Journey to the West: Sun Wukong's Advice System
Chapter 60 The Path of Artifact Refining

Chapter 60: Chapter 60 The Path of Artifact Refining

Sun Wukong was able to quickly dispel the impatience in his heart, a feat that somewhat surprised Taishang Laojun, and also pleased him. He immediately began to teach.

"Since you wish to learn the path of artifact refining, let me first ask you, how much do you understand about magical treasures?" he asked.

"Disciple knows not much," Sun Wukong scratched his head, "I only know about spiritual treasures and ultimate treasures, innate, and acquired. My Ruyi Jingu Bang should be considered an acquired spiritual treasure."

"That staff of yours was originally crafted for the human Da Yu to control the waters," Taishang Laojun said with a smile, "It was an extremely high-grade innate spiritual treasure, albeit damaged, which I then refined into an acquired spiritual treasure,

and later, it gained significant power from the merit of controlling the waters, enough to match its original state as an extremely high-grade innate spiritual treasure.

The fact that you obtained it is also a matter of fate."

"In that case, disciple must also thank Grandmaster for bestowing upon me such a treasure," Sun Wukong said with a jesting bow, yet in his heart he mused that what Taishang Laojun said was no different from the instructions that came with the Ruyi Jingu Bang he had acquired previously.

"No need for thanks; divine weapons find their own masters," Taishang Laojun smiled, then added, "From what you just said, you do have some understanding of magical treasures, but it’s far from enough.

Specifically speaking, magical treasures can be divided into the categories of spiritual treasures and ultimate treasures in terms of strength.

In terms of origin, they can be divided into the categories of innate and acquired.

Generally, categorizing the grade of a magical treasure clearly requires a combination of both its strength and origin.

Furthermore, there are also merit-based magical treasures..."

Taishang Laojun, sitting on his cushion, spoke at length with Golden Horn and Silver Horn, the two attendant Daoist boys, at his sides.

Sun Wukong sat opposite, listening intently and quickly gained a clear understanding of magical treasures.

For example, innate magical treasures are either born from the creation of heaven and earth at the beginning of time or are formed from the fragments of primeval ultimate treasures, whereas acquired treasures are artificially refined.

For another example, both spiritual treasures and ultimate treasures, regardless of whether they are innate or acquired, contain varying amounts of fragments of Daoist laws/principles. In the process of refining such treasures, one can comprehend the embedded Daoist laws/principles, enhance their cultivation level, and additionally suppress one’s destiny.

Acquired spiritual and ultimate treasures are made of materials containing fragments of such laws/principles.

But since innate treasures are naturally formed, their power tends to be stronger than that of acquired treasures of the same grade.

Like his Ruyi Jingu Bang, originally a top-grade innate spiritual treasure, though damaged, it still contained fragments of laws/principles, enabling it to be refined again into an acquired spiritual treasure, albeit with lesser might.

Moreover, after integrating merit, the power of both spiritual treasures and ultimate treasures can increase to varying extents, hence acquired merit-based treasures can match or even surpass innate treasures of the same grade.

What captured Sun Wukong’s attention the most was that the grade of spiritual and ultimate treasures could also be categorized by the number of restrictions/seals they contained because these seals integrate the fragments of Daoist laws/principles with the treasure.

The more restrictions/seals a spiritual or ultimate treasure has, the more fragments of Daoist laws/principles it holds, and the more powerful it is.

Having heard all this, Sun Wukong, with bright eyes, asked, "Can the art of seals also be used to engrave spirit patterns?"

"Indeed," Taishang Laojun nodded with a smile, "Supernatural Spells are actually a manifestation of the Daoist laws/principles; the logic is the same.

Hence, now you must not only learn the path of artifact refining but also the path of formation arts. Only by mastering formation seals will you be able to refine the ’spirit-guide artifact’ you speak of.

Although I have only limited understanding of formation arts, it should be sufficient to teach you."

"Formation arts?" Sun Wukong scratched his face, regretting not having learned them on Magic Square Mountain if he had known they were useful. His master, when teaching him staff techniques, had mentioned his proficiency in the Sword Dao, Formation Arts, Axe Dao, and others.

Despite these thoughts, he was still very happy because he had finally found the method to engrave spirit patterns.

Then he followed Taishang Laojun to learn about artifact refining and formation arts.

After some time, Sun Wukong noticed that Taishang Laojun’s teaching methods differed from those of his master, the Bodhi Patriarch.

The Bodhi Patriarch taught everything at once, leaving him to comprehend it on his own.

Taishang Laojun, in contrast, had him learn step by step, only continuing once he had fully understood the previous lessons.

