Why did this Spirit Treasure suddenly turn on me and attack instead of staying under Yan Zhenâs control?
Ji Ruyan never saw that coming.
"Artifact Spirit?"
The only explanation was that this Spirit Treasure housed an Artifact Spirit.
Artifact Spirits have independent will; maybe in their past life, they were some powerful being, giving them the ability to wield the might of a Spirit Treasure.
Now, the Artifact Spirit wanted to kill Ji Ruyan, maybe because she posed a threat to it or its master.
The Spirit Treasure unleashed its power, and Ji Ruyan instantly retreated at full speed.
Boom boom boomâ
The Cold Ice Blade pierced through ancient trees in the distance, slicing them all cleanly apart, then spun in a circle and swept out with a single slashâinstantly morphing into countless Ice and Snow Sword Aura streaks, all charging at Ji Ruyan.
Seeing a sea of sword aura coming for her, Ji Ruyan knew she had nowhere left to run.
"Myriad Sword Shadows!"
Ji Ruyan immediately called forth her own Lower Grade Spirit Treasure, slashing out with a sword that erupted in thousands of sword aura rays.
This move was eerily similar to the sectâs secret Thousand Layered Sword Waves technique.
But her move didnât pack the same punch as Thousand Layered Sword Wavesâit was a bit weaker.
Boom boom boomâ
In a flash, all the sword aura streaks in the sky collided ferociously. Amidst the deafening blasts, Ji Ruyanâs counterattack was completely overpowered by the Spirit Treasureâs strength and she was sent flying instantly.
Spurtâ
While tumbling through the air, Ji Ruyan spat out a mouthful of blood, showing just how savage the Cold Ice Sword Aura really was.
Screeeâ
In the next second, the Cold Ice Sword Aura quivered and transformed into a cascade of light, charging after the helpless Ji Ruyan.
"STOP!"
Just as the Cold Ice Sword Aura was about to punch through Ji Ruyanâs heart, Yan Zhen shouted in fury, and the sword aura froze in mid-air.
That sword aura was only three feet from Ji Ruyanâs chest.
A fraction slower and Ji Ruyan wouldâve been dead on the spot.
Even with Early Stage Nascent Soul cultivation, Ji Ruyan couldnât stand up to the power of Yan Zhenâs Spirit Treasure?
Shows just how powerful that Spirit Treasure really is!
"This wasnât me! This artifact actually has its own consciousness!"
Yan Zhen was completely shaken. She used to be just a regular mortal, and suddenly thrown into the Cultivation World, everything felt overwhelming.
"This thingâs at least a Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure level, and the Artifact Spirit inside is no joke. With your current ability, thereâs no way you can control it. Unless itâs life or death, donât use it!"
Ji Ruyan wasnât blaming Yan Zhen at all.
Because it wasnât Yan Zhenâs intent either.
This only confirmed something Ji Ruyan had been suspecting: Yan Zhen hadnât "awakened memories"âshe was actually the reincarnation of a Great Power.
The Spirit Treasure sensed Ji Ruyan as a threat to its master, so it tried to eliminate her.
Once the master absorbed and merged with Yan Zhenâs soul and memories, they could be reborn.
But given Ji Ruyanâs current cultivation, thereâs no way she could break Yan Zhen out of this predicament.
Her only hope might just be Lin Changâsheng.
"Starting now, donât use magical power anymore. Wait until Lin Changâsheng returnsâmaybe he has a way to help you!"
Ji Ruyan told her honestly.
"Changâsheng? You know Changâsheng?"
When she heard Lin Changâshengâs name, Yan Zhen instantly perked up.
Lin Changâsheng was, aside from her family, the person closest to her.
Ever since Lin Changâsheng stepped onto the Immortal Path, heâd never returned to Mu City to visit her.
Yan Zhen still often went to Lin Changâshengâs home to clean up, hoping someday heâd come back to Mu City again.
"Of course! Lin Changâsheng is already a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator, the strongest in the Southern Realm. Iâm afraid only he can help you!
How about you come back to Immortal Ascension Sect with me first? Lin Changâsheng should return soon!"
At this point, Ji Ruyan was out of other options.
"Alright!"
Yan Zhen didnât hesitate for a second, solely because of those three words: Lin Changâsheng.
Ji Ruyan waved a hand, summoned a Flying Shuttle, then took Yan Zhen and soared toward the Immortal Ascension Sect.
