Chapter 412: Martial Dao Sacred Body, Great Unity Golden Liquid
Artifact Refinement Laboratory.
As the last wisp of Magic Power flowed into the Yang Fire Smelting Furnace, faint traces of the Magic Power Circuit shimmered across the surface of the Azure Cloud Gathering Pouch.
Over the past few days, through Zhang Yu’s repeated refining, the quality of the Azure Cloud Gathering Pouch’s materials had steadily improved, and its internal Magic Power Circuit had grown increasingly complex and refined.
The magical artifact’s quality had steadily risen to Level 7.
Not only had the range of the Azure Heaven Sand it could release increased from a mere dozen meters to several dozen meters, but the speed, scale, and precision of its deployment had also greatly improved.
Originally capable of supporting only ten Formless Warriors, it could now reliably sustain over twenty.
Zhang Yu’s Artifact Refinement Technique for the Azure Cloud Gathering Pouch had reached Level 10 several days prior.
Despite it being a relatively basic magical artifact with simple techniques, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but smile as he held the Azure Cloud Gathering Pouch in his hand.
This was the first magical artifact in his life that he had repeatedly refined, gradually raising its level step by step.
“Level 7 is sufficient for now. I won’t have time to refine this further.”
Zhang Yu’s next goal was the Foundation Establishment Stage magical artifact, the Great Unity Golden Liquid Pill.
But this time, facing a Foundation Establishment Stage magical artifact, he planned to change his approach.
“First, I’ll push the Great Unity Golden Liquid Pill Technique to Level 20 in the Spirit Realm Simulation Laboratory. Then, I’ll return to the real world and refine the magical artifact, hoping to create a Level 20 Great Unity Golden Liquid Pill in one go.”
In the Spirit Realm’s simulation laboratory:
“First, refine the purity of the Great Unity Refined Gold…”
“Then, secure the materials with a formation…”
“Next, extract the essence…”
“Introduce it into the reaction cauldron…”
“Finally, etch the runes…”
In the Spirit Realm, Zhang Yu manipulated the Gold-Devouring Insect magical artifact with magic seals, etching runes onto the target material.
He understood that runes were standardized spiritual energy circuits, the most concise and efficient means of channeling Magic Power to achieve various functions.
After a long while, a dull, gray-looking iron bead appeared before Zhang Yu.
It possessed no remarkable qualities; even when infused with Magic Power, the energy dissipated immediately.
Watching this, Zhang Yu sighed inwardly, “My first attempt… a complete failure, as expected?”
Although he had mastered the prerequisite techniques for the Great Unity Golden Liquid Pill, his artifact refinement experience remained woefully inadequate.
However, glancing at the Feather Book, where the Great Unity Golden Liquid Pill Technique had already reached Level 1, Zhang Yu smiled faintly and began his next attempt.
In the following days, Zhang Yu shuttled between the construction site and the Spirit Realm’s simulation laboratory, earning money while burning through it.
Despite his construction site income and the Spirit Coins sent by Zhang Pianpian and Wen Wuya, the balance in his account steadily dwindled.
Yet, his Artifact Refinement Technique advanced by leaps and bounds.
A month passed in the blink of an eye, bringing them to mid-February.
Inside the pharamaceutical factory’s office building, Production Manager Qu Lecheng gazed toward the construction site, his eyes sweeping across the dense, misty landscape. A hint of envy flickered in his gaze.
“Zhang Yu really has it easy. Doing so much work alone, he must be earning five or six Spirit Coins a month, right?”
“And he doesn’t have to worry about managing anyone, no need to fear Junior College students maliciously calling in sick or quitting, or worry about disruptions to our export channels…”
Qu Lecheng knew that many of the factory’s medicines were sold to the upper echelons of society.
But selling to the elite didn’t mean high profits. In fact, each product’s profit margin was razor-thin, relying on sheer volume to turn a profit.
