Watching Li Mu’s figure disappear into the distance on the Dragon, Xing Yu’s emotions remained unsettled for a long time.
“Old Ancestor, why did you give him the Ten Thousand Treasures Cauldron? Even if he can defeat the Eternal Demon God and the Celestial Phoenix Immortal Emperor, we…” Xing Yu said indignantly.
Before he finished speaking, Xing Huang roughly interrupted him: “Enough! Do you still have the face to speak? If the Old Ancestor hadn’t arrived in time, you would have already perished!”
Xing Yu was choked by Xing Huang’s words, his face alternating between green and white, and although there was unwillingness in his heart, he could not refute.
He lowered his head, his fists clenched, clearly still bothered by today’s events.
Star Dome Old Ancestor’s gaze was profound as he looked in the direction Li Mu had departed, and he said in a deep voice: “This person Cultivates the Chaotic Great Dao, and Chaos Power is the Origin power of Heaven and Earth, encompassing all phenomena and infinitely changing.
His ability to suppress the Ten Thousand Treasures Cauldron with Chaos Power is enough to show that his attainment in the Chaotic Great Dao has reached the Transcendent Realm.
Not only that, at such a young age, he can successively defeat the Eternal Demon God and the Celestial Phoenix Immortal Emperor; such talent and strength are by no means comparable to ordinary Cultivators.”
“He Cultivates the Chaotic Great Dao.
If he can step into the Ultimate Path Realm, or even go further, the good karma our clan has formed with him today might bring immense Opportunity to our clan in the future,” Star Dome Old Ancestor paused for a moment, then continued.
Xing Yu still had doubts and whispered, “Old Ancestor, the Ten Thousand Treasures Cauldron was obtained by our clan after expending a great deal of effort.
Now that we’re handing it over, there might be considerable opposition within the clan.”
Star Dome Old Ancestor smiled indifferently and said, “Though the Ten Thousand Treasures Cauldron is precious, compared to the rise and fall of our clan in the future, it’s merely an external possession.
Moreover, Li Mu has agreed to refine an eighth-rank Formation Artifact for our clan and help us repair the Xinghui Secret Realm; these conditions are sufficient to compensate for the loss of the Ten Thousand Treasures Cauldron.
As for the opposition within the clan, you need not worry; this Old Ancestor has his own arrangements.”
“Old Ancestor is wise; this Disciple understands.” Xing Yu reluctantly put aside his reservations and respectfully responded.
Star Dome Old Ancestor nodded, his gaze once again cast towards the depths of the Void Realm, and he sighed softly: “Heaven and Earth are vast, and Opportunities are countless.
If our clan can seize this chance, perhaps we can find a glimmer of hope in the coming great calamity.”
At this moment, Azure Moon True Dragon carried Li Mu and his party, traversing through the Starry Sky, rapidly moving towards a certain destination.
“Master, there is a desolate Star Domain ahead with a dead star.
Should we land there to rest?” Azure Moon True Dragon’s voice sounded in Li Mu’s ear.
Li Mu nodded slightly, his gaze falling upon the distant, dim, lifeless star.
The planet’s surface was desolate and silent, and there were no traces of Cultivators in the surrounding Void Realm, making it a suitable place for a temporary stop.
“Let’s choose this place,” Li Mu confirmed.
Upon hearing this, Azure Moon True Dragon, with a swing of his Dragon body, transformed into a streak of azure light and dove towards the dead star.
Moments later, Li Mu and his group landed steadily.
Looking around, they saw that the dead star’s surface was covered in cracks, devoid of vegetation, and the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was so sparse it was almost negligible.
However, this desolate place perfectly suited his intentions.
Next, Li Mu was preparing to immediately begin refining the Painting World Treasure Mansion, which could cause a great commotion, so the more secluded the better.
With a thought, his Divine Thought transmitted a summons, calling all his spirit beasts to him.
“You all listen to my command: set up the Five Elements Grand Formation on this star to assist me in Artifact Refining!” Li Mu said to Green-Eyed Golden Ape, Azure Moon True Dragon, and the others.
“Yes!”
The spirit beasts responded in unison.
The next moment, Li Mu unleashed his Spirit Controlling Divine Ability—Soul Communion Technique—to control the five spirit beasts and set up the Five Elements Grand Formation.
Green-Eyed Golden Ape stood to the west, presiding over the Metal Element.
