Soul of the Revered Banner
Chapter 64: Asking the Name

Plop.

The sound drew near.

Creak- The door opened.

The morning sun of late summer remained as radiant as ever.

Golden light poured across the ground, climbed up the eaves, and lit up the room inside.

The warm rays scattered the chill of dawn amid the gentle breeze.

They also shone upon the face and body of the one who had opened the door.

“Young master.”

Both voices rang out in unison.

Wen Yue looked at the two of them, smiling as he nodded. “I’ve succeeded.”

“Master, it took you a full three hours to break through to the Organ-Refining realm, and you even brushed death’s door,” Xue Yi finally breathed a sigh of relief, but couldn’t help grumbling.

Even with injuries, it shouldn’t be this bad.

He’d never heard of anyone dying mid-breakthrough due to severe wounds.

And no one would ever choose to break through while seriously injured, that was courting death.

By rights, though the leg injury was grave, it shouldn’t have had such a drastic impact.

“Master, why are you all dirty?” Chu Jiu asked in confusion. He remembered clearly that the young master had bathed and changed into fresh clothes before attempting the breakthrough.

At Chu Jiu’s words, Xue Yi froze.

A thought flashed through his mind like a bolt of lightning on a clear day.

Cleansing Marrow and Purging Meridians?

Wen Yue chuckled, glancing down at his leg and the filth clinging to his body, reeking with a foul stench.

“I broke through to the Innate Realm.”

“I should now be a Qi Cultivator, what the common folk call an Immortal Master.”

His voice was calm, yet it exploded like thunder out of a clear sky.

It snapped the two dazed men awake.

“Immortal Master?!”

Their exclamations were loud, voices cracking with disbelief.

Xue Yi rushed forward, peering intently at Wen Yue, lifting a hand to test, “Master, may I try your hand?”

Wen Yue saw no reason to refuse. With a flip of his hand, vast spiritual power surged forth like a giant palm, instantly lifting Xue Yi into the air.

Xue Yi's mouth dropped wide open in shock, unable to believe what he was witnessing.

It was like a dream.

Just two months ago, the young master had been confined to a sickbed, now he was an Immortal Master?

It couldn’t help but bring someone to mind.

“Xiang Hu!”

He blurted out the name as soon as he landed on the ground, his gaze searching Wen Yue’s face for confirmation.

Wen Yue hesitated briefly, then nodded slowly.

Indeed, Xiang Hu.

Xiang Hu had left the opportunity to him, it was the teacher within the soul banner who guided him through scriptures and cultivation techniques, who gave him those black pill pearl. Only then could he stand up again and ascend directly from a second-rate Bone Tempering martial artist to a Qi Cultivator.

He now knew the black pill’s name, Yin Soul Pill.

Though the teacher hadn’t stated outright how powerful it was, Wen Yue wasn’t foolish. He could tell that this item was tremendously beneficial even to Qi Cultivators.

He hadn’t even fully absorbed it before; just one or two tenths had already reached his limit.

“No wonder,” Xue Yi muttered to himself.

First Xiang Hu, now Wen Yue, both had broken through in just one or two months.

That meant Xiang Hu hadn’t merely reached the Innate Realm back then, he’d become an Immortal Master.

At this thought, Xue Yi’s expression suddenly changed.

Whether it was a cultivation method or some other treasure, once such a thing was leaked, the entire martial world would be thrown into chaos. Veteran Organ-Refining experts and Innate masters would come knocking.

When that happened, Wen Yue would be caught at the center of the storm, bringing certain death upon himself.

Perhaps even other Immortal Masters would be drawn by the treasure.

Xue Yi dared not press further.

The more one knew, the closer one walked toward death. Wen Yue was magnanimous and wouldn’t hold it against him but if he ever spoke nonsense while drunk and was overheard by someone scheming…

He would bring disaster upon himself.

Chu Jiu still looked bewildered, having no idea what they were discussing. “What about Commander Xiang?”

Wen Yue smiled and shook his head. “Nothing, just reminiscing about him.”

Xue Yi stared into Wen Yue’s eyes.

That confidence he’d once seen had returned, calm and gentle, as though all things were within grasp, brimming with spirit and resolve.

And indeed, there was nostalgia in that gaze.

It was as if he were mourning Xiang Hu.

All sorts of complex emotions seemed to swirl in those eyes, everything but killing intent.

