Innate Immortal Seed

’Three Jade Scrolls... One contains a Gold Element Technique that can be cultivated to Core Formation Perfection, another holds the legacy of Tier Three Spirit Plants, and the last has three Pill Formulas, all for Elixirs suitable for Foundation Establishment Cultivators...’

While flying on his sword, Bai Zichen took the time to carefully review the contents of the three Jade Scrolls he had obtained from the auction house’s treasury.

’They’re of little use to me, but they’ll add to the Sect’s foundation. The Transmission Hall, Pill Hall, and Spirit Plant Hall will each gain a new legacy.’

This trip to Zengguang Immortal City had allowed him to witness the prowess of top-tier Cultivators in action, as well as the true might of a Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure.

However, failing to secure a portion of the Liang Country trade routes as planned was a significant regret.

His personal gains were also limited, as he had not entered the Heaven-Reaching Immortal Pagoda.

According to Yann Yuanzai, the pagoda contained countless Treasures. There were even two Secret Realms that had fallen into the hands of Celestial Punishment Peak because the Du Clan members couldn’t bring themselves to destroy them.

One was the Medicine Garden Secret Realm, and the other a Secret Realm where Profound Nether Heavy Water could be created through Refinement. Both had been cornerstones of the Zengguang Du Family’s power.

Every Nascent Soul True Monarch who participated in the siege against Du Heng had taken their share of Treasures, and Celestial Punishment Peak had gifted each of them a Top-Grade Spirit Stone as well.

Fortunately, Bai Zichen had made other gains of his own.

If it was truly what he suspected, then his gains would be no less than those of the Nascent Soul True Monarchs.

’Overflowing with sparks, eternally burning, with a strong suction force to the touch... In every aspect, it’s a perfect match for the legendary Great Sun Golden Copper. But I can’t be certain if it’s the real thing just yet.’

The ore, which seemed to have been burning eternally for untold years, appeared in Bai Zichen’s hand. The flames it emitted sent a searing pain through his palm.

Even his Fire Dragon Returning Essence Scripture couldn’t absorb the flames from the ore’s surface. The Fire Flood Dragon swallowed it, only to spit it back out after a moment.

’If this really is Sun Golden Copper, then once I return, I can begin cultivating the Sun Celestial Copper Bone—the first step of the Nine Heavens Bone Forging Techniques!’

As one of the three great legacies from the Sword Immortal Secret Realm, Bai Zichen had long wanted to begin practicing the Nine Heavens Bone Forging Techniques, a Body Refining Technique.

Unfortunately, the initial requirements were exceedingly high, and the Cultivation Conditions for each of the seven Immortal Bones were progressively more demanding.

Of these, the Sun Element Copper Bone had the lowest requirements; one could begin its Refinement upon reaching the early Core Formation stage.

However, it required the Refinement of thirteen special Spiritual Materials, and in all these years, he had only managed to gather ten of them.

Of the remaining three, Great Sun Golden Copper had only ever appeared in ancient records; it was a Spiritual Material that hadn’t been seen in the Northern Domain for ten thousand years.

The other two were both exceedingly valuable and could serve as Array Materials for a Tier Four Array.

However, as long as one was willing to spend a fortune in Spirit Stones, there were channels through which they could be purchased from the Central Domain.

If Bai Zichen could prove that the substance hidden within the fiercely burning ore, once its impurities were stripped away, was indeed Great Sun Golden Copper, then he would be incredibly close to successfully forging his first Immortal Bone.

Furthermore, he had also met the basic Cultivation Conditions for another bone: the Celestial Might Star Bone.

Once he advanced to Core Formation Perfection, the nine types of Outer Heaven Star Iron Spiritual Liquid he had long since prepared would be ready, and he could immediately begin the Refinement of that Immortal Bone.

Each Immortal Bone provided different effects, and the Refinement of the remaining ones could only begin in the Nascent Soul Realm, which was still a long way off.

It wasn’t that Bai Zichen was far from a Nascent Soul Cultivation, but that the remaining Immortal Bones each had other cultivation requirements, one more outrageous than the next.

Moreover, looking at the Divine Techniques granted by the Immortal Bones, they were certainly powerful, but they didn’t seem to be on the same level as the Supreme Qingwei Sword Box or the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword.

The Supreme Qingwei Sword Box was a Celestial Treasure, the personal Treasure of an Upper Realm Sword Immortal, an Ultimate Treasure of Sword Dao.

The Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword was currently only Tier Three, but judging by its spiritual nature and the reverence and obedience the Moon Xuan Sword showed it, its true quality was at least Tier Five, if not higher.

He felt that even if he forged all seven Immortal Bones and combined their Divine Techniques, the result would, at best, be roughly equivalent to his Five Crystal Glaze Body at the Great Success stage. Even if it were slightly superior, there would be no fundamental difference in power.

