Chapter 1800: Five Thunder Heavenly Heart True Seal

The Mortal Realm

The artifact spirit has perished.

Hearing Master Gu’s sigh, Qin Sang slightly furrowed his brow and asked, “Can this treasure be repaired, or can its spirit not be restored?”

Master Gu countered, “Does True Master know the difference between Primeval Spirit Treasures, Acquired Spirit Treasures, and True Treasures?”

Qin Sang respectfully replied, “Please enlighten me, Master.”

Master Qi only knew that spirit treasures would diverge at higher levels, but he couldn't clearly explain the characteristics of Acquired Spirit Treasures and True Treasures.

Seeing that Qin Sang was aware of these categories of treasures, Master Gu thought to herself that she could save a lot of explanation and proceeded to directly explain their characteristics.

“I dare not claim such knowledge; I mostly learned these things from my sect’s ancient texts.

“The biggest difference between Primeval Spirit Treasures and Acquired Spirit Treasures lies in their innate versus acquired nature. As for whether their power levels differ, I also don't know. It is said that Primeval Spirit Treasures are creations of heaven and earth, extremely rare, and we artifact refiners can only forge Acquired Spirit Treasures and True Treasures.

“When cultivators refine a spirit treasure to its utmost, and its spiritual embryo is about to birth an artifact spirit, they have two choices, which lead to the creation of Acquired Spirit Treasures and True Treasures.

“One choice is to allow the artifact spirit to be born and undergo heavenly tribulation, thus becoming an Acquired Spirit Treasure.

“Alternatively, one can forcibly interrupt the evolution of the spiritual embryo, disperse its spirituality, and integrate it into the spirit treasure's main body, thereby creating a True Treasure.

“Neither choice is superior or inferior; both are a form of transformation.

“Acquired Spirit Treasures possess an artifact spirit, which can assist its master, or even independently activate its main body to fight enemies. They have many wondrous uses and infinite possibilities.

“Possessing an artifact spirit is akin to having a trustworthy Dao companion, but similarly, an artifact spirit can also betray its master.

“Furthermore, artifact spirits are also among the myriad spirits of the world and must undergo heavenly tribulation.

“True Treasures do not need to undergo tribulation.

“Additionally, the spiritual embryo is born from the essence of the artifact. By dispersing the spiritual embryo and completely integrating it into the main body, its power becomes concentrated within itself, purer and more extreme. Unless stolen, it will never betray its master; this is the greatest advantage of True Treasures.

“In many situations, True Treasures are more suitable than Acquired Spirit Treasures.

“It is said that sword cultivators and cultivators who possess a destined spirit treasure often choose to refine their destined spirit treasure into a True Treasure, assisting them in their pursuit of the pure and extreme Great Dao.”

Hearing these secrets, Qin Sang instantly understood a great deal. Looking at the broken drum, he murmured, “The demise of the artifact spirit is equivalent to the essence of the artifact being dispersed...”

To make an inappropriate analogy:Acquired Spirit Treasures can be likened to spell cultivators and spirit cultivators; upon their demise, their cultivation is lost, leaving behind only an empty shell.True Treasures are comparable to strength cultivators, who focus on refining their physical bodies; even after death, their bodies remain supreme treasures.

“Exactly,” Master Gu nodded. “The power of True Treasures is tied to their main body. Although difficult to repair after damage, once fixed, they can be restored to their full power. Even if irreparable, their fragments still retain some of the main body's power. Acquired Spirit Treasures, however, are different...”

She paused, then looked at the broken drum. “If the artifact spirit were still present, even if only a trace of its spirituality remained, it could slowly recover on its own, even without external aid. But if the artifact spirit perishes, even if its main body is restored to its original state, what you obtain is merely a shell devoid of spirituality.”

Qin Sang mused, "No wonder."

A fragment of a True Treasure still possessed considerable power; when melted into the Whirling Wind Armor, it could withstand Marquis Li's killing moves.

However, the broken drum, despite only having a hole, showed no supernatural properties, making it equivalent to an ordinary object.

“Even a shell can have varying levels of quality,” Qin Sang mused, then asked, “If this treasure's main body is restored, can it be wielded, and how much of its full power can it recover?”

Just like spell cultivators, during their cultivation, their physical bodies also undergo refinement. Although their physical forms are not as formidable as those of body cultivators, they are certainly not ordinary.

