The Buff Dude with Contrast, You Really Know How to Have Fun, Fangzheng

"I am the little demon fairy, ruthless and cold..."

"Treasures I seize without mercy, fires I set without hesitation..."

By the shores of the East Sea, at Mount Rainwane.

A man with crimson hair, scarlet eyes, and a dark-red rune etched between his brows lay sprawled across a large boulder, basking in the afternoon sun. His face was delicate, almost doll-like, resembling that of a child no older than seven or eight—yet his towering, muscular frame stood at an imposing eight chi tall.

He wore an overly tight red robe, its tattered hem revealing forearms shimmering with an azure glow—the mark of the Water Sprite lineage.

Oddly, despite his pure water-based heritage, his body radiated scorching heat, and flames flickered sporadically across his skin. Far from being a master of water, he exuded a frenzied aura capable of burning everything to ashes.

Yes, this burly man was a walking contradiction—none other than the son of the former Rain God, Yuan Qiyue, bearing the single name 'Jin.' Though only eight years old, his notorious mischief had earned him the moniker "Little Menace Ah Jin" among those who knew him.

"Keh keh keh, it's about time!"

Ah Jin stretched lazily and sat up, his sharp canines glinting as he grinned toward the mountain path, flames flickering in his eyes.

"Mom told me to acknowledge some Foundation Establishment eighth-layer guy as my big bro. Even Uncle said he’s got a huge background and warned me to behave..."

"How interesting. Let’s see what kind of creature you really are!"

No sooner had he spoken than Ah Jin summoned a blazing spear, his body erupting with surging indigo flames as he transformed into a fireball and shot down the mountain.

Meanwhile, high above in the sky...

Chen Yi watched Ah Jin’s antics with an odd expression, feeling like something was missing.

"This kid... he’s so similar..."

"He’s got the Fire-Tipped Spear, but where are the Universe Ring, the Cosmic Silk, and the Wind-Fire Wheels?"

Ah Jin’s maternal relatives were all masters of water manipulation. But after their beloved jewel of the clan was whisked away by a rogue, they ended up with this anomaly of extreme yang and ferocity...

Even the Fire-Tipped Spear had been a hassle to obtain—his uncle, the Lord of the Four Seas, had to beg his sworn brother, the Water Virtue Star Lord Ao Burang, who in turn sought out the Heavenly Craftsman’s chief deity, Zhang Kuang, paying a hefty price to secure the treasure.

It was no easy feat, given that all his elders were water-aligned powerhouses. Asking them to procure fire-based artifacts—especially ones that weren’t shoddy—was practically torture.

"Fine. If you don’t have them, I do!"

Chen Yi shook his head and pulled out a piece of Mutable Immortal Gold gifted by Ling Xiao. With a wave of his hand, he erased Ling Xiao’s lingering will from the material and refined it into three parts, embedding each with the corresponding functional laws.

Though he was no master craftsman and couldn’t forge high-tier artifacts, creating basic magical tools tailored to specific functions was child’s play.

His creations might not have the highest ceilings, but their power was more than sufficient—practicality over prestige!

In no time...

A fiery red silk, capable of expanding and contracting at will, entangling enemies and stirring rivers—the Cosmic Silk—took form!

Next came the Universe Ring, peerless in weight and might, capable of shrinking or enlarging as needed!

Finally, the Wind-Fire Wheels emerged—twin wheels wreathed in wind and flame, allowing the wearer to soar through clouds, fly at incredible speeds, and balance offense with defense!

Gazing at these three artifacts—both familiar and foreign—Chen Yi’s thoughts drifted to the other three members of the Destiny Calamity Squad.

First up was Yang Jian, son of the True Immortal Yang Yuan of the Azure Cloud lineage.

Though Yang Yuan ranked among the top ten in strength within the Four Symbols Heavenly Legion, his lingering loyalty to his homeland and the Snowfrost Immortal Sovereign kept him from fully committing to the celestial court. Content with clocking in and slacking off, he remained a low-ranking celestial soldier to this day.

In stark contrast, his contemporary, the Halberd Immortal Lv Ziqiao, had long been promoted to a fourth-rank Valiant General for his exemplary service.

Yang Yuan’s apathy and hands-off parenting left his son disillusioned. The young Yang Jian couldn’t fathom why his father—clearly stronger than Uncle Lv—was perpetually overlooked.

