The Five Thunder Heaven's Heart True Seal

The artifact spirit had perished. Hearing Master Gu's sigh, Qin Sang frowned slightly. "If this treasure is repaired, can the artifact spirit not be restored?" Master Gu answered with a question of her own. "Does the Real Person know the difference between innate spirit treasures, acquired spirit treasures, and true treasures?" "Please enlighten me, Master," Qin Sang said respectfully. Master Qi knew only that spirit treasures divided further at the higher grades, but he could not clearly explain the traits of acquired spirit treasures and true treasures. Seeing that Qin Sang already knew of these categories, Master Gu thought it would save a great deal of talk and went straight to explaining their traits. "I would not presume; I learned most of this from my sect's records. "The greatest difference between innate spirit treasures and acquired spirit treasures lies in whether they are innate or acquired. As for whether their might is greater or lesser, I do not know. They say innate spirit treasures are the creations of heaven and earth and are exceedingly rare; refiners like us can produce only acquired spirit treasures and true treasures. "When a cultivator refines a spirit treasure to its utmost and the spirit embryo is about to give birth to an artifact spirit, there are two choices, and from those choices come acquired spirit treasures and true treasures. "The artifact spirit is born and survives the heavenly tribulation, and an acquired spirit treasure is achieved. "Or the evolution of the spirit embryo is forcibly cut short, its spirituality scattered and fused into the body of the treasure, and a true treasure is achieved. "Neither choice is better than the other; both are a kind of transformation. "An acquired spirit treasure possesses an artifact spirit. It can aid its master, and it can wield its own body against enemies on its own; it has many wondrous uses and limitless possibilities. "To have an artifact spirit is to have a fellow cultivator worthy of trust—but in the same way, an artifact spirit may also betray you. "And an artifact spirit belongs among the myriad spirits of the world; it too must undergo heavenly tribulation. "A true treasure need not face tribulation. "Moreover, the spirit embryo is born of the essence of the vessel. Scatter the embryo and fuse it wholly into the body, and the power rests in that one body alone, purer and more absolute. Unless it is taken from you by force, it will never betray you—that is the greatest benefit of a true treasure. "In many cases a true treasure suits one better than an acquired spirit treasure. "They say sword cultivators and cultivators who possess a life-bound spirit treasure mostly choose to refine their life-bound treasure into a true treasure, to aid them in pursuing a pure and absolute Great Dao." Hearing these secrets, Qin Sang understood a great deal at once. Looking at the broken drum, he murmured, "The artifact spirit's death is the same as the essence of the vessel being scattered..." It made for a clumsy comparison. An acquired spirit treasure was like a spell cultivator or a spirit cultivator: when it perished, all its cultivation was lost, and only an empty husk remained. A true treasure was like a cultivator of the strength path, who devotes himself to tempering his flesh; when he dies, his flesh is still a supreme treasure. "Just so." Master Gu nodded. "A true treasure's power is bound to its body. Once damaged, repairing it is difficult, but if it is repaired, it returns to its full prime. Even if it cannot be repaired, its fragments still carry a portion of the body's power. An acquired spirit treasure is not like that..." She paused and looked at the broken drum. "If the artifact spirit still lived—if even a thread of its spirituality remained—then even without any outside aid, it could slowly nourish and restore itself. But if the artifact spirit has perished, then even if the body is restored to its original state, all you have is a husk without spirituality." No wonder, Qin Sang thought. A fragment of a true treasure still held no small power; melted into the Huifeng Armor, it had been able to withstand Marquis Li's killing blow. Yet the broken drum, with only a hole torn in it, showed no wondrous quality at all and was no better than an ordinary object. "Even husks differ in quality. If this treasure's body is restored, can it be wielded, and how much of its prime might could it recover?" Qin Sang asked, pondering. Just as with a spell cultivator, whose flesh is also purified in the course of cultivation: his husk is