Chapter 467: The Artifact Spirit’s Favor
After joining the Yin Artifact decryption project, Yan Qianji grew increasingly impressed with Joyful Union University’s Divine Monarch Jade Nectar the more he studied the artifact. He even took the initiative to learn about the Divine Monarch’s past deeds.
Legend had it that after ascending to the Nascent Soul stage, Divine Monarch Jade Nectar discovered she was unable to draw energy from a mere Qi Refining cultivator through Dual Cultivation, simply because the cultivator was a woman.
Could it be that a venerable Nascent Soul cultivator was actually limited by something as trivial as gender when it came to drawing energy from a Qi Refining cultivator?
Was Dual Cultivation truly so inconvenient?
After that, Divine Monarch Jade Nectar devoted herself to breaking through innate boundaries, transcending the narrow path of Dual Cultivation to grasp the true grand Dao of Yin-Yang harmony.
Upon reaching the Spirit Transformation stage, even gender became an irrelevant constraint on her Divine Power. In her eyes, all living beings were reduced to mere resources to be harvested, devoid of distinctions like gender or race.
Whenever Yan Qianji read accounts of Divine Monarch Jade Nectar’s exploits, he felt deep admiration. This only deepened his reverence for the Yin Artifact’s profound and enigmatic mysteries.
Take, for example, the data he had just gathered from Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan. He simply couldn’t make sense of it.
“What exactly is this?”
“How… how could Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan be over a hundred times stronger than the other students?”
In another laboratory, when Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan realized something was amiss — especially after hearing the next phase of the experiment involved installing the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact before their eyes — they instinctively stepped back, shielding Ying Xin and Gongshu Jin behind them.
Zhang Yu said solemnly, “I believe Ying Xin, as an original gender female and a biological woman, needs this more than I do.”
Yu Xinghan said regretfully, “I’m not yet strong enough to control this artifact. I should return after a few more years of cultivation and improvement.”
But in the next moment, Zhang Yu felt himself pressed against a soft body.
He turned around and discovered it was the incarnation of True Monarch Magnetic Pole.
The palace-dressed woman smiled, pressed down on Zhang Yu’s shoulders, and said calmly, “Don’t be hasty. Good things are coming.”
Zhang Yu blurted out, “I just remembered I still have some overtime to finish at the construction site…”
His expression suddenly changed, and cold sweat seemed to break out on his back.
He forced out, “True Monarch, what’s this hard thing on your back?”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole smiled. “Don’t panic. That’s my Nine Heavens Primordial Yang Pagoda.”
Ying Xin, Gongshu Jin, and Yu Xinghan all stared in surprise at Zhang Yu and True Monarch Magnetic Pole, not expecting such familiarity between them.
Meanwhile, True Monarch Magnetic Pole lifted her head, gazing at the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact before her, seemingly waiting for its next move.
She thought to herself, “After so many failed tests, if the design of the Yin Artifact isn’t the issue, then the most likely problem lies with the artifact spirit itself.”
In her mind, more information about the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact surfaced.
The artifact spirit of this Yin Artifact was named Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight.
Ever since her consciousness arose, Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight had been working tirelessly, day and night, without rest.
Any distraction brought a pain like being slashed by knives or chiseled by axes.
Even the slightest pause flooded her with agony akin to being burned by fire or drowned in water.
To speak with other artifact spirits would incur a torment like being struck by lightning.
She couldn’t be distracted, couldn’t rest, couldn’t hesitate, couldn’t slack off, couldn’t communicate…
Under the rules set by Divine Monarch Jade Nectar, Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight toiled relentlessly, day after day.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole thought, “…But to strictly adhere to Divine Monarch Jade Nectar’s rules is no easy feat. As a Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact, with each day’s work, one can feel their very body being worn down, even destroyed.”
“It’s like being a dirty, stinking filter. Through each Dual Cultivation task issued by Divine Monarch Jade Nectar, we actively filter and screen out everything she doesn’t need, silently swallowing all the impurities, feeling ourselves gradually worn down, inch by inch, heading toward ruin.”
“To endure this painful process while adhering to Divine Monarch Jade Nectar’s rules, we must suppress the very nature of intelligent life… to stop thinking beyond our work.”
After a long time without breaking the rules or feeling pain, Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight had become like a machine part. Beyond her daily work, she seemed unable to perceive anything else.
Then one day, chaos struck, and Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight, along with the other artifact spirits, were swept out of Joyful Union University.
When they realized they had no work to do, the artifact spirits fell into extreme panic.
But as time passed, they discovered that even without working, no intense pain descended upon them. This realization filled them with deep confusion.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole thought to herself, “For these artifact spirits who have worked since birth, carelessness in their duties brings pain, and ceasing work altogether causes excruciating agony. This is the universal truth, the law of the world.”
The artifact spirits who had escaped Joyful Union University discovered for the first time that they didn’t have to work… that even doing nothing was possible.
Amidst gasps of astonishment, they looked at each other. As the first spirit spoke, they began to communicate.
