Chapter 628: Weapon Art Secret
A divine moon hung in the sky, bright and clear, its watery radiance spilling down like a thin veil over the mountainous terrain, casting a pale, hazy glow.
On the stone wall, the weapon imprints were few, their carvings crude, but now they were vastly different. Moonlight scattered down, serene and harmonious; the weapon prints glowed and began to shift.
"It's different now, transforming the mundane into the miraculous..." Ye Fan marveled, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the sight.
The crude etchings had turned into the divine charm of the Dao. Every single line resembled a true dragon, a Kunpeng, a Qilin, a Divine Phoenix—ineffably wondrous.
As the moon reached its zenith, divine radiance flowed like water, cascading down. All the imprints on the stone wall came alive, the carved lines moving, completely unlike what he had seen moments before.
An ancient aura rushed toward him, carrying a sense of vicissitude and grandeur. The imprints of the Daoist tradition flickered, and a ethereal, divine sound echoed forth.
Ye Fan's heart shook. He could hardly believe it. A set of crude weapon diagrams had now undergone a complete transformation, utterly different from before.
He saw a great tripod—a round vessel with three legs and two ears. The Dao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, representing the tangible traces of the Dao. He saw a great bell, unique in heaven and earth, symbolizing time and eternity. He glimpsed an ancient pagoda, divided into nine levels, representing the nine heavens and boundless space.
Other weapons—mirrors, furnaces, spears, swords, staves—also appeared one by one, each representing a mysterious law, each evolving its own distinct world, profound and intricate.
Ye Fan was captivated, his mind unable to pull away. He was completely immersed, vaguely hearing someone chanting scriptures, coming from beyond the realm, straight into the sea of his heart.
He released his mind, his divine sense calm and serene, slowly comprehending, carefully observing. It was like listening to the great Dao of creation, utterly entranced, his eyes filled with nothing but ancient weapons.
Yet, whenever he tried to grasp it, it felt elusive and distant, always just out of reach—close at hand, yet seemingly far at the edge of the horizon.
The tripod, bell, pagoda, spear, sword, and other weapons revolved in turn. The wall carvings flickered, now seeming to transform into a jade tablet, gradually becoming crystalline, swallowing the moonlight.
Ye Fan, in a state of selflessness, stood motionless before the stone wall. At his brow, the small golden lake blazed brilliantly, and a tiny golden figure stepped out, hovering before his forehead.
The golden figure was identical to Ye Fan, staring at the stone carvings, its entire body shimmering with Dao patterns—the marks of the Dao, carrying an indescribable divine charm.
At that moment, the tripod, bell, pagoda, furnace, mirror, spear, and sword all began to spin, starting to reassemble, and then they decomposed, condensing into a single character: **Weapon**!
As this character emerged, the heavens, stars, and universe all stirred. Ye Fan felt his eardrums buzz with a roar, a grand celestial sound descending from beyond the realm, deafening and enlightening.
Each word was like a blade, each sentence like a sword, cleaving at one's divine soul. Ordinary people could not withstand it; it could shatter the heart and split the sea of consciousness.
Ye Fan's divine sense—the tiny golden figure—had undergone over a dozen heavenly tribulations, breathing in celestial thunder, and had long been tempered. Thus, he endured it.
Nevertheless, he still felt the impact, as if an eternal immortal weapon were pressing down on him, shaking him violently, nearly forcing him to roar at the sky.
"Weapon Art Secret!"
Ye Fan endured the pain of the weapon's edge pressing against his body, threatening to shatter him, and couldn't help but cry out in surprise. After a thousand calls and ten thousand summons, it had finally appeared. He had exhausted his mind, searched every main peak, yet found nothing.
In the end, he never expected to encounter the Weapon Art of the Nine Secrets on the stone wall of the rear mountain. It was an indescribable joy—when the mountains and rivers seemed to offer no path, he finally beheld the true scripture.
The Weapon Art Secret was very different from the previous secrets. Like a shocking immortal weapon, each word pierced the mind, shaking the cultivator's soul, and the scripture was very long.
