Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 919: Bronze Skin, Iron Bones

Mo Hua laid out several cultivation manuals related to life-bound artifacts, researching while simultaneously picking up a blank jade slip, starting to organize everything from the beginning:

The so-called life-bound artifact refers to a treasure that is refined alongside the cultivator's very life, intimately tied to their Dao inheritance and cultivation path.

Only after forging a life-bound artifact can one form a Golden Core.

Once one forms the Golden Core, wielding a life-bound artifact allows them to unleash power far beyond ordinary spiritual tools.

Every cultivator's life-bound artifact is unique and exclusive, usable only by themselves.

Moreover, not just at the Golden Core stage—even in later stages like Ascension and eventually Hollow Void—the artifact continues to grow stronger with the cultivator's cultivation.

This artifact will accompany a cultivator for a very, very long time.

Therefore, choosing a compatible life-bound artifact is of utmost importance.

In fact, rather than calling it an artifact, it's more accurate to say that it becomes part of the cultivator's own body.

In orthodox Daoist cultivation, life-bound artifacts in the Golden Core stage are still separate entities—man is man, artifact is artifact.

But once one reaches Ascension, the artifact can begin to be housed within the body, achieving true unity between cultivator and treasure.

Some cultivators even fuse their artifact into their body before reaching Ascension.

Take the Fire Buddha for example—he embedded two fire-type artifact embryos into his chest, replacing his own heart, and used them as the foundation to form his core.

However, that technique is a forbidden art, and in truth, Fire Buddha had no choice.

Mo Hua remembered that grudge clearly: Fire Buddha had committed heinous acts in the past and was nearly killed by Uncle Gu. His heart meridian was destroyed, and he was on the brink of death. With no other option, he took the desperate path of using this extreme "core formation" method, nurturing two "flaming hearts" as his life-bound artifacts.

It was purely out of desperation.

Had it not been absolutely necessary, even Fire Buddha wouldn't have dared such madness.

After all, replacing your own heart and embedding an artifact there… one wrong move, and you're toast.

"Embedding artifacts into the body… to replace the heart…"

Mo Hua shook his head.

Too extreme. Too terrifying. Definitely not for him.

He lowered his head and continued flipping through the manuals.

Following Elder Xun's advice, his first choice for a life-bound artifact should be something that could replenish spiritual energy.

Spiritual power is the very foundation of a cultivator.

All powerful Dao arts—without exception—consume massive amounts of spiritual energy.

When your cultivation level doesn't completely crush your opponent, when your tactics aren't underhanded enough, or when your strategy isn't flawless—then battle boils down to one thing: spiritual endurance.

Whoever has more spiritual energy, whoever can outlast the other—wins.

Especially for spirit cultivators, the amount of spiritual power is absolutely critical.

Mo Hua's low spiritual power had always been one of his biggest weaknesses—second only to his frail physical body.

So, using his life-bound artifact to compensate for spiritual energy was the best option.

"Artifacts for spiritual replenishment…"

Mo Hua flipped through the manuals and finally found a few long-standing and well-preserved inheritance types in the Comprehensive Guide to Cultivator Artifacts:

Jade Spirit Gourd

White Jade Purification Vase

Spirit Casket

Spirit-Gathering Hairpin

These artifact types—like gourds, bottles, or boxes—can be refined to store one's own spiritual energy.

Because they're life-bound artifacts, linked to the cultivator's life itself, the spiritual energy stored is one's own—so it can be used instantly, unlike spirit stones or pills which require time to refine.

In effect, it's like having an external dantian.

In life-and-death battles where every second counts, this is invaluable.

Which is exactly why such artifact inheritances are extremely rare—often locked away in great sects or ancient noble clans.

Also, the cost is absurd—many times higher than even the usual high-grade clan disciple artifact.

Only true sect heirs or elite heirs of fifth-rank or higher clans had the right to refine such treasures.

The biggest issue, though, is the same as other high-grade life-bound artifacts—they require early nurturing.

In fact, this one is even more demanding—it has to be nurtured from age three.

Because this kind of artifact functions as a second dantian, it requires an even deeper affinity with the cultivator's body. Without early bonding, the rejection rate is extremely high.

Even if you succeed in refining it late, the artifact's quality will be low, and its spiritual storage capacity will be heavily reduced.

That was the true deal-breaker.

Mo Hua had long missed the window for nurturing this kind of treasure—and more thoroughly than for any other type.

