The kill was stolen?
The Great King Yellow Wind was fuming.
After all that effort and combat, the big prize—the Ghost King—was snatched at the last moment.
"Who was that from the underworld?"
"Who's the mastermind behind the Ghost King?"
Clenching his spear tightly, he muttered, "I'll remember this. Pray I don't find you."
As he brooded, the ancient peach tree shrank to its natural nine-meter height and descended gracefully, its roots gathering into legs. Its bark creaked as it formed a wizened face and muttered, "That figure… carried a trace of Buddhist energy."
Buddhist energy?!
The Great King Yellow Wind's eyes narrowed. "Are you certain?"
The peach tree swayed its branches as if shrugging. "I'm naturally attuned to ghostly and yin energy. Though that figure masked themselves well, I caught a faint glimmer of Buddhist light when they acted."
"How do you even know what that feels like?" Yellow Wind asked skeptically. "There aren't any monks on Flower-Fruit Mountain."
The peach tree sighed. "Young rat, I've lived for a thousand years. True, there are no monks on Flower-Fruit Mountain, but over in Ao Lai Kingdom, there's a Buddhist temple. I stayed there for a century before moving to the mountain."
The revelation startled Yellow Wind but made sense.
No wonder this peach tree had survived three divine lightning strikes and possessed such intelligence—it was more than a mere spiritual root; it was a peachwood spirit.
"That person carried Buddhist energy. Could it be a plot from the Buddhists?"
The Great King Yellow Wind began piecing together the events: the Golden-Winged Roc destroying the dragon veins of Yellow Wind Ridge; the purge by Mount Ling.
"Hah…"
A cold smile crept across his face.
"Are they raising chaos for power, or is this part of some larger scheme?"
"Something feels off," the peach tree interrupted, pulling him from his thoughts.
"What now?"
"It's coming from the altar," the peach tree murmured, its branches trembling as if sensing something.
CRACKLE!
With a flash of lightning, the peach tree struck the altar with one glowing root.
BOOM!
The altar shattered under the impact, releasing a surge of malevolent energy.
In the debris, a black flagpole emerged, radiating a dark aura.
The flag was thirty-six inches long, with a banner nine inches wide and five inches tall. One side shimmered with inky blackness, marked by blood-red patterns woven in intricate designs. The other side gleamed with golden brilliance, its purple runes twisting like dragons.
The Great King Yellow Wind gasped.
"Is that… a spirit treasure?"
Peering closer, his practiced eye caught subtle imperfections.
"No, it's a spirit treasure embryo."
His expression darkened as realization struck.
"Creating a ghostly abyss… It was all a ruse. The Ghost King was using the blood sacrifices to forge this artifact!"
As a Master of Forging (Purple), the Great King Yellow Wind understood the enormity of the situation. Spirit treasures stood far above spiritual weapons or mundane tools, akin to the difference between gods and mortals.
Even a low-grade spirit treasure could rival divine power, as demonstrated by artifacts like Lord Lao Zi's Vajra Bracelet. That "casual toss" knocked the Handsome Monkey King unconscious during the Heavenly Court's assault on Flower-Fruit Mountain.
Creating a spirit treasure required unfathomable resources, effort, and time. Even with his expertise, the Great King Yellow Wind's chances of forging one were a mere 0.1%.
Though his spear, infused with metals like Ruyi Iron, had potential as an embryo, it was far inferior to this banner.
The contrast was stark:
His spear was like a hopeful rookie, while this banner was already a rising star, leagues above it.
"This treasure is destined to be mine!" declared the Great King Yellow Wind, casting a sidelong glance at the peach tree.
The peach tree sighed, its leaves rustling.
"Take it, it's all yours. I can't fight you, and reasoning doesn't work. But be warned—taking this will make an enemy of whoever crafted it."
"Enemy?" Yellow Wind laughed coldly.
"That ship has sailed! The bastard stole my kill—I'd track them down even if they didn't come for me!"
Grumbling about the stolen Ghost King's traits—especially Master Alchemist (Purple)—Yellow Wind marched forward.
"One incredible trait for a spirit treasure embryo? Fine, I'll take it."
He carefully stored the flag in his Bag of Infinite Space without attempting to refine it, choosing caution in case of hidden dangers.
Turning to the peach tree, he said, "You stay here. Purify the ghostly and yin energy, restore this place, and rebuild the mortal realm. That's your merit to claim."
The peach tree, relieved, bowed slightly.
"Thank you, my lord."
It scuttled over to the nearby river of corpses, choosing a soft, open patch of soil. There, it planted its roots deep into the ground.
Sizzle…
Its leaves glowed with green light as it absorbed the ghostly energy, releasing vibrant life force that dispelled the surrounding deathly aura.
"It's like absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen," mused the Great King Yellow Wind as he surveyed the battlefield.
With the Ghost King dead, its forces had scattered, but the demon generals and soldiers quickly cornered the remaining enemies.
Golden Lion, radiating golden light, roared and charged headfirst into battle.
Silver Wolf, wielding a war halberd, howled as it cut down foes.
The Mouse General, nimble and precise, danced with his blades.
Flower Deer, wielding a jade Ruyi scepter, swept out dazzling arcs of mystical light.
Six-Tusked Elephant, with raw strength, pummeled enemies with its fists.
Iron Eater Bear, surprisingly agile for its size, spun its golden bamboo staff with startling dexterity.
Old Black Fox, elegant as always, recited passages from Spring and Autumn as his brush glowed with righteous energy.
Beyond the city, Zhuojin and his human warriors hunted down fleeing ghost generals. His warrior's blood aura flared like a beacon, and his pig-slaying knife gleamed with cold menace.
Meanwhile, in the corpse-laden river, the Little Carp and water demons fought water ghosts, her Ruyi Basin illuminating the waters with divine light that disintegrated specters instantly.
Satisfied with their efforts, the Great King Yellow Wind withdrew the banner and began its blood refinement process to inspect its inner workings.
"Eighteen layers of restrictions… The Ten Thousand Soul Banner!"
He marveled at the artifact:
One side absorbed ghosts to cultivate a million-strong spectral army.
The other side unleashed devastating attacks, targeting souls and divine spirits alike.
"Amazing! What a fortune!"
The Great King Yellow Wind couldn't suppress a grin, knowing this treasure was a game-changer.
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