Chapter 78: Low-Grade Artifact

"Not only does it have two special abilities!"

"And this Dragon-Pattern Purple-Gold Cauldron also harbors an artifact spirit?"

Li Mu stared at the exaggerated description of the Dragon-Pattern Purple-Gold Cauldron on the panel, remained silent for a long while, while his heartbeat raced uncontrollably!

An artifact spirit!

The rarity of an artifact spirit—don't even talk about placing it into a low‑grade artifact!

Even the relic of the Inscribed Spirit Monument I broke in the Yunshan Secret Realm last time didn't contain an artifact spirit!

Just this alone is enough to show how a "artifact spirit" is a treasure that can be encountered but not sought for by an Alchemist's furnace or any spirit weapon treasure!

No exaggeration: with an artifact spirit or without, it's like two completely different magical treasures!

I told you…

When I first used the system to appraise this Dragon-Pattern Purple-Gold Cauldron, why did it show a "Can be enhanced" option!

You should know that in the Qian Kun Realm, 99.9% of crafted spirit weapon treasures and magical artifacts retain whatever grade they were forged at.

If there truly is a one‑in‑ten‑thousand exception, it can only occur with an artifact spirit!

Because!

Only an artifact spirit can cause a spirit weapon treasure or magical artifact to ascend in grade again!

"Is this what they call a blessing in disguise?"

"But…"

"Isn't the magnitude of this disaster and blessing a bit too far apart?"

Li Mu's heart surged as he gazed at the nine purple‑gold dragon patterns coiling around the bronze cauldron before him!

At that moment, Li Mu seemed to experience this illusion!

It was…

The nine purple‑gold dragon patterns before his eyes seemed to be imbued with life, as if they had come alive!

Their whole bodies of dragon scales glittered with rippling purple‑gold light, looking splendid and powerful!

Li Mu, after fixing his gaze, could still discover!

The nine purple‑gold dragon patterns engraved on the bronze cauldron have their tails up and heads down, with mouths open!

The Dragon-Pattern Purple-Gold Cauldron trembled slightly, as a dense alchemical aura slowly exhaled from its open mouths.

This seemed to subtly indicate that it itself has an inseparable close connection with the Alchemist!

Feeling the familiar yet powerful aura emanating from the Dragon-Pattern Purple-Gold Cauldron, Li Mu's heart surged!

Even so, to activate this Dragon-Pattern Purple-Gold Cauldron, I almost wagered all my possessions, including the Emerging Divine Pill and the Thunder Tiger inner pill.

I even gave this thing the one remaining Thousandfold Heavenly Dao Blessing!

Yet compared with the artifact spirit contained within the Dragon-Pattern Purple-Gold Cauldron, those sacrifices are undoubtedly well worth it!

Moreover, with the two special abilities awakened after the Dragon-Pattern Purple-Gold Cauldron ascended to a divine artifact!

If you also stack the double boost from the Heavenly Dao Blessing.

Then wouldn't I be about to become the most monstrous Alchemist in the history of the Qian Kun Realm?

Li Mu opened his mouth slightly and stroked his chin!

Forget it!

Anyway, I'm the one cheating; let the monster be a monster!

A thought flickered.

Li Mu thrust his right hand toward the Dragon-Pattern Purple-Gold Cauldron!

What he saw was the massive Dragon-Pattern Purple-Gold Cauldron that had nearly filled Li Mu's entire room.

At that moment, the cauldron's purple‑gold light surged, and it rapidly shrank at a speed visible to the naked eye.

In no time, it became a palm‑sized bronze mini cauldron that flew into Li Mu's palm.

"Not bad, not bad!"

"Once this Dragon-Pattern Purple-Gold Cauldron successfully ascends to a divine artifact, it can freely change its size and volume according to my will."

"If it were like before, when I had to carry it on my shoulder and parade it around every time I went out."