“Sigh, if our export quantities to the upper tiers fall short, the factory won’t just fail to make a profit — it’ll struggle to even stay afloat.”
As for raising prices for the upper tiers? Qu Lecheng wouldn’t even dare to entertain the thought.
“Still, if the University War continues to escalate, selling more medicines to the teachers and students on the Second Layer might bring in some extra revenue…”
Just then, the perpetually swirling clouds and mist over the construction site abruptly stilled. Qu Lecheng wondered aloud, “It’s not quitting time yet, is it?”
Within the swirling mists, Zhang Yu had finally pushed the tenth cultivation art of the Martial Dao Sacred Body to Level 20, unlocking the final tier of effects in the Chain Formation Diagram.
Ultimate - Martial Dao Sacred Body (10/10): One breakthrough leads to all. The more martial arts of the same type you cultivate, the greater the enhancement to related techniques: breaking defenses, parrying, borrowing momentum, evasion, destruction, area of effect, attack speed, frequency, penetrating power, and more. The maximum enhancement is capped at the Foundation Establishment Limit.
“Finally…”
A faint smile spread across Zhang Yu’s face as he gazed at the description of the Martial Dao Sacred Body’s final tier. “Good! Powerful!” he thought, deeply impressed.
Even from just reading the description, Zhang Yu could sense the immense power of the Martial Dao Sacred Body.
As he cycled through his martial arts — the Profound Yellow Mountain-Suppressing Seal, Great Wilderness Mountain-Shifting Force, Heaven-Turning Seal, Battle Demon Life-Shattering Art, Star Firmament Meridian-Rushing Grand Art, and more — he grew increasingly aware of the Martial Dao Sacred Body’s overwhelming strength.
“Martial arts of the same type seem to be categorized by whether they’re unarmed, Gang Qi-based, or weapon-based.”
“The martial arts I frequently use have all undergone a qualitative leap in power.”
“Combined with the combat prowess of the Martial Dao Sacred Body’s First Layer and the Martial Dao Micro-Control effect of the Second Layer…”
Zhang Yu was confident that with the combined effects of the Martial Dao Sacred Body’s Third Layer, he could defeat his non-Martial Dao Sacred Body self within dozens of moves.
Of course, this assumed his non-Martial Dao Sacred Body self hadn’t activated the Civil Engineering Sacred Body either.
Combat was secondary, however. Zhang Yu believed that the final layer of the Martial Dao Sacred Body would further boost his construction site earnings.
Yet he also knew his expenses would increase accordingly.
“That’s enough cultivation for now.”
“I’ll spend the next period earning money at the construction site using the Martial Dao Sacred Body.”
“With the money I earn… I’ll focus entirely on artifact refinement!”
Time flew by, and it was already mid-March.
In the dormitory, Zhang Yu withdrew his hand from Xuan Ge’s back, sensing the Dao Seed he had copied from him.
Despite his busy schedule of studies, work, and cultivation, Zhang Yu occasionally found time to improve the Magic Power Quality of Le Mulan’s classmate.
Finally, on this day, he had raised Xuan Ge’s Magic Power Quality to 150%, successfully copying his Dao Seed.
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “The Blazing Sun Meridian, huh?”
Meanwhile, Xuan Ge, feeling the surging Fire Force within him, exclaimed excitedly, “My Magic Power… it feels like it’s undergone a qualitative transformation!”
Zhang Yu nodded casually, glancing at the Dao Seed on Xuan Ge’s body. “Does a Level 2 Blazing Sun Meridian require 200% Magic Power Quality?” he wondered.
He knew that improving Magic Power Quality became increasingly difficult at higher levels, making 200% unattainable in the short term.
After dismissing Xuan Ge with a perfunctory farewell, Zhang Yu began to carefully examine the effects of the Blazing Sun Meridian.
