Advancing Super Divine Artifacts

"With these Blood Phoenix Wings, I've gained the ability to fly, greatly improving my mobility. Combined with my incredibly powerful recovery ability, the all-around attribute boost from my second soul skill, and the detection from my first soul skill..."

Lin Ran clenched his fist.

By now, he had become a stat monster who could take hits, dish out damage, move swiftly, and restore his health. The only thing he lacked was a means of long-range attack.

But there was no rush. He was only at the second ring.

After calming himself, Lin Ran took out two sections of Golden Ancient Tree branches. After thinking for a moment, he put them away again.

Absorbing them now would be a waste.

He planned to wait until the progress of the first layer of the Marrow Cleansing Scripture slowed, then absorb the life essence within them in one go, complete the first layer of the Marrow Cleansing Scripture, and use the opportunity to awaken his Martial Soul for the second time.

Then, he took out the Soul Ascension Pill he had extorted from Xuan Zi. Without further hesitation, he swallowed it directly.

Before long, he entered meditative cultivation again. The Marrow Cleansing Scripture worked in tandem with his Blood Martial Soul, rapidly digesting the pill's medicinal power.

When he opened his eyes again and felt the Soul Power in his body grow several degrees more substantial, Lin Ran nodded in satisfaction.

After absorbing a soul bone and a Soul Ascension Pill, he had reached level twenty-five.

His Soul Power had not increased particularly quickly—only fifteen levels over two years—but it was stable, with a deep foundation, and his combat strength far surpassed others of the same rank.

Lin Ran brought up the system and inspected his status panel, his eyes thoughtful. (Attached at the end of the chapter; I won't pad the word count in the main text.)

He still had two advance opportunities left. What should he advance?

It had already been several days since he became a Child of Fortune, yet no abnormal changes had occurred. It was time to use the advance function to increase his strength. He could not keep leaving his cheat unused just to guard against Tang San.

After pondering for a while, Lin Ran came up with an idea.

Tang San still needed to be guarded against, but the advance function also had to be used.

"System, list advance options. Requirements: able to block the detection of a God King-level being, conceal and disguise my memories, and protect my soul."

[Options listed:]

[Cultivation Method: Void Tower: From a certain science-fiction world. Possesses the ability to protect the soul. Once cultivated successfully, it can automatically disguise memories and block detection.]

[Super Divine Artifact: Illusory Sea Pearl: From a certain Fantasy World. Can guard the soul and block detection. Can create illusions, forge and alter memories, attack souls, and cause others to sink into delusion.]

[...]

Lin Ran browsed through the options. They could generally be divided into two categories: cultivation methods and artifacts.

These things were obviously expensive. Some of the tasks were even impossible to complete.

After some consideration, Lin Ran gave up on all the cultivation method options.

Cultivating a method to the point where it could block Tang San's detection was clearly no simple matter. It would require a long period of time. Not to mention that some cultivation methods were extremely difficult to master.

There were also some methods that could indeed achieve this effect after being cultivated to mastery, but—Lin Ran felt that by the time he mastered those methods, he could probably kill Tang San in seconds. Would he still need to block Tang San's detection?

Lin Ran focused on the artifacts. In the end, after carefully weighing the advance tasks, he chose the Super Divine Artifact, the Illusory Sea Pearl.

[Super Divine Artifact Illusory Sea Pearl has been advanced. Advance task generated: Provide one Super Divine Artifact. (Time limit: ten years)]

Very soon, an exquisitely beautiful pearl appeared in Lin Ran's hand. It emitted seven-colored light and was exceptionally gorgeous.

Staring at it, Lin Ran felt as though he had been transported into a strange ocean, drifting and sinking within it.

He quickly came to his senses and broke free from the illusion.

He took a deep breath and guided the Illusory Sea Pearl into his glabella, where it entered the depths of his soul and concealed itself.

Items exchanged through the system already recognized him as their master and could be used at will.

