Chapter Twenty-One: The Evolution of Magical Artifacts

Ancient vines and verdant creepers, a secluded valley shrouded in silence.

Exhausted from the depletion of his magical power, Ji Feichen found this hidden haven to meditate and recover. Seated cross-legged atop a mossy stone, he drew forth a bottle of Star Dew, uncorked it, and drank greedily. The nectar, refined from the essence of the stars, spread throughout his limbs and bones, and after passing through the tempering of his dragon soul, transformed into his own power.

The Threefold Nether Venomous Water—poisonous water condensed from Ji Feichen’s own magical strength—was now replenished thanks to the Star Dew. His experience with the young Celestial Fox had enlightened him to the marvels of karma.

“If I wish to shift to the path of a Qi Refiner, I must avoid wantonly absorbing the primal energies of heaven and earth.” Now, each time Ji Feichen absorbed a trace more of baleful energy, a corresponding amount of celestial aura would manifest. This would bring endless troubles should he try to switch to a path centered on primal energy.

Instead, he relied on the radiance of sun, moon, and stars in the heavens—a wiser choice. Although absorbing the essence of sun and moon would indeed increase the severity of his future tribulations, it was preferable to generating celestial aura and thus creating a rival for himself.

Within, the mysterious baleful energy circulated, and the Threefold Nether Venomous Water spun without cease. Before long, his spirit fluid was replenished, a pool of dark liquid accumulating in his sea of qi, vast as a lake.

The sea of qi—true to its name—only when the spirit fluid within transforms into a boundless ocean can one claim true mastery.

“Yet, even at mastery, there is still a great gulf between this and the Blackwater of the Nine Netherworlds.”

Each of the Ten Paths of the Primordial Sect has its own object of emulation. Some meditate on the Solar Crow, others venerate the Lunar Toad, but all the doctrines of the Nether Sect revolve around the Ninefold Nether River.

The Yellow Branch’s “Silent Demonic Sand of the Yellow Springs” refers to the deadly sand settled at the riverbed of the Nether River. The Black Branch’s “Arcane Nether Black Demon Tome,” when perfected, cultivates the White Bone Nether Demon Divine Form, born from the Nether River. The Blue Branch’s “Abyssal Phosphorescent Nine Yin Fire” is the soul-devouring flame drifting upon the river, named for its azure hue. The Red Branch practices the “Crimson Primal Divine Wind Technique,” summoning demonic winds—gusts that have swept over the Nether River, saturated with the blood grievances of countless souls, sinister and venomous.

The White Branch’s Nether Moon is likewise an underworldly object, the ghostly moon illuminating the Nether River in the spirit world. Added to this is the Sect Master’s “Nether River Primordial Law Sutra”—the path of embodying the Nether River and forging an unparalleled demonic body.

The five branch disciplines culminate at the pinnacle of the Earth Immortal realm. Thereafter, all turn to cultivate the “Nether River Primordial Law Sutra,” seeking to transform their own Dao fruits into the Nether River itself.

A year prior, Ji Feichen had the fortune to witness the Nether Sect Master manifest the mighty Nether River. That vast river hung above the sect, enveloping the entire thousand-li span of Blackgold Mountain.

Ghosts wailed and gods wept, eerie winds howled, and the black surface of the river was swept by the Nine Nether gusts—bursts of lamentation piercing the ears of the living, chilling soul and spirit alike. A pall of black mist, ghostly flames flickering, danced across the water’s surface like gluttonous beasts, devouring any living thing that strayed into their domain. Any spirit scorched by these flames would see their primordial soul destroyed, their demon spirit extinguished—no Earth Immortal or True Demon could escape such doom.

The pitch-black Blackwater of the Nine Netherworlds flowed by; countless white-bone demon gods wandered aimlessly within its depths. The Blackwater dissolved all things; the white-bone demon gods, bloodthirsty and murderous. Such was the terror of the Nether Sect’s Black Branch.

There was also the toxic Yellow Springs sand settled at the riverbed, and the ghostly moon’s reflection shimmering in the water.

