Chapter 631: Five Elements Holy Armor's New Function, Refining Yin Five Elements into the Body

The refining method for the Immortal Locking Pagoda originated from the "Myriad Laws of the Void Heaven." Indeed, these myriad secret techniques encompass combat, support, breakthroughs, reconnaissance, and more. They also include secret incantations related to artifact refining!

This pagoda was likely a suppression artifact developed and created by the Nine Tribulations Rogue Cultivator specifically for the Spirit Eye Race. Their dao enemy, "Purple-Eyed Immortal," was one of the true immortals of the Spirit Eye Race. This race is quite powerful, though slightly inferior to humans. However, they possess a cluster of worlds called the "Eyeless Immortal Domain" in the Cosmic Sea. Officially, they are allies with humanity, and their physical appearance, aside from the third eye on their forehead, is over ninety percent similar to human features. Similar alliances include the Celestial Race, the Eight-Armed Race, and the Ancient Race—all of whom bear a high resemblance to humans and are comparable in strength. Among non-human races, only the "Auspicious Beast Race"—or rather, the true spirits regarded as symbols of good fortune by ancient peoples, such as phoenixes, qilin, basalts, azure dragons, and vermilion birds—are allies. Their representative is the Celestial Fortune Immortal Domain!

But back to the main topic. The Immortal Locking Pagoda can isolate spiritual energy, creating an absolute anti-spiritual environment within. It also features multiple layers of spatial suppression, completely prohibiting the use of any spatial secret techniques. The extremely solidified space also results in an exceptionally high spatial density within the pagoda. The effect is that those suppressed feel as if they are being crushed by an invisible force, with immense pressure permeating their internal organs. If their strength is too weak, they would likely be pulverized upon entering. Although divine sense is not bound, it feels as if one is in an boundless, infinite space, unable to reach the inner walls of the Immortal Locking Pagoda no matter how far it extends, thus preventing any influence on the pagoda itself. This is equivalent to transforming the "Inch Stopping Secret Art" into permanent artifact patterns, applied to the artifact.

It comprehensively seals off the suppressed individual from the aspects of essence, qi, and spirit. Unless one comprehends Dao principles, there is no possibility of breaking free independently. Void Refining cultivators typically gain mastery of spatial Dao principles to an introductory level as they advance their cultivation. This ability arises from the profound changes of their realm, akin to naturally possessing limbs, allowing them to use it with effortless ease. The Immortal Locking Pagoda cannot trap other Dao principles. However, spatial Dao principles *are* within its scope of ability. This special artifact also has effects specifically targeting the innate divine abilities of the Spirit Eye Race, which will not be elaborated on here. Even without those specific effects, its other capabilities make it the most useful artifact Wang Yu could choose. Furthermore, once refined, it can be used to suppress anyone who needs to be imprisoned in the future. It can hold anyone whose cultivation has not reached the Dao Integration realm, or who is not at the level of a heaven-defying prodigy.

Consequently, the materials required to craft it are also extremely precious. Wang Yu took out all the Qiankun rings he had accumulated since establishing his Golden Core, melting them down with the "One Qi Demonic Flame" into their most basic spatial spiritual materials, using them as substitutes for the auxiliary materials needed to refine the pagoda. Next were three hundred currents of Void Torrent, a special force generated during spatial collapse, which has miraculous effects when applied to spatial creation. These were gifts from the first batch of passengers. Then there was the Void Rainbow Crystal, a precious material produced by the Xu Kun! Wang Yu had previously collected over ten tons of it, largely excreted by the Xu Kun after devouring Temporal Light. It was highly suitable for creating the inner wall layers of the Immortal Locking Pagoda.

Following that came the fares gifted by the second batch of passengers. The Sky-Suppressing Divine Stone—a top-grade material for crafting the outermost layer of the Immortal Locking Pagoda—can imbue the pagoda body with incredibly strong "spatial gravity" while simultaneously providing exceptional hardness and indestructibility. Starcraft Dead Gold—the core of a star after its demise, possessing spirit-nullifying and spirit-prohibiting properties, making it ideal for refining the inner walls of the Immortal Locking Pagoda.

