Chapter 32: Divine Artifacts and Gods
Linley frowned upon hearing this.
Important knowledge about divine artifacts? Important for cultivation?
"A divine artifact is just a weapon. How could it affect cultivation?" Linley was puzzled, but he didn't speak. He simply listened quietly to Muba's narration. In truth, Linley wouldn't fully believe everything Muba said.
Muba's arrival today was far too suspicious.
From what Linley knew, in the four supreme planes and other major planes, powerful experts fought and killed each other. How could they be so polite and courteous? But since Muba was acting this way, Linley naturally received him politely and listened carefully to what he had to say.
"I believe Mr. Linley also knows that divine artifacts are divided into low-grade, mid-grade, and high-grade. Different divine artifacts have some differences in power." Muba looked at Linley.
Linley smiled. "Although I'm not clear on the exact classifications of divine artifacts, at least I know... that divine artifacts have varying levels. What about it? Mr. Muba, what do you mean by bringing this up?"
Muba smiled. "Divine artifacts have different levels. Let's set that aside for now. First, let me ask Mr. Linley—do you know how divine artifacts are forged?"
"No, I don't." Linley replied bluntly.
Linley became more and more confused about what Muba was driving at.
"Linley, I want to tell you... that in truth, whether it's a high-grade divine artifact or a low-grade one, when they are first forged, there is no difference." Muba said with a faint smile. He watched Linley's expression. Sure enough... just as he expected.
Linley was very surprised.
"How could there be no difference?" Linley was extremely puzzled.
On the Yulan continent, weapons forged from ordinary ores and precious ores naturally had different qualities. But divine artifacts...
"The materials of divine artifacts might have some differences, but generally, the difference is not significant." Muba explained in detail. "What determines the grade of a divine artifact is not its 'birth,' but its 'experiences' after being successfully forged."
"Experiences?" Linley didn't quite understand.
Delia beside him remained silent, listening intently as well.
"Yes. For example, an ordinary divine artifact that has just been forged is very common and unremarkable. But if it falls into the hands of a Highgod, and that Highgod treats this divine artifact like a family member, constantly nurturing it with divine power and soul force, and also uses it in battle—say, after a billion years, this divine artifact has killed a million divine-level experts. You would then discover that this divine artifact has actually become a high-grade divine artifact."
Muba smiled at Linley.
After listening, Linley seemed to understand something.
"Any thoughts?" Muba laughed.
Linley vaguely grasped the meaning of Muba's words—'What determines a divine artifact's grade is not its birth, but its subsequent experiences.'
"When forged from precious ores, what real difference is there between one divine artifact and another? The killing aura and spirituality contained within a divine artifact are gradually nurtured through its later experiences. They cannot be bestowed by lifeless ores." Muba continued.
Linley gradually understood.
"Killing aura and spirituality?" Linley began to agree with Muba's explanation in his heart.
"As cultivators, once we set foot on the path of cultivation, we should know that this road is extremely arduous. Becoming a god is already a form of success to some extent." Muba said with emotion. "However, in the seven divine planes and the four supreme planes... there are far too many Demigods like us."
"And divine artifacts are our reliance for protecting ourselves and killing enemies." Muba said solemnly.
Linley also agreed with Muba's statement.
The soul is the foundation of a god!
But what a divine-level expert truly relies on is their comprehension of the laws and a suitable divine artifact! Using divine artifacts and law comprehension to deal with enemies and protect themselves.
"To truly become one with a divine artifact in heart and mind is not so simple." Muba continued. "Does Linley think that simply dripping a drop of blood onto a divine artifact is enough to make it fully serve you?"
Linley looked at Muba with confusion.
Blood-bonding was common knowledge!
"Blood-bonding only signifies that the divine artifact is yours. But to make it communicate with your heart and mind is not that simple. You must understand... a divine artifact, especially one that has existed for a long time, possesses spirituality."
Muba said earnestly, "As a powerful expert grows, so too does his divine artifact grow along with his journey. We must treat our divine artifacts like family, allowing our hearts and souls to resonate with them. Over a long period, especially after the divine artifact has killed many gods, its spirituality grows stronger, and using it becomes easier and easier."
"For example, a powerful expert who cultivates the Way of Destruction uses an ordinary divine artifact. But after using it for tens of millions of years and killing a large number of gods, this divine artifact will also become a divine artifact with the attribute of destruction. For instance... simply by infusing it with divine power, the mere vibration of this divine artifact can cause spatial ripples and even create spatial blades."
Linley's heart trembled.
The Violet Blood Soft Sword!
That was exactly how the Violet Blood Soft Sword was. Linley only needed to infuse it with divine power, and not only did it cause spatial ripples, but it also emitted a sword hum that shook the soul. Linley had always been puzzled by this. Divine artifacts were just forged from ores—why did they have these special traits?
Now, it seemed to be the so-called 'spirituality.'
The Black Heavy Sword, compared to the Violet Blood Soft Sword, was far inferior.
Linley began to believe what Muba was saying.
"Let me use an analogy. A newly forged divine artifact is like a baby. What that baby will become depends on its later experiences. What we need to do is nurture and cultivate it!" Muba explained. "Linley, if you possess a powerful divine artifact, what you need to do is make it acknowledge you."
Linley's heart tightened.
"What does this Muba mean? Does he know I have a powerful divine artifact?" Linley had been suspicious of Muba's visit from the start. Hearing this now, he became even more vigilant.
