Chapter 1262: The Founding Ancestor Vessel
The first treasure was naturally the Buddha Emperor Relic.
Within the relic were condensed all the powers of the Buddha Emperor and the Golden Dragon. It could be refined and absorbed to inherit the supreme sacred paths of the two Great Saints, or it could be used as an offensive weapon, unleashing unmatched power, like a Great Saint Ancient Artifact.
Before the Golden Dragon died, it had set four layers of seals on the relic. Zhang Ruochen had already unlocked the outer three layers. He only needed to unlock the final layer to fully release the relic's power.
For a long time, Zhang Ruochen had planned to break through to the Saint Realm before unlocking the last seal, absorbing the powers of the Buddha Emperor and the Golden Dragon. This would allow him to maintain a fast cultivation speed in the Saint Realm, without needing years or even decades to break through a single realm.
At this stage, Zhang Ruochen possessed dozens of Sacred Medicines and a Sacred Dragon Dragon Pearl, which were enough to support his breakthrough to the Middle-stage Saint realm. He did not need to absorb the Buddhist Qi and Dragon Qi from the relic.
The other treasure, however, was somewhat special. Even Zhang Ruochen was not entirely sure whether it was a Great Saint Ancient Artifact or a Divine Relic Ancient Artifact.
Zhang Ruochen took it out from his Space Ring and placed it on the deck with a thud.
It was a three-zhang-tall bronze ancient cauldron, cast with four legs and two ears, weighing 840,000 jin. Its entire body was covered in verdigris, and beneath the rust were faint, blurry ancient characters.
"Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron."
Standing beneath the bronze cauldron, Zhang Ruochen extended his hand and touched the rusted leg, feeling an ancient charm emanating from the cauldron.
The Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron was the founding ancestor vessel of the Holy Bright Central Empire. It was used in rituals to honor ancestors, gods, and heaven and earth, carrying the empire's national destiny.
After the Holy Bright Central Empire was destroyed, the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron was lost and later obtained by the Moon Worship Demon Sect. Zhang Ruochen had bought it back at the Pearl Light Pavilion auction house, which was under the Moon Worship Demon Sect.
To outsiders, although the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron was the founding ancestor vessel of the Holy Bright Central Empire, it was more of a symbolic item, not a powerful Sacred Artifact.
Some saints of the Moon Worship Demon Sect had spent considerable effort studying the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron but found nothing, unanimously concluding that it was just a bronze vessel made of special material.
"Could the founding ancestor vessel of the Holy Bright Central Empire really be just a simple bronze vessel?"
Zhang Ruochen was skeptical. He rapidly circulated his Saint Qi and struck out with a palm.
"Boom."
The Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron emitted a loud sound like a Buddhist bell being struck, flew out, and crashed into a silver wall of the ghost ship.
Given Zhang Ruochen's current strength, a palm strike could dent even a copper mountain, let alone a copper cauldron.
Yet the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron showed no deformation at all. Only a layer of rust fell off, making the characters on it clearer.
"Truly indestructible. What material is it made of?"
Zhang Ruochen pressed his palm against the surface of the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron and released his Spiritual Power to probe, but it was repelled, unable to enter the bronze.
He then released Saint Qi to try to activate the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron, but there was no response.
"The Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron has been used in all the sacrificial ceremonies since the founding of the Holy Bright Central Empire. Even if it were an ordinary bronze vessel, it should have absorbed some sacrificial power. How could it have no power fluctuation at all?"
Eight hundred years ago, the Ming Emperor had repeatedly mentioned to Zhang Ruochen that the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron was the founding ancestor vessel of the Holy Bright Central Empire, highlighting its importance.
How could an ordinary bronze vessel, no matter how hard, serve as an empire's founding ancestor vessel? How could it bear an empire's national destiny?
Zhang Ruochen's heart stirred. He extended his right hand, palm open, and a cluster of Purifying Divine Flame appeared, emitting a brilliant cyan light.
"I'll try using the Purifying Divine Flame."
Worried that the Purifying Divine Flame might destroy the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron, Zhang Ruochen initially controlled the flame carefully, using it to heat the cauldron.
Even a Sacred Artifact would melt in a very short time when in contact with the Purifying Divine Flame.
However, the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron showed no reaction to the flame.
Zhang Ruochen steeled himself and fully mobilized the Purifying Divine Flame to heat the cauldron.
Continuously releasing the Purifying Divine Flame consumed a great deal of Saint Qi. Even with four Sacred Sources, Zhang Ruochen gradually felt exhausted. His legs and arms trembled, and sweat beaded from his pores.
"Even the Purifying Divine Flame can't harm you. What material were you forged from?"
Feeling discouraged, Zhang Ruochen prepared to withdraw the Purifying Divine Flame...
"Crack."
At that moment, an extremely faint sound came from the cauldron.
Zhang Ruochen was slightly startled and looked up.
A crack appeared on the surface of the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron, like a broken eggshell.
From the crack, strands of golden light emanated.
Finally, a change!
Zhang Ruochen was delighted. He mobilized the remaining Saint Qi in his body and continued to heat the cauldron with the Purifying Divine Flame.
"Crack, crack." Cracking sounds continued.
More and more cracks appeared on the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron, each emitting dazzling golden light.
