603 Making Strides

Superior-grade Spirit Artifacts were extremely rare.

The Sword of Essence Restoring was extremely deadly, but it was only of inferior-grade. Chen Fan could only create a mid-grade Spirit Artifact using the Thunder Seal as a core and added the effects of many divine artifacts.

That being said, the Five Thunder Seal was created using the refinement method of Immortal Cultivators, so even though it was a mid-grade Spirit Artifact, it was no less powerful than a superior-grade one. A superior-grade Spirit Artifact was beyond the reach of most Connate cultivators. Only those who had reached the peak of the Connate Cultivation and were from major Immortal Cultivation sects could have obtained one.

As for Spirit Treasures, they were even rarer.

What made a Spirit Treasure much more powerful than Spirit Artifacts was the Artifact Spirits.

Just like the White Drake could strengthen the effects of the Green Dragon Grand Array, so could Artifact Spirit breathe new life into Spirit Artifacts, making them powerful enough to overcome any average immortal cultivation sect.

The power of any spirit treasure was terrifying.

Once a cultivator tamed the Artifact Spirit, he could use a Spirit Treasure to face a Connate Cultivator. If Chen Fan got hold of such a treasure, he would fly to the United States of America right then; none of the expensive toys such as the F-22 or nuclear powered aircraft carriers could stop him. A nuclear blast couldn't even penetrate the protective layer of a Spirit treasure.

Spirit Treasures were so rare that they were beyond the reach of most Golden Core cultivators.

"If this black shuttle really is a Spirit Treasure, then a Golden Core level cultivator or someone even more powerful must have lived on earth. However, it lacked the Artifact Spirit to truly awaken its spirit."

Chen Fan furrowed brows and studied the ancient shuttle carefully.

It was about the size of a child's arm and its surface was covered with patterns that gave a faint blue glow. Other than that, there was nothing extraordinary about it.

Chen Fan tested it a few times and found that it had practically no other features, other than its exceptional speed. Compared to a flying sword which could form Blade Essence and deploy the Art of Multiplying Blade Auras, the shuttle really had nothing to show for.

"It's not a Dharma Artifact; it seems to be a weapon created by an advanced civilization with highly developed Soul Energy. Moving this shuttle around requires so much soul energy that even the Wise Men needed to rely on the Electromagnetic cannon to use it."

Chen Fan had traversed the universe for five hundred years and had seen the rise and fall of many great civilizations. He quickly deciphered the truth about this strange artifact.

Chen Fan had encountered such a Soul Energy Weapon many times during his wandering in space.

Many space civilizations had gone so far as to renounce their physical form in order to develop their Soul Energy. They existed in the form of Soul Energy and could control an entire space fleet remotely.

"Its materials are incredibly strong. I bet it was meant for Golden Core Cultivators. I doubt the United States of America could have created this, they must have found it somewhere."

Chen Fan shook his head.

He tested the object's power by commanding it to strike him.

The shuttle flew right through Chen Fan's hand, leaving a bloody hole right in the middle of his palm. Although Chen Fan didn't use the protection of the Azure Thearch Longevity Body, he was certain that this shuttle could easily kill an Earth Level Deity.

That being said, most Connate Cultivators or Earth Level Deities had at least one life saving trick up their sleeves. The attack of the shuttle could be easily deflected due to its simplicity. Therefore, it was best to couple it with other artifacts such as the Dimension Altering Dharma Treasure.

Despite its simple function, it was extremely rare to come across such precious material. It could be used as the foundation of a Spirit Treasure.

The thought brought joy to Chen Fan's face.

He had lost the Five Elements Thunder, but his black shuttle was more than enough to make up for the loss. He could easily defeat an Earth Level Deity with or without the shuttle, but it would definitely make his life much easier.

"Ah, right. What about the silver armor?"

Chen Fan looked at the silver ball.

The ball was half liquid and half metal, and it hovered near the floor. Chen Fan probed it with his Divine Will as he did with the shuttle.

Suddenly, the liquid metal bubbled as the ball changed its shape. It slowly inched toward Chen Fan and covered his body.

Palms, arms, shoulders, chest, legs… the liquid metal slowly covered Chen Fan's body, wrapping him within a layer of protection. However, Chen Fan could barely feel any difference since he could move and breathe as usual.

"Splash!"

Chen Fan rubbed his hands and punched out.

"Boom!"

An explosion erupted, sending out a whirlwind that swept across the cave. An invisible force landed on the metal-braced cave wall and created a deep impression on it.

