Chapter 1515: Divine Artifact

Essence of Elucidation is not a type of jade; rather, it is a transparent, honey-like yet more viscous liquid. It is contained in a bottle made of primeval stone, with various runic formations carved into its surface to prevent the medicinal properties from dissipating.

Upon opening the lid, an extremely potent surge of elemental energy emanated. Zu An had only recently experienced similar energy in the Summer Secret Realm, but the concentration of energy at this moment was significantly higher than what he felt there.

In addition, it emitted an ancient and profound aura, seemingly imbued with the grand principles of heaven and earth, etched with the laws of the universe. Even a brief contact brought immense benefit, subtly giving one a sense of impending breakthrough in their cultivation.

The Golden Crow Prince, despite his youth, possessed such a high level of cultivation, becoming the foremost among the "Five Prodigies" who overshadowed their peers. This was not only due to his exceptional talent and the occasional guidance from the Demon Emperor, but also largely thanks to the Essence of Elucidation, which made it easier for cultivators to comprehend the Dao and achieve breakthroughs.

However, even someone as noble as the Golden Crow Prince only received one drop of Essence of Elucidation per year, which highlights its immense rarity and value.

This time, Zu An simply took an entire bottle. Of course, to consider the feelings of the Little Demon Empress, he left a small bottle for the future cultivation of the young prince.

Naturally, if this amount of Essence of Elucidation proved insufficient, he would likely take the rest as well, perhaps compensating the mother and son with other treasures.

Zu An activated his forging system, and the spectral image of a large cauldron appeared in the room.

Zu An infused a wisp of White Lotus True Flame into it, and a raging fire instantly erupted within the cauldron. Fortunately, the rooms in the Little Demon Empress's palace had special formation enhancements; otherwise, an ordinary house would likely not withstand such a large cauldron and intense flames.

Zu An added the Heaven-grade ores, which were the most basic materials required for the repair. They served both to fuel the flames and to melt into Heaven-grade metal essence that would integrate into and nourish the Tai'a Sword.

Just as Zu An was about to place the Tai'a Sword inside, he suddenly remembered something and quickly withdrew it.

"Beautiful Master, wake up~" He repeatedly called out to Mi Li in his mind, having forgotten that her spirit body resided within the Tai'a Sword and almost accidentally incinerating her.

"What is it?" After a long summons, a lazy voice finally responded, tinged with a hint of annoyance for disturbing her peaceful slumber.

A graceful and elegant figure lay sideways on a nearby couch. Today, she was not dressed in her usual magnificent palace robes, but rather casually wore a light, soft gown, as if she were a housewife who had just been woken up to answer the door.

Her beautiful hair was simply tied up at her neck, a common hairstyle for women in the pre-Qin era. At this moment, with one hand propping up her chin, her smooth hair cascaded casually over her fair skin, swaying gently in the breeze. This rare sight added a touch of tenderness and charm to her usually heroic demeanor.

The firelight from the central cauldron shone upon her, tracing a breathtaking, curvaceous path like a winding milky-white river.

Zu An couldn't help but wonder if this woman was truly a mythical being known for her perfect figure.

However, after his 'arduous battle' last night, he now felt like a sage, quickly recovering himself. "Beautiful Master, how have you been lately?"

"I'd be better if you hadn't woken me up," Mi Li replied, rolling her eyes beautifully.

"Master, you actually managed to sleep? I almost died countless times in that Unknowable Realm," Zu An began to complain.

"Well, you didn't die, did you?" Mi Li yawned, covering her rosy lips with her delicate hand, her movements still graceful and noble.

Zu An was speechless.

"Master, do you know? In the Unknowable Realm, I played the role of the ancient deity Yi, shooting down the suns in the sky. Later, I even killed the Demon Emperor. And last night, after I came out, I instantly killed several Grandmasters..." He composed himself and began to vividly describe his recent experiences. Though he didn't say it directly, his expression clearly conveyed, "Be amazed and praise me quickly!"

"I know. Since the puppet curse on you was lifted, the Demon Emperor naturally died," Mi Li said calmly, as if she had just heard the most ordinary news.

This left Zu An at a loss. Was his performance not impressive enough, or did this woman simply not care about him?

Seeing his expression, Mi Li's lips curved slightly upward. "Alright, I actually saw everything that happened to you in the secret realm."

"You saw it?"

"Of course. How could I sleep soundly in such a dangerous situation? I was observing you the whole time. I must say, you truly have some skill, kid."