"Let’s start today with some basics of formation seals and artifact refining. Ponder them thoroughly and then come find me," Taishang Laojun thus spoke.

Sun Wukong felt Taishang Laojun was underestimating his aptitude, but thanks to years of patience cultivated from his time with friends from the Zhihu network, he did not press for a quick completion of all lessons.

After all, he is not my own master, so I can’t act willfully.

Then I promptly took my leave.

After Sun Wukong left, the Golden Horn voiced his doubts, "Grandmaster, what’s so mystical about this Spirit Guidance Device? It sounds like the common magical treasures, doesn’t it?"

"Indeed, Grandmaster," the Silver Horn also expressed his confusion, "It’s like the signature treasures of the four disciples of Wen Huang, each containing a Supernatural Spell for headache, irritation, fainting, and dispersing epidemics. How is this Spirit Guidance Device any different?"

Grandmaster flicked his horsetail whisk and laughed, "You only see the superficial. Those treasures are effective because the artifact materials they’re made from contain fragments of the great Dao’s principle.

Just think about it, how many such innate materials can there be throughout the three realms?

If the Spirit Guidance Device can be successfully created, it will be different. Many materials of decent quality can be engraved with spirit patterns transformed from various Supernatural Spells, becoming powerful treasures.

With this, the Path of Artifact Refining will no longer be limited by the materials, and it can certainly flourish and benefit the three realms."

The Golden Horn and Silver Horn exchanged glances, both astounded. To hear such words from the Grandmaster, one could imagine how powerful the Spirit Guidance Device must be!

And to think, such an impressive device was conceived by the Great Sage Equalling Heaven, wasn’t he only skilled in investigation?

Seeing their expressions, the Grandmaster’s smile grew even wider, his heart filled with anticipation.

Because of the appearance of the Spirit Guidance Device, it had also brought him inspiration.

In the past, when crafting treasures, he used innate materials containing fragments of the great Dao’s principles.

If he could now use ordinary artifact materials with the method of spirit patterns to craft post-natal Spiritual Treasures, then his craft’s principle would have the chance to break through!

In the end, the Grandmaster couldn’t help but feel reflective, for creation was such a thing.

It’s not to say that with great power one can definitely create unprecedented new things.

What creation needs most is a moment of brilliance.

...

Meanwhile, Sun Wukong had just left the place of the Grandmaster, when a notification sound echoed in his mind.

[Congratulations, you have completed the suggestion—asking the Grandmaster about the Path of Artifact Refining, and you have obtained a fifth-grade treasure chest.]

Returning to the Great Sage Equalling Heaven’s abode, Sun Wukong couldn’t wait to open the chest, feeling a premonition that he was about to receive some amazing items!

[You have opened a fifth-grade treasure chest, congratulations, you have obtained the Physical Cultivation (middle phase of Daluo Golden Immortal), Primordial Spirit Cultivation (middle phase of Daluo Golden Immortal), Grandmaster’s Refining Insights, Grandmaster’s Formation Realizations, Liuding Divine Fire, and One Nine-Turn Golden Elixir.]

"Hehe, excellent, excellent!" Sun Wukong was overjoyed.

First was the cultivation reward, where he could distinctly feel his body and primordial spirit become stronger under the nurturing of mighty Daluo mana, finally breaking through to the middle phase of the Daluo Golden Immortal!

Next were two segments of profound and complex realizations that poured into his mind, merging with his memory as though he had always known them, effortlessly mastering the Grandmaster’s Refining Insights and Formation Realizations.

As for the things the Grandmaster had told him to contemplate, there was no need to ponder, as they were already clear in his heart.

Then there was the Liuding Divine Fire, which, according to the new memories in his mind, is one of the four great heavenly fires, hidden in the Grandmaster’s Eight Trigrams Furnace. It could be used to completely transform oneself, or even scorch heaven and boil the sea, mysterious and boundless.

"What a treasure, what a treasure!" Sun Wukong’s palm now contained a cluster of red flames, his joy evident on his face—this was a flame even mightier than the Samadhi True Fire!

Lastly, he took out a golden elixir shining brightly, studying it carefully for a while, then tossed it into his mouth.

"Ha!"

Followed by a shake of his head and a loll of his tongue, purely delighted!

It turned out the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir melted instantly in his mouth, spreading to every part of his body like drinking the finest wine in the world, leaving him feeling incredibly refreshed.

"No wonder Golden Horn boasted about it so much, it really is something great!" Sun Wukong still wanted more, feeling that even a hundred or so more would not be enough to satisfy his craving!

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