Fated Star Stone, a Cauldron Artifact

Inside the Divine Chamber, the progress of Thorough Awakening Divine Ability's Essence Replenishment finally settled at 98%.

It provides significantly more Essence Replenishment than the Undying Willow and the Beast-Fighting Palace that I've encountered before.

Chen Lingxi sat cross-legged on the protruding rock, his consciousness slowly withdrawing from the Void of the Divine Chamber, a slight smile appearing on his lips.

"It really is a Cauldron Artifact Fragment, therefore, the next Total Perception is not far off!"

Chen Lingxi to herself in surprise, then focused on processing the numerous messages emanating from the Cauldron Artifact Fragment in her mind.

"However, this Cauldron Artifact Fragment is quite special; it seems it can only be used once."

The Candle of Time can be traded multiple times, and the Beast-Fighting Palace can be repeatedly worshipped, but this stone seems to have only one chance to be used.

After one use, the remaining power of the Cauldron Vessel will be completely exhausted, turning into ashes like the Candle of Time, returning to the world.

"[Fated Star Stone]."

He silently recited the name of the Cauldron Artifact Fragment.

The moment the name left his lips, he felt the black stone in his palm tremble slightly.

The dark luster on the surface of the stone suddenly shone brightly, as if an ancient jade buried in an ancient tomb for countless years had suddenly seen the light of day. As the eerie light flowed, an unimaginable aura surged from within.

The aura wasn't particularly powerful or sharp, but it carried a peculiar, almost fatalistic, sense of heaviness.

Just as this stone itself carries some unspeakable cause and effect.

"By engraving another person's name on this stone with spiritual energy and offering sacrifices to the objects that this person handled, that person can be established as a [Fated Star]!"

"The Fated Star dies at your hands, but you will obtain a great fortuitous opportunity Cauldron Vessel and elevate your cultivation."

Chen Lingxi's eyes were clear and bright.

"Fated Star is killed by another, then one will obtain an ordinary Cauldron Artifact Fortune."

"The amount of Cauldron Artifact Fortune depends on the cultivation level of Fated Star. The greater the gap between the star's cultivation level and my own, the greater the fortuitous opportunity."

Chen Lingxi exhaled a long breath, her dark eyes filled with a mixture of surprise and joy.

Chen Lingxi felt that this Fated Star Stone was extremely mysterious.

"Designate one person as your arch-enemy; once that arch-enemy is dead, you will reap great rewards."

Chen Lingxi sat cross-legged in the cave. The cold winter wind blew in from between the cliff walls, carrying pine needles and ice shards, making his robes flutter, but he was completely unaware.

Those eyes peered out of the cave, gazing at the distant mountain ridge, faintly visible in the night.

"If that's the case, then whom should I appoint as my Fated Star?"

Chen Lingxi pondered for a moment.

He now possesses items that were handled by two cultivators.

Both of these items are sufficient to be used to worship the Fated Star Stone and to establish those two people as Fated Star.

One of them was Lin Suri.

Lin Suri handled countless items at the Baosu Marquis Residence; an Incense Burner was just one example.

Moreover, Lin Suri's cultivation level at the Qi Circulation Sixth Floor was unfathomable. He drew his bow and condensed a golden arrow, shooting it into the clouds. He hovered three zhang in the air, like a celestial being descending to earth.

If this person can be listed Fated Star, and if there is a result, the opportunity to obtain the Cauldron Artifact Fortune will surely be extremely remarkable.

only...

Chen Lingxi pondered for a moment, then suddenly shook his head.

Lin Suri was the person he Sight-Roaming, and he didn't know how many benefits he had gained after Sight-Roaming Lin Suri.

From initially secretly learning the art of breathing and energy circulation in the Inverted Room, to later glimpsing the Candle of Time, the Ancestral Mountain Mother Qi, the Six-Qi True Method, the Purple True Treasure Aura, and even the cultivator surnamed Chao, the Credit Peddler, and Wu Mohe... all these fortuitous opportunity came from Sight-Roaming Lin Suri.

