Natal Porcelain

Definition

Natal Porcelain (本命瓷) is a highly secretive and mystical artifact exclusively forged within the Dragon Kilns (龙窑) of the Lizhu Grotto-Heaven (骊珠洞天). It is a physical vessel that binds the destiny, innate talent, and life force of a child born within the grotto-heaven. Because the natives of Lizhu Grotto-Heaven possess extraordinarily high cultivation potential—born from the lingering destiny of the world's last True Dragon and the scattered souls of ancient sages—their Natal Porcelain becomes a highly coveted commodity among the top-tier cultivation sects across the Haoran Heaven.

Context / Usage

Creation and Firing

The method for forging Natal Porcelain was originally a secret technique developed and passed down by Yang Laotou (杨老头) and Mr. Three Mountains and Nine Marquises (三山九侯先生). When a baby is born in the town, they are assigned a code name kept in a secret file. A secret technique is then used to extract a drop of the infant's heart's blood (心头血), which is infused into the porcelain during its creation. The firing process is arduous and precise: a girl's Natal Porcelain takes six years to fire, while a boy's requires nine years. Throughout this entire period, the kiln fire cannot be extinguished for a single day.

Betting on Porcelain (赌瓷)

The quality of the fired porcelain reflects the child's innate cultivation potential. Outside sects and wealthy factions engage in a high-stakes practice known as "betting on porcelain" (赌瓷), paying exorbitant amounts of Immortal Money to purchase these artifacts from the Great Li Dynasty. Owning a cultivator's Natal Porcelain grants the buyer absolute control over their life and destiny. Even if the child eventually ascends to the Upper Five Realms (上五境) as a peerless Sword Immortal or Heavenly Lord, the owner can force them to serve the sect. Should the cultivator refuse or rebel, the owner can simply shatter the Natal Porcelain, which irrevocably shatters the cultivator's Dao foundation and soul.

Shattering and Consequences

If a Natal Porcelain is broken before the child begins cultivation, their "Longevity Bridge" (长生桥) is severed, reducing them to a fragile, unlucky mortal destined for a short, miserable life. Chen Ping'an's father secretly smashed his son's Natal Porcelain (which took the shape of a paperweight) after discovering the dark truth behind the practice. Though this act plunged Chen Ping'an into extreme poverty and hardship, and cost his parents their lives due to the fury of the buyers and the subsequent karmic backlash, it ultimately spared him from becoming a lifelong puppet to outside forces.

Political Significance

The monopoly over the production and sale of Natal Porcelain was the true foundation of power for the Four Surnames and Ten Clans (四姓十族) within the Lizhu Grotto-Heaven. Externally, the Great Li Dynasty (大骊王朝) utilized the astronomical profits and political leverage gained from selling these porcelains to rapidly expand its national power and military might, ultimately becoming the hegemon of the northern Eastern Aquarius Continent.

Related Terms

• Lizhu Grotto-Heaven (骊珠洞天): The isolated minor grotto-heaven where the porcelains are forged.
• Dragon Kiln (龙窑): The kilns used to fire the porcelain, secretly utilizing the True Dragon's lingering karma as "fuel."
• Longevity Bridge (长生桥): The foundational connection a mortal has to spiritual energy, which is severed if their Natal Porcelain is destroyed.

Notes

• The Qionglin Sect (琼林宗) of the Beiju Luzhou continent was historically the largest buyer of Lizhu Grotto-Heaven's Natal Porcelains, utilizing their immense wealth to stockpile the destinies of numerous geniuses.
• Flawed or completely failed Natal Porcelains were systematically smashed and discarded at Old Porcelain Mountain (老瓷山) within the grotto-heaven.

References

• 剑来1：少年骑微马, 第八章 — 少年和老狗: Supports the practice of outside sects purchasing the natal porcelains of talented youths, explicitly mentioning Zhengyang Mountain's attempt to buy Liu Xianyang's porcelain.
• 剑来1：少年骑微马, 第九章 — 玉簪: Supports the detailed firing process (six years for girls, nine years for boys) involving heart's blood, and confirms that Chen Ping'an's father deliberately smashed his son's porcelain paperweight to save him from being controlled.
• 剑来17：一洲皆剑气, 第五章 — 本命瓷: Supports that the creation of Natal Porcelain was a masterstroke orchestrated by Yang Laotou, which fundamentally fueled the rapid rise of the Great Li Dynasty.
• 剑来42：观书喜夜禅, 第四章 — 叠阵: Supports the origin of the secret forging method, confirming it was passed down by Yang Laotou and Mr. Three Mountains and Nine Marquises.