My Artifacts Can Upgrade Infinitely

The next day, Zhao Zuo opened his eyes on the wooden bed.

He first took the Fire Spirit Snake and Tracking Insect out of his Spirit Beast Bag to feed them. The Tracking Insect needed Wood Attribute Spiritual Objects as food to grow, or even to evolve.

Currently, Zhao Zuo didn’t have the extra Spirit Stones to buy it Wood Attribute Spiritual Objects, so he could only let it make do with some Spirit Stone powder. Fortunately, the little fellow wasn’t a picky eater. After finishing its meal, it curled up and fell fast asleep.

After feeding his Spirit Beasts, Zhao Zuo got up, went to the washroom, cleaned himself up, and changed his clothes.

Suddenly, the Communication Jade inside his Storage Bag activated. He immediately took it out.

"Younger Brother Zhao, the Punishment Hall has reportedly found traces of a Blood Refining Path Demon Cultivator near the Moyun Market. If you’re in the market, you must be careful." Liu Heng’s voice sounded from within the Communication Jade.

"What are that Demon Cultivator’s distinguishing features?" Zhao Zuo asked calmly, suppressing the shock that jolted through him.

"According to the witness, the Demon Cultivator is a woman wearing a red Taoist Robe and a mask. When she attacks, there’s a faint, blood-colored Gang Wind, and with a wave of her hand, the blood from the corpses is completely devoured..."

Zhao Zuo’s mind immediately flashed to Shen Yunjiao, the image of her gradually merging with that of the Demon Cultivator.

"Alright, I’ll be careful," Zhao Zuo said.

He then deactivated the Communication Jade. The Great Yue Country’s neighbor was the Great Wu, a nation of fierce people. Its Cultivation Realm revered the Demon Path, which, with its three major sects and twelve schools, was far more chaotic than that of Great Yue. The Demon Path was divided into five major factions: Blood Refining, Bone Melting, Soul-Controlling, Joyful Union, and Ghost Driving.

Demon Cultivators of the Blood Refining Path specialized in devouring the blood essence of other Cultivators to advance their own cultivation. They could also refine various Blood Dao Magical Treasures for combat and possessed a variety of Magic Skills and Secret Techniques to manipulate blood.

Zhao Zuo walked into the kitchen, his eyes fixed on Shen Yunjiao, who was taking small sips of her porridge.

"Someone saw a Cultivator from the Blood Refining Demon Path nearby," Zhao Zuo said to Shen Yunjiao in a breezy tone, holding a bowl of Spirit Rice porridge. "They say this person wears a red robe and a mask. In battle, a blood-colored Gang Qi is clearly visible, and they can devour an enemy’s blood with a wave of their hand."

"You think that person is me?" Shen Yunjiao asked casually.

"I just wanted to suggest that you be careful when you go ’fishing’ for a while. You wouldn’t want the Moyun Sect to mistake you for a Demon Path Cultivator and kill you," Zhao Zuo said, his expression earnest.

"That would be ideal." Shen Yunjiao pursed her lips, clearly annoyed by Zhao Zuo’s attempt to sound her out.

"Haha..." Zhao Zuo chuckled. ’Right now, Shen Yunjiao might just be going out ’fishing’ for Tribulation Cultivators. But as time goes on, will Tribulation Cultivators really be enough to satisfy the appetite of the Taotie Secret Technique?’

’When that time comes, will she start attacking the innocent?’

"I know what you’re worried about. If one day I can no longer control the Taotie Secret Technique..."

"I’ll kill myself." Shen Yunjiao’s tone was casual, yet it held an unspoken resolve, as if she were discussing some trivial matter rather than her own life and death.

Zhao Zuo was certain Shen Yunjiao wasn’t lying. She had made this resolution long ago.

"Did you make up your mind the moment you learned the consequences of the Taotie Secret Technique?"

"Not quite. This matter troubled me for a long time. It took me about a month to finally make up my mind. Even though I’ve never really cared much for my own life, choosing to face death with equanimity was still a difficult process." Shen Yunjiao said slowly, her enunciation perfectly clear.