Rebellion simmered in the youth’s heart, turning him into a rule-breaker.

To put it bluntly, the kid was a delinquent—constantly brawling, inciting riots, and landing in the local City God’s jail. Yet far from feeling shame, he wore his infamy like a badge of honor.

Now eighteen, his rap sheet was as impressive as his cultivation—having reached the late Nascent Soul stage through sheer combat.

Even in the Purple Star Continent’s golden age of prodigies, an eighteen-year-old late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator was a standout genius.

While his True Immortal father’s influence played a role, his innate talent was undeniable.

"Ah Jin’s like a buff, doll-faced Nezha, and this Yang Jian might as well not even pretend—just add a third eye, a Three-Pointed Double-Edged Glaive, and a big black dog, and he’s set!"

Chen Yi’s expression turned even weirder. The Destiny Calamity Squad project felt like Fang Zheng was playing some bizarre character-building game.

Aside from the elder Chen Yi had personally added, the other four members had been handpicked by Fang Zheng, the project’s designer.

Ah Jin and Yang Jian’s similarities were one thing, but then there was also a monkey and a dragon...

Especially that monkey!

Sun Kongkong, the last of the Sacred Monkey Clan, descended from the legendary Sun Zhantian, who once shook heaven and earth.

In his early days of struggle, Chen Yi had inherited Sun Zhantian’s "Battle Character Art," leaving him with a sense of obligation to the lineage. So when the unruly Sun Kongkong—having reached the peak of the Unity Realm, a hair’s breadth from Tribulation Passage—had come rampaging toward the Illusory Star Paradise five hundred years ago, Chen Yi had no choice but to slap him halfway to death and seal him under the Five Elements Mountain.

Honestly, the incident had given Chen Yi a scare. Had Sun Kongkong fully unleashed his power within the Illusory Star Paradise, the hidden Heavenly Tribulation would’ve seized the opportunity to strike, using the breach as justification.

Chen Yi could’ve escaped, but the Illusory Star Paradise—a project of immense effort—would’ve been obliterated, and the Purple Star Continent itself couldn’t have withstood the devastation.

Furious, Chen Yi had nearly ended Sun Kongkong then and there. Only the Purple Star Heaven’s Dao’s intercession and respect for Sun Zhantian’s legacy had stayed his hand, leaving the monkey barely alive under the mountain to reflect on his actions.

Now, after five centuries, Sun Kongkong had mellowed. Moreover, keeping him sealed hindered his growth, and with the world’s energies shifting, the Five Elements Mountain’s location had become strategically vital. The seal had to go.

Thus, after consulting the Purple Star Heaven’s Dao and receiving approval, Fang Zheng had dared to include Sun Kongkong in the Destiny Calamity Squad project, submitting the proposal to Chen Yi for review.

What could Chen Yi say?

He wasn’t petty. Sun Kongkong had only called him "brat Chen Yi" back then—five hundred years of imprisonment was punishment enough.

"Still, ‘Sun Kongkong’ doesn’t sit right. If he’s a monkey king, just call him Wukong!"

"I wonder if he can bear the weight of this destiny. And come to think of it, he’s the eldest among the four Chosen Ones—naturally, he’d be the senior disciple. Most importantly... wasn’t the Tang Monk’s secular surname also ‘Chen’?"

"Tsk, this ‘Heaven’s Mandate Calamity Squad’ project is getting weirder by the day. You’re really playing with fire, Fang Zheng!"

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow and casually pulled out another piece of Boundless Immortal Gold gifted by Ling Xiao. Despite its immeasurable weight, after some refining, two familiar artifacts emerged anew!

The first was a staff, its base weight suppressed to 13,500 jin, capable of shrinking or enlarging at will. Its true weight would unlock gradually with the wielder’s strength—dubbed the ‘Ruyi Jingu Bang’ (Compliant Golden-Hooped Rod)!

The second was a long glaive, its hilt extended and adorned with a diamond-shaped golden pommel. The blade split into a trident-like tip, double-edged and gleaming coldly—named the ‘Sanjian Liangren Dao’ (Three-Pointed, Double-Edged Glaive)!

What?

You ask why three of the four Chosen Ones got artifacts, but the dragon was left out?

What does a mere mount need with a weapon?