Chapter 50: The Immortal Lord’s Immortal Artifact

"I know. Even with the vast supernatural powers we cultivators possess, we cannot create something out of nothing. We are not omnipotent," Keba said, his brows knitted tightly. "The prerequisite for these spells to succeed is that the materials composing these objects must already exist within the space where the spell is cast."

"So, you mean molecules," Li Chengzhu muttered to himself, while putting on a look of insatiable thirst for knowledge.

"Cultivators use the heaven and earth as mediums to manifest the power to move mountains and drain seas. The key lies in one word: 'Borrow!' We borrow the power of nature, channeling it through our own physical bodies as cultivators to achieve the desired result."

Inside the Bixue Ring, it wasn't just Boss Li who was listening with fascination; even Xia Mai was holding his breath, hanging on every word. Keba was no simple man; his explanations effectively translated the methods of cultivators into scientific terms. He simply lacked a formal education and had to rely on his own vocabulary to organize his thoughts.

"For instance, when you cast these spells in the outside world, if the trees you create are not sprouted from seeds but formed by compressing and arranging the ambient Five Elements Qi, they will lack one thing: Spirit! Everything has a spirit—not just moving creatures, but even inanimate objects like trees, rocks, and streams."

Li Chengzhu found this easy to agree with; after all, in *Journey to the West*, the Monkey King himself was born from a rock.

"That is why, in the cultivation world, there are Demon Immortals—beings formed when trees or spirit beasts cultivate to their peak. That, too, is a manifestation of the will to survive, a constant upward evolution, just like our own path of cultivation."

"Demon Immortals?" Li Chengzhu’s eyes widened. What kind of creature was that?

"Yes, Demon Immortals are another form of existence in the Immortal World, distinct from the cultivation world," Keba waved his hand. "But I digress. Let us return to the spells you just cast. Tell me, if you were to perform them outside, those trees would be taller than this, wouldn't they?"

"They probably would be," Li Chengzhu nodded. After all, he possessed the Essence of Wood within his body; the effects of his wood-based spells should have been greater than this.

"Exactly. It can be said that these trees, flowers, and streams were all formed by you extracting the Five Elements Qi from this space." Keba looked up. The space within the Bixue Ring was not large—at most, it was only three times the height of Li Chengzhu. "Because this space is far too cramped, the amount of stored Five Elements Qi is minimal, which is why your spells were so pathetic."

Li Chengzhu was thrilled. Keba’s intellect was staggering; how could he have figured all of this out?

"Furthermore, let me offer you a piece of advice," Keba stared coldly at Boss Li.

"What is it?" Li Chengzhu looked like a primary school student eager to learn from his teacher.

"Do not cast too many creation spells here." As Keba finished, Xia Mai’s body shuddered, as if he had suddenly recalled something.

Looking at the two Nascent Souls, Li Chengzhu asked in confusion, "Why?"

"Fellow Daoist," Xia Mai’s voice was weak, "if you cast too many, this place will collapse."

"What?" Boss Li’s body jolted. "How could it collapse?"

"You must be familiar with the technique of 'Mustard Seed Containing Mount Sumeru'," Keba said calmly. He was much more composed than Xia Mai. Seeing Li Chengzhu nod, he continued, "Then you must also know the other legend."

"Are you referring to the legend that 'Mustard Seed Containing Mount Sumeru' can open paths to other dimensions?" Li Chengzhu asked, puzzled.

"Yes," Keba nodded. "The technique is so miraculous that even in the Immortal World, no one has been able to decipher where the space created by such a method actually resides."

"What about the Immortal Emperors?" Li Chengzhu considered a possibility.

Keba looked up at him. "I don't know. After all, an Immortal Emperor is not someone we cultivators can interrogate. But to my knowledge, no one in the Immortal World knows the location of this space. If it is another dimension, then where is it? Is it the dimension you ascended from? Or somewhere else?" Keba smiled at Li Chengzhu.

Earth? That was impossible. If this space were truly connected to Earth, the world would have been in chaos long ago. Someone would have discovered its treasures by now.

