45: Chapter 45 Demon Refining Pot, Refined in an Instant

Chu Sheng stared at the three traits in front of him, his mind racing.

Sword Saint, purple, combat power maxed out.

Duobao Heavenly Venerable, red, heaven-defying functionality.

Pill Dao Physique, purple, the capital he relied on for survival in his first three simulations.

Strong Luck, purple, a life-saving divine skill that helped him escape countless death traps.

But there were only two slots.

"You can't have your cake and eat it too..."

Chu Sheng muttered, "But I want it all!"

He took a deep breath and quickly made a decision.

"Main slots: Sword Saint, Duobao Heavenly Venerable."

"Reserve slot: Strong Luck."

"Pill Dao Physique... removed."

This decision made his heart ache for a moment.

Pill Dao Physique was the core trait from his third simulation.

He owed his success in alchemy entirely to it.

Losing Pill Dao Physique this time meant his alchemy skills would revert to an ordinary level.

A First-grade Alchemist, barely qualified.

Want to refine Second-grade? Depends on luck.

Want to refine Third-grade? Dream on.

"But I have Sword Saint!"

Chu Sheng encouraged himself, "One sword to break all laws; isn't being awesome myself better than being an alchemy tool?"

Besides, the trait Duobao Heavenly Venerable...

He looked at the small print.

[Companion Treasure: At the start of each simulation, a treasure one to two realms higher than your current cultivation, or two treasures of the same rank, will definitely be born with you.]

"Two realms higher..."

He was currently Qi Induction Fourth Grade, which corresponded to Yellow Grade.

What was two realms higher?

Above Mysterious Grade was Earth Grade!

An earth-grade treasure!

The most high-end items in all of Qingshi Town were only low-grade mysterious artifacts; Earth Grade?

That was something only big shots at the peak of Condensing True Essence or even the Spirit Sea Realm could possess!

"I'm rich, I'm rich..."

Chu Sheng rubbed his hands together, his eyes shining, "God bless me, give me a sword! A low-grade earth artifact flying sword! Paired with the Sword Saint trait, I'll take off instantly!"

He piously pressed his palms together and bowed to the simulator interface.

"Simulator above, your disciple Chu Sheng is willing to trade ten years of Lin Hao's lifespan for an earth-grade flying sword!"

[...]

The simulator was silent for a moment.

[Starting to generate Companion Treasure...]

[Generation complete.]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: demon refining pot (low-grade earth artifact)]

Chu Sheng was stunned.

"The... demon refining pot?"

Not a sword?

It was a... pot?

A palm-sized bronze pot appeared on the light screen.

It looked ancient, with dense patterns carved on the body and a slightly raised lid. Overall, it looked...

Like a kettle.

Chu Sheng's mouth twitched.

"This thing... is a low-grade earth artifact?"

He looked closely at the description.

[demon refining pot (low-grade earth artifact): A replica of an ancient exotic treasure, possessing the abilities of Demon Capture, Demon Refining, and Demon Suppression.]

[Demon Capture: Can take in demons no more than one major realm higher than the host, with a limit of peak Spirit Sea. Forced capture requires the target to lose the ability to resist.]

[After capture, the demon will submit to the pot's owner.]

[Demon Refining: Can refine the demons inside the pot into pure demonic essence, used to increase cultivation or heal injuries.]

[Demon Suppression: Releases the aura of the demons suppressed in the pot, forming a bloodline suppression against demons.]

[Current capture limit: 1 (not exceeding True Condensation Realm)]

As Chu Sheng read the description, his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"Demon Capture? Demon Refining? Demon Suppression?"

He suddenly remembered the beast tide at the end of the third simulation, and the Condensing True Great Demon under Danxia Peak of the Qinglan Sect that fed on living humans.

"Is this... a lethal weapon specifically sent to me to deal with demons?"

Although it wasn't the sword he wanted, this thing...

Seemed even more powerful!

low-grade earth artifact!

A treasure that even ordinary True Condensation Realm cultivators didn't have, a standard for the Spirit Sea Realm!

He was now just a minor Qi Induction Fourth Grade cultivator, and he had a low-grade earth artifact tucked away?

If this was discovered, he'd be killed for his treasure in a heartbeat!

"Must keep a low profile, must keep a low profile..."

Chu Sheng muttered, "This thing must be put away normally, can't let anyone see it..."

He suddenly thought of a serious problem.

"Wait, I'm currently Qi Induction Fourth Grade. How long will it take to refine a low-grade earth artifact?"

He looked at the third effect of Duobao Heavenly Venerable.

Refining effect doubled?

But that depends on the base value!

Ordinary Qi Induction cultivators need ten days to half a month to refine a mysterious-grade treasure. To refine an Earth Grade?

Wouldn't it be impossible to even refine it without a True Condensation Realm cultivation?

"I hope this refinement is real refinement..."

