Refining the Golden Dragon Binding Cord

That night, one man and one dog, one young and one old, talked until dawn.

The more Old Black talked, the more he discovered that Zhao Ping'an's viewpoints and insights were often unique and unconventional, yet fundamentally logical and self-consistent.

During this time, he suddenly asked, "How can a dynasty remain prosperous and enduring?"

Zhao Ping'an paused slightly, then smiled. "You think too highly of me. What would I know? I only know that nothing in this world is Immortal, not even the sun in the sky."

Then, he gave Old Black a barbed remark. "After all, even a dog wants to swallow the sun in one bite."

Old Black asked unwillingly, "Surely a nation's fate can at least be prolonged as much as possible? If local powers want to rebel or split away, what should be done?"

"Senior Old Black, your question is truly too profound. I'm only a little brat of four years and a few months," Zhao Ping'an said helplessly.

Old Black laughed speechlessly. "So you know you're a little brat."

Zhao Ping'an became somewhat unconvinced instead. "Prevention is better than suppression. How does one prevent it? I won't repeat those old, worn-out platitudes. I think building a sense of identity and belonging is very important!"

"A sense of identity? A sense of belonging?" Old Black asked doubtfully, as though he had heard new terms.

Zhao Ping'an spoke eloquently. "For example, take two children born into the same Lineage at the same time. One receives the teachings of their elders and the affection of their siblings after birth, knows the Lineage's beliefs, and has contributed to the Lineage. The other receives nothing but money, while everything else is almost completely neglected. Tell me, which one will have a sense of identity and belonging toward the Lineage? If the Lineage faces danger, which one will step forward at all costs?"

"Naturally, the first child," Old Black answered thoughtfully.

Zhao Ping'an smiled. "Raised to the level of a dynasty, that means the imperial court must teach and care for the common people and those in power across the provinces, letting them know what the court's ideals are and allowing them to contribute to the court. More specifically, it means recruiting outstanding youths and the descendants of local rulers to the capital for good training and instruction, and so on."

At this point, he came back to himself and asked, "Wait, why are you asking all this? Are you planning to establish a Dog Kingdom?"

"Hahaha, that's right!" Old Black laughed heartily. "You Human Race are allowed to establish nations, but our Canine Race isn't?"

By evening, after Old Black finished dinner, he stretched his old dog back, then used Secret Sound Transmission to say to Zhao Ping'an, "I'm going out for a stroll."

After saying that, without waiting for Zhao Ping'an to respond, he trotted away.

Zhao Ping'an hurriedly called after him through Secret Sound Transmission, "Senior Old Black, remember to come back early."

What he called going for a stroll meant disappearing for a day or two.

After confirming that Old Black had truly left, Zhao Ping'an returned to the wooden hut, shut the door, and sat cross-legged on the bed.

He half-closed his eyes, opened the panel in his mind, and then filled up the Proficiency Points for the "Myriad Spirit Refinement Art."

For a moment, a vast amount of insight regarding the "Myriad Spirit Refinement Art" surged into his mind. He guarded his mind and accepted the insights with all his strength.

After less than half the time it took to drink a cup of tea, he had completely comprehended the "Myriad Spirit Refinement Art."

Opening his eyes, realization appeared on his face. So, to make a Spirit Artifact acknowledge a master, one must make the Spirit of the Artifact sealed within it acknowledge a master. The vast majority of artifact spirits come from the souls of demon beasts. Demon beast souls are wild and unruly, and they were forcibly sealed inside in the first place, so they rarely acknowledge a master willingly. Thus, one must use methods to make them submit and control them.

He took out the Golden Dragon Binding Cord. At once, the faint roar of a serpent sounded, and Zhao Ping'an immediately felt tremendous pressure.

The Spirit of the Artifact sealed within the Golden Dragon Binding Cord was the vicious soul of a three-thousand-year-old great serpent!

According to the appraisal method of the "Myriad Spirit Refinement Art," the Golden Dragon Binding Cord was a High-Grade Spirit Artifact—exceptionally powerful!

As far as he currently knew, weapons were generally divided into Mortal Artifacts, Mystic Artifacts, and Spirit Artifacts. Beyond that, he knew nothing.

However, the highest-grade weapons were the Great Emperor's companion weapons—the Apex Emperor Weapons. For example, the Xuanyuan Sword, used to suppress the fortune of the Human Race and the Great Qian Kingdom.

Mortal Artifacts were the weapons used by the overwhelming majority of cultivators. Top-Grade Mortal Artifacts possessed considerable power and could cut iron like mud. They were also expensive, often costing several thousand taels of silver.

Mystic Artifacts were rare. Forged from materials that possessed innate Dao Patterns, they were not only extraordinarily hard and sharp, but also came with special powers. For instance, after some Mystic Artifacts were infused with True Essence, they could produce streaks of sharp sword light or blade light, comparable to spell techniques and martial skills.

Mystic Artifacts could not be bought even with ten thousand gold. They often became the treasured artifact that guarded a Lineage or sect.

