Chapter 96: Du’e Spirit Child

Inside the dilapidated temple, a flock of sheep huddled together for warmth, sleeping. Wang Jiu’s return naturally disturbed them, but seeing his horrible state only made them crowd closer.

Wang Jiu walked ahead, tightly bound with rope. His face looked as if his skin had been peeled off. Outside, the frozen sky and earth had made the wounds freeze over, the blood no longer dripping down.

Chen Xiyi, however, was different. He walked leisurely at the back, holding the rope, not a bit unlucky like Wang Jiu.

“Your goat-skin technique still lacks much,” Chen Xiyi glanced at the sheep herd. Using his Qi Sensitivity, he saw traces of Demonic Energy swirling under the sheepskins, locking people inside that layer.

Honestly, that layer of Demonic Energy wasn’t sturdy. About twenty living humans gathered together could scatter it apart.

If he had done it, he’d have used nine-bend locks and titanium chains. Scattering that would probably take at least a thousand people’s combined Human Qi and Yang Qi.

If they never entered a city, they’d likely stay sheep forever.

Of course, this was his ability now. If he ever grasped the technique’s true principle, it probably wouldn’t be a sheepskin disguise anymore. It’d become straight-up sheep-transformation magic.

Wang Jiu didn’t answer Chen Xiyi’s words. But the sheepish figures’ eyes suddenly gleamed.

“Follow this road straight and you’ll find the merchant caravan,” Chen Xiyi stated again.

Hearing this, the flock brightened. They charged out of the ruined temple on all fours, rushing into the bitter night toward the caravan.

A few particularly clever goat-skin humans seemed to realize Chen Xiyi was their savior. Thinking of such miraculous magic, they felt keen desire for it. Fawning, they shuffled toward him to gamble on his mercy.

Chen Xiyi just kicked the approaching goat-skin figure: “Get lost. Careful or I’ll skin you next.”

Seeing him shout warnings and lash out physically, these ambitious disguised humans could only slink away.

He’d save them, certainly. But he wouldn’t help clean up the mess. Who knew what annoying demands they’d make later? He’d seen plenty of people who tried to push their advantage.

“Walk. Where’s the Resentment Child lineage’s legacy?” Chen Xiyi kicked Wang Jiu’s lower back hard, forcing him forward toward a corner.

“It’s… the little doll tied to that whip,” Wang Jiu mumbled with deep spite. Greed makes men bitter—Chen Xiyi letting the humans escape had truly cut off his path. The powerful one behind him wouldn’t care why he failed to gather the people. No reward awaited him now. Only organ removal.

“Judging by your face, you still harbor resentment?” Chen Xiyi glanced at the leather whip nearby, his tone mocking. That whip was why the goat-skinned humans hadn’t escaped the temple earlier. Chen Xiyi saw it instantly upon arrival. He casually broke its Demonic Energy, freeing the flock to leave. Otherwise, why would they dutifully await Wang Jiu’s return?

He carefully examined the little doll: cloth stitched together, cotton padding stuffed inside.

“The unlocking method?” Chen Xiyi tore it off the whip; the Demonic Energy surrounding the weapon instantly dissolved. The whip wasn’t a Ritual Implement—merely stained temporarily with an enchanted lock’s Demonic Energy. Its only function was intimidating the disguised humans.

“I don’t know,” Wang Jiu’s voice sounded muffled and defeated.

Chen Xiyi raised an eyebrow sharply: “You don’t know?”

“Fine then. If you truly don’t know, I won’t force you.” Chen Xiyi switched subjects. “Tell me about that powerful patron of yours. Why collect these people?”

These humans—men and women, old and young — showed Wang Jiu wasn’t just a child-snatcher. He took any and everyone. This detail felt strangely significant…

“Commander Xu from Dongtai City ordered them. Why, I don’t know.” Wang Jiu didn’t argue; he just spoke flatly.

Chen Xiyi studied him. He couldn’t tell if Wang Jiu lied deliberately, steering him into conflict with Commander Xu. Yet if true, Commander Xu might also be a practitioner within the Qi Refinement system. Crucially, he likely wasn’t a Qi Refiner yet, simply seeking to become one by exploiting these captives. Alternatively, maybe Commander Xu crafted Ritual Implements using human ingredients.

Throughout this Q&A, Wang Jiu uncharacteristically withheld nothing—perhaps he’d reached acceptance.

“Hmm. Wise choices build heroes. You behaved admirably.” Chen Xiyi nodded, taking out a dagger. “By our agreement, I release you.” He swiftly sliced through the ropes binding Wang Jiu, setting him free.

Shock swept Wang Jiu; freedom felt unreal. How could Chen Xiyi actually let him go? Remembering his flayed face and Chen Xiyi’s sudden swings between cruel and cooperative, cold dread coiled in Wang Jiu’s stomach. Evil men frightened him less than lunatics—evil men feared death. Madmen clearly didn’t.

Swallowing hard, Wang Jiu cupped his hands: “I admit my wrongdoing. Our feud is settled.”

“Gladly. Go in peace.” Chen Xiyi smiled, eyes narrowed to slits.

Wang Jiu sighed inwardly, tension easing. Settled? Settled?! Absolutely impossible. This humiliation demanded revenge—how could he ever swallow such shame?

Turning on his heel, he took one step forward—just as loud cracks rang out behind him.

[You used the Alloy Firearm on Magician Wang Jiu, dealing 81% Health Points damage. You killed Magician Wang Jiu.]