"But anyone with even a slight understanding of the technique knows that this space contains no living things. That is why the items we store here are safe," Keba continued pacing. "Perhaps this space is unsuitable for life, or perhaps it hasn't yet developed a 'Spirit,' hence the lack of living beings."

"What does this have to do with your warning?" Li Chengzhu was being led in circles and felt confused.

"Hmph," Keba gave a cold smile, as if mocking his ignorance.

"Fellow Daoist, if the creation spells you cast exceed the total sum of the Five Elements Qi within this space, the balance will be broken. The space will collapse, and we..." Xia Mai stammered, clearly terrified of the implications.

"We would be cast into that dimension where no living thing can survive, right?" Li Chengzhu finished his sentence.

Keba nodded, his hands behind his back. "Yes. Perhaps we would be the first living things to arrive in that space, or perhaps we would be torn to shreds before we even had the chance to enter."

"Just like the Reversal Tunnel in the Lake of Immortal Gestation?" Li Chengzhu’s jaw dropped. He realized a new possibility: could all spaces be connected through some special method?

The Mortal World and the Immortal World were connected via the Reversal Tunnel; the Immortal World and the Angelic Realm were connected by that great spatial rift; and the Immortal World and this nameless space were connected through the 'Mustard Seed Containing Mount Sumeru' technique?

"Wait, if that’s the case, then the connection between the Immortal World and the Angelic Realm isn't limited to just that great rift; there must be other channels yet to be discovered, because that rift appeared out of thin air five thousand years ago. And look, the trees and grass you created here..." Keba walked to the side of the small trees, eyes fixed on them.

Following Keba’s lead, Li Chengzhu shifted his gaze. Before his eyes, the trees and grass began to crumble, turning into specks of starlight and vanishing, much like pages of a book sealed underground for thousands of years when suddenly exposed to a strong breeze.

"How can this be?" Li Chengzhu asked, stunned.

"I told you," Keba said, his back to him, staring at the stream that was disappearing in the same manner. "Everything has a spirit. But in this space, there is no 'Spirit' to be found, so whatever you create will vanish."

"You keep talking about 'Spirit.' What exactly is it?" Li Chengzhu felt frustrated; everything he had encountered today was shrouded in mystery.

Keba gave him a cold look. "The Spirit is the foundation of all existence."

"Is that it?" After waiting for a long time, Keba remained silent, staring at him. Boss Li asked weakly.

"That is it," Keba replied, expressionless.

Damn, talking to an academic was exhausting.

"One more thing," Keba said. Boss Li’s attention was instantly captured, which made Keba look smug. "The things you create by borrowing the Five Elements Qi from this space do not return to being Five Elements Qi after they dissipate. Instead, they turn into chaotic spiritual energy."

"You mean attribute-less spiritual energy? Like the energy stored in the Heavenly Mystery Stones?" Li Chengzhu was eager to learn, ignoring Keba’s cold demeanor.

"Yes."

"Then can we find a way to turn this chaotic spiritual energy back into Five Elements Qi?" Li Chengzhu was excited. If Five Elements Qi could turn into chaotic energy, surely the reverse was possible.

"Of course, it is possible," Keba said with a sneer.

"How?" Li Chengzhu excitedly grabbed Keba’s small shoulder. If this were possible, he could finally put his plan into action.

"Do you have the cultivation level of a Primordial Immortal?" Keba delivered the blow firmly.

A Primordial Immortal? Damn it, Li Chengzhu’s mouth fell open.

"Without the cultivation level of a mid-stage Primordial Immortal, it is impossible to convert chaotic spiritual energy back into Five Elements Qi," Keba continued to crush Li Chengzhu’s hopes. Seeing the look of dejection on his face, he felt satisfied.

"Must one reach that level of cultivation?" Li Chengzhu felt depressed. Keba was clearly baiting him with a carrot and then hitting him with a stick.

"It is possible, not guaranteed," Keba pulled the boss’s large hand off his shoulder. "Out of ten Primordial Immortals, only three can convert chaotic spiritual energy back into Five Elements Qi."

"So it’s another delicate task?" Boss Li raised an eyebrow.

"It is a very delicate task," Keba smiled with disdain.

