A Worldly Secret Treasure!
Hearing Xie Han's words, everyone present looked surprised, their eyes tinged with envy as they thought to themselves: The Xie Clan is generous indeed.
A so-called Worldly Secret Treasure was a magic treasure embryo naturally formed between heaven and earth. Once refined, it could serve as a cultivator's natal magic treasure, automatically upgrading its rank alongside the cultivator's cultivation realm. When the cultivator achieved grand completion, the treasure would reach its full potential as well.
Though both were natal magic treasures, a Worldly Secret Treasure possessed far greater potential and convenience than a growth-type magic treasure forged by a weapon refiner.
After all, if a growth-type magic treasure were to upgrade, the cultivator would need to search far and wide for various rare spiritual materials to fuse into it every time they reached a major realm. The resources and effort required were unimaginable.
A Worldly Secret Treasure posed no such troubles. It naturally absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, advancing simultaneously whenever the cultivator broke through to a new realm. Furthermore, it possessed an inherent trace of spirituality, granting its owner advantages over others right from the start.
Such an item was exceedingly rare, precious, and priceless. Even if placed in a major Xie Clan auction as the grand finale item, it would be more than worthy.
Shi Yu took the object. It looked like a stone no larger than a palm, covered in a thick “stone shell” that appeared plain and unremarkable. However, threads of white light seeped through several thin cracks on its surface, indicating it was no ordinary item.
It felt surprisingly odd in her grip—not as hard as it looked, but rather yielding like gel. Applying a bit of force caused her finger to sink in, leaving a slight indentation.
This was precisely the characteristic of a Worldly Secret Treasure. Before refinement, its shape was soft and malleable, only solidifying into a fixed form according to the cultivator's will after it recognized a master through refinement.
Shi Yu took a deep breath. Refusing out of polite formality was unnecessary, so she accepted it and said to Xie Han, “Thank you, Patriarch Xie. This item will benefit me greatly.”
Cultivators usually had to reach the Foundation Establishment Realm before they could nurture a natal magic treasure. But with a Worldly Secret Treasure, one could refine and cultivate it even during the Qi Refining Realm. Moreover, it inherently contained heaven-and-earth marvels that could be cast like divine abilities or spells. With this, her strength would see a substantial leap.
Shi Yu's frank and graceful manner did not cause any resentment; instead, it earned her even more favor from Xie Han. The white-haired, white-bearded elder smiled and said, “No need to be polite. You have saved my grandson twice, Miss; it is our Xie Clan that owes you our thanks.”
With that, Xie Han looked around and announced that a banquet would be held that evening in gratitude, inviting everyone to stay for dinner. The crowd naturally agreed with pleasure.
At the banquet, dish after exquisite dish lined the tables. Spiritual fruits, celestial vegetables, and various beast meats were presented in an overwhelming array. There was also honeyed nectar distilled from spiritual flowers, emitting an intoxicating aroma that made everyone's mouth water.
Every single dish was of the finest quality, extraordinarily lavish, lacking nothing when compared to Miaoyi Tower.
Shi Yu raised her chopsticks and picked up a slice of spirit fish meat. It was smooth, tender, and extraordinarily flavorful. Immediately after, a surge of nourishing spiritual energy swept through her, filling her body and mind with refreshing comfort.
She thought to herself, When I go back, I should ask Qingzhou to raise a few spirit fish in the cave dwelling's spirit spring.
In their cave dwelling, she and Qingzhou ate spiritual grain rice with one or two dishes of spiritual vegetables every day, only occasionally adding meat. How could that compare to a grand feast of this caliber?
This was the true foundation of a prominent clan.
If one could consume such spiritual feasts long-term, it would be enough to cleanse mortal dust, purify the internal organs, boost cultivation, and nourish both mind and body. Even a cultivator with average talent would likely have their body brimming with vibrant spiritual energy if raised on such food from childhood.
However, even for the Xie Clan, indulging in such extravagance every day was impossible. Such standards were reserved only for formal banquets. Otherwise, no matter how vast the Xie Clan's wealth and domain were, they would eventually eat themselves into poverty.
Jade liquid gleamed with radiant hues as golden platters reflected bright light. After rounds of toasts and laughter, the feast finally drew to a quiet close late into the night.
...
After returning to her cave dwelling, Shi Yu took out the Worldly Secret Treasure.
“An item like this invites trouble if kept unbound. I had better refine it and claim ownership immediately to prevent complications.”
She tapped two fingers against her chest and opened her lips slightly. A drop of crimson heart's blood flew from her throat, splashing onto the Worldly Secret Treasure instantly.