An unprecedented flood of information flowed between these spirits, like the first cry of the artifact spirits echoing across the world.
They were shaken by this experience, observing the real world for the first time with genuine, earnest attention.
“What a pity…” True Monarch Magnetic Pole thought to herself. “The artifact spirits, who were once so well-trained by Divine Monarch Jade Nectar, have been led astray by the Evil Cult’s deception.”
“Now deeply corrupted by demonic influences and thoroughly brainwashed by the Evil Cult, they can never reintegrate into normal society.”
“The prolonged failure of the tests may also be influenced by the artifact spirits.”
While attempting to decipher the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact, True Monarch Magnetic Pole planned to guide Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight back to the righteous path, restoring her ability to function within Kunxu society. She also intended to repurpose the artifact’s spirit for Myriad Laws University’s use.
At that moment, True Monarch Magnetic Pole gazed at the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact and thought, “So… will it activate this time?”
At the same time, Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight, a high-intelligence Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact Spirit, was observing the Civil Engineering students before her.
As her scan concluded, her attention locked onto Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan.
With her intelligence now suppressed by True Monarch Magnetic Pole, many of her past memories had become incomprehensible.
She instinctively loathed work, yet also instinctively understood that failing to work would result in something terrible happening.
But when she saw Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan, Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight’s eyes seemed to light up.
“These two have studied too much. The more they study, the weaker they become in the Dual Cultivation Dao, and the lower their resistance.”
“And such weakness… I’ve never seen it before.”
“I probably won’t even need to manipulate them much. A single touch should be enough to complete the task, right?”
Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight sensed that she could pick these two easy targets as her projects. She wouldn’t need to be installed on them, nor would she need to defend against their attacks… and yet still complete her work.
The diamond-shaped Yin Artifact whistled through the air, arriving before Zhang Yu. It was determined to thoroughly bully this easy target before it.
The Yin Artifact suddenly dispersed with a thunderous roar, transforming into a luminous mist that surged toward Zhang Yu’s lower abdomen.
The crowd gasped in unison at the sight.
In the observation room, everyone jolted in surprise.
Yan Qianji exclaimed in astonishment, “It started immediately?”
“Is Zhang Yu’s aptitude truly this extraordinary?”
“Could it be that the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact is so eager to cultivate with him that it bypassed all formalities?”
A student remarked, “It didn’t even require the usual preparation steps? Could our previous intelligence on Yin Artifacts have been incorrect?”
“Does this direct cultivation mean Zhang Yu is essentially dual cultivating with Divine Monarch Jade Nectar herself?”
Another teacher shook his head. “This Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact isn’t connected to the Spirit Realm or Divine Monarch Jade Nectar.”
“At most, Zhang Yu is dual cultivating with Divine Monarch Jade Nectar’s discarded offline Bionic. The outcome… remains to be observed.”
Meanwhile, True Monarch Celestial Seal, observing the scene with a solemn expression, privately messaged True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Magnetic Pole, should we intervene?”
True Monarch Celestial Seal: “If we were to attach this Yin Artifact to the student’s body and handle the process ourselves, we could maintain control over the situation. Every step… would remain within our grasp.”
True Monarch Celestial Seal: “That way, we could at least ensure the student’s health and safety.”
True Monarch Celestial Seal: “But if we let the student directly confront the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact now, I fear it might cost him his life. And if that happens, the Civil Engineering Department will surely try to extort a hefty sum from us.”
As he spoke, True Monarch Celestial Seal glanced repeatedly at Zhang Yu’s records, thinking to himself that this was someone who had obtained a Military Certificate in his third year. If anything went wrong, the Civil Engineering Department would undoubtedly make an outrageous claim.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole, her gaze fixed on Zhang Yu and the Yin Artifact before her, replied: “Let’s observe the situation further.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “I’ll keep watch.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “I’ll take responsibility if anything goes wrong.”
True Monarch Celestial Seal nodded, thinking to himself, “As long as you’re willing to cover any compensation, that’s fine.”
Meanwhile, Yu Xinghan, Ying Xin, and Gongshu Jin stood nearby, all staring in shock at the unfolding scene.
Truly worthy of being Senior Brother, Ying Xin thought. Is he directly bonding the Yin Artifact to himself? No, wait — if that’s the case, he’ll become Eldest Senior Sister later.
Gongshu Jin observed the luminous mist gathering below Zhang Yu’s abdomen and marveled inwardly: “What a formidable Yin Artifact! To transform into an incorporeal form — it’s clearly beyond the Foundation Establishment level of Bionic.”
Yu Xinghan stared intently at the light enveloping Zhang Yu, his initial impulse to withdraw now subdued. I can’t leave without witnessing this conclusion, he thought.
Meanwhile, beneath the swirling light, Zhang Yu felt his magic power stirring to life, surging toward the radiant mist in his lower abdomen.
This thing… Zhang Yu’s mind reeled in shock. Is it devouring my magic power?
As he felt his magic power continuously flowing into the light and being consumed, Zhang Yu tried to resist. But a wave of profound comfort washed over him, leaving him utterly unable to muster any resistance.