Chapter 30: Magical Artifact

Hanshu finished her cultivation practice, rose to her feet, and took Xueling to the mountain stream beside her small cave dwelling to practice swordplay. Ever since she established her Foundation, her parents had devoted themselves to preparing the life-bound magical weapon she would need once she reached the Core Formation stage. But since she would be the one to wield it, it was only right that she make the final decision. That way, the weapon and its owner would be attuned on the deepest level.

Her parents had provided several magical artifacts for her to choose from—some were treasured items they had carefully selected from their own collections over many years, while others were rare gifts bestowed upon Hanshu by the elders of their respective clans. Hanshu’s acquisition of a top-tier, celestial-level cultivation technique—suitable for advancement all the way to the Ascension stage—was no secret; after all, how else could they explain her reaching Foundation Establishment before her twelfth birthday? Yet, despite the allure of the “Mystic Fire, Icy Heart” technique, no one coveted it, for only those with dual ice and fire spiritual roots could use it. The matter of the Immortal Palace, however, was kept hidden from the world.

Though mustard seed spaces were rare in this world, every great clan possessed several. Any cultivator at the Union stage could refine one; and while such cultivators had become scarce over the past ten thousand years, they were not entirely extinct. Yet, the Immortal Palace was something else entirely. Though both were types of mustard seed space, the Immortal Palace was forged by an immortal and thus fundamentally different from those created by cultivators of the Spirit Realm.

Immortals were divided into five ranks: Ghost Immortal, Human Immortal, Earth Immortal, Celestial Immortal, and Golden Immortal of the Grand Dao. When a human cultivator surpassed the Ascension stage and survived the tribulation, they would become a Human Immortal. The “Secret Treasury of Immortal Arts” describes the Human Immortal as the lowest of the five ranks—those who have not comprehended the Great Dao, but have mastered a single path and a solitary art within it, pursuing it with unwavering faith and dedication throughout their lives. Their bodies, strengthened by the mingling of the five elemental energies, became impervious to disease and calamity, allowing them to fulfill their destiny in health and longevity. If such was the lowest rank, how much more unfathomable must the higher ranks be?

Immortals often forged immortal dwellings for their own use. The Immortal Palace Hanshu obtained seemed, by its grade, to have been crafted by an Earth Immortal. Even with endless lifespan, immortals were not immune to disaster, so—though rare—it was possible for a lower-realm cultivator to stumble upon the palace of a fallen immortal. Sometimes, an elder who had ascended might even leave behind a space specially crafted for a beloved descendant. Once such a mustard seed space recognized a new master, it granted benefits beyond the ordinary: its owner could expand it to the size of a hill, shrink it to a mote of dust, or even move it at will. However, depending on its rank, various restrictions applied. Hanshu’s Immortal Palace, for example, was protected by eighty-one layers of seals. Though she diligently refined it every day, in a year she had managed to unlock only twelve. Only when the refining was complete could she wield full control, so for now, the palace was just an emergency escape tool—its greater uses lying beyond her reach.

Such an artifact could never be revealed to others. Hanshu considered giving it to her father, but to her surprise, both Lanhua and Daojun already possessed their own portable medicinal gardens, and both advised her that, since the palace was bound to her cultivation technique, it must be uniquely suited to her spiritual roots. After a careful examination, they returned it to her, urging her to refine it with caution.

Hanshu’s meteoric rise caused no great stir within her clan or sect. She received better treatment on Misty Fog Peak, and the clan took somewhat greater care of her, but in the end, she was still a twelve-year-old girl—no matter how gifted, there was no telling how far she could go. The path of the Dao is merciless; it was best to let her develop at her own pace.

Still, both her father’s and mother’s clans increased their support for her. As soon as Hanshu reached Foundation Establishment, both sides presented her with two magical artifacts each, making it clear that any materials she might need could be requested from the clan at any time.

Thus, Hanshu now had six magical artifacts before her to choose from: a Transforming Scroll, an Echoing Spirit Sword, a Half-Star Shuttle, a Bright Silver Crescent Hook, a Hidden Moon Soul-Stealing Blade, and a set of twelve Azure Moon Silver Needle Swords.

Each had its own unique advantages—every one a rare, high-grade magical artifact. The Echoing Spirit Sword even harbored a sword spirit. Yet, for reasons she could not explain, Hanshu felt no resonance with any of them. Her thoughts kept returning to the “Beloved Blade” she had used during her Qi Refinement days. She had never even wielded it in a real contest, yet when it came to choosing her life-bound weapon, her heart was set on it.

After practicing swordplay for a while, Hanshu called Xueling back from where it was bounding through the valley.