Watch My Magic Artifact Turn Danger into Safety!

Inside [Heaven Within the Pot].

"Collect!"

You Xuexin moved without pause, her sleeves sweeping up a yin wind that gathered the scattered corpses around her before sending them all into the [Six Desires Heavenly Demon Banner].

Naturally, Wang Ping accepted this feast without hesitation. The [Life-Stealing Thief] ran at full force, madly devouring the residual Life Essence within the corpses. Though each corpse contained little, their cultivation before death had surpassed Wang Ping's, making their essence high in quality. Small streams gathered into a river, and the total was still considerable.

Thus, he ate with great delight.

Meanwhile, You Xuexin was equally delighted, because she discovered that despite consuming so many corpses, the [Six Desires Heavenly Demon Banner] still had not reached saturation.

"This is proof of its immense potential!"

With that thought, You Xuexin became even more diligent. She even spared an additional portion of her Dharma Power, accepting the decline in her condition so she could continue gathering corpses.

However, she soon discovered a problem.

"Why isn't this magic artifact's aura rising?"

After consuming so much nourishment, it should have shown some unusual reaction. Yet the [Six Desires Heavenly Demon Banner]'s aura remained calm and utterly motionless.

"Could it be... that a divine object hid its brilliance?"

You Xuexin secretly guessed, "I've heard that spiritual magic artifacts are all like this. They know how to conceal themselves, and as long as they aren't used, they are no different from ordinary objects."

This was a good thing!

If the magic artifact knew how to hide its own aura, then when she brought it out, she could use it as a concealed weapon and catch her enemies off guard.

You Xuexin considered the matter from every angle and felt there was no other possibility. After all, she had just fed it so much nourishment. Even a pig should have hopped around twice by now. If it were not hiding its brilliance, then the only possibility was that someone had secretly gobbled up all the nourishment...

"Impossible. Absolutely impossible."

You Xuexin instantly cast aside that baseless, inexplicable thought and instead began studying the opponents she would face in the Immortal-Brahma Sword Duel.

It truly was something to look forward to!

At the same time, inside the [Six Desires Heavenly Demon Banner].

Wang Ping drained another corpse of its Life Essence, then released the soul, now reduced to scraps, for the demons within the banner to consume. His heart, too, brimmed with anticipation.

"It seems about ready."

As the [Six Desires Heavenly Demon Banner]'s primary soul, he could already sense that although it had only eaten scraps so far, this magic artifact seemed full.

The next moment, a sudden change erupted!

As the demons divided and devoured the final soul, black-gold radiance burst violently within the banner. Lines of dragon-flying, phoenix-dancing talismanic script emerged on their own.

Countless talismans combined together, echoing with Wang Ping as the primary soul. They transformed into inexplicable knowledge that flooded into his sea of consciousness, bringing surprise to his face.

"This is... a spell?"

In theory, only supreme-grade magic artifacts could commune with heaven and earth and inscribe spells upon themselves. The [Six Desires Heavenly Demon Banner] had now reached that level.

"If I hadn't been lining my own pockets inside the banner and crazily swallowing the nourishment that poisonous woman threw in, the [Six Desires Heavenly Demon Banner] would have broken through long ago. Luckily, that poisonous woman was useful enough to kill plenty of rogue cultivators outside with all her might, preserving this opportunity for me. Looking at it this way, she was actually rather nice..."

Wang Ping did not dare delay and immediately calmed his mind.

As the primary soul, he naturally controlled the spell inscribed within the [Six Desires Heavenly Demon Banner]. An immense quantity of spell knowledge immediately surged toward him.

This feeling was just like [Qi Suppression]!

"Once I digest this knowledge, I'll be able to use it even after returning to Great Shun. At most, without Dharma Power, I simply won't be able to cultivate it to its highest realm."

Very quickly, he learned the spell's name.

[Soul Seizing]!

"As its name suggests, this spell can seize a cultivator's seven corporeal souls. There is also a corresponding spell called [Soul Pursuit], which can capture a cultivator's three ethereal souls."

Strictly speaking, if not for the fact that the magic artifact had only eaten scraps from all those corpse offerings, it should have inscribed both spells this time. Wang Ping did not care, however. Once he devoured You Xuexin in backlash and refined her into a banner slave, the result should be the same.

The next moment, Wang Ping gave a cold smile.

Immediately afterward, he formed a hand seal and activated [Soul Seizing], gathering all the surrounding demons and drawing them into his mouth and nose.

He was doing everything he could to concentrate the [Six Desires Heavenly Demon Banner]'s power.

"Everything is ready."

Wang Ping's expression remained tranquil as he calculated inwardly. Now I only need that poisonous woman to use the magic artifact. Once she lets me out, I'll hit her hard!

At the same time, outside.

"Why has it stopped moving again?"

Looking at the [Six Desires Heavenly Demon Banner] in her sleeve, You Xuexin frowned slightly. "It clearly showed signs of advancing just now. It is obviously already a supreme-grade magic artifact."

"Why has it suddenly dimmed again?"

"Could it be..."