Green-Eyed Golden Ape’s body swelled, transforming into a hundred-zhang giant ape, its golden fur standing up like steel needles, its eyes like lightning, exuding a terrifying ferocity.
It let out a low roar, and its Golden Adamant Rod plunged into the ground; the Dragon and snake patterns on the rod instantly lit up, radiating golden light.
Ink Jade Rock Lizard guarded the center, presiding over the Earth Element.
The Ink Jade Rock Lizard lay prostrate on the ground, its body as massive as a mountain, with runes flickering on its back armor.
A Wutu Square Seal floated above its head, emitting dense Earth Element power.
The Square Seal glowed brightly, condensing into an Earth Dragon that coiled in the air, with phantom images of mountains and rivers appearing, forming an indestructible barrier that firmly trapped the Earth Vein power, providing an endless supply of Earth Element energy for the grand Formation.
Crimson Refining Fire Phoenix flew to the south, presiding over the Fire Element.
Crimson Refining Fire Phoenix soared, its wings ablaze with raging flames, the firelight illuminating half the sky.
It let out a long cry, and the Fire Feather Fan flew out from its wings; with a flick of the fan, Heaven-Burning flames swept out, turning the southern Void Realm into a sea of fire.
Azure Moon True Dragon hovered to the east, presiding over the Water Element.
Azure Moon True Dragon coiled in the eastern Void Realm, its Dragon scales like swords, radiating chilling light.
With a low growl, the Dragon Scale Sword transformed into an Azure Dragon phantom, and Kui Water power condensed into a vortex, with surging waves.
Azure Jade Ginseng King stood to the southeast, presiding over the Wood Element.
Though small in stature, Azure Jade Ginseng King had a long and steady aura.
It held a ginseng staff, which it gently inserted into the ground.
The moment the staff entered the ground, Yi Wood power erupted, transforming into a towering Divine Tree phantom, its branches and leaves lush, its roots deeply embedded in the earth, frantically drawing life force.
The five spirit beasts sat cross-legged within the Formation, silently controlling the Five Elements Grand Formation, and at the same time, entered a state of Cultivation.
With the Five Elements mutually generating and overcoming each other, they rarely had the Opportunity to Cultivate together.
Their auras gradually merged, and the Five Elements Power flowed endlessly within the Formation, forming a perfect cycle.
Once the Five Elements Grand Formation was complete, five-colored lights intertwined, forming a massive light curtain that completely enveloped the dead star.
The Five Elements Power, through mutual generation and overcoming, circulated endlessly, forming an indestructible defensive grand Formation.
Li Mu stood within the Formation, feeling the flow of the Five Elements Power, and felt a little relieved.
However, this was still not enough.
With a thought, Li Mu summoned the Puppet Spirit—Ming Yue—from the Treasure Mansion.
“Master!” Ming Yue appeared and respectfully saluted Li Mu.
“Ming Yue, please lend me a hand.
Summon the Formation Puppets and set up the Star Array!” Li Mu instructed.
“Yes!” Ming Yue responded and moved.
The Sky Puppet Spirit Token in her hand suddenly burst forth with dazzling spiritual light, and Puppet power surged in like a tide, instantly opening a spiritual gate.
Three hundred and sixty sixth-rank Formation Puppets successively darted out from the Sky Puppet Spirit Token and dispersed in all directions.
Li Mu summoned the Formation Flags of the Star Array, and with a surge of Chaos True Essence, they instantly disintegrated into three hundred and sixty small Star Power flags, which were distributed to the three hundred and sixty Formation Puppets.
A hint of solemnity flashed in Ming Yue’s eyes.
She formed hand seals, and Puppet power surged.
The Sky Puppet Spirit Token floated before her, emitting brilliant light.
Under her control, the three hundred and sixty Formation Puppets quickly dispersed to various positions on the dead star.
Each Formation Puppet held a small Star Power flag, standing firm like a pine tree, awaiting commands.
“Star Array, rise!” Ming Yue shouted softly, her hand seals changing, and the Sky Puppet Spirit Token vibrated violently, Puppet power surging into the Formation Puppets’ bodies like a flood.
“Buzz—” The three hundred and sixty Formation Puppets moved simultaneously, plunging their small Star Power flags into the ground.
The flags unfurled in the wind, and starlight instantly bloomed.
Each small flag was like a miniature star, emitting soft yet powerful Star Power.