’But compared to his other two great treasures, the Nine Heavens Bone Forging Techniques shouldn’t be so limited in power.’

’Perhaps when all seven Immortal Bones are gathered, there will be some other transformation. I’ll only know for sure once I’ve truly forged them all...’

Bai Zichen pondered this, stowing the flaming ore away while considering which Artifact Refining Grandmaster he should find to verify if it was truly Sun Golden Copper.

「In the blink of an eye, he arrived at his destination.」

His Sword Light flashed, shooting out from the Ten Thousand Feet Gang Wind Layer and descending straight to the ground without a second glance.

’Why can’t I hear the Ancient Demon’s roars? Weren’t there reports that its range of activity had expanded by another fifty zhang in recent years? Its roars were said to be on the verge of escaping Burial Immortal Valley.’

Bai Zichen scanned his surroundings, recalling that he had come here with his senior brother, Ge Cang, back when his cultivation was still at the Foundation Establishment stage.

He had stood below, watching the most powerful Core Formation True Men from both Liang Country and Beiyuan fight to the death on a dueling platform.

In hindsight, it was highly likely that Du Heng had orchestrated the events of that day.

It was a time when he had just refined his True Demon Avatar and needed to consume Blood Food and sacrifice flesh and blood to raise his Realm.

Du Heng had exploited the positions of several Nascent Soul Major Sects involved in the matter, using a few clever tricks to orchestrate the dueling tournament in Burial Immortal Valley.

Through this, he released the Ancient Demon, creating the conditions he needed to forge his True Demon Holy Body.

The secret Fang Tiancheng had shared with him was that one of the chains binding the Ancient Demon had a core link forged from Five Crystal Divine Iron!

Two of the indispensable Tier Five Spiritual Materials he had yearned for day and night, needed to complete the final layer of his Five Crystal Glaze Body, were actually located practically in his own backyard.

He walked slowly toward the center of Burial Immortal Valley. Several Nascent Soul True Monarchs had solemnly assured him that there was absolutely no chance the Ancient Demon could break free.

Even if someone tried to dismantle it in broad daylight, it would be impossible to break the Demon Refining Array.

It was the brainchild of several Divinity Transformation Great Powers, with even Upper Realm Cultivators participating in its creation. The Spiritual Materials used were ancient relics whose effects were more than doubled, which was how an extinct Tier Five Spiritual Material like Five Crystal Divine Iron came to be included.

It was only because the legacy the Zengguang Du Family obtained during their rise to prominence was connected to the Divinity Transformation Great Power from Ancient Times who had set up the array that they were able to make limited use of the Demon Refining Array.

’I’m here. This retrieval method requires my full concentration. There’s no room for error.’

Bai Zichen walked to the edge of the great chasm. The Ancient Demon had vanished without a trace, leaving only a gaping, dark abyss. It had likely retreated deep underground again.

He brought out the Moon Xuan Sword, then reached out and lightly flicked the iron chain, causing it to vibrate. RATTLE, RATTLE.

He formed a series of Hand Techniques, causing the chain to thrum violently and lift high into the air. A five-colored light began to spread from it.

When the Demon-Binding Chain was first forged, the Divinity Transformation Great Power had considered the possibility that the Ancient Demon might damage it while struggling. Thus, he had left behind a method for replacing individual links.

This method had been passed from Du Heng to Fang Tiancheng, who in turn had gifted it to Bai Zichen.

It was given as a reward for Fang Tiancheng’s efforts in luring the Blood God True Monarch into a trap, so it was unlikely to be a fake.

Bai Zichen experimented for several hours before finally getting the knack. The rhythm of his taps on the chain became perfectly uniform, and the five-colored light billowed up, growing ever more intense.

Finally, with a sharp ”CLINK,” the most heavily worn link broke off and fell.

The surface of the link was worn down by several layers, looking weather-beaten and caked in rust and grime.

The inner layer, revealed in patches, was a convergence of five crystals, condensed into a peculiar form.

It was none other than the material known as the hardest among all Tier Five Spiritual Materials: Five Crystal Divine Iron!

’It really worked! I’ve got it!’

A single link like this was more than enough for Bai Zichen to complete his Five Crystal Glaze Body.

Furthermore, with just one piece missing from the long chain, the difference was unnoticeable. It wouldn’t affect the suppression of the Ancient Demon in the slightest.

’I’ll refine this as soon as I return and complete the Five Crystal Glaze Body... I’m eager to see what changes the Five Crystal Glaze Body will undergo at its ultimate stage of Perfection.’

Just as Bai Zichen was examining the Five Crystal Divine Iron, a sudden chill shot down his spine. A bone-piercing sharpness pricked his back, causing a flash of intense pain.

His vision plunged into darkness. Everything his eyes could see and his Divine Sense could probe was nothing but absolute black.

”What cowardly rat dares to ambush me!”