Given the Jiang Family's foundation, it possessed only a single Low-Grade Mystic Artifact sword.

This showed just how precious and formidable the Golden Dragon Binding Cord was.

"Kong Nian was merely a Divine Treasury Realm expert. Even if Pudu Mountain was swimming in money, he had no ability to possess the Golden Dragon Binding Cord. This shows how determined Pudu Mountain was to capture me and take me there!"

Zhao Ping'an could not help sinking into thought. Why was that? Am I really that important? Or does Pudu Mountain have some extraordinarily major scheme or conspiracy?

He had obtained too little information to make any guess.

"Fortunately, I'm at the Zhennan Marquis Estate now. Otherwise, I really would have implicated Jiang Manor." He sighed softly.

After a while, he cast aside his distracting thoughts and turned his gaze back to the Golden Dragon Binding Cord. "Whether I can refine it or not, I'll try first."

Zhao Ping'an placed the Golden Dragon Binding Cord before him. Then he circulated his True Essence with all his strength. All 108 Meridians worked in unison, the Taiyang Meridian and Taiyin Meridian both opened, and his hands formed hand seals at lightning speed as he chanted an incantation.

The next moment, a stream of True Essence landed on the Golden Dragon Binding Cord. The cord floated up until it was level with Zhao Ping'an's chin.

A Profound and Mysterious ray of light shot out from Zhao Ping'an's glabella and landed on the Golden Dragon Binding Cord.

Zhao Ping'an felt himself enter the Golden Dragon Binding Cord. He saw a Golden Scaled Serpent as thick as a great water vat and more than a Hundred Zhang long, repeatedly crashing against a barrier. It roared unwillingly and radiated terrifying ferocity.

The next moment, the Golden Scaled Serpent noticed Zhao Ping'an and immediately pounced at him, baring its fangs and claws. Its tooth-filled jaws opened to their widest, nearly one hundred and eighty degrees, intending to swallow Zhao Ping'an in one bite. It was a horrifying sight.

Zhao Ping'an guarded his mind tightly and shouted sternly, "Wretched beast, why don't you submit obediently?!"

As he shouted, his figure abruptly grew incomparably vast and towering, like a mountain soaring into the clouds. When the Golden Scaled Serpent, more than a Hundred Zhang long, pounced before him, it became like a tiny loach.

The Golden Scaled Serpent was horrified, and its previous ferocious might instantly vanished.

At that moment, Zhao Ping'an slapped down from the heavens, his palm as vast as a cloud hanging from the sky.

The Golden Scaled Serpent had no time to dodge and was slapped straight into the rocks. Its head spun, and every bone in its body felt as though it had snapped inch by inch.

Zhao Ping'an reached out two fingers again, pinched the Golden Scaled Serpent that was embedded deep in the rocks, and lifted it up.

"Wretched beast, will you submit?" Zhao Ping'an demanded sternly. His voice was as vast as rolling heavenly thunder, carrying immense heavenly might.

The Golden Scaled Serpent hurriedly begged for mercy. "Divine being, spare my life! This little serpent is willing to submit."

Zhao Ping'an released the Golden Scaled Serpent. His hands formed seals swiftly, sending rune-like hand seals one after another onto the Golden Scaled Serpent's body.

The Golden Scaled Serpent did not dare dodge and allowed the hand seals to land upon it.

In the blink of an eye, Zhao Ping'an had already cast seventy-two hand seals. These hand seals formed a restriction that completely controlled the Golden Scaled Serpent. With but a thought, he could make its soul suffer a fate worse than death, or even scatter into ashes.

At the end, Zhao Ping'an gave the Golden Scaled Serpent several command passwords, requiring it to immediately carry out the corresponding commands upon hearing different passwords.

Finally, Zhao Ping'an withdrew from the Golden Dragon Binding Cord.

Opening his eyes, Zhao Ping'an wiped away his sweat and let out a long breath. At last, he had refined the Golden Dragon Binding Cord and made it acknowledge him as its master.

He raised his hand slightly, and the Golden Dragon Binding Cord immediately flew into his palm according to his will.

After the Golden Dragon Binding Cord acknowledged him as its master, he only needed a thought or a command incantation to use it. It could automatically bind an enemy and strangle them to death, without requiring him to expend True Essence.

However, he needed to nourish the Golden Dragon Binding Cord with True Essence regularly. Otherwise, its power would weaken with each use.

Zhao Ping'an nodded excitedly. With the Golden Dragon Binding Cord, a High-Grade Spirit Artifact, he finally had a sliver or two of security.

If a Divine Treasury Realm expert within the Zhennan Marquis Estate wanted to kill him, he could use the Golden Dragon Binding Cord to stall for time until Old Black returned, or he could directly strike back and kill them.

Good thing the "Myriad Spirit Refinement Art" is so formidable. Otherwise, that vicious Golden Scaled Serpent soul would have been very difficult to subdue. Zhao Ping'an thought. Even so, refining the Golden Dragon Binding Cord nearly exhausted all my True Essence. The cost was equivalent to two Ten Thousand Year Ginseng Pills.