Zu An's expression immediately brightened. It seemed his beautiful master still cared for him.

"As for those Grandmasters last night, they were nothing special. Your other gains from the Unknowable Realm are secondary; the inadvertent nurturing of that 'indomitable will' is truly precious. As long as you keep winning, you will grow stronger and stronger." If Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue had been present, they would have been deeply impressed, as Mi Li had deduced the reason for Zu An's significant increase in combat power with just a glance.

"What if I lose, then?" Zu An frowned.

"If you even entertain that thought, you lose the conviction of being indomitable," Mi Li said blandly.

A chill went through Zu An's heart, and he seemed to gain an understanding.

At this moment, Zu An suddenly remembered something. "Master, since you saw everything, what was going on with the Heavenly Emperor? Do Immortals truly exist in this world?"

"Naturally, they do," Mi Li replied, rising from the couch and walking to the window, gazing at the sky with a somewhat distant look in her eyes. "Before, when I read ancient texts, I thought those accounts were just myths. I never imagined they were real. As for the Unknowable Realm we visited, it's unlike typical secret realms; it might even be a truly existing world."

"A truly existing world?" Zu An was startled. Did that mean figures like the Heavenly Emperor, Sun Goddess, Ten Witches of Spirit Mountain, and Goddess of Wushan were all real?

Mi Li nodded. "That world is a bit strange. If my guess is correct, someone projected a small segment from the river of history into it."

Zu An's expression changed. "How powerful must such a being be?"

To be honest, such methods were beyond his comprehension.

"You don't need to worry about those things yet," Mi Li said slowly. "It contains too many laws of time and space, which even I haven't fully comprehended. However, I do have a vague suspicion..."

Zu An waited for a moment, seeing that she didn't continue. He thought she was waiting for him to prompt her, so he eagerly asked for more details. Unfortunately, she simply replied, "Knowing this won't benefit you. You'll understand when the time is right."

Zu An was left speechless.

He truly hated riddlers.

Mi Li seemed unwilling for him to press the matter further and directly changed the subject. "You didn't just call me out to show off and reminisce, did you?"

Only then did Zu An remember his purpose. He handed over the bottle in his hand. "Beautiful Master, look what this is?"

Mi Li opened the lid and glanced inside. Her formerly calm expression was immediately replaced by surprise. "Essence of Elucidation!"

Seeing her finally display the delight of a young girl, Zu An felt a sense of ease. He thought to himself that her usual unfathomable demeanor was a bit too detached from worldly affairs.

"Of the four items you mentioned before — the Five-Colored Flower of Everlasting Spring, the Essence of Elucidation, and Heavenly Primordial Water — I've already found two. There's one other item you've never told me about. Can you tell me now? That way, I can keep an eye out for it. Otherwise, like this trip to the Demon Race Imperial Treasury, I might have missed the Essence of Elucidation if I didn't know its name," Zu An asked curiously.

"Once you find the Heavenly Primordial Water, I will naturally tell you what the fourth item is. There's no point in telling you now." A faint blush suddenly flitted across Mi Li's fair cheeks.

Zu An thought he had imagined it and was about to ask again, but Mi Li pointed to the large cauldron in the center of the room. "What are you doing?"

Zu An's attention was indeed diverted. "The Tai'a Sword was damaged earlier, wasn't it? I'm taking this opportunity to repair it."

Mi Li sensed the Heaven-grade ores in the cauldron beginning to melt and nodded slightly. "The cultivation method you obtained in the secret realm is indeed excellent. With these Heaven-grade ores, you should be able to repair it successfully."

"And this," Zu An said, holding up a piece of metal and shaking it. "I plan to put this in too. I even specifically found a Meteorite Fire Pill to melt it."

"Cosmic Tribulation Gold!" With Mi Li's knowledge, she naturally recognized it. Her expression became somewhat complex. "This material can be used to forge true divine artifacts. Don't you think it's a waste to use it on the Tai'a Sword?"

Zu An shook his head. "How could it be a waste? The Tai'a Sword is a supreme treasure of both your Chu and Qin states, and now it's even the dwelling of your spirit. It's unlike ordinary Heaven-grade weapons."

Hearing him speak so naturally, a peculiar glint flashed in Mi Li's eyes, though she quickly concealed it. "It's rare to see such filial devotion from you. But you don't need to be disappointed, because the Tai'a Sword is inherently a divine artifact."