Urban Extraordinary Immortal Doctor
Chapter 1359: Ink Jade Sword

Chapter 1359: Chapter 1359: Ink Jade Sword

The black-sheathed long sword without killing intent no longer posed any threat.

Fang Bai leapt out from the Five Elements Origin Qi Cauldron, stood before the stone statue, reached out to grip the hilt of the black-sheathed long sword, and slowly drew it out.

"Buzz!"

With a delightful dragon’s hum, a pitch-black, ink-like three-foot sword appeared before Fang Bai’s eyes.

Though the sword had lost its intense killing intent, as an existence surpassing high-level spiritual artifacts, the pressure it emanated was far beyond what an ordinary martial artist could withstand.

Even Li Chenzhou, an Innate Perfection expert, stood intimidated by the ink-black sword’s released pressure, unable to approach closely, forced to observe from a distance of one zhang.

"Brother Li, earlier you asked about the grade of this sword. Now I tell you, this is a Holy Grade Spiritual Artifact!"

Fang Bai carefully examined the ink-black sword in his hand and spoke casually.

"A Holy Grade Spiritual Artifact... an existence surpassing high-grade spiritual artifacts?"

Li Chenzhou had previously only known high-grade spiritual artifacts to be the strongest in the True Martial Realm. The term "Holy Grade" was something he was hearing for the first time.

Fang Bai nodded and said, "Yes, above high-grade is Holy Grade! However, even Holy Grade artifacts are divided into high, medium, and low levels. This sword belongs to the low-level category among Holy Grade Spiritual Artifacts."

"That’s not bad at all..."

Li Chenzhou muttered to himself and then looked at Fang Bai like he was looking at a monster, asking, "You’re only in your twenties—how do you know so much?"

Fang Bai chuckled and replied, "During my past training, I had the fortune of discovering an ancient ruin from a long-lost expert and read several ancient texts there. Those texts contained many records about the Three Thousand Worlds, so I know more than others..."

"Where are those ancient texts now?"

Li Chenzhou’s eyes lit up as he became visibly agitated and asked urgently.

He was filled with curiosity about the Three Thousand Worlds described by Fang Bai and yearned to learn more.

"They’re not martial arts techniques anyway—I discarded them after reading..."

Fang Bai stopped talking when he saw Li Chenzhou’s expression turn as if he was on the verge of exploding, and then he smiled while pointing to his head, saying, "But the content recorded in those ancient texts—I remembered them all! I’ll share them with you slowly, Brother Li, later."

Despite this, Li Chenzhou still stomped his foot and sighed, "You... You... Sigh! What can I even say to you? Though those ancient texts aren’t martial arts techniques, they’re priceless treasures for martial artists of our realm!"

Fang Bai and Li Chenzhou were both Innate Perfection experts, and they had already reached the peak of Martial Dao in this world.

According to Fang Bai, if their cultivation realm were to break through further, they would have to leave the True Martial Realm and head to the Three Thousand Worlds.

But Li Chenzhou’s understanding of the Three Thousand Worlds was nearly nonexistent. If he could have read the ancient texts described by Fang Bai, he could have gained a clearer understanding, ensuring he wouldn’t be entirely clueless if he ever had the opportunity to enter the Three Thousand Worlds in the future.

Fortunately, although Fang Bai discarded the ancient texts, he still remembered their contents, so Li Chenzhou could ask him for information at any time.

"So this sword is called ’Ink Jade Sword,’ and its owner was a Foundation Establishment expert from the Three Thousand Worlds who had perished here over a thousand years ago..."

Fang Bai’s Divine Sense penetrated the ink-black sword in his hand and quickly obtained some information about the sword.

"How do you know that?"

Li Chenzhou felt strange hearing Fang Bai confidently share the identity and background of the Ink Jade Sword’s owner.

"The sword told me, naturally."

Fang Bai smiled and held up the Ink Jade Sword in his hand.

Seeing Li Chenzhou’s puzzled expression, Fang Bai continued, "This Ink Jade Sword, though a low-level Holy Grade artifact, has developed an ’Artifact Spirit.’ Although the spirit is weak, it can still retain some information about its owner..."

"Wait... What is an Artifact Spirit?"

Li Chenzhou only knew about spiritual artifacts and had never heard of an "Artifact Spirit," so he couldn’t help but ask.

Fang Bai then realized that discussing Artifact Spirits with Li Chenzhou was somewhat advanced, understandably confusing Li Chenzhou.

In Fang Bai’s previous life in the Three Thousand Worlds and even the Immortal Realm, spiritual artifacts were classified into numerous grades, but whether low or high-grade, they often developed "Artifact Spirits."

Ordinary spiritual artifacts were lifeless objects and merely functioned as auxiliary weapons for attack and defense.

However, spiritual artifacts with "Artifact Spirits" were akin to possessing intelligent life; they could attack and defend under their owner’s control and autonomously retaliate against threats to safeguard their owner.

The "Artifact Spirit" of a spiritual artifact functioned as the artifact’s mind, residing within the artifact and taking various forms.

For example, Fang Bai’s Blood-Drinking Mad Blade was a Supreme Spirit Weapon, and its "Artifact Spirit" appeared as a blood-soaked, suffused-with-evil-aura burly man.

Of course, the burly man wasn’t composed of flesh and blood but was formed by the accumulated spiritual energy absorbed by the Blood-Drinking Mad Blade over many years—a kind of incorporeal manifestation.

However, Fang Bai knew that if a martial artist nurtured the artifact spirit with their spiritual energy and blood essence diligently, the artifact spirit could eventually transform from incorporeal to physical, possessing intelligence akin to humans and even living independently in human form for a period.

Still, to successfully claim ownership and master a spiritual artifact with an "Artifact Spirit" was a challenging endeavor.

Every spiritual artifact typically had formations etched into its surface to enhance its power and protect itself.

The higher the artifact’s grade, the more intricate and difficult-to-decipher its formations were.

For a martial artist to claim a spiritual artifact as their own, they first had to decipher the formations etched on the artifact before suppressing and subjugating the artifact spirit with their Divine Sense, erasing all marks left by the artifact’s previous owner, and thus achieving full ownership of the artifact for their use.

In other words, proficiency in formations and immense personal strength were the two essential prerequisites for claiming ownership of a spiritual artifact—both equally vital.

Fang Bai briefly explained the matter of Artifact Spirits, and Li Chenzhou listened with glowing eyes, brimming with excitement, and exclaimed, "I never imagined the Martial Dao World to be so vast and complex! Hearing you talk, I now realize how shallow and laughable my previous knowledge and abilities were."

After pausing, he solemnly said to Fang Bai, "If one day you find a way to enter the Three Thousand Worlds, be sure to take me along!"

Fang Bai nodded in agreement.

Though Fang Bai was skilled in formations, his Divine Sense wasn’t strong enough, so after easily deciphering the formations on the Ink Jade Sword, he spent considerable effort subduing its "Artifact Spirit."

Soon after, Fang Bai erased all marks left by the Ink Jade Sword’s previous owner and re-engraved formations onto its blade, officially claiming it as his own.

"A Holy Grade Spiritual Artifact not only allows for remote attacks through Divine Sense control but also has another benefit..."

Fang Bai said this as he tossed the Ink Jade Sword into the air, then leapt up, placing both feet atop the sword.