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Translator: AnubisTL
Throughout his years of cultivating the dao, Li Qing had consciously and unconsciously focused on nourishing his divine soul, precisely to better suppress the malevolent energy's influence on himself.
"Perhaps this time, I can resolve it once and for all, though it's undeniably risky."
"If successful, it would be a double win: not only would I refine the spirit treasure, but I'd also purge this malevolent energy from my body."
"If I fail..."
Li Qing didn't finish the thought, but his mind was already made up.
Refining spirit treasures was never a guaranteed process; some risk was always involved.
In the next moment, Li Qing mobilized all the malevolent energy within him, channeling it into the pure and flawless Geng Metal Immortal Slaughtering Sword.
This was an incredibly dangerous move. If any other artifact refiner witnessed this, they would be utterly astonished, perhaps even declaring Li Qing insane.
In artifact refinement, when using materials from demon beasts as spirit materials, the demonic purge was an essential step. Only by completely removing the malevolent energy could the subsequent stages proceed.
Yet Li Qing was defying convention. Facing the pure and flawless Geng Metal Immortal Slaughtering Sword, he was actively channeling the malevolent energy from his body into it.
This was incredibly risky—utterly perilous!
A single misstep could destroy the nascent Geng Metal Immortal Slaughtering Sword, completely extinguishing its spirituality.
As the malevolent energy rapidly flowed from Li Qing's body, an unexpected phenomenon occurred: the energy seamlessly integrated into the sword without incident.
Geng Metal and malevolent energy possessed an unforeseen compatibility!
This was astonishing, yet the reality proved Li Qing's gamble had paid off.
"Of course," Li Qing murmured, his eyes burning with fervor. "Geng Metal governs slaughter and destruction. It's only natural that it would harmonize with malevolent energy."
"Thank heavens I chose Geng Metal for this killing sword. Had I used any other spirit material, things might not have gone so smoothly."
Li Qing watched intently as the malevolent energy from his body continued to merge flawlessly with the Geng Metal Immortal Slaughtering Sword, without the slightest deviation.
Finally, after a long period of time, the malevolent energy within him completely dissipated, every last trace merging into the Immortal Slaughtering Sword.
At that moment, his spirit platform became utterly clear, as if he had entered a state of sudden enlightenment.
Li Qing's consciousness gradually emptied, and he lost awareness of his actions, entering a state of selfless absorption, both profound and mysterious.
Yet his hands continued to manipulate the spirit fire, instinctively refining the artifact without pause.
The spirit fire tempered the Immortal Slaughtering Sword, fusing the malevolent energy and Geng Metal into a seamless whole, forging them into a single entity.
Next, strand after strand of dao patterns were imprinted onto the Immortal Slaughtering Sword with his fingertips.
These dao patterns were unlike any he had seen before, carrying an ancient resonance that elucidated the principles of the Dao and pointed directly to its primordial origin. Yet they also differed from ancient dao patterns, incorporating the practical techniques and methods of modern dao patterns.
It was impossible to say which type was superior, but in his state of selfless enlightenment, Li Qing had inadvertently combined the characteristics of both.
This dao pattern had been brewing in his mind for some time, yet he never imagined he would achieve such progress under these circumstances.
As the final stroke of the dao pattern was etched into place, the malevolent energy resonated with the razor-sharp edge of the Geng Metal Immortal Slaughtering Sword.
The killing sword appeared flawlessly crafted, without a single discernible flaw.
Still immersed in his sudden enlightenment, Li Qing suddenly felt as if his body were about to shatter, as if countless razor-sharp blades were slicing through him.
He snapped awake, his gaze fixed in terror on the Geng Metal Immortal Slaughtering Sword before him.
The sword's aura, so intense it seemed to burst forth from the blade, nearly blinded him.
"It's complete? I actually fell into a state of enlightenment!"
Li Qing took a deep breath, fragments of memories from just now flooding his mind.
Clang!
A crisp sword chime echoed through the air, and razor-sharp sword marks instantly crisscrossed the frozen earth around them.
With the killing sword now forged, it was time for it to face its true spirit treasure tribulation.
Li Qing extended his trembling hand. The moment his fingertips brushed the sword's hilt, a strange sense of familiarity washed over him, as if he had once wielded this blade to slaughter countless foes.
He soon realized this sensation stemmed from the baleful sword energy. Having cultivated this malevolent energy through countless battles and massacres, it was only natural that he felt a sense of familiarity.
Gripping the Immortal Slaughtering Sword with one hand, Li Qing felt the terrifying killing intent emanating from the spirit treasure in his palm. He even felt capable of cleaving the heavens in two.
