Cuteness Is a Kind of Power
[You transformed into a streak of light, merging into the night sky of Returning to Truth Peak, and flew south, landing half a month later in a valley behind Demon-Severing Cliff.]
Chen Zhao was already waiting at the valley entrance.
[In your previous life, you were in the Nascent Soul Late Stage. It took you half a month to set up the Crow's Arrival Grand Formation and its seven outer layers of sealing.]
[Now that you've reached the Middle Spirit Transformation Stage, your Formation Dao formations has also reached a new level.]
[Cost Reduction and Efficiency Improvement, effective.]
[The Artisan Spirit is now in effect.]
[Workaholic, effective.]
[...]
[In less than seven days, eight large formations were embedded in the valley's ley lines.]
[As usual, you happily accepted the remaining 60-70% of the top-grade array materials, then nodded to Chen Zhao.]
[Not long after, the War Oversight Office led about 150 to 160 Demon-Transformed Cultivators, each possessing Bloodline Mark, into the valley.]
[The one leading the group was still that Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Seventh Battle Battalion of the White Blade Rampart.]
[This man, with his neck stiffened, opened his mouth to shout that he was being wronged, trying to disrupt the morale of the soldiers escorting the war scouts.]
[Options pop up.]
[A: Too lazy to waste words with dead people, just unleash the Bully at Home to crush them, activate the great formation!]
[B: Recite classic lines from the previous life, and then put on a big show.]
[C: You pull out a small stool and sit at the valley entrance, taking out sunflower seeds and Formation Plate: "Come on, come on, the first annual 'Miserable One' competition at Demon-Severing Cliff officially begins! Contestants, please speak in order. Whoever cries the most miserably will be exempt from today's cremation fee!"]
It gets boring to put on the same show twice.
Besides, now that he's Spirit Transformation Ancestor, efficiency is paramount.
Lu Ping chose A.
[You chose A.]
[You didn't even lift your eyelids, yet you released your entire aura outwards.]
[Work from Home, effective.]
[Bully at Home, effective.]
[The spiritual pressure of Middle Spirit Transformation Stage, stacked upon the Trait, pressed down upon him.]
[The burly man didn't utter a single word before collapsing face-first into the mud, unable to lift even a finger.]
The hundred or so cultivators who had initially intended to join the commotion all fell silent, trembling with fear.
[ Upon Commander bowed to you with clasped hands and gestured for the warriors to push everyone into the center of the formation.]
[You waved away the crowd, and with a flick of your finger, you cast Method Formula.]
[The Crow's Arrival Grand Formation, activated.]
[The screams lasted only a few breaths before hundreds of streams of Bloodline Mark shards intertwined, drawing out a massive crimson Whirlpool in mid-air.]
[The enormous Three-Legged Crow phantom broke free from the Whirlpool, and just as the dark golden demonic flames were about to burst forth, the Void above collapsed, and the nine-story Demon-Suppressing Tower swelled in the wind, crashing down upon them.]
[Nine bronze bells rang in unison, and before the Three-Legged Crow could even finish its harsh words, it was frozen in mid-air.]
[Song Fuan, dressed in a blue robe, stepped out of Void and silently delivered a punch.]
The valley floor sank three feet, Three-Legged Crow's body disintegrated inch by inch, turning into dust that filled the sky.
[Only a ball of pure golden primordial fire remained, suspended in mid-air.]
[Song Fuan withdrew his fist, cupped his hands to the chubby boy atop the Demon-Suppressing Tower, gave him some instructions, then tore through the Void and followed the Karmic Threads to pursue the Chunwu's true form.]
[The valley fell silent again. You revealed yourself, looking at the Elder Zhen in mid-air and the ball of Sun True Fire.]
[You straightened your clothes and bowed deeply to the chubby boy.]
"Junior Lu Ping greets Elder Zhen. This Sun True Fire is of great use to me; I wonder if Elder Zhen would be so kind as to bestow it upon me?"
[Workwear Thugs, in effect.]
The Elder Zhen waved his small hand dismissively.
"Take it; it's all thanks to you for setting up the formation and luring them in."
[You thanked him, and with a thought, the Crow-Crow within your Dantian flew out and swallowed the ball of Sun True Fire in one gulp.]
