Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme

Chapter 769 -482: Merit

“Supreme Immortal Artifact!”

“Eighth Rank Immortal Master!”

Looking at the Li Ground Flame Light Banner, though unaware of its name and origin, recalling everything that had just transpired, every detail, a group of Calamity Realm Immortals and Gods still furrowed their brows deeply, feeling especially grave.

Supreme Immortal Artifact?

Eighth Rank Immortal Master?

On hearing these titles, it might not seem like a big deal, after all, when compared, the eighth rank is merely Mahayana. A single Supreme Immortal Artifact is equivalent to a Mahayana-level Cultivator — what would that amount to in front of these Ninth Order Calamity Realm Immortals and Gods?

...

It amounts to a lot!

Firstly, Artifact Refining is among the Hundred Arts of Cultivation. The proficiency in Artifact Refining may correspond to one’s cultivation realm, but its value and significance are incomparable.

The cultivation realm is fundamental to a Cultivator, it’s of utmost importance. Without cultivation as support, everything else is as insubstantial as a house built in the air or a reflection in a mirror.

Therefore, the vast majority of Cultivators focus primarily on improving their realms and cultivation, with the Hundred Arts of Cultivation coming secondarily as a support for creation and production.

One is the main pursuit, the other is secondary. The order should not be reversed. If one makes the secondary the primary concern, they will inevitably lose sight of the bigger picture because of smaller interests.

This kind of example is numerous throughout history. Many Cultivators, because of their obsession with technical skills, have neglected their fundamental cultivation practices. Only when their lifespan nears the end do they suddenly realize the truth, but by then, it’s too late, and they can only pass away filled with regrets and remorse.

This is a lesson!

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Thus, generally speaking, before reaching the Tribulation Realm, the effort a Cultivator puts into the Hundred Arts of Cultivation is very limited.

Even upon entering the Tribulation Realm, despite endless lifespans and seemingly undying existences, there are the challenges of the Nine Heavenly Passes. The majority of Calamity Realm Immortals and Gods still focus on Crossing the Tribulation, with only a rare few prodigies capable of delving into other areas.

Only after achieving the Nine Tribulations Completion and the Immortal Fruit materializes, can a Cultivator truly dedicate substantial effort to the Hundred Arts of Cultivation.

Therefore, below True Immortals, rarely does anyone excel in skills, and even if they do, it’s an extreme minority; individual cases should not be generalized.

The master of the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect is one such individual exception. Not only is he an Eight Calamity Immortal, but he also masters the Eighth Order equipment refinement technique. He has previously forged three Supreme Immortal Swords and six Superior Immortal Swords, making him the talk of the times, his fame resounding throughout the Mysterious Gate Cultivation World.

But how many such figures are there?

Looking across the world, throughout history, they are few and far between!

Below True Immortals, those who can attain ranks in the eighth skills, are not one in a thousand but are rare to come by in hundreds or thousands.

Let alone the eighth rank, even the seventh rank is a minority, holding a highly revered status. Even Calamity Realm Immortals and Gods must treat them with respect.

After all, rarity confers value!

Such challenging high-order skills also keep the prices of various high-tier treasures invariably high. Whether it’s Pills, Talismans, or other skill-related products, as long as they are of the seventh or eighth rank, their prices surge dramatically.

Not to mention them, these Calamity Realm Immortals and Gods beneath the Six Calamities — their life-bound treasures are mostly of the seventh rank, Superior Immortal Spirit objects.

As for Supreme Immortal Artifacts, without being part of a True Immortal Sect or a Six Calamities high-ranking expert, who would have the capital to own them?

Even obtaining these Superior Immortal Implements involves them braving risks, delving into mysteries, or being rewarded by higher realm Immortals and Gods.

Only a select few Immortals and Gods are able to gather sufficient materials and additional funds to commission an Eighth Rank Immortal Master to refine Immortal Artifacts for themselves.

Of course, if you are not particularly wealthy but bold enough, you could also ask a Seventh Rank Immortal Master to refine a Superior Immortal Implement for you.

