Inquiry about immortality

Chapter 2594 Severing the Weapon Body
“I call this kind of heavenly tribulation the tribulation of destruction of artifacts. Like us, it comes once every three thousand years. Therefore, it is easy to refine acquired spiritual treasures, but difficult to keep them in the world for a long time,” Yuan Zhenjun sighed.

All things considered, it's only been a few hundred years since the Cloud Wandering Sword was destroyed.

However, this is its first tribulation, so there is no need to worry too much. The Cloud Wandering Sword is no ordinary spiritual sword, and it also benefited greatly when Qin Sang was comprehending the Dao and undergoing tribulation.

"Is the tribulation of a postnatal spiritual treasure only capable of destroying the artifact?" Qin Sang pressed.

As a cultivator, Qin Sang deeply understands that the Heavenly Tribulation is a test of life and death, as well as an opportunity bestowed by the Heavenly Dao. Cultivators must undergo transformation after transformation in the Heavenly Tribulation in order to reach the pinnacle of the Immortal Path.

"Of course there are benefits. It has even given rise to terms like 'First Tribulation Spiritual Treasure' and 'Second Tribulation Spiritual Treasure.' The more tribulations a acquired spiritual treasure undergoes, the stronger its power tends to be. However, it cannot be measured solely by tribulations. The power of an acquired spiritual treasure is closely related to the spiritual materials used to refine it, the refining method, and even the cultivation level of the person who refines it or its owner..." Yuan Zhenjun explained.

It sounds like both the Cloud Wandering Sword and Xiao Wu are among the first-stage tribulations of spiritual treasures, and no one knows how many tribulations they will be able to overcome in the future.

Qin Sang asked in bewilderment, "The Great Dao is ruthless, yet it always leaves a glimmer of hope. Does that mean that the only fate for a weapon spirit is destruction of the weapon and death of the person?"

“That’s not the case. However,” Yuan Zhenjun shook his head slightly, “I only know one way: let the spirit of the weapon sever its body and become a true living being. Then it can escape the calamity of the weapon being destroyed and cultivate like us!”

"Sever the weapon's body?"

Qin Sang had some understanding, but this was followed by even more confusion.

But when he asked for details, Yuan Zhenjun couldn't give a reason.

Three thousand years ago, Yuan Zhenjun was just a Great True Man. Although he ascended to the position of Hetu Dharma Master earlier than Qin Sang, he had to devote more time to his own cultivation, which inevitably led to some neglect in the art of weapon crafting.

In fact, in the entire Daoist realm today, there is not a single acquired spiritual treasure that can sever its physical body.

According to Yuan Zhenjun, even during the height of the Daoist court, very few weapon spirits could sever the weapon's body, which shows how difficult this hurdle was.

"The Purple Star Boy, the Landscape Painting, and the General's Tomb—have they all been dismantled?" Qin Sang pondered to himself.

The true form of Ziwei Boy, the Earth Killing Sword, is currently within his body. If Ziwei Boy has already severed the weapon's body, why would he need to find the fragments of the Earth Killing Sword and nurture it for so many years? If Ziwei Boy has not severed the weapon's body, why has no heavenly tribulation descended upon him all these years?

Could those great beings in the Mahayana stage possibly use their supernatural powers to deceive the heavenly tribulations?

Or perhaps, the so-called severing of the weapon's body is not simply about cutting off the connection between the weapon spirit and the physical body.

Qin Sang realized at this moment that the art of weapon crafting was also so profound and complex, and even now, there were still countless mysteries in his eyes, enough for a cultivator to study for a lifetime.

At this point, Yuan Zhenjun brought up another secret, "It is said that acquired spiritual treasures have another function: they can be used as objects of spiritual support to help people achieve enlightenment, but they will leave huge hidden dangers. Unfortunately, what fell into the minor world was only the Four Separate States. More than 90% of the Daoist scriptures were destroyed with the Daoist court. Very few books related to the Dao of weapon crafting have survived. Perhaps the Daoist court disdained such unorthodox methods and did not include them in the Daoist scriptures."

