"...it is said that weapons above the level of Top Grade Magic Artifacts belong exclusively to powerhouses at the Foundation Establishment True Person Realm. Ordinary Qi Refining Realm cultivators lack the qualifications to even wield or utilize them."
His gaze lingered on the three items. As he mulled over this 'common knowledge' of the Cultivation World, even a lucky soul like Chen Fei, who had inherited the legacy of a great cultivator, couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement that made his head spin. After all, while it's said I can't use such weapons under normal circumstances, what if I were to use some *extraordinary* means? Wouldn't I be invincible on Earth? Even with the power for a single strike, it would be enough to annihilate a formidable expert at the Late Stage of Qi Refining, turning them to dust and a mere footnote in history. And on this entire Earth, how many terrifyingly powerful experts like that could possibly exist?
GULP.
With that thought, he swallowed hard, a new realization dawning on him. In this pavilion, there weren't just the three Top Grade Magic Artifacts. There were also two items that were even more formidableāthe ultimate weapons among the four legendary ranks of artifacts, Magical Treasures!
"Senior Zhen Jingkong, where are the two Magical Treasures? Aren't they on this shelf?" Chen Fei asked, a newfound impatience in his voice as his eyes gleamed with eagerness.
"Go to the second floor. Those two items aren't here," came the reply from Zhen Jingkong.
This was a man who had once been a mere half-step from reaching the realm of an Array Master. Although a series of accidents had led to his failure, his perspective and vision were far beyond what a fledgling like Chen Fei could compare to. In his eyes, probably only those two Lifebound Magical Treasures are worthy of his concern. The rest are likely just a pile of scrap metal, not worth a second thought.
"The second floor?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Fei immediately headed upstairs. As he set foot on the second floor, the scent of sandalwood wafted over him. He lifted his head and saw a sacred shrine directly opposite the staircase. Within the shrine sat a silver statue of a two-headed, four-legged Demon Wolf. Its fur bristled and its face was ferocious, with sharp, bared fangs that made it seem terrifyingly lifelike. In front of the shrine sat an inconspicuous, grimy, purple-red furnace. Its surface appeared to be coated in a thick layer of dust, yet wisps of white mist were inexplicably drifting from its opening.
The sandalwood fragrance Chen Fei had sensed earlier seemed to be emanating from it. He didn't pay it much mind, however, his attention instead falling upon the Demon Wolf statue. He studied it silently for a moment, his brow slowly knitting together without him realizing it. For some reason, looking at this statue makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable.
He was also quite surprised. Why would Zhen Jingkong enshrine a Demon Wolf statue in his place of recovery? After all, in the Cultivation World, the relationship between the Human Race and the Demon Clan isn't exactly friendly.
"Is this one of the two Magical Treasures?" he asked.
"That is just an ordinary statue," came the unexpected reply from his sea of consciousness. A wisp of ice-blue spiritual light then drifted out of Chen Fei's body. To his complete surprise, it wrapped around the unassuming, purple-red furnace, lifted it, and brought it into his hands.
"This is the Lizhen Furnace, which I discovered in the tomb of an unknown Primordial Core True Lord. In terms of pure defense, this furnace might be at the bottom of the Magical Treasure tier. But when it comes to offense, it is an absolute weapon of mass destruction. Even an ordinary Primordial Core True Lord wouldn't dare to be caught inside and incinerated by its flames!"
Zhen Jingkong's voice echoed in his mind. Chen Fei's hand trembled as he held the Lizhen Furnace.
Yes, it was truly trembling. It wasn't that Zhen Jingkong's words had frightened him. It was because the instant his palm touched the furnace's surface, a shocking vision flashed before his eyes. The Lizhen Furnace reappeared, glistening as it swiftly expanded from an inch tall to a colossal structure towering dozens of meters high under the clouds, spewing terrifying flames into the sky.
"Purple Extreme True Fire?" Chen Fei murmured in disbelief, his eyelids twitching violently as he 'saw' the distinct purple hue within those horrifying, sky-piercing flames.
"How did you... Yes. The source of the flame within the Lizhen Furnace is indeed a wisp of Purple Extreme True Fire. The legendary flame said to be capable of burning even a Primordial Core True Lord to death..." Zhen Jingkong's tone finally carried a hint of surprise. He hadn't expected Chen Fei to possess such knowledge as to recognize the Purple Extreme True Fire at a single glance. It was an extremely rare and terrifying fire in the Cultivation World. Legend had it that even in their Qiannan Ancient Kingdom, one could only hope to find it in the most perilous, forbidden lands.