"Sigh." Li Chengzhu let out a heavy breath. Everything was falling apart. Never mind his own cultivation; even Ye Dashuai and Qiao Yanluo, the strongest he knew, were lightyears away from the level of a Primordial Immortal.

It was now certain that the competition venue was a storage space created by a Primordial Immortal, or perhaps even an Immortal Emperor or Immortal Monarch. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been so much Five Elements Qi to draw upon.

Li Chengzhu suddenly had a malicious thought: if someone with great power caused that space to collapse or sealed the entrance, the hundreds of thousands of people inside would surely be doomed.

Seeing the smile on Boss Li’s face, Xia Mai couldn't help but shudder. He wondered who this guy was plotting against now.

Keba rubbed his chin, rolled his eyes, and asked, "May I ask, what were those two green objects you brought in last time?"

"Hm?" Boss Li’s brows shot up, a flash of murderous intent in his eyes. When he was reshaping Gu Linglong’s immortal soul, he had forgotten to retrieve those two pieces of Wood Essence, and the little creature had brought them here. These two must have seen them.

"I mean no harm," Keba remained calm, smiling faintly. "Those objects contain a massive amount of Wood spiritual energy. Although it is suppressed because it is so dense, I can still sense it. The quality and quantity of the wood energy within them are immense. Even..."

"Even what?" Li Chengzhu’s face remained cold as ice, while he wondered if he should just kill them both now.

"Even... those two things have life." Keba trembled as he said this. Could energy be so vast that it manifested life?

Li Chengzhu felt a shiver in his heart. This hit the nail on the head. From the first time he had obtained the three pieces of Wood Essence, he had felt they were alive. He hadn't expected Keba to sense it as well.

"Is it a Spirit?" Keba muttered to himself. "No, it is more than just a Spirit."

"Whatever you are trying to prove, you had better forget about those two things," Li Chengzhu said coldly.

Keba’s lips twitched, as if trying to force a smile, though he didn't quite succeed. "Rest assured, we are prisoners here now. Even if we know, what can we do? I only wanted to remind you: if you can find such energy stones for the other four elements, perhaps what you have in mind can be achieved."

"You know what I’m thinking?" Boss Li laughed. If he really knew what he was thinking, he was a genius.

"It is nothing more than wanting to create a space like this, attach it to a magic treasure or immortal artifact, and then put us inside to help you fight," Keba said, his voice as calm as if he weren't talking about his own fate.

Boss Li’s laughter stopped abruptly.

This man’s intelligence was terrifying. Could he deduce his thoughts just from a few actions and words?

Xia Mai shuddered. Could he really go out and fight as a Nascent Soul? Without a physical body, how could he use energy? And if he were discovered, a kind person might save him, but a ruthless one might capture him and refine him into a puppet.

"Do you know what I’m thinking of doing now?" Li Chengzhu smiled.

"Kill us to silence us?" Keba stared at Li Chengzhu’s face, showing no panic.

"Wrong," Boss Li waved his index finger. "I’m planning to keep you locked in here forever, without any Heavenly Mystery Stones, and let you fend for yourselves."

In that split second, he had indeed wanted to destroy them, but Keba had called his bluff, forcing him to change his tune. Watching Keba’s unchanging smile, Boss Li felt cheated again.

Damn it, he had fallen into a trap. Boss Li felt a surge of regret. Keba had clearly used his words to provoke him into changing his mind.

Xia Mai trembled, dropped to his knees in front of Li Chengzhu, and hugged his leg. "Please, no, Fellow Daoist! I am willing to do anything for you."

Li Chengzhu looked at Xia Mai with disdain, kicked him away, and watched him crash into the protective barrier before sliding down. Even Keba looked at him with contempt.

"Let’s make a deal," Keba said, his expression unchanged.

"Do you still have the right to make a deal with me?" Li Chengzhu dusted off his foot, eyeing Keba sideways.

"I suspect you cannot share your plan with anyone in the outside world," Keba rubbed his chin. "I have lived in the Immortal World for hundreds of years and know more than you do. If you have any questions, you can ask me. You have seen my intelligence and knowledge. I can help you design any artifact or array you desire. I can also help you fight. Of course, the premise is that the space you create must be stable. Otherwise, if the space collapses, either I will be thrown into that uninhabitable dimension, or I will be discovered by your enemies, and then your secret will be out."

