Cultivation Starting from Full Talent-Chapter 645 - 643: Treasure Crossing the Tribulation

With the resealing of Jiuyou City, the haze that had enveloped the skies above Guiru City finally dissipated.

Inside the City Lord Mansion, Ning Tianyi ordered a three-day-and-three-night feast of spiritual wine to celebrate the victorious campaign against Jiuyou City. At the banquet, he publicly announced Ning Daoran as Guiru City’s permanent Guest Elder, declaring that all expenses within the city would be covered by him as City Lord. This was no small reward for Ning Daoran.

However, at this moment, Ning Daoran’s mind was occupied with something else entirely.

He had held the top position on the Demon Slayer List for twenty years, fulfilling the Heavenly Dao rules of the ranking. Thus, he decided it was time to delve into the mysteries of the Demon Slayer List.

...

Late at night.

A figure clad in blue robes appeared beneath the Demon Slayer List. An elder approached immediately, clasping his hands respectfully and with a smile said, "Fellow Daoist Ning, it has been a long time. I heard that you achieved unparalleled feats at Jiuyou City. Allow this old man to offer his congratulations."

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist."

Ning Daoran nodded lightly, then removed the Demon-slaying Token from his waist and transmitted his voice, "I wish to ask, how does one claim the Heavenly Path Inheritance for being ranked first on the Demon Slayer List?"

"Ah?"

The elder’s heart trembled as he instantly understood everything.

So, the legendary "Huaguo Mountain Great Monkey," who held the top position on the Demon Slayer List, was indeed this Independent Practitioner Jianjia!

He spoke no more and said, "Please follow me into the Demon Slayer List."

"Alright."

The elder turned around and placed his hands on the jade pillar where the Demon Slayer List was situated. Instantly, intricate markings swirled into existence, and the spot he touched rippled like water. With a smile, he said, "Follow me," before stepping directly into the Demon Slayer List.

Without hesitation, Ning Daoran followed in stride.

"Buzz~~~"

The moment he entered the Demon Slayer List, it felt as if he had stepped into an Artifact Spirit Heaven and Earth.

When Ning Daoran raised his head, he found himself standing in a vast space shrouded in darkness. Only the sky above was filled with countless stars, and everything in this world exuded a dense aura of Heavenly Path Power.

"Fellow Daoist Ning,"

the elder said, "This is the Artifact Spirit Heaven and Earth of the Demon Slayer List. Young friend, by offering your Demon-slaying Token, you can claim the Heavenly Path Inheritance. This place is top secret, and I cannot remain here, lest I am torn apart by the Heavenly Dao. I take my leave!"

He clasped his hands lightly and departed, vanishing like the wind.

In the Artifact Spirit Space, only Ning Daoran remained.

"Youngster."

Suddenly, a tremendously old voice echoed in the air: "You’ve held the top spot on the Demon Slayer List for a full twenty years and now have the chance to claim the Heavenly Path Inheritance. What do you seek?"

"I..."

Ning Daoran furrowed his brows. "I’ve only ever heard that the first rank on the Demon Slayer List grants the Heavenly Path Inheritance, but I do not know what it entails. With such a question, I truly am unsure how to answer, Senior."

"Hmph!"

In the wind, the old voice carried a hint of mischief: "You’re quite honest, kid."

With that, a wisp of spirit wind coalesced in mid-air, transforming in the blink of an eye into a figure several meters tall. It was an elder dressed in a gray short shirt, holding a golden hammer in his hand.

This was the Artifact Spirit of the Demon Slayer List!

Ning Daoran furrowed his brows, feeling quite puzzled. This Artifact Spirit didn’t look as though it possessed an Immortal Charm. Instead, it resembled a blacksmith who’s spent a lifetime amid smoke and flames.

"You’re not wrong. In life, this old man was indeed a blacksmith—one renowned across the world as a Divine Craftsman."

The Artifact Spirit Elder squinted his eyes and said, "Kid, you have three choices: First, you can receive a complete inheritance of a Heaven Rank Upper Grade cultivation technique. Second, you can gain an additional one thousand years of lifespan. Third, this old man can forge a weapon for you, suited to your needs. However, the grade cannot be guaranteed—it could be a magic treasure, a spiritual treasure, or even a transformed treasure. What do you choose?"

"This..."

Ning Daoran’s brows knitted into a knot.

A cultivation technique was certainly tempting, but at his level, it wasn’t crucial. He had already mastered the Five Elements Techniques to an extraordinary degree, even cultivating the Chaos Immortal Vine that unified the Five Elements. A Heaven Rank Upper Grade technique wouldn’t offer much improvement.

As for lifespan, that was even more dispensable.

With the cultivation of the Eternal Green Technique, his current lifespan already approached ten thousand years. An additional thousand years made little difference.

The final option, however, was more of a gamble: forging a weapon whose grade was uncertain. If it turned out to be a magic treasure, it would be a loss; a spiritual treasure, especially a top-grade one, could justify the effort invested in his ventures across the seas to slay demons. But if it were a transformed treasure, it would be an unmatched gain, surpassing even the value of the Heavenly Path Inheritance itself.

Transformed treasures were exceedingly rare. Across the Eastern Wilderness Cultivation World, there were only a handful of such items. Most already possessed spirituality and Divine Souls, refusing to submit to humans. Even someone like Ning Tianyi, a Divinity Transformation Stage Great Cultivator, could only utilize spiritual treasures. This highlighted the rarity of transformed treasures.

"Have you made up your mind?"

The Artifact Spirit Elder grinned. "This old man doesn’t have all day for you to ponder. Answer at once—what do you desire as your reward?"

