Chapter 471: Core Artifact

Wang Yu stared at the banner in his hand, his thoughts racing, then suddenly remembered something and flicked his wrist.

A howling sound erupted from the pitch-black banner, and streams of black mist surged forth.

From the rolling black mist emerged three ghostly creatures, each over a zhang tall, with greenish fangs and single horns.

They were precisely the first-rank ghost spirits formed after the yin spirits advanced.

These ghost spirits were not the first batch born from this banner.

The first-rank ghost spirits born on the Blue Star world through consuming living souls had long since been devoured by later-born, stronger souls.

These ghost spirits were newly born after Wang Yu returned to the cultivation world and reopened the seal on yin energy within the banner, allowing the yin spirits to devour one another.

But he had only been back in the cultivation world for two months, and only recently—within the past half-month—had he begun nurturing the banner in a yin-rich location; how could ghost spirits have formed so quickly?

Moreover, he had not yet placed any soul-iron into the banner’s interior space?

Could this second-rank Soul-Siphon Banner possess some special effect that accelerates the birth of first-rank ghost spirits?

Wang Yu glanced at the three ghost spirits before him, then at the bone banner in his hand, and fell into thought.

He could guess at least part of why the Soul-Siphon Banner had advanced to a second-rank artifact—it was likely tied to the batch of first-rank ghost spirits born on the Blue Star world.

After all, the Soul-Siphon Banner’s advancement method includes a path where the banner’s core ghost spirit advances, then in turn promotes the banner’s own advancement.

Though ghost spirits were only first-rank creatures, and only a few had been born on the Blue Star, later, over a dozen first-rank pig souls had emerged all at once.

These first-rank souls, having devoured ghost spirits and vast quantities of yin spirits within the banner’s space, could barely be considered the banner’s core ghost spirits.

With so many first-rank ghost spirits born within this banner at once, it was not surprising that the bone banner had been forcibly pushed to second-rank.

Originally, due to the absence of spiritual energy on the Blue Star, the banner’s advancement had been suppressed; now that he had returned to the cultivation world and replenished it with abundant yin energy, it had instantly generated several artifact inscriptions and advanced on its own.

As a second-rank artifact crafter, Wang Yu quickly understood what had happened, and with sudden clarity came great joy.

The Soul-Siphon Banner was now a second-rank artifact; if fused now into a White Bone Yin Demon Banner, it stood a very good chance of becoming a second-rank mid-tier or higher artifact.

No—he could not fuse it now with a first-rank White Bone Demon, or it would be a terrible waste.

If he could force these White Bone Demons to advance to second-rank by devouring ghost spirits, then fuse them into a White Bone Yin Demon Banner, it might even reach second-rank upper-tier.

After all, his best second-rank artifact, the Mi Mountain Seal, was only a thirty-six-inscription mid-tier artifact, yet it was enough to make most Foundation Establishment cultivators envious.

Most Foundation Establishment cultivators spent their entire lives with only one or two second-rank low-tier artifacts; a mid-tier artifact was already the ultimate goal for most.

Consider Miao Feng of the Black Sand Sect—he wielded only two low-tier artifacts, and that was his entire fortune after years of accumulation as leader of a minor faction.

Yet his thirteen White Bone Demons were still only at late Qi Refining stage; to advance them to second-rank, besides nurturing them with large quantities of second-rank beast bones, the only viable method seemed to be devouring vast numbers of ghost spirits.

After all, White Bone Demons were half-construct, half-ghost entities, capable of increasing their strength by devouring other ghost spirits.

He had in his possession a large stockpile of soul-iron brought back from the Blue Star world; it seemed entirely possible to cultivate these thirteen White Bone Demons to second-rank.

Wang Yu made his decision, pointed a finger at his brow, and a silver light curled—thirteen blocks of pitch-black iron materialized before the White Bone Demons.

He then formed hand seals, flicking ten fingers to send out white cultivation spells, reinforcing each soul-iron block with varying levels of sealing arts, ensuring one block would be unsealed at intervals to sustain a steady flow of souls.

As soon as he finished the spells, the topmost soul-iron block began spewing forth numerous small, blood-glowing rooster soul apparitions.

The thirteen previously motionless white bone skeletons rose at once, reaching out massive hands to snatch at the rooster souls.

……

In the underground training chamber.

Wang Yu toyed with a small black leather pouch, testing by injecting a thread of cultivation energy into it.

With a soft “pop.”

Fifteen silver inscription shadows appeared on the pouch’s surface; its opening widened, spewing a black wind that spiraled around his body.

Within the black wind, faint glimmers of crystalline light flickered—tiny specks of black sand, but alarmingly sparse.

“Interesting.”

Wang Yu murmured, a hint of interest appearing on his face.

As a second-rank artifact crafter, he instantly recognized the pouch as a rare composite artifact.

Both the pouch and the black sand within were separate artifacts, yet when used together, their power surged dramatically—effectively functioning as a second-rank artifact.

Most of the original black sand had been destroyed by the Flame Blade’s fire during their battle; the few remaining specks carried negligible power.

Yet the crafting techniques for both pouch and sand were uniquely refined, offering valuable insights to improve his artifact-crafting skills.

Wang Yu thought of this, shook the pouch, and the black wind and sand rolled back inside.

He flipped his palm, and the pouch vanished without a trace.

At that moment, Wang Yu whispered, “Login interface,” and a flash of white light enveloped him, depositing him onto a metal chair at the center of a white hall.

He gazed at the massive screen before him and said calmly:

“Taiyuan, activate the deduction function.”

No sooner had he spoken than the screen lit up, a golden mechanical funnel emblem appearing, while the hall echoed with the system’s mechanical voice:

“Citizen Ding Yu of Blue Star China, Special Reserve of the Blue Star Alliance, Member of the Interstellar Tactical Mech Squad, ID GLX, Special Authorization Level: None, Temporary Deduction Permission Granted, Remaining Uses: 3, Deduction Authorization Approved…”

“Taiyuan, deduce the blueprint for a second-rank core artifact, optimized for maximum power output of the Red Sun Great Art, using Flame Blade inscriptions as primary, second-rank Essence Flame Copper as main material, with attack as primary function and defense as secondary.” Wang Yu spoke clearly.

Having confirmed that resetting the system once on the Blue Star restored three deduction permissions, he now used one without hesitation.

He had reached Foundation Establishment third stage; his core artifact—the most vital protective treasure—could not remain without one.