Free Web NovelChapter 375: Chapter 294: Strength Improvement 2
The amount of auxiliary Spiritual Materials required was much less than that of the main ones.
With the Black Demon Stone he currently possessed, he had only enough to use it as the main material for a single Demon-slaying Sword with six Spirit Patterns. However, if used as an auxiliary Spiritual Material, it could support the refining of at least four Demon-slaying Swords at the Upper Grade Spiritual Artifact level.
Of course, since the main Spiritual Materials for refining an Upper Grade Spiritual Artifact-level Demon-slaying Sword were much harder to come by, he would likely have a lot of Black Demon Stone left over down the line—so much that he would probably never use it all.
’I’ll aim for Eight Spirit Patterns!’
Having set his goal, Fang Yun adjusted his condition to its absolute peak before beginning to refine the Upper Grade Spiritual Artifact-level Demon-slaying Sword.
Unlike refining an ordinary Upper Grade Spiritual Artifact, Fang Yun was extremely careful while working on this Demon-slaying Sword.
As a result, many of the steps took much longer than usual.
But as long as he could refine it properly, the extra time spent would be worth it.
When it came time to inscribe the Spirit Patterns, the first six formed with ease. But when he started on the seventh, the difficulty jumped several notches.
As time went on, he completed the seventh Spirit Pattern and judged that he could proceed with the eighth.
His judgment was precise. If he had determined that inscribing the eighth Spirit Pattern would be too difficult, he would have stopped. After all, his Artifact Refining Talent had just been upgraded, so obtaining an Upper Grade Spiritual Artifact that specialized in killing Demons was already a great achievement.
Inscribing the eighth Spirit Pattern was even more difficult.
But in the end, Fang Yun completed it with relative ease.
Once the artifact was shaped and formed, the finishing work was relatively easy.
’It’s done!’
The Demon-slaying Sword with Eight Spirit Patterns was now refined. The moment the sword landed in his hand, Fang Yun bound it to himself.
’Just how powerful is this Demon-slaying Sword? To find out for sure, I’ll need to test it on an Early-stage Core Formation Demon, at least. A Peak Foundation Establishment Demon is no longer a worthy opponent.’
Normally, Supreme Grade Spiritual Artifacts have ten Spirit Patterns. There’s no such thing as one with eleven or twelve.
Ten Spirit Patterns form One Prohibition.
Two Prohibitions would require a combination of twenty Spirit Patterns. An Artifact Refiner capable of refining a Magical Treasure with two Prohibitions would almost never partially succeed. During the refining process, once they form the first Prohibition, they have enough experience to judge whether the second one can be completed.
Furthermore, a combination of main and auxiliary Spiritual Materials that can withstand two Prohibitions could be used to refine a Magical Treasure with One Prohibition much more easily, making failure at that stage even more unlikely.
Therefore, Supreme Grade Spiritual Artifacts basically all have ten Spirit Patterns.
The Demon-slaying Sword with Eight Spirit Patterns now in Fang Yun’s hand was far stronger than a Supreme Grade Spiritual Artifact when used against Demons.
If it only had seven Spirit Patterns, the difference in power between the two when fighting Demons might not have been that great.
Fang Yun mused to himself.
’At my current Late-stage Foundation Establishment realm, if I use the eight-spirit-pattern Demon-slaying Sword with all my strength, enhanced by my six-star Combat Talent, I might actually be able to kill an Early-stage Core Formation Demon head-on, regardless of whether it’s being careless or not.’
With this latest increase in strength, Fang Yun felt a renewed sense of security.
Now, when he went on missions in the Celestial Demon Sect’s territory, he wouldn’t have to worry even if he was intercepted by an Early-stage Core Formation Demon.
However, he still couldn’t handle a Mid-stage Core Formation Demon.
’Among the Core Formation Stage Demons of the Celestial Demon Sect, two are at the Mid-stage. If I go to the Celestial Demon Sect’s territory now, only an encounter with them would be extremely dangerous.’
After refining the Demon-slaying Sword with Eight Spirit Patterns, Fang Yun finally allowed himself a proper rest.
He felt he needed it. Refining the Demon-slaying Sword had required intense concentration and had consumed a significant amount of his Divine Sense.
「Five days later.」
A visitor arrived at Fang Yun’s cave residence: Bai Qinying.
"Bai Qinying, I have some good news for you."
Upon hearing Fang Yun’s words, Bai Qinying immediately asked,
"What good news?"
"I’ve figured out how to refine Upper Grade Spiritual Artifacts that are effective against Demons, and I can make them now," Fang Yun said, sharing his good news.
This was good news for Bai Qinying, and also good news for all the Elders of the Celestial Cloud Sect.
The ability to refine Upper Grade Spiritual Artifacts effective against Demons could enhance the combat capabilities of the Late-stage and Peak Foundation Establishment Elders—provided they could get their hands on such artifacts.
