Chapter 24: Self-Detonation!
Liu Xin had once been just another ordinary disciple of the Primordial Saint Sect, living the life of a beast of burden—completing missions, cultivating, and repaying loans day after day.
Until one fortuitous encounter completely altered his fate.
It began with a bounty mission posted by a true disciple who wished to explore an ancient cave dwelling. He happened to be short on cannon fodder to scout the path ahead.
Unaware of the circumstances, Liu Xin was drawn in by the mission's rewards and joined the exploration team. By the time he realized he was merely cannon fodder, it was too late—he was forced into the cave dwelling by the true disciple. Yet, to his surprise, he discovered that none of the cave's restrictions affected him.
He proceeded unimpeded and obtained the opportunity meant for another.
Inside a golden casket lay the Innate Dao Book and the Innate True Qi Myriad Spirits Banner, alongside a handwritten note left by the cave's original owner.
The note identified the owner as the "Innate Wanderer."
The Dao Book and treasure within the casket were meant for a destined individual—a true disciple of the Saint Sect whose name contained the character "Xin."
Yet he refused to accept this.
In the note, the Innate Wanderer vehemently denounced the shamelessness of the Primordial Saint Sect—forcing a connection where none existed, binding his legacy's karma to one of their true disciples.
Thus, he deliberately muddled the causality, passing his inheritance to Liu Xin instead.
Additionally, the note warned Liu Xin that obtaining these treasures would bring a life-and-death calamity upon him, so the cave also contained a means to overcome this crisis.
In the original chain of causality, the false "Xin" was not the true "Xin," which was why Liu Xin had been used as cannon fodder, serving as a mere delivery boy for another's fortune. But under the Innate Wanderer's deliberate arrangement, it was Liu Xin who seized the opportunity—even usurping the true disciple's fate and turning the tables to kill him.
That was a night of heart-stopping tension.
By sunrise, only Liu Xin emerged from the Innate Wanderer's cave dwelling, reborn anew, while the Saint Sect's true disciple vanished without a trace.
Yet Liu Xin did not kill him outright.
With the aid of the Innate Wanderer's contingency, he refined the true disciple alive, transforming him into the most powerful spirit of his banner.
As the banner unfurled, a figure clad in billowing black robes stepped forth. Instead of immediately turning to Lü Yang, he first cast a nostalgic gaze around his surroundings.
"The strong prey on the weak, disciples slaughtering one another... The Saint Sect remains as familiar as ever."
"Senior Brother, it's been a while." Liu Xin clasped his hands in greeting.
"Still the same incompetent fool, running into enemies you can't handle?" The black-robed figure sneered coldly. "What a waste, giving you the Innate Dao Book."
"I could never compare to you, Senior Brother."
Liu Xin remained unperturbed, his tone still respectful. "This man is a sword cultivator who has mastered the Heavenly Demon Blood-Transforming Divine Light. I am indeed no match for him."
"Heavenly Demon Blood-Transforming Divine Light?" The black-robed figure paused, his expression growing slightly more serious before shaking his head again. "To master such a divine ability marks him as someone noteworthy. Pity he's wasted his efforts in the wrong direction, toiling in vain... As per our agreement, this is the third and final time I will act."
"Senior Brother is wise."
Liu Xin nodded. "After this matter concludes, I shall release you into the cycle of reincarnation. With your accumulated merit and foundation, you will surely tread the Dao anew in your next life."
"Very well."
Only then did the black-robed figure turn to face Lü Yang.
At this sight, Lü Yang and Xiao Shiye remained unfazed, while Fairy Qingchen widened her eyes, staring fixedly at the black-robed figure.
She was no newly initiated disciple.
At first, she had merely found the figure vaguely familiar. But when his aura erupted in full force, realization struck her like lightning.
"Chen Xin'an... Senior Brother Chen!?"
The son of the Mending Heaven Peak Master—one of the Four Inner Peaks! The missing true disciple!
When Chen Xin'an had disappeared, the Mending Heaven Peak Master flew into a rage, personally attempting to deduce the causality behind it but finding nothing. The incident had stirred up quite the storm.
Who would have thought he'd end up in Senior Brother Liu's hands?
In that instant, Fairy Qingchen's expression shifted as if she had realized something. She instinctively took several steps back, distancing herself from Liu Xin...
Thunk!
A blade pierced through her abdomen and withdrew just as swiftly. Fairy Qingchen's delicate face froze in bewilderment, her vacant eyes staring at the hand buried in her stomach before her head lolled to the side, lifeless.
She had died again.
"A shame. Since you've seen this, I cannot let you live."
With Fairy Qingchen's death, the surrounding formation trembled violently. Yet as Liu Xin activated the Myriad Spirits Banner, her corpse was swiftly absorbed into its fabric.