Chu Sheng took a deep breath, "Let's start the simulation."

[Fourth life simulation initiated...]

[Current simulation timeline: Qingshi Town, Chu Sheng promoted to Qi Induction Fourth Grade.]

[Carried traits: Trash (Black - Locked), "Many Children, Many Blessings" (Iridescent - Locked), Sword Saint (Purple), Duobao Heavenly Venerable (Red)]

[Reserve trait: Strong Luck (Purple)]

[Companion Treasure: demon refining pot (low-grade earth artifact) has been issued, please check.]

The light screen faded, and Chu Sheng opened his eyes.

[Chu Sheng sat on a stone bench in the Listening to Bamboo Pavilion; Xiao Huan was still drying medicinal herbs in the courtyard.]

[The only change was that there was an extra item in his Storage Pouch.]

[A small bronze pot.]

[It lay quietly in the corner, looking like an ordinary kettle.]

"Refine it first."

[He got up and walked back into the room, closing the doors and windows.]

[He took out the demon refining pot and held it in his palm.]

[Duobao Heavenly Venerable effect triggered: Treasure Master Affinity in effect.]

[The demon refining pot is automatically mastered to the Initial Success stage.]

[A warm current fed back from the pot's body!]

Chu Sheng's eyes lit up!

"So it's already preliminarily refined?"

He had been worried, but now it seemed...

Instant refinement!

[Spiritual energy poured continuously into the pot, and the patterns on its body lit up.]

[Chu Sheng could feel a mysterious connection being established between him and this small pot.]

[But Initial Success didn't seem enough; Chu Sheng prepared to continue refining to make the treasure completely recognize him as its master.]

[One hour later.]

[Mastery progress: 13%]

[Two hours later.]

[Mastery progress: 31%]

[Four hours later.]

[Mastery progress: 69%]

[As the sky grew dark, Xiao Huan knocked on the door outside: "Big Brother Chu, dinner is ready."]

[Chu Sheng didn't even look up: "Leave it at the door, I'm not hungry."]

[Xiao Huan: "...Oh."]

[Inside the room, Chu Sheng continued to refine.]

[The moon reached the center of the sky.]

[Refinement progress: 91%]

[Sweat appeared on Chu Sheng's forehead, and his spiritual energy was almost exhausted, but he didn't dare stop.]

[Refining a treasure most avoids being interrupted mid-way; once interrupted, all previous efforts are wasted, and one must start over.]

"Just the last bit left..."

[He gritted his teeth, squeezed out the last bit of spiritual energy in his body, and fiercely injected it into the pot!]

[Refinement progress: 100%]

[Congratulations to the host for successfully refining the demon refining pot (low-grade earth artifact).]

[Duobao Heavenly Venerable effect triggered: All Things Spiritual in effect, automatically mastering the entry-level usage techniques of the demon refining pot.]

[In an instant, a large amount of information flooded into his mind!]

[The incantations for Demon Capture, the seals for Demon Refining, the secret arts for Demon Suppression...]

[Chu Sheng closed his eyes and digested it for a full fifteen minutes before slowly opening them.]

[He looked at the demon refining pot in his palm with a complex expression.]

"This thing... is quite something."

[The demon refining pot can not only capture and refine demons, but it also has a hidden function—]

[Aura concealment.]

[Once an earth-grade treasure is activated, it will inevitably emit powerful fluctuations. An ordinary Qi Induction might not notice, but anyone above the True Condensation Realm definitely would.]

[But the demon refining pot is different.]

[It inherently possesses the traits of suppression and sealing.]

[As long as Chu Sheng doesn't activate it with full force, it can be disguised as an ordinary artifact.]

[It could even... be disguised as a kettle.]

[A smile played on the corners of Chu Sheng's mouth.]

"Good stuff."

[He tried to activate the concealment function.]

[The halo on the pot's body quickly retracted, the bronze color became dull, and the patterns faded away.]

[Looking at it now, it was just an ordinary kettle.]

[Chu Sheng placed it on the table and pushed the door open.]

[Xiao Huan was already asleep, and the dinner at the door was stone cold.]

"The fourth simulation has begun."

He muttered, "What will the plot be this time?"

He suddenly remembered something.

At the end of the third simulation, he was pursued by a True Condensation Realm cultivator from the Qinglan Sect and swallowed three super fleeting bloom pills.

He was saved by Jin Xiao after falling off a cliff, but died because his longevity was exhausted due to the backlash.

In that timeline, he died at the age of 24.

But that was death in a simulation.

In reality, he was still alive and well, having only received the cultivation feedback and trait rewards.

And in this simulation, the timeline starts again from Qingshi Town.

Which means he has a chance to change everything this time.

"Han Li, Black Wind Stockade, Qinglan Sect, that great demon..."

Chu Sheng's gaze gradually turned cold.

"This time, let's take our time and play."