Journey to the West: Sun Wukong's Advice System
Chapter 76: Victory or Defeat Unknown

Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Victory or Defeat Unknown

Time passed, and thanks to the deterrence of the previous martial exhibitions, the contests of Elixir, Artifact, Talisman, and Formation in the martial arts competition proceeded smoothly to the end.

Disciples from the Divine Skills and Intercept sects endowed with craftsmanship, as well as Buddhist monks, took turns to guard the stage.

Although there were no restrictions on cultivation level in these contests, disciples of more than three generations from these sects generally did not participate in the competition.

Additionally, perhaps because they often chanted scriptures and recited the Buddha’s name, the monks from the Buddhist sects were not as proficient in the four arts of cultivation as the disciples from the Divine Skills and Intercept sects.

Therefore, the ones who made it to the end of the four contests were still disciples from the Divine Skills and Intercept sects.

In the talisman contest, a fifth-generation disciple from the Divine Skills sect successfully defended the stage.

In the formation contest, it was taken by a fourth-generation disciple from the Intercept sect.

In the alchemy contest, both Divine Skills and Intercept sects produced three-turn Immortal Pills, and with no one continuing to challenge, the Jade Emperor declared a tie between the two sides.

Thus, only the artifact refining contest remained unresolved.

On the artifact refining stage at the moment, the person guarding the stage was Feng Huzi, a fourth-generation disciple of the Divine Skills sect.

He hailed from the Jade Pillar Cave on Zhongnan Mountain, his master was the Golden Glow Child, and his grandmaster was the Fortune Virtue True Immortal Yun Zhongzi; his artifact refining skills were extraordinary, and he had crafted a sword that was close to a lower-grade Spiritual Treasure using two formation restrictions.

Normally, a lower-grade Spiritual Treasure would often have three restrictions to stabilize the fragments of the laws contained within the treasure.

Yet the sword crafted by Feng Huzi was comparable in power to some of the less refined lower-grade Spiritual Treasures.

With this, he had already defeated more than a hundred challengers in a row, and if no challengers approached the stage now, he would become the final winner of the artifact refining contest.

And the Divine Skills sect would become the overall winners of the four contests with two victories and one draw.

The Southern Extremity Longevity Star, Guang Chengzi, Tai Yi True Person, and the other disciples present from the Divine Skills sect began to relax a little, no longer looking as troubled as they did at the beginning.

Because victory in the contest would help them regain some of the face they had lost.

When they found that the old rival, the Intercept sect, had no one coming forward to challenge,

Guang Chengzi praised, "It’s still Grandmaster Yun Zhongzi after all, who is not only extraordinary in artifact refining himself, but even his disciples possess such high-level skills in artifact refining, enough to defeat that group of brazen fellows from the Intercept sect."

He spoke to himself, not noticing the flicker of displeasure in the Southern Extremity Longevity Star’s expression.

The Southern Extremity Longevity Star certainly wasn’t feeling good, as someone else’s grand-disciple was bringing honor to their sect, while his own disciple, Bai He, was still bringing shame upon it.

He understood that he must properly discipline this disciple, who cannot just rest on his laurels for having been a Saint’s attendant without seeking improvement.

As the two were talking, suddenly the Southern Extremity Longevity Star’s expression shifted, as he saw a proud young man dressed in black flying towards the artifact refining stage.

"Below the third generation of the Intercept sect, now only Yu Hua has some skill in artifact refining," Guang Chengzi laughed, "but it’s uncertain how much his artifact refining skills have improved since the last martial arts competition."

In the last martial arts competition, Lord Guchen of Yu Hua managed to refine a treasure with one restrictive spell, which was still far inferior to the current Feng Huzi.

And for Elixir, Artifact, Talisman, and Formation, mastering any of them requires immense talent and prolonged practice and enlightenment, with no guarantee of success in the end.

Now, one year has passed in Heaven, and three hundred sixty-five years have passed in the lower world. Given Yu Hua’s talent in artifact refining, even if he has improved, there’s little hope that he can refine a treasure with two restrictive spells.

However, the Southern Extremity Longevity Star remained cautious, gently shaking his head and saying, "We can’t be careless."

Meanwhile, all the immortals present also turned their attention to this scene.

