such an item. So he decided to humiliate the young woman and show the true face of the artifact that the trash mortal created.

"Such parlor tricks won't fool me." Suddenly Guang Lobai said as he quickly charges towards Ai Ji.

Seeing this, Ai Ji instinctively raises both hands and do a pushing motion towards, Guang Lobai who sneered and raised his clenched hand to punch.

Boom!!!

Everyone was taken aback at the collision between the two. But before they can react, they saw a figure flying towards the wall of the hall.

With his head dizzy after the strong impact, Guang Lobai slowly stands up while spouting some mouthful of blood. His eyes are showing a disbelieving expression as he tried to think about what happened.

Then he saw the young woman still standing in her position with her eyes closed and behind her is a handsome young man, her master.

Ai Ji didn't know what happened as she immediately closed her eyes upon seeing the scary cultivator flying towards her. Then she felt some force hitting her palm and a warm current suddenly flowing from her back. She then feels a muscular chest clearly sticking behind her, while two hands are directly holding her arms.

As she slowly opens her eyes, she immediately turns around and saw the handsome face of her master, who is looking at her with fondness clearly written all over his face.

Shin Jiao truly like this student of his for her ingenuity; the artifact she just made clearly reflects its usage and effectiveness in defending against attackers.

Clank! Clank!

Suddenly some of the metal parts of the artifact fell on the ground as they were damaged by the impact. But the artifact itself is still functioning.

Everyone in the area who had already run a distance is now looking at Ai Ji with a hint of admiration.

"That is a level 2 artifact… she was able to create such a thing using crappy materials. How much power can that be if she uses high-quality materials?"

Everyone said as they look at the slowly floating things around her.

"Do you want this to be upgraded?" Shin Jiao suddenly whispered behind her.

Ai Ji is now showing a blushing face as she is currently being hugged by her master. She just shyly nods her head.

With a smile, Shin Jiao took out a piece of jade and walks towards the table. He took out some instruments in his spatial tool and inscribes some micro runes on the jade. He then cut the jade in two and approaches, Ai Ji. He then carefully attached the half of the jades on the gloves.

"The commands are, 'armor up' and 'disperse' remember." Shin Jiao said with a smile.

Everyone showed a confused look, but they continue to observe.

Meanwhile, Guang Lobai has already stood up and beside her is his daughter Meng Lobai.

"Father, this is too much. Why would you do such a thing in this place?" Meng Lobai said with a hint of discontent in her heart.

She has already passed the test and become an artificer. Why would her father make trouble for her? But she didn't know what runs in the mind of her father right now. His heart is already clouded with shame. He could not accept that he, a dignified cultivator was defeated by a mere artifact that a lowly mortal created.

And so, with indignation in his heart, he suddenly pushed aside his daughter and dashed forward once again.

Seeing the raging bull of a man rushing towards her, Ai Ji suddenly shivered in fear.

"Master, help…" Ai Ji muttered with tears slowly flowing down her eyes.

Her knees are already wobbly from fear.

"Don't worry this would be a good experience for you. I will assist you in any way I can… Now say it." Shin Jiao said calmly.

"A… a… armor up!" Ai Ji shouted.

With her words, the scattered floating metals around her suddenly form into an armor covering her body. The spiritual undulation on the gloves suddenly used up to 30% of the energy making the core lightly faint in color.

When the people around them saw this they gasp in disbelief.

But before anyone could react, the figure of Guang Lobai appears in front of Ai Ji and threw a punch towards her head, before his fist could hit her; a strong force suddenly pushed Ai Ji back making the punch miss.

"Now do say the second command!" Shin Jiao said who is still standing behind her.

"Di.. disperse." Ai Ji shouted.

Shin Jiao immediately runs back like a shadow.

The metal parts around Ai Ji suddenly shoot out like bullets for 3 meters. Some hit Guang Lobai but luckily he was able to put up his Qi field on time.

"Father! That's enough!" shouted a woman's voice behind them.

"I will never talk to you when we get home…" Meng Lobai said with an aggrieved tone.

With a helpless expression, Guang Lobai gritted his teeth and suddenly turns around to leave the hall. He has lost his face in this incident, but he never wanted to make his daughter unhappy. He truly doted on her and would always do what she wanted.

After her father walks out of the hall, Meng Lobai approached Ai Ji and cupped her hand.

"Little sister, I ask forgiveness from my father's conduct. If ever there is a grievance between you and him, I am willing to carry it." Meng Lobai said with sadness in her eyes.

Ai Ji is a soft little girl, so she didn't mind what had happened. Plus with that girl's father she was able to display the ability of her artifact to the fullest, so she didn't mind what had happened.

Shin Jiao also didn't bother with such a character. It is below him to fight against those who are not of a threat to his family.

And so after the test, everyone was dispersed while Shin Jiao and Ai Ji were invited by the old man inside the Craftsman's Union office.

The old man showed interest in the artifact that Ai Ji was able to make and offered a high price for its blueprint. As this is only a prototype, Ai Ji and Shin Jiao didn't mind selling it to them.

Receiving a level 2 artificer certification, Ai Ji and Shin Jiao left the association with good feelings and a pocket full of cash.

Hence from then on, Ai Ji becomes a well-known respected artificer in the city of Wu. Even though she is a young mortal woman, but her reputation and talent prove this otherwise.

…

In the new building of Shin Jiao's store, Ai Ji enters the room and attracted the people inside.

"This is my apprentice, my student level 2 Artificer Ai Ji. She is the one who crafted those earrings." Shin Jiao proudly said after he beckoned her to come over.

In front of the Roc's Eye Merchant group, Ai Ji bowed and greeted them politely. She has already ascertained the people inside the room and they were respectable merchants of the Great City of Wu.

…

Two weeks later…

Shin Jiao and Aye Muyan reached the front gate of the Jiao family. There a few black carriages are already waiting.

Upon seeing them the smiling face of the Jiao family head suddenly turned brighter. But the women beside him suddenly frowned and showed an ugly look on their faces.

They could not help it, as right now, the woman beside the handsome young man has truly become beautiful. Her glowing fair skin and beautiful face were far from the old woman they remembered before. Aye Muyan truly returned to her 30's in appearance, a perfectly beautiful woman which truly resembles the young man beside her, her son Shin Jiao.

The mother and son duo are like deity coming to visit them.

"Wife welcome home!" Si'en Jiao could not help himself but say those words as he almost drools upon seeing his abandoned wife's beauty.

But Aye Muyan didn't say anything; she just turned a blind eye to the people as she looks at her son.

"Take good care of yourself out there okay." She said as she hugs Shin Jiao and small drops of tears fell from her eyes.

"Umm… I'll be, well, mother." Shin Jiao said with a faint smile.

As the carriage moves out, Si'en Jiao grabs the opportunity to approach Aye Muyan but a shadow suddenly appears beside her. A beautiful young woman wearing a black robe blocks his way.

He knows who this little woman is, it is one of the women who always follows Shin Jiao. And her strength is nothing to laugh at.

"Mistress, we have to go home now," Jiyi said as she didn't put in her eyes the head of the Jiao family.

With a nod, Aye Muyan walks away followed by Jiyi.

The people in the Jiao family could not help but grit their teeth in anger.

"I swear to get you woman, or my name is not Si'en Jiao." Si'en Jiao muttered and a burning desire in his eyes can be seen.

The women behind him also eyed, Aye Muyan and began to scheme in their heart on how to get rid of her.