Age three, huh…

Unless you were born with a golden spoon, with an ancestor in the Ascension or Hollow Void stage, who would think of nurturing an artifact from toddlerhood just to prepare for forming a Golden Core?

It was simply too extravagant.

If he tried to force it now, he'd have to accept the consequences: spiritual rejection, poor compatibility, low capacity, and other unknown drawbacks.

"No diamond drill, don't take on porcelain work."

He wasn't cut out for this kind of artifact—plain and simple.

Mo Hua shook his head and moved on.

Since spiritual artifacts were out, he turned to physical-body enhancement artifacts.

These came in two main types:

Artifacts that protect the body (armor, heart mirrors, golden bells, iron shirts, etc.)

Artifacts that strengthen the body (direct enhancement)

The former were like spiritual versions of protective gear—designed for body cultivators to survive melee combat and protect vital organs.

Mo Hua wouldn't use these for brawling—just for survival.

A backup plan.

Something that might save his life in a desperate moment.

Of course, if it blocked a fatal blow, the artifact would probably be destroyed.

But hey—better the artifact than you.

The second type—direct body enhancement artifacts—were far rarer.

And also far more high-end and secretive.

This category had a unified name: Bronze Skin, Iron Bones.

It was a specialized, high-level hybrid inheritance that involved not just artifact refinement, but alchemy and even formation techniques.

Bronze Skin, Iron Bones came in two types:

External implants (Bronze Skin): implanting liquid metal into the skin to form metallic skin or scales—making one immune to blades and spears.

Internal implants (Iron Bones): embedding rare metals or jade into the skeleton to enhance bone structure and physical power.

Together, these types were called Bronze Skin, Iron Bones.

That name was just a catch-all. In practice, there were silver, gold, wood, jade, stone, etc.—each with unique effects and materials.

These artifacts had special shapes, materials, and crafting methods. Their nurturing and refinement techniques were extremely secretive—top-tier family secrets.

"Bronze Skin… Iron Bones…"

Mo Hua was very tempted.

These could be integrated into the body—stealthy, convenient, and comprehensive in their enhancement.

And, let's be honest—they just sounded cool.

Most importantly, there was no early nurturing requirement.

As long as he implanted the artifact before forming his core, it would work.

That alone made it very friendly for someone in Mo Hua's situation.

He quickly recorded it as a prime candidate, then moved on.

The last type he examined was stealth and escape artifacts.

Most formation masters, as well as non-combatant alchemists and refiners, often chose this category for their life-bound artifacts.

It was a conventional, reliable choice.

After all, cultivation was about seeking immortality.

To live forever… you had to, well… live.

If you're dead, you're not immortal—you're just a short-lived fool.

But Mo Hua wasn't an ordinary formation master.

His spells were formidable, and he was especially skilled in stealth and movement techniques.

For him, this kind of artifact would be icing on the cake, not a game-changer.

So, this category ranked lower in priority.

Still, it was a mainstream, well-tested path.

Popular, proven, and widely applicable.

Not flashy, but reliable.

Sometimes practical is the best choice—not everything needs to be flashy or unique.

...

After spending more time flipping through the Comprehensive Guide to Cultivator Artifacts and other related texts, and comparing everything in detail— Mo Hua finally made up his mind.

His choice was clear: Bronze Skin, Iron Bones!

His life-bound artifact would be implanted as Bronze Skin and Iron Bones!

Using it to strengthen his physical body!

After all, his body was simply too weak. In fact, ever since he was little, he had a dream of becoming a body cultivator—hoping that one day, he could use his fists to subdue enemies, or be like his senior brother: spear in hand, charging in and out of enemy lines like a war god.

Of course, that was still pretty much a fantasy right now—but at least he could make some effort toward it.

With Bronze Skin and Iron Bones as a life-bound artifact, whether it was getting beaten, escaping, close combat entanglement, or dodging attacks—it would all become easier. Even hitting people with a sneak attack stick would have more impact!

That said, using this as a life-bound artifact would probably be very difficult.

Mo Hua could only try his best, but as for how it would turn out—well, that was up to fate.

After all, things in this world don't always go the way you want them to.

To account for uncertainty, Mo Hua also picked a few backups:

One was a defensive armor-type artifact for saving his life—Golden Body Armor. In a desperate moment, it might just preserve his tiny life.

Next were stealth and escape tools: the Concealment Cloak and the Thousand-Mile Divine Boots.

Mo Hua favored the Thousand-Mile Divine Boots—super fast.