The so-called "helping others achieve enlightenment" does not refer to breaking through the Mahayana stage, but rather to the Integration stage. Qin Sang and Yuan Zhenjun are already Integration cultivators, so they naturally do not need to rely on such a dangerous unorthodox method and do not care about it.

Next, Qin Sang continued to consult with Yuan Zhenjun, gaining a deeper understanding of the art of weapon crafting.

Acquired spiritual treasures will constantly attract the calamity of destruction, while true treasures can remain in the world forever. Logically speaking, most cultivators should choose to refine true treasures, but acquired spiritual treasures also have advantages that true treasures do not possess.

Once a true treasure is created, it requires continuous refinement by its master to increase its power. Moreover, true treasures do not have a spirit, and must be personally controlled by the master in battle. Acquired spiritual treasures are different. They only need to absorb the master's power, and their spirits can adapt to the situation and assist the master in battle. They can also be enhanced through repeated tribulations.

Even the spirit of an artifact can comprehend the Dao on its own!

Qin Sang surmised that making the weapon spirit 'sever the weapon's body' was no longer something that could be achieved solely through advanced weapon-forging techniques. Just as a master instructs a disciple, no matter how high the master's cultivation and knowledge, it still depends on the disciple's own comprehension and opportunities.

If I help Yunyou sever the weapon's body, will Yunyouzi be able to return?
Qin Sang couldn't help but have this thought; he finally saw a glimmer of hope.

Yun Youzi and Yun You are one, and he will not hesitate to take whoever he gets after severing the weapon!

Asking Yuan Zhenjun about these questions is also related to the upcoming reforging of the Taiyin Spirit Sword. Qin Sang has been considering whether or not to retain the sword spirit of the Taiyin Spirit Sword.

It now seems that having another spirit by your side means having another karmic connection.

Back then, Ziwei Tongzi didn't require him to retain the sword spirit, because no matter what he did, the sword spirit of the Taiyin Divine Sword could never return.

After pondering for a long time, Qin Sang finally decided to forge the Taiyin Spirit Sword into a true treasure!
Swordsmanship is ultimately just a stopgap measure.

Not long after, Qin Sang and Yuan Zhenjun joined forces to build the Qilin Palace.

Just then, the second wave of envoys from the New Demon Court arrived. Yuan Zhenjun received them, while Qin Sang stayed in the Qilin Palace.

'Shuh! '

The sword light pierced the sky.

Qin Sang sat cross-legged in the Qilin Hall, the Taiyin Spirit Sword swirling and dancing before him, its light like a butterfly flitting among flowers, exuding a spiritual aura.

Although Yuan Zhenjun did not have the method to sever the weapon's body, he knew many methods to enhance the spirituality of the treasure. When he learned that Qin Sang wanted to forge a spiritual sword, he selected a few methods to teach him.

Qin Sang's current weapon-refining technique is learned from the "Chongxuan Manual". The Chongxuan Sect is skilled in shaping spirits with essence and blood. The secret techniques passed down by Yuan Zhenjun are also similar spirit-shaping techniques that consume one's own essence. He mastered them in a short time.

These secret techniques consume the cultivator's own power, and each use is extremely costly. Refinement cultivators dare not use them consecutively; they must recuperate for many years between uses, otherwise it will cause a huge deficit that is difficult to make up for.

As a Nascent Soul cultivator, Qin Sang naturally had ways to replenish his energy, especially with the Nine Earth Furnace to help him.

This confirms what Yuan Zhenjun said: for a Nascent Soul cultivator, refining a True Treasure or an Acquired Spiritual Treasure is not a difficult task.

However, Qin Sang did not rush to make a move. He wanted to forge a spirit sword that perfectly matched the Four Symbols and Nine Luminaries Sword Formation!
With a slight thought, the sword light flashed and disappeared, replaced by dazzling starlight, with countless sword stars floating in the small Qilin Palace. The Nine Earth Furnaces below the Qilin Palace also changed; through the surface flames, one could see that the Yang Furnace and the Yin Furnace were operating simultaneously.