“Enhanced Gang Qi circulation efficiency, improved physical movement efficiency, and a destructive heating effect…”
Zhang Yu spread his palm, watching the invisible fiery aura surge from his palm. “I wonder if this will help with artifact refinement,” he mused.
He glanced at his Feather Book, where the Great Unity Golden Liquid Pill Technique had reached Level 12.
His savings had grown to 45 Spirit Coins.
Inside a Plantation Tower in the wilderness, Zhang Yu had been assigned to construction work after completing the pharamaceutical factory project.
The Plantation Tower was one of the few places where the company cultivated Heavenly Essence Rice and Earth Qi Wheat.
With most arable land reserved for medicinal fields to meet the demands of the upper echelons, the cultivation of Heavenly Essence Rice and Earth Qi Wheat had been confined to the Plantation Tower, occupying the smallest possible area.
Despite its limited size, Zhang Yu noticed the tower was heavily guarded, both inside and out. It felt less like a farming facility and more like a vault.
Che Yufei, walking beside him, explained, “Only Upper College Students and students from the Ten Greats are authorized to enter the Plantation Tower.”
“You’d be hard-pressed to find even a Lower College Student here, let alone a Junior College Student.”
Zhang Yu asked curiously, “Why aren’t Junior College Students allowed to farm?”
Che Yufei gave him a strange look. “Junior College Students? Farming? How many of them could you hire with just a handful of Heavenly Essence Rice? They’re too poor to understand proper cultivation.”
“Farming is a high-value occupation. At least Upper College Students are qualified to handle it, and the critical techniques must be controlled by students from the Ten Greats.”
Zhang Yu shrugged helplessly. “Fine. Where do I need to make repairs?”
Although this project paid more than the pharamaceutical factory, the higher wilderness travel expenses forced Zhang Yu to suspend his artifact refinement simulations in the Spirit Realm.
“I’ll save up here and resume my cultivation when I get back.”
The Great Unity Golden Liquid Pill Technique on his Feather Book had reached Level 17, while his savings had dwindled to 35 Spirit Coins.
It was now April.
Inside the Artifact Refinement Laboratory, having completed the Plantation Tower project, Zhang Yu had finally returned to University City. Shortly after, he had cultivated the Great Unity Golden Liquid Pill Technique to Level 20.
Now, his Gang Qi flowed freely as he skillfully operated the laboratory’s various instruments and equipment, beginning his first real-world attempt at refining the Great Unity Golden Liquid Pill.
As the primary material, Great Unity Refined Gold, was tempered, purified, and shaped…
Zhang Yu then added various precious ingredients to the reaction vessel.
This time, refining the Great Unity Golden Liquid Pill had cost him 18 Spirit Coins in basic materials alone.
Having familiarized himself with the refining process countless times, Zhang Yu now replicated it in reality.
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Relying on the Blazing Sun Meridian in the real world has indeed made purifying Great Unity Refined Gold and controlling the Yang Fire Smelting Furnace’s heat much easier.”
Finally, as a perfectly round golden pearl gradually materialized under the scorching heat of the Yang Fire Smelting Furnace, Zhang Yu channeled his Magic Power from his fingertips.
Within the golden pearl, layers of Magic Power Circuits flickered with light before fading into stillness.
“A Level 20 Great Unity Golden Liquid Pill…”
After testing the pearl’s efficacy, Zhang Yu exclaimed inwardly, “It’s done!”
As Zhang Yu infused the pill with his Magic Power, it seemed to come alive, expanding rapidly. Guided by his will, it transformed into a shapeless, ever-shifting mass of golden liquid.
With a surge of Gang Qi, Zhang Yu enveloped the golden liquid, manipulating it to mimic the Gang Qi’s transformations. One moment it formed a longsword, the next a colossal palm, and then it flowed like a surging river.
Ultimately, under Zhang Yu’s control, the Great Unity Golden Liquid Pill enveloped the Formless Warrior, transforming it into a golden-armored divine general.