Li Chengzhu stared coldly at Keba for a long time before asking, "What are the terms?"

"That energy stone—throw one down for me to study," Keba smiled.

"In your dreams," Boss Li was furious. That was a huge demand.

"Of course, I don't need to study it all the time," Keba continued slowly. "How about this: give me one day a month to study it. That should be acceptable, right?"

"What are you up to?" Boss Li stared at Keba, looking for any trace of ulterior motives.

"I am merely curious about an energy stone that can manifest life," Keba shrugged. "If you don't think it’s possible, then forget it. You don't even have to throw down the Heavenly Mystery Stones. I have already lost my physical body, and finding a Mani Bead to reshape it is unlikely anyway. Better to die sooner and be reincarnated."

"One day every two months. Take it or leave it," Li Chengzhu threw out his final offer.

"Deal," Keba smiled, looking very pleased with himself.

Damn it, Li Chengzhu wanted to punch him. He had definitely fallen into another trap.

He glared at Keba coldly. "Don't ever plot against me again. If you have something to say, just say it directly. I hate it when people scheme against me."

"Understood," Keba smiled faintly.

Li Chengzhu glanced at Xia Mai’s trembling Nascent Soul. "And I hate cowards who fear death." He had used spiritual power in that kick, so the guy was probably hurting.

"Now, tell me what you know." Boss Li sat in front of Keba, staring him down.

"Oh? How did you know I still have things left to say?" Keba asked, puzzled.

"It’s your personality," Li Chengzhu pointed at him. "You wouldn't tell me everything at once. Given your character, you would always leave yourself a way out."

"Heh heh." Keba laughed more today than ever before, propping himself up on the ground and sitting across from Li Chengzhu. He rubbed his chin for a long time before saying, "As far as I know, there are quite a few immortal artifacts in the Immortal World created using this technique."

"For example?" Li Chengzhu asked. Although he knew this was no longer a secret, the fact that he—a mere cultivator at the late stage of Spirit Severing—had discovered it himself meant he really had great potential.

"For instance, the Pure Vase. Yes, that is its name. It is a formidable immortal artifact. I have never seen it, but I have heard the rumors. A holder of this artifact can suck enemies with lower cultivation levels than themselves into the vase. If the master refuses to release them, the trapped person can never escape. Furthermore, what is contained within the Pure Vase is the 'Formless Water.' A single drop is as heavy as a mountain, and it can transform into anything. It is a treasure that transcends the Ninth-Grade immortal artifacts."

Li Chengzhu’s mind conjured the image of Guanyin Bodhisattva: holding a vase in her right hand, prayer beads in her left, with a young attendant by her side.

"Is there a willow branch in the vase, too?" Li Chengzhu interrupted Keba.

"What would you need a willow branch for?" Keba asked, slightly puzzled.

"To sprinkle water, of course," Li Chengzhu said, imitating the posture of Guanyin.

"Heh heh," Keba laughed. "You really have an imagination. With her level of cultivation, why would she need a willow branch to sprinkle water? With a mere thought, the Formless Water can transform into anything to attack the enemy."

"Her?" Li Chengzhu was slightly confused. "Who is she?"

"The Immortal Monarch of Enchantment," Keba rubbed his chin. "The only female Immortal Monarch among the Ten Great Immortal Monarchs. No one knows her real name or appearance; she is the most mysterious of all the Immortal Monarchs."

Li Chengzhu closed his eyes, imagining what she looked like.

*Could she be so ugly that she can't bear to be seen?* Boss Li thought maliciously.

"And then there is the Nine-Palace Map of the Immortal Monarch of Illusion. It is less of an array and more of a pre-arranged space. It sucks enemies in and then kills them."

"How do you know all this? You couldn't have seen an Immortal Monarch’s artifact, could you?"

Keba gave Li Chengzhu a cold, sideways glance. "I guessed."

Boss Li was instantly drenched in cold sweat.