Wang Qingzhi, who had relieved the pent-up frustration in his chest, had significantly less of the cold and gloomy expression on his face. He no longer appeared as unapproachable as usual.
Seeing Wang Qingzhi return to the boat, Lü Chonglou grinned and said, "Not bad, a first-rank is within reach now. What are you planning to reward Chen kid with?"
Upon hearing the first half of the sentence, joy flashed across Wang Qingzhi's face, but it lingered as he heard the second half. How else would he reward him? This kid had just given him a burst of excitement with two sentences last time, and he even gave him three Splitting Soul Arrows. Besides, didn't they agree just now? The Astonishing Dragon Spear was to be given to him!
Seeing this situation, Lü Chonglou became dissatisfied. "I said, Wang Qingzhi, you just said Chen kid satisfied you, and you'd give him the Astonishing Dragon Spear. But you didn't mention that this Astonishing Dragon Spear would compensate for your advancement to the second rank. Don't play dumb with me about these two matters."
Wang Qingzhi looked helpless. After all, that was the Astonishing Dragon Spear! Ask any of the major sects and holy grounds in the Nine Provinces; who wouldn't consider it their treasure? How did it become indistinguishable from a burning stick in your eyes, Lü Chonglou?
If you are so generous, why don't you give the Dragon Gallantry Spear in your hand to Chen Xuanze?
These words could only be kept in his heart. Don't forget, who is he? Wang Qingzhi, who respects the old and loves the young!
There's no way around it; as the second-ranking figure in the Bureau of Suppressing Demons, the pacification envoy couldn't get away without shedding some blood. Wang Qingzhi reluctantly took out a fist-sized red sealing ball from his bosom and handed it to Chen Xuanze, looking extremely reluctant.
Seeing this seal, which was different from the usual white seals used to seal ghosts and monsters in the Bureau of Suppressing Demons, Lü Chonglou opened his mouth slightly. Just as he was about to instruct Chen Xuanze to put it away, he saw Chen Xuanze quickly snatch it from Wang Qingzhi's hand.
Or rather, he snatched it away.
In the instant Wang Qingzhi took it out, information circulated in Chen Xuanze's mind from the Record of Suppressing Demons.
"Born from mysterious bones, a demon allowed by the heavens. It is a person with a missing heaven's approval, walking against the heavens. After reaching the first-rank realm and falling, the corpse is compensated by the heavens and transformed into mysterious bones. No rank, no level, no method, no power. It can be contracted as a companion bone and cultivated using the demonic and Buddhist methods in the Nine Heavenly Profound Scriptures. Must reach the first rank."
Densely packed information flowed into Chen Xuanze's mind, revealing the Nine Heavenly Profound Scriptures.
Wang Qingzhi looked at this anxious monkey with an annoyed expression. He guessed that this stick must have realized that this sealing technique was a good thing. The Huangce Library records three types of seals used by the Bureau of Suppressing Demons.
One is the Hundred-Forged White Cloth Seal, used to seal demons and monsters, for exorcism.
The second is the Thousand-Soul Black Cloth Seal, used to seal souls for soul cultivation.
The third is the red grass paper seal, used to seal spiritual objects for blood and qi nourishment.
This mysterious bone had been in Wang Qingzhi's possession for a full seven years. Due to the incomplete inheritance of the Nine Heavenly Profound Scriptures within the Bureau of Suppressing Demons, he had been reluctant to form a contract.
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He was waiting, waiting for the Nine Heavenly Profound Scriptures to be completed. The mysterious bone would be transformed using demonic methods into the Buddhist path and sent to the Tianlong Temple in the highland Buddhist country to deal with those troublesome monks.
The mysterious bone recognized by heaven and earth had extraordinary intelligence beyond that of ordinary people. Practicing the Nine Heavenly Profound Scriptures, becoming a disciple of Buddhism, was easy. Moreover, the Nine Heavenly Profound Scriptures were called the method of demonic Buddhism because this cultivation method allowed killing Buddhas and attaining enlightenment without incurring karma.
Unexpectedly, after seven years of nourishing it with blood and qi, it was taken advantage of by this monkey, Chen Xuanze.