"The Taotie Secret Technique isn’t necessarily a dead end. You could always seize the Taotie True Blood from someone else."

"I don’t think I could possibly contend with other Cultivators." Shen Yunjiao shook her head. Her own talent wasn’t exceptional; her greatest wish was simply to reach Foundation Establishment by relying on the Taotie Secret Technique. She had never harbored extravagant hopes of extending her lifespan.

"So, that means a Demon Path Cultivator from the Blood Refining Path really has infiltrated the Moyun Market..."

"That’s a pretty good target," Shen Yunjiao said with a smile.

"Target?" Zhao Zuo asked, a little confused.

"That’s right. A target. The entire Spiritual Mechanism of a Blood Refining Path Demon Cultivator is contained within their blood, making them the perfect nourishment for the Taotie Secret Technique."

"So, most Demon Path followers are prime nourishment for the Taotie Secret Technique?" Zhao Zuo asked.

"Correct. Demon Path Cultivators focus more on their physical bodies, so their blood is richer in Spiritual Mechanism." Shen Yunjiao stole a glance at Zhao Zuo, a strange look in her eyes.

"Physical bodies... Then wouldn’t a Body Refining Cultivator also be a choice supplement for the Taotie Secret Technique?" Something suddenly occurred to Zhao Zuo, and the confidence in his voice faltered.

"That’s right, Taoist Friend Zhao... You would be an absolutely top-tier delicacy."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zuo beat a hasty retreat from the kitchen.

The scenery within the Moyun Market remained unchanged, but due to the presence of a Demon Path Cultivator, the atmosphere on the streets had grown somewhat tense. Even the patrol teams, normally a rare sight, were now making frequent appearances.

’This must be more serious than Liu Heng let on,’ Zhao Zuo estimated. ’If it were just one Demon Path Cultivator, the Market wouldn’t be on such high alert.’

First, he sold off the Lower Grade Magical Artifacts he had on him in several batches. Then, he went to the Spirit Treasure Pavilion and turned in fifty Lower Grade Magical Artifacts, earning another fifty Spirit Treasure Pavilion points.

Zhao Zuo now had two hundred Spirit Treasure Pavilion points.

After taking care of business, he changed his appearance and entered the Spirit Treasure Pavilion again. A staff member in a cyan qipao immediately walked over to him. She looked to be about eighteen, exuding a lively, youthful aura.

Her eyes were crystal clear, and she had an utterly harmless look about her.

"My name is Zhou Wushuang. What materials might you be looking for, sir?"

’Zhao Zuo was inwardly alarmed. He didn’t recognize her at all. At first, he assumed the Spirit Treasure Pavilion had just hired new staff, but her surname was Zhou—the same as the manager of this branch.’

"I’d like to purchase a One-Tier Wind Series Spirit Core and half a tael of Wind Shadow Steel." Zhao Zuo quickly looked away.

"As it happens, I have both of those."

Zhou Wushuang simply swiped a hand over the Storage Bag at her waist, and a cyan-green Spirit Core appeared on the counter. A faint breeze seemed to swirl around it.

Next to it was a head-sized chunk of cyan metal that faintly pulsed with a subtle Wind Series Energy. The moment it appeared, Zhao Zuo thought he could hear the sound of a whistling wind.

"How much did you say you needed?" Zhou Wushuang asked, blinking her eyes in a way that was both playful and cute.

"Half a tael," Zhao Zuo replied.

SWISH.

A cyan light flashed from Zhou Wushuang’s hand, and a piece was sliced from the Wind Shadow Steel on the counter. She was so fast that Zhao Zuo could only barely glimpse a fleeting cyan dagger.

’If she had any ill intent, I wouldn’t have stood a chance.’

"For half a tael of Wind Shadow Steel and a One-Tier Wind Attribute Spirit Core, that’ll be one thousand five hundred Spirit Stones."

Zhao Zuo had already inquired about the prices beforehand. He picked up the piece of Wind Shadow Steel and weighed it in his hand, realizing it was about a tenth heavier than what he’d asked for.

He’d come out a little ahead on this one.

.....

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