inferior to a body cultivator's, but it is no common thing either. And besides, an acquired spirit treasure is forged from all manner of heaven-sent materials and earthly treasures. Even with the artifact spirit dead, the essence of those materials could not be scattered away entirely, not to the last drop. Master Gu considered. "There is no fixed answer. Every acquired spirit treasure comes into being through circumstances of its own, and the causes are complex. In my view, if the drumhead is repaired, it might rank as a spirit treasure—or it might be no better than a pseudo-spirit treasure. If this drum was once some elder's life-bound spirit treasure, I fear it could only exert the might of a dharma treasure." This matched Qin Sang's own guess. To repair an unfamiliar acquired spirit treasure without the artifact spirit's cooperation would surely be extremely difficult. It required not only consummate refining skill and a thorough understanding of the treasure, but also the gathering of many precious spirit materials, to be tried one by one. If in the end he obtained only a dharma treasure, would the loss not outweigh the gain? "Is there no way to make the artifact spirit live again?" Qin Sang said heavily, unwilling to let it go. Master Gu shook her head. "Even if such a secret art existed, bringing dead wood back to life would be like creating it anew; I fear it is harder than forging an acquired spirit treasure from scratch, and beyond the reach of the likes of us." Qin Sang sighed softly. He knew the idea was somewhat fantastical. Then he thought of the Chengying Sword in the Qianjun Ring. Could that sword, too, be an acquired spirit treasure whose artifact spirit had perished? He had once been full of hope for the broken drum and the Chengying Sword; now they seemed less useful than a fragment of a true treasure. Seeing Qin Sang sunk in silent thought, Master Gu could not help adding, "This drum's greatest value lies in the insight into the art of refining to be gained while repairing it. Whoever does the work will surely reap a great deal." As she spoke, she looked at Qin Sang with expectant eyes. Qin Sang raised his head slightly, hearing what lay behind her words. The lure of an acquired spirit treasure was surely something no refiner could refuse. Master Gu had patiently explained all this for the sake of that last sentence. She could easily have found some casual excuse and taken the treasure off his hands for a far smaller price; in the eyes of the world he had only just entered Dongxuan, his knowledge was shallow, and she might well have deceived him. That she had not done so showed Master Gu's character was decent; Master Lingxu had spoken well of her in years past. Since he could not count on the drum itself, Qin Sang naturally meant to extract the greatest value from it. He said thoughtfully, "To be frank with you, Master, I have some acquaintance with the art of refining. I cannot compare with you, but I do not lack the will to improve." Master Gu's dark brows drew together. She had meant to trade him a pseudo-spirit treasure, which would not have left Qin Sang at a loss; and having just entered Dongxuan, he urgently needed to strengthen himself, so he ought to agree. Before she had finished speaking, Qin Sang refused without hesitation. "I happen to have several treasures for self-defense; more would be of no benefit. I ask nothing else—might I be so fortunate as to have Master Gu instruct me in the art of refining?" Seeing Qin Sang utterly unmoved, Master Gu found herself in a difficult position. Her true transmission came from her sect and could not be passed to outsiders. If Qin Sang had been born into a Daoist sect, there might have been room to maneuver. "It is not that I am unwilling; the sect's rules forbid it—the true transmission of my line may not be leaked. I can only give the Real Person the secret refining arts and texts I have collected over the years, along with the understanding I have drawn from them." Were such things worth as much as a damaged acquired treasure? That depended on who was judging. Reading her expression, Qin Sang confirmed that Master Gu was not bargaining. He said after a moment's thought, "In that case, I have one condition. Let this treasure remain in your residence for the time being. Every so often I will come to visit you, and whatever insights you gain must be taught to me in full. And when the day comes to begin repairing it, I must do the work myself, with you guiding me at my side." These terms were in fact much the same as those he had agreed on with Master Qi. Surprise showed on