If Lin Suri were to die, let alone whether Sight-Roaming could bind someone else, even if he could, it wouldn't be as convenient as Sight-Roaming Lin Suri.

After all, Lin Suri had been cultivating the Six-Qi True Method, and being in the Baosu Marquis Residence, a place with relatively abundant Spiritual Qi, and planning many spiritual opportunities for cultivation, Sight-Roaming You was like having a pair of eyes to peer into the world of cultivation.

Moreover, if Lin Suri dies, he will have to expend energy searching for the personal treasures of other powerful individuals, and finding another suitable Sight-Roaming like Lin Suri —how easy would that be?

Chen Lingxi shook her head slightly, pulling Lin Suri out of her thoughts, and turned her attention to another person.

"Crown Prince Ying Chi..."

"I possess Ying Chi's Spirit-Qi Treasure Orb, which can also be classified as Fated Star."

Chen Lingxi reached into his hand and took out a precious pearl.

That day in the Beast-Fighting Palace, he obtained this jade bead from Qiu Chihu. It contained a wisp of the Crown Prince's spiritual energy, making it an ideal item to handle.

"Crown Prince Ying Chi, a disciple of the Southern Heaven Domain, Qi Circulation Realm cultivation and wields the earth-shattering treasure, the Purple True Treasure Bottle. Killing him will undoubtedly yield immense fortuitous opportunity."

"But... this Ying Chi will probably be even harder to kill than Lin Suri."

He frowned slightly.

"Now that I think about it, the swordsman who assassinated the prince on Inlaid Gold Mountain that day probably had a Qi and Blood cultivation level of Nine Revolutions or even... the ultimate realm of martial arts, the Mystic Entry Realm!"

Even someone like him couldn't kill the Crown Prince, not only because of his status as the Crown Prince, but also because Ying Chi possessed a treasure like the Purple True Treasure Bottle.

Chen Lingxi still remembers the scene he saw during his Sight-Roaming that day.

The swordsman killed over a hundred cavalrymen with a single strike; his blade flashed like a silver ribbon across the sky, even repelling the True Light within the rainbow's glow.

But when Crown Prince Ying Chi raised the Purple True Treasure Bottle high above his head, with the mouth of the bottle pointing downwards, the purple treasure energy poured out like a waterfall, forcing the swordsman to fight to the death. In the end, although he shattered the purple qi, he was also wounded and fled far away.

"The killing power of the Purple True Treasure Aura Qi is extraordinary. I only obtained a wisp of it, yet I already know its terrifying might..."

"And the Purple True Treasure Qi in Crown Ying Chi's Purple True Treasure Bottle Purple True Treasure Aura Bottle is like a small waterfall."

The Purple True Treasure Aura possessed by the Crown Prince is more than a hundred or a thousand times greater than mine.

"If a real fight breaks out, with a treasure like the Purple True Treasure Bottle, the Crown Prince could probably face off against cultivators stronger than him."

The more Chen Lingxi thought about it, the more she felt that this matter should not be rushed.

"This person is so powerful, if I were to kill him with my own hands, I'm afraid it would be a very long time."

Chen Lingxi pondered for a moment, then shook his head slightly, put the Spirit-Qi Treasure Orb back into his Universe Bag, and temporarily dismissed the idea.

"I have this Cauldron Artifact Fragment in my hands, but I don't need to rush. I'll wait until a suitable candidate is found before I carve his name on it." Chen Lingxi had made up his mind and put the Fated Star Stone back into his Universe Bag.

The moment the stone disappeared from his palm, the strange, fateful heaviness also dissipated, and he breathed a long sigh of relief, as if a heavy stone had been lifted from his heart.

The Cauldron Artifact Fragment are extremely precious, and the Fated Star Stone can only be used once. Rather than making a hasty decision, it is better to wait until a more suitable target and with greater certainty are found before taking action.

After all, while the advancement in cultivation is tempting, it would be a loss to put oneself in danger because of it.