Although all Artifact Refiners have produced equipment corresponding to their own rank, the chances of success are emotionally moving and the quality cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, the vast majority of Artifact Refiners choose to engage in “Lower Order Equipment Refinement!”

Those of the eighth rank will refine seventh-rank artifacts, those of the seventh rank refine sixth-rank artifacts, and those of the sixth rank refine fifth-rank artifacts…

Only then can they nearly always ensure quality and success rates.

You could seek out a Seventh Rank Artifact Refiner to create a Superior Immortal Implement, but if the refinement fails, you will have to bear all the losses yourself. The Artifact Refiner will take no responsibility and, at most, will not charge you for the cost of refining.

That’s the market situation for high-tier skills.

An Eighth Rank Immortal Master possesses a strategic value far exceeding that of Ninth Order Calamity Realm Immortals and Gods, and can even be comparable to a True Immortal.

With this in mind, the question arises!

The Wandao School now has an Eighth Order Artifact Refining Immortal Master along with the Heavenly Crafts Natural Creation Skill.

What will their strength be like as they continue to grow, and how swiftly will their development progress?

With a powerful weapon in hand, the intent to use it arises naturally!

What actions will they take once their power has expanded?

No, there’s no need to wait for the future — they already have a powerful tool at their disposal.

This Li Ground Flame Light Banner is of the eighth order, a Supreme Immortal Artifact. It took a hundred years of time and an immense amount of effort to refine it. After investing so much, it could not possibly have been made just for show, could it?

Add to that the united effort of the entire Wandao School over these hundred years, collectively refining the Five Elements Immortal Banner along with countless Spirit Light Magical Artifacts…

There’s no malice or targeting? Can he say so with confidence, and do you dare believe it?

There must be a target!

Who will become the scapegoat, the object of their aggression?

No one knows!

It is precisely because of this uncertainty that these Calamity Realm Immortals and Gods are so apprehensive.

With a sword hanging overhead, such intimidation is not conducive to peace of mind.

…

All the cultivators and Immortal Gods of the Tribulation Realm felt uneasy.

On the other hand, Xu Yang was quite content, his eyes and brows brimming with smiles.

He was extremely satisfied with the Li Ground Flame Light Banner.

Not only had it unexpectedly ascended to a Supreme Immortal Artifact, which had triggered a breakthrough in his Dao of Tools, but it also coincided with the dispelling of the “Sun and Moon Shine Together” spectacle, leading to a reward from the Heavenly Dao—a downpour of meritorious golden light that infused the banner.

Thanks to this merit, the Li Ground Flame Light Banner was not merely a Supreme Immortal Artifact but also a “Treasury of Merit!”

Merit represents accomplishments, and virtue stands for moral goodness!

A Treasury of Merit is both a treasure of accomplishment and of moral goodness, able to invoke the power of the Dao of Heaven and Earth even more effectively.

In the World of Dao and Law, it is said that when the Venerable Lord created the heavens, there was a descent of creation merit, which, combined with the primordial Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, Yellow qi, crafted the first Merit Supreme Treasure of the world—the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Tower!

This tower, as the foremost Merit Supreme Treasure, is impervious to all methods, indestructible, and could support an entire realm with Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, Yellow qi.

Although this Li Ground Flame Light Banner cannot compare to the Venerable Lord’s creation treasure, it still possesses a portion of the Heavenly Dao’s merit, allowing it to more effectively invoke the power of the Dao of Heaven and Earth, the mechanisms of Yin and Yang, and the principles of the Five Elements—it is more profound and possesses greater might. Compared to other Supreme Immortal Artifacts of the same tier, it is not just far ahead but truly stands unrivaled.

Beyond that, this meritorious transformation also provides it with a possibility, the potential to ascend as an “Immortal Treasure.”

Below the Eighth Order are Immortal Implements, above the Eighth Order are Immortal Treasures!

