My Artifacts Can Upgrade Infinitely

This Melt Casting Technique had three layers and was called the Heaven-Melting Scripture.

It was the best Melt Casting Technique in the entire Moyun Sect, but its Cultivation was extremely difficult and demanding of a Cultivator’s comprehension.

Of course, this wasn’t a problem for Zhao Zuo. Even if his current comprehension was subpar, he could just keep obtaining Creation Points through Artifact Refining, and his comprehension would eventually meet the standard.

After returning to his Cave Mansion, Zhao Zuo first took out some Spirit Rice, tossed it into a pot to cook, and then sat cross-legged nearby with his eyes tightly shut. In his mind, he visualized a great, gleaming golden hammer smashing down into a silvery lake below.

"THUD THUD THUD..."

Each strike was a Quenching and strengthening of his Soul.

As he cultivated, Zhao Zuo’s Soul Power was rapidly consumed, and his face gradually grew paler. After about half an hour...

He completed his daily regimen and opened his eyes. He could now hammer his Soul two hundred and twenty times a day, which was a considerable improvement.

He would likely reach Perfection in the Soul-Forging Technique sooner than he had anticipated.

By now, the Spirit Rice in the iron pot was cooked. Zhao Zuo took out a spicy sauce he had made from stir-fried Demon Beast meat, poured it over the rice, and began to eat heartily.

He’d eaten so much Spirit Rice that the initial novelty had long worn off.

After his meal, Zhao Zuo took out his two little companions and fed them.

The Fire Spirit Snake had been growing quickly, already reaching 1.4 meters in length. Occasionally, tiny wisps of flame would flicker from its mouth when it breathed. A while ago, Zhao Zuo had specifically tested it and discovered the Fire Spirit Snake possessed a fire poison.

The poison wasn’t fatal, but it could make an enemy’s Meridians sting as if burned by a blazing fire, greatly hampering their combat ability. It wasn’t entirely useless.

After being fed all this time, the Tracking Insect had only gotten rounder with no other changes. Its value for raising was extremely low.

Zhao Zuo played with the Fire Spirit Snake for a while to nurture their bond. When he tried to put it back into the Spirit Beast bag as usual, he felt a strong sense of resistance from it.

The Fire Spirit Snake’s body temperature was about thirty degrees Celsius. When it coiled its tail around his arm, he could clearly feel a gentle warmth and the unique texture of its scales.

Zhao Zuo immediately understood what the Fire Spirit Snake was expressing. It had passed its fragile infant stage and was now more energetic. Naturally, it was no longer content with that dim space meant only for sleeping.

"You don’t want to go in the Spirit Beast bag?"

He lifted the Fire Spirit Snake to eye level, looked into its golden pupils, and asked.

Hearing this, the Fire Spirit Snake narrowed its eyes slightly. Its tail swayed unconsciously as if it were contemplating the meaning behind Zhao Zuo’s words.

After about ten seconds, it nodded.

Zhao Zuo stroked the Fire Spirit Snake’s smooth head, and it immediately flicked out its forked tongue to lick his finger.

Zhao Zuo sensed a clear attempt to fawn and curry favor from the Fire Spirit Snake.

’Spirit Beasts really are intelligent. There’s truth to that saying,’ Zhao Zuo thought.

In truth, "Spirit Beast" was a term coined by Cultivators after enslaving certain Demon Beasts. After many generations of domestication and nurturing, a Spirit Beast’s Spiritual Wisdom was far greater than a Demon Beast’s. They also lost some of their inherent ferocity, making them easier to control and to form bonds with.

"Hmm, let me think about it." A thoughtful expression crossed Zhao Zuo’s face. In reality, letting the Fire Spirit Snake roam freely within the Cave Mansion wasn’t a big deal. The unbreakable Blood Contract between them meant he didn’t need to worry about it rebelling.

However, Zhao Zuo knew that things obtained too easily are often not cherished, so he pretended to mull it over.

After Zhao Zuo promised to think it over, the Fire Spirit Snake began licking him more vigorously and rubbing its entire body rhythmically against his arm, its attempt to curry favor now even more apparent.

Although the Fire Spirit Snake had the intelligence of a young child, its mind was like a blank slate.

How could the poor snake know its master was just playing hard to get?

It only yearned for freedom.

"Alright, I can agree, but you can’t leave the confines of the Cave Mansion."