Having made up his mind, he stopped thinking about the [Fated Star Stone] and turned his attention elsewhere.

With a flick of his wrist, the Universe Bag from the Divine Chamber appeared in his hand.

The spiritual energy fell into the Universe Bag, and all the items inside the Universe Bag came into his perception.

Chen Lingxi waved gently.

With a slight movement of spiritual energy, Zhao Yong's corpse, along with numerous bottles, jars, and bronze furnaces, appeared in the cave.

There were about seventeen or eighteen bottles and jars, each with a different shape, and the mouths of all the jars were sealed tightly with wax, so it was impossible to see what was inside.

Zhao Yong's body lay face up on the cold bluestone ground, his eyes, like dry wells, still wide open, their pupils covered with a layer of gray, lifeless gloom.

He died with his eyes wide open in disbelief.

Chen Lingxi glanced at him indifferently, then suddenly remembered the Undying Willow Branch.

"The Undying Willow Branch, when refined and placed into the mouth of the dead, can be transformed into Undying Willow Puppet."

"Should we use the Undying Willow Branch to refine Zhao Yong into Undying Willow Puppet?"

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Chen Lingxi shook her head.

"There's only one Undying Willow Branch, and it's not easy to obtain. It would be a shame to waste such a treasure on a Qi and Blood Martial Artist like Zhao Yong, who Golden Body Perfection." Chen Lingxi to himself.

Zhao Yong's Golden-Soup Blood Qi were as thick and strong as mercury, and his Purple-Tempered Golden Wheel was indestructible. When he used the three martial arts techniques, Gold-Piercing Finger, Falling Wild Goose Fist, and Cloud-Qi Palm, they were indeed powerful enough to destroy cities and capture strongholds.

But so what?

He still died by Chen Lingxi's blade; such strength was unworthy of a treasure like the Undying Willow Branch.

"If we have the fortuitous opportunity to find an even stronger corpse in the future, then we can use the willow branches on them, which would be the best use of them."

Chen Lingxi made up her mind, and her thoughts turned to Zhao Yong's corpse.

"Just burn it," he thought to himself.

Just then, with a slight shift in his gaze, he noticed a piece of paper hidden among the pile of bottles and jars.

The paper was pressed between two rough earthenware jars, with only a yellowed corner showing, almost invisible unless you looked closely.

Chen Lingxi was so focused on putting the bottles and jars into her Universe Bag that she didn't even notice the existence of this piece of paper.

Curious, he took out the paper, unfolded it, and took a look.

The paper was extremely thin and old, with yellowed and brittle edges, and several deep creases at the folds, as if it had been handled many times.

The ink on the paper was somewhat blurred, but it was still clearly legible.

Chen Lingxi read it carefully, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Is this a Pill Formula? And also a method for refining them?"

Chen Lingxi was somewhat surprised and read the method carefully again.

The ink writing on the paper was extremely neat, with each stroke following a set pattern. However, the content between the lines was completely opposite to the neat handwriting, exuding an inexplicable and eerie aura.

After a long while, Chen Lingxi put down the Pill Formula in her hand and understood...

"This is the formula for the elixir that Zhao Yong intends to use to poison Baosu Marquis!"

"The Soul-Severing Pill..."

According to the Pill Formula, there are two methods for refining this Soul-Severing Pill.

One method involves refining human pills, turning living people into walking elixirs with a fragrant aroma.

The process requires selecting a suitable candidate. First, the poison of the Soul-Nourishing Flower is slowly infused into their body, allowing their Qi and Blood and qi to blend with the poison without causing death. Then, dozens of rare medicinal herbs are added, and a specific method of transporting Qi and Blood and qi is used to unblock their meridians, turning them into a living elixir.

After it was refined, the fragrance of the medicine wafted from the pores of the pill, filling the air with a delightful aroma.

When needed, it only needs to be "ignited" using a specific method, and the pill will unleash all the medicinal power accumulated over months and years, transforming into an overwhelming and irresistible poisonous aura.

