Chapter 304 - 288: Three Brocade Boxes
Even with Qi Yun’s calm and steady disposition, a flicker of surprise couldn’t help but cross his eyes as he watched Situ Huaji pull three silk boxes from his robes.
Just a moment ago in the Side Hall, with the sudden appearance of the Dao Evil and death imminent, even he had needed to go all out, relying on the God of Wealth’s warning and the instinctive reaction of his Venerable Dao Foundation just to escape by the skin of his teeth.
’At such a critical moment, hovering on the brink of life and death, who would have had the presence of mind to care about the silk boxes on the floor?’
’This Situ Huaji, who appeared coarse, reckless, and utterly panicked, had actually managed to spare a sliver of his attention in that situation, snatching up the three silk boxes and secretly stowing them away?’
’Such audacity and meticulousness, a temperament that remained calm in the face of danger...’
"Not bad. Quite interesting."
Qi Yun’s gaze fell on Situ Huaji’s face, which couldn’t hide its rugged nature. His expression shifted slightly, and his tone, though flat, carried an almost imperceptible scrutiny.
This man possessed the Fierce Demon Battle Dao Foundation, was brutal in combat, and had a wild, untamable nature. Yet, he had managed to struggle and survive as a Loose Cultivator, eventually breaking through the Foundation Establishment Profound Gate. This alone proved that his aptitude and resilience were anything but ordinary.
His performance today further revealed his adaptability and nerve.
More importantly, the Talisman Key required to enter the Upper Profound Celestial Palace had already fused with his Divine Soul Origin. Aside from the methods of a True Monarch, it was likely impossible for anyone to forcibly strip it from him.
That Upper Profound Celestial Palace was a place he would definitely revisit.
Keeping Situ Huaji by his side was equivalent to holding the key to this future treasure trove in the palm of his hand.
At this thought, Qi Yun smiled warmly and said:
"Your aptitude isn’t bad, and your temperament is acceptable. But drifting about, you’ll ultimately struggle to achieve anything significant."
"So, how about it? Would you like to join my Holy Sect?"
’Join the Holy Sect?’
Situ Huaji’s entire body trembled; he almost thought he had misheard.
The Reincarnation True Monarch was extending an invitation to him.
Although this senior had yet to reclaim his position as a True Monarch, he had ascended to the Great Master Position in just a few decades.
That was a clear testament to his profound foundation and Divine Techniques!
As a Loose Cultivator, he had long since tasted the bitterness of having no backing, lacking resources, and being hunted by major powers at a moment’s notice.
If he could join the Holy Sect today and have a great power to lean on, not only would he be safe and secure, but he would also have the chance to access more profound legacies and resources. His path to the Great Dao would surely open up before him!
With almost no hesitation, Situ Huaji suppressed the wild joy and excitement in his Heart and Spirit, hastily bowing and replying with a near-devout posture:
"This junior is willing! Thank you for this opportunity, Senior!
This junior is willing to follow you, Senior, and offer my humble service!"
He adopted an extremely humble posture, his tone filled with utmost sincerity.
"Mm, good."
Qi Yun nodded slightly in acceptance, then took the three silk boxes Situ Huaji offered him.
They were slightly heavy in his hands. The boxes themselves were made of a special material, cool to the touch. The faint glow of the Restrictions flowing over them quickly subsided under the gentle caress of the Daluo Heaven Dao Rhyme in Qi Yun’s palm.
"Let’s leave this place first. We’ll find a quiet spot to examine these."
Qi Yun said no more. With a wave of his great sleeve...
A powerful beam of Chaos-Colored light enveloped both him and Situ Huaji, transforming into a streak of Flowing Light that instantly carried them far from this stretch of sea, streaking toward the unfamiliar horizon of a distant sea and sky.
...
「A few days later.」
Deep in the East Sea, on a small, desolate, and remote island far from the usual shipping lanes, where the Spiritual Mechanism was thin.
The island was no more than ten-odd miles across, covered in jagged rocks and sparse vegetation.
Only a low Stone Mountain rose from the center of the island. It was less than a thousand feet tall and unremarkable in appearance, yet it was a rare patch of stable land in the surrounding waters.
