At the back mountain of Great Bamboo Peak, beside a secluded pond, the air crackled with tension.
Hiss!
Ghostly energy clashed relentlessly with blood energy.
The two supreme treasures, the Blood-Devouring Pearl and the Soul-Capturing Rod, fused into one.
In that moment, the Soul-Devouring Rod was born!
Whoosh!
Meanwhile, Ji Changfeng's eyes were closed, his mind enveloped in a profound, mystical aura. A flood of insights surged through his consciousness.
[Ice Heart Technique: A method to shield the body from the erosion of malevolent and ferocious energies, allowing the mind to enter a state of boundless detachment, free from all desires!]
Ji Changfeng sifted through the information in his mind, a flicker of surprise crossing his heart.
Ice Heart Technique? A state of complete detachment?
Isn't that basically the "sage mode"? he couldn't help but quip inwardly.
But in all seriousness, this technique was remarkably useful.
In the world of Zhu Xian, many powerful treasures carried intense malevolent energies. The most iconic was Qingyun Sect's supreme treasure, the Zhu Xian Sword.
It was said that only those at the Supreme Purity realm could wield the Zhu Xian Sword, and even then, only two or three times at most. Excessive use would overwhelm the wielder with the sword's malevolent energy, leading to demonic possession.
Unless, of course, one mastered all five volumes of the Heavenly Book, as Zhang Xiaofan did in the original story.
Otherwise, the fate awaiting the user was that of Daoxuan Zhenren—consumed by madness.
With the Ice Heart Technique, doesn't that mean I could wield the Zhu Xian Sword freely? Ji Changfeng mused.
If that were the case, why not aim for the position of Qingyun Sect Leader?
What about Xiao Yicai, the current heir apparent of Tongtian Peak?
No problem.
As the saying goes: With great power comes great responsibility!
When your strength and reputation reach an unparalleled level, you don't even need to scheme—others will naturally propose you for leadership.
That's called going with the flow. The tide is in my favor!
It wasn't hard to imagine.
By the time Xiao Yicai reached Upper Purity, Ji Changfeng might already be at Supreme Purity.
If Xiao Yicai refused to step aside, how could he possibly suppress a Supreme Purity realm leader of Great Bamboo Peak?
With moral righteousness? Hah! The cultivation world respects strength above all.
If your strength falls short, you'd best step down obediently.
Ji Changfeng shook his head, dismissing these thoughts.
Whoosh!
He reached down and picked up the Soul-Devouring Rod, examining it closely.
Hmm… how to put it?
Ordinary. Far too ordinary.
Anyone unfamiliar might mistake it for a fire poker.
Shaking his head, Ji Changfeng casually tucked the rod into Zhang Xiaofan's waistband. He had no intention of seizing this opportunity for himself.
A mere Soul-Devouring Rod wasn't worth his attention.
Besides, it was now Zhang Xiaofan's blood-refined treasure—useless to anyone else.
With one hand carrying Zhang Xiaofan, the other holding Tian Ling'er, and the Three-Eyed Spirit Monkey Xiao Hui slung over his shoulder, Ji Changfeng leisurely made his way down the mountain.
_
Back at Serenity Hall, Du Bishui had just finished preparing lunch.
When he saw Ji Changfeng return with Tian Ling'er in his arms and Zhang Xiaofan dangling from his hand, he panicked.
"Seventh Junior Brother! What happened to Little Junior Sister and Eighth Junior Brother?!"
His shout drew the attention of everyone at Great Bamboo Peak.
Su Ru, spotting the unconscious Tian Ling'er, rushed over, her elegant face etched with worry. "Changfeng, what's wrong with Ling'er and Xiaofan?"
Tian Buyi's expression darkened. "Old Seventh, what happened?"
"Master, shi niang, don't worry. Little Senior Sister and Xiaofan are just temporarily unconscious," Ji Changfeng reassured them before explaining.
"Earlier, I was with Little Senior Sister and Xiaofan doing chores at the back mountain…"
He recounted the events in detail, carefully omitting any mention of the Blood-Devouring Pearl.
That artifact was tied to Puzhi, the divine monk of Tianyin Temple, and the massacre of Grass Temple Village's hundred-plus residents. Explaining it would be too complicated for now.
Better to keep it under wraps until the right moment.
"So, you're saying this rod became Old Eighth's blood-refined treasure?" Tian Buyi asked, pulling the Soul-Devouring Rod from Zhang Xiaofan's waist and inspecting it with a grim expression.
"Yes." Ji Changfeng nodded.
Noticing the disdain on Tian Buyi's face, he added, "Master, don't underestimate this rod. It has quite the origin."
"Oh? What kind of origin? Tell me more," Tian Buyi said, a hint of surprise in his voice.
He genuinely couldn't see anything special about this "fire poker."
The other disciples gathered closer, intrigued.
Ji Changfeng smiled faintly. "The ancient text Ten Chapters on Exotic Treasures records: 'A rare iron from the heavens fell into the Nine Nether, forged by the ghostly flames of the underworld, burning the souls of vengeful spirits. It takes a thousand years to glow red, another thousand to take form, another to gather the essence of ghostly malevolence, and a final thousand to gain the power to capture souls.'
"Xiaofan's blood-refined treasure is none other than the legendary Soul-Capturing Rod, formed over four thousand years! Furthermore, I have a suspicion…"
He paused for effect. "Could this Soul-Capturing Rod have been deliberately placed here by one of Great Bamboo Peak's ancestors—or even Qingyun's founder, Qingye Zhenren?"
His speculation wasn't baseless.
Qingyun Sect's Zhu Xian Sword Formation relied on Heavenly Mechanism Seals buried beneath each of the seven peaks. These seals, a form of sealing technique, gathered the ferocious, malevolent, and spiritual energies of each peak.
When activated, their power was unmatched.
It was entirely plausible that the Soul-Capturing Rod in Great Bamboo Peak's back mountain had been planted by an ancestor, perhaps even Qingye Zhenren himself.
Tian Buyi's eyes flickered with thought.
He glanced at the Soul-Devouring Rod in his hand, then decided to consult the Sect Leader.
Whether it was a blood-refined treasure or a relic of Qingyun's ancestors, this wasn't a decision he could make alone.
The matter was best left to the Sect Leader.
"Junior Sister, you all eat first. I'm heading to Tongtian Peak," Tian Buyi said to Su Ru.
"Alright." Su Ru nodded, her panic easing now that she knew Tian Ling'er was merely unconscious.
Whoosh!
Tian Buyi summoned his immortal sword, Crimson Flame, and flew toward Tongtian Peak.
Ji Changfeng relaxed. Daoxuan surely knew about the Heavenly Mechanism Seals. Once Tian Buyi mentioned the "ancestor" theory, Daoxuan would understand.
The matter would be resolved swiftly.
As expected, Tian Buyi returned from Tongtian Peak in less than an hour, the Soul-Devouring Rod still in hand.
"Buyi, what did the Sect Leader say?" Su Ru asked eagerly.
Tian Buyi replied calmly, "It's confirmed. The Soul-Capturing Rod is indeed a relic left by our Qingyun ancestors. Since Old Eighth 'tamed' it by chance, it's his destined blessing."
Blood-refined treasure? Never heard of it!
This was clearly a blessing bestowed by Qingyun's ancestors!
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