Chapter 5

"I practice my magic treasure with considerable noise; if anyone in this county sees it, trouble is inevitable. The Zu Yin Mountain I visited yesterday is nearby and rarely trodden—perfect for this purpose. I can also pay a visit to the old fox family and ask about the local geography, any cultivation sects, and which cultivators frequently pass through here."

"Having been sealed within the Languan Sect for millions of years, I know nothing of this world. Better to make a few friends and establish roots here."

"Of course, this must wait until after I complete my first mission."

After careful planning, Qian Chen acted at once. He left the desolate courtyard and headed straight for Zu Yin Mountain in the southeast.

Before leaving, Qian Chen noticed the cloth shop’s apprentice hiding in the shadows, watching him. He ignored him, leapt into the air, and vanished from sight. The apprentice saw only a dark shadow flash past like a galloping steed—he froze in terror, only regaining his wits long after, trembling: "Truly a supernatural being. I must return quickly and report to the shopkeeper."

Today was even faster—he reached the rear of Zu Yin Mountain in less than half an hour, familiar with the path.

He did not go to see the old fox family. Qian Chen always prioritized his main task. No matter how many distractions arose, if they could be set aside, he completed his original goal first, then considered other matters. Today’s purpose was to familiarize himself with the magic treasure; even if the old fox had several beautiful daughters eager to offer themselves, it had nothing to do with his mission.

Qian Chen first activated the Long Que Ring. The jade ring on his right wrist spun rapidly, expanding to the size of a washbasin, then slipped from his hand. With a downward point, it transformed into a five-colored halo that descended, wrapping around a towering tree dozens of feet high and yanking it up by the roots—vanished in an instant.

In its place remained a pit over ten feet deep.

After calming his breath slightly, Qian Chen meditated for a moment before recovering. He muttered: "Using internal strength to drive a magic treasure is still difficult. Such artifacts are not meant for Foundation Establishment cultivators. At this stage, one should cultivate peace and harmony, diligently and steadily, waiting until one senses heavenly spiritual energy, harmonizes internal and external qi, and refines a single true qi before daring to act recklessly."

"But the Realm of Rebirth likely won’t give me this time."

"The Long Que Ring possesses tremendous power—it uprooted a tree over thirty feet tall. What divine strength! It’s almost like a digger… sigh! But when I think of it that way, it doesn’t seem so impressive."

Qian Chen was merely joking. Even an ordinary digger has nearly two hundred horsepower—that’s the combined force of two hundred horses. How many strongmen in his past life could even hold back a single wild, frenzied horse? And the Long Que Ring’s retrieval is instantaneous, with explosive power. To unleash the force of two hundred horses in a single moment—few could withstand it.

Qian Chen then tested the Long Que Ring further—expanding and shrinking it, concealing it as an unremarkable small ring, then suddenly striking in ambush; or unleashing full power to violently snatch up rocks and boulders.

He eventually determined the ring’s retrieval force correlated with its size: when shrunk to the size of a finger ring, it could barely absorb a stone the size of a human head—roughly the strength of an ordinary adult. When fully expanded to the size of a water jar, it could just barely uproot a stone half-buried in the earth, weighing about twenty-eight tons.

This test nearly exhausted Qian Chen—he meditated for a long time before restoring his breath to normal internal qi.

The Long Que Ring shrank to bracelet size, hovering above his palm.

"This size is ideal for ambush. I’ll suppress my spiritual light to the utmost, secretly release the Long Que Ring behind someone’s head—and I can simply snatch it off. Cultivators’ bodies are only slightly tougher than ordinary people’s, nowhere near the hardened resilience of martial artists. With such an ambush, I can remove a head silently and without a sound."

"Who says the Long Que Ring can only snatch? In my hands, isn’t it just like a blood-dripping cap?" Qian Chen joked.

Of course, he knew it was only a joke. Cultivators at the Tong Fa realm can master many protective spells. Without breaking those spells, the Long Que Ring cannot even touch their bodies. And those with protective treasures—when activated, shield themselves completely, like water cannot penetrate. If I had the Tian Luo Umbrella hovering above my head, how could the Long Que Ring reach me unless it first absorbed the umbrella?

Weapons like the Wu Jin Hei Sha Hook, however, can pierce through protective aura in an instant with sword techniques, snatching an enemy’s life in the blink of an eye.

One is brute force to seize; the other is a sudden, lethal stab. Which has greater lethality? Obvious.

Using the Long Que Ring for ambush only works against those below Tong Fa realm—or impoverished hermits who can’t even afford a protective treasure.

Qian Chen tested other aspects of the Long Que Ring. He threw the jade ring at the previously uprooted boulder, smashing off a chunk the size of a human head, then sighed and retrieved it. Indeed, not a weapon of destruction. He then took out the Seven Fiend Banners, waving the black flag. Instantly, sand and stones flew, dark qi rolled like a giant serpent rising from the banner, circling the boulder three times.

A continuous rustling, hissing sound filled the air. When Qian Chen retracted the Seven Fiend Banners, the boulder had shrunk by half, surrounded by fine dust like powdered stone.

Qian Chen’s breath was even more stable than when he had used the Long Que Ring.

"This is truly a weapon of destruction!" Qian Chen sighed slightly. Excluding the White Bone Stupa, this was the most powerful artifact in his possession—and it had almost no room for further enhancement.

At Tong Fa realm, Qian Chen could simply snatch the black Seven Fiend Banner with the Long Que Ring in one glance.