The Star Power intertwined in the air, forming dazzling lines of light that enveloped the entire dead star.
“Star Power, gather!” Ming Yue raised her hands high, and the Sky Puppet Spirit Token glowed brightly, Puppet power perfectly merging with Star Power.
The three hundred and sixty Formation Puppets simultaneously activated their small Star Power flags, and starlight surged like a tide towards the center of the grand Formation, gradually condensing into a vast star map.
Within the star map, countless star phantoms emerged, as if the entire Starry Sky had been moved onto the dead star.
Star Power flowed within the Formation, echoing the power of the Five Elements Grand Formation, forming an even more powerful and majestic composite grand Formation.
Seeing this, Li Mu breathed a slight sigh of relief.
With another thought, he summoned the domestic Spiritual Artifact—the four directions house—from his tianxuan ring.
As soon as the four directions house appeared, it quickly expanded, transforming into an ancient and elegant courtyard, settling steadily on the surface of the dead star.
Though not large, the courtyard was exquisitely designed, with an Artifact Refining Room, an Alchemy Room, and various buildings scattered in an orderly fashion.
Spiritual light flowed around it, subtly protected by a Formation, isolating the desolation of the outside world.
“Xue’er, next, I will focus on refining the Treasure Mansion.
You and Xiaobai will protect me!” Li Mu handed Xiaobai to Xue’er, signaling.
“Li Dage, don’t worry, Xue’er will do her best to protect you.” Xue’er responded softly, her tone light yet firm.
“Master! Go for it!” Xiaobai said sweetly.
Li Mu nodded slightly, said no more, and turned to enter the Artifact Refining Room of the four directions house.
Inside the Artifact Refining Room, the furnishings were simple yet exuded an ancient aura.
In the center sat a Nine Dragon Artifact Refining Furnace, its body carved with intricate runes, subtly flowing with spiritual light.
Li Mu stepped into the Artifact Refining Room, his gaze sweeping over the red copper Artifact Refining Furnace entwined with nine Dragons in the center, but he did not linger.
He raised a hand and swiped, and the runes on the furnace body instantly dimmed, the entire Artifact Refining Furnace transforming into a streak of light and being put into his tianxuan ring.
In its place, a wisp of Chaos Qi rose from his sleeve.
“Ten Thousand Treasures Cauldron, appear!”
With a low shout, the entire four directions house trembled violently, and the Void Realm cracked with spiderweb-like fine lines.
A colossal bronze cauldron slowly materialized from the Chaos.
The moment its legs touched the ground, the golden bricks on the floor rippled with Dao patterns, as if unable to bear the weight.
The nine-rank Dao Artifact—Ten Thousand Treasures Cauldron—was covered in mottled bronze rust like stardust, beneath which hidden Dao patterns flowed like the rotation of a galaxy.
“Finally out, how stifling!”
The mouth of the Ten Thousand Treasures Cauldron suddenly spewed out a wisp of azure mist, and amidst its churning, a chubby little figure tumbled onto the rim of the cauldron—it was a plump baby wearing a golden silk bellyband, with a topknot on his head, his chubby cheeks glowing like jade, and a seven-colored jade belt around his waist, looking quite imposing.
“This Lord waited for three thousand years, finally getting free after that guy named Wan perished, and now I’m stuck with a little brat like you as my master?” The Cauldron Spirit—the chubby baby—dangled his feet, exuding golden treasure aura all over, staring at Li Mu with resentment, chattering endlessly.
“From now on, you shall be called Xiaobao.” Li Mu flicked out a wisp of Chaos True Essence with his finger, precisely touching the center of the chubby baby’s forehead.
In an instant, the seventy-two Artifact patterns on the Ten Thousand Treasures Cauldron’s body lit up in response, forming a Starry Sky imprint on the Artifact Spirit’s forehead.
“You dare to alter this Lord’s true name—ouch!”
The chubby baby’s plump body trembled, and the seven-colored jade belt around his waist suddenly tightened.
Before he finished speaking, Xiaobao, clutching his suddenly shrunken belly, rolled twice on the cauldron’s rim.
His once-fitting bellyband became loose, revealing his tender white belly.
“With Chaos True Essence as the guide, and the Zhou Tian Stars as the covenant,” Li Mu used his fingers to write Dao patterns in the Void Realm; each stroke caused the Star Array to rumble.
