Free Web NovelChapter 67: Chapter 41: Clash (2)
Shishi pretended not to notice and said, "Sir, could you give me the Five Demons Transport Map now?"
For Xuzhuang, the most crucial Sacrificial Refining Skill had been obtained so easily. This gave him some leeway in his other choices, and he replied calmly, "That won’t do."
"Oh?" Shishi said. "Sir, surely you don’t intend to break our pact? Don’t blame me for not reminding you that our little schemes against one another are of no great consequence. But that magical artifact we stole from the Dragon Palace carries grave karmic repercussions. You’d best not get any ideas you shouldn’t."
"Thank you for the reminder, Miss," Xuzhuang said lightly. "But I never had any intention of breaking our pact."
"Oh?" Shishi asked. "Then what is it you mean, Sir?"
"Aside from the Demon Sect magical artifact we agreed upon, all other treasures should be mine," Xuzhuang stated calmly.
Hearing this, Shishi couldn’t help but chuckle. "Sir, your appetite is a little too large, isn’t it?"
Xuzhuang replied placidly, "How so?"
Shishi didn’t answer, asking instead, "Those Black Dragon Brothers aren’t exactly easy to deal with, are they? The Dragon Palace and the Three Mountains Immortal Sect lost quite a few experts at their hands during the last battle."
"Oh, so that happened," Xuzhuang remarked coolly. "I wonder what you mean by bringing this up, Miss?"
"To have just formed your Golden Core and still escape the Black Dragon Brothers... your Divine Techniques are truly extraordinary, Sir," Shishi said. "However, after such a battle, I imagine your current condition isn’t the best, is it?"
"Indeed," Xuzhuang admitted frankly.
Shishi’s dark brows furrowed slightly, and the smile in her voice faded. "Sir, do you perhaps believe that Shishi wouldn’t dare to strike?"
Xuzhuang gave a half-smile. "You are more than welcome to try, Miss."
The once light and seemingly harmonious atmosphere instantly dropped to a freezing point, leaving only the desolate whistling of the sea wind.
After a long moment, Shishi suddenly broke into a smile and said with a mock pout, "Honestly, Sir. I was only joking, but you won’t even give me a graceful way to back down."
"Now, now, Miss," Xuzhuang chuckled.
"I put in effort to open the Dragon Palace Treasure Vault too, yet you, Sir, want to swallow all the rewards for yourself." As she spoke, her eyes filled with a look of playful reproach and sorrow. "Sigh! Fine, fine. In the end, I am the one indebted to you. We’ll do as you say."
Xuzhuang remained noncommittal. He reached into his sleeve, took out the scroll of the Five Demons Transport Map, and said, "Why don’t you tell me the Magic Formula, Miss, and I’ll take the items out of the painting myself?"
Shishi said plaintively, "This Magic Formula... I wouldn’t dare tell it to you so easily, Sir. I know you must have a way to escape from me. If you trick the formula out of me and run, I can’t bear the responsibility for losing the magical artifact."
Xuzhuang smiled at her words. "But I don’t exactly trust you either, Miss. What do you think is best?"
Shishi sighed. "How about I cast the spell from a distance and take out the treasures one by one?"
Xuzhuang pondered for a moment. "Very well. But you’d better not try any clever tricks, Miss. If I detect anything amiss, I will act ruthlessly and destroy this map on the spot."
Shishi said, "I wouldn’t dare."
Xuzhuang gave a noncommittal grunt. With a flick of his wrist, he unfurled the scroll, revealing the painting within. A Red-skinned Demon and four other demons were depicted, each holding a treasure. The five demons were frozen in the painting, each with a unique expression and pose.
Shishi said, "Shall I take out the magical artifact I need to hand over first?"
Xuzhuang’s fingertips tightened on the scroll. "It would be best if you didn’t try anything clever, Miss."
"I’m truly terrified of you, Sir," Shishi sighed dramatically. "Fine, I’ll take out three treasures for you first."
"Excellent," Xuzhuang replied. "But please take them out one by one."
Shishi rolled her eyes. Her slender fingers formed a Dharma Seal in front of her chest as she softly chanted a few words. Within the Five Demons Transport Map, the five demons instantly came to life, stretching their backs and kicking their legs.
She then changed the Spell. The Glazed Vase held by an orange-skinned demon was suddenly yanked away by an unseen force, making the panicked demon cry out, "WAH! WAH!" But it was ignored as the Glazed Vase was pulled directly to the forefront of the painting.
"Please retrieve the item, Sir."
"Oh?" After a moment’s thought, Xuzhuang reached out. As his hand touched the painting’s surface, it felt like plunging into water. His fingers closed around the Glazed Vase.
Xuzhuang pulled the Glazed Vase out, weighing it in his hand. He secretly circulated a thread of Magical Power through it, his expression unchanging, before storing the vase in his sleeve.
Seeing Xuzhuang put away the Glazed Vase, Shishi continued to cast her spell. She pulled a small sword from the scroll. Its body, hilt, and guard were all silver, as if forged from a single, plain material. Next came a Purple Clay Small Jar of unknown origin.
Xuzhuang accepted them all without question, storing everything away.
"Now that you have taken your treasures, Sir, can you return the Five Demons Transport Map to me?" Shishi asked, seeing him put the items away.
Xuzhuang looked down, glanced at the painting, and suddenly smiled. "That won’t do. I’ll have to ask you to take out the remaining treasures for me to inspect."
Shishi snorted softly, then formed another seal to cast her spell. She pulled the bronze mirror from the hands of the green-skinned demon. Xuzhuang took it from the painting and, weighing it in his hand, immediately sensed that its internal restrictions were of a very high level. The spiritual nature of the Magical Artifact was also incredibly potent, and it faintly expressed a will of resistance.
It was actually a true Spirit Artifact, and not an ordinary one at that!
When the internal restrictions of a Magical Artifact are perfected, it gives birth to spirituality. At that point, it is no longer considered a Magical Artifact, but a Spirit Artifact. However, even among Spirit Artifacts, there is a world of difference.
When a Spirit Artifact is newly formed, it is called a Phantom-Form Spirit Artifact. At this stage, the Spirit Artifact is extremely fragile. This doesn’t refer to its quality or power, but to the fact that its spirituality is still nascent and it possesses only a single internal restriction. A cultivator must continuously refine it to maintain its spirituality and increase its restrictions. If this refinement process is ever broken, its spirituality will become dormant, its restrictions will regress, and it could even revert to being a mere Magical Artifact.
