Immortal Refiner

”The Soul Nurturing Heart Sutra—a soul-refining cultivation method. Too bad it’s incomplete. What a pity!”

In the Scripture Repository of the Soul Nurturing Temple, Li Qing regretfully set down another jade slip, the word ”painful” practically written on his face.

He had already examined most of the jade slips stored in the tower, many of which contained inheritances related to the divine soul. Unfortunately, all of them were incomplete.

However, this fact alone demonstrated that the Soul Nurturing Temple had truly pushed the study of the divine soul to its limits. If he could obtain a complete inheritance, he could undoubtedly elevate his spiritual sense to an astonishing degree.

Alas, tens of thousands of years had passed like a fleeting dream, and these inheritances had been buried in the dust of history. This was not only a loss for Li Qing but for the entire cultivation world.

Of course, Li Qing’s search hadn’t been entirely fruitless.

He had found several inheritances related to cultivation techniques. Even in their incomplete state, these items still held some value.

Along the way, he had acquired an inheritance related to the Pill Refinement Technique. Though incomplete, it would surely attract many cultivators if sold outside. The recorded Pill Refinement methods and experiences held significant value for reference.

Finally, after Li Qing had examined all the jade slips on the dusty iron rack, he made an additional discovery: three more jade slips containing fragments of cultivation techniques.

One was related to Restrictions. It detailed secret techniques unique to the Soul Nurturing Temple from tens of thousands of years ago, unknown to outsiders. Li Qing was particularly envious of the offensive Restriction on the main peak that could harm spiritual consciousness.

The second jade slip contained the artifact refinement inheritance he had been most eager to find. As a sect with several Foundation Establishment cultivators, the Soul Nurturing Temple naturally possessed such an inheritance. Though incomplete, the preserved spirit patterns within it left Li Qing both astonished and delighted. These were unique treasures of the Soul Nurturing Temple.

The final jade slip contained a complete inheritance of a secret technique, with no missing parts!

”Treasure Artifact Spirit Imbuement Method: Capture a Demon Spirit and cultivate a nascent Artifact Spirit within a Magic Artifact rich in spirituality. The artifact must be at least a top-grade magical artifact!”

Li Qing was stunned by the description of this artifact refinement secret technique. Has the Soul Nurturing Temple’s research on spirit bodies reached such an absurd level?!

However, after reading the basic introduction, Li Qing couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

The success rate of this secret technique was incredibly low, shockingly so. Dozens of Demon Spirits might fail before a single success.

Moreover, failure would directly destroy the spirit patterns within the artifact, causing its spirituality to dissipate and the Demon Spirit to be completely annihilated.

Only if the artifact was of exceptionally high grade, containing abundant spirituality, would the success rate improve.

”The cost of failure is truly unbelievable. I can’t imagine what the creator of this secret technique was thinking,” Li Qing said with a wry smile, then committed the secret technique to memory.

Tastes like nothing, but it’s too valuable to discard.

I’ll just treat it as expanding my knowledge.

It wasn’t that Li Qing didn’t want to try; the cost was simply too terrifyingly high. He couldn’t even refine a top-grade magical artifact yet.

Even setting aside the rarity of top-grade magical artifacts, the Demon Spirit itself was an incredibly precious treasure. For a Demon beast to produce a Demon Spirit, it had to reach at least the Second-Tier level, equivalent to the Foundation Establishment Realm!

”But if it works, it truly would be an extraordinary method,” Li Qing murmured. ”Once a top-grade magical artifact develops its own Artifact Spirit, it could obey commands and fight autonomously, without consuming the owner’s mana.”

He carefully tucked the jade slip into his robes. Although it was currently useless, he felt it would become increasingly valuable as his cultivation advanced.

”I’ve heard that the higher the grade of a magical artifact, the more mana it consumes to activate.”

”If I ever reach the Core Formation Realm and gain the ability to refine my own treasure, I might try creating one with an Artifact Spirit.”

He could even imagine it: a treasure with its own Artifact Spirit would be like having an extra Core Formation cultivator’s worth of combat power!

”Ah! The world is truly vast and full of wonders. The cultivation world is truly vast and profound. The more I learn, the more I realize how insignificant I am.”

Li Qing couldn’t help but sigh, thinking that after so many years of development, the cultivation world must have given birth to even more extraordinary secret techniques.

After all, the world has never lacked brilliant and exceptional individuals. One hero after another has emerged, forging the magnificent cultivation world we see today.

For example, the person who developed the Foundation Establishment Pill. Without this person, countless cultivators’ paths would have been severed at the Foundation Establishment stage.

After thoroughly examining all the jade slips, Li Qing wandered through the Scripture Repository, leaving no corner unexplored. He searched every nook and cranny, turning the place upside down.

Finally, he actually found another handwritten manuscript. It contained records of major events from the Soul Nurturing Temple.

”So the Soul Nurturing Temple’s origins are even more mysterious than I thought. It actually traces back to an even more ancient Cultivation Sect, one whose history is likely lost to time.”

Li Qing muttered to himself as he flipped to the end of the manuscript.

Finally, the record concluded with the Soul Nurturing Temple’s decision to mobilize its entire resources to construct an octagonal stone tower.

The specific reason for its construction was not explicitly stated, but Li Qing surmised it must be the towering octagonal stone tower at the end of the courtyard.

