Yuanshi always prided himself on his eloquence, but after these words.
Even one as articulate as him could not help feeling somewhat dumbfounded.
Because this speech was indeed sophistry and black-and-white reversal.
Yet only those involved understood clearly.
If an uninformed outsider listened, they might actually believe it.
For a moment, Yuanshi did not quite know what to do.
Laozi sighed, patted Yuanshi's shoulder, and shook his head.
The meaning was obvious: forget it! There was no point in arguing further.
Anyway, if the other party was not satisfied today, the three of them definitely would not be thinking of leaving.
At that moment, Laozi felt heartbreaking grief in his heart.
Although this Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda could not quite be considered a Companion Treasure.
It was not far off either.
This pagoda was the very first thing Laozi saw after taking human form.
It seemed to be a treasure that had guarded his side even before he took human form.
It was transformed from Mysterious Yellow Qi and was a Merit Supreme Treasure bearing a portion of Creation Merit.
Distressed, reluctant to part with it, yet helpless.
His Second Brother and Third Brother were in the other person's hands.
As an elder brother, he was powerless to rescue them.
Although the other party would not kill his younger brothers, living deaths were surely even more painful, right?
How could he, as the eldest brother, disregard his brothers' lives for the sake of a magic treasure?
In other words, no matter how precious a treasure was, it was not as important as his two younger brothers.
Laozi sighed and took out the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda.
He looked at Li Hao, the hatred in his eyes practically bursting forth.
"Here you go!"
Of course, the reason Laozi could act so decisively.
Was primarily because this Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda carried Creation Merit and was the foremost primordial Merit Supreme Treasure.
Furthermore, it was one of the marvelous treasures formed from Mysterious Yellow Qi.
Such a heavy treasure, how could it be casually taken away?
His Origin Brand existed within it; even if it was given to you, you could not use it anyway.
Just take it back as a decoration, and when the three of our brothers grow strong in the days to come.
We will come back to settle accounts with you. Without avenging this grudge, the three of us brothers would probably never achieve peace of mind.
Li Hao did not know what Laozi was thinking, and happily took the pagoda.
Just as he was wondering how to use it, he heard the system notification sound ring out.
[Ding! Detected that the host has obtained a primordial Merit Supreme Treasure.] [This treasure still bears another person's Origin Brand, and outsiders cannot use it.]
Upon hearing this, Li Hao subconsciously blurted out a question.
"What is this Origin Brand? Is it a magic treasure restriction?"
Waiting a moment without getting any answer, Li Hao felt somewhat displeased in his heart.
However, he quickly figured it out. It made sense.
The system no longer had its Smart Component; asking was naturally a waste of time, and it would be a miracle if there were any answers.
Laozi watched Li Hao's actions and sneered repeatedly in his heart.
Use it? Go ahead and use it then?
Did you think it became yours just because you snatched it away?
Naive!
However, Laozi did not gloat for long before he felt a stabbing pain shoot through his Sea of Consciousness.
His expression changed drastically in an instant.
His complexion turned visibly pale, and a look of panic spread across his face.
Just a moment ago, he had clearly suffered a backlash.
It was precisely that backlash which only occurred when the Origin Brand left upon a magic treasure was forcibly erased.
Following the backlash, a surge of blood rose up.
To avoid making a fool of himself, Laozi forcibly swallowed it back, yet a trace of fresh blood still trickled down the corner of his mouth.
He looked at Li Hao in extreme shock.
Completely unable to comprehend what was going on.
An Origin Brand and a Primordial Spirit Brand were by no means the same thing.
A Primordial Spirit Brand was inevitably left behind when refining a magic treasure.
When snatching a magic treasure, erasing another person's brand would naturally cause a backlash, yet it was not considered severe.
An Origin Brand was different; that was a trace left only when origins intertwined, mostly occurring with Companion Treasures.
Although the Exquisite Pagoda could not quite be considered a Companion Treasure, it had accompanied him and existed by his side for a long time.
That was why Laozi's Origin Brand remained upon it.
Ordinary magic treasures had no such thing, nor could this kind of brand be erased.
This meant that unless the holder perished, a magic treasure possessing an Origin Brand could never be used by outsiders for a lifetime.
Yet right here, just moments ago, the Exquisite Pagoda's Origin Brand had actually been erased.
How could Laozi possibly believe this?
How could he not be shocked?
At that moment, Laozi desperately wanted to ask Li Hao.
"How the hell did you pull that off?"
Pity that he could not do so.
Even if he asked, Li Hao could not answer.
To be honest, Li Hao himself did not know what had happened.
After he asked his question and received no answer, he figured it out—the system lacked a Smart Component, so how the hell could it answer anything?
Thus, he stopped paying attention.
I must say, whether it was humans or anything else, sometimes people were just gluttons for punishment.
If you ignored them, they would chase right after you.
The system was the same; after Li Hao exited his Sea of Consciousness, the system notification rang out once more.
[Ding! Detected that the host has Points. Does the host wish to spend Points to erase the Origin Brand on the magic treasure?]
Li Hao rolled his eyes. Did this even need asking? Erase it, of course.
Without thinking much or asking further, he resolutely answered yes to the erasure.
Yet immediately he regretted it, feeling as though he was being targeted and led into a trap.
Why say that? Because...
[Ding! Host agreed to erase the magic treasure's Origin Brand using Points, twenty thousand Points have been deducted.]
Twenty thousand! A full twenty thousand Points!
Wasn't this setting a trap? If it had mentioned twenty thousand earlier, he might have actually had to consider it.
Instead, it mentioned nothing, said nothing, and just asked if he wanted it done?
Li Hao subconsciously assumed that since the system didn't mention the Point consumption, perhaps it required very few.
Besides, it was just erasing a brand; how many could it possibly cost?
Consequently, his calculations fell through!
However, since he had already made his choice and the Points had been deducted, it was too late for regrets.
Anyway, given the system's nature, anything it swallowed would definitely never be returned.
The most likely possibility was that the brand erasure task would be terminated, but the Points would not be refunded.
Wouldn't that be an even greater loss?
Watching Laozi's expression of utter disbelief and impossibility.
Li Hao smiled happily.
Couldn't believe it, could you? Completely dumbfounded now, right?
Couldn't comprehend it anymore, huh?
Go use that little brain of yours to puzzle over it; even if you think until your head explodes, you'll never figure it out.
Naturally, he would not bother explaining the reason the brand was erased.
There was no need, and even less obligation.
Furthermore, he couldn't explain it anyway.
How was he supposed to explain?
Actually, I'm a cheater?
Before you continue