Chapter 84: Chapter 85: Please, Gourd Spirit Slayer

Chang Wudao held absolute authority within the Earth Fire Sect. No one could defy him. Even though Li Tiancheng considered the decision unwise, he was powerless to change it. He could only hope things wouldn’t develop as he feared.

That very day, Li Tiancheng slipped away from the Liuyun Mountain Range unnoticed. No one knew where he had gone...

Another month slipped by in the blink of an eye, and the refining of the Spirit-Slaying Gourd was finally nearing its end.

"Open."

Song Changsheng abruptly slapped the Bronze Cauldron, and its heavy lid flew open.

In an instant, a resplendent radiance burst forth!

When the radiance faded, a black and white gourd lay inside the cauldron. It faintly resembled a Tai Chi Diagram. Though forged from metal, it lacked any metallic texture; its surface was smooth and seemed a flawless work of nature.

Song Changsheng stared at the gourd’s drastically changed appearance and couldn’t help but wonder, ’How did it change color?’

The moment he picked up the gourd, Song Changsheng felt the Dao Foundation in his Dantian stir, as if drawn by some unseen force.

The next moment, the gourd in his hand emitted a hazy glow, faintly releasing Yin and Yang Qi that resonated with the Yin Yang Dao Foundation in his Dantian.

A realization suddenly dawned on Song Changsheng: the Primordial Qi had transformed the Spirit-Slaying Gourd from its original Water and Fire Attribute to the Yin-Yang Attribute, making it perfectly compatible with the Dao Foundation he had formed.

In the future, once he broke through to the Foundation Establishment Stage and comprehended the Yin Yang True Intent, the gourd would be even more powerful. In that respect, this wisp of Primordial Qi had been well worth using.

But the surprises didn’t end there. Song Changsheng could clearly feel that a trace of Spiritual Light had formed within the Treasure Gourd—the first sign of a Magical Artifact evolving into a Spiritual Artifact.

It was only a faint trace, but the first step was always the hardest. Normally, it would take a Foundation Establishment Cultivator several years of nurturing an artifact in their Dantian just to produce such a wisp of Spiritual Light.

And this was only the beginning. Fully transforming it into a Spiritual Artifact would require a massive amount of Five Elements Essence Qi. While Five Elements Essence Qi wasn’t particularly valuable, the sheer quantity needed was staggering, and many people simply lacked the financial means.

This was why Spiritual Artifacts were so rare and precious. Many Foundation Establishment Cultivators didn’t have a Spiritual Artifact to their name, and this was especially true for Loose Cultivators. Of the dozen or so publicly known Foundation Establishment Independent Cultivators in Ling Province, fewer than five possessed a Spiritual Artifact.

And among those few, not a single one had nurtured the artifact’s spirit on their own; they had either inherited them from predecessors or acquired them through some fortuitous encounter.

For instance, the Luwu Bell in Song Changsheng’s possession had been obtained by breaking a Grand Array set up by Hee Yunxuan.

Compared to the struggling Loose Cultivators, cultivators backed by a major power were much better off. Take the Song Clan, for example. Having been established in Ling Province for several hundred years, it had produced two Purple Mansion and dozens of Foundation Establishment Cultivators, all of whom left behind a rich legacy for the clan.

At the Song Clan’s zenith, it had over a dozen Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and almost every one of them possessed a Spiritual Artifact. This was the result of many years of accumulation and a testament to the clan’s profound heritage.

In all of Ling Province, only the Earth Fire Sect could barely compare to the Song Clan in this regard. The other major families lagged far behind; they were considered fortunate to have even two or three Spiritual Artifacts.

"This wisp of Primordial Qi really didn’t disappoint me. It just saved me years of hard work."

Song Changsheng was overjoyed. Looking at the black and white gourd in his hand, he thought for a moment and said, "From now on, your name will be the Yin Yang Spirit-Slaying Gourd."

The moment he spoke, the gourd gave an imperceptible tremor, conveying a hint of joy.

After hanging the Spirit-Slaying Gourd at his waist and giving a contented stretch, Song Changsheng finally ended his long seclusion.

