As soon as Dongbo Xueying held the black gourd in his hand, the artifact spirit grew frantic, urgently transmitting its voice: “Stop, stop, stop! Hold it right there! Quickly, release a drop of blood and let it fall onto the black gourd!”
Had the artifact spirit said anything else, Dongbo Xueying wouldn’t have paid it any heed. After all, even a slight delay would allow the Mother Goddess Sect’s guardians to retreat into their treasures. But the artifact spirit’s words this time made him pause.
“A drop of blood on the black gourd?” Dongbo Xueying couldn’t help but let his imagination run wild.
“You reckless fool, hurry up and shed the blood! Isn’t this what you’ve always wanted?” the artifact spirit urged.
A thought flashed through Dongbo Xueying’s mind. A drop of blood emerged from his left finger, which was gripping the black gourd. The moment the blood touched the gourd, it was naturally absorbed.
*Hum—*
Dongbo Xueying felt an immediate sense of familiarity emanating from the black gourd in his hand, as if it had become an extension of his own body. He could now effortlessly sense everything within the gourd—a vast and profound formation completely enveloping a fiery sphere. The sphere’s power was boundless and unfathomable, and the faint ripples it emitted were merely the most superficial manifestation of its might. Despite its overwhelming force, it was entirely restrained by the Void Formation!
The fiery sphere burned crimson, its endless flames churning violently, containing unimaginable energy within.
“This… this…” Dongbo Xueying had possessed the black gourd for so many years, yet even when he had attempted to control it using the prescribed methods, he had never sensed the fiery sphere with such clarity.
“Artifact spirit, have I truly succeeded in refining the black gourd?” Dongbo Xueying couldn’t help but transmit his question. Without even activating the control method, he could perceive the gourd so clearly—this could only mean he had successfully refined and bonded with it. Yet all he had done was shed a drop of blood. Over the past six hundred thousand years, he had tried countless methods, including this seemingly crude one, all of which had failed.
“You’ve refined the black gourd! It has acknowledged you as its master. Can’t you tell whether you’ve refined it or not?” the artifact spirit retorted impatiently.
“Yes, yes,” Dongbo Xueying replied, torn between elation and confusion. “I do feel that I’ve succeeded, but I didn’t do anything special—just followed your instruction and shed a drop of blood. How did that lead to success?”
The artifact spirit scoffed. “Dongbo, do you really think a mere Paragon like you could refine a treasure like this, a guardian artifact of the Dao? Have you not sensed the profundity of the formation within the black gourd?”
“I have,” Dongbo Xueying transmitted. “But even after six hundred thousand years, what I’ve grasped is but a fraction of its mysteries. I had no confidence I could refine it!”
“Hmph! This formation can suppress and manipulate the fiery sphere. Not even you, nor your master, the Bloodblade Divine Emperor, could refine it!” the artifact spirit declared. “A Paragon, even given a hundred million years, could never refine it through sheer strength alone.”
“Then why did the Voidwalker set the third trial as refining and bonding with it within a million years?” Dongbo Xueying asked, puzzled.
“It’s simple,” the artifact spirit explained. “The three trials: the first proves your overall potential is sufficiently high by merely obtaining the black gourd. The second tests your comprehension, as the Voidwalker lineage is exceedingly rare—not just anyone is qualified to inherit it. You passed that. The third trial… tests your character!”
“Character?” Dongbo Xueying’s heart stirred as he began to piece things together.
“If an evil being grows stronger, they only bring greater calamity to countless lives. The founder of the Voidwalker lineage was a being of immense benevolence—he wouldn’t even harm an insignificant ant. He traveled countless realms, passed through innumerable universes, and aided the weak wherever he went. He decreed that his lineage need not be saintly, but it must never be inherited by the wicked.”
“Thus, the third trial—refining the black gourd within a million years—was actually a test of your character, observed by me, the artifact spirit, over that time.”
“Had you proven wicked, I would have departed after the million years.”
“If you passed, I would allow you to bond with it by shedding blood.”
“The trial was meant to last a million years, but you, fool, rushed headlong into danger. Regardless, over six hundred thousand years, I’ve seen your nature. How you treat your disciples, your old friends and brothers, your dedication to your people—all of it speaks well of you. Even as you wandered the cosmos seeking a way to refine the black gourd, you never harmed the innocent. You lived among mortals, treating even the weakest with respect and courtesy…”
“Your character has passed the test.”
Dongbo Xueying finally understood—the final verdict had always lain with the artifact spirit. Of course, the Voidwalker was long gone; everything had been entrusted to the spirit.
—
While Dongbo Xueying conversed with the artifact spirit, his delay in acting gave the Mother Goddess Sect guardians ample time to react. Terrified, they swiftly retreated into their treasures, leaving only the golden-furred ape and three other elite guardians standing guard. They glared at Dongbo Xueying—or more precisely, at the black gourd in his hand—their eyes filled with both fear and fury.
“Dongbo Xueying, why didn’t you strike?” the Annihilation Emperor transmitted urgently.
“What happened? That was the perfect moment, yet you hesitated. Now they’ve all retreated,” the White Monarch added, unable to hide his frustration, though he refrained from outright blame. This clearly deviated from their plan.
“Brother Dongbo?” Flamewing Lord called out.
Hearing the transmissions, Dongbo Xueying snapped back to reality. He turned to glance at the gathered Paragons—the Annihilation Emperor, the White Monarch, the Phoenix Matriarch, the Northmyst Palace Master, and others—all staring at him. The eyes of the entire cultivator faction were fixed upon him, for he was now the key to their victory.
“My apologies,” Dongbo Xueying transmitted hastily. “This treasure is exceedingly difficult to wield. Just as I prepared to strike, I experienced a sudden epiphany, greatly enhancing my control over it. Now, I can use it multiple times, not just once. But the epiphany delayed me.”
“An epiphany? And you can use it more times?” The Paragons were both shocked and elated.
Moments ago, their hopes had seemed slim. Now, victory felt within grasp. Yet many among them felt remorse. Even the Annihilation Emperor transmitted, “Dongbo Xueying, forgive me. I didn’t realize you were in the midst of an epiphany. My transmission disrupted it!”
“Dongbo Xueying, we were merely anxious. We didn’t mean to interrupt…” The Paragons transmitted one after another.
They all knew how rare and precious epiphanies were.
A brief moment had already significantly improved his control over the black gourd. Had it lasted longer, his mastery might have grown even further. Yet they had unwittingly cut it short.
“It’s fine,” Dongbo Xueying replied, inwardly amused. He had merely concocted an excuse—he couldn’t very well reveal that this was the Voidwalker’s third trial, which he had just passed.
Meanwhile, on the Mother Goddess Sect’s side, the golden-furred ape and the three other guardians who had braced for death were perplexed. “That Dongbo Xueying should have unleashed the black gourd’s power to annihilate us all. Why didn’t he? Did he fail? Perhaps such a treasure cannot be used consecutively. Maybe he can no longer wield it! If so, without the black gourd’s threat, victory is ours!”
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