The Nether River the Sect Master revealed encompassed nearly all the secrets of the sect’s teachings. On that day, each disciple gazing upon it could glimpse their own path’s ultimate fruit.

Although the “Arcane Baleful Demon Dragon Sutra” was not the Black Branch’s foundational art and did not cultivate the White Bone Nether Demon God, it refined the Blackwater of the Nine Netherworlds, allowing one to transform their Dao fruit into the Nether River as well. It was from witnessing the Dao fruit of the Nether River that Ji Feichen’s cultivation advanced, allowing him to master the Threefold Nether Venomous Water.

Threefold, Sixfold Yin, Ninefold Nether—all ultimately converge into the Blackwater of the Nine Netherworlds.

With his magic restored, the Threefold Nether Venomous Water surged within him. After a moment’s contemplation, Ji Feichen hesitantly brought out the Jiu Yuan Demon-Severing Bottle. The cracks in the bottle had grown ever more numerous since the slaying of the dragon-beast Jiaotu.

Cautiously, he let a single drop of venom fall. At once, a stench spread through the valley.

He channeled his own power, wrapping the venom within the Nether Venomous Water. The dark spirit liquid, streaked with another hue, swirled together. In the end, the Nether Venomous Water prevailed, gradually devouring the venom.

This was a unique technique of the Nether Sect—the “Reverse Origin of Weak Water”—utilizing the world’s most extreme and evil poisons to refine the Blackwater of the Nine Netherworlds. Only by mastering this could one be called a true dragon among demons.

Success!

Sensing the trace of poison now woven into his power, the Threefold baleful energy grew stronger, and its toxicity more potent than ever before.

Ji Feichen’s face brightened with joy. He immediately drew out the two halves of his broken Dragon Mace. Opening his mouth, he spat the newly-forged weak water onto the magical weapon.

The Dragon Mace, forged from the sect’s famed thousand-year black gold, was said to be indestructible. Yet as soon as the weak water touched it, its dark golden surface dulled, and the weapon’s body began to corrode.

A sizzling sound rose with puffs of black vapor. Before long, only two lumps of softened golden liquid remained in his hands. Each lump glimmered with black and red sigils.

Magical weapons and cultivators are alike; the forging of treasures and the refining of elixirs are each a path of cultivation. There are inner and outer alchemical ways, and likewise inner and outer paths for forging tools.

“What is above form is called the Dao; what is below form is called the instrument.” This distinction between Dao and instrument is the very essence of the forging arts.

A magical treasure is forged from the most mundane materials, hammered and tempered until, at last, it awakens a spirit and attains the might of the Dao, rivaling even immortals.

In the early stages, a magical tool is like the body, while a treasure is akin to the spirit. Only when both form and soul are complete can one advance to higher refinements.

At present, the Dragon Mace was merely a magical tool—like the dragon’s bones or tail. Once the “body” was complete, spirit could be infused within—this would become the “dragon soul.” The Nether Sect possessed just such a weapon: a Dragon Mace transformed into a living demon dragon, a magical treasure become true flesh and blood. This was the highest realm of weaponry.

The sigils emerging from the golden liquid were the grand runes from the “Arcane Baleful Demon Dragon Sutra,” designed for the “Shadowlight Arcane Demon-Heaven Shaking Dragon Mace.”

These runes, twisting and sinuous as tadpoles, formed the internal array diagrams of the treasure. Power coursed through the arrays, manifesting the corresponding Daoist arts.

Whether immortal or demon, when casting spells or curses, one must channel the forces of heaven and earth, or draw upon one’s own strength to wield magic. This process is long and arduous. To streamline it, talismans were created.

By inscribing the desired talismans in advance, one could activate them at a moment’s notice in battle. While others were still preparing their spells, a single talisman could be unleashed for swift victory.

Yet talismans are a one-time tool. Over time, true magical treasures emerged. There are also naturally-formed treasures imbued with the Dao from heaven and earth, but those are not within the scope of a cultivator’s craft. The treasures forged by cultivators are the result of countless attempts and endless refinement—a system perfected over ages.

Thus, talismans evolved into enduring magical treasures. Inscribing the necessary runes within the treasure, each activation would trigger the corresponding power, without fear of the talisman’s destruction.