And so, for the pagoda's base, he chose the Qiankun Jade, employing the profound principles of Heaven and Earth's duality to apply a double sealing effect. The precious pearl at the pagoda's peak was the Darklight Profound Pearl, capable of engulfing divine sense and imbuing the suppressed individual's primordial spirit with physical characteristics, thus achieving a third layer of suppression. The refining of the Immortal Locking Pagoda was not only a culmination of the Nine Tribulations Rogue Cultivator's efforts but also incorporated Wang Yu's own needs and understanding, undergoing a secondary refinement. Such profound and mysterious artifacts cannot be categorized within the standard grading system for conventional magic treasures, nor can they naturally develop sentience or give birth to artifact spirits. Only through the art of essence and spirit infusion can an artifact spirit be artificially created.

The refining methods for such artifacts are more akin to those used by ancient cultivators. These methods were widely prevalent before the current standardized classification of spiritual refining into the path of immortality. Hence, these artifacts were also known as ancient treasures, often found in the cave dwellings and ruins left by ancient cultivators. The era referred to as "ancient cultivators" by the Boundless Immortal Domain likely dates back tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions, of years. The ancient methods for refining treasures are not ineffective; rather, they are highly specialized, consume excessive resources, and are thus unsuitable for ordinary cultivators. For "wealthy cultivators," as long as the artifact's effects are exceptional, refining a few more pieces is no big deal.

The Immortal Locking Pagoda was Wang Yu's choice for suppressing his physical body's breakthrough. It will also be incredibly useful in the Demonic Cultivation World in the future, so he put great care into its refinement. The ancient demon-refining arts he once acquired were likely an inheritance from ancient cultivators. Of the four sections—Artifacts, Talismans, Elixirs, and Formations—ignoring the incomplete chapters, currently, only the "Demon Refining Artifact Art" has been fully utilized by him, having long since transcended its original framework. Combined with Feng Shui techniques, it yielded the "Natural Artifact Refining Method," with the Dragon-Patterned Black Gold Crown as its prime example! Integrating his learning and insights from the Myriad Treasures Secret Realm, along with the cultivation methods for refining personal magic treasures, these represent the most popular artifact refining techniques today. The Yanluo Emperor Sword and the Thirty-Six Petal Blood Lotus Furnace were both created this way. The Immortal Locking Pagoda and the Thunder Emperor Armor represent his third attempt at artifact refining: ancient methods. Older doesn't necessarily mean better; what suits one best is truly the strongest. The secret artifact was precisely what Wang Yu urgently needed at this moment.

To be fair, to this day, he has spent significantly more effort on artifact refining than on alchemy, and his proficiency in it has surpassed his alchemy skills. His alchemy techniques have diverged, now entirely focused on his insights and experiences with Human Elixir Dao and Blood Elixir Dao. It is no longer his primary cultivated skill.

As the refining of the Immortal Locking Pagoda proceeded smoothly, the crafting process for the Thunder Emperor Armor officially began. This artifact was considerably more complex. It is the only "divine artifact" fully documented in the "Lunar Body Refining Treasure Scroll." This item belongs to the Star God system. As for why the Lunar Star God's artifact refining method results in a thunder-path divine artifact, that remains unknown, but it is certainly not used for transcending tribulations. Innate deities are born from the Heavenly Dao; there is no concept of thunder tribulations when they break through major realms. Unless they actively provoke a tribulation to temper their bodies, this stage simply does not exist for them.