Ning Daoran furrowed his brows.

He raised his hands lightly, palms facing up. As his mana surged, a weighty Azure Dragon Spear appeared in his hands. Respectfully, he said, "Senior, this Azure Dragon Spear has accompanied me through countless battles, earning great merit. However, its grade remains merely that of a Third-tier top-grade magic treasure. Since Senior is a Divine Craftsman, could you perhaps reforge or refine it to elevate it to the level of a spiritual treasure?"

"You truly aren’t greedy, kid!"

The Artifact Spirit Elder extended his hand, attracting the Azure Dragon Spear through the air, furrowing his brows as he examined it. "This spear... the hammering technique used to forge it is highly exquisite, likely reaching the level of Return to Nature. However, the materials and spirituality used were somewhat lacking."

He raised his gaze. "Kid, what sort of enhancement do you wish for this spear?"

"Its weight."

Ning Daoran said solemnly, "I hope it can exceed a hundred thousand kilograms."

"A hundred thousand kilograms?"

The Artifact Spirit Elder squinted his eyes. "Though I’m confident I can refine this spear to weigh over a hundred thousand kilograms... Can you even wield it? Do you realize such heavy weapons are typically meant for Primordial Chaos Peak Warriors, all of whom in the Eastern Wilderness have long perished?"

"Senior, rest assured. I can manage one hundred thousand kilograms."

In truth, Ning Daoran’s current Martial Artist cultivation could only handle weapons weighing seventy to eighty thousand kilograms at most. A hundred thousand kilograms would indeed be quite burdensome. However, his realm was not stagnant. Within a few decades, he was destined to reach the Mid-stage Primordial Chaos Realm. Refining the Azure Dragon Spear now was a way to prepare for the future.

"Very well."

The Artifact Spirit Elder agreed, saying, "The Heavenly Path Inheritance I promised for slaying demons cannot be rescinded. I shall refine this spear for you. Wait here."

With that, the elder waved his hand.

Suddenly, the world shifted. The previously dark space transformed into a massive lake. The elder, carrying the Azure Dragon Spear, strode toward a lakeside hut where a forge and all manner of weapon-crafting tools were prepared.

The Artifact Spirit Elder lit the furnace, began working the bellows, and tossed the Azure Dragon Spear into the flames to commence its reforging.

"Old Lu!"

Ning Daoran called out immediately. "This senior is the Eastern Wilderness Cultivation World’s supreme Divine Craftsman. Get out here and observe how the spear is being reforged. If you can learn any forging techniques or refinement insights, it’ll be a rare opportunity!"

"Owooo~~~"

Big Stupid Deer leapt out from the Spirit Garden Cave Heaven.

The two of them sat on a hillside near the hut, knees hugged to their chests, quietly watching.

"Huh?"

The Artifact Spirit Elder was slightly startled, secretly smiling in exasperation. Letting him reforge the weapon was one thing, but now they were spectating too? The White Deer’s eyes shone with divine intent—it was clearly a Divine Craftsman in its own right, having cultivated a hammering technique to the level of Return to Nature. It was undoubtedly stealing methods!

This kid’s skin was seriously thick—taking liberties while being a guest?

"Don’t mind us, Senior."

Ning Daoran gestured for the senior to continue, smiling. "Old Lu is indeed a craftsman, but far inferior to you. Allowing it to observe your brilliant forging techniques would be greatly appreciated, Senior."

"Hmph!"

The elder ignored him, continuing the reforging process.

Before long, the Azure Dragon Spear in the furnace turned a glowing red, finally beginning to melt into a pool of fiery metal.

At this moment, the Artifact Spirit Elder pulled out an assortment of items from his pouch and began tossing them into the furnace. Most of these were materials Ning Daoran didn’t recognize. However, their essence qi was incredibly dense—they were clearly not Fourth-order Materials but likely legendary Fifth-order Materials!

’Good heavens...’

He marveled inwardly. As expected of the reward from a Heavenly Path Inheritance—using Fifth-order Materials without hesitation. This senior truly was a straightforward fellow!

Beside him, Big Stupid Deer widened its eyes, utterly entranced by the elder’s hammer-swinging technique as he worked the materials.

Days passed.

On the forge, the outline of the Azure Dragon Spear became clearer. It hadn’t changed much in shape but now exuded a commanding aura. Its durability and weight had far surpassed its earlier version as a Third-tier top-grade magic treasure.

"Clang, clang, clang~~~"

The golden hammer struck the spear repeatedly, sending out dazzling sparks.

The treasure essence qi within the Azure Dragon Spear surged intensely, growing richer and purer with each strike.

Finally, it was time for the final quenching process.

The elder, with one hand clasped behind his back, slowly approached the lake and said solemnly, "Qing Luo, from this moment forth, you shall follow him. Although this kid’s skin is extraordinarily thick, he is a decent person at heart. I trust he won’t mistreat you."

"Yes, Lord Heavenly Venerate..."

From the lake, a green silhouette emerged like a drifting lotus. In an instant, it transformed into an exceptionally beautiful woman. Her features were filled with heroic spirit, and she carried a longsword on her back. Kneeling on one knee atop the water, she declared, "Qing Luo will not fail her mission!"

"Go!" freёweɓnovel_com

The woman leapt gracefully, merging into the Azure Dragon Spear.

The Artifact Spirit Elder expertly wielded the Azure Dragon Spear and hurled it into the lake for a wild quenching. In the next moment, a divine light burst from the lake, ascending toward the heavens. It coalesced into a dense cloud, brimming with thunder and lightning!

"What?!"

Ning Daoran was utterly stunned. What was this phenomenon? Could it be that treasures had their own tribulations?!

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