Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron

Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron

Shaking Light Holy Land was truly vast. Beyond the endless towering divine peaks above ground and the ancient temples dating back to primordial times, there were also gigantic floating islands in the sky.

The sights in the deepest reaches of the Holy Land were even more astonishing: the corpses of gods and demons, cities in the sky that would never fall...

The scenery Qin Sheng had previously seen of the Holy Land was merely one small corner of it. After all, his range of activity had been limited.

Three days after engraving the Wushang Secret Patterns, Qin Sheng arrived in the depths of the Holy Land under the guidance of the Dragon-Pattern Peak Master.

The Dragon-Pattern Peak Master wore a solemn expression, like a believer about to worship a god. He said gravely,

"Qin Sheng, this is a rare opportunity. You must seize it and strive for the greatest possible gains."

"But remember, you must not commit any offense!"

Qin Sheng nodded solemnly. "I understand."

Ahead of them, a great black cauldron floated at the highest point in the sky.

This cauldron stood supreme. Heaven and earth, the Great Dao, and all things were suppressed beneath it; nothing could rise above it.

Its entire body gleamed with black-gold radiance, its surface engraved with flowers, birds, fish, insects, beasts, the sun, moon, and stars.

Deafening dragon roars rang out without pause. Thousands upon thousands of black dragons emerged from within the cauldron, their heads raised toward the heavens. Their scales seemed cast from black gold, terrifying and unfathomable.

At first glance, it felt as though one had entered a Dragon Nest.

"This is the Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon of our Shaking Light Holy Land—the Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron!"

The Dragon-Pattern Peak Master's tone was somewhat fervent. "It is the ultimate safeguard ensuring that the Holy Land remains invincible in the Eastern Wilderness and endures forever."

"During the Desolate Antiquity Era, our Holy Land forged this cauldron from Immortal Metal—Dragon-patterned Black Gold. Afterward, the Holy Land produced twenty-eight generations of sages in succession, and its glory reached its peak."

"Under the sages' leadership, countless Holy Masters and Supreme Elders of Shaking Light poured their hearts and souls into the Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron. Every disciple devoted a lifetime of effort, remaining steadfast and offering devout reverence as if before a deity. This continued for a full fifty thousand years."

"Fifty thousand years of kowtowing, fifty thousand years of prayers, fifty thousand years of worship. At last, the Holy Land's ancestors moved the heavens, and on a stormy night, the Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron transformed into an Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon."

"This was a miracle, a miracle belonging solely to our Shaking Light Holy Land!"

At this moment, the Dragon-Pattern Peak Master was utterly devout, like a fanatical believer.

To refine an Emperor Weapon without ever producing a Great Emperor—not only in Beidou, but throughout the entire universe, Shaking Light was the only one.

This was the glory and pride of every Shaking Light disciple.

But the truth was...

What miracle born of united devotion? It was merely the result of a Heavenly Emperor secretly lending a hand... Qin Sheng thought.

The truth behind this Emperor Weapon was that on that stormy night, Ruthless had descended upon Shaking Light Holy Land without anyone knowing and personally refined the Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron into an Emperor Weapon.

Without her intervention, even if Shaking Light's ancestors had worshipped the cauldron for another hundred thousand years, it could never have transformed.

Still, judging by the results, Shaking Light had indeed succeeded. From then on, it successfully joined the ranks of the Eastern Wilderness's overlords.

"What a fine treasure."

Qin Sheng gazed at the terrifying, boundless Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron, longing rising in his heart.

I wonder whether I can use this Emperor Weapon...

Ruthless's Swallowing Heaven Devil Canopy chose me, and I've cultivated the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art to an unprecedented realm. Ruthless's "brother" is even my good brother.

Qin Sheng figured that he ought to hold the highest inheritance rights to the Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron.

Ruthless would not object either!

"Go on, and study it carefully," the Dragon-Pattern Peak Master said before leaving on his own.

Qin Sheng walked beneath the Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron and sat down, lifting his head to look at the Emperor Weapon.

This was one of the benefits he enjoyed as a Candidate Saint Son.

When cultivators refined their own artifacts, they needed to engrave Dao patterns upon them to increase their potential and power. Among all artifact Dao patterns in the world, the strongest were undoubtedly the Emperor Patterns carried by Extreme Dao Emperor Weapons.

