Chapter 425: Wielding the Peach Blossom to Slay the Flood Dragon! The Immortal Artifact, Apricot-Yellow Banner! The Fire Virtue Star Lord’s Peach Talisman!

Li Yanchu thought for a moment, then nodded. “Alright.”

Zhang Wei was overjoyed. He walked side by side with Li Yanchu as the two made their way toward the mysterious Daoist temple ahead.

On the way, Zhang Wei began to explain, “It’s said that this Mount Taoyuan Blissful Land was once the cultivation ground of a Land Immortal named Daoist Spiritual Master Xie. He wielded a branch of peach blossoms and used it as a sword to slay a flood dragon! He was a man of incredible divine power.”

Zhang Wei didn’t know much about any demonic invasions; the old texts merely mentioned that the Blissful Land had suffered a great calamity that changed it forever, though the records were vague and fragmented.

He continued, “The greatest immortal treasure within the Mount Taoyuan Blissful Land is said to be a banner, the Apricot-Yellow Banner. It’s a genuine immortal artifact, possessing limitless power. It can suppress a nation’s fate and even grant insight into the mysteries of immortality.”

Those words immediately piqued Li Yanchu’s interest. It seemed Zhang Wei truly knew much more about this place than most.

Before long, the two arrived at the ancient Daoist temple.

The temple walls were mottled and weather-worn, heavy with the passage of years. In the courtyard, rows of trees stood bare, stripped of leaves, looking lonely and desolate.

Li Yanchu activated his Qi Sight, but found nothing unusual. He was used to this by now, as his Qi Sight could read a person’s aura with uncanny accuracy, but when it came to terrain, it was often blocked by strange forces.

Just to be safe, he activated the Clearheart Jade Pendant, expanding his spiritual perception.

Still, neither his Qi Sight nor his Spirit Eyes revealed anything odd about the temple. It looked perfectly ordinary.

But could there really be such a

normal

temple within a place once blessed by a Land Immortal?

Li Yanchu glanced sideways at Zhang Wei, thinking to himself,

Don’t tell me this guy brought me here on purpose to trick me into some dangerous place?

Then again, he reconsidered. He had already checked Zhang Wei’s qi. The man’s aura was clean with not a hint of resentment or deceit. In fact, his fortune was extraordinarily strong, one could even call him a

child of fortune

.

The only problem was the thick layer of black energy entwined in his fate, the mark of a coming death tribulation. If it wasn’t resolved in time, it would spread and consume him completely, even overwhelming his luck.

Still... the guy’s face screamed

“easy to fool.”

Zhang Wei, of course, had no idea that the “wise and powerful Daoist” he admired so much was quietly suspecting him of treachery. Eyes sparkling with excitement, he pointed eagerly at the temple ahead. “Daoist Master Cao, this place definitely hides a treasure. Exploring ruins like this, this is what I live for! Last time, I went tomb-raiding and found all sorts of great stuff. But I ran into a nasty opponent and lost some of my finds before I could go deeper.”

As he spoke, Zhang Wei’s expression darkened, remembering something unpleasant. He cursed under his breath, “Daoist Master Cao, you wouldn’t believe that bastard, he had some terrifying ghost bride as his hidden trump card! Nearly scared the life out of me!”

Li Yanchu had only been half-listening at first, but when he heard that, he turned his head in surprise. “A ghost bride? What did that man look like?”

Zhang Wei replied, “He was a young man too. He was not much to look at, but damn, he had a lot of tricks up his sleeve. A drum made of human skin, a bronze puppet, and even a talking severed head! Real troublesome bastard. Especially that bronze puppet, its mouth never stopped running!”

Just thinking about the man made Zhang Wei angry again. He cursed, “I bet that bastard’s here too, now that the Mount Taoyuan Blissful Land has opened! Daoist Master, if you run into him, be careful!”

Li Yanchu gave a calm nod.

“If I’m not mistaken,” he said lightly, “I think I’ve already met the person you’re talking about.”

“Huh?” Zhang Wei blinked. “Where did you see that son of a bitch, Daoist Master Cao?”

“Outside Wei City. A young man who also had a ghost bride, a bronze puppet, and a severed head as his tricks.”

Zhang Wei’s eyes went wide. “Ha! I knew it! That bastard just couldn’t resist sticking his nose in again. If I see him this time, I’ll make sure he gets what’s coming to him!”

Li Yanchu replied flatly, “You don’t have to worry about that.”

Zhang Wei frowned. “Why not?”

“Because I killed him.”

“Ah, what?!” Zhang Wei stared at him, stunned.

Li Yanchu didn’t dwell on it. He turned toward the Daoist temple, stopping a short distance away to sense for anything unusual.

Normally, if he were alone, he might have gone in directly, but since Zhang Wei clearly knew the “walkthrough,” it would be stupid not to ask.

Zhang Wei finally recovered from the shock of hearing that Ji Bochang had been killed, and began to explain, “Honestly, the only reason I know anything about this place is because one of my ancestors once came here and managed to escape alive. He left behind a few notes. According to those records, the strangest thing in this temple is a painting. It depicts a deity with a dragon’s head and a bird’s body.

“When a certain time comes, or when some condition is triggered, the painting will make everyone present draw lots. A black lot means death, and a red lot means life. Once three rounds of lots have been drawn, the painting becomes dormant again.”

Li Yanchu raised an eyebrow. “Anyone who draws a black lot really dies?”

Everyone who made it here was at least a skilled cultivator. Could a single painting really kill them without resistance?

Zhang Wei nodded heavily.

“That’s what the records say. There was even an Esoteric Buddhism master who drew a death lot once. He tried to attack the painting with his Vajra pestle, but the moment he struck, he died instantly, without even knowing how.”

Li Yanchu’s brows furrowed.

“That’s... unbelievably sinister. Maybe we shouldn’t go in after all?”

This time, it was Zhang Wei who objected. “What? No way! There’s a Peach Talisman in there! It’s a powerful artifact engraved with the image of the Southern Three Qi Fire Virtue Star Lord! According to my family’s records, whoever controls that talisman can invoke the fire gods themselves! Its power isn’t something you can measure like an ordinary magical artifact.”

“Invoke the gods?” Li Yanchu asked.

Zhang Wei shook his head. “Not just invoke, the talisman can summon the

manifest form

of the Fire Virtue Star Lord himself.”

That caught Li Yanchu’s full attention.

I actually have some connection with the Fire Virtue Star Lord

, he thought.

I carry five imitation divine fire artifacts and the Fire Official’s Sacred Edict legacy. If I could add this Peach Talisman, which can summon the Fire Virtue Star Lord’s avatar, my combat strength would skyrocket.

He spoke again, “Any other records about this place?”

Zhang Wei shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. My ancestor survived only by sheer luck, and didn’t explore much deeper. That’s all we know.”

Li Yanchu gave him a long, meaningful look, but said nothing.