Xue Yi regretted speaking out of turn, and even in his daze, had sought confirmation from Wen Yue.

He’d thought that knowing such secrets would lead to silencing, but Wen Yue was still the same Wen Yue as always.

“My lord, I…”

Wen Yue raised a hand to stop him. “Master Xue, no need for more words. I trust you.”

The happiest one of all was, of course, Chu Jiu.

Now that Wen Yue had stood tall again, the title of young master could once more be reclaimed and Chu Jiu’s status would rise with the tide.

Though no one in the household had dared openly discuss the master after his injury, he had been subtly distanced, no longer treated with the closeness of before.

Such is the warmth and coldness of human relations, only those who drink the water know its temperature.

Chu Jiu hadn’t wanted to show off his position, he just wanted those snobs to know that the young master wouldn’t stay down forever. He would rise again.

“Chu Jiu, boil some water. I want a bath.”

...

In the bath barrel, Wen Yue seemed to be leaning back with his eyes closed, resting.

In truth, his mind had already entered the dream world of Cultivation Cliff.

“Teacher, I’ve succeeded.” He bowed in salute.

Tu Shanjun twisted his lips into a smile that was uglier than weeping.

Seeing that expression, Wen Yue couldn’t tell whether the teacher was pleased or displeased.

He could only comfort himself. At least he reacted, so that means he’s happy… right?

Tu Shanjun casually opened the crimson attribute panel.

...

Banner Name: Ghost-Faced Divine Banner

Banner Master: Wen Yue

Grade: Superior-grade Magical Tool

Banner-Soul Unity (Passive): Absorbing fiendish qi and living souls enhances the banner’s power and rank.

Backlash (Passive): If the banner master’s cultivation and spiritual sense cannot suppress the banner soul, the soul may devour the master and refine them into a Banner Slave.

Soul Harvest: Extracts souls from the dead and traps ghostly spirits below the banner soul’s strength. (Current primary soul's strength: Qi Refining Sixth Layer)

Soul Storage: Stores ghostly souls within the banner (Current: 196/1000).

Repair: Consumes fiendish qi and souls to mend the banner or heal the soul.

Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts: Releases all stored ghosts within the banner to unleash a coordinated soul-art assault.

Soul Condensation Pill: Converts absorbed wandering yin souls and fiend energy into Yin Soul Pills, which aid the banner master’s cultivation. (One pill every twenty-four hours. Absorbing more spirits accelerates the process.)

...

Two new souls had been added to the banner; Tu Shanjun’s strength had slightly improved.

And the new banner master was now fully bound.

Wen Yue’s internal energy had completely converted into spiritual power. He had directly skipped the early Qi Refining stages, reaching Qi Refining fourth layer.

Regardless of his combat ability, this spiritual power alone was enough to let Tu Shanjun roam outside the soul banner for a good while.

After cleansing marrow and purging meridians, Wen Yue’s physical body had undergone a tremendous enhancement, gaining even more strength beyond the early Qi stages.

He was now utterly transformed from the man he had once been.

However, that leg injury was still a lingering ailment. Not only had his bone been crushed by a sinister force, it left behind a lasting side effect.

Wen Yue’s calf bone was slightly twisted, one leg was shorter than the other.

Commonly known as a lame leg.

Though nothing showed when seated or reclining, walking would always seem a little awkward.

But Wen Yue was already more than satisfied, he hadn’t dared to hope for full recovery. As long as it wasn’t too conspicuous, he didn’t care.

In the future, he could have his shoes adjusted, one higher, one lower to partially mask the uneven legs.

Now, at last, he had truly stood up again.

Brimming with joy, Wen Yue cupped his hands and asked, “May I ask the teacher’s name?”

Tu Shanjun looked slightly surprised, a glint of amusement flashing through his eyes. It seemed this young scion was an astute one.

Perhaps Wen Yue had deduced something from Tu Shanjun’s usual conduct, thus he was certain the teacher had a name of his own.

Before the Cultivation Cliff.

The green-faced evil ghost’s scarlet hair hung loose.

The bulge on his forehead had grown even more pronounced.

Draped in a black robe, the fabric fluttered gently with the breeze.

Tu Shanjun suddenly turned his head.

That austere and solemn face, with eyes like blood-red flames, stared at Wen Yue.

As he opened his mouth, rows of hidden fangs unfolded from within.

“My name…”

“Tu Shanjun.”

(Chapter End)