He looked at the Treasure Cauldron’s Artifact Spirit and instructed, “I need to re-refine the Treasure Mansion, and I’ll certainly need to borrow your Ten Thousand Treasures Spirit.
Assist me well, and you’ll be amply rewarded afterward!”
“I can help you with Artifact Refining, but what are the benefits?
You need to make it clear first!”
Xiaobao flew up and sat cross-legged on the rim of the cauldron, his chubby fingers mimicking the action of counting on an abacus, the beads clinking with a metallic sound: “First, I need three fight of Star Marrow Jade Dew as snacks every month; second, upon successful re-refinement, you must pay three times the compensation for what was consumed;…; third—”
At this point, Xiaobao suddenly sniffed, his gaze fixed on Li Mu, scrutinizing him carefully up and down, and exclaimed in surprise: “You smell of many high-rank Dao Artifacts…”
The Ten Thousand Treasures Cauldron’s Artifact Spirit—Xiaobao—his eyes shimmering with golden light, as if he had glimpsed something extraordinary from Li Mu’s body.
Only then did he re-examine his master; he didn’t know until he looked, and when he looked, he was startled.
At this moment, Li Mu’s eyes were in a chaotic state, with Chaos Fire flickering within them, seemingly containing endless Great Dao True Intent.
His sword-like eyebrows were slightly raised, giving him an imposing aura without anger.
Xiaobao’s chubby face instantly froze, and his once-chattering mouth also closed.
His chubby little hands unconsciously clutched the edge of his bellyband.
He prided himself on being knowledgeable, but at this moment, he had to admit that his new master was no ordinary person.
“Chaos Dao Body! Master, you Cultivate the Chaotic Great Dao?”
Xiaobao’s voice carried a hint of tremor, and the expression on his chubby face shifted from shock to reverence, even with a trace of unconcealed excitement.
As the Artifact Spirit of a nine-rank Dao Artifact, he naturally knew what “Chaos Dao Body” meant—it was the supreme Physique rumored to be able to command all Dao and evolve Heaven and Earth, something rarely achieved even by ancient mighty figures.
Li Mu did not answer directly, merely smiled faintly, the Chaos Fire in his eyes flickering slightly, as if responding to Xiaobao’s guess.
“Don’t ask too many questions when there’s nothing to do.
Just assist me well in Artifact Refining, and you will certainly be rewarded handsomely!” Li Mu sternly instructed.
Before he finished speaking, Li Mu waved his sleeve, and several brilliant lights flew out from his tianxuan ring, suspended in mid-air.
Each ray of light exuded a heart-palpitating pressure, as if containing the most fundamental power of Heaven and Earth.
“This is… Taiyin Divine Water?!” Xiaobao’s eyes widened, staring at one of the dark blue lights, his voice trembling slightly.
Within that light, a crystal-clear water droplet slowly rotated, emitting an extremely cold aura, as if even the surrounding Void Realm was about to be frozen.
Immediately after, Li Mu raised his hand and pointed, and a blazing golden light flew out, transforming into a fist-sized piece of metal, its surface flowing with sunlight-like brilliance.
“sun essence gold!” Xiaobao’s voice was already a bit sharp, and the flesh on his chubby face was trembling.
As the Artifact Spirit of the Ten Thousand Treasures Cauldron, he naturally recognized these legendary nine-rank divine objects, but he had never imagined that one day he would see so many gathered together.
However, Li Mu’s actions did not stop.
He continued to wave his hand, and Heaven One Divine Water, Cangyuan Azure Wood, Earth Vein Divine Fire, Taijin Divine Stone, Xuanhuang Earth Bead, and other nine-rank divine objects successively flew out, suspended around the Ten Thousand Treasures Cauldron.
Although each nine-rank divine object had been sealed, they still emitted unique auras, intertwining to form a mysterious painting.
Xiaobao was completely stunned, the expression on his chubby little face shifting from shock to numbness.
He counted on his chubby fingers, muttering to himself: “Taiyin Divine Water, sun essence gold, Heaven One Divine Water, Cangyuan Azure Wood, Earth Vein Divine Fire, Taijin Divine Stone, Xuanhuang Earth Bead… This, this is simply the top-tier Artifact Refining Materials in Heaven and Earth! Master, what Heaven-Defying treasure are you trying to refine?”
Li Mu ignored him, revealing his Chaos Dao Body, and summoned the Painting World Treasure Mansion, preparing to re-refine it. (End of Chapter)
