Lord Shenxiu
Chapter 420: Magic Treasures (Happy Junior High 3!)

Chapter 420: Chapter 420: Magic Treasures (Happy Junior High 3!)

"I am... Zhong Shenxiu."

Zhong Shenxiu replied and approached Tian Lie, a thread of mana surged into the golden bell.

Neither Tian Lie nor Yuanxing Shangren had ever heard this name before; could it be some Loose Cultivator?

For a moment, many thoughts spun in their minds.

Yet the most anxious were Yi Tianchou and Master Han.

’This person... where did he spring from? With his artifact refining skills that shock and awe, could he have truly discovered Elder Zhong’s flaw?’

Yi Tianchou was inwardly frantic.

He and Master Han were originally con artists from the secular world, often collaborating to fleece wealthy marks and live off the proceeds, and their partnership was particularly seamless.

By chance, they acquired a Daoist scripture and thus bumblingly entered the path of cultivation.

Cultivation is arduous, especially for Loose Cultivators.

They had struggled greatly until another miraculous encounter brought them this extraordinary bell and even awakened a being within it that called itself ’Elder Zhong,’ allowing them to resume their old tricks.

For this, they had devised a scheme, typically just as today, seeking out artifact refining masters to repair or sell the bell and take advantage of the situation.

After a time, they would utter a spell, and the bell would return to them, its seals enhanced and its power greatly increased—a hundred trials, a hundred successes.

’This is...’

As a thread of mana from Zhong Shenxiu poured into the ’Golden Light Bell,’ he saw the one hundred and seven seals, indeed genuine.

But beyond that, deep within the seals, something else seemed to be concealed, giving off a ’living being’s’ aura.

A common cultivator, or even a Golden Core Ancestor, might not see through these deceptions.

But he was not in Golden Core, he was in Primordial Pill!

At this moment, with the power of his Primordial Pill stage, he saw deep within the multitude of seals, a writhing, fleshy entity.

This entity resembled a lump of meat, adorned with countless eyes, ears... sprouting myriad tiny wings.

The only recognizable trait was the elderly face within the meat, twisted with madness and pain.

’Could it be... the True Spirit of an Ancient Spiritual Treasure? Pah! Even if it were the True Spirit of a Spiritual Treasure, at best it would be as addled as a kitten or a puppy... and to compare this broken bell to a Spiritual Treasure?’

In an instant, Zhong Shenxiu judged that some evil entity, likely a Heavenly Demon or Heart Demon, was housed within this magic artifact.

’Not only that... these seals are rather unorthodox, most likely not from any proper practice... using people to refine artifacts, or perhaps absorbing fate?’

The Void Refining Treasure Technique described a class of Demon Path magic artifacts, initially simple magic artifacts sacrificially crafted and then discarded into the Loose Cultivation World for circulation among countless cultivators.

It would stealthily kill its owners, drawing upon their unseen cultivation, fate, life force... until it could eventually ascend to the status of a magic artifact!

This ’Golden Light Bell’ seemed to follow this pattern.

Even more demanding, more unorthodox, it seemed specifically designed to target and entrap victims.

Perhaps, in the future, it could be refined into a magic artifact of Great Perfection?

’If it were a typical Demon Path artifact that pilfers fate, it would have some characteristics, but this bell has none. It seems the Demon Path has refined its craft, or is this a special type of magic artifact?’

’This Yi Tianchou and this Master Han are in cahoots, but they’re afraid they’ve also been used by this bell, unaware of how many they’ve harmed... Their eventual downfall will not be pleasant.’

Although Yi Tianchou and Master Han thought they’d simply swindled some cultivation resources, Zhong Shenxiu knew those they’d conned before were probably finished for good.

And these fraudsters certainly wouldn’t dare seek out their victims or return to their old haunts for fear of recognition, thus they might still be unaware of this news.

If they knew, they’d likely be scared enough to throw the artifact away, alas, they may not even be able to!

He was pondering and studying this particular method of Artifact Refining.

Just then he heard Tian Lie struggle to say, "fellow Daoist Shenxiu, your Refining technique is indeed exquisite, I must admit I’m inferior..."

’Dammit!’

Yi Tianchou felt a surge of panic. In a scheme like this, the most crucial thing was to know both yourself and your opponent, to engage without fear of defeat. Changing the target rashly was extremely dangerous.

He had done his homework and knew that this old man Tian Lie was wealthy and skilled in Artifact Refining, but he was no Grandmaster. He likely couldn’t see through Elder Zhong’s disguise, which is why Yi felt assured to come.

Rashly changing the Artifact Refiner might blow their cover.

But at this moment, his master definitely could not speak up. Otherwise, if he didn’t seek a better craftsman and instead settled for a worse one, even a fool could see something was amiss.

"I merely saw this Magic Artifact and felt an urge to admire it, not to snatch business from you, fellow Daoist."

Zhong Shenxiu gracefully returned the Golden Light Bell and stepped down with his hands behind his back.

This scene made both Tian Lie and Yi Tianchou breathe a sigh of relief.

’This youngster, probably a Loose Cultivator with limited experience, has been fooled by the contents of the clock... In the future, he is likely to be made a scapegoat, and his end will not be good. Truly in line with his calamitous fate.’

As Zhong Shenxiu passed by Yi Tianchou, he transmitted a brief message: "Be wary of the spirit within this bell!"

After saying this, he didn’t care about the sudden change in Yi Tianchou’s expression, but smiled and made his way through the crowd, exiting the area.

’My cultivation has absorbed a portion of calamitous fate, growing by several parts...’

Zhong Shenxiu secretly calculated that he was about ready to undergo the second great tribulation of the Golden Core, the Yin Fire Tribulation.

But this fire wasn’t from an external tribulation like the Heavenly Tribulation, but an internal one!

Yin Fire originated from the Cultivator’s spring acupoint and spread to limbs and bones, even capable of scorching the Divine Soul. It was just like going mad from excessive cultivation, extremely difficult to deal with!

’Going mad from excessive cultivation is certainly not fun.’

’Fortunately, I have the Tribulation Transformation Secret Technique. When the time comes, I’ll transform it directly into a Heavenly Tribulation and forcibly overcome it.’

After all, Heavenly Tribulations are easier to overcome than internal demons.

Even with Zhong Shenxiu’s profound cultivation and extraordinary external pill, he didn’t want to take the risk.

"Mr. Zhong, wait for me!"

Just then, the Inner Sect Disciple from the Heavenly Ding Sect, who had been persistently following him and wanting to buy his bird, chased after him.

"I am Qian Bukong from the Heavenly Ding Sect, I have seen you, fellow Daoist. Your Artifact Refining technique is truly mesmerizing... Here is an Inner Sect invitation to the Golden Core Conference, please accept it without hesitation."

He bowed deeply and respectfully handed Zhong Shenxiu a jade slip.

’Is this... not enticing me?’

Zhong Shenxiu’s expression suddenly became a bit odd.

He didn’t know what would happen if he attended the Golden Core Conference.

But considering his recent advancements in cultivation through absorbing calamitous fate, he had become a vortex of disaster.

No matter where he went, the clash of energies was highly likely to result in personal calamities.

The last sect to be duped was the Xuanhai Sect. Now, the Sea Covering Ancestor had died a very unsettled death, and the entire sect had changed their name to Zhong.

And at the beginning, Zhong Shenxiu had indeed only planned to go and discuss the Dao!

’Well, it’s not my fault, it’s all due to karma and fate!’