[In its previous life Crow-Crow was merely Red-Feather Fire Crow; upon swallowing this ball of true fire, it instantly exploded into fireworks.]
[Now that it has entered the early Transformation, it is more than ten times stronger than before.]
[After swallowing the true fire, the Crow-Crow let out a satisfied burp, returned to your Dantian, transformed into Fire Crow Seed, and began its journey towards the mid-stage of Transformation.]
[After feeding the Crow-Crow, you thought for a moment and then summoned the Moon Palace Fire-Devouring Furnace.]
[As soon as the stove appeared, half a small head with twin buns peeked out from under the lid.]
You bow to the Elder Zhen again.
"Elder Zhen, this is my Little Toad. He usually stays with me, quietly refining pills, and has no one of his kind to talk to."
"I had the honor of meeting Elder Zhen today, and I specially asked her to come out and greet the senior."
After saying that, you whispered a word of advice.
"Little Toad, quickly greet the Elder Zhen."
The Little Toad timidly glanced outside, its eyes meeting those of the Elder Zhen suspended in mid-air.
The two Artifact Spirits locked eyes.
[The Elder Zhen floated down to the fire-swallowing furnace, circled it twice, and clicked his tongue in amazement.]
"Strange, truly strange. A mere Supreme Law Treasure can actually absorb fragments of a realm and even give rise to such an intelligent Artifact Spirit."
[The Little Toad, frightened by the old man's gaze, shrank back, gripped the edge of the stove with its little hands, and shouted in a muffled voice.]
"Hello, Grandpa..."
[That one call of "Grandpa" touched the heart of the Elder Zhen.]
[As fellow Artifact Spirit, the Elder Zhen felt a great deal of affection for the Little Toad, and some of the arrogance on his face disappeared.]
[The chubby boy then turned to look at you, raised his chin, and pointed at you in an air of superiority,]
"Young Master Lu, Toad Girl's inner Grotto-Heaven is just beginning to form, Five Elements are still lacking; this is the most critical time."
"Knowing Song's temperament, he definitely won't let you work for nothing when he gets back."
"He happened to have a piece of Yi Wood Green Spirit Essence hidden in his private treasury, which was the finest essence of the wood element."
"Just ask him for it later, don't hold back for him, it's good to give it to Toad Girl to help her recover!"
[You just stood there, and everyone was dumbfounded.]
[You glanced at the smug Elder Zhen, then at the Little Toad perched on the edge of the stove, nodding in agreement.]
Good grief, is this what they call siding with outsiders?
[Elder Zhen, Master Song was your master after all, he followed you for so many years.]
[As a result, the Little Toad called out "Grandpa," and you turned around and sold off all of your master's possessions!]
[But then you think about it, Artifact Spirit is born, it develops its own temperament and selfishness, and is no longer a cold, inhuman tool for killing.]
[Isn't this clear proof of the master's skillful nurturing, allowing the Artifact Spirit to complement and enhance each other?]
[You composed yourself, cupped your hands in thanks to the Elder Zhen.]
[Little Toad understood that Grandpa was trying to get her some treats, so she poked her little head out and added in a clear, crisp voice.]
"Thank you, Grandpa!"
The Elder Zhen was overjoyed, patting his chest and assuring everyone he could take care of.
[Half an hour later, the Void within the valley cracked open, Song Fuan stepped out.]
[The Little Toad sensed the aura of the Integrated Body Great Talent and scurried back into the furnace in fright.]
[Song Fuan brushed away the scorch marks on his sleeve, his gaze towards you gentle.]
"By using your Formation Technique to slay the Chunwu's clone and incidentally erase a portion of its essence, the Myriad Demon Domain will be free from the Chunwu's threat for the next hundred years."
"Speak, what do you want? I can't let people say that I Song Fuan, am just ordering around my juniors for no reason."
[Options pop up.]
[A: Heeding the advice of the Elder Zhen, he asked Song Fuan for the piece of wood essence.]
[B: Report to Song Fuan that Elder Zhen is a traitor who is demanding half of the Demon-Suppressing Tower's ownership as hush money!]
[C: You hold Little Toad up in front of Song Fuan: "Master Song, look how much this child resembles your old man! Today, let Little Toad recognize the Elder Zhen as his grandfather, and we'll become even closer."]