Digging Up the Nine Tripod Cauldrons

[ "Bang!!" ]

[ A massive, round head with a pointed top, resembling a unicorn, burst out of the ground from beneath the tree that had been struck by the trait bullet! ]

[ The pointed head completely uprooted the tree, sending it flying thousands of meters away! ]

[ The giant pointed head was still muttering: Then let me ask you, let me ask you, let me ask you... ]

[ Then, still muttering to itself, it shrank back underground. ]

"Don't use them recklessly, idiot!"

Chen Yi had just said not to use them recklessly, in case some traits might be useful later.

Yet his simulated self casually threw one out as an experiment.

"Fortunately, it was just a white trait. Even if it could be combined with something, it wouldn't be that powerful."

[ "The power is quite good!" ]

[ You felt that this strike had at least the power of a full-force blow from a Golden Body Realm martial artist. ]

[ The key was that every trait had a unique effect, and they could catch opponents off guard. ]

[ Although you really wanted to see the effects of the other traits, considering they were all one-time use, it was better not to waste them. ]

[ Experiment concluded, you continued your journey. ]

[ For the past year, you had been traveling. ]

[ When passing through Qianzhou, you went to White Horse City and picked up the Earth-tier spiritual weapon Li Chengqian had gifted you. ]

[ The Myriad Soul Banner was like old wine in a new bottle, having acquired a new vessel. ]

[ However, given its current appearance, calling it the Myriad Soul Flag might be more appropriate. ]

[ "This doesn't feel right! A flag is too righteous. Next time, you have to get me a funeral banner! I just love that dark! Evil! Despicable! Deathly! Vibe~" ]

[ You looked at it with a face full of disgust. ]

[ "Could you tone down that edgy vibe of yours?" ]

[ You took Da Chun and crossed the majestic Firmament Ridge. ]

[ After Black Wind ate the demon seed and evolved, traveling was very fast, and it could adapt to any terrain. ]

[ But Da Chun was ultimately just a mortal. You had to consider his feelings; having him bumped around until he was vomiting and having diarrhea all the time wasn't acceptable. ]

[ You slowed down a bit; there was no rush. ]

[ The third year, twenty-one years old. ]

[ Extracting trait... ]

[ Extraction successful! ]

[ "Clenched-Fist Lazy Sheep" (White Ordinary): When you feel unconfident, as long as you sing loudly, "The blue sky is clear, the green grass is fragrant," you will regain your confidence. ]

[ Adjust the trait? ]

[ Yes/No ]

[ You chose No. ]

[ Within the Eastern Wasteland, just like the last time you were here, the demon race outnumbered the human race. ]

[ As the only region directly bordering the Great Wasteland, the demons here were basically those who couldn't survive in the Great Wasteland and had fled to the Eastern Wasteland to scrape by. ]

[ To protect Da Chun, you accidentally slaughtered your way to earning the title of "Demon's Despair" once again. ]

[ On this day, you finally arrived at the area where the Nine Provinces Cauldron was located. ]

[ The "Treasure-Snatching Magic Nose" had already allowed you to smell the scent of the supreme treasure from far away. ]

[ At this moment, you, Da Chun, and Black Wind were situated right above the Nine Provinces Cauldron. ]

[ "I don't know how deep the Nine Provinces Cauldron is buried. We've got work to do." ]

[ Relying on your Golden Body Realm cultivation base and holding the high-tier spiritual weapon, the Cold Glint Overlord Spear, doing a little excavation work was a piece of cake. ]

[ "First Stance of the Shen Family Spear Arts, Spear Strikes Like a Dragon!!" ]

[ "Bang!!" ]

[ "Second Stance, Startled Swan Piercing the Moon!!" ]

[ "Bang!!" ]

[ "Third Stance, Yaksha Exploring the Sea!!" ]

[ "Rumble!!!" ]

[ In this desolate wilderness, devoid of human habitation, you launched a fierce assault on the earth. ]

[ The "Father of the Alien Race" trait did not take effect; it seemed the earth could not be treated as an alien race. ]