"That’s wonderful!" Bai Qinying’s eyes lit up.
She had been waiting a long time since she last spoke with Fang Yun about Upper Grade Spiritual Artifacts for fighting Demons.
There was just one problem: just because Fang Yun could refine these artifacts didn’t mean she could have one right away.
Fortunately, she had stockpiled some Spiritual Materials over the years and hoped they would be useful.
"Now that you can refine Upper Grade Spiritual Artifacts for fighting Demons, the exchange price for some of the sect’s Spiritual Materials will probably go up again," Bai Qinying couldn’t help but say as she thought of the materials.
Originally, within the Celestial Cloud Sect, Spiritual Materials from the Demon Realm were generally not considered valuable. The sect didn’t even bother acquiring some of them.
For most, once a certain amount was acquired, the sect would stop buying them.
But ever since Fang Yun developed Magical Artifacts and Spiritual Artifacts for fighting Demons, the exchange prices for these Spiritual Materials had skyrocketed, and the sect began acquiring them in unlimited quantities.
As long as disciples had the corresponding Spiritual Materials, they could exchange them at the sect for Spirit Stones, and some could even be exchanged for Contribution Points.
If they wanted to seek a higher price, they could sell them at the Disciple Marketplace.
"...So that’s what I have in mind, Fang Yun. What Spiritual Materials will I need to gather?"
Bai Qinying asked immediately after explaining her requirements for the refinement.
’She knew she had an advantage: she knew before the other Elders that Fang Yun could now refine Upper Grade Spiritual Artifacts effective against Demons.’
’She had to make good use of it.’
"Let me think."
Fang Yun needed to think, considering the possible combinations of Spiritual Materials.
He also needed to optimize and simplify Bai Qinying’s requirements to make gathering the Spiritual Materials—and his own refining process—easier.
After thinking for a long time, Fang Yun finally produced a list of Spiritual Materials.
Bai Qinying immediately took it, looked it over, and said, "I should be able to gather these Spiritual Materials fairly quickly."
She already had some of the required Spiritual Materials on hand, which would undoubtedly shorten the time it took for her to gather them.
With a clear idea of what to do, Bai Qinying put away the list and continued chatting with Fang Yun about Spiritual Artifacts designed specifically to counter Demons.
"The Demons nowadays are already very wary of the Middle Grade Spiritual Artifacts we use. If we suddenly hit them with an Upper Grade Spiritual Artifact, we can catch them completely off guard."
"I don’t necessarily agree."
"Oh? Then tell me what you’re thinking."
"I think the Demons will have some precautions against our Upper Grade Spiritual Artifacts as well. But the artifact’s power speaks for itself. As long as it’s strong enough, it won’t matter how prepared they are."
After so many hard-learned lessons, Fang Yun felt the Demons ought to have wised up by now.
A lack of caution on their part would give his attacks the element of surprise. If the Demons knew to be on guard, he would just lose that element. As long as he was strong enough, the Demons he could kill could still be killed.
Of course, the element of surprise was definitely a good thing. It allowed for the effective killing of Demons that might otherwise be out of reach.
The two chatted enthusiastically on the subject.
After their chat wound down, Bai Qinying finally remembered one of the other reasons she had come to find Fang Yun.
"Fang Yun, in about half a month, I’m going into seclusion to break through to the Peak of Foundation Establishment."
Only then did Fang Yun extend his senses to perceive Bai Qinying’s aura, realizing she was already at the peak of the Late-stage Foundation Establishment.
"Are you planning to break through to the next Realm without any aid again this time?" Looking at Bai Qinying, who was at the peak of Late-stage Foundation Establishment, Fang Yun was quickly reminded of the last time she’d attempted it.
"Not this time."
Bai Qinying shook her head.
For someone with an Abnormal Spirit Root like her, breaking through from the peak of Late-stage Foundation Establishment to the Peak of Foundation Establishment was still somewhat difficult.
In the past, many Elders in the sect, including her master Feng Tianrui, had been stuck at this Realm. The problem was only resolved after the quality and quantity of breakthrough-assisting pills in the sect improved.
"I exchanged for a Middle Grade Purple Essence Pill."
Originally, Bai Qinying had wanted to exchange for a Lower Grade Purple Essence Pill.
A Lower Grade Purple Essence Pill would have been sufficient for someone with her Abnormal Spirit Root, and she had wanted to leave the Middle Grade ones for Elders who needed them more. As it turned out, however, there were no Lower Grade Purple Essence Pills left.
At the time, she had asked the Steward at the Dan Cloud Pavilion about the Purple Essence Pills.
The answer she got was that as long as Elder Fang didn’t slip up, they would rarely see Lower Grade Purple Essence Pills again.