This way, so long as Yan Zhen was inside the Immortal Ascension Sect, other sects couldnât mess with her, and she wouldnât lose control of her power and hurt innocents again.
...
Spirit-Seizing Land.
"HahahaâFuhu, nicely done! Three more months and Iâll be healed and out of here. Whatever you want then, Iâll reward you!"
Situ Wu was clearly pleased.
Lately, Zhao Fuhu had been busy slaughtering cultivators out there, letting Situ Wu absorb all that fresh blood essence. His recovery was now just a matter of time.
"Fuhu doesnât dare ask for much, only hopes that when Immortal Venerable leaves the Immortal Relic Land, youâll take me with you! Fuhu wants to keep serving Immortal Venerable!"
Zhao Fuhuâs boot-licking made Situ Wu supremely satisfied.
"Donât worry, youâll get your share. Take this pillâswallow it, itâll do you a world of good!"
Situ Wu chuckled. This kid had potentialâmaybe in the future, heâd really be of use.
With that, Situ Wu waved his hand and flicked out a blood-red pill.
Zhao Fuhu took it, gave it a quick look, then popped it in his mouth without hesitation.
If heâd hesitated, that wouldâve been a grave insult to the Immortal Venerable.
Situ Wu smiled, nodding with approval.
Pill sliding into his gut, Zhao Fuhu instantly felt a surge of heatâhis blood seemed to be pumping much faster now.
"Channel your magical power and refine the medicineâs effects. This pillâs made from my own blood; not the best batch, but itâll improve your physique, help you shed your old skin!"
Situ Wu instructed.
No way he wanted a useless servant. He was hoping Zhao Fuhu could get even stronger.
"Thank you for your guidance, Immortal Venerable! Fuhu wonât let you down!"
Hearing that, Zhao Fuhu immediately channeled all his magical power to refine the pillâs effects.
The process was pure agony at first, but soon he felt sharp and refreshed.
Layers of black, crusty stuff started peeling off Zhao Fuhuâimpurities purged from his body.
The pill washed his bone and marrow; Zhao Fuhu could feel his blood, meridians, bones, and skin all getting a massive upgrade.
Incredibly, even his cultivation shot up in such a short timeâright to the Peak of Golden Core Late Stage.
Shows just how savage the pillâs medicinal effects were.
"Thank you, Immortal Venerable!"
Zhao Fuhu quickly thanked him again.
With help from the Immortal Venerable, he believed that killing Lin Changâsheng in the future wouldnât be a problem at all.
...
[Three Souls Heaven-locking Array: ENTRY LEVEL!]
As Zhao Fuhu finished absorbing the pillâs power, Lin Changâsheng had finally trained the Three Souls Heaven-locking Array to entry level.
[Three Souls Heaven-locking Array detected. Spend 8,500 Spirit Stones to simplify?]
In the next instant, the system panel popped up with a prompt.
"Simplify!"
Lin Changâsheng hit simplification without even thinking.
[Great Dao is Simple: Simplifying Three Souls Heaven-locking Array... Simplifying... Done. Three Souls Heaven-locking Array == Soul-bind & Beatdown!]
"Soul-bind & Beatdown?"
Even Lin Changâsheng thought that sounded a bit sadistic, but the more savage, the betterâsince wrangling the folks trapped inside the Myriad Soul Banner needed more than the usual measures.
The first one Lin Changâsheng pulled out was Su Changkong. He immediately bound him up and handed him a brutal beating.
Three Souls Heaven-locking Array Experience +1!
Three Souls Heaven-locking Array Experience +1!
...
With every beatdown, the Arrayâs experience points soared at a wild pace.
Too bad for Su Changkong, though.
"Lin Changâsheng, you bastard! If I ever get out of here, Iâll never let you off!"
Su Changkong roared with rage.
But his threats had zero effect on Lin Changâsheng whatsoever.
After an hour of merciless abuse, Su Changkong finally quit shouting and started begging for mercy.
[Three Souls Heaven-locking Array: PERFECTION!]
With that, Lin Changâshengâs Three Souls Heaven-locking Array finally reached perfection, so he tossed Su Changkong back into Myriad Soul Bannerâs space.
The other souls trapped inside saw Su Changkong reduced to a pathetic wreck, and all shuddered inside.
Looks like cozying up to Su Changkong was a bad ideaâotherwise, they might be next.