Looking at the incomplete patterns related to golden origin Dao essence in 'Divine Inscription True Explanation' and comparing them to the five-tier gold-element Spiritual Artifact patterns, Li Mu's spirit was momentarily dazed by the huge disparity, and he roughly understood the key to the failure of this six-tier spirit treasure Artifact Refining.
The key reason for the failure was that the quality of the Artifact Potential constructed within the Spiritual Artifact was too low; the spiritual essence of the three six-tier gold-element Materials used was too weak, and their combination was far from meeting the requirements for constructing an Innate Artifact Spirit.
Previously, the six-tier Five Elements Spirit Mountain was successfully refined because, in addition to having a five-tier top-grade Spirit Treasure—Mount Tai—as its Foundation, it also incorporated a large number of Five Elements spiritual items, allowing the Five Elements Spirit Mountain to spontaneously condense Five Elements Divine Inscriptions under its own Artifact Potential, achieving a qualitative change from quantitative accumulation, thus giving birth to an Innate Artifact Spirit and becoming a six-tier spirit treasure.
This time, Li Mu only used three gold-element six-tier Materials, successfully constructing a faint Artifact Potential environment. However, it lacked a qualitative factor to guide the birth of an Artifact Spirit; the total spiritual essence of the three six-tier gold-element Materials was far from reaching the level of qualitative change.
Understanding the reason for the Artifact Refining failure, Li Mu breathed a sigh of relief. His Divine Sense entered the nine storage spiritual pearl, searching for suitable Artifact Refining Materials to attempt refining the next six-tier spirit treasure.
Soon, Li Mu selected suitable Artifact Refining Materials, taking out an ancient bronze bell from the storage grid, along with a black soul gathering bottle, a charred thunder copper wood section, a mysterious black stone, a black mist-shrouded white bone, and so on—seven mysterious spirit-type Materials related to souls—one by one from the nine storage spiritual pearl.
Li Mu's gaze swept over the spiritual items before him. Under the Talent Divine Power - Identify Myriad Spirits, all their attribute information was displayed.
【soul suppression bell (Sealed)】
【Grade: six-tier spirit treasure】
【Characteristics: Soul Suppression, Soul Confusion, Soul Loss, Soul Seizure.】
【Status: Artifact Spirit lost, spiritual item self-sealed.】
【A six-tier spirit treasure - soul suppression bell, refined with six-tier soul suppression stone, six-tier fierce beast demon bone, and six-tier witch heart copper, using soul Divine Inscriptions. Due to the erosion of long Years, the Spirit Treasure's spiritual essence gradually diminished, and its Artifact Spirit self-sealed, degrading to a five-tier Soul Soothing Bell. If a million refined souls are suppressed within it, the Artifact Spirit can be reawakened. This item is a Legacy token of the Demon Suppression Sect. Activating the soul suppression Artifact patterns allows entry into the top-level Hall of Dharma Transmission of the Demon Suppression Sect.】
【Azure Eyed Tiger Emperor (Soul State)】
【Grade: Seven-tier Yin Spirit】
【Characteristics: Tiger Qi Condensing Spirit, Tiger Emperor's Resentment, Summoning of Many Minions,…】
【Status: Died with Hatred, Resentment Soaring to the Heavens】
…
【Thunder Copper Wood Core】
【Grade: Six-tier Spirit Wood】
…
【Primordial Essence Core】
【Grade: Six-tier Spirit Ore】
…
【Nether Charm Beast Bone】
【Grade: Six-tier Demon Corpse】
…
Li Mu looked at these Materials, took a deep breath, and once again activated the Eightfold Heavenly Fire Tempering Method. First, he threw the soul suppression bell into the Heavenly Fire Furnace for calcination and melting. Then, he sequentially added the Primordial Essence Core, Thunder Copper Wood Core, and other six-tier Materials.
Inside the Heavenly Fire Furnace, the Extreme Yang Heavenly Fire emitted purplish-gold high-temperature flames, rapidly melting the soul suppression bell from the inside out, dissolving its internal Artifact patterns. The newly added Artifact Refining Materials quickly integrated into it.
Li Mu invested his entire Divine Thought, forming hand seals, and injecting streams of spiritual power, controlling the Extreme Yang Heavenly Fire to construct Artifact patterns and Artifact Foundation arrays within the bell's core, building the Artifact Potential according to the formation environment of a soul-type Innate Artifact Spirit.
