Water-Fire Treasure Gourd

The Southern Chu cultivation world has always had sayings like "a hundred arts, a thousand methods, ten thousand artifacts," with an endless variety of magical artifacts, each with its own focus.

There are offensive artifacts like swords, spears, sabers, and halberds, as well as defensive artifacts like shields and armor.

And then there are auxiliary magical artifacts with all sorts of strange functions.

During this period, Chen Heng happened to discover a more auxiliary and fitting magical artifact for him in the Chen Family Record of Artifact Refining.

This magical artifact is called the Water-Fire Treasure Gourd, and it is mostly inscribed with two artifact patterns: water-infusing and fire-containing.

By absorbing and storing spiritual energy-infused water and flames in advance, it can spray water and spew fire, either to trap enemies or inflict damage. It can even be used for simple healing or artifact refining.

As everyone knows, water and fire are incompatible.

Therefore, the key to refining the Water-Fire Treasure Gourd lies in how to store water and fire, which are difficult to merge into one?

In fact, it's similar to Chen Heng's idea for the Blade-Hiding Staff: one gourd with two internal chambers, isolated from each other, storing water and fire separately. However, the gourd only has one opening, a design of extreme ingenuity.

When used against enemies, it can perfectly confuse them.

Moreover, its functions are quite diverse. Compared to offensive magical artifacts like swords, spears, sabers, and halberds, it lacks some killing power.

As soon as Chen Heng saw the refining method for this artifact, he felt the urge to refine one himself.

He was already familiar with the refining method and corresponding artifact patterns for the Water-Fire Treasure Gourd.

After Uncle Fu exchanged all the necessary spiritual materials from the Contribution Hall, Chen Heng did not delay. That very day, he went to the artifact refining room of the Green Bamboo Lodge, preparing to begin refining this Water-Fire Treasure Gourd.

He first took out the precious materials needed for artifact refining, which were:

Mid-grade first-tier precious material—Yellow Jade Gourd.

Mid-grade first-tier precious material—Water-Infusing Bead.

Mid-grade first-tier precious material—Fire-Containing Stone.

Among these, the Yellow Jade Gourd is not a water or fire-attribute precious material, but rather an earth-element spiritual item.

This item grows underground and is relatively difficult to find. It contains a certain space internally, which it uses to absorb earth element spiritual energy and generate spiritual soil.

However, this process is quite slow, and it is estimated that it would take several hundred years to produce one portion of spiritual soil.

But after being refined, this item can hold both water and fire, as well as store items, making it a precious material with relatively rich functions.

Chen Heng took out the Yellow Jade Gourd, Water-Infusing Bead, and Fire-Containing Stone. He then calmed his mind and carefully examined this earth-element spiritual item.

Although the Yellow Jade Gourd is not water or fire-attributed, its internal space makes it suitable for separating the two chambers.

He circulated his internal spiritual power and, following the familiar refining method in the Chen Family Record of Artifact Refining, first drew a heart-turning artifact pattern on the surface of the gourd to ensure the upper and lower chambers were independently isolated.

The moment they were separated, a faint humming sound came from inside the gourd—this was the sign of the dual chambers isolating each other, and the hidden danger of water and fire merging was cleverly resolved.

Next, Chen Heng picked up the Water-Infusing Bead and began to inscribe the water-infusing artifact pattern on it.

This artifact pattern must be completed in one go, otherwise, the spiritual water will leak when stored.

After completing it, he immediately turned to the Fire-Containing Stone and, with the same precise technique, inscribed the fire-containing artifact pattern on it, using fire-attribute mana to stabilize the power of the flames within the stone.

The step of inscribing artifact patterns varies depending on the artifact refining method, and the order of precedence also differs.

After processing the three precious materials, Chen Heng briefly refined the Yellow Jade Gourd and placed the Water-Infusing Bead and Fire-Containing Stone into the dual chambers respectively.

He then tossed it into the cauldron.

Chen Heng formed hand seals, and the temperature of the furnace began to rise.

The next step was to completely fuse the three independent precious materials together.

Only then could a Water-Fire Treasure Gourd be refined.

Under his control, the Water-Infusing Bead and Fire-Containing Stone perfectly fused with the Yellow Jade Gourd.

This process lasted for two days and two nights. Just as sweat began to bead on Chen Heng's forehead, the precious gourd was successfully refined.

However, it was not over yet. After a brief period of rest, Chen Heng began to control this magical artifact to absorb and store low-grade spiritual water and low-grade spiritual fire from the outside.

