Chapter 257: Talent: Purple Palace

【You unlocked: Chest (Fine), obtained: Talent Book (Purple Palace), Yecha King’s Command Talisman, Blood-Slaughter Rift Claw, Paradise Points ×2900×3】

“The good news is it’s a summoning gear; the bad news is my compatibility with it is far too low,” Chu Danqing sighed, unable to help but acknowledge that this was indeed gear evolved from a heretical cultivation path.

The quality and effects were excellent, yet it unnecessarily added some malevolent properties.

【Yecha King’s Command Talisman】

【Type: Equipment · Jade Pendant】

【Durability: 100/100】

【Quality: Fine】

【Mana +500】

【Blood Sacrifice Fury (Active): Sacrifice one summoned creature to trigger a blood explosion, dealing (Spirit × 100) area damage to surrounding enemies】

【Malevolent Infusion (Passive): After taking damage, randomly sacrifice one summoned creature to deal the attacker true damage equal to 2% of its maximum HP】

【Master-Servant Shared Fate (Passive): When HP falls below 50%, automatically sacrifice the nearest summoned creature to restore 20% of your HP】

【Equipment Requirement: Summoning Basics LV.MAX, Strength 15, Constitution 15, Agility 10】

——

【Blood-Slaughter Rift Claw】

【Type: Equipment · Gauntlets】

【Quality: Fine】

【Durability: 120/120】

【Attack: 25–40】

【Blood-Seeking Hunt (Passive): After three consecutive attacks on the same target, summon a miniature Yecha phantom to assist with a follow-up strike, adding 50% extra damage to this attack】

【Beastmaster’s Fury (Passive): For each summoned creature that dies, increase your attack speed by 5% and critical damage by 2% (stacks up to 10 layers, lasts 10 minutes)】

【Blood Sacrifice Nourishment (Passive): For each summoned creature that dies, restore 10% of your maximum HP】

【Equipment Requirement: Fist Technique Basics LV.MAX or Summoning Basics LV.MAX, Strength 15, Constitution 15, Agility 10】

——

It was indeed summoning gear, but it clashed utterly with Chu Danqing.

Especially the Yecha King’s Command Talisman—this thing was truly treacherous.

Sacrificing a designated creature was manageable, but the random and automatic sacrifices of the nearest summoned creature? The first to die would surely be Bai Long.

Chu Danqing’s passive skills included some that required reduced HP to reach maximum effectiveness.

As for the Blood-Slaughter Rift Claw, it was even more absurd—it was gauntlets. Was he supposed to wear these and charge into melee?

Still, the two pieces complemented each other perfectly: one specialized in sacrificing summoned creatures, the other granting buffs and healing upon their death.

They were ideal for summoners like Yue Lan Wu Ying, who treated their summons as accessories while fighting personally.

Fortunately, there was still a market for such paired gear—both bore shimmering runes, proving they were genuine Spirit-grade equipment.

Their upper limit might even reach Superior grade.

Not all summoners were like Chu Danqing, choosing to cultivate permanent summons.

Some, like Elemental Fertilizer No.1, used skill-summoned creatures outright, later evolving into the Sacrifice School.

That is: summon, sacrifice, buff, then either charge in yourself or let the nourished summons crush the enemy—two distinct branches.

Chu Danqing’s gaze settled on the main prize: the Talent Book (Purple Palace).

Since it was a summoning talent, Chu Danqing immediately chose to use it.

Unlike skill books, which implanted knowledge, the talent brought no such information.

Instead, like when he awakened the Sun Dial, a warm current surfaced within him—though far less pronounced than before.

Skills were learned techniques; talents were innate abilities.

The former granted knowledge; the latter was akin to enhancement.

After roughly thirty seconds, the warm current vanished.

Simultaneously, a new talent appeared on his panel.

【Purple Palace】

【Effect 1: Increase all attributes by (10% of the five core stats of your purified permanent summon)】

(Note: Only one permanent summon may be purified and bonded)

(Note: The boosted attributes are not base gear stats and cannot stack with Summoning or Summoning Arts)

(Note: Feedbacked attributes are limited to the base five core stats of the permanent summon)

(Note: May be overwritten and upgraded by a higher-tier talent of the same name and type)

(Note: The purified permanent summon must be a native spirit beast of this trial world)

Seeing this talent, Chu Danqing immediately began calculating which summon to choose.

After brief thought, he settled on a guardian or bodyguard-type summon.

As for the talent’s potential upgrade—that was not his concern for now.

But the Paradise prompt interrupted his thoughts.

The chain quest was completed and progressed to the second stage.

【Chain Quest Stage 2: Purify one permanent summon with Purple Palace】

【Trial Difficulty: C-Rank (Adventure)】

【Reward: Unlock next chain quest stage】

【Failure: Chain quest terminates】

Chu Danqing was surprised by this second stage—was this truly a pure reward quest?

