Water-Fire Treasure Gourd

Reforging the Treasure Gourd was not a sudden whim of Song Changsheng's, but something he had planned for a long time.

There had always been a saying in the Cultivation World: a hundred arts, a thousand methods, and ten thousand kinds of tools. The countless varieties of magic artifacts were enough to dazzle the eye, each with its own particular strengths.

The Treasure Gourd was an auxiliary magic artifact. It contained an independent space, and a Bone-Eroding Array was inscribed on its base. In battle, it could draw an enemy into the gourd and refine them into a pool of blood.

It could be considered an excellent magic artifact, but compared to Killing Weapons such as sabers, spears, swords, and halberds, it ultimately lacked a measure of sharp ferocity.

Song Changsheng possessed astonishing comprehension, so he had chosen the path of a magic cultivator and learned many spells for self-defense. Now that he had mastered the Water-Fire Control Technique, the power of his Water and Fire Spells had greatly increased, far exceeding cultivators of the same tier.

By comparison, magic artifacts had instead become one of Song Changsheng's weaknesses. Benefited from the inspiration he had gained while refining Protective Talismans, he decided to grant the Treasure Gourd the power of "water and fire," turning it into a treasure of slaughter!

Refining Magic Tools naturally could not be treated as child's play like refining Protective Talismans. Song Changsheng set off for the Lineage's Hall of Hundred Arts, a place specially meant to cultivate the clan members' cultivation skills and manage the Lineage's industries.

A small section of an Earth Fire Spirit Vein had been buried beneath the main hall. It could endlessly produce Earth Fire for alchemy, artifact forging, and the like.

Although Song Changsheng possessed a Fire Spiritual Root, how could flames formed from Spiritual Power compare to natural Earth Fire? He was someone who pursued perfection; since he was going to reforge a magic artifact, he naturally had to make it flawless.

Because of the time of day, the Hall of Hundred Arts was rather deserted. Song Changsheng walked straight to a corner of the hall and respectfully cupped his fists. "Nephew pays respects to Fifth Uncle."

A reclining chair sat in the corner, where a plump middle-aged man lay lazily with his eyes closed, leisurely fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan. Hearing the voice, he did not even open his eyes. "Didn't I tell you to rest? There's no extra work for you here today."

"Fifth Uncle, I came to borrow an Artifact Forging Room. My Artifact Forging Technique has made a small breakthrough recently, and this nephew intends to refine a magic artifact anew."

Hearing this, the fat man immediately opened his eyes, sat up, and looked at Song Changsheng. "You've advanced to a First-Tier High-Grade Artifact Forger?"

Song Changsheng nodded with a smile.

"Ah, this old man said from the beginning that you should have studied Alchemy Technique. Yet you insisted on learning that blasted array and artifact stuff. With your talent, you would surely become a grand master of the Dao of alchemy someday." The fat man sounded quite regretful.

This fat man's identity was far from simple. His name was Song Luzhou, fifth in the fifth generation. He currently served as the Lineage's Second Elder and oversaw the Hall of Hundred Arts.

Not only was he a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator, he was also the Lineage's only Second-Tier High Grade Alchemist.

Song Changsheng smiled upon hearing this. "It's fine for you to say that to your nephew, but if Grandfather hears it, your ears will suffer again."

Song Luzhou subconsciously shrank his neck. In the blink of an eye, though, he smiled and pointed at Song Changsheng. "Brat, you dare make fun of your Fifth Uncle now? Fine. The Class-C Artifact Forging Room is still empty. Go on, then."

With a wave of his hand, he dismissed Song Changsheng, then flopped back onto the reclining chair and resumed his nap.

Song Changsheng followed the stairs down beneath the main hall. Due to the fire vein, this place was filled with terrifying heat; flames even danced within some of the cracks between the stones.

At the center of the Artifact Forging Room stood a tall Bronze Tripod, its surface covered in carvings of flying birds, fish, and insects, like a vivid painted scroll.

This was a First-Tier Peak Grade Bronze Tripod, more than a notch better than Song Changsheng's Bronze Cauldron.

Song Changsheng sat cross-legged, removed the Treasure Gourd from his waist, and muttered, "This wine can't go to waste."

