Destiny Spirit Treasure, Heaven and Earth Chessboard

[Iron Brush Judge (Purple)]: A judge of the Underworld, who determines life and death, commands ghosts and spirits, and wields the Book of Life and Death. It is the bane of all Yin souls and ghostly beings.

[Seven Orifices Exquisite (Purple)]: Possessing seven orifices of the heart, one's comprehension is astonishing. Any cultivation method or skill can be mastered with great versatility.

Two purple stars replaced the red ones, hanging high in the Fate Map.

The Fate Attributes of Iron Brush Judge and Seven Orifices Exquisite are considered upgraded versions of Soul Reaper Envoy and Flash of Inspiration.

Like Soul Reaper Envoy, Iron Brush Judge can command ghosts and spirits.

And its ability to command ghosts and spirits is even stronger.

With Fang Heng's current strength, he can command fifteen third-stage ghosts or five fourth-stage ghosts.

The sheer number is five times greater than what Soul Reaper Envoy could command.

This far exceeded Fang Heng's expectations.

"This is probably the difference between qualitative and quantitative change."

Fang Heng murmured to himself.

Soul Reaper Envoy's ability to command ghosts and spirits, compared to ordinary cultivators, was a qualitative change.

However, Iron Brush Judge merely commands more ghosts, which can only be considered a quantitative change.

If Iron Brush Judge were to advance to a gold-tier Fate Attribute, the number of commanded ghosts might exceed a hundred.

Truly achieving the "Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts."

Besides the improved command of ghosts, the biggest enhancement of Iron Brush Judge is a crafting inheritance.

Book of Life and Death (Pseudo)

Crafting materials: Yellow Springs Water, Three Lives Flower, Underworld Ghost Page…

Fang Heng looked at the Book of Life and Death (Pseudo) inheritance in his mind.

This inheritance came with the Iron Brush Judge Fate Attribute.

It detailed the crafting process of the Book of Life and Death (Pseudo).

Although the Book of Life and Death was only a pseudo-version, incomparable to the true one, its effects were still astonishing. The various profound techniques broadened Fang Heng's horizons.

The Book of Life and Death (Pseudo) primarily has two abilities.

First, it can seal Yin souls and ghostly beings, and search their life stories and memories.

This ability is even more powerful than the Daoist School's Soul Search technique.

The Soul Search technique cannot be used on Divine Abominations.

Because during a soul search, one would be contaminated by divinity.

However, the Book of Life and Death has no such concern.

Even Divine Abominations can be searched without issue.

In addition, the Book of Life and Death has a major ultimate move.

By writing the name and life story of a Yin soul or ghostly being in the Book of Life and Death, one can curse and kill the opponent.

This kind of curse involves the karmic level, making it profoundly mysterious.

With Fang Heng's second-stage strength, if he were to write a ghost's name and life story in the Book of Life and Death, it would be enough to curse and kill a seventh-stage ghost.

Killing ghosts across realms, even five realms above.

Truly an ultimate move!

Just looking at it, Fang Heng couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Of course, the conditions for cursing and killing are also very strict.

One needs to know the ghost's name and life story.

This is not easily accomplished.

For example, Fire Barbarian's previous identity was forgotten even by Fire Barbarian himself during his long ghostly existence.

Fang Heng would find it almost impossible to trace.

Only recently deceased Yin souls and ghosts are easier to investigate their life stories.

Alternatively, ghosts who have made a name for themselves and are widely known can also be investigated.

The purple Fate Attribute Iron Brush Judge provides a tremendous boost.

This made Fang Heng look forward to what abilities the corresponding gold-tier Fate Attribute would have if Iron Brush Judge continued to advance.

Besides Iron Brush Judge, the Seven Orifices Exquisite Fate Attribute is also exceptionally impressive.

Improving comprehension is even more difficult than improving one's spiritual roots and physique.

Fang Heng only felt his thoughts become incredibly clear.

