Ye Fan's News, Divine Bridge Peak

In Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, artifact refinement was divided into three steps. They could be done in sequence or simultaneously.

The first step was this: the more intricate and profound the "artifact" refined from primordial Divine Runes, the greater its power. Cauldrons, bells, towers, and the like had a better chance of weaving the "traces of the Dao" within them.

It was like cultivators comprehending scriptures. Some could only derive a little divine power from them, while others could grasp their true essence, thereby activating their Sea of Bitterness and uncovering supernatural phenomena.

The second step was to use the artifact to carry the Dao. The artifact here referred to actual materials, used to bear the artifact form outlined and woven by Divine Runes. If the two could align, they could display even greater wonders.

The Emperor Weapons of those who attained the Dao throughout history were mostly forged from the Nine Divine Metals, hailed as ultimate Dao materials.

They were Phoenix Blood Red Gold, Dao Calamity Gold, Immortal Tears Green Gold, Eternal Blue Gold, Divine Marked Purple Gold, Dragon Pattern Black Gold, Feathered Azure Gold, Heaven's Mandate Orange Gold, and Bright White Gold.

In addition, materials such as Chaos Stone, Xuanhuang Qi, and Immortal Treasure Iron could also be used to forge Emperor Weapons.

The third step was tempering with divine fire. To successfully refine an "artifact," one needed extraordinary spiritual energy. Without question, the power of various divine fires was the most effective. Just as weapons had to be melted by fire before they could be forged into divine armaments and treasured blades.

"For the first step, I've already forged my Divine Runes into the Universe Diagram. Next, I only need to imitate more advanced Dao runes. For the third step, Big Dipper has the Ninefold Fire Domain and Immortal Fire, so there's no need to worry too much. The truly difficult part is the second step. Whenever ultimate Dao materials appeared throughout history, they caused bloody storms. Where am I supposed to find them...?"

After pondering for a long time and considering possibility after possibility, Lin Xian made a difficult yet great decision.

He would just mooch off Ye Fan's Xuanhuang Mother Qi!

In any case, Ye Fan had the Mother Qi Root, which could continuously produce Xuanhuang Mother Qi over time. Any amount he could mooch was worth mooching.

"Host, you're about to shear Ye Fan bald," System 10086 said. "Isn't this a little too much?"

Lin Xian rebuked it, "Shut up. If I don't take it, how can you take it? If you don't take it, how can we improve together?"

What? There's a share for me too? Then it's fine.

System 10086 was overjoyed. At last, it could eat something good—not Divine Bridge origin, but genuine divine treasures and immortal rarities.

Another day of missing Little Yezi.

Lin Xian returned to Jade Cauldron Cave Heaven and devoted himself to cultivation. During that time, Elder Ma Yun came to inquire about the whereabouts of the old woman from Divine Bridge. Lin Xian looked utterly astonished and said he had been cultivating in the scripture repository the whole time and had never seen her.

Elder Ma Yun left half-convinced, but he also reminded Lin Xian of something. Anything connected to the old woman from Divine Bridge, such as the Hundred Herbs Elixir, had to be used up if possible or destroyed if not. Not a single trace could remain.

As for that indestructible spiritual weapon brimming with spiritual energy, it gave Lin Xian a headache.

After thinking for several hours, inspiration suddenly struck him. Staring at the spiritual weapon, he muttered, "The Six Vaults Immortal Thief can devour all things. Can it eat this weapon?"

"Host! What are you doing?!" System 10086 cried in terror. This was not the normal use of the Six Vaults Immortal Thief.

"Back then, the Dark Supreme could shatter Emperor Weapons and replenish his life energy. Since we're both cultivators of the Shrouding Method, I think it's worth trying."

Lin Xian stroked the small bowl and muttered, "There's no reason Emperor Weapons can be eaten while spiritual weapons can't."

Once he decided, he acted. Lin Xian began his experiment, though he did not start by eating the spiritual weapon.

Instead, he began with ordinary grass, soil, stones, and metal.

"Cultivating by eating dirt starts with me!" Lin Xian dug up a handful of medicinal soil and several baskets of spirit-infused wild grass from a medicinal field in Jade Cauldron Cave Heaven, then returned to his cave abode to cultivate in earnest.