As a Super Divine Artifact, the Illusory Sea Pearl naturally possessed far more functions than this. It was merely that his cultivation was still too weak, so he could only passively use it to guard his soul and memories.

Only once he grew powerful, or even became a god, would he be able to fully unleash the might of this Super Divine Artifact.

There were only a few Super Divine Artifacts in the entire God Realm.

As for the advance task—providing one Super Divine Artifact—Lin Ran already had a target.

That would be either the Golden Dragon Spear or the Sea God Trident.

The Golden Dragon Spear, formed from the Golden Dragon King's vertebra, was undoubtedly a powerful Super Divine Artifact. And as Tang San's weapon, the Sea God Trident was undoubtedly one as well.

These were the two Super Divine Artifacts Lin Ran would have the easiest time obtaining next.

The Golden Dragon Spear would end up in Wang Qiu'er's hands. Lin Ran did not know whether Tang San had given it to her or whether the Star Dou Great Forest had bestowed it upon the Auspicious Beast, but without a doubt, it was the Super Divine Artifact most convenient for him to obtain.

As for the Sea God Trident, Tang San would place it on his daughter in the later stages, so Lin Ran would have an opportunity to obtain it as well.

Of course, even if he ultimately failed to acquire a Super Divine Artifact, Lin Ran could still return the Illusory Sea Pearl. After all, the task only required him to provide a Super Divine Artifact; it never said the Illusory Sea Pearl could not be used.

The transactional advance had been completed. He still had one same-realm advance opportunity left, and Lin Ran considered what else he should advance.

His cultivation methods were sufficient for now, and there was no rush to exchange combat techniques like Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track or Mysterious Jade Hand. His primary task going forward was still tempering his vitality and blood. He had no time to cultivate martial techniques.

There was no rush for soul bones or immortal herbs either.

His strength had improved too much over this period, and he had gained too much as well: an External Soul Bone, an introduction to Soul Dragon Wander, Astrology, Imperial Heaven, Earthly Soil, Supreme Goodness is Like Water, increased soul ring ages, and more. He needed to completely master, digest, and absorb them all one by one.

Further increasing his cultivation now would not be very stable.

After thinking for a moment, Lin Ran's eyes suddenly lit up.

So, was there anything that could help him master his own power faster and speed up his study of cultivation techniques?

If such an item existed, he could use it now and continue using it in the future to temper his strength.

"System!"

The system quickly listed many options.

[Simulated Slaughter Space: A virtual-world add-on product from a certain sci-fi world. The opponent's strength and abilities can be freely configured, as can the opponent's cultivation technique level and degree of comprehension, allowing one to hone oneself against one's own weaknesses.]

[Trial Tower: Someone's cheat ability. It can simulate challenges against all kinds of characters and protagonists from countless worlds. So long as one is strong enough, one can fight them from youth to old age. Defeating powerful enemies can improve one's comprehension.]

[Time Tower: A divine artifact. Time can be accelerated within it.]

The system had listed many choices, but they basically fell into these three categories: cultivation aids like the Simulated Slaughter Space; items that enhanced one's comprehension and foundation, like the Trial Tower; and those that accelerated time, like the Time Tower.

Lin Ran was naturally immensely tempted by the Trial Tower. Defeating opponents could improve his comprehension, but unfortunately, the mission was far too absurd. There was no way he could complete it.

As for the Time Tower, its ability to accelerate time was truly unnecessary for him.

Lin Ran fixed his gaze on the Simulated Slaughter Space.

[Simulated Slaughter Space Virtual Platform (Advance Transaction). Mission required: Provide 100,000 genetic samples from different lifeforms that the other party does not already possess. (Time limit: 100 years.)]

Lin Ran twitched the corner of his mouth. The mission itself was not difficult—just 100,000 genetic samples from different lifeforms. There had been over a million species on Earth in his previous life, not to mention Douluo, this Fantasy World.

It was simply far too troublesome. Even if he mobilized the Body Sect to collect them, it would probably take several years.

More importantly, this was an advance transaction, and he only had one advance transaction at the same realm remaining.