Within the Skyfire Refining Furnace, a palm-sized black bronze bell quickly solidified into shape, emitting a mysterious and powerful aura.
Seeing the soul-type Artifact about to take shape, Li Mu glanced at the soul gathering bottle and threw the entire soul gathering bottle containing the seven-tier Azure Eyed Tiger Beast Emperor's Soul Body into it.
In the Skyfire Refining Furnace, the soul gathering bottle instantly melted under the Heavenly Fire. The Azure Eyed Tiger Beast Emperor's vengeful spirit gained freedom, and just as it was about to roar and vent its resentment, it immediately realized something was wrong: it was deeply trapped in a terrifying purplish-gold sea of fire, and its tiger soul resentment rapidly melted away.
Under Li Mu's Divine Thought control, the Extreme Yang Heavenly Fire, in a moment, completely burned away the Azure Eyed Tiger Beast Emperor's resentment, then absorbed a trace of its tiger soul spirit into the bell Artifact, refining it into a spirit.
Within the Artifact array, countless Artifact patterns condensed into a force, gathering into an Artifact array containing an Artifact Spirit, empowering the Azure Eyed Tiger Beast Emperor's soul spirit, helping it grow rapidly and condense into a physical form.
【Ding, you have successfully refined a six-tier spirit treasure. Artifact Refining Skill proficiency +3600.】
Li Mu suddenly noticed a new prompt appearing in the virtual log bar, and his face lit up with joy. However, just then, an anomaly occurred!
With a roaring 'Awoo!', the black bell Artifact in the Skyfire Refining Furnace transformed into a spirit, becoming a black tiger the size of a cat, and flew out.
“Where do you think you're going!”
A hint of joy flashed in Li Mu's eyes. He stretched out his hand and sent out a stream of spiritual power, which transformed into a leash, coiling around the black tiger Artifact Spirit's neck.
“Awoo~~”
The black tiger Artifact Spirit turned its head, its tiger eyes wide, and let out a fierce roar at Li Mu. A powerful Soul Power shockwave erupted and instantly struck him.
Caught off guard, Li Mu was hit by the powerful tiger Qi Soul Power impact.
Li Mu's Primordial Spirit instantly stagnated, his body unable to move. His Primordial Spirit was intimidated by the terrifying Soul Power unleashed by the black tiger Artifact Spirit, and his Divine Soul was instantly damaged.
Li Mu fully activated the Star Observation Method, Gathering Star Condensing Spirit, and Soul Transformation Gathering Star, continuously employing Divine Soul Divine Abilities. Only then did he recover from this powerful Divine Soul impact.
Relying on the Divine Ability Talent of Divine Soul Permanence, Li Mu successfully avoided severe damage to his Primordial Spirit. However, even so, his Divine Soul still sustained considerable injury.
Li Mu was not surprised but rather delighted. Looking at the black tiger Artifact Spirit, he clearly felt the power of its Soul Power attack, which was not to be underestimated.
To prevent it from continuing to counterattack, Li Mu's Divine Thought covered it, and his spiritual power reached directly into the core of the Artifact array. He quickly left a spiritual imprint, refining the Artifact.
The black tiger Artifact Spirit floated in the air, no longer struggling. The fierce glint in its eyes disappeared, and its gaze towards Li Mu softened.
Li Mu examined the black tiger Artifact Spirit. The Talent Divine Power - Identify Myriad Spirits took effect, and he immediately obtained all its attributes.
【Unnamed】
【Grade: six-tier spirit treasure】
【Characteristics: Tiger Qi Soul Seizing, Azure Eyed Tiger Spirit Suppression, Tiger Minion Summoning, Tiger Spirit Roar, Azure Eyed Tiger Soul Devour】
【Status: Tiger Qi True Spirit, Artifact Spirit born.】
【Based on the soul suppression bell, refined with six-tier spiritual items such as thunder copper wood core, primordial essence stone, nether charm beast bone, and a seven-tier tiger Qi demon spirit, this six-tier spirit treasure possesses powerful sound-based attack power and soul-based impact power.】
After reading the attribute information of the black tiger bell Artifact, Li Mu immediately named it: Azure Eyed Tiger Soul Bell.
The first six-tier spirit treasure successfully refined was actually a powerful soul-type Artifact. Li Mu's face was filled with delight and joy.
