Chapter 282: Art of Forging Treasures

Inside the cave dwelling.

Qin Ming took out the two copper mirror fragments and found they fitted together perfectly.

"Indeed, they are fragments of the same magic treasure."

After piecing the copper mirror together, a complete ancient bronze mirror appeared before him.

The mirror's back was engraved with Bagua symbols and spiritual runes; its surface was flawlessly smooth, radiating a mysterious and obscure aura.

Even though this magic treasure was damaged, Qin Ming could still sense that when intact, it must have been an extraordinarily powerful artifact.

At least significantly stronger than ordinary Golden Core stage magic treasures.

"What a pity—if only this treasure could be repaired," Qin Ming gently caressed the mirror's surface, deeply regretful.

He then picked up the other half of the copper mirror fragment and studied it for a long time, discovering it too was sealed by ancient prohibitions.

"I still need the Devouring Heaven Rat to remove the prohibitions inside the copper mirror first."

"I wonder how well it has recovered after eating the Spirit-Eliminating Demon Fruit."

Qin Ming immediately stepped out of the cave dwelling.

As soon as he stepped outside, a vast, overwhelming aura of demonic energy surged skyward from the spirit field, spreading outward.

Even the Xuan Shui Crocodile and Silver-Winged Frost Bees flew near the spirit field to watch.

"Hahaha!"

"This great master has finally restored to Second Stage peak!"

"It was damn hard!"

"If I endure a bit longer, maybe I'll regain my full cultivation and return to Third Stage Demon King status, Gagaga!"

The Devouring Heaven Rat's arrogant laughter echoed across the spirit field.

When Qin Ming arrived and found it, the Devouring Heaven Rat was still standing with hands on hips, laughing wildly at the sky.

Qin Ming walked over and kicked it in the buttocks. "What are you doing? Full of rebellion—now that your cultivation's restored, planning to revolt?"

"Hehe! Master, how would I dare? I just felt moved and needed to release some pent-up emotions," the Devouring Heaven Rat rubbed its rear, grinning broadly.

Qin Ming nodded and handed it the other copper mirror fragment. "See if you can remove the prohibitions inside this fragment."

The Devouring Heaven Rat took the fragment, glanced at it briefly, then patted its chest proudly. "Master, rest assured."

"My cultivation and abilities have recovered considerably; I can now use many of my former spells. Breaking these prohibitions will take only half a day."

Qin Ming's eyes widened slightly—he remembered that last time, the Devouring Heaven Rat had needed two days to remove the prohibitions from the first fragment.

Now it needed only half a day, proving its skills in dismantling prohibitions were truly boundless.

After taking the fragment, the Devouring Heaven Rat immediately buried itself in absorbing dark light to begin breaking the seal.

Half a day later.

Qin Ming sat beneath a peach tree, savoring the Five Elements Spirit Peach and Yulin wine, gazing at the farmers working below the island, utterly at ease.

The Devouring Heaven Rat trotted over, holding the fragment, and handed it to Qin Ming with a grin. "Master, the prohibitions inside are gone. Take a look."

"Oh? That was indeed fast," Qin Ming's eyes lit up. He took the fragment and with a quick pull, extracted half a piece of ancient silk.

After handing over the fragment, the Devouring Heaven Rat did not leave immediately; its gaze lingered uncertainly on the spirit peaches and spirit wine.

Qin Ming frowned, then poured it a bowl of Yulin wine. "Nothing else? You can go back to work in the fields."

"Hehe! Thank you, Master, for the gift!"

Having received his reward, the Devouring Heaven Rat scampered back to the spirit field to resume its labor.

Qin Ming immediately unfurled the silk, and the content within made him break into a broad smile.

"Indeed, it's the complete method for forging magic treasures!"

In the following days, aside from tending the spirit field and medicinal herbs, Qin Ming devoted all his attention to this "Art of Forging Treasures."

Yet—

The more he read, the more astonished he became, for the ancient silk revealed that this bronze mirror had once been the life-bound treasure of an ancient cultivator from tens of thousands of years ago, named the Gouyu Jin Guang Mirror.

That Golden Core peak cultivator had once dominated the cultivation world with this treasure, nearly invincible below the Nascent Soul stage; countless Golden Core elders had perished beneath its Divine Flame of Gold. Yet, for reasons unknown, the ancient master had destroyed his own life-bound treasure and hidden a piece of ancient silk within, recording his entire lifetime's techniques for forging magic treasures.

In addition, Qin Ming discovered another crucial piece of information in the latter half of the silk.

That was: this Gouyu Jin Guang Mirror originally had a spirit core, sealed by the ancient master in a certain location within the Liang Kingdom's cultivation realm, with precise coordinates marked.

"If I recover the spirit core, could I fully repair the mirror?"

"But… something feels off."

"In the Liang Kingdom, so far away—could this be a trap?"

Anyone else, upon reading the description of the mirror's power, would likely rush off to search for the spirit core at the given location.

But Qin Ming, adhering to his cautious nature, did not rush to go.

He already had the spirit materials needed to forge the embryonic form of a magic treasure.

He planned to first attempt crafting an embryonic life-bound treasure according to the methods in the silk.

"Still, in a year, I will eventually have to go to the Liang Kingdom to obtain the Golden Core Pill formula from Xuanxi Valley."

"At that time, I can perhaps investigate the spirit core matter a little."

Afterwards, Qin Ming memorized every word of the entire "Art of Forging Treasures," leaving nothing out.

The spiritual rune engraving methods and forging techniques were practiced countless times.

Half a month later.

Qin Ming stepped out of the cave dwelling and approached his life-bound spirit plant, Yin Yang Xuan Teng. Four golden terms floated into his vision: 【Name】: Yin Yang Xuan Teng 【Term】: Prolonged Lifespan ×5 (Maturity 86%)

【Name】: Yin Yang Xuan Teng 【Term】: Source of Magic Power (Maturity 87%)

【Name】: Yin Yang Xuan Teng 【Term】: Space-Time Leaf (Maturity 85%)

【Name】: Yin Yang Xuan Teng 【Term】: Spirit Plant Seed Treasure (Maturity 88%)

"After feeding it the dozen or so Foundation Establishment Tribulation blood pearls and three Foundation Establishment peak blood pearls."

"The growth progress of the Yin Yang Xuan Teng's demonic flower indeed accelerated significantly—it was nearly mature."

He then waved his hand and pulled out dozens more blood pearls.

These blood pearls were collected from the Mist Illusion Realm, all from low-level demonic beasts that had foolishly entered the illusion and been drained into corpses by the thorned spirit seeds within.

Most were low-grade demonic beasts; only five were Second Stage demonic beast blood pearls.

"These blood pearls should be enough to ripen the demonic flower on the Yin Yang Xuan Teng."

Qin Ming waved his hand, and dozens of blood pearls fell beneath his life-bound spirit plant.

Countless black vines writhed, absorbing every single blood pearl.

The Xuan Teng grew taller rapidly; the demonic flowers on its vines blazed with spiritual light, accelerating their growth.

Three days later.

Dozens of silver-black interwoven spirit fruits had formed on the Yin Yang Xuan Teng.

Qin Ming reached out and gathered all the spirit fruits from the vines.

Instantly, three blue terms and one purple term appeared in his spiritual sense.

(End of Chapter)