Inside the artifact chamber.
The Scenery Sun Great Furnace opened, and Wen Guang scrambled out, his face wreathed in a fawning smile as he murmured:
"The sect master honors us with his presence! I was wondering why the breeze was so gentle and the air so clear today. Even the demonic qi of the Ten-Thousand Souls Banner has settled down considerably."
"Cinnabar Thunder, Cinnabar Thunder? Cinnabar Thunder! Come out! The sect master is here. What are you hiding for?"
Wen Guang looked into the furnace and called repeatedly. Only then did the sword spirit fly out, taking the form of a Thunder Sparrow. Chirping away, it landed on Xu Xuan's shoulder, its violet eyes bright and utterly innocent.
Below, Wen Guang was speechless. Aside from being unable to speak, Cinnabar Thunder's intelligence was no different from an ordinary person's. Now it even knew to take the initiative and curry favor. Its abundant spirituality rivaled that of a Purple Mansion Spirit Artifact.
Xu Xuan flicked Cinnabar Thunder off his shoulder. The Thunder Sparrow gave a mournful cry and lay motionless on the floor.
Wen Guang plastered a smile across his face and said quietly:
"Sect master, this Soul Banner was originally suppressed in the Sword-Watching Pavilion on White Might Peak. It was all Cheng Yan's idea. I tried to stop him several times, but he wouldn't listen. I had no choice either."
"These things are tainted with Heavenly Demon qi and should have been destroyed. Cheng Yan said he wanted to refine them, so..."
Cheng Yan, standing nearby, had already broken into a cold sweat, his large eyes round with alarm. He had delicate, handsome features and resembled Shen Shu, except that his eyes were exceptionally large, like Wang Xiwei's and Wang Qiyun's. When he opened them wide, they looked like