Immediately afterwards, under Qin Sang's control, the sword stars in the sword formation slowly fell. Among them, the Taiyin Star fell into the Yin Furnace and the Taiyang Star fell into the Yang Furnace. Then, the stars used them as anchors, each occupying its own position, and fell into the sea of ​​fire together.

The Nine Earth Furnace forged by Yuan Zhenjun seamlessly integrated with Qin Sang's sword formation, greatly assisting him in reforging the Taiyin Spirit Sword.

The stars fell into the furnace and were tempered by the flames, each sword star seemingly transforming into a sword embryo.

This scene in the ovens continued for decades.

Since its completion, the Qilin Hall has never been opened to the disciples of the Daoist Court. Qin Sang has lived there alone and has never left.

Over the years, Yuan Zhenjun led the Taoist priests in working diligently to govern the region, and every few years, a major upheaval would occur during the Gengchu period.

With the magic array basically completed, the wind disaster has been largely resolved. Although the Xun wind will still rush out of the Xun wind sea and affect Gengchuzhi, the Xun wind that blows in is blocked in the high sky.

During the windstorm season, although the people of Gengchuzhi will not be able to see the sun, moon, and stars, they will no longer be disturbed by strong winds.

Less than a century after the Daoist court came to power, the Gengchu regime had already undergone earth-shaking changes.

Those half-demon citizens don't all have to crowd into the immortal city, and demons dare not cause trouble at will. They can venture into the vast world outside, mortals can cultivate fertile fields, and cultivators can freely build their own cave dwellings. As long as they accept the constraints of the Daoist court's laws, no external forces will interfere with them anymore.

What was once a wasteland is now covered in lush green grass and blooming flowers, with vibrant life thriving in the mountains and rivers, presenting a thriving scene.

During this period, the Daoist Court and the New Demon Court were on very good terms, sending envoys to each other frequently.

On this day, Yuan Zhenjun and several other Zhenjun had just seen off the envoys from the New Demon Court.

During this period, both sides made rapid progress and successfully resolved several differences, bringing them one step closer to an alliance.

Back at the altar, the True Lords were still eager for more.

Xuanqiu Zhenjun laughed and said, "It seems that what that Wood God Envoy said was not an empty promise; he has done a great deal of work for the alliance."

“Indeed, thanks to the Wood God’s efforts to overcome all opposition, I was originally worried that this would cause a rift between us and the New Demon Court,” True Lord Hequan agreed. “Fellow Daoist Yanzhu has also made great contributions by working hard and building good relationships with the New Demon Court.”

Among the True Lords, only Qin Sang and Yan Zhu True Lord are missing. Yan Zhu True Lord was sent to the New Demon Court as an envoy of the Dao Court.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Zhenjun nodded slightly.

On that day, True Lord Yanzhu came to see him specifically and confessed to the collusion between him and the New Demon Court. True Lord Yuan also chose to believe Qin Sang's judgment and ordered him to stay at the New Demon Court.

As they were talking, the True Lords seemed to sense something, and they all stopped and turned to look westward.

"Huh? Who's undergoing tribulation?" True Monarch Hequan asked in surprise.

Yuan Zhenjun's eyes gleamed, and after a moment of contemplation, he smiled, "It seems that Qin Tianjun is about to obtain another treasure!"

Upon hearing this, the True Lords realized that Qin Tianjun had been in seclusion for many years, and the treasure was finally about to be completed!
They stood still, sensing the approaching tribulations from the distant Qilin Palace, which, as expected, were all successfully blocked. As the tribulations drew to a close, the True Monarchs all showed interest, wondering whether Qin Sang had refined an acquired spiritual treasure or a true treasure.

The heavenly tribulation has ended.

Before long, a streak of blue light came from the west and landed in front of the True Lords.

The True Lords stepped forward to offer their congratulations and saw a spiritual sword floating in front of Qin Sang—it was the Taiyin Spiritual Sword!

"The sword is as swift as an autumn wild goose, its sharpness concealed. What a fine sword!"

Yuan Zhenjun couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, which wasn't entirely flattery.

