A Golden Core Master and Nascent Soul Spirit Monarch uses a Magical Treasure, but when it comes to a Primordial Spirit Profound Monarch and Void Refining True Monarch, they can wield Spiritual Treasures.

Spiritual Treasures have the ability to communicate with spirits, allowing them to connect with their owner’s mind, moving effortlessly with their will, possessing extraordinary mystical abilities.

Generally speaking, a Primordial Spirit Profound Monarch’s Spiritual Treasure does not qualify to give birth to an Artifact Spirit. It takes until after Void Refining, when the owner’s cultivation level is high, having refined the Spiritual Treasure with their heart and soul, imbued with the mystical essence of the Tao day after day, and gaining great fortune, for the possibility of it developing Spiritual Wisdom and giving birth to an Artifact Spirit.

An Artifact Spirit can be seen as the soul of a Spiritual Treasure; with it, the Spiritual Treasure attains wisdom like a human, gaining thought. The highest level Artifact Spirits can even transform their shape, accompanying their owner and appearing indistinguishable from a human.

However, Spiritual Treasures that give birth to Artifact Spirits are vastly different from the demon race that accumulates wisdom and cultivates over time, finally transforming into human shape.

The most significant difference is that Spiritual Treasures are essentially objects refined by the owner with heart and soul, fully under the owner’s control. The Artifact Spirit does not possess the ability to self-cultivate or increase its cultivation. A Spiritual Treasure’s power is also derived from the owner’s supply of Spiritual Power or Spiritual Qi; without anyone supplying power, the Artifact Spirit cannot move.

Therefore, once the owner passes away, the Artifact Spirit generally falls into slumber until awakened and powered by a new owner.

Due to this understanding, combined with the detailed records of Jichuan Profound Monarch, enemies and friends... None had mentioned that the Primordial Pearl had given birth to an Artifact Spirit; none among the present three Golden Core Masters thought about this possibility.

But now, the Treasure Pearl is resisting control, spinning on its own, activating mystical abilities, and proactively attacking, having killed Skull Child—this all proves that the Treasure Pearl possesses a spirit!

Suddenly, all the clues connect, and it’s clear; Master Moyun and Master Fengfeng have both come to a sudden realization.

It is likely that this Treasure Pearl was just in the moment before Jichuan Profound Monarch’s failure and death that it had given birth to an Artifact Spirit, and then was implanted into the Spirit Vein of Yuqing Mountain by the Monarch. Over two thousand years, while dormant, the Treasure Pearl not only fully repaired itself but also absorbed abundant Spiritual Qi, using it as a power source for autonomous action.

No matter how, being able to cultivate an Artifact Spirit with Primordial Spirit cultivation, Jichuan Profound Monarch was truly a natural genius, worthy of being considered the first class below Void Refining.

Previously, the Treasure Pearl was just awakened using a Secret Technique by Master Moyun, but as the battle progressed, it’s likely that the Artifact Spirit has fully awoken by now; otherwise, it wouldn’t autonomously act, decisively killing Skull Child.

Understanding this, Master Moyun is overjoyed, whereas Master Fengfeng’s heart sinks.

The Primordial Spirit Treasure with an Artifact Spirit, temporarily without any power concern, is beyond the control of a Golden Core Master!

Seeing Skull Child killed with one strike, if he were in the front, he likely couldn’t withstand the Thunder Strike of the Primordial Pearl.

After killing Skull Child, the Primordial Pearl hovers motionlessly in the air, while Master Moyun calls out, "Pearl Spirit! I am a descendant of Jichuan Profound Monarch, you can feel my lineage. Now that the Monarch has passed, I am his sole heir, please lend me a hand!"

Master Fengfeng’s expression changes, preparing to escape, but the Primordial Pearl trembles slightly, seemingly responding to Master Moyun’s call, flying swiftly towards him.

However, the joy in Master Moyun’s eyes quickly turns to terror as the Primordial Pearl, like thunder, comes at him head-on with a piercing sound!

If hit, he would be the next Skull Child.

The shadow of death looms over him, and Master Moyun, unable to care about anything else, desperately activates his inherited Secret Technique, spraying out a mouthful of his heart’s blood essence, causing the Primordial Pearl to buzz and slow down, finally stopping three feet in front of his forehead, violently struggling.

It seems his method of control works to some extent. Unfortunately, such loss of essence blood—how long can it be sustained?

Master Fengfeng pauses mid-air, waiting for an opportunity.

On Yuqing Mountain, with Skull Child dead, the Red Powder Skull Divine Techniques naturally lift, and everyone awakes from the dreaded environment.

Lying on Lu Qian’s back, Guh Niqiang lets out a mutter, clenching onto Lu Qian’s clothes tightly. Lu Qian’s Divine Sense naturally flows, carefully probing Guh Niqiang’s state.

At that moment, Guh Niqiang’s terrified emotions, nightmares of mumbling, the final ripples of Red Powder Skull, and Lu Qian’s keen Divine Sense instantaneously merge, causing Lu Qian to let out a muffled groan as his vision blurs.

Numerous scenes, chaotic memories flood into Lu Qian’s mind.

Patches of mottled old walls, courtyards filled with lanterns, a woman with picturesque brows preparing a table of delicacies, gently saying to a little carved jade-like girl, "Nishang, dear, eat up before you go to see the lanterns."

Little Guh Niqiang looks forward to the Lantern Festival but refuses to take another bite. So the woman clears the dishes, bringing out the rabbit lantern prepared for little Nichang.