"That would be way too foolish…"

Recalling how, while hauling this Dragon-Pattern Purple-Gold Cauldron back, many Inner Peak disciples nearby kept glancing at me.

Li Mu felt as if he were undergoing a massive social‑death scene.

After all, just the size of this Dragon-Pattern Purple-Gold Cauldron placed there.

It's not like the Revenge Blade or Earth Dragon Mountain‑Cutting Sword that can be hung at the waist as a sidearm.

If it couldn't freely change size at will, then whether I could take it out later would be another matter!

Just right!

This time, the Thousandfold Heavenly Dao Blessing upgraded the Dragon-Pattern Purple-Gold Cauldron from a spirit vessel to a divine artifact, also solving Li Mu's pressing urgent need.

Feeling pleased, Li Mu pulled out the Thunder Tiger inner pill from his chest.

He intended to directly refine its essence and energy, but when he looked at his modest courtyard and house, cold sweat beaded on Li Mu's forehead!

Honestly!

Li Mu really worried that if he got carried away as before, he'd end up giving himself another knockout punch!

And looking back, the reason I dared to do this at Outer Peak was because…

Because the whole little hill was his, Li Mu could do whatever he wanted.

Thus, Li Mu was quite reckless while cultivating at Outer Peak.

He renovated his courtyard and training ground back and forth at least five or six times.

But now it isn't like before.

Li Mu truly worries that this punch he throws might end up hitting another disciple's room.

That would be awkward!

Moreover…

Although Li Mu knows that the semi‑transparent virtual screen of this system can be seen only by him.

But thinking that there are other disciples next door, he still feels it isn't the same.

"Ah…"

"This place can't be lived in!"

"I have to find a way to quickly raise my status to Personal Disciple, otherwise there will truly be no decent place to cultivate later."

"Today I'll just go down the mountain and find a place to start training!"

"Anyway, my backpack has no spirit herbs or pills left, I should go down the mountain to restock."

"Otherwise, how can I test the two new techniques of the Dragon Pattern Purple Gold Cauldron?"

Having made up his mind, Li Mu took advantage of the moonlight and went straight down the mountain, arriving beside a waterfall.

As for why he specifically chose a waterfall as a cultivation site?

No other reason!

Simply because Li Mu had read many novels and watched movies and TV dramas in his previous life.

The protagonists there always chose a place with a waterfall for cultivation.

This makes Li Mu, when selecting a cultivation spot, subconsciously look for a waterfall.

And waterfalls are usually in deep forests, and Li Mu also needs to hunt monsters, gather spirit herbs and pills to test the two techniques of the Dragon Pattern Purple Gold Cauldron.

So, this actually makes sense.

Listening to the rumbling water beside his ears, Li Mu calms his mind.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he completely calms and relaxes his spirit.

At this moment, a faint mountain breeze passes through, adding a touch of coolness to the summer night.

The nearby waterfall rushes straight down, vast and fierce.

All this falls into Li Mu's ears, giving him an unprecedented peace and tranquility, making his heart unusually ethereal and calm.

Li Mu places the rosewood box containing the Thunder Tiger inner elixir before him.

He also follows the mantra of the "Landmine Dao Technique", and begins to flow slowly.

At this point.

After an unknown amount of time, Li Mu suddenly feels a surge of heat rising within his body!

This heat continuously churns and rolls inside Li Mu, growing larger and stronger!

In an instant.

Li Mu feels the Divine Court point atop his head as if someone poured a pot of boiling water over it, his qi and blood surging like countless wild horses in a frenzy.

【Ding!】

【System identified that the host is cultivating "Landmine Dao Technique", successfully triggered Hundredfold Heavenly Dao Blessing!】

【Congratulations host, obtained Hundredfold Gain!】

Accompanied by the crisp pleasant system prompt sound that echoed in his mind.

This makes the cultivating Li Mu shudder all over.

Immediately!

An extremely robust and refined heat rushes from the top of his head down his spine, segment by segment, like boiling mercury, permeating everything!

