Chapter 98: The Judge's Pen Acknowledges the Judge

Seeing the Ruyi Judge Brush in Banxia's hand, Qianyuan the Daoist Master was immediately startled. This was not a matter of Banxia simply picking something that didn't suit her fancy; this object was a divine artifact of the Netherworld, so how could it appear in Xuancang Cave!

"Is this the magic treasure you just chose in the cave?" Qianyuan Zhenren asked, still unable to believe it.

Banxia only nodded, her face full of confusion. Could it be that this brush couldn't be used? She had only thought of taking it back to use for drawing talismans; could it be an ominous object?

Thinking this, she nearly threw the Judge's Pen away, but upon remembering how it had been left all alone in a stone mortar, ignored by everyone, she felt a bit sorry for it.

Just as she hesitated, she saw the Judge's Pen emit a fluorescent glow, and in a moment, the light shot out in all directions, stinging Banxia's eyes so she couldn't keep them open. She wanted to put it down, but she found herself involuntarily gripping it tightly.

The Elders were shocked to see this, and Qianyuan Zhenren was even more astonished. Only Donghui Zhenren showed a slight look of surprise, but he returned to normal in an instant—his little disciple's Dao fortune was truly beyond that of ordinary people!

This scene was just like when Long Qi first encountered the Seven Star Dragon Abyss Sword; it was the Ruyi Judge Brush acknowledging Banxia as its master!

……

Under a large banyan tree, a little girl in tattered clothes sat huddled, and not far away, there were several children in coarse hempen clothes, pointing at the little girl under the banyan tree and singing incessantly:

"Little beggar, little beggar, nobody wants you, nobody loves you, thrown under the tree to feed the wolves and jackals, eating chaff and thin gruel, digging for wild vegetables!"

The little girl curled her body up under the tree roots, hugging her head with a bitter expression, her face dirty and looking extremely pitiful.

Just then, everyone heard a shout full of vigor.

"Hey! What are you lot yelling about! You're disturbing my sleep!"

The children looked around upon hearing this, but saw no one. Just then, they heard an "Ouch!", and a banyan fruit flew from somewhere, hitting one of the fat children squarely on the forehead. Fruit juice splattered instantly, looking just like blood.

The little fat child touched his wet forehead, and upon seeing the red banyan fruit juice on his hand, he immediately sat on the ground and wailed, crying and shouting: "It's bleeding! It's bleeding! It hurts so much!"

At this moment, someone jumped down from the banyan tree, glared at the wailing fat child, and said listlessly: "What are you howling about? It's just fruit juice. Look at you, scared like that, it's truly shameful!"

The person was only a half-grown child, wearing a brown coarse cloth outfit, hands on hips, looking at the group of bullying children.

"Banxia, you're bullying people again!"

It turned out this person was little Banxia.

Banxia said with a look of contempt: "Bullying people? Isn't it you lot who are bullying someone else? You have the nerve to turn the tables. I am acting with chivalry and righteousness. If you aren't convinced, why don't I get rid of you bullies for the sake of the people?"

Hearing this, the group of children scrambled away, shouting as they ran: "Damn Banxia, stinky Banxia, you're climbing trees again, we're going back to tell Qishen, see if she doesn't beat your bottom!" Saying this, they ran off in a flash.

The little fat child who had been crying was still sitting on the ground, staring blankly at Banxia.

"Oh my! They've all run away, and only you are left. Why don't I 'curse' you instead~!" Little Banxia said, and moved to grab the little fat child.

Hearing this, the little fat child screamed and scrambled away, even wetting his pants, crying and shouting as he ran: "Mom! Mom! Help!"

Watching the little fat ball run away, Banxia just "tsk"ed, turned back to the banyan tree, squatted down, and looked at the curled-up girl: "Alright, they've all been scared away by me, no need to be afraid."

The little girl looked up at Banxia for a long time after hearing this, then asked: "They are going back to tell your mother."

Banxia seemed not to care at all: "What's there to fear? I get beaten when I go home anyway, one more time won't make a difference." Saying this, she laughed.

……

The Elders were all astonished to see Banxia like this. No one helped her, and she remained kneeling on the ground as if she had lost her soul, holding the Judge's Pen in a strange posture. The Elders naturally knew what this scene meant, but they were surprised that Banxia, who didn't even have Energy Refining cultivation, could gain the favor of the Ruyi Judge Brush.

Just then, Banxia, who had been staring blankly, suddenly had her eyes clear up.

Having come to her senses, Banxia didn't know what had happened to her for a moment. After blinking, she realized she was answering Qianyuan the Daoist Master's question. She hurriedly tried to stand up but lost her balance and was about to fall, when she suddenly felt an invisible force supporting her.

It turned out that Donghui Zhenren had used witchcraft to support her when he saw her swaying.

Lingxiang was also extremely surprised, but seeing Donghui Zhenren do this, she smiled and teased: "Fourth Senior Brother is feeling sorry for her; you never showed such concern when you were mocking me."

Donghui Zhenren naturally knew Lingxiang was only joking, and he smiled and pointed at her: "Even if I mock you, it's not even half as much as you ridicule me. And you say I don't care about you—then who taught you those strange techniques?"

"That's because I'm naturally gifted. If it were someone else, who knows how long it would take to learn. You can even use that to lecture me, you really are a shameless old man." Lingxiang said, making a face at Donghui Zhenren.

Lingxiang's words pulled the Elders out of their astonishment. Qianyuan the Daoist Master looked at the still-dazed Banxia and said: "This magic treasure is an object of the Netherworld. Although I don't know why it was in Xuancang Cave, it clearly acknowledged you as its wielder just now. Since that is the case, there is no use in pursuing it further. From now on, you must cultivate diligently and never be slack."

Banxia hurriedly answered yes, but she was still confused and didn't know what was going on. Seeing her like this, Lingxiang walked up to her with a smile and said:

"Do you still remember the Mountain and River Treasure Map from the three martial arts demonstrations?"

Banxia nodded as she looked at Lingxiang.

"That Mountain and River Treasure Map was drawn with this brush. In other words, if you enter the map with this brush in the future, you can command the wind and rain within it as you please, and you will never be confused by those illusions again."

Banxia was astonished to hear this, but then heard Lingxiang continue:

"However, with your cultivation, you might not even be able to use one percent of the Judge's Pen's power. If you want to use it properly, you must increase your cultivation."

"Besides..." Lingxiang lifted the Eight Trigrams Plate tied to the lanyard at the top of the brush and said: "This Eight Trigrams Plate also has a great background. It is a magic tool used by the founder of the Yuanqing Sect, Wuwei Laozu. Whether it is for setting up arrays or suppressing demons and driving away ghosts, it can exert extraordinary Mysterious Power."

Hearing this, Banxia's eyes widened like copper bells, and her mouth hung open in shock.

She had only picked it up casually; how could such a precious object be used by her...

Should she put it back?