”That’s where the record ends. It seems that after the Soul Nurturing Temple completed this stone tower, some cataclysmic event occurred, leading to the disappearance of everyone in the temple.”

Li Qing frowned, sensing he might have stumbled upon a crucial clue. Everything pointed to the stone tower in the courtyard.

”I should go and examine that tower. What purpose could this mysterious structure, built for reasons unknown, possibly serve?”

With that, Li Qing left the Scripture Repository, his gaze fixed on the imposing octagonal stone tower.

The octagonal tower in the courtyard was not made entirely of stone. Its primary framework was constructed from spirit gold, a material of exceptional durability.

However, over the tens of thousands of years since its completion, the spirituality inherent in the spirit gold had completely dissipated, leaving behind only discarded spiritual materials.

Li Qing approached the base of the tower and touched its solid surface with his hand.

”Nine stories in total, and each one faintly shows traces of dao patterns interwoven. Are they trying to refine this tower into a Magic Artifact?”

Li Qing’s voice was filled with disbelief. He couldn’t imagine the power such a massive tower would possess if it were truly completed.

He withdrew his hand and approached the first-floor entrance. The stone door was firmly sealed shut, impossible to enter.

After observing for some time and confirming that the octagonal stone tower held no apparent power, Li Qing decided to force his way inside.

He patted his storage pouch, and a massive hammer forged from Ink Gold materialized in his hand.

Holding the Peerless Hammer, Li Qing channeled his spiritual energy and activated his blood qi.

Boom!

The Peerless Hammer slammed into the sealed stone door with tremendous force. With a single strike, the entire door shattered like dry wood.

As the dust from the shattered door settled, the scene within the first floor of the stone tower was revealed.

Contrary to expectations of solemn grandeur, the interior was chilling, leaving even Li Qing, still holding the Peerless Hammer, stunned and speechless for a long moment.

Inside lay eight ghastly skeletons!

The scene was utterly horrifying. Anyone with a weaker constitution would likely have been paralyzed with fear at the sight.

The eight skeletons were each seated in a corner of the tower, their necks bound by spirit gold chains that originated from each corner of the stone tower.

”The Ancient Soul Nurturing Temple built such a tower just to imprison criminals?”

Li Qing soon realized something was amiss. This stone tower, constructed with the temple’s full resources, wasn’t meant to hold criminals!

He found an Identity Token from the Soul Nurturing Temple among the relics of one of the skeletons. Everyone here had been cultivators from the temple!

Upon confirming this, Li Qing couldn’t help but feel another wave of unease.

What exactly were they doing? Why go to such lengths to build this tower, only to bind themselves here and await death?

”Could there be eight skeletons on every floor?” Li Qing forced a bitter smile and ascended to the second level.

Sure enough, this floor also held eight skeletons, each bound by eight spirit gold chains around their necks.

The eerie sight sent a chill down his spine.

Li Qing continued climbing, reaching the eighth floor of the tower. Finally, he noticed something peculiar.

On this level, there were only seven skeletons, with one spirit gold chain hanging empty against the tower wall.

”One person is missing... Could the Jade Pendant used to open the Hidden Realm have been taken out by this person?”

Li Qing couldn’t help but wonder if this was indeed the case. Otherwise, if everyone had perished within the stone tower, the Jade Pendant used to open the secret realm wouldn’t have ended up outside.

”I can’t fathom what those cultivators of the Ancient Soul Nurturing Temple were thinking. They bound themselves here, refusing to leave even as their bones turned white.”

After exploring eight floors of the tower, Li Qing sighed deeply and turned his gaze toward the staircase leading to the ninth floor.

It was clear that the octagonal stone tower had become the tomb of every cultivator from the Soul Nurturing Temple. If he didn’t find the Soul Nurturing Bell on the final floor, it would likely be impossible to locate this inheritance secret treasure.

With that thought in mind, Li Qing continued his ascent.

In a matter of breaths, the scene within the ninth floor of the tower suddenly appeared before him.

The space here was much smaller than on the first floor, with eight withered skeletons clustered together.

The eight spirit gold chains, instead of connecting to each corner of the tower’s exterior, now converged at the very top.

There, at the apex of the tower, a dull, bronze bell hung suspended at the center of the eight spirit gold chains!

The bell appeared plain and unremarkable, yet it stirred a thousand waves within Li Qing’s heart!

If I’m not mistaken, this bell must be the most valuable Soul Nurturing Bell in the entire secret realm!

”It’s like some bizarre ritual. The eight skeletons at the top of this tower are clearly high-ranking members of the Ancient Soul Nurturing Temple.”

”What were they doing? Sacrificing their lives to the bell? Did they succeed or fail? What did they gain?”

Unfortunately, there was no one left to answer his questions.

Li Qing continued forward, inevitably brushing against several skeletons along the way. But the moment he touched them, they crumbled into dust.

With the Soul Nurturing Bell so close, Li Qing paid no mind to these details. He slowly reached out and grasped the bell in his hand.

Ting-ling-ling~

The bell emitted a crisp, clear chime. Just that beautiful sound alone filled Li Qing with a sense of joy and serenity, as if his very soul had been cleansed.

There was no doubt about it: this unassuming bell was indeed the Soul Nurturing Bell.

Without hesitation, Li Qing drew his Wandering Dragon Dagger and swiftly severed the eight spirit gold chains that bound the bell.

The secret treasure, the Soul Nurturing Bell, was finally in Li Qing’s possession!

(End of the Chapter)

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