He first used the Water-Fire Treasure Gourd to absorb a pool of clear spiritual water that Uncle Fu had prepared in the artifact refining room's sink.

This spiritual water had no special properties; it was just some mountain spring water containing spiritual energy.

But its advantage was its large quantity, which could assist him in casting spells and be used to trap enemies.

He then drew a stream of pure earth fire from the nearby furnace.

The efficacy of Earth Vein Essence Fire was beyond doubt; it was the most common spiritual fire in heaven and earth.

It was exceptionally effective whether used against enemies or for artifact refining.

During this process, he experimentally spewed out a wisp of water vapor and a small flame. Both could exit from the same gourd opening without interfering with each other.

The water vapor was as gentle as healing dew, and the flame was as scorching as a destructive inferno, initially achieving the dual effects of trapping enemies and inflicting damage.

He could also spray water or spew fire separately without affecting each other; everything was subject to Chen Heng's will.

At this point, the Water-Fire Treasure Gourd was considered successfully refined.

Chen Heng's true essence was considerably depleted, and sweat seeped from his forehead, but the successful creation of the artifact brought a slight smile to his lips.

Although this Water-Fire Treasure Gourd lacked the sharpness and killing power of swords and sabers, it excelled in its versatility and could be used to deal with various unforeseen circumstances, which would surely prove effective in the future.

Chen Heng contentedly put away the Water-Fire Treasure Gourd in his hand, feeling the power of the spiritual water and earth fire within, which had already been preliminarily separated.

Although this was only a mid-grade first-tier magical artifact, the cool nourishment of the water and the fiery intensity of the flame coexisted within a single gourd, and the feeling of controlling it with his heart was truly marvelous.

He wiped the sweat from his brow; his expression was weary, but his eyes shone.

Two days and two nights of continuous refining, plus the preparations beforehand, had taken a significant toll on his spirit and mana.

"Hoo... it's finally done."

Chen Heng let out a long sigh. "However, the artifact patterns on this treasure gourd have just been formed and still need a few days of nurturing to stabilize. Fortunately, it will take some time to reach the market town, which should be enough to complete the initial stabilization before we arrive."

Leaving the refining chamber, the sky was already bright.

Seeing him emerge, Uncle Fu quickly brought over spiritual porridge and a few side dishes that had been kept warm on the stove.

"Young Master has worked hard. Please eat something and rest first."

Chen Heng nodded, walked to the stone table in the courtyard, and sat down. While eating his porridge, he pondered his subsequent arrangements.

"Uncle Fu, have our personal belongings been inventoried?" Chen Heng asked.

"Replying to Young Master, as you instructed, we don't need to bring much from the Green Bamboo Lodge on the mountain. We've only packed a few essential sets of robes, along with your usual artifact refining notes."

"The rest of the valuables and the spiritual resources you acquired have been stored in your storage bag," Uncle Fu replied respectfully.

Chen Heng nodded slightly. "Mm, very good. The market town is not as peaceful as the mountains; it's a mixed crowd. Valuables indeed need to be carried on one's person and kept close."

He carefully placed the newly refined Water-Fire Treasure Gourd into the storage bag at his waist—this storage bag was a gift from his clan. Although its space wasn't large, it was sufficient for his current needs.

"We have one more day. I will focus on nurturing this new magical artifact. If there's nothing urgent, please don't let anyone disturb me."

"Yes, Young Master, rest assured," Uncle Fu replied.

With only the last day remaining until they descended the mountain, Chen Heng remained indoors.

He sat cross-legged in the cultivation quiet room, cradling the Water-Fire Treasure Gourd, which shimmered with a faint yellow luster, in his palm.

The true essence in his body flowed slowly, and wisps of gentle mana, like trickling streams, continuously poured into the body of the gourd.

As he nurtured it, the heart-turning artifact patterns on the surface of the Yellow Jade Gourd seemed to have been polished anew, becoming clearer and brighter, emitting a subtle, steady spiritual light of the earth attribute.

Inside the gourd, the power separating the two chambers became more stable and resilient under the infusion of mana. The energies of the Water-Infusing Bead and the Fire-Containing Stone merged more smoothly and seamlessly with the gourd itself.

Now, the artifact patterns had stabilized, and their power had increased a bit compared to when they were first forged.

While Chen Heng was diligently nurturing the magical artifact, he also continuously pondered the trip to the market town.

Time slipped away quietly amidst the flow of true essence and the ebb and flow of his thoughts.

The three-day period arrived in the blink of an eye.