Moreover, Acquired Spirit Treasures are originally forged from various heavenly materials and earthly treasures. Even if the artifact spirit perishes, the essence of these materials cannot be completely dispersed, leaving not a single drop.

Master Gu pondered, “There's no definite answer. The birth of each Acquired Spirit Treasure has its own destiny and complex origins. In my humble opinion, restoring the drum's surface might make it comparable to a spirit treasure, or it might only be equivalent to a pseudo-spirit treasure. If this drum was once a destined spirit treasure of a senior cultivator, it might only be able to exert the power level of a magical artifact.”

This explanation aligned with Qin Sang's suspicions.

Repairing an unfamiliar Acquired Spirit Treasure without the cooperation of an artifact spirit would certainly be extremely difficult.

It would not only require exquisite artifact refining skills to thoroughly comprehend the treasure but also the collection of various precious spiritual materials to try out one by one.

If, in the end, he only obtained a magical artifact, wouldn't it be more loss than gain?

“Is there no way to revive the artifact spirit?” Qin Sang asked, somewhat unwilling to give up, his voice low.

Master Gu shook her head. “Even if such a secret art existed, like withered wood coming back to life, or a rebirth, it would likely be even harder than forging a new Acquired Spirit Treasure, and not something we can accomplish.”

Qin Sang sighed softly, knowing his idea was somewhat fantastical.

Then, thinking of the Cheng Ying Sword in his Qianjun Ring, could this sword also be an Acquired Spirit Treasure whose spirit had perished?

He had originally held great expectations for the broken drum and the Cheng Ying Sword, but unexpectedly, they were not as useful as a fragment of a True Treasure.

Seeing Qin Sang lost in thought, Master Gu couldn't help but add, “The greatest value of this drum lies in comprehending the Dao of artifact refining during its restoration. The one who refines it will surely gain immensely.”

As she spoke, she looked at Qin Sang with expectant eyes.

Qin Sang slightly raised his head, understanding the implication in Master Gu's words.

The allure of an Acquired Spirit Treasure was something no artifact master could refuse. Master Gu had bothered to explain so much to him precisely for this final point.

She could have easily found an excuse to exchange the treasure at a lower cost, and given Qin Sang's apparent recent advancement to the Cavernous Profound realm and his presumed lack of experience, he might have been deceived.

Her actions showed that Master Gu's character was not bad, and Master Lingxu's assessment of her back then was not low.

Since he couldn't expect much from the broken drum itself, Qin Sang naturally wanted to extract the greatest value from it. He pondered, “To be frank, Master, I also have some knowledge of the Dao of artifact refining. Although I cannot compare to you, I am eager to improve.”

Master Gu's delicate brows slightly furrowed.

She had thought of offering a pseudo-spirit treasure in exchange, which wouldn't be a disadvantage for Qin Sang, and since he had just entered the Cavernous Profound realm and urgently needed to improve his strength, he should agree.

Before Master Gu could finish, Qin Sang unequivocally refused, “I happen to have several defensive treasures, and more would be of no benefit. I seek nothing else, but I wonder if I might be fortunate enough to receive your guidance on the Dao of artifact refining, Master Gu?”

Seeing Qin Sang completely unmoved, Master Gu found herself in a predicament.

Her genuine heritage was inherited from her sect and could not be transmitted to outsiders. If Qin Sang had been from a Daoist sect, there might have been room for negotiation.

“It's not that I'm unwilling; it's simply that sect rules restrict the dissemination of true lineage teachings. I can only offer True Master the artifact refining secret arts and texts I have collected over the years, along with the insights I've gained from them.”

Was the value of these things comparable to that of the damaged Acquired Spirit Treasure? Opinions varied.

Observing her expressions, Qin Sang confirmed that Master Gu was not haggling. He deliberated, then said, “In that case, I have one request. This treasure will temporarily remain in your residence, True Master. From time to time, I will come to visit you, and you must truthfully impart to me all the insights you gain from studying this artifact. Furthermore, when the day comes to begin its restoration, I must personally perform the work, with you, True Master, guiding me.”

This condition was actually similar to what he had discussed with Master Qi.

Master Gu's expression showed surprise. She hadn't expected Qin Sang to be so bold. The conditions he proposed would only be fulfilled much later, yet he dared to leave this damaged Acquired Spirit Treasure with her directly.