He then tested his protective treasure, activating the Tian Luo Umbrella and using the Seven Fiend Banners to wear down its protective aura. After only a dozen breaths, Qian Chen was utterly drained. He muttered: "If I, wielding the Seven Fiend Banners, attacked my own self protected by the Tian Luo Umbrella, I wouldn’t last a minute. The umbrella’s aura wouldn’t break, but I’d be out of internal strength—easily killed."

"In cultivation combat, timing, initiative and reaction are crucial."

Qian Chen then found several wild boars and deer in the mountains, testing the Long Que Ring’s ability to absorb living creatures and the Seven Fiend Banners’ manipulation of the seven emotions. Once a living being was absorbed, the forbidden space instantly suppressed and immobilized it—no resistance, no movement. If someone were caught by the Long Que Ring, they wouldn’t be like a monkey trapped in a pure bottle gourd, able to pluck a single magical hair to escape.

They’d be like beings imprisoned by the Earthly Immortal’s cosmic seal—even consciousness would struggle to remain clear.

When testing the Seven Fiend Banners, Qian Chen stirred the seven emotions of the deer and boar, watching the two beasts nearly die of terror. He quickly retracted the artifact, apologized, soothed them, gave each a Qi-Enhancing Pill, and let them go.

"The Seven Emotions Yin Demons are nearly impossible to test… unless I use a living human… or perhaps, test it on myself?" Qian Chen’s reckless curiosity stirred. He hesitated, then activated a faint trace of the Seven Emotions. Result? Qian Chen’s expression remained calm. He shook his head: "No reaction at all."

He gradually increased the intensity. A faint agitation arose. At maximum power, it seemed ready to trigger memories—but the moment Qian Chen subtly gathered his mind, the agitation vanished like snow melting.

"Useless!" Qian Chen sneered. "Can’t even make me recall Sister Jingkong!"

The Seven Fiend Banners had no consciousness—if they did, they’d be deeply offended. Qian Chen guessed the Tai Shang Dao Dust Pearl was at work; his true self remained anchored to the Pearl. Or rather, the Pearl was his true body, and this form was merely his second soul avatar, acquired through possession.

Of course, losing this body would return him to the awkward state of moving only once every sixty years.

Worse than death.

Which left-path artifact could possibly bewitch the sacred treasure personally transmitted by the Tai Shang Dao Ancestor? If it were truly that powerful, why not apply for the title of Demon Dao’s ultimate treasure?

After mastering the artifacts, Qian Chen found a clean spot, took out a meditation cushion from his Qian Kun Bag, activated the Tian Luo Umbrella for protection, and sat in meditation for two hours. As dusk approached, he rose to leave.

Before departing, Qian Chen gazed toward the fox grave and murmured: "Should I pay a visit to the fox den? I’ve never been inside one."

But after thought: "No, it’s getting late. If I show up, the old fox will insist on feeding me. I don’t want to eat at a grave—it’s the second most disrespectful act after dancing on a tombstone. I’ll visit another day."

He was about to find a path out of Zu Yin Mountain when his spiritual sense stirred—he turned back. Soon, a pillar of black qi rose from the fox grave, shooting dozens of feet into the sky. Qian Chen sighed: "I practice my arts quietly, afraid of drawing attention. This black qi is deeply malevolent, clearly evil—and yet it dares to be so brazen."

Qian Chen was not a cold-hearted man. Though the old fox family was no kin, they were familiar.

Moreover, the old fox family lived quietly on the grave hill, having merely occupied the tomb of some unfortunate nobleman, and had no record of evil deeds. This black qi was clearly sinister. Qian Chen didn’t disdain left-path artifacts—he himself had several in his treasure pouch—but such things were rarely wielded by good people. When encountering such a situation, he felt compelled to intervene.

If he truly encountered a villain who shattered his moral compass, he’d be glad to test his artifacts’ true power.

The tasks of the Realm of Rebirth surely weren’t about helping old ladies cross the street. They demanded life and death. Cultivation wasn’t about escape—Qian Chen cultivated for freedom, for swift vengeance and righteous retribution. He immediately raised the Tian Luo Umbrella above his head, clutched a Concealment Talisman, and stealthily crept toward the fox grave…

Before he arrived, he heard a grim voice: "Your fox den has such a rare elixir? Rare indeed. I’ll take it when the time comes—it may help me break through this barrier and greatly advance my cultivation. Such good fortune demands a blood sacrifice: your little band of hairy foxes will feed my Hundred Ghosts Evil Tiger Banner!"

The old fox cried out in anguish: "You promised me—if I gave you the treasure, you’d spare my family! Now you break your word—I’ll fight you to the death!"

"Foolishness. I always intended to use you to forge my art. Kill you, and your belongings become mine. Using my own property to trade for your lives? What’s that? Fox souls are among the easiest to transform into yin ghosts. And fox ghosts are naturally subdued by my Evil Tiger main spirit. With your fox ghosts as Chang , my banner’s power will grow further."

"I’ve searched long for a hundred foxes—and even with your family, I’m still short!"

Hearing the old fox still had strength, Qian Chen held back. He hid behind a cypress tree near the grave, peering out. He saw a half-monk, half-layman mendicant holding a demonic banner. The staff was a curved spine; atop it, a tiger skull. The banner’s surface bore tiger patterns.

The mendicant waved the long banner. Black qi surged from its surface, forming countless foxes with sharp beaks and bared fangs, their bodies wreathed in green ghostly flames, swirling in dark mist, streaming in groups of three or five from the fox grave’s burrows.