Master Gu's face. She had not expected such boldness from Qin Sang: his conditions would not fall due until far in the future, yet he dared leave this damaged acquired treasure with her outright. At the same time, Master Gu realized how shrewd his terms were: comprehending a damaged acquired treasure would inevitably involve her sect's true transmission. But... This was a damaged acquired spirit treasure! She had only heard of such things; this was the first she had ever seen. Her sect's transmission held no few records of acquired spirit treasures, but its descendants had declined and grown weaker by the day, and no one could forge an acquired spirit treasure now. She had only heard her master mention that he had once been fortunate enough to see an artifact spirit in the residence of a Great Real Person—a little girl, they said, as lovely as a carved doll. Among Daoists, even a Dongxuan Real Person—even a fourth-rank immortal official of the Dao Court—possessed a spirit treasure at most. In the end, Master Gu agreed to Qin Sang's terms, and the two swore an oath as their contract. Qin Sang pushed the broken drum across to Master Gu. Master Gu laid her jade fingers on the drumhead and stroked it lightly. After a moment she swept her sleeve, and dozens of jade slips covered the desk. Qin Sang thanked her and put them all into the Qianjun Ring. ... Three days later. Qin Sang came again to the Northern Pole Exorcism Court. The golden-armored guards recognized him and, having long since received orders, at once led him to the Register Conferral Office. Qin Sang found that the Dao Court's Register Conferral Office was laid out much like the Left and Right Thunder Bureaus and other sect buildings, only more imposing. The plaque over the gate read "Baishi Diocese Altar," rather than the altar of some sect. Clearly a diocese took its name from its register-conferring altar; after all, the talismanic registers were the very root of the Daoist path. The main hall within was neither the Sanyang Hall nor the Thunder Ancestor Hall that Qin Sang had seen before, but the Houtu Hall. Hanging in the hall was an image of none other than the Empress Earth Sovereign Houtu! Perhaps because Qin Sang was not a member of the Daoist order, this register-conferral rite had no elaborate formalities; everything was kept simple. Only the three masters were present: the Transmission Master, the Supervision Master, and the Guarantor Master. The Guarantor Master was Real Person Ningluo; the other two were white-haired old Daoists whose auras were deep as the sea, yet who carried an inescapable air of twilight. The auspicious hour arrived, and the Transmission Master opened the register altar. Strangely, what rose from the altar was not a golden seal but a sphere of light, its radiance shifting without cease, so that no shape within could be made out. Beyond that, everything was as usual. Open the altar. Transmit the register. Submit the memorial. ... Everything proceeded in its proper order. Qin Sang knelt on both knees, and when he saw the talismanic register split in two—one half entering his body, the other burned as a memorial to the higher realms—and the matter was settled at last, he let out a long breath. When the rite ended, the two masters closed the hall and dismissed him. Real Person Ningluo gave Qin Sang a Wan Shen Thunder Bureau Immortal Guide, agreed with him on a date for collecting the texts, and hurried off as well. Qin Sang did not delay. He left the Northern Pole Exorcism Court and went straight to his cave residence. Bang! The cave residence shut, and the restrictions came alive. Unable to hide his eagerness, Qin Sang sat down cross-legged and summoned the register altar. The altar was now far more complete than before and had taken on a proper altar form, with the Shenxiao Thunder Seal turning slowly within it. The Fire Jade Centipede was cultivating quietly in the altar; at Qin Sang's summons it flew out, landed on the floor, and curled into a ball. The altar's structure was composed of two talisman forms, the Jade Clarity Thunder Summoning Talisman and the Flowing Gold Fire-Bell Thunder Summon. Now that Qin Sang had received the third-tier talismanic register, the Five Thunder Secret Register, he had gained a new divine talisman as well. The divine talisman that carried the Five Thunder Secret Register was called the Five Thunder Heaven's Heart True Seal Talisman. This talisman, it was said, could form the Five Thunder Heaven's Heart True Seal and execute punishment on heaven's behalf; its might was matchless and its fame resounding. Of course, what Qin