"Mr. Muba, you say 'acknowledge'?" Linley looked at Muba.
Muba nodded slightly. "Some powerful divine artifacts are extremely precious and rare because, under normal circumstances, a god will only use one or two divine artifacts in their lifetime, cherishing them like their own life. They will almost never give them to others."
"As I said earlier, a newly forged divine artifact is like a baby. But a powerful divine artifact is like an adult. A powerful divine artifact possesses spirituality and is itself very formidable. But since it has 'grown up,' it is also very difficult for it to fully acknowledge its master."
"Only by making it truly acknowledge you can you unleash its true power."
Linley carefully remembered these words.
His own Black Heavy Sword was probably like a 'baby,' needing to be nurtured and grown.
But the Violet Blood Soft Sword had already 'grown up,' possessing spirituality, and would not easily fully acknowledge anyone. Linley believed that the one the Violet Blood Soft Sword truly acknowledged was still that purple-haired, demonic-looking man who had nurtured it from an ordinary divine artifact to its current state.
Muba finally stopped speaking, but his words had given Linley a great shock.
After all, on the path of cultivation, the most important thing for a cultivator was their weapon.
"Acknowledge? How do I make it acknowledge me?" Linley pressed.
"That's hard to say." Muba frowned. "I'll tell you a simple method. That is... during ordinary times, constantly nurture it with your divine power and soul force. This is the most common and most used method. In truth, to make a divine artifact that already has spirituality acknowledge a new master requires you to give a lot."
"If you truly care for it, the divine artifact will feel it."
Muba smiled. "Simply put, don't treat it as a lifeless weapon, but as a living being. Over time, I think the divine artifact will eventually acknowledge you."
Linley nodded slightly.
Treat a divine artifact as a living being!
"What about being the first master of a divine artifact?" Linley asked.
"That's simple. If you constantly nurture and cultivate it, it will naturally fully acknowledge you." Muba said with a smile.
Linley suddenly thought—
His Black Heavy Sword didn't even require blood-bonding. That is to say, it hadn't reached the level for blood-bonding.
"If a weapon's material is close to that of a divine artifact but hasn't reached the level for blood-bonding, then after reaching the divine level, can I continue to use this weapon?" Linley asked. He truly had an emotional attachment to the Black Heavy Sword. He was unwilling to abandon it. In terms of material, it wasn't much inferior to ordinary divine artifacts.
"Haha..."
Muba burst out laughing instead. "Linley, 'blood-bonding' does not represent the quality of a weapon. For example, spatial rings. In the supreme planes, spatial rings are as common as pouches on the Yulan continent. They are very ordinary. Spatial rings can be blood-bonded. Does that make them powerful?"
Linley was stunned.
For so many years, Linley had always believed that blood-bonding was a property a weapon gained upon reaching the divine artifact level. Now it seemed he was wrong.
"Blood-bonding is actually just a technique." Muba smiled.
"For example, an ordinary knife, even just a woodcutter's knife, if it is in the hands of a Sovereign, and that Sovereign constantly nurtures it with his Sovereign power and soul force, after billions of years... this very ordinary knife could even become a 'Sovereign artifact' that surpasses divine artifacts!" Muba explained.
Linley's eyes lit up.
"Sovereign artifact?" This was the first time Linley had heard of Sovereign artifacts.
"Yes, Sovereign artifact." Muba said with a smile. "I forgot to mention. The final level a divine artifact can reach through nurturing is also related to the strength of its master. A newly forged divine artifact, if nurtured and used by a Demigod, and if that Demigod remains a Demigod forever, then this divine artifact will probably only be considered a low-grade divine artifact."
"But if it is nurtured by a God, as long as effort is put in, this divine artifact can become a mid-grade divine artifact. And so on... If a Sovereign wholeheartedly nurtures a weapon, that weapon can eventually reach the level of a Sovereign artifact. As for the weapon's original 'birth,' that is not important."
Linley nodded slightly.
Muba could tell that this Linley probably had a weapon from the mortal world.
After listening to Muba's explanation, Linley felt a wave of relief.
At least he didn't have to change his weapon. Originally, Linley had worried that as his strength increased, the Black Heavy Sword would not be suitable for high-level battles. But now it seemed there was no need for that. Hadn't he just heard that a woodcutter's knife in a Sovereign's hands, as long as the Sovereign nurtured it wholeheartedly and for long enough, could become a Sovereign artifact?
"My Black Heavy Sword is at least much better than a woodcutter's knife."
Linley's mood improved after hearing this.
"Mr. Linley, I won't disturb you any longer. I'll take my leave now." Muba stood up with a smile.
Linley and Delia also quickly stood up.
Regardless of Muba's intentions, Linley was grateful for everything Muba had told him today. And based on the situation with the Violet Blood Soft Sword, Linley believed what Muba said was true.
After seeing Muba off.
"So forming a truly powerful divine artifact is this complicated." Delia sighed.
Linley laughed. "Actually, this makes sense. Only by nurturing and cultivating with one's whole heart can a truly powerful divine artifact gradually form. If it were just a matter of good materials and high forging skill, then powerful divine artifacts would be far too common."
Linley made up his mind.
From now on, he would treat the Black Heavy Sword and the Violet Blood Soft Sword even more seriously.
As he cultivated and climbed to the peak, his divine artifacts would grow alongside him...