At the same time, Master Gu also realized that Qin Sang's condition was very tricky. Studying the damaged Acquired Spirit Treasure would inevitably involve her sect's true teachings.

But...

This was a damaged Acquired Spirit Treasure!

She had only heard of its name but was seeing it for the first time.

While her sect's legacy contained many records of Acquired Spirit Treasures, subsequent generations had become weaker and the sect had declined. Now, no one could forge an Acquired Spirit Treasure.

She had only heard her master mention that he had once had the good fortune to see an artifact spirit in the residence of a Great True Master, which was said to be a girl sculpted from pink jade.

Even Cavernous Profound True Masters within the Daoist sects, or even fourth-rank immortal officials of the Daoist Court, possessed at most spirit treasures.

In the end, Master Gu agreed to Qin Sang's terms, and the two swore an oath to seal the agreement.

Qin Sang pushed the broken drum towards Master Gu.

Master Gu's jade-like fingers pressed on the drum surface, gently stroking it. A moment later, she waved her sleeve, and dozens of jade slips spread across the table.

Qin Sang thanked her and collected all of them into his Qianjun Ring.

Three days later.

Qin Sang returned to the Northern Pole Exorcism Academy.

The golden-armored guards recognized Qin Sang and, having already received orders, immediately led him to the Ordination Bureau.

Qin Sang noticed that the structure of the Daoist Court's Ordination Bureau was largely similar to that of sects like the Left and Right Thunder Palaces, only more magnificent.

The plaque above the courtyard gate read: “White Stone Governing Altar,” not “Such-and-Such Sect Altar.”

It was clear that the name of this "governance" or "jurisdiction" came from the ordination altar, as spiritual talismans are the foundation of Daoism.

The main hall inside was not the Three Yang Hall or Thunder Ancestor Hall that Qin Sang had seen before, but the Empress Houtu Hall.

Inside the hall hung the divine statue of Empress Houtu, the Sovereign Earth Deity!

Perhaps because Qin Sang was not a true Daoist disciple, the ordination ceremony this time was simplified, with no elaborate formalities.

Only the three masters were present: the Ordination Master, the Supervision Master, and the Recommendation Master.

The Recommendation Master was True Master Ning Luo, and the other two were white-haired old Daoists whose auras were as profound as the sea, yet they carried an undeniable air of decline.

The auspicious moment arrived, and the Ordination Master activated the talisman altar.

Strangely, there was no golden seal within the altar. Instead, a ball of light emerged, its internal radiance constantly shifting, making its shape unclear.

Aside from that, everything else was as usual.

The altar was activated.The talisman was transmitted.The memorial was submitted.

Everything proceeded systematically. Qin Sang knelt on both knees. When he saw the spiritual talisman split into two, one entering his body and the other being burned as a memorial, and the dust settled, he finally let out a long breath.

After the ordination ceremony concluded, the two masters immediately closed their doors and bid farewell to their guests.

True Master Ning Luo handed Qin Sang a copy of the *Myriad Deity Thunder Bureau Immortal Summons* and arranged a date with Qin Sang to collect the texts before hastily departing.

Qin Sang left the Northern Pole Exorcism Academy without hesitation and headed straight for his immortal cave.

“Bang!”

The immortal cave closed, and the restrictions were activated.

Unable to conceal his eagerness, Qin Sang immediately sat cross-legged and summoned his talisman altar.

At this moment, the talisman altar was far more complete than before, having taken on its true form, with the Divine Sky Thunder Seal slowly rotating within it.

The Fire Jade Centipede was quietly cultivating within the altar. Upon Qin Sang's summons, it flew out of the altar, landed on the ground, and curled into a ball.

The structure of the talisman altar was composed of two talisman forms: the Jade Purity Thunder Summoning Talisman and the Flowing Gold Fire Bell Thunder Summon. Now, having received the third-tier Five Thunder Secret Talisman, Qin Sang had also acquired a new divine talisman.

The divine talisman that carried the Five Thunder Secret Talisman was named the Five Thunder Heavenly Heart True Seal Talisman. It was said that this talisman could form the Five Thunder Heavenly Heart True Seal, executing divine punishment on behalf of heaven, possessing unmatched power and a formidable reputation.

Of course, what Qin Sang cared most about was the talisman's role in stabilizing his spiritual energy; the divine talisman was merely an extra benefit.