Fearing the Fire Spirit Snake wouldn’t understand, Zhao Zuo stood up, walked to the entrance of the Cave Mansion, and pointed at the sealed stone door.

"You cannot leave through here."

But then he shook his head with a self-deprecating smile. ’I must be spending too much time with this snake.’ He hadn’t even realized that the Cave Mansion’s door could only be opened with an Inner Sect Disciple’s Identity Token. Even if the snake wanted to get out, it was physically incapable of opening the door.

The Fire Spirit Snake, however, immediately nodded, putting on an obedient and well-behaved act.

"Right, I should give you a name... Let’s call you..."

Zhao Zuo thought for a few seconds as the image of a fat, black-and-white cat—a pet from his previous life—surfaced in his mind.

"In that case... I’ll call you Xiaohei."

The Fire Spirit Snake froze for a moment, then its eyes widened in disbelief.

It was utterly baffled. Its entire body was crimson red—what part of it was black?

"You don’t have any objections, do you?"

The Fire Spirit Snake frantically waved its tail. It did *not* want that name, but Zhao Zuo naturally ignored its protests.

"Since there are no objections, it’s settled then."

With that, Zhao Zuo placed the Fire Spirit Snake on the ground.

"Go on, go play."

’In any case, the Fire Spirit Snake can’t talk yet,’ he thought. ’By the time it can speak and protest, it’ll be too late.’

He decided he would buy another Spirit Beast in the future and name it Xiaobai.

Zhao Zuo first washed the pot, then returned to his meditation room.

His path forward was set, and he now had some experience Refining Middle-Grade Magical Artifacts. He just needed to weigh his options for the next phase of his plan.

On one hand, he needed to earn Spirit Stones through Artifact Refining to upgrade his various Magical Artifacts. On the other, he had to turn in the artifacts he made to earn Contribution Points. He could then use those points to purchase the two Cultivation Techniques he needed now, as well as the second part of the Golden Fire Refining World Scripture in the future.

Neither task was more urgent than the other, as both were crucial for his future development. He had to find a balance between them.

Zhao Zuo tapped his right leg with his index finger, weighing the pros and cons.

’Considering I’m just a recently initiated Inner Sect Disciple, my proficiency in Refining Lower-Grade Magical Artifacts shouldn’t be that high yet,’ he mused. ’It’s probably best not to rashly reveal a refining speed of several hundred Lower-Grade Magical Artifacts per month.’

’Even if the sect seems fair and free of oppression, I can’t let my guard down. That means I need to carefully plan when I acquire those two Cultivation Techniques.’

He needed to strike the right balance. Turning in thirty Lower-Grade Magical Artifacts per month wasn’t an excessive number, and it was consistent with the typical refining speed of an Inner Sect Disciple.

’Besides, the other disciples don’t have my near-one-hundred-percent success rate.’

That would earn him four hundred and fifty Contribution Points. Combined with the hundred-odd points he already had, he would only need one month to get the Sutra of Calming the Mind. Then, he could spend another two months to get the first part of the Heaven-Melting Scripture.

With his plan decided, Zhao Zuo immediately took action.

"I’ll resume Artifact Refining tomorrow. Meet me at the old spot."

Zhao Zuo said into his Communication Jade, addressing Liu Heng. He didn’t wait for a reply before stowing the jade in his Storage Bag, confident that Liu Heng would arrive on time the next day.

After sending the message, Zhao Zuo took out his Black Flame Saber and began to practice his swings. He still had many Magical Artifacts to upgrade, but now that the Sky-Breaking Saber had been promoted, his primary melee weapon was a full grade behind.

Therefore, Zhao Zuo planned to focus on upgrading the Black Flame Saber, aiming to advance it to an Upper-Grade Magical Artifact within a month. Once that was done, he would have both long-range and close-quarters offensive options, giving him more initiative in battle.

After that... he would upgrade the Defensive Magical Artifact, the Golden Light Mirror, to shore up his final defensive weakness.

With a single thought, the Sky-Breaking Saber flew out from a hidden clasp at his waist. It soared freely within a few-meter radius, leaving cyan afterimages in the meditation room that slowly faded after a few seconds.

This was an effect that manifested after the Sky-Breaking Saber became an Upper-Grade Magical Artifact. It could fly using its internally stored Wind Attribute Spiritual Power. Its speed couldn’t match what he could achieve by propelling it with his Mana, but it was more than enough for grinding experience.

He would take a two-pronged approach, grinding experience for both blades simultaneously.

......