"Heh, do you think you're not worthy of these magical treasures?"
"……yes."
"Xiao Fan, there's no such thing as a magic weapon being unworthy of you. These aren't your natal magic weapons; at most, they're just tools on your cultivation path. I believe you'll soon discard them. Also, these are things I recently researched, considered the first generation of this type of magic weapon. Giving you a set is so you can help me test them and see where they fall short."
If there were truly shortcomings, Master wouldn't have made so many at once. Although Zhang Xiaofan seemed somewhat dull-witted, he was actually quite intelligent and understood the problem almost instantly. However, he didn't point it out because he knew Master was being considerate of his feelings.
No one in his life, except his parents, had ever been so kind to him. Zhang Xiaofan felt a warmth in his heart and almost told his master his secret. But the words caught in his throat.
Lu Xuan sensed the change in Zhang Xiaofan's emotions. Hundreds of years of experience had allowed him to easily see through even the slightest shift in Zhang Xiaofan's mood. He didn't feel disappointed; he simply made a move to continue explaining the other magical treasures.
"No need, Master, I'll take this set."
Are you sure? The one below might be more suitable for you.
"I'm sure, Master." Zhang Xiaofan dared not stay any longer; he was afraid he would lose control of himself.
"Alright then, these are all yours now. These magical artifacts don't need any refining; they can be used directly. Their core is in this bracelet."
The bracelet features mother runes. Each mother rune corresponds to one of ten magical artifacts. Activating the corresponding mother rune allows you to freely use that artifact. You don't even need to infuse the artifact with spiritual power, as it inherently possesses its own. However, if excessive power is consumed, the artifact will enter a dormant state.
If you concentrate, you can activate multiple, or even all, magical artifacts simultaneously. You can explore and test the exact number and limits of these artifacts yourself.
Finally, there are eleven runes on the bracelet. This last rune is what I call the Overload Rune. It means that if a magical artifact is in a dormant state and cannot be used, activating the Overload Rune can forcibly awaken it. However, this will cause irreparable damage to the artifact. Therefore, do not use it lightly.
However, if faced with a life-or-death situation, you must use it. By pushing this final rune to its limit and activating any magical artifact, you can force it to self-destruct, releasing immense power in one go—enough to harm an enemy several levels stronger than you. The artifact will be completely destroyed. But remember, as a disciple of the Hidden Immortal Sect, your life is far more important than any magical artifact. Therefore, when the time comes, do not hesitate. Do you understand?
"Yes, Master, I understand," Zhang Xiaofan replied solemnly.
"Very good, now familiarize yourself with the Thank You Magic Treasure."
After Lu Xuan finished speaking, he left, leaving Zhang Xiaofan with a complicated expression.
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Chapter 412 The Three-Eyed Spirit Monkey
Time flew by, and the day of the Qingyun Grand Competition arrived. Lu Xuan and his group visited the Qingyun Sect three days in advance. Dao Xuan was quite accommodating, after all, the Hidden Immortal Sect's power, even in its initial appearance, was formidable. Furthermore, since the two sides were neighbors, everything was arranged meticulously.
Because only Tian Buyi and Lu Xuan had any interaction with Qingyun Sect, and because Dazhu Peak was sparsely populated, they were settled there.
It's worth mentioning that Lu Xuan brought his entire family with him on this trip. He wanted to broaden the horizons of these disciples who were confined to their studies.
Tian Buyi and Su Ru were very hospitable. They had been well received at the Hidden Immortal Sect last time, so they naturally did their best to entertain them this time.
"Peak Master Tian, I'll be troubling you these next few days. This is just a small token of my appreciation, please don't find it offensive," Lu Xuan said warmly, handing over a jar of spirit wine.
Tian Buyi's eyes lit up. When he went to the Hidden Immortal Sect, what impressed him most was the delicious food on the table, and also the sect's spiritual tea and wine. He talked about them for a long time after returning. Seeing that Lu Xuan had given him a jar, he immediately beamed with joy. Ignoring Su Ru's secret pinching, he reached out and took it.
The hospitality at Dazhu Peak was excellent. The only pity was that the chef at Dazhu Peak was truly indescribable. Although they prepared a lot of good ingredients, the taste was just... well, let's just say that after Zhang Xiaofan was outmaneuvered by Lu Xuan, the people of Dazhu Peak were even worse off than in the original story.
After a welcoming banquet, Tian Buyi personally led Lu Xuan on a tour of Dazhu Peak.