She had some doubts, but she still did not consider the possibility that the magic artifact itself was problematic. After all, she had invested so much into it. How could the artifact possibly have a problem?

At last, her eyes shifted, and she found the answer. "I understand. It must be a supreme-grade magic artifact returning to simplicity, its mysteries drawn inward. That must be it!"

It had the potential to become a treasure!

At that thought, the corners of You Xuexin's lips curled upward, and she could not help bursting into laughter.

"Good, good, good. It is time!"

The sudden laughter immediately made the man surnamed Lin in the distance wary. "What? Junior Sister You, with death at hand, have you finally gone mad from obsession?"

"Hmph. A frog at the bottom of a well."

You Xuexin shook her head, revealing an expression as though everything lay within her grasp. "How much Dharma Power do you have left now? I fear you are nearly running dry already."

At those words, the man surnamed Lin grew even more guarded.

He truly did not have much Dharma Power left. In another incense stick's time, even if You Xuexin did nothing, he would no longer be able to maintain the operation of [Heaven Within the Pot].

But the problem was that You Xuexin's condition was even worse than his!

After all, his realm was higher. There had never been any suspense in a contest of Dharma Power, and You Xuexin had inexplicably squandered Dharma Power gathering corpses.

As one ebbed while the other rose, he was certain that You Xuexin could not last even one incense stick's time... Since that was the case, where did she find the confidence to speak so arrogantly to him?

"Stop thinking about it."

Seeing the changes in the man surnamed Lin's expression, You Xuexin directly drew the [Six Desires Heavenly Demon Banner] from her sleeve. "After today, you will become a banner slave within my banner."

"Before you die, I'll broaden your horizons!"

Before her words even faded, You Xuexin poured every remaining drop of Dharma Power into the [Six Desires Heavenly Demon Banner], then hurled it forcefully into the air as an offering.

"Watch my magic artifact turn danger into safety!"

In an instant, black-gold radiance unfurled in the wind. The banner opened like the heavens, its ferocious ghostly faces swaying as a burly figure emerged amid billowing resentment.

A silver flask shattered, water splashing; iron cavalry burst forth, blades and spears ringing!

In that instant, You Xuexin was still stunned. I haven't even given an order yet. You are already impatient to kill my enemy for me? Is the artifact's spirituality this strong?

Then she saw that the "Six Desires Heavenly Demon King" which had just stepped out of the banner did not hesitate in the slightest. It did not look at the man surnamed Lin in the distance. Instead, it fixed its gaze directly on her, opened and closed its lips, and thundered a soul-shaking sound from its mouth at her.

"Ha!"

As the thunderous sound swept over her, You Xuexin's seven corporeal souls trembled almost simultaneously. The tremors spread to her Dharma body, leaving her whole body rigid as she stood there blankly.

Even then, she had yet to react.

Her injured soul slowed her thoughts to an extreme. Her first thought upon recovering was actually that the magic artifact had made a mistake—the enemy was over there...

But the next moment, she completely awakened, because the "Six Desires Heavenly Demon King" had already raised its arm. Flood Dragons coiled around its five fingers, their bodies becoming blades, their heads and tails joining in a ring to form a coldly gleaming battle-axe. Then it brought the weapon down toward her neck with all its strength!

"Ah? Not good!"

Watching the axe blade draw ever nearer, You Xuexin finally understood that the magic artifact had backlashed. Alarm surged through her heart as she tried to cast a spell to evade the strike.

However, she had long since exhausted all her strength. Forget casting a spell—even breaking free from the effects of [Soul Seizing] upon her body was beyond her!

In that lightning-flash instant, You Xuexin could only throw herself backward with all her might.

"Splurt!"

Blood burst forth. Feeling the resistance from the battle-axe, Wang Ping was shaken. He had already struck with his full strength, yet it felt as though he had chopped into an iron wall!

You Xuexin's neck had clearly appeared slender and fragile, but when he truly struck it, every inch of flesh seemed forged from gold and iron. The blow cut with immense difficulty, allowing You Xuexin to seize a sliver of life and barely pull away before Wang Ping could fully sever her head.

"How could this be...?"

Blood poured like a stream as You Xuexin staggered back three steps. Two-thirds of her neck had been cleaved open by Wang Ping, leaving only a final strip of bone and flesh connecting it.

The rapid loss of blood made her body sway without end.

Yet very soon, You Xuexin displayed the terrifying vitality of a cultivator at the Tribulation Crossing realm—especially one who had passed the Human Tribulation and gathered all four cultivation traits.

One hand formed a spell seal to guard against external enemies while the other fiercely pressed down on her own head, forcibly securing it to her neck. At the same time, flesh, sinew, and bone all burst with radiant light before reconnecting with one another, actually beginning to mend the wound on their own!

"Is this thing even human?"

Wang Ping cursed furiously inwardly, yet continued his pursuit without the slightest hesitation. He raised the battle-axe high, then chopped down amid a furious howl like a dragon's roar.

At the same time, the man surnamed Lin also came to his senses.