Moments later, an unharmed Fairy Qingchen emerged from the banner—now transformed into a banner spirit.
Though becoming a spirit imposed many more restrictions than in life, she could still maintain the formation, quickly stabilizing its fluctuations.
Meanwhile, the black-robed true disciple Chen Xin'an arrived before Lü Yang.
"Hmm?"
Studying Chen Xin'an, Lü Yang's gaze sharpened. The man's cultivation was no higher than his own—only at the seventh layer of Qi Refining—but his presence felt entirely different.
Chen Xin'an glanced at Lü Yang and shook his head. "The Ode of Yin-Yang Great Bliss is a dual cultivation technique, emphasizing mastery over three thousand women. Yet your true qi is muddled and impure—clearly not obtained through dual cultivation. What should have been fifth-grade Yin-Yang Dragon Tiger Qi has degraded to sixth-grade in your hands."
His critique sent alarm bells ringing in Lü Yang's mind.
"Might I ask who you are?"
"My name is Chen Xin'an. I am not acting of my own will today. However, if you manage to escape, bring news of me back to Mending Heaven Peak. My father will surely reward you handsomely."
Before Lü Yang could respond, Chen Xin'an struck!
With a single raised hand, his aura instantly merged with heaven and earth. Surging true qi roared forth, resonating with the surrounding spiritual energy!
In that moment, Lü Yang's pupils contracted.
Not because of Chen Xin'an's displayed strength, but because as Chen Xin'an attacked, Lü Yang acutely sensed the flaws and gaps in his own true qi.
In an instant, he understood.
"My Dragon-Tiger Union Yin-Yang Great Bliss Ode isn't the pinnacle—Mending Heaven Peak possesses superior techniques! This man must be one of their true disciples!"
Lü Yang's deduction was correct.
As the son of the Mending Heaven Peak Master, Chen Xin'an cultivated the Mending Heaven True Classic—an advanced version of the Dragon-Tiger Union Yin-Yang Great Bliss Ode.
Ordinary dual cultivation involved harmonizing yin and yang with another person.
But the Mending Heaven True Classic involved dual cultivation with heaven and earth itself, merging with the cosmos. The Mending Heaven True Qi refined through this method ranked at the third grade.
Thus, when Chen Xin'an's palm descended, even without employing any divine abilities, the sheer depth of his third-grade true qi was enough to overwhelm Lü Yang.
Seeing this, Liu Xin couldn't help but smile confidently.
No one understood Chen Xin'an's strength better than he did. In his eyes, even if Lü Yang were ten times more powerful, he would still be no match for Chen Xin'an.
"Victory is assured!"
Liu Xin declared without hesitation, failing to notice Xiao Shiye's gloomy expression as the latter observed him from afar, deep in thought.
With his sharp intellect, Xiao Shiye could clearly see the unfavorable turn of events.
"I didn't want to resort to this... but you've forced my hand."
Xiao Shiye knew his own strength was the weakest—relying entirely on his arsenal of magical treasures to maintain appearances. Yet now, even those treasures seemed insufficient.
Resolved, Xiao Shiye took a deep breath and opened his storage pouch. Instantly, a torrent of spiritual energy and radiant treasure light burst forth, capturing Liu Xin's attention. Even Chen Xin'an and Lü Yang, locked in combat, paused to look.
Then, a small pagoda flew out from the pouch.
The pagoda appeared to be cast from pure gold, standing nine stories tall. At its pinnacle, a humanoid figure materialized from spiritual light, its expression vivid and lifelike.
"Is that... a spirit treasure!?"
The moment they laid eyes on it, Liu Xin and Chen Xin'an exclaimed in unison, their faces filled with shock—while the less experienced Lü Yang remained silent.
When artisans refine artifacts, those that emit treasure light are known as magical treasures. But when a treasure gives birth to its own wisdom, it ascends to become a spirit treasure!
Magical treasures are categorized into lower, middle, and upper grades, each with boundless uses. Yet no matter how powerful, they require a master to wield them effectively.
Spirit treasures are different.
They possess consciousness, capable of unleashing their power even without a wielder. More importantly, they can cultivate independently, growing ever stronger!
In the next instant, Xiao Shiye formed a hand seal—and the golden pagoda began to expand...
"Bastard!"
Chen Xin'an was the first to curse loudly, his earlier composure shattered. He recognized what Xiao Shiye intended—to detonate the spirit treasure!
Meanwhile, Liu Xin nearly coughed up blood.
Such treasures, forged by heaven and earth themselves, were typically only possessed by Foundation Establishment True Persons. For Xiao Shiye to not only own one but willingly detonate it was nothing short of sacrilege!
Even more absurd was that the spirit treasure pagoda showed no resistance—instead cooperating willingly. The speed of the process left Liu Xin no time to intervene...
BOOM!
In the next moment, an explosion of flames swallowed everything whole.