If he ever did something shady, he could bolt immediately. Nobody would catch him.

As for spiritual-power-type artifacts, they sounded nice…

If he could somehow raise a "Spirit Jade Gourd," it'd be like having a second dantian. He might even be able to cast top-tier Dao techniques without draining himself dry.

But those kinds of artifacts were like castles in the sky—out of reach. He could only admire them from afar.

After making up his mind, the first thing Mo Hua did was seek out Venerable Elder Xun to consult his opinion.

Elder Xun was a bit surprised, but after thinking it over, he nodded.

Mo Hua's physical body was his greatest weakness.

If he wanted to compensate for that, then reinforcing it was indeed a reasonable approach.

Once the Bronze Skin and Iron Bones were implanted, his offense, defense, and survivability would all be greatly improved. The only issue was…

"Our Great Void Sect doesn't have that kind of inheritance," Elder Xun said.

Mo Hua was stunned. "Not even in the Inner Sect?"

"It's not that we have none," Elder Xun explained, "just very little—and the few we do have aren't really suitable for you."

"At its core, our Great Void Sect is a sword sect. Our ancestors were renowned for swordsmanship. It's just that many of the sword techniques weren't convenient to pass on, so over time, we became more balanced—teaching a bit of everything: sword arts, spell techniques, even martial arts."

"As for other artifact inheritances, some are fine. But Bronze Skin and Iron Bones is a very specialized type. It requires directly implanting metal or stone materials into a cultivator's body, which not only demands an ancestral inheritance but also generations of refinement and research to accumulate proper experience and technique."

"Only with that can the process be made safe. Otherwise, the implanted metals or jade could easily cause issues."

Elder Xun thought for a moment, then added,

"I do have a few such inheritance manuals on hand. Acquired years ago by chance. But they're basic—Iron Skin, Iron Bone level. Too low-grade. Too rough. The materials are cheap, and they're not really suitable for you."

"Also… there's one more key issue…"

Elder Xun looked at Mo Hua.

"Bronze Skin and Iron Bones puts a massive load on the body. Only true body cultivators can handle it. If you try to force it with that small frame of yours—you might not survive the process…"

"Isn't there a lighter-load version?" Mo Hua asked.

"There is," Elder Xun replied. "But those are even rarer. And needing a version with low physical strain? That makes it nearly impossible to find."

Even as a Hollow Void ancestor, Elder Xun found this problematic.

In the cultivation world, inheritance is the foundation—both for cultivators and sects.

The barrier between inheritance lines is strict. Stealing another sect's inheritance is tantamount to killing one's father or stealing one's wife—grudges that must be avenged.

Even though the Great Void Sect was a prestigious sect, it wasn't rich enough to just have everything, especially not rare and high-demand inheritances like low-burden, wide-compatibility Bronze Skin and Iron Bones.

Mo Hua sighed, clearly disappointed.

Elder Xun saw it and felt a bit guilty inside.

Mo Hua was a rogue cultivator by origin—his path was already harder than others. If his artifact turned out worse than everyone else's, then as time went on, he'd fall behind even further.

Within the Great Void Sect, everyone's artifact could be passable—but Mo Hua's couldn't. He had to have the best and most suitable one.

Elder Xun pondered, then said,

"I'll think of something. I'll ask some of the old guys if they have anything useful. If they do—I'll trade for it."

Mo Hua was stunned, deeply touched. He asked quietly,

"Won't that cost a lot?"

"Doesn't matter," Elder Xun reassured him. "You won first place in the Dao Array Conference and safeguarded the sect's reputation. You deserve this."

Mo Hua still felt a bit guilty.

So Elder Xun added,

"If it really bothers you, we can just deduct some contribution points. Treat it like you spent them to 'buy' the inheritance."

As he said this, Elder Xun suddenly thought that wasn't a bad idea.

Mo Hua's contribution points had become way too bloated. They needed to be used somehow. Just leaving them maxed out and hidden wasn't a solution—he'd have to spend them eventually.

Mo Hua finally relaxed.

As long as it let him raise a life-bound artifact and form a Golden Core, spending a few contribution points didn't matter. He knew how to weigh priorities.

Contribution points were meant for this, after all.

"Thank you, Elder Xun!" Mo Hua said gratefully.

Elder Xun nodded, then added,

"I'll do my best to find it. But whether I can get it or how long it will take—I can't guarantee anything. You'd better mentally prepare a few fallback plans…"

"Understood," Mo Hua nodded. "This disciple understands."