The attack power and attack method of this soul-type Artifact were excellent, unexpected and catching the opponent off guard. Even a Transformation God cultivator hit by it would likely lose half their life. However, this soul-type Artifact was not suitable for Li Mu to use.
Li Mu thought of something and projected his Divine Sense into the spirit control treasure bracelet, calling out Little White.
“Chirp! Master!”
Little White appeared out of thin air, groggily opening his eyes and waking up. After enduring the Soul Transformation Lightning Tribulation, his Divine Soul had not fully recovered, and being forcibly awakened by Li Mu made him a bit uncomfortable.
“Little White, I've refined a suitable Natal Spirit Treasure for you. Take it and refine it!” Li Mu smiled slightly, looking at the black tiger Artifact Spirit, and gestured to Little White.
“Oh!”
Little White followed Li Mu's gaze and discovered the presence of the black tiger Artifact Spirit. His sleepy little eyes immediately lit up, and a joyful smile blossomed on his tender white face.
“Master! Is this for me?”
Little White looked at the black tiger Artifact Spirit, felt its powerful Soul Power, and confirmed with delight to Li Mu.
“That's right!” Li Mu nodded with a smile.
“Awoo~”
The black tiger Artifact Spirit sensed Little White's covetous gaze and immediately let out a wary roar, a powerful tiger Qi Soul Power invading towards him.
Little White was not surprised but rather delighted. Being a six-tier soul spirit himself, he was fearless of such an attack. He flickered, pouncing forward, and instantly rode on the black tiger Artifact Spirit's back, his powerful Divine Soul power invading it, intending to refine it.
“Awoo, awoo~”
The black tiger Artifact Spirit roared repeatedly, using both its mouth and claws, trying to throw Little White off, resisting fiercely. A six-tier Artifact Spirit would not tolerate desecration, even if it was its master's controlled beast.
For a time, tiger roars filled the sky, powerful Soul Power surged upwards, and the two fellows contended fiercely, engaging in a violent struggle.
For a moment, Little White couldn't subdue it.
Seeing this, Li Mu quickly lent a hand, investing his Divine Thought, erasing the spiritual imprint attached to the Azure Eyed Tiger Soul Bell, and using spiritual power to suppress the Artifact Spirit, assisting Little White in refining it.
About half an hour later, the black tiger Artifact Spirit instantly disappeared, transforming into a small spiritual bell hanging around Little White's neck.
“Master, thank you for your gift, I like it very much!” Little White flew in front of Li Mu, thanking him gratefully with a joyful, tender voice.
“Glad you like it. You must be tired!” Li Mu asked with a smile, looking at Little White's weary expression.
“Mm! Master, I'm going to sleep now! Call me if you need my help.”
Little White flapped a pair of butterfly wings with colorful spiritual mist, looked at Li Mu, and nodded drowsily.
Having been awakened from slumber by Li Mu and then consuming a large amount of Soul Power to refine a six-tier spirit treasure, he was now extremely sleepy.
“Mm! Go rest!” Li Mu nodded with a smile, waved his hand, and put Little White back into the spirit control treasure bracelet.
After putting Little White away, Li Mu then released the Skyfire Refining Furnace, letting the Extreme Yang Heavenly Fire return to the skyfire cauldron.
Next, Li Mu put away the skyfire cauldron, then took out two bottles of Medicinal Pill from the nine storage spiritual pearl, poured out two Spirit Pills, swallowed them, sat cross-legged, and fully circulated his cultivation to refine the medicinal power, recovering his Divine Soul injured by the Azure Eyed Tiger Soul Bell, and the large amount of spiritual power consumed.
Having successfully refined a six-tier spirit treasure, Li Mu was eager to continue refining the next six-tier spirit treasure. However, reality did not allow him to do so.
Refining a six-tier spirit treasure consumed far more Divine Thought and spiritual power, and demanded much more mental effort, than refining a five-tier Spiritual Artifact—dozens of times more. Li Mu could not continue.
Moreover, the Materials consumed by six-tier spirit treasures and their failure rate far exceeded Li Mu's expectations. They could not be refined just by wanting to; first, his state needed to recover to its optimal level.
Seven days later.
Li Mu's state returned to Perfection. After tending to his spiritual plants, he began to attempt refining the next Spirit Treasure.
