Invincible Dad

Artifact Refining is categorized into ten grades.

Mortal Instruments are First Grade, Treasure Instruments are Second Grade, and Heavenly Instruments are Third Grade.

Spiritual Artifacts, which are in a league of their own above Heavenly Instruments, are Fourth Grade Magic Artifacts!

Beginning from the Spiritual Artifact stage, spiritual endowment is required, and the difficulty of the refining process increases indefinitely. Even in the Immortal Domain, it is quite a luxury for a Cultivator in the Golden Core Realm to possess a Spiritual Artifact.

And yet, in the display cabinet before him, there was a Spiritual Artifact.

Though it was a defective item with numerous flaws, this object already possessed a spirit. To think it had been left in this museum for who knows how many years was a sinful waste. Of course, it was nothing compared to the Immortal Artifact that Ruan Tang had used for flower arrangements and later gifted to Xu Yaoyao.

"This was seized from the home of a criminal who was dealing in cultural relics."

A young man nearby pointed at the Copper Coin relic and explained to his girlfriend, "This isn't currency from the Qin Dynasty, but it is a cultural relic from that period. Experts are still trying to figure out this Copper Coin's true purpose. The reason it's displayed here is because..."

The man droned on, explaining that the museum staff had helped the police crack the case, which was why they had the opportunity to display it.

"Oh." The girl, dressed in a red down jacket, sounded clearly uninterested. "What's the point of knowing that? It's just some old junk from thousands of years ago. Who cares? When are we going to the movies?"

"How... how can you say that!" the boy stammered, growing agitated. He began to lecture her on the relic's deeper significance and how it wasn't just from a dynasty but a testament to civilization itself.

Nearby, an elderly gentleman who looked every bit the intellectual nodded. "Correct. Cultural relics are historical artifacts with historical, artistic, and scientific value. Many people care about them."

The boy said excitedly, "Did you hear that?"

The girl was silent for a moment before glaring at her boyfriend. "I'm tired. I'm heading back to school."

"Ah, let me walk you," the boy stammered.

"No need. You stay here with your precious relic. Its existence is obviously more important than mine."

The boy, already turning to excitedly discuss the relic with the old man, just said, "Okay, take care on your way," as the girl stormed off.

Xu Lai's gaze lingered on the girl's retreating figure. She was a wolf monster.

A monster in love with a human?

Xu Lai showed no unusual expression. In the depths of the universe, unions across species were countless; they were just less common on Earth.

"Daddy, it looks like this Copper Coin is absorbing Spiritual Energy," Yiyi whispered, looking at the Spiritual Artifact inside the glass case.

"Mmm-hmm," Qian Xiao nodded. "Uncle Xu, I feel like it almost has a consciousness."

Although the two children were inconsistent with their Cultivation, often slacking off, the path they followed was the most orthodox one. It wasn't surprising that they could notice such a subtle detail.

"This is a Spiritual Artifact." Xu Lai squatted down, putting his arms around Yiyi's and Qian Xiao's shoulders. He pointed at the damaged part of the Copper Coin. "See that chip? That's what damaged the Spiritual Artifact."

"How could it be fixed?" Qian Xiao asked, puzzled.

Xu Lai was a bit surprised; he hadn't expected Qian Xiao to be interested in repairs. He didn't hide anything and said, "It would require Nine-leaf Ironwood and thirty Supreme Spirit Stones. Given Earth's conditions... it's temporarily impossible to fix."

Never mind finding a Fourth Grade Artifact Refiner, Supreme Spirit Stones alone were impossible to find on Earth unless they were brought from off-world.

Of course, with Xu Lai's current level in Artifact Refining, he no longer needed such forging materials. He could repair any Magic Artifact below an Emperor Artifact with a single thought using only his Spiritual Energy.

Qian Xiao seemed to only half-understand, while Yiyi listened with rapt attention, occasionally looking up at Xu Lai with eyes full of admiration.

Daddy knows so much! He's amazing!

Even though he was the revered Human Emperor, The Supreme Emperor of the Heavenly Court, venerated by countless beings, Xu Lai had never considered himself all that amazing. He only ever felt cold and lonely standing at the pinnacle.

But now, seeing the look in his daughter's eyes...

Xu Lai suddenly felt that standing so high had meaning. Just as he was about to teach the two little ones how to repair artifacts with Spiritual Energy alone, without any need for materials, disaster struck!

A fire alarm suddenly blared through the museum.

The piercing sound shocked the visitors, who then scrambled for the emergency exits. Through the haze, they could all see thick smoke spreading rapidly from other rooms.

"Xu Lai, get the kids out of here!" Ruan Tang yelled anxiously from a few meters away. The crowd surged toward the exit, and though she was close, she couldn't get through to them.

Xu Lai picked up both children and squeezed through the throng to Ruan Tang's side. He followed the stream of people outside, his gaze growing increasingly cold.

That little monster... seems a bit restless.

「...」

Outside the museum, the tourists gathered together, watching with lingering fear as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze.

A staff member, sweating profusely, explained to the crowd that a fire had suddenly broken out in a few storage rooms. Fortunately, it had been controlled in time, and no artifacts were damaged, so everyone should stop worrying.

However, the walkie-talkie at the staff member's waist crackled to life. His expression changed drastically as he listened. "What? An artifact is missing? Find it, quickly!"

In the crowd, Luo Chu's brow furrowed slightly. She had just sensed a potent surge of Spiritual Energy, but she hadn't investigated its source, prioritizing the safe evacuation of her son and the ordinary people. Now that everyone was safe, her figure flickered and vanished.

As a Martial Artist, she had a duty and a responsibility to capture the culprit and retrieve the missing artifact.

"Eh?" Ruan Tang said, stunned when her best friend disappeared in the blink of an eye. "Where's Luo Chu?"

"She went after the arsonist," Xu Lai replied.

"The arsonist!" Ruan Tang gripped Xu Lai's hand tightly. "You have to go help her! She's pregnant! What if something happens to her?"

Xu Lai nodded.

Luo Chu was indeed no match for that little monster. Even if she caught her, she would pay a heavy price. Xu Lai hadn't planned on getting involved, but since his dear wife had asked, he naturally couldn't refuse.

「...」

A figure was sprinting down the road outside the museum. The surrounding pedestrians only felt a rush of wind, unable to see a thing. After all, this little monster's Boundary was very high, comparable to a peak Ninth Grade of the Human Race.

SWOOSH. SWOOSH. SWOOSH.

The sprinting figure was wearing a red down jacket. It was the same woman who had been arguing with her boyfriend earlier! Her once-calm expression was now twisting into a ferocious scowl. She glanced back at the woman chasing her and tsked impatiently.

The woman dropped to all fours and sprinted forward, her speed so immense that she became a blur! After running for about three minutes, she finally stopped in a forest roughly ten kilometers from the museum.

She looked at her pursuer and sneered, "Did you follow me here to die?"

The pursuer was, of course, Luo Chu. Sprinting ten kilometers in three minutes was taxing even for a Ninth Grade Martial Ancestor like her. Panting heavily, she said word by word, "You're coming with me to turn yourself in!"

"Turn myself in?" The woman looked at Luo Chu as if she were an idiot, then ripped off her down jacket and pants.