Initially, a magical treasure was simply a “reusable talisman.” Each could wield only a single spell—such as the “Rain-Prayer Banner” for summoning rain, or the “Vermilion Bird Pennant” to drive away fire.

Recognizing this limitation, Qi Refiners improved upon the art, leading to the versatile treasures of today.

Within a treasure, rather than fix the runes in a single configuration, they are arranged in groups, forming array diagrams as semi-finished products. The cultivator may freely arrange them, unlocking the desired power at will.

Ji Feichen likened this to the invention of printing.

In the days before printing, everything was handwritten—much like a Qi Refiner’s talismans. Laborious, time-consuming, and requiring a host of talismans to be prepared before any journey. Care was needed, too, lest the stored power of the talismans fade.

With the advent of woodblock printing, “talismanic treasures” replaced “talismans.” Thereafter, one needed only a few treasures when traveling to wield the necessary spells. However, these were still limited and rigid, so a new concept arose.

Movable type printing!

By breaking down the runes within a treasure into individual sigils, they formed the most basic array diagrams. To cast a spell, one simply directed power along the relevant sigils, linking them to form the needed talisman.

Ji Feichen’s Dragon Mace comprised twelve sections, each bearing eight Arcane Dragon Runes. Casting “Dragon’s Roar” required thirty-two runes; casting “True Qi” used eight. Thus, with ninety-six arcane runes at his disposal, each use required only channeling his power to illuminate the desired patterns.

Faster than manual spellcasting, with added potency, this was why cultivators favored magical treasures.

Runes within a treasure are as vital as genes within the human body—they are its foundation.

“Luckily, these Arcane Dragon Runes remain intact,” Ji Feichen breathed in relief. The body could be reforged, but if the runes were damaged, the treasure would be ruined.

He carefully rearranged the runes—each set of eight forming an array, twelve arrays in total, revolving and interlocking to form a luminous, intangible mace.

Ji Feichen kneaded the golden liquid, refining it anew with Nether Venomous Water, shaping at last a slender golden needle. He threaded this needle through the twelve arrays, each diagram adhering to the needle, forging a new Dragon Mace.

He then brought out the various materials scavenged from Tiger’s Departure Mountain: thousand-year True White Iron, century-old Iron Coral...

Blending the materials with care, he poured the resulting multicolored liquid into the arrays, allowing the Dragon Mace to once more take form.

He was not finished yet. Lastly, Ji Feichen produced a small, palm-sized piece of Meteoric Iron.

Seven or eight stars beyond the sky, two or three drops before the rain on the mountain.

Meteoric Iron—black as night, bearing shimmering silver specks like starlight. Its name derived from these very points of celestial light.

This was truly a gift from beyond the heavens. After a meteor shower, fragments refined by thunder fell to earth, mingling with subterranean iron. After a thousand years’ nurturing, the essence of the falling star merged with the black iron, resembling the scattered stars in the night sky.

Ji Feichen, with utmost caution, melted the iron with Nether Venomous Water, retaining only the silvery star fragments, which he embedded into the Dragon Mace. Each fragment fused seamlessly, strengthening the mace’s body.

“As expected, only the essence of black iron can lock in the starry essence. Any other material, once it touches the celestial fragments, merges instantly, enhancing the treasure’s durability.”

Meteoric Iron was rare indeed. Ji Feichen had only ever seen a piece in his master’s possession.

“What luck—thirteen fragments, just enough.” Ji Feichen smiled. His master’s piece had but eighteen.

Twelve fragments for the twelve sections, and the last set at the tip of the golden needle at its core—a final transformation for the Dragon Mace.

“In the future, if I unleash the hidden golden needle from the Dragon Mace in secret, it will surely be a deadly, bloodless strike.”

Ji Feichen played with the Dragon Mace, now further refined. With the help of Meteoric Iron, it had advanced to a superior magical weapon, its durability rivaling even some treasures. What it lacked now was the variety of runes and the spirit of a true treasure.

Nourishing the treasure once more with his heart’s blood, Ji Feichen hurried away, gathering the mist to reunite with Jing Xuan.