Divine artifacts are different from cultivators' magic treasures. They are more akin to ultimate Dao artifacts instinctively created, conceptually similar to the flame Dao ultimate artifact that accompanies Qing Qing, but far more powerful. For refining the Thunder Emperor Armor, the best material is a fragment of the Tianji Star Core! This is one of the Big Dipper's seven stars, symbolizing thunder and the birth of spring. Acquiring the actual Tianji Star from the Cosmic Sea is out of the question, but star projections in minor worlds are attainable. Projections may appear illusory, but they are, in fact, substantial. This was confirmed multiple times when studying the Lunar Star. Given the vastness of the Myriad Worlds, a fragment of a Tianji Star projection's core is just that. Wang Yu had acquired it long ago; it was also part of the fare from the second batch of passengers. He had always intended to collect top-tier precious materials by doing this business. With a clear objective, the materials for refining both treasures were already fully gathered. Although the projection cannot be used to refine a true Thunder Emperor Armor, one of its core abilities is to absorb thunder to advance, and heavenly tribulation lightning is naturally within its absorption range.

Wang Yu had very limited knowledge of divine artifacts. Even in the inherited memories of Fei and Ice Phoenix, there wasn't much information. Thus, he chose to use it as a backup plan to overcome the Void Refining Thunder Tribulation, purely for its ability to absorb all kinds of lightning to enhance itself. As a mere contingency, it was already sufficient! Furthermore, since this item is not a common artifact type in the Boundless Immortal Domain, he would not rashly use it unless absolutely necessary. Its current value is solely as a "safeguard."

Wang Yu was highly proficient at multitasking. He could even divide his attention a third way, beginning the final separation of the Yin Five Elements Unusual Formation. The One Qi Demonic Flame was sufficiently powerful, and this refining process did not involve complex Dao pattern integration. Coupled with extensive preparations, the refining speed would be astonishingly fast. Therefore, Wang Yu simultaneously began the third step of his physical body breakthrough: —Heaven Devourer!!!

Two-thirds of his divine sense stabilized the ongoing artifact refining, while the remaining one-third of his divine sense focused on the water element of the Yin Five Elements cycle as its starting point. He began to strip it from this world and refine it into his own body. The Undying Nether Dragon Art operated at maximum speed, causing vast quantities of Yin Nether Qi and blood to pour out from the Primordial True Marrow in his dragon spine, transforming into streams of Undying Nether Dragons. Under the activation of Wang Yu's pre-set Feng Shui formation, the Yin Five Elements cycle, which had been nurtured for over thirty years, erupted with an incredibly intense surge of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy. This was stimulated to its extreme in a short period, using a "draining the pond to catch the fish" method, thereby significantly boosting the refining effect. The Heaven Devourer step proceeded very smoothly!

Nine hundred-zhang-long Undying Nether Dragons spewed endless black flames from their mouths, transforming into fiery iron chains that pulled the "Turbid Pit" (Water Element) out of the ground. Under initial refinement, it transformed into a turbid yellow, rhomboid crystal, detaching from the Five Elements Corpse Pits. Such a phenomenon drew rolling black clouds, with the might of heavenly lightning surging through them, like numerous thunder snakes thrashing wildly—this was... Heavenly Wrath! Just as cultivators ascending would take away a portion of the world's origin, Heaven Devourer was akin to taking a bite out of the world itself. Given the Mountain Sea Realm's size, merely a sliver of the Yin Five Elements' elemental power was enough to satisfy Wang Yu's breakthrough requirements. Yet, it was still enraged. However, due to the world's insufficient tier, it could not send down a thunder tribulation to block a breakthrough to the Void Refining Stage. It could only rage impotently in the sky, instinctively trying to reclaim the draining portion of the Yin Five Elements' principles. It was like a tug-of-war, attempting to completely pull Wang Yu down.

The cultivators gathered in the Five Elements Corpse Workshop watched this scene with utter astonishment. Those knowledgeable understood what the Wei Clan Patriarch was doing, while the ignorant believed the Wei Clan had incurred Heavenly Wrath. They thought he had committed some heinous act that provoked both heaven and man. Discussions erupted, and this peculiar fluctuation gradually spread throughout Yunzhou, causing all Spirit Transformation cultivators across the entire Mountain Sea Realm to sense the celestial change. They couldn't help but marvel.

"This Wei Wuxian is truly audacious. Does he not know that the Mountain Sea Realm belongs to the Oblivion Dao Lineage? I wonder how the Minor Zenith Palace will react to such an act."

