Chapter 78 - 71: Magic Treasure: Four-direction Spirit Suppressing Carriage

The smoke dissipated.

Su Ling’er shook her somewhat groggy head.

She realized the surrounding scenery seemed to have shrunk, while her own perspective had grown taller. Her body also felt much broader and thicker.

She tried to look down at her bloodstained red robes, but they were gone.

Instead, what met her eyes was a pair of thick, wide bear paws.

"..."

Su Ling’er stared at these hands—no, these paws—turning them over and over.

’My body...’

’What happened?’

Her round, black eyes were filled with a terror and bewilderment completely at odds with her current state.

’What have I become?’

’Did I... did I turn into a bear?!’

’Heavens, what kind of evil art is this?!’

’It really is a demonic, evil sect! They can actually turn a living person into a bear!’

’It’s over. It’s over. It’s all over.’

All sorts of evil techniques practiced by members of demonic paths, as recorded in storybooks, flashed through her mind.

There were those who stitched living people to demon beasts, creating grotesque monsters.

Others would rip out a Cultivator’s soul and forcibly stuff it into the body of a demon beast, damning them to never be reincarnated!

’So... have I been turned into a demon beast?’

’A bear-shaped demon beast?’

’This "Five Beasts Immortal Play" isn’t some health-preserving Cultivation Technique at all! It’s a wicked ritual to "bestialize" disciples!’

’First you imitate, then you’re assimilated, and finally, you’re completely replaced!’

’Those senior brothers and sisters were just pretending! They weren’t seriously practicing at all!’

’Only I... Only I was foolish enough to follow along, and this is what I get!’

Just as she was consumed by terror, Lin Qingfeng’s voice reached her.

He stared at his junior sister, utterly stunned.

’Junior Sister went into Qi deviation and actually turned into a bear?!’

’Awesome!’

He was ecstatic on the inside but remained outwardly calm, secretly activating the game’s built-in video capture function.

Su Ling’er couldn’t understand what was happening. She only saw her senior brother standing before her, seemingly holding something, yet also holding nothing at all.

There was just a faint shimmer rippling within a phantom image, gone in a flash.

’Hehehe, gotta take a picture with my junior sister’s bear-form!’

’What was Senior Brother just doing?’

An ominous premonition rose in Su Ling’er’s heart.

’Is he about to use some other evil art on me?’

Lin Qingfeng suppressed his laughter, cleared his throat, and began to spin a tall tale.

"Junior Sister, do not panic!"

"Do you have any idea what a fortuitous opportunity this is?!"

Su Ling’er, with her furry bear face, stared at him blankly.

’Opportunity?’

’You call this an opportunity?!’

’I bet you’re trying to figure out how to make me into braised bear paws and honey-glazed bear gall, stew me, and eat me!’

’No wonder you insisted on bringing me here! This was your plan all along!’

’You really are a demonic Evil Cultivator!!!’

"Junior Sister, strike while the iron is hot! Try again!

Empty your mind and sense the agility of the spirit ape, the lightness of the immortal crane!

If you can attain enlightenment in another form, see through the illusion of appearance, and perceive your true nature, your path of Cultivation will be limitless!"

’Quick, Junior Sister, go into Qi deviation one more time! Turn into a monkey for me!’

Hearing this nonsense, Su Ling’er was so angry her bear-like body trembled, and she almost fainted.

’Attain enlightenment?’

’See through the illusion of appearance?’

’Like hell I believe you!’

’You just want to see me make a fool of myself!’

But... she could indeed feel that after transforming into a bear, the excruciating pain in her spiritual soul had been inexplicably suppressed somewhat.

She couldn’t understand it and didn’t know why, but she absolutely did not want to be seen in this bearish state!

"Wh... Why is this happening... Senior Brother..."

"Junior Sister... I can’t bear this great Dao... I don’t think... I can go on..."

As she spoke, her massive body went limp as if she were about to collapse at any moment.

"Senior Brother... save me... I’m not going to make it..."

Seeing this, Lin Qingfeng let out a sigh of regret.

"Ah, what a pity."

?

?!

!!!

!!!!!

Su Ling’er’s bear eyes instantly widened.

’A pity?!’

’Wait, what are you finding a pity?’

’At least don’t say it out loud!’

’Are you disappointed I didn’t turn into a monkey for you?!’

’Damn you, Senior Brother! Can I just slap you to death right now?!’

Lin Qingfeng shook his head. Business came first.

"Forget it. I was too hasty."

He changed the subject.

"We’re going to the next location, the ’Spirit Vein Blessed Land’.

The Spiritual Qi there is abundant, and it has the miraculous effect of nurturing the spiritual soul and restoring vitality. Plus, cultivation there requires no movement, only quiet meditation and comprehension, which is perfect for your current situation."