Sang cared about most was the register's power to settle his qi; the divine talisman was only incidental. He first took out the new Wan Shen Thunder Bureau Immortal Guide and skimmed it. Water Thunder Immortal Perfected, Lord of Thunder Mandates, Supreme Minister of Heaven Thunder, Immortal Steward of Dragon Thunder, True Steward of Divine Thunder... The deities were fewer in number than in the second-tier register, and their ranks were plainly higher. Unfortunately, the honored names of all the deities were gray. Having read it, Qin Sang set the guide aside and took out several jade slips. These were part of the texts Real Person Ningluo had given him in advance from the Northern Pole Exorcism Court's collection; they contained notes left by forebears who had cultivated the Five Thunder Secret Register, which would aid him in studying the talisman forms to come. Next he took a jade box from the Qianjun Ring. In the box lay a demon core—the Thunder Turtle's own—whose power he meant to refine for use in forging the altar. With everything ready, Qin Sang drew a deep breath, settled his mind into stillness, gathered his thoughts, and immersed himself in the Five Thunder Secret Register. An exceedingly complex structure of talisman forms unfolded before Qin Sang. The Five Thunder Heaven's Heart True Seal Talisman! Even with the relevant texts at hand and the talisman forms already broken down, comprehending them cost Qin Sang enormous mental effort. The first component form was in fact not very difficult. But Qin Sang was in no hurry to forge the altar. He first went through all the component forms, then looked through the texts until he had an overall impression of the talisman's structure, and only then began. Ssss—! Lightning rose in Qin Sang's palm, giving off fluctuations close to those of the Thunder Turtle's demon core. This was the thunder power left over from refining the Thunder Turtle's bones. With his eyes shut, Qin Sang directed this thunder power and traced in the air. As he moved, a winding, intricate talisman form blazed with dazzling silver light. This step went very smoothly. The first component form was completed in a single effort and, flickering, sank into the register altar. The altar shook; the Shenxiao Thunder Seal bloomed with bright light, and threads of lightning coursed through the altar in a scene of chaos. Yet within the chaos there was order. As Qin Sang's hand seals changed in succession, the altar's trembling grew ever fainter, the threads of lightning gathered in, and the thunder light in the Shenxiao Thunder Seal receded. The third-tier register altar was complete! "It is finally done..." Qin Sang did not continue. He came out of meditation at once, excitement in his eyes, and looked within at his qi sea. With a flicker of thought he circulated his cultivation method. The long-silent qi sea stirred at last, and the spiritual qi in the cave residence was drawn toward him in a frenzy, nearly forming a whirlpool around him. Endless spiritual qi poured into his body. Held in check by the third-tier register altar, there was no longer the slightest sign of disorder. His cultivation recovered swiftly and broke through the threshold of the Deity Transformation stage. His strength had returned! Qin Sang raised a hand and tried several Daoist arts; the familiar feeling had come back. A smile touched the corner of his mouth: from now on he could finally resume cultivation. The heaven-and-earth essence of this world was thick, and after repeated baptisms his aptitude now matched a heavenly spiritual root in speed of cultivation. From here his cultivation would surely advance by leaps and bounds! No need to rush now. First forge the altar, then cultivate. He studied the component forms while using the thunder power to forge the altar, and before long he had exhausted the thunder power from the demon bones. Snap! The jade box opened, and the Thunder Turtle's demon core flew of its own accord into Qin Sang's palm. Stroking the core lightly, Qin Sang sensed the violent power within it. After a moment's thought, he tried to draw out the thunder power from the core. Days passed. The register altar was perfected step by step. At last the appointed time arrived, and Qin Sang returned to the Northern Pole Exorcism Court. Real Person Ningluo had not failed the trust placed in him: he brought texts from the collections of the Celestial Pivot Court and the Left and Right Thunder Bureaus. Qin Sang thanked him profusely. Taking the texts with him, he paid Master Gu one more visit, then left the diocesan altar feeling entirely light of heart.