However, the Immortal Slaughtering Sword was not yet perfected. It still needed to undergo a spirit treasure tribulation to truly reach its full potential and transform into an unparalleled divine blade.
A faint smile curled Li Qing's lips. He immediately donned the Lightning-Repelling Dharma Robe and tightly clutched the Moonlight Jade Pendant in his other hand.
"Formless Saint Ancestor, I hope you're still waiting for me outside. Don't let my meticulous preparations go to waste!"
Because the World of Eternal Night had entered the End of Dao Era, no thunderclouds gathered in the sky, and the spirit treasure tribulation never arrived.
To undergo the tribulation, Li Qing had to return to his original world.
And he intended to face this thunder tribulation alongside the Formless Saint Ancestor!
Clutching the Immortal Slaughtering Sword, he slowly closed his eyes.
The surrounding scenery dissolved like bubbles, and he prepared to return to the Soul Nurturing Secret Realm.
When Li Qing opened his eyes again, he saw a gray-robed figure standing before him.
The Formless Saint Ancestor stared intently at Li Qing, refusing to miss a single detail. Only after Li Qing's form solidified did he speak slowly:
"Where had you gone?"
Li Qing felt a chill run down his spine, but he wasn't surprised.
It was no secret that the Formless Saint Ancestor could forcibly breach the Soul Nurturing Secret Realm.
Li Qing smiled. "Want to know? I'll tell you everything when we get out."
With that, he activated the Moonlight Jade Pendant in his palm, summoning a light gate to escape.
"No need. I'll give you a proper soul-searching and soul-refining. Everything you possess will become mine." The Formless Saint Ancestor moved to stop Li Qing, a flicker of unease in his eyes.
Clang!
A razor-sharp golden sword beam slashed through space at impossible speed, reaching the Formless Saint Ancestor in an instant.
It was too fast. The blade ignored spatial barriers, crossing the distance in a single strike without any visible trajectory.
The Formless Saint Ancestor's pupils constricted as his form flickered into intangibility.
Whoosh!
The sword missed, carving a narrow void rift into the Soul Nurturing Secret Realm's space, which quickly sealed shut.
The Formless Saint Ancestor's form solidified again, but his face had shifted into a new visage.
"Did you just retrieve a treasure sword from some hidden place?"
"Impressive power. I lost an incarnation to that unexpected strike."
"But you won't get another chance!"
Li Qing ignored him, instead chuckling confidently. "Is that so?"
"Then try chasing me out and see!"
The Formless Saint Ancestor misunderstood, believing Li Qing's killing sword had already been fully refined and that its power was limited to what he had just witnessed.
In truth, after Li Qing returned to the Soul Nurturing Secret Realm, the Immortal Slaughtering Sword was still undergoing a massive heavenly tribulation outside. Thick thunderclouds, threatening to crush the sky, had gathered—a world-destroying thunder tribulation!
Only by surviving this spirit treasure tribulation would the Immortal Slaughtering Sword be truly perfected, its power increasing severalfold beyond its current level.
With the Moon Gate now formed, Li Qing saw no need for further banter. He charged straight through the illusory portal.
The Formless Saint Ancestor had no time to hesitate. He feared that if the Moon Gate closed, he would have to expend tremendous effort to deduce and steal heaven's will again to escape.
Such a delay would be far too costly. Without a second thought, he unleashed his peak earthly speed, following Li Qing through the Moon Gate almost simultaneously.
Rumble!
As the Formless Saint Ancestor emerged, he felt a Heavenly Might that made even his heart tremble.
He looked up and saw the thunderclouds that had been gathering for days, heavy and oppressive. This wasn't just a thunder tribulation; it felt like the wrath of the heavens itself.
"How could you have forged a peerless spirit treasure in such a short time?" The Formless Saint Ancestor stared stiffly at the Geng Metal Immortal Slaughtering Sword in Li Qing's hand.
He was certain that this world-destroying thunder tribulation had been triggered by that killing sword.
Zing!
As if sensing that the Heavenly Thunder brewing above was meant for it, the Immortal Slaughtering Sword trembled with eagerness to undergo its tribulation and achieve perfection.
But Li Qing refused to release his grip.
With a thought, a pair of silver-purple bone wings materialized behind him.
In the next instant, Li Qing, wielding the Immortal Slaughtering Sword, charged fiercely toward the Formless Saint Ancestor.
The latter's heart jolted again—another move he hadn't anticipated.
"Have you gone mad? Are you trying to undergo your Divine Transformation Tribulation early?"
But as Li Qing flew forward, he flashed a brilliant smile, his teeth gleaming white.
"No," he declared. "I'm going to kill you!"
(End of the Chapter)
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