’Go to the next location?’

A million voices in Su Ling’er’s heart screamed no.

She didn’t even want to move, let alone show this face to those crazy demons!

If any other Cultivators saw her like this, they’d surely mistake her for a monster that had escaped from the mountains and "slay the demon" on the spot!

’Oh, wait, this is a demonic sect...’

If they saw her, she’d probably be skinned alive, have her tendons pulled, be refined into a magic treasure, and even have her bones boiled for soup!

’Wouldn’t that be an even worse fate!’

’AHHH, I don’t want that to happen!!!’

"Senior Brother, I... I..."

"This appearance of mine is... is really unsightly. I’m afraid I’ll startle our fellow sect brothers..."

"Junior Sister, you are mistaken!"

Lin Qingfeng immediately interrupted her with righteous words.

"This is merely your outer form, a skin-deep shell!

We Cultivators seek the great Dao of the true self and look upon the immortal primordial spirit. How can we be constrained by a mere fleshly vessel?

If you can’t even see past this ’form,’ then what’s the point of talking about Cultivation?"

"Rest assured, the disciples of my Guixi Sect are all reasonable people. They will never look down on you because of your physical transformation.

Besides, you can’t move. Do you think I would abandon you?

Don’t worry, I will help you!"

At the same time, his divine sense had already sent a command to the sect’s channel.

[Lin Qingfeng: @All members, listen up!

Junior Sister just had a Qi deviation while practicing the "Five Beasts Immortal Play." She resonated with an Earth Spirit Bear and has temporarily taken on a bear form.

I’m taking her to the Spirit Vein Blessed Land in a bit. If you see her on the way, act normal. No freaking out, and absolutely no laughing at her!

Anyone who dares to laugh out loud will be sent to Siguoya for a month of confinement! Got it!]

The channel instantly flooded with responses.

[Ji: Roger! Don’t worry, Senior Brother! We definitely won’t be judgmental!]

[Shi Gandang: Holy crap? For real? She turned into a bear? I’m heading over right now to admire Junior Sister’s heroic-looking enlightened form!]

[Yan Buliu: I will absolutely not laugh at Junior Sister! Even if I see her, I will force myself to see a peerless beauty!!]

[Shen Nong: My newly cultivated spirit honey is ripe. I wonder if Junior Sister in her bear form would like some?]

[Wang Xian: Ah... too lazy to move...]

Looking at the group of disciples in the channel all promising to respect their junior sister, Lin Qingfeng closed the channel with satisfaction.

’Done.’

He turned back to Su Ling’er, smiled gently, and began rummaging through his storage pouch.

After all, Junior Sister was so weak; he couldn’t let her get bumped or bruised.

He had to find a magic treasure that could both protect her and transport her smoothly.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up as he spotted a special magic treasure he’d received as a reward for killing a demon beast during the last event.

’This is it!’

With a thought from Lin Qingfeng, a treasure appeared in his hand.

[Name]: Four-direction Spirit Suppressing Carriage

[Type]: Magic Treasure

[Treasure Talent: Spirit Suppression]

Mystic gold forges the carriage to suppress the four directions; Divine beasts guard and stabilize the spiritual light.

Not for imprisoning the common folk, but only to protect a single ray of light.

This carriage is not a prisoner’s cart. Its original form was a mobile shrine.

Legend has it that a group of ascetic monks, in order to escort a highly spiritual yet extremely unstable sacred object, searched the world for mystic gold and commissioned master craftsmen to forge this carriage.

The four corners of the carriage are carved with the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—the four celestial beasts.

They form a miniature Array that suppresses the four cardinal directions, ensuring that the object within the carriage is protected from external interference and that its spiritual nature does not leak out of control.

Later, the sacred object was returned to its rightful place, and the carriage was lost to the world.

Although no longer used to escort sacred objects, its powerful protective and stabilizing abilities have made it the perfect choice for transporting important individuals or spirit beasts.

......

’Using this [Four-direction Spirit Suppressing Carriage] to transport Junior Sister will be both safe and dignified. It will surely let her feel the warmth of the sect and my care as her senior brother!’

Su Ling’er was just despairing, thinking her senior brother was about to pick her up and carry her like a package again.

But the next moment, she saw her senior brother take out something that looked like a cage?

Before she could react, Lin Qingfeng had already tossed the "Four-direction Spirit Suppressing Carriage" lightly toward her.

The precious carriage grew in the air, instantly transforming into a ten-foot-tall prisoner’s cart. With a BUZZ, it directly and securely trapped Su Ling’er’s enormous bear body inside.

Bars of mystic gold descended from the sky, encircling her.

With a CLICK, they locked into place, perfectly sealed!

Su Ling’er stared blankly at the bars all around her, her giant bear face covered in question marks.

’Huh?’

’Is something wrong here?’