Heavenly Dipper Sword Array

Xuantian Seal was a Martial Dao Divine Ability, and Chu Zheng had always been quite interested in it.

The information contained within this divine ability was crucial. At the very least, the existence of the Xuantian Seal proved that cultivating immortality was not the only path in this world.

The Martial Dao was by no means confined to the mortal world. Just like his Qi Cultivation Method, the Martial Dao must once have possessed a path of cultivation, one that could likewise ascend to the absolute pinnacle of humanity.

Why had the Martial Dao declined? There had to be an enormous secret hidden within.

If Li Mingzhou had not thrown that fragment of the martial wall into the sea, Chu Zheng might have had a chance to uncover that secret early.

Whenever he thought of it, Chu Zheng felt genuine heartache.

Most people would choose to smelt damaged magic artifacts with true fire, erase every trace from them, then discard them or leave them buried at the bottom of a chest.

Magic artifacts more or less retained traces and auras of those who had used them. Should they fall into the hands of cultivators with strange and uncanny methods, being cursed from afar or tracked down was entirely possible.

Chu Zheng squatted on the street for nearly two periods of time and only made two deals, both brought by the same person.

Azure Spirit Magic Robe (First Order / Damaged): Carrying the fragrance of a recent excavation, your discerning eye immediately tells you that this was stripped from a buried corpse. Repairable (0/30)

Cloud Chasing Boots (First Order / Damaged): The rivers and mountains these boots have measured are enough to keep you walking for a thousand years. Having passed through five owners, their soles have already worn through. Repairable (0/50)

Had the Panel not prompted him, Chu Zheng would not have noticed anything wrong with that Azure Spirit Magic Robe.

The garment had been washed very clean, save for a huge tear across the chest. The Spirit Array laid upon it was also shattered beyond repair.

This left Chu Zheng somewhat disappointed. Washing it too clean had instead ruined the traces it once bore, leaving it with less flavor.

The Cloud Chasing Boots were in even worse shape. Only half a sole remained, weathered by wind and frost. They looked quite old, but they suited Chu Zheng's taste rather well.

To ordinary people, these two items were outrageously ruined. Chu Zheng paid forty Spirit Coins for each, and together they cost less than a single Low-grade Spirit Stone.

He could keep these two items on him. The mine he was headed to was not within the Phantom Spirit Mountain Range, so inspections would not be as strict. He certainly could not bring a Storage Bag, but no one would pay attention to two damaged magic artifacts.

Just as Chu Zheng was about to pack up his stall, a question suddenly came from above his head.

"Do you take this?"

Chu Zheng looked up at the voice. After glancing at it and examining it for a moment, he could not help but feel surprised.

Before him stood a half-grown youth, only sixteen or seventeen, not far from Chu Zheng's actual age. His frame had yet to fully grow, leaving him somewhat thin and frail. He wore a pale blue long robe washed nearly white, and carried an intense air of scholarship about him.

Since arriving in this world, this was the first person Chu Zheng could identify at a glance as a scholar.

Moreover, this young man was a mortal—a mortal who had never practiced even a trace of martial arts.

For someone like that to appear in this part of the eastern city was truly strange.

Those who came and went here were either cultivators or Martial Masters. Mortals were nowhere to be seen.

The youth held a box over two feet long in both hands, his expression hesitant, as though he could not make up his mind.

"Let me see it."

Chu Zheng was naturally somewhat fond of scholars. He immediately raised a hand, accepted the box from the youth, and opened it.

Inside lay a wooden sword, with only most of it remaining. The sword tip and half the blade had vanished without a trace, while the fracture was covered in charred-black patterns.

Heavenly Dipper Sword (Sixth Order / Damaged): One of the three hundred and sixty auxiliary swords from the complete Heavenly Dipper Sword Array. Made from Phoenix Blood Wood, with your current abilities, you can only carry out preliminary repairs. (Preliminary Repair 0/100)

Sixth Order!

Chu Zheng could not help drawing in a sharp breath. It was of the same grade as the Grand Cycle Qi Circulation Compendium, and this sword was merely one of its auxiliary swords. If the full Heavenly Dipper Sword Array were restored, its power would be beyond imagination.

Seeing the change in Chu Zheng's expression, the youth became a little flustered and hurriedly explained, "My father left this behind. He said it was a rare magic artifact. Don't let the wood fool you—blades and axes can't harm it, water and fire can't damage it. It's incredibly sturdy."

Chu Zheng came back to himself and closed the lid, speaking in a deep voice. "How many Spirit Stones are you planning to sell it for?"

"Spirit Stones?"

The youth froze for a moment. His gaze flickered as he tentatively held up five fingers. "Five Low-grade Spirit Stones."

"Deal."

Chu Zheng had no desire to haggle over the price. He nodded at once, took out six Low-grade Spirit Stones, and handed them over.

"What does this mean?" The youth looked at the extra Spirit Stone in confusion.

"I have some questions to ask. Consider it payment for buying some information from you."

Chu Zheng asked with a hint of urgency, "May I ask where your father obtained this broken sword?"

Even the Grand Cycle Qi Circulation Compendium was only Sixth Order. The value of this broken sword went without saying.

"I don't know about that either." The youth shook his head, looking somewhat dejected. "My father left home three years ago and still hasn't returned. The Phantom Spirit Sect took away nearly everything he left behind. Only this magic artifact remained. It's been sitting at home for years."

"I said five, so five it is. I won't take advantage of you."

As he spoke, the youth returned the extra Spirit Stone.

Chu Zheng's brow twitched slightly as he accepted it. "What is your name?"

"My name is Bai Nian."

"If you come across magical artifacts like this again, keep them. I'll take them all."

"Alright." Bai Nian answered, unable to hide the delight on his face as he turned and left.

Chu Zheng watched the boy walk away, lost in thought.

From Bai Nian's few scattered words, he had already roughly understood the child's circumstances.

The things in his home had been taken away by the Phantom Spirit Sect, which meant his father had likely been a cultivator—perhaps even a disciple of the Phantom Spirit Sect.

From the Phantom Spirit Sect's actions, it was already clear that his father had most likely met with disaster.

Without an Immortal Bone, with no one behind him to look after him, and not even knowing martial arts, surviving in Phantom Spirit City was simply far too difficult.

Chu Zheng glanced at the sky, packed up his stall, then found a secluded corner by the street. Gripping four Spirit Stones in each hand, he sank into cultivation.

The Spiritual Energy within the Spirit Stones was purer. Their only flaw was that the Five Elements Qi was somewhat too heavy, requiring Chu Zheng to spend some effort restoring the balance.

There was no pattern to where Spirit Stone veins appeared. They might lie submerged beneath a sea of molten fire, rest quietly at the bottom of a frigid pool that had endured ten thousand years, or be buried deep within the earth, born alongside Immortal Gold and Divine Iron. They might even hide in the heavens, falling together with meteors.

Over the years, these Spirit Stones inevitably became tainted with some attribute-bearing Qi. To sort it out again and restore it to its original state of clearly divided yin and yang required time.

Even so, cultivating with Spirit Stones was still vastly faster than drawing in the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth.

During cultivation, the passage of time was almost impossible to notice. In the blink of an eye, it was already the following afternoon.

Fu Quanliang returned to Chu Zheng's side beneath the evening glow. His face was streaked with dust, his hair was disheveled, and he looked somewhat bedraggled.