It had to be said that although medicinal soil tasted terrible, it could still be refined into a little vital essence. This discovery excited Lin Xian immensely, and he even gnawed through several wild grasses.

After several days of secluded cultivation, Lin Xian's great deeds swept through Jade Cauldron Cave Heaven like a storm. Even the Supreme Elder heard that their sect had produced a ruthless man who ate dirt. He gathered the sect master and logistics elders overnight for a meeting, launching a strict investigation into corruption and embezzlement within Jade Cauldron Cave Heaven.

On the day Lin Xian emerged from seclusion, Elder Ma Yun personally came to see him. His expression was exceedingly complicated as he patted Lin Xian on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Daoist friend, you can tell me if you're in difficulty. I, Ma Yun, have quite a bit of wealth myself."

As he spoke, he handed Lin Xian a spirit herb several decades old, then departed with a flourish.

"Ah."

Lin Xian stared at the spirit herb in his hand, somewhat at a loss. Only after asking around did he learn of his reputation, leaving him both amused and exasperated.

Yet it was precisely because of that insane reputation that no one paid attention to Lin Xian's strange actions.

From simply digging up dirt and herbs to later excavating jade and stone, the cultivators of Jade Cauldron Cave Heaven gradually grew used to it.

Lin Xian's Six Vaults Immortal Thief also became increasingly proficient through practice. His understanding of consumption deepened, and his cultivation improved steadily. Externally, he consumed the fortune of heaven and earth and the essence of sun and moon; internally, he ate all sorts of miscellaneous things—soil, herbs, jade, stones, and metal—all of it went into his stomach.

On a dark and windy night, he finally set his sights on the spiritual weapon. He first shattered it with divine power, selected several fragments, finely chopped them like minced meat, then brought out an earthen jar and ground them into golden powder.

"Let's do this!"

He wrapped the spirit-filled golden powder in a handful of herbs. Even the creator of the Six Vaults Immortal Thief probably had never eaten like this.

Gritting his teeth, Lin Xian opened his mouth and swallowed half of the spiritual weapon whole.

Buzz!

His Sea of Bitterness erupted with divine light, and his Life Spring surged. The Heavenly Vein condensing within grew longer and longer, transforming into a Divine Bridge that charged toward the Other Shore, only for the path to be blocked by dense fog.

The calamity of losing one's way had come again!

With his consciousness immersed in the Sea of Bitterness, he could see only a stretch of Heavenly Vein and had no idea where to cross.

Lin Xian's eyes turned crimson as he charged through the barrier without regard for anything. Why the hell does eating a meal come with so many trials? What fucking calamity of losing one's way? I'm just going to eat, eat, eat! I'll leap onto the Divine Bridge, do a 360-degree Thomas spin around it, and eat every last inner demon!

Then he roared and lunged at the Dark Supreme. Ancient emperors, Celestial Venerables—I'll chew them all up! I'm fucking eating!

What? The Other Shore!

I'll eat it all! Once I eat the Other Shore, I'll be the Other Shore!

Self-as-Seed, I alone reign supreme!

Rumble!

His Dao heart was firm and aligned with his true nature. The fog gradually dispersed, and it seemed as though a heavenly voice echoed through the air, proclaiming, "You have cleared the stage!"

When he opened his eyes again, Lin Xian's divine power was abundant and his spirits soared. All confusion and lingering concerns had vanished. He had already reached the peak of the Divine Bridge realm!

A feeling of complete freedom welled up in his heart. He felt that he could easily suppress his former self.

"I can now calmly contend with the Other Shore. Even if I can't win, I can still run."

Lin Xian murmured softly as he slowly stepped out of his cave abode. At the same time, a flying sword letter landed in his palm.

There was news of Ye Fan, whom Lin Xian had asked Elder Ma Yun to investigate. Qing Emperor's Tomb had opened in the Primordial Ruins, and the major sacred lands had gathered there. Several cave heavens, as subordinate forces, had followed along in hopes of gaining some benefit.

Ye Fan was a disciple of Lingxu Cave Heaven and had been among the earliest to go there. However, the situation was chaotic now, and no one cared about the whereabouts of a minor Sea of Bitterness cultivator. If he was not dead, he should be somewhere near Qing Emperor's Tomb.

"This counts as news? Truly, listening to you was like listening to you."

It was nine o'clock today, a little late. Please forgive me.