A force like Shaking Light had the means to arrange such a fortuitous opportunity for its disciples to study an Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon.

Of course, completely comprehending Extreme Dao Emperor Patterns was utterly impossible. Even the upper echelons of the Holy Land did not dare dream of such a thing.

It was enough if disciples gained some insights from studying them and could imitate a few aspects when engraving their own artifacts.

Even if they merely reproduced a trace of their essence, it would be an enormous improvement—an opportunity that outside cultivators could only beg for.

"The Devil Canopy hides its brilliance and looks like an ordinary artifact most of the time. But the Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron is as domineering and dazzling as a True Dragon, instinctively displaying its extraordinariness..."

Looking at the flowers, birds, fish, insects, sun, moon, and stars on the Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron, Qin Sheng sensed an indescribable aura. It harmonized with the Dao and gradually drew him into deep contemplation.

At the same time, the Swallowing Heaven Devil Canopy, which had been lying quietly within his Sea of Bitterness, trembled slightly as the deepest black radiance flowed over it.

The Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron hanging high in the sky stalled. The eyes of those black dragons turned toward the ground below, gaining a faint trace of spirit and intelligence.

Rumble!

Thunder roared, and torrential rain poured down.

Everything before Qin Sheng changed. It was as though he had arrived on a stormy night. He could see nothing in heaven or earth; only a single cauldron was real.

Rain washed over the cauldron's body, running through patterns like dragon scales. It pattered softly, its color changing until it resembled dragon blood.

At this moment, the greater universe flew into a rage. It seemed to cast down heavenly punishment to destroy this cauldron, as the myriad Daos of the heavens transformed into calamities.

Yet beneath such great destruction, the Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron suffered no damage whatsoever. Instead, it was transforming, patterns being branded onto it one by one.

Qin Sheng watched these Dao patterns emerge, develop, and reach perfection. They carried an aura of eternal indestructibility, unwearied by countless tribulations.

The thunder and rain grew increasingly violent, yet they were merely raging impotently, unable to change anything.

At the same time, the Emperor Weapon, the Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron, displayed even more divine wonders. Hundreds and thousands of black dragons roared, their bodies stretching through the air like mountains and shaking all directions of the Holy Land.

"An Emperor Weapon?!"

"Qin Sheng of Dragon-Pattern Peak is studying the Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron, and he actually stirred it!"

"Unbelievable! Could he have gained the favor of the Emperor Weapon?!"

"That brat really knows how to make trouble."

"..."

The commotion caused by the Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron was a heaven-shaking upheaval, far greater than the shock caused when Qin Sheng underwent his Four Extremes Heavenly Tribulation.

One powerful expert after another turned their gazes toward this place, their intentions difficult to discern.

The Shaking Light Holy Master's face was as dark as water. Where had the Ruthless lineage found such a monster?

Time passed. At a certain moment, Qin Sheng's vision blurred. The stormy night vanished, and he once more saw the layered scenery of Shaking Light Holy Land.

"Just now, I... witnessed the incomplete process of the Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron transforming into an Emperor Weapon?"

Qin Sheng was greatly startled. He had never expected such an opportunity.

This was an enormous stroke of fortune. To witness the birth of an Emperor Weapon—the insights he had gained were enough for Qin Sheng to engrave immortal Dao patterns upon his own artifact.

"It seems my talent truly is earth-shattering. Even an Emperor Weapon would voluntarily favor me!"

Qin Sheng felt this was the highest recognition of his status as Shaking Light's rightful successor.

He wanted to continue studying the Dragon-patterned Black Gold Cauldron, but the moment his gaze fell upon those Dao patterns, stars swam before his eyes and his head spun.

"My spiritual thoughts were exhausted by that experience. I can't continue any longer."

Qin Sheng could only rise regretfully. He then saw that the Dragon-Pattern Peak Master, who should have left, had reappeared at some unknown time.

He looked at Qin Sheng with burning eyes.

"Did you sense the divine spirit of the Emperor Weapon?"

Qin Sheng shook his head and answered truthfully, "No. I merely studied the Emperor Weapon's Dao patterns deeply. It was as though I saw their birth and completion."

"Good. That is good enough." The Dragon-Pattern Peak Master was extremely excited.

"You have the potential of a Great Emperor!"

Qin Sheng: "..."

That did not sound very auspicious.

(End of chapter)