The Innate Five Directions Banner is an Immortal Treasure. Although it’s unclear whether it is a twelfth-order Supreme Immortal Artifact or a ninth-order inferior Immortal Treasure, as long as it can reach the ninth order, it will be an Immortal Treasure. Even an imitation would possess the genuine article’s significant might.

Thus, the value of this Treasury of Merit is evident.

Including this Li Ground Flame Light Banner, Xu Yang now possesses two Treasuries of Merit.

With such assets, he could even confront a True Immortal directly!

So…

Xu Yang smiled, swept back his sleeve, and withdrew the Ground-Departing Flame Light, returning it to Fulong Mountain.

“This…”

“666666!”

“Thank you, Tian, for the generous gift of merit!”

“Tian is mighty, Tian is domineering, love you—heart heart~”

“Finally, it’s over. The torment of more than a hundred years has finally come to an end!”

“It’s torment for you, but not for me. The Temple Master’s artifact refinement technique has taught me a lot.”

“Bootlicker, acting like you know it all—this isn’t just a Supreme Immortal Artifact; it’s also a Superior Immortal Implement. What tier are your artifact refinement skills at? Do you really understand enough to gain anything from it?”

“Can’t I just watch and learn…”

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“What happened just now? Someone near me went insane just a moment ago, causing me to only just log on. Can anyone tell me what’s going on? Did the Temple Master finish the artifact refinement?”

Inside the live-streaming room, the audience engaged in a buzz of discussion, as noisy as ever, and as usual, with no one paying much attention.

Inside the mountain chamber by the Earth Fire Furnace, Xu Yang swept out a stream of Spirit Light with his horsetail whisk, which fell into the Alchemy Cauldron: “You also contributed to this equipment refinement. From today onwards, the Nine Dragons Earth Fire Furnace will be sealed for a hundred years. After a hundred years, come back here to serve!”

Having said that, the surrounding Array Banners vanished, and the prohibitions were lifted.

In the Earth Fire Furnace, Weide saw this and appeared to take his duty seriously, not knowing what to say.

Back in the live-streaming room…

“What is this, medical parole?”

“Not parole, this is furlough!”

“Merit should be rewarded, misconduct should be punished, it’s only right.”

“Aren’t you afraid that he won’t come back after he’s let loose? Recently, another Garuda Secret Realm has appeared. If those two birdmen get together, we’d have two great Calamity Realm Divine Spirits on our hands.”

“Isn’t that perfect? The Scholar’s Palace is just worried about not having enough furnaces to use. It’s a new batch of blessings for the people.”

“If you want to go fishing, just say so. Now that the treasure is refined, you want to use someone else to test it, right?”

The audience continued to chatter, expressing their true thoughts.

Inside the Earth Fire Furnace, Weide did not respond; he just tucked in his head and began to rest with closed eyes.

In this equipment refinement, he indeed made significant contributions. Without the Pure Azure Glazed Flame manifested by his Fire Source as a Calamity Realm Divine Spirit, those high-tier Spirit Materials would not have melted so quickly, the Ground-Departing Flame Light Banner could not have been completed within a century, nor could they have capitalized on the chance of “Sun and Moon Shine Together” to acquire Heaven’s bounty.

It could be said that for the successful creation of the Ground-Departing Flame Light Banner as a Treasury of Merit, Weide’s Fire Source played a crucial role.

As such, being granted a hundred-year furlough seemed only fair.

Yet, he did not wish to leave, at least not now.

Rather than returning to the taunts of the Great Body Perfect circle, he preferred to stay inside the Earth Fire Furnace and cultivate alone.

Xu Yang didn’t say anything more about Weide’s decision; he closed the Earth Furnace, leaving only one passage, and then turned and left.

He still had much to do.

Not to mention anything else, the return of the Red Moon is bound to strengthen the External Demons’ power, leading to numerous changes.

As the celestial events change, so do human intentions. It is inevitable that some will be restless and aim to be the first to stir the waters and the Jiao Dragons.

Therefore…