He pushed open the door and was greeted by the sight of a vast, blue sky where a few white clouds drifted lazily, lifting his spirits.

"Uncle, you’re out of seclusion?" A delighted Song Qingxi bounced over to Song Changsheng, tilting her small face up to ask.

"I am. And has my little Xi’Er been keeping up with her cultivation?" Song Changsheng asked with a smile, ruffling the little girl’s hair.

"Of course! I even drank the special tea."

"That’s my good girl. Remember to drink it often, alright?"

Song Changsheng walked with the little girl to the front of the thatched cottage, where they found Song Qingxing meticulously practicing a Sword Technique, sharp Sword Qi swirling around him.

"You’ve mastered the *Clear Wind Sword Technique* so quickly. You really are a natural-born talent for the Sword Dao."

Hearing Song Changsheng’s impressed sigh, Song Qingxing sheathed his sword and asked coolly, "How do I compare to you?"

’This question again,’ Song Changsheng thought. He rubbed his chin and said with a grin, "When it comes to the Sword Dao, I’m certainly no match for you. In other areas, though, I might be just a tiny bit better. For instance, in the application of Techniques."

Song Qingxing stated coldly, "Techniques are a minor path. A single slash of my sword can break ten thousand Dharmas."

"Liar! You can’t even beat that big crow," Song Qingxi retorted, pulling the rug right out from under him.

Song Qingxing’s face stiffened, and he didn’t argue.

Song Changsheng raised an eyebrow, amused. "What big crow?"

"A crow that showed up a while ago. It keeps trying to steal the new, tender leaves of the Mist Concealing Tea. Cold Blockhead fought it a few times, but it always managed to escape."

"Stealing the tea leaves? Could it be a Tier One Top-Grade Demon Beast?"

The tender leaves of the Mist Concealing Tea are highly attractive to Demon Beasts on the verge of breaking through to Tier Two Low Grade. The Iron Claw Eagle from before was a perfect example.

Song Qingxi shook her head. "Nope. It’s Tier One High Grade."

Song Changsheng shot Song Qingxing a surprised glance. He was only at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, yet he could already drive off a Tier One High-Grade Demon Beast. He was just about as strong as Song Changsheng had been at his age.

"Where is the crow?"

’Leaving a creature like that around is just asking for trouble. It’s best to eliminate it quickly. This is also a good chance to test the power of the Spirit-Slaying Gourd.’

"Once I advance another step, killing it will be effortless," Song Qingxing suddenly interjected, clearly wanting to handle it himself.

"Who knows how long that will take? That crow is so annoying!" Song Qingxi couldn’t care less about his pride. She grabbed Song Changsheng’s hand and went to find the crow, leaving Song Qingxing standing alone, utterly dumbfounded...

The crow hadn’t gone far at all. It had built a nest by the shore of Bright Mirror Lake, planning to wait for another opportunity. Unfortunately for the crow, it would never get that chance.

"So it’s a Three-Eyed Crow. And it’s already on the verge of breaking through to Tier One Top-Grade. I can’t let you live," Song Changsheng said coldly, staring at the three-eyed bird.

He had originally intended to leave the crow for Song Qingxing to practice on if its Cultivation wasn’t too high. But since it was about to break through, Song Changsheng instantly changed his mind.

Enraged at seeing someone approach its territory, the Three-Eyed Crow flapped its wings, shooting out a volley of innumerable black feathers.

Song Changsheng traced a circle in the air with one hand, and a Spiritual Shield materialized before him. The feathers struck it without creating the slightest ripple.

The Three-Eyed Crow instantly realized it was no match for him. It whipped up a gust of Demon Wind and tried to flee.

Song Changsheng summoned the Spirit-Slaying Gourd from his waist and calmly intoned, "Gourd, slay the spirit!"

The gourd spun slightly. An invisible Spirit-Slaying Blade cut through the space between them. In mid-air, the Three-Eyed Crow suddenly went rigid. The light in its eyes dimmed, and it plummeted to the ground...