Translator: AnubisTL
Since embarking on his cultivation journey, Li Qing had faced countless choices. Yet, without a doubt, the decision before him now was the most difficult he had ever encountered.
What kind of natal magic treasure should he refine?
"Ah, I always thought core formation was too far off to seriously consider this," Li Qing muttered, scratching his head in his cave abode.
As an artifact refiner, he naturally held high standards for his natal magic treasure. Moreover, having acquired an entire Primordial Chaos Stone, he refused to hastily forge a mediocre weapon just to get it over with.
For a cultivator, a natal magic treasure was essentially a second life—a companion that would accompany them throughout their entire existence. This was no exaggeration.
In the cultivation world, the most common natal magic treasure remained the sword, often hailed as the "king of weapons." It was no surprise that many cultivators chose to refine their natal magic treasures into swords.
Based on his current experiences, Li Qing already knew quite a few sword cultivators.
Take Shen Ningbing, for example. If things went as expected, his junior sister would likely refine the Millennium Ice Core into her natal magic sword.
Then there was the Ghost Sword Sect. Though a demonic path sect, their unique cultivation manual inheritance meant that most of their cultivators were sword cultivators. After all, why else would they be named "Ghost Sword"?
Whether it was their sect leader Gui Li or Gui Fan, whom Li Qing had encountered, he was certain their natal magic treasures were swords.
Finally, there was the most renowned sword cultivator in the Great Wilderness Domain:
The grand ancestor emperor of the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty!
His natal magic treasure was also a sword—one that shook the world and whose fame still resounded even today.
Yes, it was the Ancestral Imperial Sword!
After the Great Emperor's passing, his natal magic treasure was passed down, becoming the symbol of authority for the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty's emperors.
The Ancestral Imperial Sword had been immersed in the dragon vein day and night, nourished by imperial dragon qi. To call it sentient would be no exaggeration; its power far surpassed that of ordinary natal magic treasures.
"So, what kind of natal magic treasure should I refine?"
A sword cultivator?
Li Qing considered the idea briefly before dismissing it.
He wasn't skilled with swords, and as an artifact refiner, he naturally wouldn't rush into deciding on his natal magic treasure.
"Forget it. I'll just consult some ancient texts instead."
At Nanyang Market, he had purchased numerous ancient texts and biographies from the Great Wilderness Domain, which detailed the natal magic treasures used by many renowned cultivators.
Li Qing planned to draw inspiration from these texts before finally deciding what kind of natal magic treasure he should refine.
"In ancient times, the Great Emperor sought to forge the Nation-Stabilizing Cauldron to anchor the Immortal Dynasty's fortune, yet for unknown reasons, he ultimately abandoned the project."
Reading this passage, Li Qing frowned.
Given the Great Emperor's ambition, why would he abandon such a grand undertaking so easily?
Though he couldn't verify the text's accuracy, from his current perspective, the Great Emperor's natal magic treasure was indeed the ancestral imperial sword.
"Moonchase Palace: The ninth-generation palace master, widely acknowledged as the strongest, was a great cultivator in the late nascent soul stage. Yet their natal magic treasure was merely a moon disc?"
Li Qing's eyebrows twitched slightly, puzzled by the choices of natal magic treasures made by these great figures.
He had envisioned many possibilities for his own natal magic treasure, even considering refining a furnace, cauldron, or pagoda.
Undoubtedly, a natal magic treasure based on such complex structures would possess immense power.
While these artifacts would be more intricate to construct, Li Qing believed his years of experience in artifact refinement would allow him to manage the process.
"And then there's Ancestor Devourer of Heaven. He wielded two natal magic treasures: the Heaven Devouring Bowl and the Heaven Devourer Ring!"
"If he had the capacity to refine two natal magic treasures, why didn't he simply create a single, more complex one?"
Li Qing frowned, utterly perplexed by this.
This was the downside of being a rogue cultivator—he had no one to consult for guidance.
If he were still with the Lingyun Sect, the sect's ancestors would surely have been willing to explain these details, or at least point him in the right direction.
After thoroughly reviewing the scriptures and biographies in his possession, Li Qing still couldn't find a definitive answer.