"My Great Bamboo Peak is one of the most beautiful in the entire Qingyun Sect. It's picturesque with clear waters and abundant spiritual energy. The only pity is that the few rascals under my command are really disappointing. Over the years, not a single one of them has turned out well. Brother Lu, you're different. I've seen that the disciples of the Hidden Immortal Sect are all highly skilled. Such a success rate makes me ashamed."
"Hahaha. Brother Tian, you flatter me. The disciples of the Hidden Immortal Sect are indeed quite capable, but look at how few people there are in our entire sect. We're a small sect, and we can't afford to support too many disciples, so I simply poured more resources into those few people, and that's how we've managed to cultivate a few presentable disciples. To be honest, I've come here with my whole family this time, to let these little guys who are always working behind closed doors see the world."
Before they knew it, the two had arrived at the famous bamboo forest on the back mountain of Dazhu Peak. Just as Tian Buyi had said, the scenery in this area was indeed beautiful. Streams, bamboo groves, and green meadows made it a picturesque place. However, after walking only a few steps, Lu Xuan felt a slight gust of wind beside his ear.
Without him having to do anything, Lu Xuan's protective spiritual energy automatically shielded him, deflecting the object. Turning his head, he saw it was a pine cone.
Not far away, a monkey was sitting on a bamboo stalk in a tree, making faces at Lu Xuan and his companion.
Lu Xuan's heart stirred. With a flick of his wrist, a crisp bracelet grew longer in the wind, transforming into a rope that flew over and entangled the monkey. The monkey frantically tried to escape, but while it could easily defeat ordinary people, it was practically powerless against a cultivator of Lu Xuan's level.
In the short time it took to breathe, he was bound with ropes and dragged back to Lu Xuan's side.
Tian Buyi frowned, about to speak up and offer some advice, when Lu Xuan raised his hand to stop him. Lu Xuan had actually used a magical artifact for a monkey.
Then Lu Xuan carefully examined the little gray monkey. A slight smile appeared on his lips.
"Peak Master Tian, would you be so kind as to part with this little fellow and let me have it?"
Tian Buyi was completely bewildered. The Qingyun Sect didn't have the custom of keeping spirit beasts. Aside from the guardian beast, the Water Qilin, none of the other peaks were known to have any spirit beasts. He himself was unfamiliar with this practice and couldn't see anything special about the monkey.
"Well, it's just a wild animal. Brother Lu, if you don't want to harm it, then do as you please. But I have one more question, Brother Lu. Is there anything special about this monkey?"
"Haha, Brother Tian, look." Lu Xuan reached out and parted the fur on the little monkey's forehead, revealing a slit that was barely visible to the naked eye.
"What is this?" Tian Buyi still didn't understand. Lu Xuan felt that apart from that oddball Zeng Shushu, probably no one in the Qingyun Sect could recognize this thing at a glance.
"This is a bloodline characteristic of a spirit beast called the Three-Eyed Spirit Monkey."
"Oh, Brother Lu, you mean this thing is a kind of spirit beast?" Tian Buyi began to regret his actions. After all, it was a spirit beast, and he had just given it away like that.
"Hehe, it's not that simple. This only means it has some of the bloodline of the three-eyed spirit monkey. But without someone to nurture it, it may never become a spirit beast in its lifetime. Our sect has a secret method that can use spiritual herbs in combination with special techniques to activate the bloodline of these potential spirit beasts, making them true spirit beasts. After all, true spirit beasts have already developed their minds and are not so easy to capture."
"Oh, I see. The Hidden Immortal Sect truly has a profound foundation. This is the first time I, Tian, have ever heard of such a miraculous Daoist technique in all my years of cultivation."
"Brother Tian, you flatter me. These are just minor practices. True cultivation depends on oneself. It is only because we are small sects that we engage in these unorthodox methods."
Lu Xuan was in a good mood because, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the little monkey he had caught should be the same Little Gray who followed Zhang Xiaofan in the original story. This little guy, after consuming a spiritual medicine from the treasure trove of heaven and earth in the later stages of his extraordinary luck, transformed into a three-eyed spirit monkey with considerable combat power.
The two searched around, but Lu Xuan was somewhat disappointed not to find the legendary Soul Devourer. However, he quickly adjusted his mindset. After all, the Soul Devourer was considered a top-tier magical artifact in this world. Without a certain level of luck, it probably wouldn't be easy to find.
The two chatted as they walked back. Once back, Lu Xuan noticed a change in Hongyu's gaze. Remembering how Su Ru had completely subdued Tian Buyi, Lu Xuan felt a sudden headache coming on. Women inevitably talk about men when they're together. Although Hongyu seemed cold, after marriage she was a typical feudal-era wife, basically obedient to Lu Xuan. However, Lu Xuan felt that that kind of life was probably gone forever.