Chapter 487 - 468: Prioritizing the Teaching Magical Treasure

Chapter 487: Chapter 468: Prioritizing the Teaching Magical Treasure

"They say a Tier Three Spring and Autumn Cicada can already manipulate the Power of Time. If a Tier Four one really exists, I wonder what it would be capable of..."

Bai Zichen muttered to himself. Due to his own Great Dao, he paid far more attention to the Spring and Autumn Cicada than any other Insect Beast.

In fact, he had the Tier Two Spring and Autumn Cicada from the Black Mountain Range to thank for a large part of why he had embarked on the Path of Time.

Without that experience, he never would have been able to comprehend the Pill Discussion and lay the foundation for his Great Dao.

He had originally thought it was just the fantasy of a few deluded Cultivators, but after looking at the Beast Hide, it seemed it might have actually existed.

’A Tier Four Spring and Autumn Cicada is likely an incarnation of the Time Path itself. A mere flap of its wings could probably trigger the Power of Time.’

’If I could actually catch one, it would be of immense benefit to my Time Path.’

’Forget it. I shouldn’t overthink this... Regardless of whether it’s real, even if a Tier Four Spring and Autumn Cicada exists, it’s not something I can handle. I’m afraid only a Divinity Transformation Great Power would have a chance of capturing one—a creature that can travel through the River of Time and is constantly wreathed in the Power of Time for protection.’

Bai Zichen put the Beast Hide away. ’It’s a shame I didn’t capture a disciple from the Hundred Skills Sect to interrogate,’ he thought. ’I could have found out whether this Beast Hide was a relic from Ancient Times or a later imitation and made a better judgment.’

There was also a White Bone Relic, one half surging with monstrous Demonic Qi while the other half shone with a brilliant Buddha Light.

’Which Buddhist Cultivator left this behind after his passing? How could it be so strange... Could it be that he first cultivated the Buddhist Dharma, then fell to the Demon Path, forming such a unique Relic?’

Bai Zichen pinched the White Bone Relic in his hand, turning it over and over. He couldn’t imagine what kind of Cultivator would be able to use it.

A Relic is the essence left behind after an eminent monk passes away and his body transforms into a rainbow. They only appear from those at the Arhat Realm or higher, containing their understanding of the Buddhist Dharma, as well as their vast, solidified Buddha Power.

To Buddhist Cultivators, a Relic is a supreme treasure.

Keeping one nearby can reduce negative energy, deepen one’s understanding of Buddhist principles, and aid one’s Cultivation.

It can even act as a catalyst to unleash powerful Buddhist Divine Powers, increasing their effects severalfold.

The higher the Cultivation of the Buddhist Cultivator, the more potent the Relic they leave behind.

But this White Bone Relic was half-demonic, making it clearly unsuitable for a Buddhist Cultivator to use.

Yet if given to a Demon Cultivator, they would be suppressed and purified by its Buddha Light.

Only a Cultivator who practiced both the Buddhist and Demon Paths could ever use this White Bone Relic.

Judging by the power it contained, it must have been left behind by a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

Furthermore, he must have achieved a similarly profound Realm in both the Buddhist and Demon Paths. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

That was the only way the White Bone Relic could have achieved such a balance.

The final item was a ribbon. Its texture was soft and delicate, and it felt utterly weightless in his hand.

Just as he was about to store it in his Realm, assuming it was another strange object of unknown origin, a sudden thought made him bring it back out.

’This feeling is familiar... What treasure is it that makes this ribbon seem so recognizable...’

Bai Zichen pondered for a moment before taking out a piece of light gauze and placing the two items side by side.

’It really is the Mystical Immortal Gauze. The Tier of this Exotic Treasure is unknown, and it’s incomplete, but I’ve never seen anything better for concealment.’

The light gauze gently unfurled, and the ribbon attached itself, joining together as one.

It was as if they were meant to be whole and had never been apart.

He held the Mystical Immortal Gauze and gave it a shake. The ribbon swayed but showed no signs of detaching.

When he draped it over himself, he immediately noticed a difference.

’Previously, as long as I stood perfectly still, not even a Nascent Soul True Monarch could detect the Mystical Immortal Gauze. Now that it’s been mended with this ribbon, I can walk around while wearing it without causing the slightest ripple, as long as I don’t move too quickly.’