Xiao Hei, Huang Yanchen, Qing Mo, and Ao Xinyan were all alarmed and rushed over. They looked at the divine cauldron and felt a suffocating aura awakening.
"Boom."
The outer shell of the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron completely fell off. A wave of golden light, carrying a force that could overturn mountains and seas, struck Zhang Ruochen first, sending him flying backward.
Ao Xinyan and Huang Yanchen almost simultaneously used their movement techniques, turning into two streaks of light. They appeared on either side behind Zhang Ruochen, neutralizing the impact and helping him land back on the deck.
Zhang Ruochen had nearly exhausted his Saint Qi and was indeed somewhat weak.
However, his physical body was strong. Even with depleted Saint Qi, he was still a top-tier expert. He quickly recovered, and the weakness disappeared.
"Is this the true form of the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron?"
The cauldron before them was still made of bronze, but without any rust. Instead, it looked like cyan jade, crystal clear.
The surface of the cauldron was covered with raised golden ancient characters, densely packed and countless in number.
These golden characters seemed embedded in the cauldron or perhaps naturally fused with it. Each character emitted a powerful energy fluctuation.
"For tens of thousands of years, the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron was only used for sacrifices. Few probably knew that beneath the shell lay its true body."
Zhang Ruochen marveled as he walked step by step toward the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron.
Even the outer shell was indestructible, requiring the Purifying Divine Flame to remove it. It was hard to imagine how extraordinary the true body of the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron must be.
"This cauldron is clearly an extraordinary war vessel. Let me test its power for you."
With a whoosh, Xiao Hei rushed out first and arrived beneath the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron.
Its claws pressed against the cauldron's body, continuously channeling Saint Qi into it.
Immediately, the golden characters on the cauldron glowed brighter.
Xiao Hei tried to activate the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron, but the cauldron remained motionless, unchanged.
"What's this? It clearly absorbed my Saint Qi, yet there's no reaction."
Unwilling to give up, Xiao Hei continued to channel Saint Qi into the cauldron, but the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron remained beyond its control. Only when its tongue hung out from exhaustion did Xiao Hei have to give up.
"This cauldron is strange. It only absorbs Saint Qi and has no practical use." Xiao Hei said indignantly.
Then, Huang Yanchen, Qing Mo, and Ao Xinyan each tried, but all reached the same conclusion as Xiao Hei.
While they were attempting to control the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron, Zhang Ruochen's Saint Qi had mostly recovered.
"Such a divine cauldron shouldn't be completely powerless. Let me try."
Zhang Ruochen arrived beneath the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron, squinting his eyes in thought.
Since it was the ancestor vessel of the Holy Bright Central Empire, it must be related to the ancestors of the Zhang Clan of the royal family. Perhaps only the blood of a Zhang descendant could unlock its power.
Although Zhang Ruochen was a direct descendant of the Zhang Clan, his current body was not his original one. Even if he released his blood, it would likely have no effect.
Of course, there was another possibility: using a specific cultivation technique and Saint Qi might activate the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron.
For example, the Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture.
Zhang Ruochen had always wondered why only each generation's Ming Emperor could cultivate the Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture.
If the royal family selected more talented descendants to cultivate it, wouldn't the clan become even stronger?
For instance, the Azure Emperor and Chi Yao cultivated the Azure Zhao Divine Art, which had no such restriction; only the next Azure Emperor could cultivate it.
Xiao Hei stood behind and said, "Don't bother. It's useless. It's just a decoration—looks impressive but has no real power."
"Let me try."
Zhang Ruochen activated the seventh layer of the Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture. Saint Qi surged from the Immovable Wisdom King Sacred Source, circulated wildly through his meridians and sacred veins, and shot out from his palm into the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron.
"Whoosh—"
The characters on the Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron became extremely bright and began to pulse lightly.
"Huh."
Xiao Hei let out a surprised sound, its eyes nearly popping out. Could Zhang Ruochen actually control that cauldron?
The Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron slowly rose, floating to a height of several hundred zhang. Golden characters flew out, like stars in the sky, revolving around the bronze ancient cauldron.
Amid the countless golden characters, strands of golden mist flowed, coalescing into the figure of a giant. The aura it emitted was somewhat similar to Zhang Ruochen's Immovable Wisdom King Sacred Image.
But the intensity of the giant figure's aura was countless times stronger than Zhang Ruochen's Immovable Wisdom King Sacred Image.
The golden light spread far and wide, visible even ten thousand li away.
A Blood Saint of the Undying Blood Clan stood at the bow of a ghost ship, gazing at the golden sky in the distance. All of them could feel an immensely powerful wave of Sacred Force.
The Undying Goddess raised her delicate brows slightly and said solemnly, "Such a powerful aura. Could some extraordinary divine weapon or artifact have appeared?"
The Demon Heaven Prince said, "Based on the ghost ship's sailing speed, the golden light is coming from near the silver ghost ship. Even if a divine weapon appears, it will likely benefit Zhang Ruochen."
Beside the Demon Heaven Prince, a Blood Saint sneered disdainfully, "So what if he gets it? With his cultivation, he can't hold onto such a treasure. In the end, that divine weapon will belong to our Undying Blood Clan. Heh."