Over two hundred years ago, a renowned Primordial Core True Lord from the Qiannan Ancient Kingdom, supremely confident in his peerless cultivation and strength, had entered one such perilous land. After surviving against all odds, he emerged with a cluster of Purple Extreme True Fire. Yet, the very next day, news spread that he had been burned alive, unable to suppress the very flame he had acquired.
This incident was widely known at the time, leaving the various major powers throughout the Qiannan Ancient Kingdom completely dumbfounded. They quietly designated the Purple Extreme True Fire a taboo, something to be treated with extreme caution if ever encountered. This only served to confirm how truly terrifying the fire was.
If the Purple Extreme True Fire in the Lizhen Furnace were a full cluster rather than a mere wisp, the Magical Treasure itself would have likely been burned to a crisp long ago. It would have been impossible for Zhen Jingkong to obtain it back then, let alone refine it into his Lifebound Magic Treasure.
Even so, the terror of the Lizhen Furnace was undeniable. The number of perfected Foundation Establishment True Persons at their peak who had died by its power back in the day was likely more than one could count on two hands.
PHEW.
Though the furnace's surface should have felt cool to the touchāforged as it was from the legendary Thousand Water Mysterious Copper, a rare material buried tens of thousands, or even over a hundred thousand, fathoms deep within forbidden sea trenches, a material even rumored to have been used to create heaven-defying weapons of an even higher tierāthe reality was quite different.
The reality was that Young Master Chen was already drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked through. I know it's just an illusion, but... I can still feel a spine-chilling heat slowly seeping out of the furnace! My hair feels like it's about to catch fire!
With a tremble of his hand, the Lizhen Furnace fell to the floor with a CLATTER.
Looking at Young Master Chen now, his face was beet red, and he was panting heavily, his clothes completely saturated with sweat.
"What a... what a terrifying thing. Is this a legendary Magical Treasure?" Chen Fei's whispered words trembled, his heart pounding with intense horror and lingering fear. It was truly worthy of its legendary status, even more terrifying than a Top Grade Magic Artifact. Just holding it for a moment had nearly suffocated him.
"My apologies. I forgot that with your current Cultivation Level, it isn't suitable for you to hold this. It was my oversight..." Zhen Jingkong's voice sounded slowly.
Forgot? A faint, mocking smile touched Chen Fei's lips. I'm not a fool. Of course I know this was his plan all along, a way to make me suffer and vent his frustration. Otherwise, how could an old fox with his cunning and foresight just 'happen' to forget something so obvious? The excuse itself is laughable.
Though he thought this, he didn't say it aloud. After a long silence, he asked expressionlessly, "What about the other one?"
"The other one... is outside."
Hearing this, Chen Fei immediately turned and headed downstairs, walking out of the pavilion without a second glance at the Lizhen Furnace that had rolled to a stop by his feet. Seeing this, Zhen Jingkong's expression faltered slightly within Chen Fei's sea of consciousness. He regretted his impulsive act, but things had already come to this. Since Chen Fei didn't mention it, he couldn't bring it up either. He could only pretend that he truly had forgotten.
"Mr. Chen, have you gotten everything?"
When Chen Fei stepped out of the pavilion, he found Melsdom waiting outside. In a move that showed his wisdom, Melsdom had not followed him to the second floor and had instead come back out to wait.
"Not yet, one more item..."
It was obvious Young Master Chen was in a foul mood. He gave a clipped, reluctant reply, clearly having no desire to speak further. Melsdom was visibly taken aback, not understanding the reason for Chen Fei's sudden shift in mood, but he was smart enough to immediately close his mouth. He knew it was best to stay quiet at a time like this.
Seeing Chen Fei's silent, expressionless demeanor, Zhen Jingkong grew inexplicably apprehensive in his sea of consciousness. He took the initiative to speak. "The other Magical Treasure is this... the Octagonal Mystic Tower."
As soon as his words faded, the grand Ice True Pavilion trembled with a loud BOOM! It rumbled and shook violently. Then, before Melsdom's horrified, wide eyes, the entire pavilion lifted off the ground. It shrank rapidly in mid-air, finally transforming into a palm-sized gleam of light that landed gently in Chen Fei's hand, causing Young Master Chen's eyes to narrow slightly.
So this pavilion was the second Magical Treasure?