To be honest, as a disciple of the Immortal Sect, though he had not entered the true inheritance, he had thought himself well-traveled and knowledgeable. Nothing should have been able to shock him anymore.

After all, what kind of scene had he not seen?

Yet now, he was truly stunned—he had genuinely never seen a scene like this before. So your trump card backlashed the instant you summoned it?

And you had even said, "Watch my magic artifact turn danger into safety."

He had to admit that he had originally been somewhat worried that this ambush might go wrong. But after seeing her magic artifact, danger truly had turned into safety!

Still, though shocked, the man surnamed Lin did not move slowly.

"Good opportunity!"

In that lightning-flash instant, he made his judgment. A ruthless gleam flashed through his eyes before he stirred up every last bit of Dharma Power, opened his mouth, and uttered an incantation.

"Heaven collapses, earth splits; the divine land sinks!"

Explosive cracking sounds followed immediately after the incantation, ringing out one after another around You Xuexin. Every crack corresponded to a fissure stretching across the void.

At the same time, You Xuexin was still trying to pull away.

The moment she moved, she crashed into the countless fissures surrounding her.

"Splurt!"

In an instant, blood flowed into a river and limbs flew through the air—although You Xuexin had reacted, the shattered space ignored every one of her defenses!

These fissures had been created by the man surnamed Lin deliberately damaging the space of [Heaven Within the Pot], sacrificing his own Divine Ability in exchange. Since space itself formed their edges, they ignored all defenses and instantly dismembered You Xuexin's delicate body. Her hands and feet scattered, her organs tore free, and boundless bloody light erupted!

"Ah—!!!"

That precise finishing blow instantly extinguished all of You Xuexin's hopes. Wang Ping showed no hesitation whatsoever and immediately rushed forward to beat the drowning dog.

In the next instant, the Six Desires Heavenly Demon King's figure seemed to have frames removed from it, vanishing in an instant. When it reappeared, it was already before You Xuexin.

Every divine ability activated.

[Divine Feet]!

[Myriad Jun]!

[Flood Dragon Axe]!

The battle-axe, containing unmatched divine strength, smashed down heavily and tore You Xuexin's body apart a second time, cutting her in half at the waist and sending her tumbling down like a broken sack.

Her Dharma Power had run dry, and she had been dismembered. The final breath You Xuexin had desperately held onto finally slipped away. The hand pressing against her head dropped limply toward the ground.

"Thud!"

Without the support of her hand, her lovely head fell to the ground and rolled twice. Blood continued gushing from her seven orifices, while her beautiful eyes brimmed with despair.

Only at the moment of death did You Xuexin seem to finally realize that the "Six Desires Heavenly Demon King" she had painstakingly refined still retained part of its consciousness from life. But with only a head left, she could no longer make a sound, managing only a gurgle of spurting blood between her lips and teeth.

She hated it!

She had refined a high-grade magic artifact, and this mission had already seemed certain to succeed. Two joyful things had overlapped; what she should have received was even greater joy.

Why had it become like this?

At that thought, the hatred in her gaze toward Wang Ping became bone-deep. Her increasingly muddled consciousness held only a single thought—I will perish together with him!

Even in death, she wanted to drag him down with her!

Driven by that thought, she frantically squeezed her sea of consciousness, trying to force out a spell. Just one spell, and she could take his life...

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt.

"If you want to blame someone, blame yourself." Wang Ping extended his hand and spoke the same words as You Xuexin. "After all, it wasn't me who forced you to refine me into a magic artifact."

Honestly, those shameless words sounded infuriating when heard, but saying them himself felt incredibly satisfying!

The next moment, he pressed his hand onto You Xuexin.

[Life-Stealing Thief]!

In the blink of an eye, Wang Ping swept away every trace of You Xuexin's remaining Life Essence. The spell she had still been gathering dissipated with it, and she fell completely silent.

This was the greatest harvest of the battle!

After doing all this, Wang Ping looked at You Xuexin's drifting soul and intended to seize it as well, refining it into a banner slave within the [Six Desires Heavenly Demon Banner].

However, at that moment.

The corner of Wang Ping's eye caught sight of the man surnamed Lin not far away. A change entirely at odds with the scene before them had appeared on his face.

Originally, the man surnamed Lin had been extremely excited by You Xuexin's death. The surviving rogue cultivators around him all wore fervent expressions as well, intending to seize the [Five Thieves Steal Heaven Myriad Transformation Divine Talisman] within the flying boat. But at some point, the man surnamed Lin seemed to abruptly notice something unusual.

Then his expression changed.

Excitement and fervor froze on his face, then gradually transformed into terror. Wang Ping's Desire-Realm Celestial Body allowed him to clearly sense the fluctuations in the other man's emotions.

Even his originally handsome face twisted because of it.

What was he panicking about? What had happened?

Wang Ping did not know, but he knew what he had to do.

"[Peace Scripture]!"

The next instant, Wang Ping acted without the slightest hesitation, doing something completely contrary to instinct—he withdrew his consciousness and returned to the [Peace Scripture] space.

Then—tribulation fire fell from the heavens.