"Devouring Heaven to refine the body, transforming the Five Elements into his internal organs, and indirectly acquiring the power of principles... This is a breakthrough to the sixth stage of body refinement! Under the rules of the Immortal Palace, breakthroughs in minor worlds are forbidden. I wonder how he will handle this."

Meanwhile, at the Minor Zenith Palace. After Patriarch Li Chunyi of Absolute Love departed, two late-stage Spirit Transformation elders jointly managed the ascension passage. The commotion caused by Wang Yu was naturally sensed by them. Carving flesh from the Mountain Sea Realm was also damaging the interests of the Oblivion Dao Lineage, so they ought to intervene, both logically and emotionally. However...

"No need to intervene. Before Daoist Li left, he mentioned Wei Wuxian's intentions. This portion of Yin Five Elements' principles is considered one of the Oblivion Dao Lineage's rewards to him."

The other elder opened his mouth but couldn't utter a word. He could only scratch his head, reluctantly abandoning his original plan.

At the Five Elements Corpse Workshop, regardless of the turmoil outside, Wang Yu continued with his Heaven Devourer step. By this time, the "Dead Coffin Pit" (Wood Element) and the "Nether Earth Pit" (Earth Element) had already transformed into distinct Dao principle crystals and merged into his internal organs. The "Nurturing Malice Pit," representing the Metal Element, encountered a slight problem. But after spending a bit more time, he managed to pull it in. It wasn't a serious issue. After the Nurturing Malice Pit came the Corpse Fire Pit, the final piece of the Yin Five Elements puzzle. It was the most difficult to integrate and the slowest to extract. The first four elements took only about a month. The last one would take at least half a year.

As time passed, more and more Spirit Transformation cultivators arrived in Yunzhou to observe. One should know that a pure body refiner breaking through to the sixth stage is an incredibly rare occurrence. Even cultivators who practiced both Dharma and Body cultivation had long since integrated their paths, essentially still following the path of spiritual refinement to immortality, merely incorporating a powerful physique. This was unlike Wang Yu's situation, where he cultivated multiple fundamental arts.

Before the Fire Element entered his body, the Immortal Locking Pagoda and the Thunder Emperor Armor were successively completed. The latter, perhaps because it was a "beggar's version" of the refinement, looked rather dilapidated. Although undamaged, it was plain and unremarkable, dull gray in color, and completely unappealing. The Immortal Locking Pagoda, however, emitted spatial silver light. The mere spatial ripples generated by its movement could suppress Nascent Soul cultivators into the ground. Its inherent weight was also considerable; using it to strike someone would likely be quite effective.

With this thought in mind, he pulled hard, and the crystal representing the Yin Fire Dao principles fully integrated into his body, just as the Immortal Locking Pagoda settled above his head. A sensation of weakness emanated from within him. 'Something is wrong...' Wang Yu frowned, and upon carefully examining his internal organs, he discovered that the five crystals, formed from the Yin Five Elements' Dao principles, were insufficient in mass! They had only permeated two-thirds of his internal organs. This situation was completely unexpected for Wang Yu. Despite his thorough preparations, such a change still occurred. The only variable, in fact, was himself. In a flash, he had already understood the reason: the talent changes brought about after acquiring the Corpse of the Dao-Snatching Fei, which significantly enhanced his physical potential and foundation. This resulted in the previously estimated Yin Five Elements cycle being insufficient. While this meant he would become even stronger after his breakthrough, which was a good thing, the timing, however, was wrong, making it a bad thing.

Fortunately, Wang Yu always had a Plan B. "Five Elements Heavenly Escape Sacred Armor, my apologies!" The situation was sudden. Out of necessity, Wang Yu completely drained the essence of this precious armor. Its original artifact spirit was directly cast into the Immortal Locking Pagoda, while the Five Elements' essence was converted from Yang to Yin using the remaining formation. This filled the deficiency in his body's five internal organs. This armor would now be beyond repair, a breach of Wang Yu's original promise. The original artifact spirit would naturally be furious and extremely uncooperative. This would require renegotiating terms.