The main peak was not towering, only a few hundred meters higher than the other hills. In the rear mountain, ancient trees swayed, moonlight flowed, and it was very peaceful. Occasionally, a night bird would call, making it even more serene.
In Ye Fan's ears, thunder rumbled. Every word was like a thunderclap exploding, yet the outside world remained calm, with no one aware of what was happening.
Before his brow, the tiny golden figure sat cross-legged, a Bodhi seed suspended above its head, dropping Dao light, connecting with him toward that Weapon character.
He didn't know how long passed before he awoke from this wondrous state. The divine moon was bright and soft, the rear mountain bathed in white, like countless divine feathers scattered about.
"This is the Weapon Art Secret!"
Compared to this, techniques like Sword Control Art or Artifact Manipulation were mere minor paths, insignificant. This was the true sacred art of controlling weapons, offering the highest interpretation of how to govern an "artifact."
"If I master this secret, even if an enemy wields a king-level divine weapon, or even a legendary saint weapon, I might be able to seize it!"
Ye Fan's heart trembled. With such an invincible weapon in hand, one could dominate the world, nearly unmatched. Yet the Weapon Art Secret could counter it, allowing one to seize a saint weapon barehanded.
It could be imagined that if one's cultivation was strong enough, reaching a certain realm, one might even seize an Extreme Imperial Weapon. This was utterly shocking, enough to make one shiver.
"This secret is too terrifying. Even an immortal holy land or an eternal divine dynasty, possessing an ancient great emperor's weapon, might not be invincible in the world."
Ye Fan marveled. If a sage mastered the Weapon Art Secret, they might truly be able to seize an Extreme Imperial Weapon!
Weapons were a cultivator's greatest reliance, allowing combat power to soar without limit. But with the Weapon Art Secret, it became a nightmare for many, shattering the balance.
"The Nine Secrets—each one is this heaven-defying. No wonder they were envied by heaven, broken apart, and their inheritance severed."
Once this secret was mastered, every grain of sand and stone in heaven and earth could become a weapon. Even an enemy's weapon would seem to be born for oneself—ineffably wondrous.
Ye Fan could not calm down. The Weapon Art Secret was too terrifying; he had to master it. It would have infinite uses in the future.
However, this secret was extremely difficult to cultivate, with harsh conditions. To control ten thousand weapons, one must first master a single weapon—refining one's own immortal weapon as the foundation.
After comprehending it, Ye Fan was very surprised. Refining one's sole immortal weapon was similar to the principle of "one artifact breaking ten thousand laws" that he had previously followed, but it was far more profound.
The sole immortal weapon was the foundation of the Weapon Art Secret, the cultivator's only tool for attaining the Dao, the ancestor of all weapons.
"Starting from refining my own weapon..." Ye Fan was very excited. With the Weapon Art Secret in hand, he could better temper his Dao-seeking artifact, the Primordial Qi Cauldron.
He had only comprehended it for a moment before realizing the terror of king-level divine weapons and legendary saint weapons. They were living artifacts, in a sense, an extension of the wielder's life.
As for Extreme Imperial Weapons, they were already heaven-defying, seizing creation from heaven and earth, their mysteries ineffable, inviting heaven's jealousy. Only by evolving to that step could one understand.
Ye Fan silently meditated. The Weapon Art Secret was vast and profound, covering everything from refining a weapon, to nurturing it, to controlling it—from the birth of a weapon to how to use it, extremely detailed.
"Using the Weapon Art to refine my cauldron will bring it to perfection!"
The rear mountain was very quiet, with no one to disturb him. He didn't know how long passed before Ye Fan looked up. The bright moon had shifted, the stone wall had dimmed, and the weapon diagrams had vanished.
Ye Fan had come to the Qin Sect, spending a full two years, and now he had finally obtained the Nine Secrets he sought. Speaking of which, he had to thank Princess Yue Ling. It was fate that brought this about; otherwise, who knew when he would have found it.
"The Qin Sect's sect leader lineage is indeed the descendants of the Cai Clan. They possess the Salvation Scripture and the Weapon Art Secret—extremely powerful. What other inheritances do they have?!"
