C6 Spirit Fixing Ring

As his master exited the spirit hall, Hsu Mu quickly followed suit. Stepping outside, he caught sight of Liu Yan seated in a quaint pavilion at the heart of the lotus pond within the cave, listlessly sipping wine from a gourd.

Though just a youth from a mountain hamlet, Hsu Mu was aware that excessive drinking could harm one's health. Whether immortals were subject to the same consequences, he wasn't certain.

After a moment's thought, Hsu Mu approached and respectfully inquired, "Master, is it truly harmless for you to drink in such a manner?"

Liu Yan, caught off guard by the question, paused, the gourd of wine suspended in midair as its contents poured out, drenching him. This jolted him back to reality.

"Heh, it's been ages since anyone has shown such concern for my well-being. You possess a rare filial spirit, reminiscent of your eldest senior brother," Liu Yan remarked, resealing the gourd and attaching it to his belt.

Prompted by curiosity, Hsu Mu ventured, "Master, may I ask how your senior brothers passed away?"

This question seemed to stir memories within Liu Yan, his gaze growing distant. After a long pause, he posed a question of his own, "Huomu Zi, can you guess at what level of cultivation your master has achieved?"

Taken aback by the unexpected query, Hsu Mu hesitated before replying with earnest honesty, "Master, I do not know."

"It's understandable; you've met so few cultivators. Not knowing is to be expected," Liu Yan said with a faint smile tinged with melancholy. "Once upon a time, I was a cultivator in the Middle Period of Core Formation."

"Middle Period of Core Formation?" Hsu Mu gasped, never having imagined his master's cultivation to be so advanced.

His knowledge of the legendary cultivators was limited, having spent his life in the mountains, but he had heard tales of the formidable power that came with forming a Golden Core.

Considering his master was a Core Formation cultivator, and an elder had referred to Liu Yan as 'nephew,' did that imply the elder was an even mightier cultivator?

Liu Yan's smile widened at Hsu Mu's astonishment. "Alas, those days are long gone. Now, I am merely a cultivator at the Middle Period of the Foundation Stage."

With his master showing no signs of halting his tale, Hsu Mu remained silent, attentively listening.

Liu Yan, pleased with his disciple's demeanor, continued his story. A decade ago, as a cultivator in the Middle Period of Core Formation, he had embarked on a quest to locate an ancient tome at his master's behest, eventually discovering a method for weapon refinement.

Over two years, Liu Yan, drawing upon his ancestral wisdom, deciphered a technique for crafting a spirit weapon known as the spirit fixing ring. He theorized that this weapon, once perfected, could revolutionize the Cultivation World's entire approach to weapon refinement.

The creation of such a tool required the collaboration of five cultivators, each with a distinct spiritual root. Liu Yan thus welcomed new disciples, including four with the requisite roots, to join his first disciple, Xue Zhang.

Liu Yan spared no effort in advancing the cultivation of these four, and two years prior, even Huo Linu, the least advanced among them, had achieved the Foundation Stage.

With all five disciples at the Foundation Stage, Liu Yan set his plan in motion. He shared the spirit fixing ring's refinement method, gathered the necessary materials, and prepared to commence the crafting process.

The disciples, well-versed in refinement from their studies with Liu Yan, were thrilled by the prospect of creating the Spirit Fixing Ring.

The project unfolded over nearly two years, and just as the ring was nearing completion, disaster struck. During the crucial final step, the ring went rogue, draining the cultivation and life potential of all five Foundation Stage disciples.

Liu Yan, by virtue of his formidable cultivation, narrowly escaped, but at the cost of a significant reduction in his own cultivation level, plummeting to the Middle Period of the Foundation Stage.

Hsu Mu was startled by the tale, never having suspected the so-called spirit fixing ring to possess such a malevolent nature, capable of turning on its creator.

Noticing Hsu Mu's pallor, Liu Yan offered a reassuring smile and, with a flick of his wrist, produced a nondescript grey ring.

"Master, is this the infamous spirit fixing ring?" Hsu Mu inquired, unable to discern anything extraordinary about it.

"Indeed, Huo Muzi. As my disciple, you should gain some insight into the art of refinement. Are you aware of the different levels of spirit weapons that exist?" Liu Yan asked, prompting further curiosity.

"I do not, Master," Hsu Mu replied with reverence.

Liu Yan explained slowly, "The treasures of cultivators are broadly categorized into three levels: magic weapons, spirit weapons, and magic treasures. Magic weapons, for instance, are wielded by those in the Qi Refining Stage, enabling them to traverse great distances in a day and to cut down mortals as effortlessly as mowing down weeds."

"Spiritual instruments are wielded by cultivators at the Foundation Stage. They possess the might to stand against legions, allowing one to traverse the expanse of a nation unimpeded."

"Magical treasures, on the other hand, are the domain of those who have reached the Core Formation Stage or higher. With such power, they can overturn rivers, fracture landscapes, and grant the wielder a freedom that spans the world."

As Liu Yan's voice carried through the air, Hsu Mu envisioned himself astride a flying sword, soaring over the renowned landmarks of the Mirror Region. The thought left him in awe, and it took a moment before he could collect himself and respond with reverence, "I am enlightened by your teachings!"

Liu Yan gave a nod of approval and went on, "Beyond these, there exists another class of artifact, bequeathed from the ancient times, collectively known as ancient treasures. Since the decline of the Mortal Realm, the art of crafting such treasures has been lost to the ages."

"The materials for an ancient treasure are diverse, ranging from millennia-old essences to the most common flora. What sets them apart is the sliver of Heavenly Dao's essence they encapsulate, which is then infused into the artifact."

"Though one cannot internalize such a treasure, with dedicated refinement, it becomes an extension of oneself, its might unfathomable. The full extent of its power is dictated by the cultivator's own level of mastery. A single artifact, once perfected, can serve its master for eons."

Pondering Liu Yan's words, Hsu Mu, with a mix of comprehension and curiosity, ventured to ask, "Master, does this mean that the might of an ancient treasure is solely dependent on the cultivator's own level of mastery?"

"Not exactly, but you're not far off," Liu Yan replied with a chuckle. "The duration of refinement also plays a role in its power. To sum it up, because an ancient treasure harbors a strand of the Heavenly Dao's might, its power typically far surpasses that of ordinary magical treasures."

Hsu Mu nodded in understanding, then offered a comparison: "So, is it like raising a dog? A puppy, given time, grows into a formidable dog, far stronger and more capable of winning a fight than when it was young?"

Liu Yan couldn't help but burst into laughter at Hsu Mu's analogy, playfully chiding, "Stay on topic, and pay attention!"