Li Mu feels a sudden joy in his heart!

Under the Hundredfold Heavenly Dao Blessing, the earth qi Li Mu just absorbed suddenly becomes a hundred times stronger than before!

This hundredfold earth qi instantly turns into a raging torrent, flowing down Li Mu's spine while also spreading through his blood vessels into the Eight Extraordinary Vessels!

"Opportunity has arrived!"

Li Mu whispers to himself!

At the same time, the rosewood box before him suddenly opens!

The Thunder Tiger inner elixir, its whole body emitting dark‑purple thunderous light, as if guided by some mysterious force, slowly flies to the spot directly above Li Mu's head and begins to turn slowly.

As the Thunder Tiger inner elixir rotates,

the massive earth qi that had been surging toward Li Mu from all directions is now, at this moment, drawn by the topmost inner elixir, beginning to ripple outward in concentric circles.

But only for a moment!

The ripple quickly becomes a massive vortex, its color shifting from the initial earth‑yellow to a blood‑red.

Endless blood‑killing qi, like a torrent of river water, unceasing, and like the Yellow River in flood, once released it cannot be contained!

It roars in like a gigantic waterfall!

From Li Mu's Divine Court point at the crown, it surges into his limbs, bones, and the Eight Extraordinary Vessels!

As that blood‑killing qi continuously condenses and releases,

A vague silhouette appears: a hundred‑spotted splendid tiger cloaked in dark‑purple electric light, its fur snow‑white, raising its head and opening its massive blood‑filled mouth, roaring like a tiger in the forest!

This causes the monsters that were previously drawn by the dense blood qi to, upon hearing the tiger's roar, scatter in terror, startling the birds into sudden flight!

Meanwhile, the Thunder Tiger's blood‑killing qi, mixed with earth qi, slowly permeates.

Li Mu's Eight Extraordinary Vessels and his five organs and six bowels at this moment continuously emit scorching heat outward!

Having already entered the Forbidden Realm: Eighth Forbidden, the tightly sealed bottleneck, under the dual assault of blood qi and earth qi, shows clear signs of loosening.

Only, this process is coming far too slowly!

If I really have to wait for my Thunder Tiger inner core and the overwhelming earth Qi to be refined, I truly don't know how long—perhaps until the Year of the Monkey and the Month of the Horse.

Li Mu, as if feeling something, twisted his sword‑like eyebrows: "Not enough!"

"This is still far from enough!"

He suddenly rose, stripped off his robe, bare‑chested, and sat cross‑legged directly beneath the raging waterfall.

"Boom—boom—..."

The torrent leaping down from the heights is like a line of roaring, snarling flood dragons!

At this moment, the raging force, bearing ten‑thousand‑jin power, seems ready to tear to pieces everything that stands before it!

And Li Mu's current position is atop a rock beneath the Great Waterfall!

In front of this thunderous, sky‑curtain‑like torrent, his solitary figure seated there looks utterly tiny!

And reality is indeed just that!

Although Li Mu has already entered the Forbidden Realm—Eighth Forbidden level, his physical strength has reached a terrifying nine hundred thousand kilograms!

Yet such physical strength is only terrifying among cultivators.

When faced with the might of nature itself, those nine hundred thousand kilograms appear so insignificant, so trivial!

Just like the waterfall Li Mu is currently bearing!

Even the impact force of the water alone is at least seven million kilograms, with pressure reaching a terrifying 510 tons per square meter!

Under nature's vast power, Li Mu's nine hundred thousand kilograms of physical strength is likely not even a fraction against this raging waterfall!

In front of nature, what Li Mu is doing now is nothing more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot!

How could it possibly hold up?

But!

Li Mu, however, summons his whole‑body power, concentrating all his strength into his upper body, clenching his teeth, exhausting the last ounce of vigor!

He will give everything he has!

Of course!

This also includes those sacrificial scapegoats recorded in the Heavenly Dao Treasure Scroll…