He first took out the new *Myriad Deity Thunder Bureau Immortal Summons* and quickly scanned it.

Water Thunder Immortal True Being, Master of Thunder Edicts, Heavenly Thunder Prime Minister, Dragon Thunder Immortal Sovereign, Divine Thunder True Sovereign...

The number of celestial deities was fewer than for the second-tier talismans, and their positions were clearly higher.

Unfortunately, the revered names of all celestial deities were grayed out.

After reading, Qin Sang put the *Myriad Deity Thunder Bureau Immortal Summons* aside and took out some jade slips.

These were some of the cherished texts from the Northern Pole Exorcism Academy that True Master Ning Luo had given him in advance. They contained insights from previous cultivators of the Five Thunder Secret Talisman, which would aid him in comprehending the talisman forms.

Next, he took out a jade box from his Qianjun Ring.

Inside the box was a demon core, specifically the demon core of the Thunder Turtle. He planned to refine the power of this core to forge his altar.

With everything ready, Qin Sang took a deep breath, settled into meditation, collected his thoughts, and immersed himself in the Five Thunder Secret Talisman.

An incredibly complex talisman structure unfolded before Qin Sang.

The Five Thunder Heavenly Heart True Seal Talisman!

Even with the relevant texts and the talisman form already disassembled, comprehending it required a great deal of Qin Sang's mental effort.

The difficulty of the first dispersed form was actually not great.

However, Qin Sang was not in a hurry to cast the altar. He first reviewed all the dispersed forms, then flipped through the texts, gaining an overall impression of the talisman shapes before finally beginning his work.

“Sizzle!”

Thunderous light emerged from Qin Sang's palm, emitting fluctuations similar to those of the Thunder Turtle's demon core.

This was the remaining thunder power from refining the Thunder Turtle's demon bone earlier.

Qin Sang's eyes were tightly closed as he controlled this thunder power, drawing in the void.

As he moved, a dazzling silver light emanated from a twisted and complex talisman form.

This step went very smoothly; the first dispersed form was completed in a single stroke and, with a flash, merged into the talisman altar.

The talisman altar vibrated, and the Divine Sky Thunder Seal emitted a bright glow. Inside the altar, thunder threads roamed chaotically.

Amidst the chaos, there was inherent order.

As Qin Sang continuously changed his hand seals, the talisman altar's vibrations grew smaller and smaller, the thunder threads converged, and the thunderous glow within the Divine Sky Thunder Seal receded.

The third-tier talisman altar was complete!

“It's finally done...”

Qin Sang didn't continue; he immediately awakened, his eyes gleaming with excitement, and he looked inward at his Qi Sea.

With a slight shift in his thoughts, he activated his cultivation method. The dormant Qi Sea finally stirred, and the spiritual energy within the immortal cave was drawn, furiously converging towards Qin Sang, almost forming a vortex around him.

A continuous stream of spiritual energy poured into his body.

With the suppression of the third-tier talisman altar, there was no longer any sign of chaotic rebellion. His cultivation quickly recovered, breaking through the limits of the Spirit Transformation stage.

His strength had returned!

Qin Sang raised his hand and tried performing a few Daoist spells; the familiar feeling had returned.

A smile appeared at the corners of his mouth; he could finally continue his cultivation from now on.

The spiritual essence of this world was abundant, and his aptitude, having undergone multiple refinements, was already comparable to that of a Heavenly Spirit Root. His cultivation would surely advance by leaps and bounds in the future!

No rush at this moment.

First cast the altar, then cultivate.

He continued to comprehend the dispersed forms while using thunder power to cast the altar, soon exhausting the thunder power from the demon bone.

“Crack!”

The jade box opened, and the Thunder Turtle's demon core flew into Qin Sang's palm on its own.

Gently caressing the demon core, Qin Sang sensed the violent power within it. After a brief deliberation, he attempted to draw out the thunder power from the demon core.

Days passed by.

The talisman altar was gradually perfected.

Finally, the agreed-upon time arrived, and Qin Sang returned to the Northern Pole Exorcism Academy.

True Master Ning Luo lived up to her promise, bringing the cherished texts from the Heavenly Pivot Academy and the Left and Right Thunder Palaces.

Qin Sang naturally expressed his endless gratitude.

Taking the texts and visiting Master Gu one more time, he then left the governing altar, feeling completely at ease.