All sorts of inspirations surged into his mind like a spring.

It was as if everything in the world had become simple and clear.

Compared to the previous, unreliable Flash of Inspiration, this was far superior.

Even in alchemy, Fang Heng felt he had made significant progress.

He couldn't wait to head to the alchemy room and put it into practice.

"Such powerful comprehension!"

Fang Heng couldn't help but exclaim, his dark eyes brimming with joy.

These two purple Fate Attributes had greatly enhanced him.

Aside from these two Fate Attributes, Fang Heng also wanted to improve his Precognition of Danger.

Unfortunately...

The Precognition of Danger Fate Attribute could only be directly promoted to a golden Fate Attribute; there was no purple Fate Attribute stage.

This left Fang Heng feeling a bit regretful.

Collecting his thoughts, Fang Heng then remembered that Rabbit Face had given him a jade slip.

This jade slip contained Rabbit Face's master's insights from years of studying the Heaven and Earth Chessboard.

Fang Heng took out the jade slip and probed it with his spiritual sense.

A torrent of information flooded his mind.

Before Fang Heng could even finish reading the contents of the jade slip, an exclamation burst from his lips.

"A Spirit Treasure!"

"This is actually a Destiny Spirit Treasure!"

Fang Heng's expression changed twice instantly, and intense delight gathered in his eyes.

It was as if a surging river was about to overflow.

According to Rabbit Face's master's research, the Heaven and Earth Chessboard and the Chess Pieces of All Beings, combined, formed a Spirit Treasure.

The spiritual sentience of this Spirit Treasure was so strong that it was no different from an ordinary human.

Powerful Spirit Treasures could even transform into human form.

Even if one stood right in front of you, you might not recognize it.

However, during the war that destroyed Great Yu, this Spirit Treasure was severely damaged, and its spiritual sentience suffered greatly.

Eight or nine tenths of its original spiritual sentience had been stripped away.

The remaining spiritual sentience also fell into a deep slumber, not manifesting to outsiders.

This was why other cultivators hadn't discovered the Heaven and Earth Chessboard and the Chess Pieces of All Beings.

Moreover, according to Rabbit Face's master's research, the Artifact Spirit was slumbering within the Heaven and Earth Chessboard.

An Artifact Spirit being in slumber had both advantages and disadvantages.

The advantage was that the difficulty of refining it was greatly reduced.

The disadvantage was that its power was significantly diminished, and replenishing its spiritual sentience would be a long and arduous process.

Fang Heng, with a mix of anxiety and excitement, finished reading the contents of the jade slip.

Although Rabbit Face's master hadn't refined the Heaven and Earth Chessboard, he had speculated about the conditions for its refinement.

The key lay in Destiny/Luck!

More precisely, the Destiny/Luck of Great Yu.

Only someone possessing the Destiny/Luck of Great Yu could refine this Destiny Spirit Treasure.

In a sense, this Destiny Spirit Treasure was prepared for the remnants of Great Yu.

Fang Heng fell into contemplation, and a Flash of Inspiration hit him, an idea popping into his mind.

Wasn't the Destiny/Luck he had absorbed from the Heaven and Earth Chessboard and the Chess Pieces of All Beings also the Destiny/Luck of Great Yu?

If he could...

The more Fang Heng thought about it, the more excited he became. He felt like he had found a bug.

The Destiny/Luck of Great Yu was originally only something that the remnants of Great Yu could possess.

But because of his Fate Map, he had absorbed the Destiny/Luck of Great Yu.

In a sense, he could also be considered to have inherited the Destiny/Luck of Great Yu.

After some thought, Fang Heng decided to give it a try.

He sat cross-legged, placed the Heaven and Earth Chessboard in front of him, and began to attempt refinement.

The Destiny/Luck of Great Yu within his body surged into the Heaven and Earth Chessboard.

As Destiny/Luck flowed in, the Heaven and Earth Chessboard began to emit a faint glow.

