Chapter 272 - 193: Magical Treasure Advancement

Chapter 272: Chapter 193: Magical Treasure Advancement

Moyun Market, core district.

After obtaining the materials for the evolution, Zhao Zuo immediately returned to his residence. In his bedroom, he quickly retrieved the Qilin Seal and the three evolutionary materials from his body.

He hadn’t used his Focus Mode for the day, intending to wait until after the Qilin Seal’s evolution to take advantage of the extended duration.

The surroundings were quiet, with only the sound of his own breathing. Without any hesitation, Zhao Zuo initiated the evolution.

A familiar gray light spread out like a puff of weightless smoke, swiftly enveloping the Qilin Seal and the evolutionary materials.

Within the gray world, the jade Qilin statue perched on the Qilin Seal’s square platform seemed to come alive. It threw its head back and let out a low, melodious roar that echoed throughout the gray-lit space.

The Soul-Clearing Spirit Nourishing Jade, the Obsidian Spirit Gathering Stone, and the hundred-year-old Spirit Stone Marrow Core melted into liquids at an incredible speed. The next moment, they began to merge and intertwine, fusing together in a steady, stable process.

Zhao Zuo was astonished. The three materials showed no signs of conflict; on the contrary, they began to merge with perfect harmony. This process was clearly beyond anything he could have imagined.

Eventually, only a mass of cyan liquid remained within the Gray Space. It drifted above the Qilin Seal and began to flow slowly, with occasional flashes of cyan, silver, and black light glinting within it.

Yes, black light, as if the night sky itself was glowing.

The cyan liquid began to separate, shimmering with a three-colored Spiritual Light as if trying to illuminate the Gray Space. Yet, this entire transformation occurred in complete silence. The gray light isolated the space within from the world without, perhaps even from time itself.

Zhao Zuo held his breath. In the silent room, the only thing that moved was the sunlight filtering through the lattice window, casting fragmented, wavering specks of light on the wall and floor.

Zhao Zuo continued to observe the changes within the gray sphere of light. This was a step he took every time a Magical Artifact evolved. However, as his own strength and experience grew, he found the abilities of his Golden Finger to be increasingly unfathomable.

Inside the gray light, the cyan sphere had formed an erratic, swirling cloud layer. Then... threads of cyan, silver, and black rain began to fall from the cloud, showering the Qilin’s body.

The Qilin roared at the sky, absorbing the essence dripping from the cloud. Zhao Zuo quickly discerned the cloud’s purpose: it was filtering out impurities from the materials, leaving only the pure essence to merge with the Qilin.

After about three full minutes, the cyan cloud in the sky turned to ash and dissipated. Within the Gray Space, only the cyan jade Qilin remained, floating silently at the center of its world.

Within a few breaths, the Qilin began to change. Its body seemed to have grown slightly, its muscles and bones becoming sturdier. The scales grew larger and their edges sharpened. The mane on its neck became more majestic, and the square jade platform beneath its feet now more closely resembled an Emperor’s Jade Seal, a symbol of power and status.

At the same time, golden patterns began to appear on the Qilin’s body. They grew like Meridians, weaving through the flesh and bone beneath its scales, gradually becoming perfect. Their number had doubled.

Zhao Zuo’s guess was confirmed. When a Magical Treasure was promoted to a Spiritual Artifact, those golden patterns would give rise to the effect of a second Spirit Seal. ’The Golden Finger doesn’t just upgrade Magical Artifacts,’ he thought, ’it makes them the strongest of their rank! After all, beyond their basic attributes, they also have these incredibly special Spirit Seals!’

The growth of these golden patterns gave off a sacred aura, seeming to bring a hint of brightness even to the oppressive Gray Space.

The Qilin continued to move within the Gray Space, running and stretching its limbs. Though it was made of hard cyan jade, it moved with a unique lightness, and even the mane on its neck danced slowly with its movements.

Within the Gray Space, it hadn’t just come to life—it was as if its very essence had changed, as if it had gained its own life and flesh.

As the evolution concluded, the edges of the Gray Space slowly contracted. It shrank from an oval into a circle, and finally into a single gray point that vanished into the air.

In the middle of the bedroom, the Qilin Seal floated quietly. Atop the four-sided platform sat the cyan jade Qilin. It looked majestic, its scales fine and distinct, its eyes bright and spirited, but ultimately, it was not alive.

Outside the Gray Space, it had lost its ability to move.

Zhao Zuo stood motionless as the Qilin Seal flew straight toward his forehead. In an instant, it seemed to transform from solid to ethereal, passing through his skin and bone to finally sink into the silvery Sea of Souls.

Upon the silent, boundless surface of the sea, waves began to churn.

With a thought from Zhao Zuo, a transparent panel appeared before his eyes without him making any physical movement. Black symbols quickly formed a line of text.

[Evolution Summary: Gathering Spirit, Body Protection, Soul Protection, and Soul Nourishing effects have been massively enhanced. The duration of the Spirit Seal has also been extended.]

Then, the text before Zhao Zuo’s eyes began to distort and change.

[Rank: Middle Grade Magical Treasure · Qilin Seal]

[Experience: 2000/8678]

[Status: Upgradable]

Seeing the display on the transparent panel, Zhao Zuo quickly retrieved the Qilin Seal from his mind once more and gently tapped the "upgrade" option.

The familiar gray light once again spread through the bedroom. The core of the Qilin Seal, the jade Qilin, was imbued with Life Force again. Its body grew slightly larger, and the golden patterns extended further.

After officially embarking on the Path of Artifact Refining, Zhao Zuo had discovered new ways to obtain Creation Points. To make better use of his Golden Finger, he always managed his Creation Point balance carefully. For now, he had plenty.

A Golden Light emerged from his forehead and entered the Gray Space. This Golden Light, transformed from Creation Points, was the only form of Energy that could enter the Gray Space after a Magical Artifact’s upgrade had begun, perhaps because they shared the same origin.

Zhao Zuo waited for about half an hour before the gray light dissipated.

[Upgrade Summary: Gathering Spirit and Body Protection effects have been greatly enhanced.]

Currently, the Qilin Seal was at a +1 status, with 6678 experience remaining.

The next upgrade required four thousand points, which he still had. Zhao Zuo tapped "upgrade" again, and another half hour passed.

[Upgrade Summary: Soul Nourishing and Soul Protection effects have been greatly enhanced.]

In truth, when the Qilin Seal was upgraded, the number of golden patterns also increased. This meant... the effects of the Spirit Seal were also passively boosted, though not as significantly as during an evolution.

After two upgrades, the Qilin Seal’s panel was completely refreshed.

The rank was now Middle Grade Magical Artifact +2, with 2678 experience points remaining.

Since he didn’t have enough experience for a third upgrade, Zhao Zuo could only return the Qilin Seal to his Sea of Souls.

Then he channeled his Mana and said softly,

"—Focus, activate!"

....

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