At this moment, the entire island was silently enveloped in layers of glowing Arrays.
In addition, Qi Yun had once again released tens of thousands of snow-white paper cranes. They silently dispersed and concealed themselves in the sky, underwater, and even deep within the clouds in a several-hundred-mile radius around the island, forming a three-dimensional and tightly-woven warning network.
At the peak of the Stone Mountain was a flat stone platform that had been carved out by the power of an Array.
Qi Yun and Situ Huaji sat cross-legged, facing each other.
Between them on the stone surface lay the three ancient silk boxes from the Side Hall of the Upper Profound Celestial Palace.
Qi Yun’s calm gaze first fell upon the Indigo Cold Jade Silk Box, which was a pure, deep blue and as translucent as ice.
This box was the coldest to the touch. The lid and body were so perfectly fitted together that the seam was almost invisible.
Only a faint, smoke-like, pale-green frosty aura naturally circulated on its surface.
He extended the index finger of his right hand. At its tip, he gathered a point of impossibly pure Chaos-Colored Dao Rhyme and tapped it lightly on the center of the lid.
"TAP."
A soft sound rang out, as crisp and clear as the striking of a Jade Chime.
The lid of the Indigo Cold Jade Silk Box popped open a crack in response.
The instant that crack appeared...
"BOOM!"
An indescribable, utterly pure, icy cold aura, as if an ancient god of ice that had slept for millennia had suddenly awakened, erupted from the box!
Billowing, frost-white mist, like a celestial river bursting its banks, instantly flooded the entire island and spread madly outward.
CRACKLE, CRACKLE...
A dense chorus of freezing sounds that set one’s teeth on edge rang out.
The stone platform, the mountain rock, the air, and even the glowing light of the Array were all instantly covered in a layer of Profound Ice over a foot thick and harder than refined steel.
The entire island, from its peak to its shores, transformed into a world of crystal-clear ice sculptures at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Even the sound of distant waves crashing against the shore abruptly vanished as the sea’s surface froze into the shape of massive waves, reflecting a cold light under the sun.
At the core of the cold mist, above the silk box...
A finger, about three inches long and as crystalline as if carved from the finest crystal, slowly levitated upward.
The finger’s outline was perfect, its knuckles distinct, and its tip rounded. Even the texture of its "skin" was clearly visible, yet it was not made of the flesh and bone of any known living creature.
Its entire surface flowed with a gentle, restrained, jade-like luminescence. Within this light, countless infinitesimally small, naturally formed, and profound Dao Patterns flickered in and out of view.
It was as if the finger was a natural condensation of the Dao and its Principles.
An ancient, vast, pure, and majestic pressure, originating from the very beginning of Heaven and Earth, emanated silently from the crystal finger.
Though only three inches long, it seemed to contain a vast, primeval, frozen land within it. It was so incredibly heavy that it caused the frozen space around it to twist slightly.
"Divine-Demonic Flesh and Blood?"
Qi Yun’s eyes narrowed as he muttered to himself.
He was well-read, having learned many ancient secrets from the Holy Sect’s ancient texts and from the God of Wealth.
Legend had it that in the Outer Heaven, there were beings naturally born from the Heaven and Earth Dao. They were born divine, possessed incomparably powerful physiques, and could pluck the stars and grasp the moon at will, their Divine Techniques innate.
They were called—Innate Divine Demons!
Their flesh, blood, sinews, and bones contained unimaginable divinity and origin power.
This crystal finger before him, its Treasure Light restrained within, its Daoist Intent perfectly fused with its flesh and bone, exuded a pressure that came from the most fundamental level of life...
It was identical to the descriptions of Innate Divine Demons in the ancient texts!
’As expected of a place created by a True Monarch...’ Qi Yun sighed inwardly.
Inside a silk box, casually stored within a seemingly unremarkable and even dilapidated Side Hall, was sealed such a world-shocking item.
Back when the Celestial Court was at its zenith, its thirty-six halls studied the Great Dao together. The various marvels they collected, created, or perhaps even "cultivated" were likely of a level far beyond the imagination of modern cultivators.
His gaze shifted slightly, sweeping over Situ Huaji opposite him.