"Born from mysterious bones, requires a contract with the Contract Technique. After the contract, it can transform into a human, demon, male, or female, depending on its previous life. Practices from the four systems of Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, and martial arts are all applicable. Chen Xuanze, you can use it freely."
As Wang Qingzhi finished speaking, Chen Xuanze had already crushed the sealing ball. A bone, emitting a cyan brilliance, appeared in front of him.
Lü Chonglou and Wang Qingzhi shook their heads simultaneously. This Mysterious Bone was likely wasted by Chen Xuanze's reckless breaking of the seal. They weren't concerned about the Contract Technique; Chen Xuanze could definitely perform it, especially after contracting with Chen Qianqian. What worried them was that Chen Xuanze didn't have a reliable inheritance suitable for the Mysterious Bone.
Although Chen Xuanze surely had some good inheritances, they might not necessarily be suitable for the Mysterious Bone! While it was said that this spiritual object could be cultivated in the paths of Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, and martial arts, the upper limit for the other three directions, apart from Buddhism, was at best the fourth rank.
What a waste! This guy, why is he so impatient!
At this moment, Chen Xuanze bit his left index finger, waved his hand, and performed an ancient Contract Technique. A red contract, exuding an ancient aura, enveloped the bone. The Contract Technique was successful.
The Mysterious Bone began to change. Amidst a faint green light, the bone emitted continuous cracking sounds. Soon after, the green light dissipated, revealing a pure white humanoid skeleton standing over half a meter tall in front of everyone.
In the eye sockets of the skeleton's skull were two clumps of crimson red mist, gazing directly at Sansang. A bloody aura pervaded the air.
After a while, the skeleton turned its head, looked at Wang Qingzhi, and then knelt down with a thud. In the movement of its bones opening and closing, a voice echoed, "Thank you for nurturing me for seven years."
Wang Qingzhi nodded slightly, a gratified expression appearing on his face.
The bones of the skeleton turned, facing Chen Xuanze. "From now on, we are bound as companions. You are the master, and I am the servant. As a companion bone and soul, please give me a name."
This scene shocked Wang Qingzhi and Lü Chonglou immensely. While Mysterious Bones were rare, those that gained intelligence immediately upon formation were unheard of.
Chen Xuanze, on the other hand, didn't understand these nuances. After a brief contemplation, he said, "From now on, you will be surnamed Chen and called Chen Xiaogu. Oh, and Sansang is one of us, don't scare him."
Chen Xiaogu, the little skeleton, nodded and turned to Sansang, its eye sockets no longer emanating a bloody aura.
Chen Xuanze didn't avoid the presence of others. He extended his right hand and brushed it over the skeleton's skull, transmitting the Nine Heavenly Profound Scriptures.
The transmission was complete.
In the hollow eye sockets of Chen Xiaogu's small skeleton, a trace of delight could be vaguely seen.
"Thank you for transmitting the technique, Master!"
Chen Xuanze smiled and nodded. "In the future, you don't need to call me master. Call me brother or Chen brother. Come, Xiaogu, let me introduce you. This is Chen Qianqian; you can call her sister. This is your Sansang brother, this is your Qingxuan brother, and this one you can call Uncle Qingzhi..."
When it came to Lü Chonglou, Chen Xuanze hesitated for a moment before saying, "Xiaogu, you can call him Grandpa Lü."
After acquainting Xiaogu with the relatives, Chen Xuanze handed him a small vest that Sansang took off in front of everyone. Chen Qianqian blushed and handed it to Chen Xiaogu.
Fortunately, all her clothing was transformed, and there were no indecent scenes.
This vest was made from the skin she had shed, and Chen Xiaogu took it and put it on its upper skeleton, surprisingly fitting perfectly.
Next, Sansang gave him a string of one hundred and eight slightly yellow Buddhist beads.
This Buddhist bead had been held by Sansang all along. It was made from the bones of a third-rank demon and refined by the Killing Life Temple. It had been blessed by the temple's Buddhist teachings for several hundred years, making it a valuable item with the ability to concentrate the mind and resist illusions.