Chapter 410

Chapter 410: New Trouble

"Idiot, didn’t you hear me?" Old Bird snapped. "This thing’s a large treasure weapon, similar to an Earth’s Magnetic Force Warship. You can attach components to it. What’s more, it’s highly unconventional—nearly any treasure can become its part, even your Blazing Dragon Cannon."

"So this altar treasure gains a special ability: replacing your original life-bound treasure to become your new core life-bound treasure. The old one then becomes its component, merging the two without side effects!" Old Bird declared proudly. "Now you get it, right?"

"Got it!" Fang Lie nodded eagerly. "This altar’s incredible! But I’m curious—if it uses other treasures as parts, do they keep their original power?"

"Why wouldn’t they?" Old Bird huffed. "You’re underestimating this altar. Any treasure attached retains its functions. Plus, when activated, the altar provides extra Spiritual Energy, multiplying their power! Not only does this save Magic, but it effectively raises a treasure’s rank—a Seventh-rank Treasure could rival an Eighth-rank one. How insane is that?"

"Seriously?" Fang Lie’s eyes lit up. "With tens of thousands of Wonderful Bodhi Fruits, I could enhance as many Seventh-rank Treasures and attach them all! That’d be like having tens of thousands of Eighth-rank Treasures! Even Semi-Immortals would flee!"

"Stop daydreaming!" Old Bird chided. "The altar’s powerful, but it can’t handle too many parts. A low-grade Seventh-rank Treasure needs ten zhang of space. To support tens of thousands, the altar would need to grow over a thousand li wide. How long do you think that’ll take?"

"But it’s only one zhang now!" Fang Lie protested. "Can’t it even support my Blazing Dragon Cannon?"

"It can," Old Bird said. "The center contains Divine Marrow, supplying enough Magic even for an Eighth-rank Treasure. You currently have one component slot. Want more? Wait till it grows."

"Always comes down to money…" Fang Lie sighed. "Any other functions?"

"It amplifies spell power tenfold—like boosting a spell’s rank. A third-rank spell hits like a Fourth-rank one but uses one-tenth the Magic. Impressive, no?"

"Pfft!" Fang Lie scoffed. "Who uses spells now? Nine out of ten Cultivators rely on treasures. Spells drain Magic and can’t compete!"

"You’re clueless!" Old Bird retorted. "In ancient times, the strongest mastered Dao magic and divine skills. Treasures were just tools. In life-and-death battles, Dao magic reigned supreme!"

"Really?" Fang Lie frowned.

"Back then, Human Tribe cultivators had vast Qi Seas and Dao Bodies, making spells devastating. Modern humans? Weak flesh, no Dao Bodies. But you’re different." Old Bird leaned in. "Your Innate Great Five Elements Nascent Fetus Classic focuses on body refinement. Those Dao pattern karps in your Qi Sea merge with your flesh, filling it with Dao essence. Once your body becomes a Dao Body, your spells will be unstoppable. Mastery could even let you create divine skills!"

"These skills grow with you, forming your Path to Dao. Treasures? They’re just tools—slow to improve, limited. Your Dao magic will surpass them. Focus on spells; use treasures for defense."

"Understood!" Fang Lie said solemnly. "Thanks, Bird Bro. I’ll train harder!"

"Good! With your Dao Body, the altar’s boost, and near-limitless Magic, your spells will dominate. But first, fix your weak cultivation!"

Fang Lie swallowed a spirit pill and cycled his energy. The Nirvana fire nascent fetus in his Qi Sea exhaled swarms of Dao pattern karps. Thousands now swam in his hundred-li Qi Sea, merging into his body once grown.

The Innate Great Five Elements Nascent Fetus Classic’s six stages—skin, flesh, blood; sinews, bones, marrow—required immense Dao pattern karps. Having completed his skin, Fang Lie now strengthened his flesh, a process demanding exponentially more karps. Even with tenfold production, progress crawled.

The karps’ fire attributes steered his body toward a fire-element Dao Body, amplifying his fire Dao magic.

*

Four months later, Iron-Walled Jin City thrived.

Since Fang Lie’s takeover, low-tier Cultivators prospered. The Four Great Gangs were crushed, exploitation banned. Incomes soared tenfold—not from harder work, but from keeping their earnings.

The surge invigorated the city. Shops boomed, drawing outsiders. In four months, the population swelled by 100,000, with more arriving daily.

But prosperity bred envy. Previously, the Bai family tolerated gangs to appease neighboring powers. Iron-Walled Jin City, bordering hostile territories like the Demonic Path, had kept peace by letting outsiders profit covertly.

Fang Lie shattered this balance. By eradicating gangs—including nearly 100 planted by external forces—he enriched the Mo Sect and the people but enraged surrounding powers.

Only Fang Lie’s Thunderbolt annihilation of Sword Fortress had deterred attacks. Yet as he secluded himself and Old Bird went quiet, greed resurfaced. Troubles brewed, pressures mounted—Iron-Walled Jin City’s new era faced storms.