[ Although there were no people nearby, there were demons passing by. ]

[ Seeing that streak of red in your bangs (practicing the Heart Flame Mystic Art these past few years had brought the red hair back), they immediately recognized you as the Demon's Despair who had been incredibly arrogant in the Eastern Wasteland over the last two years. ]

[ The demons thought you were displaying your terrifying might again, wondering which poor bastard you were tormenting. ]

[ They quickly slipped away. ]

[ After several days of hard work, you broke through the surface and plunged to a depth of three thousand meters underground. ]

[ Extremely solid subterranean rocks were everywhere here; under long-term high pressure, they were terrifyingly hard. ]

[ You could smell that the scent of the supreme treasure was very close to you. ]

[ "Open for me!!" ]

[ Under your relentless excavation, you finally saw a touch of the Nine Provinces Cauldron's bronze-green patina! ]

[ The Nine Provinces Cauldron was massive. You had currently only dug down to the top of one of its handles. ]

[ Surrounding that bronze-green patina was a faint red halo. ]

[ You reached out to touch it, but as if struck by lightning, you were violently sent flying, crashing into the wall of the hole you had dug and smashing out a human-shaped indentation. ]

[ "Cough, cough! It seems this is the seal... But why is it different from last time?" ]

[ The last time the Nine Provinces Cauldron appeared, various factions gathered. When the many big shots were breaking the seal, a large number of spiritual weapons were also blasted out. ]

[ The old monk said that just as people admire the strong, weapons also admire the strong. Those ownerless spiritual weapons had come to the Nine Provinces Cauldron's side to make a pilgrimage. ]

[ Why weren't there any this time? ]

[ "Is the timing wrong?" ]

[ The last time you came, you were already in your sixties. This time, you were only in your early twenties. During the gap of these few decades, many things could have happened. ]

[ Regardless, those spiritual weapons weren't the focus of your trip anyway. You came to obtain the Nine Provinces Cauldron! ]

[ You climbed up the cave wall and carefully brought Da Chun down. ]

[ The seal on the Nine Provinces Cauldron required many people working together to forcefully break, even for a mighty figure like the Sword Master. ]

[ Single-handedly, relying on brute force was almost impossible for you. ]

[ You could only pin your hopes on a miracle—that Da Chun was the weapon spirit, and he had a way to break the seal! ]

[ Looking at Da Chun, who was holding a roasted demon chicken leg with his eyes looking in two different directions, you felt that if this miracle really happened... it would be a bit too miraculous. ]

[ No matter. Even if this trip ended in failure, you could just treat it as a journey to collect demon souls. The Myriad Soul Banner needed them anyway. ]

[ "Da Chun, try touching this thing." ]

[ You said, pointing at a corner of the Nine Provinces Cauldron. ]

[ At the same time, you released the Myriad Soul Banner. ]

[ This guy was an immortal artifact, after all; its reaction speed and perception were much stronger than yours. ]

[ "Myriad Soul Banner, keep an eye on Da Chun. If there's any danger, immediately keep him safe." ]

[ "Don't worry, buddy! Ten Thousand Ghosts Protection!!" ]

[ The Myriad Soul Banner let out a roar, releasing a massive number of demon souls to form a soul wall behind Da Chun, guarding him like a protective net. ]

[ Da Chun always obeyed your every word. Just as he was truly about to reach out his hand, you suddenly grabbed it. ]

[ "Wait, Da Chun. I have to tell you, if you really are the weapon spirit of the Nine Provinces Cauldron, you might turn into a spiritual body like the Myriad Soul Banner..." ]

[ Da Chun gave a simple-minded smile. ]

[ "Although I don't really understand, if I really am this cauldron, then becoming a human means I took the wrong path. Isn't it good to return to the right path?" ]

[ You let go of his hand. ]

[ In the eyes of the world, Da Chun was intellectually disabled. ]

[Yet sometimes, you feel that he is the one who lives with the greatest clarity, using the simplest philosophy, much like the thoughts of a child, to navigate this vast and complex world.]