Ye Fan did not leave. He felt that the Qin Sect held many secrets. Even the Green Emperor from ten thousand years ago had acted against them. What hidden secrets could there be?
It must be said that the main peak of the Qin Sect was a pure land. If one didn't listen to the great Dao of the Supreme Elder and others, there was no fear of being converted. It was very suitable for cultivation.
After that, Ye Fan cultivated while keeping watch. He noticed that Princess Yue Ling would change mountains every so often, but always around the main peak, never too far.
Not long after, he discovered that the Sick Old Man was also wandering, but not near the Qin Sect. Instead, he often ventured deep into the millions of mountains, frequently appearing before some lakes.
Ye Fan was surprised to find that the Sick Old Man was searching for the Immortal Transformation Pool. Whenever he encountered an ancient stele with that inscription, he would jump into the lake and search around.
Whether the Immortal Transformation Pool existed was uncertain, with legends of immortal secrets. Moreover, the world said that the Green Emperor was born within it, adding a layer of mystery.
"In the endless mountain ranges, there are dozens or even hundreds of steles marking Immortal Transformation Pools. Who knows which one is real? They might all be fake. What is he trying to do?"
Throughout history, countless powerful beings had searched, but none could determine the true immortal lake. They always returned disappointed.
"Old brother, what exactly are you looking for?" One day, Ye Fan finally couldn't help asking the Sick Old Man.
This old man was unfathomably deep. Ye Fan couldn't gauge his level. He had previously guided him, warning that the main peak held the Salvation Scripture and that going there would likely bring disaster.
"I am seeking an immortal fate, but it's elusive... something that can only be encountered, not sought. It seems I have no hope." The Sick Old Man sighed softly.
"The Immortal Transformation Pool... what immortal fate?" Ye Fan was astonished.
"Do you know why the Green Emperor was able to attain the Dao and become an emperor in the post-Ancient Era, shaking the past and present, becoming the first in a hundred thousand years?"
"Could it be related to the immortal pool?"
"There is a great connection. He was born in the Immortal Transformation Pool and gained immense benefits."
The Sick Old Man was very mysterious, knowing many unknown secrets. The words he spoke left Ye Fan stunned.
"That is an immortal pool. Who knows what treasures it holds. The Green Emperor was a single green lotus. At his birth, he took root in the mud beneath the lake water, planted on a piece of green copper."
"What?!" Ye Fan was startled. He immediately thought of the green copper block inside his body.
Legend had it that the Green Emperor had seized it from the Central Province before his passing, causing a huge uproar that moved all five domains, leading to great chaos.
"The Immortal Transformation Pool is a true immortal pool. From the ancient era to the present, it has contained infinite divine materials, and some immortal treasures have sunk within it."
According to the Sick Old Man, the green copper was one such immortal treasure, though just a fragment. It could seize creation from heaven and earth. Perhaps there were a few more pieces in the pool.
"The Cai Clan had great fortune. Someone once entered the Immortal Transformation Pool..." the Sick Old Man said.
Ye Fan's heart leaped. He felt that the secret of the Green Emperor destroying the Cai Clan was about to be revealed. The fog of thirty thousand years was about to be blown away. This immortal pool had a terrifying origin.
The Sick Old Man sighed softly but did not continue. Instead, he spoke of other secrets. "At the end of the immortal path, who stands as the peak? Upon seeing Wu Shi, the Dao becomes empty. Over a hundred thousand years ago, that great emperor came to the Immortal Transformation Pool, seeking an immortal treasure to refine a divine bell."
"Wu Shi's bell was made from materials from the Immortal Transformation Pool?" Ye Fan was amazed.
The Sick Old Man nodded. "It was an immortal treasure sunk in the pool."
Ye Fan was truly astonished. The forging of Wu Shi's bell had such hidden details. So Wu Shi the Great had come to the Immortal Transformation Pool. This ancient pool was truly extraordinary.
"Two thousand years ago, a visitor from beyond the realm, riding a green ox, also entered the Immortal Transformation Pool. Not long after, a monk calling himself Shakyamuni also entered."
"What?!" Ye Fan shot to his feet.