Many of them had participated in the last martial arts contest and seen Yuhua’s artifact refining skills, so they were all well aware that Yuhua’s chances of winning were slim.

Stepping up now was, at most, to preserve some face for the Teachings of Intercepting Fate, lest they fall into an unfavorable reputation for not daring to accept a challenge.

On a floating island to the left of the main seat, Zhao Gongming sighed, "It’s regrettable, once again due to artifact refining that we are defeated, granting those hypocrites from the Teachings of Explaining triumph for another year!"

"The match hasn’t begun yet, why the sighs?" Jin Ling scolded with a glance.

"Could it be that there is still a chance for a turnaround?" Zhao Gongming’s eyes brightened.

"Watch and you’ll see," Jin Ling replied, turning her attention back to the artifact refining platform.

Meanwhile, His Majesty the Jade Emperor, seated in the principal seat, had taken in the entire scene and suddenly asked, "Does Sun Wukong often go to the Refining Fire Hall, to the craftsman’s department?"

Tai Bai Jin Xing quickly replied, "Your Majesty, he’s been there a few times and has also visited the Dou Rate Palace twice. Moreover, after he left the Dou Rate Palace the second time, the Grandmaster entered seclusion."

His Majesty the Jade Emperor’s gaze shifted subtly as he murmured softly, "It seems then that the outcome of this match is still uncertain."

Clutching his beard, Tai Bai Jin Xing of course understood what His Majesty the Jade Emperor was getting at, but how could it be possible? He had never heard that this Great Sage Equalling Heaven had any understanding of artifact refining!

He had heard His Majesty the Jade Emperor say that before Sun Wukong ascended to Heaven, at most, he had only been cultivating for ten years.

In today’s Three Realms, to become a Daluo Golden Immortal in a mere ten years, this kind of cultivation talent was already shocking and extraordinary.

If he also possessed a very high level of artifact refining ability, and even the Grandmaster had entered seclusion because of him, that would be truly frightening!

Thinking of this, Tai Bai Jin Xing felt there could indeed be such a possibility, since previously when Sun Wukong faced the sneak attack from Guang Chengzi, he used a cauldron-shaped Spiritual Treasure to block a strike from the Seal of Flipping Heaven.

That cauldron, if no accidents, was a top-tier Innate Spiritual Treasure, and cauldrons are mostly used for alchemy or artifact refining.

If Sun Wukong didn’t have a very high level of artifact refining skill, to use such a cauldron would indeed be a waste of heaven’s gifts.

With many thoughts flashing through his mind, Tai Bai Jin Xing looked again at the thin, proud figure standing aloof in the distant void, feeling ever more that he was becoming unable to fathom the Monkey King.

"Hmm?" Sun Wukong sensed someone watching him, raised his hand to his brow, and discovered it was Tai Bai Jin Xing. He gave a courteous smile and continued watching the artifact refining platform.

He too was full of anticipation at this moment, eager to see the reaction of the immortals of the Three Realms after Yuhua refined the Spirit-guiding instrument.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Gu Chen, the Star Lord Yuhua, ascended the artifact refining platform.

Since both were the fourth-generation disciples of their respective sects, he performed a respectful salute to Feng Hu Zi of the Teachings of Explaining, "Yuhua greets Daoist Brother."

Feng Hu Zi, lacking the typical arrogance of other disciples from the Teachings of Explaining, seriously returned the salute, "Please, Daoist Brother."

"You’re using a lower-grade Spiritual Treasure furnace; I won’t take advantage of you," Yuhua declared solemnly, and then produced a furnace of the same rank to begin refining.

After a series of spells and hand seals, he first utilized the water and fire Supernatural Spells, then took out a piece of black-gold ore that was glowing with treasure-light, and cast it into the furnace.

Witnessing this act, some of the deities who understood artifact refining began to grow perplexed.

To refine a powerful magical item, materials containing fragments of laws are required for refining—an understanding shared since ancient times.

This is because only in this way can a magical item exhibit a power similar to Supernatural Spells, as Supernatural Spells are an expression of the natural laws of the Great Way.

Yet what Yuhua just produced was merely a quality ore, obviously void of any fragments of laws; what kind of magical item could be refined from it?

Magical items, magical items, if a magical item cannot display the power of laws, can it be called a magical item?