It was possible; after all, this chain quest was granted by the Tiance Dragon’s Obsession, a Superior-grade item.

The trial wasn’t hard per se—only difficult in finding a suitable spirit beast to purify with Purple Palace.

He wasn’t the type to pick randomly just to complete a quest.

Then his gaze fell on the young man Yang Qianyuan, who had helped him greatly. After hesitation, he spoke: “I need a favor.”

Yang Qianyuan was startled—Chu Danqing had never asked him for anything before; all requests had come from Yang himself.

“Brother Chu, you’re too formal—no need for ‘favor,’” Yang Qianyuan replied.

“I need a spirit beast that can...” Chu Danqing stated his requirements.

The requirements were simple: first, it must protect him; second, it must consume his life force without impairing his bodily functions.

Yes—he figured if he couldn’t find a suitable life-draining skill, he’d let the summon handle it.

Of course, he only mentioned it tentatively; if no such beast existed, he’d adjust the criteria later.

Yang Qianyuan, hearing this bizarre request—protect yet harm the master—found it contradictory.

After a moment’s thought, he said: “There actually is such a spirit beast.”

“It survives and grows by feeding on its master’s life force; with certain abilities, it won’t harm the master.”

“Guardian types exist, but few choose them because they damage the user.”

“To equip such abilities, the beast must train and learn over time, requiring constant nourishment and rest—ordinary families can’t afford it.”

“So if you need such a beast, I can use Celestial Divination to search for clues.”

Hearing this, Chu Danqing added details: preferably found in or en route to Meilong Town, and unclaimed.

These conditions made Yang Qianyuan’s Celestial Divination significantly harder.

Yet Yang said nothing, silently coordinating with the Chènmìng Spider.

As the divination progressed, visible cracks appeared on the spider’s outer carapace.

“Found it—in Meilong Town!” Yang Qianyuan suppressed his discomfort, immediately pulling out ointment to apply to the spider’s cracks.

“Next time, be moderate—don’t endanger Feidi’s safety,” Chu Danqing said, asking: “Do you need healing?”

He didn’t heal immediately because he didn’t know if healing might harm the Chènmìng Spider.

He understood summoning but not celestial systems, so asking was safer.

“No healing needed—this isn’t injury, it’s celestial backlash,” Yang Qianyuan declined, explaining.

Chu Danqing didn’t press further—he wouldn’t understand anyway.

“According to Celestial Divination, Meilong Town holds a Heart-to-Heart Lotus Seed—perfect for your needs.”

“It feeds on life force, stores extra life force, and helps its master absorb damage using stored vitality.”

“I’ve heard of the Heart-to-Heart Lotus Seed—it’s a Life-type spirit beast.”

“But it has one flaw: once purified, it can only exist within the Purple Palace and cannot be released.”

“So it cannot fight for you—excellent defense, poor offense. Is this suitable, Brother Chu?” Yang Qianyuan asked.

Chu Danqing’s face lit up: “Perfect!”

As for its lack of offense? It was essentially a high-grade decoy doll that could absorb damage—what more could he want?

A guardian only needed to protect Chu Danqing and take blows for him at critical moments.

The Heart-to-Heart Lotus Seed had exactly that ability.

“There’s one more unknown possibility,” Yang Qianyuan paused, then continued: “The Heart-to-Heart Lotus Seed is a plant spirit beast—highly likely to lack sentience.”

Spirit beasts came in many forms: animals, insects, plants, even rocks and elements.

Not all plant spirit beasts lacked intelligence, but only some possessed it, so they were less favored.

The mainstream preferred animals and elements—those with higher intelligence.

Most people’s Purple Palaces could only bond one beast—they’d naturally choose the most suitable one.

“But Brother Chu, don’t worry—I have some ideas about the Spirit-awakening method, I just need a little time.” Yang Qianyuan added.

Chu Danqing didn’t care about such things—wisdom and self-awareness? Minor issues.

He had the Spirit-Command skill; after enhancing its spiritual nature, it should compensate for this shortcoming.

“Minor issue—I have a solution already. No need to go through the trouble of finding the Spirit-awakening method,” Chu Danqing declined.

He had already burdened Yang Qianyuan by asking for his help; how could he ask him to go through more trouble?

At this moment, he was also pondering one thing: how to help Yang Qianyuan gain freedom and escape his cage.

If the other helped him, he must help the other in return.

There was indeed a way: directly sign the Shanhe Alliance Pact and become his ally.

Chu Danqing had this intention, but he and Yang Qianyuan had spent too little time together—their bond remained superficial.

Now would not be the right time to propose it; better to spend more time together and see what kind of person Yang Qianyuan truly was.

They had only known each other for a day and a bit—how could one possibly see a person’s true character so soon?

Chu Danqing needed a true friend who shared his ideals.

(End of Chapter)