[You gathered materials from the corpse of Magician Wang Jiu, killed by an Alloy Firearm. You obtained: Apparel (Magician), Human Skin…]

“See? Honorable promises.” Chen Xiyi casually holstered his firearm, addressing the now barren ground. “Said you could leave, and go you did.” Conditions met: he’d freed Wang Jiu and let him walk. One step still counted as moving, didn’t it? Who defined how many steps freedom required? And ‘sparing his life’ was satisfied too—Chen Xiyi had named this patch of dirt ‘Path of Life’ just moments prior.

“Hah. Trying sly tricks on me? Pretending ignorance about unlocking the inheritance?” Chen Xiyi scoffed coldly. “Think I’m as stupid as you?”

Truthfully, if Wang Jiu had cooperated, revealing how to start the legacy… Chen Xiyi wouldn’t have resorted to such sneaky murder. He’d have publicly executed him instead.

“Ah… must avoid backstabbing next time.” Chen Xiyi sighed melodramatically. “I, a dignified scholarly man, shooting people from behind with dark weapons? What example is this?” Whether he was actually scholarly? His Home Game profile labeled him ‘Scholar’—an identity bearing more weight than any feudal dynasty could grant!

[You used the Alloy Pickaxe on the Wooden Crate, dealing 1 Durability damage.]

[You obtained Wooden Plank ×1, Du’e Spirit Child.]

“???”

That… couldn’t be right! Why ‘Spirit Child’? Wasn’t the lineage called ‘Resentment Child’? Wang Jiu’s actions clearly painted the inheritance as thoroughly vile! Yet its name sounded so noble—not merely ‘Spirit Child’, but ‘Du’e Spirit Child’. Chen Xiyi had expected ties to ghost infants, resentful spirits, or ordinary children. This seemingly had none.

“Never mind. I’ll study this later at home.” After one last sweep confirming nothing remained in the temple, Chen Xiyi departed.

His journey back proved uneventful, mercifully free of melodramatic troubles.

He traveled undisturbed. The caravan, however, roiled in chaos. Suddenly, wool falling away revealed human forms beneath! Confusion exploded.

Chen Xiyi ignored it completely, striding nonchalantly back to his carriage. Busy crowds passed by; nobody spotted him. His entire form shimmered beneath a constantly active Illusion Art, making him invisible to the frantic rescue efforts. Even those he’d saved saw only the illusion’s false identity—not his real form.

Worries of discovery? Utterly unfounded. He’d altered his face, height, and build. Search the whole caravan—none would imagine a feeble scholar like ‘him’ could be the enigmatic rescuer.

As a Sandbox Game player, stealth came naturally when needed. Otherwise, troublesome attention would interrupt his plans to farm peacefully.

Back inside his carriage, Chen Xiyi eagerly accessed the ‘Du’e Spirit Child’ legacy. No travel logs this time. Only a special Qi Refinement and Spirit Cultivation method: the “Spirit Child Guardian Method”.

After skimming it, he confirmed—this was legitimate Cultivator technique, not some dark cult evil.

“Damn it—so Wang Jiu truly couldn’t unlock it?” The realization dawned.

Honestly? The Spirit Child Guardian’s difficulty varied. Compared to Dragon-Settling Nine Chapters, mastering it wasn’t particularly high—success rates seemed decent. The catch? Heavy lethality risks. Plus, luck mattered.

Its steps were straightforward:

1. Find a ghost infant/spirit (specifically: child-shaped Ghost Creature).

2. Subdue it.

3. Purify it with Human Qi, washing its Ghost Qi into pure Qi Mechanism, known as “clear Qi”.

Once transformed from hated ghost into a protective “spirit child”, you succeeded.

Once purified, the Spirit Child continuously fed refined Human Qi back to its master, assisting cultivation of the Primordial Spirit—the “Du’e Primordial Spirit”. Upon becoming a Qi Refiner, this Spirit Child evolved into a Primordial Spirit protector—guaranteeing at least one Divine Ability. Far more reliable than Dragon-Settling’s mere chance at gaining abilities.

Naturally, the guarantee came with inherent challenges. Resources alone might not suffice.

First, acquiring a suitable Ghost Creature infant proved extremely difficult.

Secondly, cleansing consumed vast personal Human Qi. Throughout purification, the ghost infant grew increasingly violent and likely to backlash fatally. A slight lapse in control meant failure… and Death.

This was the price for guaranteed Divine Abilities and a protected path to Qi Refinement status. It demanded inborn gifts, resources, sheer luck… and willingness to bet one’s life.

Success, though, made the effort worthwhile. The Spirit Child Guardian method surpassed Dragon-Settling Nine Chapters’ cultivation technique profoundly regarding Primordial Spirit strength.

Each system had distinct emphasis, naturally.

Du’e Spirit Child specialized in the Primordial Spirit. Dragon-Settling Nine Chapters leaned toward manipulating environmental Qi mechanisms. Both had pros and cons anyway.

Besides, Primordial Spirit represented just one aspect—each legacy held complementary techniques enhancing the core principle. Judging whole inheritances solely by their Qi Refinement method remained unfair; it formed merely one part.

Finishing the Spirit Child Guardian section, Chen Xiyi closed the legacy file. Back to studying Dragon-Settling Nine Chapters—he’d mastered half already and wouldn’t abandon it midway. Once fully digested, then he’d research Du’e Spirit Child properly.

Reviewing its core method now sated idle curiosity. That was all.