An ancient and mysterious aura permeated the air.

Fang Heng could feel a strange connection forming between himself and the chessboard.

"It's done!"

A wave of joy washed over Fang Heng, and he quickly accelerated the infusion of his spiritual power.

The chessboard's light grew brighter and brighter, eventually transforming into a pillar of light that shot skyward.

It illuminated the entire cultivation chamber, making it as bright as the morning sun.

If not for the concealing formation, the astonishing commotion would surely have been seen by everyone in Yujing City.

After an unknown period, the chessboard's light gradually faded.

Fang Heng slowly opened his eyes, a glint of joy in them.

He could feel that he had completely taken control of the Heaven and Earth Chessboard.

It felt like it had become a part of his body, usable at his whim.

He could even sense a faint trace of sentience deep within the Heaven and Earth Chessboard.

Presumably, this was the chess board's spirit.

Unfortunately, the Chess Pieces of All Beings were incomplete, preventing the chessboard and pieces from truly merging and unleashing their full power.

Additionally, the dormant spirit also affected the Heaven and Earth Chessboard's might.

But...

Even a damaged Spirit Treasure was still a Spirit Treasure.

Its power was immense, no need for further explanation.

After refining the Heaven and Earth Chessboard, Fang Heng also learned its most basic function.

Surveying ley lines!

The entire land was within his grasp.

It was like playing a game with a maphack enabled.

For an emperor, it meant knowing everything happening in the world without leaving the palace, no longer needing to worry about treacherous officials blocking his sight and hearing.

Fang Heng's thoughts stirred, and he unleashed the Heaven and Earth Chessboard's power.

He wanted to test the effect of surveying ley lines.

But the next second, his Precognition of Danger Fate Attribute activated.

A strong sense of crisis surged through his spiritual perception.

The hairs on his body stood on end in an instant.

It was as if he had been targeted by a flood or a savage beast.

"It seems I can't do this in Yujing City."

"Yujing City is under Father Emperor's watchful eye."

"Using the Heaven and Earth Chessboard to survey ley lines here would be like stirring up trouble right under his nose."

After some thought, Fang Heng left his seclusion and headed to Dingling County within the Daishan Secret Realm.

Yujing City was under Emperor Yuanchu's direct supervision, but the Daishan Secret Realm was a place where the sky was high and the emperor was far away.

Upon arriving at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fang Heng secretly activated the Heaven and Earth Chessboard.

Immediately, a clear map of ley lines appeared in his mind.

The ley line map covered the entire Dingling County, and even some surrounding areas.

This feeling was like having a God's-eye view.

As if the vast world was within his control.

The wonderful sensation almost made Fang Heng lose himself in it.

"Huh?"

Suddenly, his gaze lingered on an area in the northern part of Dingling County.

Fang Heng remembered that there should be an Underworld Cold Iron Mine there.

The spiritual energy, which should have been abundant, seemed unusually sparse.

Not only that, he could also see that the ley lines seemed to be mixed with malevolent energy.

From the ley line map, the location of the Underworld Cold Iron Mine looked as if it had been blackened.

"This is... mine pollution!"

"It seems to be caused by malevolent energy!"

Fang Heng's expression changed, and an ominous premonition welled up in his heart.

The Underworld Cold Iron Mine wasn't far from the Imperial Estate.

If left unchecked, the malevolent aura would likely spread to the Imperial Estate very quickly.

When that happened, the Sacred Emperor Rice in the Imperial Estate would be ruined.

"Second Senior Sister, Minister Jian, come with me to the Underworld Cold Iron Mine."

Fang Heng didn't waste any time or overthink things. He gathered the Ministry of Agriculture staff and headed straight for the Underworld Cold Iron Mine.

As for the officials in Dingling County, Fang Heng didn't notify a single one of them.

He couldn't be sure that the Dingling County officials had no connection to the malevolent pollution.