His subordinate’s expression remained normal, seemingly not the least bit tempted by this divine object, but the slight fluctuation in his aura betrayed his deep desire.
Qi Yun took in his expression, understanding everything.
For Situ Huaji, who cultivated the Fierce Demon Battle Dao Foundation and walked the path of physical slaughter, this Innate Divine Demon finger was undoubtedly a heaven-sent opportunity.
If he could use a Secret Skill for the Refinement and integrate it into his own body, he would receive an immeasurable boost.
After a moment of consideration, Qi Yun suddenly gave a faint smile and flicked his sleeve.
The levitating crystal finger, radiating a terrifying chill, along with the Indigo Cold Jade Silk Box beneath it, were lifted by a gentle force and slowly drifted toward Situ Huaji.
"This object contains an ancient and powerful life essence. It will be of great benefit to you for tempering your Fierce Demon Battle Body and solidifying your Dao Foundation."
Qi Yun’s calm voice sounded out:
"Since you’ve chosen to follow me, then this item..."
He paused, looked at Situ Huaji’s face—which had suddenly frozen before being overwhelmed by incredulous ecstasy—and slowly uttered the last three words:
"...is your reward."
"Thank you, Senior!"
Looking at the Divine-Demonic Flesh and Blood floating before him, Situ Huaji couldn’t help but swallow. After thanking him, he hastily put it away. The wonders of this item were beyond description; if used properly, it would undoubtedly allow him to undergo a complete transformation.
Qi Yun nodded slightly, his gaze turning to the two remaining silk boxes.
After a moment of thought, he chose the plainest of them all—the Ebony Box.
The box was pitch-black, without any ornamentation. The wood was fine-grained and dense, cool to the touch, yet it naturally exuded a weighty sense of age.
On the center of the lid, a sealing strip drawn with Cinnabar was particularly eye-catching.
The Cinnabar’s color had faded to a deep, dark red. The brushwork was archaic and vigorous, resembling neither seal script nor a Talisman.
"This sealing strip... is something else."
The evaluation came from the Spiritual Sense of the God of Wealth Cai Shen in his Purple Mansion.
"Whatever is sealed within is likely no ordinary thing."
Qi Yun’s gaze hardened. He could naturally also sense how special this sealing strip was.
His eyes narrowed slightly. He made a pressing motion in the air with his left hand, and a gentle yet precise stream of Magical Power, like an invisible hand, gently peeled at the dark-red Cinnabar sealing strip.
An extremely faint ripping sound came from where the strip was stuck to the lid as it was torn away.
In the spark of an instant, just as the sealing strip was peeling off the lid but not yet fully detached...
"HEH—!!"
An extremely abrupt, hoarse, and dry cackle exploded without warning from the crack of the still-unopened Ebony Box.
The laugh directly assaulted the Divine Soul. It was sharp, maniacal, and filled with an indescribable malice and ecstasy.
It was like countless cold, rusted steel needles stabbing viciously into the listener’s Purple Mansion!
"How many years... How many years has it been!!
You sanctimonious hypocrites, you’re finally... finally willing to let this old man out?!
Haha... Hahahaha!!!"
The cackling was hysterical, the words fired off like a string of firecrackers. Each syllable was twisted and deformed, wrapped in a monstrous hatred and a near-tangible, filthy, evil aura.
"BOOM—!"
With the Stone Mountain at its center, Heaven and Earth for dozens of miles in every direction suddenly went dark!
Billowing black mist surged out majestically.
"CRACK—!"
The lid of the Ebony Box was violently blasted open by a tremendous force from within, completely blown apart!
A thick, ink-black, ceaselessly churning smoke, like volcanic magma suppressed for millennia, spewed forth from the box.
No distinct form could be seen within the black mist.
There were only two points of crimson light, red as blood and filled with endless malice, that "stared" fixedly at Qi Yun, who was just a few feet away!
"Fresh... flesh and blood!" The twisted, hoarse voice came from the core of the black mist, laced with a bloodcurdling greed.
"I’ll eat you! This old man is going to eat you!! To make up for these millions of years of desolation!!"
"Insolence!"
Qi Yun remained seated, composed, while Situ Huaji beside him had already let out an angry roar and instantly moved to block the black mist.
...