Qin Sang's Taiyin Spirit Sword was forged by melting down fragments of the Taiyin Divine Sword, and its power is far beyond that of ordinary treasures.

Yuan Zhenjun had a discerning eye and immediately recognized that the sword was made of extraordinary material. "The power of this sword is probably comparable to a Three Tribulation Spiritual Treasure, isn't it?"

Qin Sang remained noncommittal, instead asking, "Didn't True Lord Yuan say that one cannot judge power by the number of tribulations one has undergone?"

Yuan Zhenjun chuckled, "There is no distinction between acquired spiritual treasures and true treasures, but people always want to determine their superiority. Dividing them by calamity is a barely acceptable way for everyone."

Qin Sang nodded; this was a temporary measure.

However, this standard of judgment is really unreliable. Although the Cloud Wandering Sword is a first-stage tribulation spiritual treasure, Qin Sang believes that if he goes all out, he will be able to unleash power far exceeding that of a first-stage tribulation spiritual treasure, even surpassing the Taiyin Spiritual Sword.

The True Lords were all astonished by their conversation and stepped forward to observe it closely, taking the opportunity to ask Qin Sang and True Lord Yuan for guidance on the art of weapon crafting.

After the discussion, the True Lords took their leave.

Qin Sang stayed behind to inquire about the progress of the alliance between the new Demon Court and the Dao Court, and nodded secretly after listening.

He had long intended to return to Qingyang Prefecture. Now that the Taiyin Spirit Sword had advanced to the True Treasure level, Bai Ying'er and the others had been settled, and their personal matters had been basically resolved, he was ready to leave at any time.

However, as the incarnation of Lei Zu, he was also seen as the incarnation of Zhang Tianshi by the New Demon Court, making him an indispensable figure in the alliance. Now that the alliance has made great progress, he no longer needs to 'oversee' Geng Chuzhi.

When Qin Sang expressed her intention to leave, Yuan Zhenjun seemed to have expected it and was not particularly surprised, but still tried her best to persuade Qin Sang to stay.

"Hehe, do you think Yuan Zhenjun doesn't know my origins? If I stay, it might bring disaster to Geng Chuzhi and make Yuan Zhenjun's efforts go to waste."

Qin Sang stood up and sighed.

"Whether I am here or not is not important. What is important is that the Dao Court has emerged and is able to summon the Thunder Ancestor. If the demon race wants to attack Geng Chuzhi, it makes no difference whether I am here or not."

Yuan Zhenjun understood that Qin Sang was determined to leave, so he did not try to persuade her further.

Qin Sang asked, "I wonder if True Lord Yuan has sent anyone to investigate the altar on Yongquan Mountain?"

"I was just about to tell Qin Tianjun about this," Yuan Zhenjun said, gently waving his sleeves. Clouds and smoke billowed inside the hall, creating a scene reminiscent of the interior of the Xunfeng Sea.

After driving the demons out of Gengchuzhi, Qin Sang and Yuan Zhenjun entered Xunfeng Sea and, following the directions given by Yaoge Master, found the healing altar on Yongquan Mountain.

The Dragon and Phoenix clans were very sensible and did not try to hide the Qiquan Mountain altar again. Since there were no demon saints guarding it, they easily obtained it.

However, their attention was not on that at the time, so they temporarily sealed the altar at Yongquan Mountain and never had the opportunity to explore it.

The scene that Yuan Zhenjun conjured was the surrounding landscape of the Zhizhi Altar on Yongquan Mountain.

The Zhizhi Altar on Yongquan Mountain is located deep within the eye of the wind, surrounded by the Xun wind.

Yuan Zhenjun pointed to the altar, then drew a line pointing directly to the southern part of the Xunfeng Sea, saying, "The situation in Gengchu has stabilized. I intend to go to the Xunfeng Sea to investigate. The vast Xunfeng Sea is almost entirely the former territory of the Daoist Court, and I hope that ancient relics can still be found in the world. Since Qin Tianjun wishes to go to the East Sea, why not travel with me? I may have a way to help Qin Tianjun cross the Xunfeng Sea and go straight to the East Sea, thus saving him a lot of trouble!"