With that, he began guzzling it down. Only after his tongue swept away the final drop of Wine Liquid did he burp in satisfaction.

He opened the specially made switch, and orange-red flames immediately erupted from the fire vent beneath the Bronze Tripod, beginning to heat it.

Once the heat was about right, he tossed several exchanged Water-Fire Attribute ores into the Bronze Tripod and manipulated the Earth Fire to roast them.

As the impurities in the ores were stripped away bit by bit, the ores all transformed into liquid.

Without haste, Song Changsheng placed the Treasure Gourd inside, added some ore powder, then shut the lid and began the refinement.

Under his control, all the materials and the gourd fused together perfectly. This process lasted three days and three nights. Only when sweat began beading on Song Changsheng's nose did the Treasure Gourd complete its refinement and advance into a First-Tier High-Grade magic artifact.

This was not the end. After briefly regulating his breath, Song Changsheng immediately began inscribing an array. He murmured, "The Bone-Eroding Array can be retained, then a Water-Fire Taiji Array can be added upon its foundation. That is the only way to bring out my strength to the fullest."

With that, he condensed his Mental Energy and began inscribing array patterns within the Treasure Gourd. Inscribing a First-Tier High-Grade array took him nearly two days and two nights.

If he had merely been arranging an array, he could have completed it in moments. But inscribing one within a magic artifact multiplied the difficulty and consumed an enormous amount of Mental Energy.

Had his Mental Energy not been superior to others', there was simply no way he could have completed it in such a short time.

With the array inscribed, the reforging of the Treasure Gourd was complete. It had changed from a bright yellow gourd into one of crimson and blue, gaining a touch of metallic texture as well. It weighed heavily in his hand.

"Since I have granted you the Water-Fire Attribute, I'll call you the Water-Fire Treasure Gourd from now on." Song Changsheng looked at the gourd in his hand with great satisfaction.

He tried activating it. The Water-Fire Treasure Gourd immediately rose into the air, its mouth tilted downward as a crimson glow faintly churned within its pitch-black opening.

"Go!"

Song Changsheng formed a Magic Incantation with his hand, and scorching flames instantly shot from the gourd's mouth. For a moment, the entire Artifact Forging Room turned into a sea of fire, the heat seeming to warp even space itself.

Fortunately, he had not forgotten where he was and hurriedly withdrew the flames. Even so, the entire Artifact Forging Room had been scorched beyond recognition.

"The power is indeed not bad. If the fire array is this strong, the water array should not be much worse. I can finally be said to possess a Killing Weapon." Song Changsheng looked at the gourd, his eyes brimming with unconcealable delight.

After briefly regulating his breath, he opened the Restriction and prepared to leave. Yet the moment he opened the door, he saw Song Luzhou's large round face, black as the bottom of a pot.

"Uh... Fifth Uncle." Song Changsheng suddenly felt a little guilty.

Song Luzhou said nothing with a dark expression. Instead, he pushed Song Changsheng aside and looked inside. At the sight, Song Luzhou nearly exploded on the spot. He practically roared, "You little bastard, what the hell have you done?!"

Song Changsheng inwardly cursed his bad luck. His Fifth Uncle was famously stingy, and after he had wrecked the Artifact Forging Room like that, there was surely no good outcome waiting for him. His eyes rolled, and he immediately planned to slip away.

But before a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, how could he possibly have room to jump about? Song Luzhou effortlessly subdued him and said through gritted teeth, "Brat, tell me, how are you going to settle this?"

Knowing himself to be in the wrong, Song Changsheng gave an awkward smile. "Fifth Uncle, they're only superficial wounds. Please spare me this time."

"Hmph. I can let you off, but aren't you going to preside over the Immortal Ascension Assembly? Bring this old man a jug of Second-Tier Spirit Wine, and this old man will let the matter drop." A crafty glint flashed through Song Luzhou's eyes as he opened his mouth like a lion.

"Second-Tier? You're far too greedy! Mother only has a few jars of Second-Tier Spirit Wine, and I haven't even tasted any myself." Song Changsheng immediately protested loudly.

"Heh, that's your problem. Get lost, and remember to bring back the Spirit Wine." Song Luzhou chuckled, casually "throwing" Song Changsheng out.