He noticed a striking commonality: the natal magic treasures of most renowned powerhouses throughout history were surprisingly simple in design, eschewing complex artifacts like pagodas, bells, cauldrons, or furnaces.
Could there be some hidden reason behind this that I'm unaware of?
Perhaps I should ask Junior Sister. I wonder if Ancestor Bing Yun ever mentioned anything related to this to her.
With this thought, Li Qing flew out of his cave abode and directly to Shen Ningbing's cave abode on her icy mountain peak.
"Junior Sister, I have a question for you. Do you have a moment?"
As soon as his words echoed, the restriction guarding Shen Ningbing's cave abode automatically dissolved, revealing a clear path.
Without hesitation, Li Qing stepped into the cave abode, which resembled a palace of ice and snow.
"Senior Brother, what is it you wish to ask?" Shen Ningbing sat cross-legged on a bed carved from ice jade, her beautiful eyes gazing at Li Qing with curiosity.
"I'm preparing to refine my natal magic treasure, but I'm unsure what type to create. After studying numerous classics and biographies, I've noticed a recurring pattern."
Immediately, Li Qing shared his discovery with Shen Ningbing.
He had noticed that the natal magic treasures of many powerful figures in the biographies were surprisingly simple in form, far from the grand vessels one might imagine capable of containing the Dao of Heaven and Earth.
"So, Junior Sister," Li Qing asked curiously, "did Ancestor Bing Yun ever mention anything about this to you?"
Shen Ningbing's face showed genuine surprise, clearly taken aback by Li Qing's revelation.
Hearing his question, she slowly furrowed her delicate brows, as if deep in thought.
"I vaguely remember my master once asking me if I planned to use a sword as my natal magic treasure in the future," Shen Ningbing said.
"I answered her directly, saying I intended to refine my future natal magic treasure in the form of the Profound Ice Sword."
"Upon hearing this, my master said nothing more, and I didn't press the matter further at the time."
As she spoke, a hint of regret appeared on Shen Ningbing's face.
"I see," Li Qing murmured to himself.
What if Shen Ningbing had said she planned to refine a cauldron or a pagoda instead? How would Ancestor Bing Yun have reacted then?
"Phew! Thank you, Junior Sister. Though I still don't understand the exact reason, my mind is clearer now."
With that, Li Qing returned to his cave abode.
If Shen Ningbing had chosen a complex and majestic artifact like a cauldron as her natal magic treasure, Ancestor Bing Yun would likely have advised her to reconsider, explaining the reasons in detail.
However, Shen Ningbing ultimately chose a sword—a common and simple artifact—as her natal magic treasure, so Ancestor Bing Yun saw no need to elaborate further.
"So, it's best to choose a simpler artifact as one's natal magic treasure."
"Although objects like bells, cauldrons, pagodas, and furnaces can embody the great Dao of heaven and earth, seemingly capable of weaving dao patterns and profound truths, their lack of selection must have a reason."
"Perhaps I'll understand the reason once I refine my own natal magic treasure."
With these thoughts, Li Qing closed his eyes and began to recall every weapon he had ever used and every artifact he had ever seen.
His thoughts turned, flipping through countless years in an instant.
Li Qing began to reminisce about his days as a Martial Artist, images flashing through his mind like a rapid slideshow.
He recalled the powerful weapons that had once been wielded in his hands, each having endured countless battles, both great and small.
As an artifact refiner, was he not also a great master of weaponry?
While he couldn't claim mastery of all eighteen martial arts weapons, he could certainly wield any of them with reasonable skill.
Finally, the images in Li Qing's mind settled on a single weapon: a hammer.
Yes!
A hammer!
In that moment, Li Qing felt a sudden clarity, his thoughts instantly becoming clear and focused.
"That's it! A hammer! I should refine a hammer for myself."
When he first entered the Martial Dao, his weapon of choice had been a hammer. Later, upon entering the immortal dao, he had refined the Peerless Hammer into a magic artifact.
Unfortunately, as time passed and his cultivation advanced, the Peerless Hammer gradually fell behind his progress. Forced by circumstances, he had eventually retired it.
"Peerless Hammer... perhaps it's time for you to see the light of day once more."
As the words left his lips, a nostalgic smile crept across Li Qing's face.
(End of the Chapter)
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