With the successful experience of the Azure Eyed Tiger Soul Bell, Li Mu began a detailed and comprehensive conception, design, and planning for the selection of Materials and the construction of the Artifact Spirit for the next six-tier spirit treasure.
This method of Artifact Refining was different from before. When refining low-tier Spiritual Artifacts, in addition to considering Artifact patterns and Artifact arrays, one also had to consider the Artifact Spirit, Artifact Potential, the formation of the Artifact Spirit, the Dao principles, and many other factors combined to have a chance of successfully refining a six-tier spirit treasure.
Fortunately, this did not stump Li Mu. In his previous life, he was a seasoned programmer. Having figured out the mechanism for the formation of Artifact Spirits in six-tier spirit treasures, the next step was simply to find ways to satisfy the requirements.
Li Mu furrowed his brows, contemplating the Artifact Refining approach for the next six-tier spirit treasure.
Originally, he had planned to use the seven-tier star beast remnant pearl and the six-tier profound Luck spiritual turtle shell to refine a divination-type Luck and Karma Spirit Treasure. However, Li Mu knew very little about these two mysterious Dao principles, fearing that the spiritual essence of these two mysterious Materials would not be sufficient to nurture an Innate Artifact Spirit for the Spirit Treasure. As a last resort, he had to abandon this idea.
Li Mu focused on another seven-tier Material, summoning a massive cyan stone from his storage grid, gazing at it, and pondering its refining direction.
Under the Talent Divine Power - Identify Myriad Spirits, all information about the seven-tier spirit ore - meteorite crystal nucleus was presented in a virtual box.
【meteorite crystal nucleus】
【Grade: Seven-tier Spirit Ore】
【Characteristics: Spirit Repulsion and Thought Isolation, Indestructible, Self-contained Gravity Domain, Inwardly Contained and Returning to the Mundane, Permanently Fixed Gravity Principle.】
【meteorite crystal nucleus, a seven-tier spirit ore, a core meteorite crystal nucleus produced after the self-detonation of an aged fallen star. Weight: 370,000 jin. Self-contained gravity principle, compatible with myriad spirits, spiritual essence inwardly contained, material properties not apparent.】
This seven-tier Material, containing the 'gravity' Dao principle and a self-contained gravity domain, combined with some six-tier Materials, could construct a good Spirit-Nurturing Artifact Potential. If refined into a 'Seal Artifact' or 'Mountain Artifact', it would be extremely suitable.
Li Mu had considerable experience in refining 'Seal Artifacts' and 'Mountain Artifacts'. However, if this seven-tier Material were refined into a 'Sword Artifact', combined with its inherent 'gravity Dao principle', it would also be extraordinary.
The two Artifact Refining directions, one capable of both offense and defense, the other unparalleled in offense, each had their own merits.
For a moment, Li Mu suffered from decision paralysis, unsure which direction to choose.
Compared to defense, Li Mu had comprehended numerous Sword Skill Divine Abilities and was skilled at setting up Sword Formations. As a Sword Cultivator, he yearned even more to possess an indestructible and unparalleled six-tier spiritual sword.
Li Mu followed his heart and decided to refine it into a six-tier spiritual sword.
However, as Li Mu was contemplating the refining direction for the spiritual sword, seriously considering the meteorite crystal nucleus, a sudden flash of inspiration struck him. He thought of a way to have the best of both worlds.
Li Mu summoned out the four-tier and five-tier spiritual swords from the nine storage spiritual pearl.
Immediately, Sword Qi surged forth, and the Acquired spiritual swords transformed into spiritual fish, swimming in schools around Li Mu. They were excited to finally get some fresh air.
Looking at the one thousand eight hundred ninety-two four-tier and five-tier spiritual swords shimmering with agile sword light before him, Li Mu's expression was solemn, and he hesitated, once again becoming indecisive.
These Acquired spiritual swords were accumulated by Li Mu over decades, nearly a century, with great effort and wealth. If they were used to forge a six-tier spirit treasure and it failed, they would all be reduced to nothing, and the loss would be immense!
However, if this idea succeeded in refining, setting up Sword Formations and using Sword Skills would not only become incredibly easy in the future, but the power of the Sword Formation set up with this six-tier spirit treasure would be earth-shattering and ghost-wailing!
Li Mu gritted his teeth and made a firm choice. (End of Chapter)