"The Blood Ancestor spent years reinforcing the walls of the Dark Treasure Vault, enchanting them with protective spells. However, I nearly broke it with only one percent of my strength."

Chen Fan was surprised.

He felt his power had increased at least two folds.

Chen Fan kept on testing the armor.

"Pong, pong, pong!"

Countless fist and palm-shaped depressions appeared on the wall. When Chen Fan used more than half of his strength, the Dark Treasure Vault started to shake and squeak.

"It seems like this silvery armor can amplify my power."

Chen Fan frowned.

When he used only ten percent of his strength, the armor amplified it to almost double the amount. However, when he used seventy percent of his strength, the armor's amplification effect was diminished to thirty percent increments.

However even a thirty percent improvement rate was extremely powerful.

Under normal circumstances, Chen Fan could easily kill off Immortal State Warriors with seventy percent of his strength. Adding another thirty percent to that power would make him extra deadly.

"The armor also provides excellent protection. I should be able to survive a small nuclear blast as long as I'm not at the blast center. "

Chen Fan's face was lit up with glee.

The silver armor and the black shuttle had to be from the same civilization since both required soul energy to control them. Chen Fan wagered that those two artifacts could help any Connate State cultivator to ward off Golden Core cultivator's attacks.

"I can carry these two items all the way to the Connate Spirit Level."

Chen Fan put away the two artifacts back into the gourd. Those two artifacts had given him more confidence in winning the battle against the Blood Ancestor.

Then, Chen Fan fished out a Divine Crystal from the gourd and started harnessing its soul energy.

He had obtained over a hundred Divine Crystals from the Dark Treasure Vault. Although they weren't enough to push Chen Fan into the Connate Spirit, they should help him reach the peak of Qi Refinement.

"Sth, sth.."

Tendrils of golden energy flew out of the crystal and entered Chen Fan's body. These golden energies were the Divine Forces in their purest form. The total amount of Divine Forces inside the crystals was enough to make Lin Shuming an Earth Level Deity. However, it was still not enough for Chen Fan.

"Huu! Huu!"

As Chen Fan drew out more energy, an azure glow appeared over his body as his flesh gleamed like a diamond. Many threads of golden energy entered his body and seeped into his jade-like bones, reinforcing them.

Chen Fan's power was increasing by the second.

While Chen Fan focused on his cultivation, the world was thrown into turmoil.

The names on the Divine Roll had frequently changed over the last hundred years. However, the Divine Arbiter, and Ye Qincang had always claimed the top two spots. This was the first time that they had been pushed down; Chen Fan became the second Chinese to be enlisted on the Divine Roll.

No one protested about Chen Fan's promotion.

He was Superpower Chen!

"Chen Beixuan has toppled cities and he recently obliterated an island. He is on par with the superpowers of the world. No one in the world can compare with him, because he is as powerful as a nation."

Many people exclaimed.

To be listed on the Divine Roll was an honor for most people.

However, it seemed like a insult to Chen Fan. The combined might of all the fighters on the Divine Roll were unable to overpower Chen Fan's fallen enemy: the United States of America, much less Chen Fan himself.

China, Kunlun…

Ye Qincang kept his silence after hearing the series of news about the recent development.

Meanwhile, two men were talking in a quiet Monastery located in the Vatican.

"Sir, Chen Beixuan is on the top of the list." A blond middle-aged man wearing a suit of armor said respectfully. He bent his large frame slightly forward and bowed.

There was a white halo around his armor and his short blond hair angrily stood on end. The energy flowing about him was even stronger than that of the Dark Duke.

He was the leader of the Christian Church, the Divine Arbiter!

However, he showed a great degree of respect toward an old man in plain clothing.

"Just ignore him. No worldly forces can challenge the Christian Church. In a few thousand years, they would be nothing but ashes, but we will still exist," the old man coughed and then said, "We have only one goal: to eliminate the Blood Ancestor. This was the dying wish of the saints. We will wipe these dark races off the face of the earth."

The Divine Arbiter's face hardened after he heard the name of the Blood Ancestor.

"I heard that the Dark Duke wanted to awaken the Blood Ancestor, but it's been a thousand years already. I doubt the Blood Ancestor is still alive."

"He is. You are too young to understand his power."

The elder looked into the distance wistfully.

"Let's get ready for the final battle. The Blood Ancestor could be awakened any moment now."

"Yes, sir!"

The Divine Arbiter lowered his head.

Half a month later, as Chen Fan's cultivation was near completion, a guest arrived with an important message.