Yanluo Banner

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Yanluo Banner (阎罗幡)
Artifact Type	Evil artifact; cultivation aid and combat weapon
Affiliation	Qin Sang, after its refinement
Occupation/Role	Houses Yanwang; produces Soul Pills to assist cultivation and can be used to attack or interrogate souls
Status	Active; its damaged banner surface was fully restored and Yanwang recovered its former peak strength 40
First Appearance	2

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Initial activation	18	Qin Sang channels Qi into the banner after reaching the second layer of the Netherworld Scripture. The banner drains his Qi and releases Yanwang, which attacks his soul.
Refined and bound to Qin Sang	19	A ritual incantation allows Qin Sang to refine the banner; he feels it become connected to his bloodline. Its transmitted instructions identify Yanwang and explain Soul Pill production.
Partial restoration	34 35	Yanwang devours souls, becoming more solid; several holes in the banner disappear. Qin Sang deliberately limits its feeding to avoid empowering it beyond his control.
Fully restored	40	Qin Sang gradually repairs every hole in the banner. Yanwang recovers its former peak strength while remaining obedient to Qin Sang.

Appearance

The Yanluo Banner is a small black banner with a palm-length pole, a pointed tip, and a smooth rounded base. Its unknown material is cold to the touch, and the pole bears the carved characters “Yanluo Banner” 2.

• Long, narrow, tattered black banner cloth, slightly shorter than the pole 2
• Originally riddled with holes; the holes mend when Yanwang devours sufficient souls 2 34
• Bears a faint, malevolent ghost pattern that can appear animate when activated 2 18
• Emits an eerie, sinister aura; prolonged viewing makes Qin Sang feel as though his consciousness is being drawn inside 2

Background / History

The banner originally belonged to an unidentified black-robed cultivator whom Qin Sang found dead after the cultivator’s battle with a white-robed sword wielder. Qin Sang recovered it from beneath the corpse, together with the Netherworld Scripture. Its ominous appearance and the black-robed man’s earlier actions immediately led Qin Sang to consider it an evil object 2.

The Netherworld Scripture later reveals that the banner can only be used after cultivating its first layer, though Qin Sang does not successfully activate it until reaching the scripture’s second layer. His first attempt nearly kills him: the banner drains his Qi, releases the evil spirit Yanwang, and drags his consciousness into darkness. Yanwang retreats only because it fears the Jade Buddha protecting Qin Sang’s soul 11 18.

After Old Wu’s soul is devoured, Qin Sang learns the banner’s true purpose. It is an artifact designed to support cultivation of the Netherworld Scripture, rather than the divine weapon he had imagined. Qin Sang refines it using its ritual incantation and gains the ability to command Yanwang, though he remains wary that the spirit could devour its master if allowed to grow too powerful 19.

Abilities & Functions

Yanwang Manifestation

The banner houses Yanwang, an evil spirit that can emerge at Qin Sang’s command.

• Can kill or incapacitate opponents by devouring their souls; ordinary martial arts offer no apparent defense against it 21 22
• Can return to the banner after completing a command 20
• Was initially difficult to control and attacked Qin Sang upon activation 18
• Yanwang’s obedience is rooted in its fear of Qin Sang’s Jade Buddha, rather than loyalty to Qin Sang himself 19 20
• It may hesitate before opponents with exceptionally vigorous vitality or Yang-like True Qi, as it did against Venerable Yuanjue 34

Soul Devouring and Interrogation

Yanwang can seize souls from victims, allowing Qin Sang to question them for intelligence.

• Souls devoured by Yanwang can be interrogated before they dissipate 22 35
• Qin Sang uses this ability to obtain intelligence on Jiangshan Tower and Princess Dongyang’s planned assassination 22
• The duration for which a soul remains available is limited; Venerable Yuanjue’s soul dissipates unusually quickly 35
• Soul devouring risks harming innocents and is a source of moral concern for Qin Sang 19 20

Soul Pill Creation

After consuming human souls or Yin Sha qi, Yanwang can gestate Soul Pills.

• Soul Pills greatly accelerate cultivation of the Netherworld Scripture, surpassing the effect of medicinal baths 19 20
• Yanwang weakens temporarily after producing a Soul Pill 20
• Additional Soul Pills require further consumption of souls or Yin Sha qi 19 20
• Qin Sang fears reliance on the pills could turn him into a murderous demon cultivator 20

Spiritual Sense Control

After learning to use Spiritual Sense, Qin Sang can control Yanwang with much greater precision.

• Before acquiring Spiritual Sense, Qin Sang could only assign targets within his line of sight and could not reliably restrain Yanwang at a distance 38
• Spiritual Sense allows Qin Sang to envelop Yanwang and command it continuously 38
• Qin Sang can perceive through Yanwang while directing it, effectively extending his sight into guarded locations 42

Restoration Through Feeding

Yanwang’s feeding restores the physical condition and strength of the banner.

• Every sufficient intake of souls causes holes in the banner cloth to mend 34
• Qin Sang restricts Yanwang to consuming only a few dozen souls at a time, fearing a fully strengthened Yanwang could rebel 34
• The banner’s holes are eventually fully repaired, and Yanwang returns to its former peak strength 40

Limitations

• Activation initially drains Qin Sang’s Qi with overwhelming force 18.
• Yanwang can potentially devour its master; the banner’s own instructions warn against greed and careless use 19.
• Qin Sang’s control depends in part on the Jade Buddha’s deterrence, whose limits are unknown 19 40.
• Yanwang is frightened by powerful, vitality-rich opponents such as the Xiantian expert Venerable Yuanjue 34.
• Allowing Yanwang to consume too many souls risks restoring it beyond a safe level 34.

Relationships

• Qin Sang — Refined owner and wielder. He uses the banner for cultivation, combat, reconnaissance, and interrogation, while deliberately limiting Yanwang’s growth 19 34 38.
• Yanwang — Evil spirit housed within the banner. It produces Soul Pills and attacks souls, but fears Qin Sang’s Jade Buddha 19 20.
• Black-robed cultivator — Original known owner. The banner was recovered from his corpse after his fatal battle with the white-robed youth 2.
• Jade Buddha — Yanwang’s primary deterrent; it protected Qin Sang’s soul during the banner’s first activation and continues to keep the spirit obedient 18 19 40.

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Acquisition — Qin Sang finds the banner on the black-robed cultivator’s corpse and conceals it with the Netherworld Scripture 2.
• First activation — Its released spirit nearly consumes Qin Sang, establishing the artifact’s danger and the Jade Buddha’s protective role 18.
• Refinement and Soul Pills — Qin Sang refines the banner after Old Wu’s death, learns its cultivation function, and begins using Soul Pills despite the ethical cost 19 20.
• Jiangshan Tower investigation — Qin Sang uses Yanwang’s soul interrogation to uncover the plot against Princess Dongyang 22.
• Battle at Hening County — Yanwang kills multiple opponents and ultimately enables Qin Sang to defeat Venerable Yuanjue after the monk seizes the banner 34 35.
• Restoration and remote surveillance — Spiritual Sense improves Qin Sang’s control, while the banner gradually returns to full strength through accumulated souls 38 40 42.