The other method involves refining corpses into real elixirs.

The second method is much simpler than the first. It only requires taking the corpse of a martial artist who has recently died, using the medicinal herbs in those bottles and jars as an aid, and refining and condensing his flesh, bones, and Qi and Blood using a specific method, eventually forming a pill.

Regardless of the refining method, a top-tier poison can be obtained.

"Such an extraordinary prescription must have come from the hands of the Human Immortal Wu Mohe." Chen Lingxi read the yellowed paper twice from beginning to end, a flash of understanding appearing in his eyes.

Zhao Yong said that he only dared to plot against Baosu Marquis Lin Zhongming because he had received the wonderful methods bestowed by the Human Immortal Wu Mohe and obtained many treasures.

After searching for many more days, he finally found himself as a "talent".

As Chen Lingxi pondered this, her eyes suddenly flickered, and her gaze fell upon Zhao Yong.

Curious, he crouched down, placed a hand on Zhao Yong's shoulder, and channeled his spiritual energy into him.

Spiritual energy emanated from his palm, seeping into Zhao Yong's corpse in wisps and strands, slowly advancing along the meridians where Qi and Blood no longer flowed.

After Fourth Floor of Qi Circulation, his spiritual Qi perception became far more acute than before. At this moment, with spiritual Qi entering his body, all the secrets within Zhao Yong's body were exposed to his consciousness.

"There is indeed something strange about this."

As the spiritual energy advanced, Chen Lingxi sensed that Zhao Yong's body seemed to have been modified.

The modification was extremely well hidden; if he hadn't used his spiritual energy to probe it inch by inch, he would never have discovered it.

Deep within Zhao Yong's bones and marrow, a strange medicinal power and aura faintly emanated.

"Dragon-Drawing Powder..."

Chen Lingxi immediately understood.

"At the age of sixteen, Zhao Yong was still a poor and weak boy who had never practiced martial arts and had passed the optimal age for Foundation Establishment. Yet, forty years later, he was able to reach the Golden Body Perfection realm..."

A person with Golden Body Perfection is a powerful figure who commands respect wherever they are placed.

In Yuan River Prefecture, those at the Silver Bone Realm are already considered prominent figures, while those at the Golden Body Realm are extremely rare.

It is indeed somewhat contrary to common sense that Zhao Yong, with his frail body who had not even Foundation Establishment at the age of sixteen, was able to cultivate to the Golden Body Perfection within forty years.

"The reason why his martial arts path was so unusual and smooth was probably because of this Dragon-Drawing Powder. In other words, Zhao Yong also withstood the poison of the Dragon-Drawing Powder."

Chen Lingxi withdrew her hand, a thoughtful look flashing in her eyes.

Why did he take the Dragon-Drawing Powder?

Chen Lingxi asked herself this question, and then suddenly recalled Zhao Yong's frantic call for "Yunniang" tonight.

He immediately had a guess.

"Perhaps it was so that he could use himself as medicine, transforming himself into a poisonous aura, and perish together with Lin Zhongming."

"Later, he was probably afraid, or perhaps he felt that his life still had other uses, that he wanted to become an immortal, and that he wanted to resurrect his Yunniang, so he began to test medicines, searching for more than two hundred people, trying to find a medicinal ingredient that could replace himself."

Chen Lingxi went through these thoughts in her mind, then turned her gaze to the bottles and jars.

Zhao Yong spent forty years collecting these medicinal herbs, from the age of sixteen to fifty-six, rising from a lowly janitor to the head steward of the Marquis's mansion. He devoted most of his life's energy to this.

now...

"Instead of wasting it, why not..."

Chen Lingxi immediately began to carefully study the alchemy method on the paper.

The methods described therein are extremely detailed, with each step clearly explained.

The refining method is not difficult. All you need is a suitable corpse, and then mix the medicinal materials from those bottles and jars in the correct proportions. Use Qi and Blood and qi to ignite the fire and refine it into a pill.