Bai Zichen carefully familiarized himself with the changes to the Mystical Immortal Gauze, lest any mishaps occur when he used it for real.

Back in his Core Formation Stage, the effectiveness of the Mystical Immortal Gauze had been tied to the strength of his Divine Sense. As long as he wore it, no one could find him unless their Divine Sense was vastly stronger than his.

After forming his Nascent Soul, his Divine Sense had grown to the level of Late-Stage Nascent Soul Cultivators, revealing the Mystical Immortal Gauze’s upper limits.

It didn’t scale indefinitely; its limit was somewhere around the Late-Stage Nascent Soul Realm.

A more powerful Great True Monarch would still have a chance of seeing through the mist and finding a flaw in the Mystical Immortal Gauze’s concealment.

’But even like this, the Mystical Immortal Gauze is still incomplete. It seems other fragments are scattered in some corner of the Cultivation Realm. If I could collect them all, its power would certainly increase by a great deal.’

He had obtained the main body of the Mystical Immortal Gauze from Daoist Hex of the Ghost Spirit Sect, and now he had found this ribbon in the Dian Country of the Southern Domain.

For pieces of the same treasure to end up so far apart after being shattered... one could only say that over the vast course of time, anything was possible.

After taking stock of all the spoils he had taken from the Hundred Skills Sect’s Secret Vault, Bai Zichen decided to carve out a simple Cave Mansion right there on the barren mountain.

His Sword Light danced. With a few swift slashes—SWISH, SWISH—he carved a cave into the mountainside and then set up a Gathering Spirit Array.

He first spent a month refining the Hundred Poison Cold Python Sword.

After all, it was a top-quality Tier Three Flying Sword, the kind that had a chance to be upgraded to a Tier Four Flying Sword in the future.

The sooner he finished refining it and placed it in the Supreme Qingwei Sword Box to be nourished by Pure Qi, the better.

Next, he began to refine the Spirit Eye Stone into his Realm.

Several months later, the Spirit Eye Stone vanished. In its place, a stone pillar now stood within the previously empty Realm.

"You are the first thing to form within my Realm. I hope this is a good beginning..."

Nascent Soul Xiaobai wore a solemn expression as it released its hands from the stone pillar.

Faint Spiritual Qi drifted from the stone pillar, at a level that barely qualified as a Tier-Entry Spirit Land. Compared to the vastness of the Realm, it was but a drop in the ocean.

But it was a good start, representing a crucial step forward for his Realm.

It was no longer a blank void, a dead space carved from nothingness, utterly devoid of life.

’In a few more years, once the Spiritual Energy Concentration has increased, I can introduce Spirit Beasts, and some Spirit Plants can be planted as well... As for Cultivators living inside, those with low Cultivation wouldn’t be able to withstand the physical pressure, while those with higher Cultivation would find the available Spiritual Qi insufficient for their needs.’

Bai Zichen shook his head slightly. Developing the Realm was a long-term project, a Water Grinding Skill that couldn’t be rushed.

As the Northern Domain’s recognized hope for reaching the Divinity Transformation Realm, he couldn’t possibly neglect his own foundation just to speed up his Realm’s evolution.

The Divinity Transformation Celestial Chasm was a barrier so great that he couldn’t even be sure his own Sacred Body would be of any help in crossing it.

Judging from the history of the Cultivation Realm, many Sacred Bodies were only effective up to the Nascent Soul Perfection Realm.

His own Mysterious Holy Body was unlike any other recorded Sacred Body, its range of effects unprecedentedly broad.

But that was no guarantee that it would be effective for breaking through to the Divinity Transformation Realm.

’My business with the Five Elements Sect is concluded for now. But there are still two places I need to visit in Dian Country, so there’s no hurry to leave.’

Bai Zichen took out his map of the Five Domains, tapped on the Southern Domain, and then zoomed in on the Dian Country.

’First, there’s the Stalactite Cave from the Soul Searching Memory. Xin Youhuang hasn’t been there since she formed her Nascent Soul, so a good amount of Earth Spirit Milk should have accumulated... That stuff is highly sought after. It’s perfect whether I trade it in the Central Domain or bring it back to the Sect for the junior disciples to use.’