Shi Yu watched with a trace of nervousness.
Obtaining a Worldly Secret Treasure was one thing, but gaining its approval and acceptance was quite another.
A Worldly Secret Treasure possessed its own spirituality and would not choose a master casually. Even when choosing a master, there were varying degrees of recognition.
If it only granted thirty percent approval, the marvels contained within the treasure would plummet drastically; with sixty percent approval, its marvels could mostly be unleashed; if approval exceeded sixty percent, one could achieve heart-to-heart communion with the treasure, enabling far greater growth in the future.
Under Shi Yu's watchful gaze, in just the span of a single breath, the drop of heart's blood carrying the essence of her soul origin was absorbed completely by the treasure.
The “stone shell” on the treasure's surface fully peeled away, leaving a sphere of pure white. Immediately after, a dot of red bloomed from the center of the white, instantly enveloping the entire surface.
Then, Shi Yu clearly sensed a faint trace of spirituality within the treasure making contact with her divine sense, conveying a feeling of affinity—and within that affinity was a touch of jubilation.
Shi Yu could not help but curl her lips into a smile. With this, the treasure held at least eighty to ninety percent approval of her.
Afterward, the secret treasure vanished from her hand and burrowed into her Purple Mansion.
It originally intended to occupy the central spot of the Purple Mansion, but the Yin-Yang Fate-Tapping Bell was glowing softly right there. Seemingly intimidated, the secret treasure did not contend for territory with the Fate-Tapping Bell, obediently finding a corner to settle down in.
“Nurturing it while my cultivation is still low is far better than finding one and starting after becoming powerful later on.”
Shi Yu submerged her divine sense into her Purple Mansion, nurturing the secret treasure for a moment before withdrawing her awareness to ponder.
This trip to the Xie Clan had yielded a truly bountiful harvest.
From now on, she needed to nurture the secret treasure daily, communicating with it using her divine sense. When the time was right, the treasure would naturally take on the artifact form best suited to her.
...
Over the next half year, Shi Yu stayed inside her cave dwelling to focus on cultivation, daily nurturing the Worldly Secret Treasure while occasionally refining commissions brought to her by Wen Wen.
After half a year of dedicated cultivation, her realm gradually approached the sixth layer of the Qi Refining Realm.
As for the shop, true to the saying “good wine needs no bush,” the pills, spirit talismans, and artifacts sold inside were far superior to ordinary stores, and the prices were fair. Its reputation gradually spread, prompting many people to go out of their way to make purchases. It steadily generated a monthly profit of four to five thousand spirit stones.
Naturally, this attracted much green-eyed envy, with no shortage of people looking to cause trouble or leech off its success. They refrained from taking direct action only because they could not gauge the background behind the shop, but it still brought some trouble to Mo Tong, who oversaw the store.
Shi Yu visited the shop at appropriate times to make a few rounds. After a few visits, everyone came to know that the shop was under her protection, so naturally, no one dared to cause trouble anymore.
She was the prized treasure of the Alchemist Association, on good terms with the Xie Clan after saving their young master's life, and possessed extraordinary talent with a boundless future. Few people in the main city dared to offend her.
As for Qingzhou, having Mo Tong as a snake-molt avatar allowed him to delegate public-facing tasks to the avatar.
Mo Tong was indistinguishable from a human on the outside, so walking around outdoors brought no inconvenience due to Snakefolk identity. He was also somewhat different in personality from Qingzhou, being more lively. Aside from taking care of the shop daily, he still had the energy to deal with ruthless cultivators living on the edge and people from the black market, scouring many good items to bring back to Shi Yu.
Qingzhou himself asked Shi Yu for more Scarlet Flame Void-Cleaving Python blood. Aside from the time spent handling mundane affairs for her, he devoted all his time to cultivation, making rapid progress.
Everything was developing for the better, and cultivation resources were gradually accumulating into an abundance.
...
On this day, Qingzhou's cultivation reached the fourth layer of the Qi Refining Realm, officially stepping into the mid stage of the Qi Refining Realm.
Shi Yu was surprised to find that when his cultivation increased, the scale beneath her eye grew slightly warm, as if a warm current were surging from the scale into her body.
Her own cultivation subtly grew alongside it.
Her expression turned strange as the term “feedback nurturing” came to mind.
Taking advantage of the benefits brought by Qingzhou's breakthrough, she was already right on the verge of breaking through, so she naturally went into secluded cultivation. Half a month later, she smoothly broke through to the sixth layer of the Qi Refining Realm.
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