It was already the fifth day of the first month in the tenth year of the Yonghe Era. Inside the Grotto-Heaven, Fang Ming gazed at the Taiping Seal in his hand. It had regained its miraculous nature, revealing its extraordinary power.
Simply holding it made Fang Ming feel refreshed and clearheaded, with thoughts that seemed much sharper.
Sensing something unusual, he examined his own Fortune.
At the sight, he was startled.
Above his head, red qi gathered and filled the Golden Seal. Around it was a layer of golden Human Dao Merit, and beyond that, blue-green Heavenly Dao Merit. Since subduing the Taiping Seal had consumed a great deal of Heavenly Dao Merit, the layer now seemed somewhat thin.
Above his Fortune floated another cloud of blue-green qi. This was not merit, but pure Fortune, shaped like a ceremonial canopy that sheltered Fang Ming. Yet it did not blend with his own Fortune.
This blue-green qi was lush and verdant. Under its influence, the two neighboring patches of black qi rapidly faded until they were almost gone.
"Those two patches of black qi had already been mostly wiped out by my previous actions. Now that they're being suppressed by a supreme treasure, they're no longer a concern. This is cause for celebration!"
"Still, this blue-green Fortune seems to work on the same principle as borrowed Fortune. I can draw on it for a time, but it isn't truly mine!"
Fang Ming muttered to himself. After some thought, he left the Taiping Seal in the Grotto-Heaven and went out alone.
Sure enough, the blue-green canopy above his head disappeared. "So it really is borrowed Fortune. If I lose the Taiping Seal, I'll be right back where I started." Fang Ming felt a little reluctant, but then he thought it over and