Although Earth Spirit Milk is useless to Nascent Soul Old Monsters, they often have beloved disciples and Direct Descendants. To help the younger generation rapidly advance their Cultivation, these old monsters are more than willing to pay a high price for Earth Spirit Milk.

In any case, back in the Northern Domain, several merchant guilds were constantly posting requests to purchase Earth Spirit Milk for frighteningly high prices.

It was all said to be sent to the Central Domain; even the Nascent Soul-level descendants of the Northern Domain’s Major Sects could hardly afford it.

’The other location is Luofeng Mountain. It’s near Dian Country, practically on the border between two nations... The Sword Refining Secret Technique a junior disciple presented to me back then requires a specific True Flame for the final tempering process, and it just so happens to be there. That mass of Innate Nine Yang True Flame alone makes the trip worthwhile.’

Bai Zichen had long ago gathered all the Sword Refining Materials for the Tier Three Golden Light Fiery Sword. He simply had never gotten around to refining it because the three required types of True Flame were all located too far apart.

Now that he had a good number of Tier Three Flying Swords, he placed even less importance on it.

But the Innate Nine Yang True Flame wasn’t just for refining swords. He had a Magical Treasure that was waiting for this very flame to restore its grade.

’The Nine Yang Divine Fire Mirror is only missing this Innate Nine Yang True Flame to be restored to a Top-Grade Magical Treasure. Ordinary Magical Treasures are useless to me, but the Nine Yang Divine Fire Mirror is different. Even as a Low-Grade Magical Treasure, it plays a vital role. If it ever advances to a Spiritual Treasure, it could become one of the Sect’s most important heirlooms, with inestimable value!’

In terms of pure combat effectiveness, the Nine Yang Divine Fire Mirror wouldn’t even qualify for a spot in Bai Zichen’s storage bag. He should have tossed it into the Secret Hall long ago for junior Core Formation Cultivators to acquire through exchange.

Yet to this day, it remained safe and sound in his Dantian Qi Sea, sitting motionlessly right behind the Supreme Qingwei Sword Box.

The reality was that as a Teaching Magical Treasure, the Nine Yang Divine Fire Mirror’s strategic importance was simply too great.

Even at the Magical Treasure Tier, it could assess God Capturing Foundation Establishment Cultivators and provide them with the most correct cultivation path.

It could even offer corrections and continuous suggestions along the way.

And if it advanced to a Spiritual Treasure, it would even be effective on Core Formation True Men!

Moreover, the Nine Yang Divine Fire Mirror wasn’t a Cultivator; it wouldn’t get tired or mentally drained. It could work twenty-four hours a day, assessing and critiquing disciples without any issue.

This meant that as long as he, its master, was willing, he could allow everyone in the Sect, from top to bottom, to enjoy such a benefit.

’Of course, the prerequisite is that the Nine Yang Divine Fire Mirror’s Spiritual nature must evolve and break through to the Spiritual Treasure level... And if I really overworked it like that, the treasure spirit would probably object and go on strike.’

However, Bai Zichen was already attempting to upgrade a Tier Three Flying Sword to Tier Four. Compared to that, upgrading a Top-Grade Magical Treasure to a Low-Grade Spiritual Treasure was a much less difficult task.

The Nine Yang Divine Fire Mirror wasn’t a new item, either. It had been used for thousands of years in the Celestial Principle Sect, passed down through generations and accumulating a deep foundation of its own.

With the help of the Daoist Classic Cantongqi, it could very well become the first Spiritual Treasure he personally created.

’Comparing the two, the Nine Yang Divine Fire Mirror is more important. I’ll go to Luofeng Mountain first!’

Having made his decision, Bai Zichen wasted no time. Transforming into a streak of Thunder Radiance Sword Light, he circled twice to get his bearings before speeding off with Sword Control.

Half a day later, a sky full of Blood Shadows descended upon the barren mountain, blanketing the entire peak.

"A step too late again! This kid is just running all over the place without any clear destination. Could he know that I am coming for him?"

A middle-aged man with a sinister expression appeared inside the stone cave. He reached out to touch the spot where Bai Zichen had been sitting, then took a blood-red Compass from his robes.

The needle on it spun wildly before stopping, pointing directly south!