However, little Nichang is dissatisfied with the lantern and throws it aside in a fit. The woman smiles helplessly, taking her hand, just as they’re about to head out, she suddenly begins coughing violently.

"It’s the old ailment again." The woman covers her mouth and nose with a handkerchief helplessly, "Elder Huang, take Nishang. There are too many people, be cautious."

The elderly servant responds, taking the eager little Nishang out the door, leaving the woman’s admonitions behind.

The vermilion door closes, intense regret fills the heart at that moment, Guh Niqiang’s tearful voice echoes beside Lu Qian’s ear, "Don’t go! Don’t go! If you go, you’ll never see mother again!"

"If I’d known that was the last time I’d eat mother’s cooking... if I’d known that was the last chance to see mother..."

"I would have, at least, said a proper goodbye..."

The scene shifts to the Lantern Festival, a surging crowd pushes in, quickly overwhelming Guh Niqiang. From little Nishang’s perspective, countless legs press in, pushing her forward, causing a suffocating feeling.

There are too many people, far too many.

In almost an instant, the crowd separates Guh Niqiang from the old servant, submerging little Nishang too, pushing her forward, filling her heart with suffocation and terror, her cries completely drowned in the cacophony, noticed by no one.

When she is finally freed from the crowd, she finds herself in a completely unfamiliar alley. Several men and women with vicious appearances approach.

The endless horror began...

First, it was the abduction and trafficking, sold multiple times until becoming a slave in a wealthy household, threatened, insulted, whipped, tortured, and many young servants were beaten to death right in front of Little Nichang. Every time the cries of agony sounded, Little Nichang trembled all over, covering her mouth tightly to not cry out loud.

Later, the fall of the wealthy family arrived, but instead of rescue, the bruised and scarred Little Nichang faced a group of bandits who came to plunder.

Spending three years as a servant among the bandits, Little Nichang witnessed bloodshed, brutality, and cruelty, as one gruesome murder after another occurred right before her eyes, human lives worth less than weeds here. There were even cannibalistic bandits, who every day gazed at Guh Niqiang with eyes that regarded her as livestock, and that boundless terror made her dare not fall asleep.

Subsequently, the "Wild Wolf Gang" annihilated the bandits and Guh Niqiang found herself with a new master.

The gang leader had a knack for training newcomers and knew exactly how to transform a group of children into madmen fixated solely on slaughter in their eyes.

The inhuman training began. Cages, dungeons, betrayal, assassination...

During the final ceremony, the fourteen-year-old Guh Niqiang personally killed her friend who had once promised to escape together, then, when receiving recognition up close from the gang leader, she slit his throat.

Chasing after the final memories, Guh Niqiang, now grown into a young woman, finally found that mottled high wall and knocked on the courtyard door.

Yet the door was opened by a stranger.

"The previous owner? Ah, also a person with a hard life. I heard her daughter was kidnapped at a very young age, and her health couldn’t sustain, passing away from illness half a year ago..."

"It’s said she held onto a rabbit lantern every day, truly pitiful..."

The last ray of light extinguished.

Guh Niqiang’s soul continuously sank in the darkness, tightly wrapped in a cycle of regret, remorse, and fear, unable to breathe or move, on the verge of drowning, she futilely reached out her hand, uttering a faint groan: "Help me..."

Life holds no meaning, which is why I long for death.

For so many years, only in unrestricted battles, amid blood, could I feel the existence of life, could I perceive my own worth.

Now with death right before me, however, it does not grant me release.

Why all of a sudden does this kind of death seem meaningless?

Only in death does one find birth, only in birth does one find death. The significance of death must be sought within life.

Huh? Who told me that?

Seemingly, it was that annoying person...

A person like me doesn’t need anyone entering my world. But that annoying person kept talking continuously, doing all sorts of unnecessary things, how bothersome...

Snap, someone held onto my hand!

With her last ounce of strength, Guh Niqiang opened her eyes, and a familiar, irritating face, deserving of a punch, appeared in the endless darkness.

It was Lu Qian, who shouldn’t belong here, nor in this memory!

"Guh Niqiang! Come with me!"

A warm and strong hand grasped her, instantly pulling her upwards!

In the boundary between illusion and reality, Lu Qian held tightly onto Guh Niqiang’s hand.

With a crash, the Illusion Realm shattered completely, and Guh Niqiang opened her eyes in fear, gasping heavily.

The first thing she heard was Lu Qian’s voice: "Don’t be afraid, we’re back."

The warmth on Lu Qian’s back transmitted over, that desperate and powerless feeling of fear gradually fading. Guh Niqiang froze for a moment, then saw everything clearly in front of her, and softly said: "Put me down."

Lu Qian gently set her down, Guh Niqiang stood with her eyes lowered, yet one hand still tightly held onto Lu Qian’s, just as in the Illusion Realm.

Then, her red lips parted slightly, speaking three words: "Thank you..."

Lu Qian widened his eyes in surprise, as from their first meeting, he had never heard such words from Guh Niqiang.

Quickly he realized. Perhaps Guh Niqiang misunderstood, thinking it was he who broke through the Illusion Realm to save her.

Lu Qian wanted to make a teasing remark, but suddenly remembered the dark and sunless water prison in the Illusion Realm, the beast-like fighting children, and that little rabbit lantern.

Let it be, this is nice too.

So he gently replied: "You’re welcome."