After that, Elder Xun began searching for a suitable refinement method for Mo Hua's life-bound artifact.

But this sort of thing was unpredictable. No one could say when—or even if—there would be any definitive answer.

Even if they did find a method, it would likely come with many other complications…

Mo Hua studied further and realized: Bronze Skin and Iron Bones implantation was just one specific technique under the umbrella of in-body artifact refinement. To fully unlock its power, it needed to be paired with matching cultivation methods, totems, or martial Dao techniques.

Even if you had the implantation method, you might not have the corresponding Dao techniques.

And even if you did… they might not suit you.

Mo Hua couldn't help feeling a bit helpless.

The higher the grade of the inheritance, the more complex and difficult it was.

And the stricter the requirements on the cultivator.

Crossing the big threshold was just the beginning—there were many smaller gates inside.

Mo Hua let out a sigh.

Still, now that he had a clear direction, there was no need to hesitate—he would just persist and walk the path to the end.

In the days that followed, Mo Hua devoted himself to researching how to construct his life-bound artifact using the Bronze Skin and Iron Bones method.

He organized all the complex issues in advance, thought through potential difficulties, and did his best to prepare for everything.

"Those who prepare prosper, those who don't prepare perish."

A few days later, while Mo Hua was in his quarters, contemplating his future life-bound artifact, his token suddenly trembled—a message had arrived.

It was from the guest elder token of the Demonic Sect.

Mo Hua smacked his forehead. Only now did he remember he'd completely forgotten about the Demonic Sect side of things.

Mainly because… he'd already killed several Golden Cores, devoured enough divine remains—there wasn't much left of "use" there for the moment.

And right now, he had more proper things to focus on—like preparing for his life-bound artifact before forming his Golden Core. So it had already been several days since he last checked the guest elder token.

Mo Hua picked it up and looked at the messages inside.

Sure enough, it was from Elder You.

And not just one message—there were several, apparently sent at different times:

"Mr. Yuan, Old Eighth is dead. I don't know if there are still other spies within the sect?"

"...Mr. Yuan?"

"Mr. Yuan? Has something happened?"

"Why haven't you replied? Could it be that you've grown dissatisfied with our sect?"

"Mr. Yuan… if you see this message, please respond."

Mo Hua rubbed his chin.

"Crap. This might be a bit of a slip. Wonder if I can bluff my way through it… Will Elder You start suspecting me?"

He hesitated.

"Maybe… I should just stop playing this game?"

He thought it over.

He'd already slain Golden Cores, consumed divine remnants, cut down evil fetuses, broken through bottlenecks, and nearly refined his divine marrow to pure gold…

His goals were basically accomplished.

There really wasn't much reason to keep wasting time entangling with the Demonic Sect.

Besides, what business did a tiny Foundation Establishment cultivator like him have messing with vicious Golden Core demons? That was just asking for death.

"Know when to quit."

"If you can retreat cleanly—do it while you still can."

Leave the job of wiping out the Demonic Sect to the Dao Court Division.

He just had to occasionally "monitor" their progress… and make sure Uncle Gu didn't die.

Right now, raising his life-bound artifact was the real priority—and it couldn't be delayed.

But before all that, after working so hard for so long… he figured he might as well milk one last fleece from the sheep.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then sent a message to Elder You:

"I've been targeted by the Dao Court Division's dogs…"

Sure enough, moments later, Elder You replied:

"What?! Such a thing?"

"Those Dao Court dogs—damn them!"

Mo Hua didn't reply right away.

He pretended to be on the run from the Dao Court's investigations, with danger lurking around every corner.

He left Elder You hanging for a while, and then finally responded:

"Your actions were sloppy. You've dragged me down with you!"

Mo Hua struck first, shifting the blame before the other side could say anything.

"My whereabouts have been exposed…"

"The Dao Court is using Thunder-Magnetic tracking techniques on me. I fear they'll uncover a lead, so I have no choice but to stay hidden and elusive."

"If they find my trail and launch a siege—I'll surely die!"

This wasn't even a lie—because the real Mr. Yuan did die that way.

Elder You was shocked and apologized:

"It was our mistake. We've implicated you, sir. What will you do now…?"

Mo Hua didn't answer right away. Again, he let Elder You stew a bit, then finally replied:

"The situation is dire. I need to lay low for a while. But before that…"

Mo Hua's gaze sharpened, and he sent one final message:

"I want my payment— Eight hundred thousand spirit stones!"

(End of this Chapter)