Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 465: Artifact Spirit

The value of a top-grade True Weapon that could be restored was already incalculable. If what Elder Yang said was true, then Ye Qingchen had really stumbled upon a massive windfall! He could no longer remain calm. "Elder... Elder Yang," he said, his voice trembling, "are you telling the truth?"

Elder Yang glanced at him. "Why would I lie to you? Come with me." After speaking, he picked up the mysterious sword and led Ye Qingchen toward a thatched cottage up the mountain.

This was Ye Qingchen’s first time entering Elder Yang’s room. It was not at all the mess he had imagined; in fact, it was a stark contrast to Elder Yang’s usual scruffy appearance. Noticing Ye Qingchen’s astonished gaze, Elder Yang uncharacteristically explained, "All my life, I’ve loved nothing more than sleeping. Naturally, I have to make my sleeping quarters comfortable."

Ye Qingchen nodded. It seemed Elder Yang had a justification for everything.

Elder Yang retrieved an exquisite little wooden box from the room. It was hard to imagine that a sloppily dressed old man like him would possess such an object. Afterward, he took the box and led Ye Qingchen out of the hut, stopping before the stone Stele inscribed with "Sacred Wood Academy." He placed the mysterious sword on the Stele and turned to Ye Qingchen.

"Kid, have you ever heard of an Artifact Spirit?"

Ye Qingchen shook his head blankly. "Forgive my ignorance, Elder Yang, but what is an Artifact Spirit?"

Elder Yang pointed at the mysterious sword. "Above True Weapons are the legendary Immortal Artifacts, and each one possesses its own Artifact Spirit. An Artifact Spirit can significantly enhance the power of an Immortal Artifact. Furthermore, the most powerful ones can even cultivate alongside their masters. Once they reach a certain stage, the Artifact Spirit alone, without its master even lifting a finger, has enough power to slay an expert at its master’s level!"

Ye Qingchen swallowed hard, finding it difficult to believe. An Artifact Spirit born from a weapon could single-handedly kill an opponent of equal strength? In a battle, wouldn’t that be like having an extra ally with the exact same combat strength as yourself? Moreover, this was the first time he had ever heard that legendary Immortal Artifacts existed above True Weapons.

However, Ye Qingchen also noticed a flaw in Elder Yang’s explanation. "Elder Yang, you said only Immortal Artifacts have Artifact Spirits. What does that have to do with this mysterious sword?"

Elder Yang sighed. "If I’m not mistaken, this sword had already birthed its own Artifact Spirit. It was continuously advancing, on the verge of breaking through to become an Immortal Artifact. However, its existence became intolerable to the heavens, so they sent down a tribulation that annihilated the spirit within! Afterward, the sword degenerated into a piece of ordinary Mortal Iron and has been gathering dust for ages."

Ye Qingchen’s eyes widened in shock. He never imagined this unremarkable sword had once nearly reached the level of an Immortal Artifact. Everything Elder Yang spoke of, from Immortal Artifacts to heavenly tribulations, vastly exceeded his scope of knowledge. With his current level of understanding, he could not even begin to imagine such a scene.

However, Ye Qingchen was not too concerned about these grand concepts. What truly mattered to him was whether this mysterious sword could be restored. He did not need it to reach the level of an Immortal Artifact; just becoming a True Weapon again would be enough to increase his combat power by several dozen times. He recalled how back in the Beisai Secret Realm, Feng Yuan had obtained a mere low-grade treasured weapon. That alone had allowed him to fight evenly with Ye Qingchen for a long time, increasing his combat strength more than tenfold.

"So, Elder Yang," Ye Qingchen asked, "what do we have to do to restore this mysterious sword?"

Elder Yang pointed to the Stele. "There’s still some Holy Light left in this Stele, which is perfect for stimulating the sword’s Divinity. The sword became Mortal Iron because it lost its Artifact Spirit. We just need to find a way to nurture a new one for it, and the sword can slowly recover."

Ye Qingchen could not help but exclaim, "Nurture a new Artifact Spirit? Isn’t that a bit too incredible?"

Elder Yang smiled and shook his head. "It might be difficult for others, but for me, it’s not entirely impossible. You, lad, possess the Seven-star Willow Wood Martial Soul, and the Wood Attribute has the greatest life force. I will first stimulate the sword’s Divinity. Then, you will infuse the force of your Willow Wood Martial Soul into it. If you gain the sword’s acknowledgment, you’ll be able to nurture a new Artifact Spirit!"

"Gain its acknowledgment?" Ye Qingchen asked, puzzled. "Elder Yang, didn’t you say this sword is just a piece of Mortal Iron now? Can it still have a will of its own?"

Elder Yang nodded. "That’s right. A treasure capable of birthing an Artifact Spirit naturally possesses Divinity. Even though the spirit was annihilated, its inherent Divinity never dissipated. The fact that you obtained this sword and happened to meet me proves you two are fated. However, don’t be too disappointed if it doesn’t acknowledge you!"

Ye Qingchen nodded thoughtfully. "Elder Yang, let’s give it a try then. What do I need to do?"

"The moment I give the word," Elder Yang said solemnly, "channel your Willow Wood Martial Soul with all your might. Don’t worry about anything else!"

After he finished speaking, Elder Yang gestured for Ye Qingchen to sit cross-legged before the Stele. He then began forming hand seals to stimulate the Holy Light within it. As Elder Yang worked, the Holy Light surged from the Stele once more. He then manipulated it, guiding it into the mysterious sword.

The Holy Light continually washed over the blade. The sword began to tremble incessantly as its coating of black rust flaked away, revealing its true appearance.

A golden sword engraved with the pattern of a five-clawed golden dragon now shone resplendently atop the Stele!

At that moment, Elder Yang opened the exquisite wooden box again, taking out a green gemstone the size of a goose egg. Even with his carefree nature, he could not help but reveal a pained expression as he handled the stone.

Kid, this is a Spirit Fetus Immortal Stone I’ve held onto for many years. This little piece alone is worth as much as a True Weapon. If you fail, you’ll really be letting this old man down! Elder Yang thought this to himself but did not say it aloud, as putting too much pressure on the boy at this critical moment might cause him to fail.

A deep red flame appeared in Elder Yang’s palm, and the Spirit Fetus Immortal Stone in his grasp began to melt. He then evenly coated the mysterious sword with the molten Stone Fluid.

BUZZ!

The mysterious sword instantly trembled violently, erupting in a dazzling, multicolored light