Chen Lingxi couldn't help but admire, "Wu Mohe's alchemy skills are extraordinary; it's surprisingly easy for him to concoct such a poison."

"The difficulty lies in collecting these suitable medicinal herbs."

Chen Lingxi opened the bottles and jars containing the medicinal herbs.

Centuries-old He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum), Red Blood Lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum), Silver Marrow Stone, Golden Thread Python Gallbladder...

There are a total of twenty-six kinds of medicinal materials, each of which is very valuable, and some are even rare and hard to come by.

It took Zhao Yong forty years to gather all of these, which shows how difficult it was.

But now, all of this has been a waste of time and effort, like Chen Lingxi.

Chen Lingxi read the yellowed prescription again from beginning to end, making sure she had memorized all the steps, before carefully folding the prescription and putting it into her Universe Bag.

He planned to refine the poison.

Chen Lingxi opened all the bottles and jars one by one, carefully identified each medicinal material according to the prescription, and then prepared them in the correct proportions.

Some of the medicinal herbs were as dry as rotten wood, some were as green as jade, some were as red as blood, and some were as black as ink.

He lit a fire from the lamp and set it alight in the bronze furnace.

Zhao Yong's corpse was suspended in mid-air by his spiritual energy, and then boiled together with six medicinal herbs.

The flames blazed fiercely, and the medicinal herbs melted into the corpse one by one, then dripped droplets of essence into the bronze furnace.

After more than ten refining processes, a peculiar medicinal fragrance filled the cave. The aroma was not pungent, but rather extremely rich and fragrant...

As dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight pierced through the crack in the cave ceiling, Chen Lingxi finally refined a single elixir.

"This is the Soul-Severing Pill?"

He held the poison pill between his fingers and examined it closely.

The pill was no bigger than a longan, dark purple in color, with a smooth, flawless surface that gleamed faintly in the morning light.

The fragrance then wafted out from the surface of the pill in wisps.

Chen Lingxi's expression changed slightly again.

The newly formed elixir emitted a fragrant aroma that made one's mouth water, and it also seemed to possess a strange power.

That power was extremely faint and subtle, yet it was real and could easily capture the mind of others!

"This pill is far too strange."

Chen Lingxi knew perfectly well that this was a poison, yet she still wanted to try it.

He could even feel his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily, as if his body was urging him to swallow the pill, which would grant him some indescribable, wonderful experience.

"Such a strange poison exists."

While marveling at the absurd thought, Chen Lingxi desperately suppressed it.

The Concealed Edge Method suddenly circulated within his body, and the thin, resilient barrier enveloping his spiritual energy tightened abruptly, completely shutting out the elixir fragrance that was constantly penetrating his body.

He took a deep breath, inhaling the chill of the cave, which dispelled some of the hazy, intoxicating feeling in his mind. He then carefully put the pill into his Universe Bag, used his spiritual energy to dispel the lingering fragrance of the pill in the cave, and let out a long sigh of relief.

"No wonder it's the poison Zhao Yong prepared for forty years."

"I wonder what level of expert this poison can kill."

Chen Lingxi sat cross-legged in the cave, gazing at the increasingly bright golden light on the eastern ridge outside the cliff cave, a faint hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

He secretly wondered, "But I wonder if this elixir can poison Consort Chun."

However, Consort Chun must have been protected by skilled guards, and the precious mirror in her hand was a Cauldron Artifact Fragment, so it's possible that she had a way to protect herself from poison.

Acting rashly will only expose you to certain death.

"In any case, this Soul-Severing Pill is one of my trump cards."

A smile appeared on Chen Lingxi.

"Fated Star Stone, Soul-Severing Pill."

Unexpectedly, Zhao Yong, a martial artist with Golden Body, would bring him such great benefits.

Daylight was breaking.

He stood up, straightened his clothes, and strode out of the cave.

The morning mist has already risen over Inlaid Gold Mountain, making it look like a fairyland. The snow on the mountaintop gleams with dazzling golden light under the rising sun.

"Let's go down the mountain and return home."