Chapter 34: The Embryonic Vessel Takes Form!

Chapter 34: The Embryonic Artifact Takes Shape!

Two more days passed.

In the Gu family village, inside a tidily kept mud-brick house, Yu Xian sat cross-legged on a straw cushion. Suspended before him was a jade sword, barely taking its initial form. It was about three inches long, monochromatic, and a flawless, serene green.

This sword was the embryonic artifact that Yu Xian had spent three months meticulously refining, nurturing it daily with his heart's blood, mana, and spiritual sense.

Every man dreams of wandering the world with a sword at his side. Yu Xian was no exception, so it was only natural that his very first artifact would be a blade.

*Pfft!*

Yu Xian bit the tip of his tongue and spat out the day's portion of blood. The crimson liquid coated the jade sword, and as the bloody trails spread, they enveloped the weapon in a shimmering light of intermingling red and green.

At that very moment, mysterious patterns began to emerge across the surface of the sword. In the depths of his consciousness, a profound and mystical connection forged itself between him and the blade.

Yu Xian realized it instantly: the patterns had manifested, and the embryonic artifact was complete.

The so-called "artifact patterns" are the means by which a cultivator stimulates the inherent properties of the crafting materials, whether by fusing them or bringing their characteristics to the surface. Once successful, natural patterns form upon the artifact. It is said that these patterns are like the spiritual inscriptions on talismans—manifestations of the laws of heaven and earth. Anyone who can fully comprehend them could become a grandmaster craftsman, possessing the power to turn stones into gold.

"From here on, I only need to keep it in my dantian and nourish it day and night. In two or three years at most, this embryo will evolve into a true magical artifact. Although it will only be the lowest grade, its power will still be immense. If I encounter those two cultivators from the Lin family again, this embryo alone would be enough for me to kill them both head-on."

Yu Xian toyed with the delicate jade sword in his hand, recalling the heart-wrenching effort he had poured into it over the past three months—he hadn't even treated his wife this well—and he couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

"It's a pity it's made of ordinary jade, so its abilities are quite limited, serving only to calm the mind and cultivate qi. It would have actually been more suitable as a seal. But, a man is happy when he does as he pleases."

Yu Xian opened his palm, and the jade sword transformed into a streak of green light, diving into his hand and flowing along his meridians into his dantian.

"Time to go out and test its power."

Yu Xian pushed open the door and stepped out. In the small courtyard, a frail young man wearing oversized, worn-out clothes sat upright on a wooden bench, his hands tucked into his sleeves, keeping guard at the gate.

Hearing the door open, the youth jumped to his feet, a smile plastered on his face as he greeted Yu Xian.

"Brother-in-law!"

Yu Xian smiled back. "Qingshan, it's so cold outside. You don't need to keep watch like this."

"It's alright, I'm wearing enough clothes. I'm not cold." The youth’s smile was a bit reserved, yet earnest and sincere.

This boy was Yulan’s younger brother. Yulan’s original name was Gu Xiaolan, and Gu family village was her hometown. That year, a drought had led to a poor harvest. Unable to afford food for the entire family, and facing the prospect of starvation, Yulan had been sold into the city as a matter of course. Fortunately, she was lucky; she caught the eye of the royal household and jumped from a common servant to a lady-in-waiting for the Princess.

When speaking of her family, Yulan felt no resentment. If they had any other choice, her parents would never have sold their own daughter; they did it to ensure she had a way to survive. Over the years, Yulan had sent most of the silver she earned in the royal household back to her family, and with her support, the Gu family lived quite comfortably. Everyone in the village knew the Gu family had a daughter working for the royal household, and it was rumored she might even become the Prince’s concubine. People said the Gu family was destined to rise to greatness, and even the village chief treated them with high regard.

Yu Xian remained indifferent to all this; he had no interest in preaching about gender equality or the rights of the individual. This was simply the way of the era. Either he would help these impoverished people get enough to eat and then tell them what was right, or he would hold his tongue and refrain from meddling in the fates of others. He had needed a place to stay, and hearing that Yulan's family was still around, he had come to visit.

Fortunately, Yulan’s family turned out to be decent people. For instance, this young brother, who was so timid in front of him, had been one of the reasons the family couldn't hold on back then—he had fallen deathly ill, draining their meager savings and leaving them in deep debt. Because of this, the boy had always felt guilty. Ever since he heard his sister and brother-in-law were coming, he had been running errands and doing chores without complaint. Every time Yu Xian refined his artifact, the boy would drag a bench to the gate to make sure no one disturbed him, even though he had no idea what his brother-in-law was doing in that room all day.

"Go back to your own business. I'm just going for a walk around the village."

Yu Xian waved and stepped out of the courtyard. His pace seemed leisurely, yet the boy could never catch up, and could only watch as his silhouette vanished from sight.

...

In the woods behind the Gu family village, the snow on the trees had not yet fully melted. As the wind blew, fine grains of snow fell with a soft rustling sound, like sand.

*Thwack!*

A streak of green light flashed violently. A tree as thick as a water barrel tipped over with a crash, showering the ground in snow and scattering foliage everywhere.

Then came the second tree, the third, the fourth!

The green light acted like a divine weapon that could cut through anything; nothing could stop it. Finally, with its momentum undiminished, it slammed into the ground.

*BOOM!*

The frozen earth was gouged open, leaving a crater a foot wide and an inch deep. In the center of the pit stood the warm, delicate jade sword.

Yu Xian stepped out from behind a tree. As if summoned, the jade sword pulled itself free with a *whoosh*, transforming into a green glimmer that circled him like a fish in water. Not until Yu Xian opened his mouth did the sword turn into a ball of light and slide down his throat.

"Fine sword!"

Even as a mere embryonic artifact, its power far exceeded his expectations. With the force of that strike, even a man of iron would likely have been sliced in two. More importantly, the artifact was incredibly fast, moving almost entirely in sync with his spiritual sense. Under his full control, it neared the speed of sound; an ordinary person wouldn't even be able to react. Even a Xiantian martial artist would be unable to track the sword's trajectory with the naked eye.

"I am only at the early stage of the late Qi Refining realm, and my spiritual sense can only manipulate it within ten meters or so. Once I breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment stage, or even become a Golden Core master, a flying sword might be able to travel dozens of miles, with power comparable to a missile. It’s no wonder Golden Core masters can suppress an entire region."

This first test yielded results that left him both excited and fearful. He was excited by his surge in power, but fearful of how formidable other cultivators might be—those with higher realms and better equipment.

As he pondered, his status screen shimmered before his eyes:

[Name: Yu Xian]
[Cultivation: Qi Refining, 7th Level (122/210)]
[Dao Companion: Yulan (1/1)]

"The road to Foundation Establishment is still long and arduous. Now that the embryo is formed, it's time to have Yulan try to break through to the Qi Refining stage. I hope that once she has her own cultivation, the benefits I receive will also increase."