Chapter 529: Binding

By the end of his murmured words, Jin Fu's rat-like face was streaked with tears. He eventually broke down, sobbing uncontrollably, as he clutched the jade tablet in his paws and bowed repeatedly towards the empty space.

He had believed his clan, as lowly as dust, was destined for eternal oblivion. Yet, someone still cared for them: their glorious ancestor, radiant as the sun! Outsiders could not possibly comprehend his emotions at that moment. All his suffering and sorrow were profoundly healed in that instant. As a result, his tears flowed ceaselessly, and he continued to bow without interruption.

He had no doubt the will was authentic; he recognized its legitimacy instantly. This was solely due to the four characters "Big Dipper Demon Tome," a title never disseminated outside the clan. Even within the Golden Fur Rat clan, knowledge of this tome was passed down through generations to only a select few. Those privy to the information understood that if it were to spread, the clan's fate would become far worse than its current predicament. Connecting the demon tome mentioned in the will with the rest of its content, he further grasped the ancestor's painstaking efforts and benevolent intentions for their descendants.

Shi Chun did not disturb him, simply watching him bow and weep, witnessing his sudden, overwhelming grief.

After a long silence, Jin Fu finally stifled his sobs, stood up, and looked up. "So," he asked, "our ancestor wasn't slain by the Demon Ancestor back then?"

"I also heard the rumor that your ancestor was slain by the Demon Ancestor," Shi Chun replied. "However, based on what I've seen and considering this will, that rumor is clearly false. Your ancestor likely survived for nearly a thousand years after his battle with the Demon Ancestor. He was, however, trapped in a peculiar place, making escape impossible. Perhaps the very strangeness of that location prevented the Demon Ancestor from finding him, or even from daring to trespass, thus allowing your ancestor to survive."

Jin Fu nodded repeatedly. "I knew it!" he exclaimed. "Our ancestor was the supreme being of the demon realm, a genius of his generation, brilliant as the scorching sun. How could he possibly have perished so easily at the Demon Ancestor's hands?"

Shi Chun found it difficult to comment further on this, but he understood the truth: in a sense, Jin Zhan did still perish because of the Demon Ancestor. It was conceivable that he was either forced to flee into that strange place by the Demon Ancestor, or was struck into it by one of the Demon Ancestor's powerful spells. In short, if he wasn't directly slain by the Demon Ancestor, he was certainly driven to his death by him. But none of that mattered anymore; both individuals involved had long since fallen.

Shi Chun's priority remained the present. He retrieved the jade tablet from Jin Fu's hand and simultaneously cautioned, "Your clan has fallen into such a dire state, and I know little about your current circumstances. I doubt your ancestor ever imagined his descendants would be reduced to this. Handing the demon tome to you now would be both a betrayal of your ancestor's trust and irresponsible on our part. Please understand, I cannot easily pass the demon tome to you.

We hope the clan leader can understand our concerns, as we do not know if everyone in your clan is trustworthy. Our original plan was to select the most suitable individual from your clan to fulfill your ancestor's entrustment, or to allow you to decide among yourselves who is best suited for the demon tome. However, the prerequisite for any of this is that your clan must first be able to escape this place. You cannot possibly cultivate the demon tome here; it would be too easily discovered. Therefore, whether it's selecting a suitable individual to cultivate it or finding an appropriate place for its practice, you must first depart from this location. The world has changed drastically; it is no longer the era when your ancestor could stand firm and command respect. A chaotic escape would be futile; I fear we wouldn't even be able to leave Juku Continent. Our previous altercation with Huang Yingying stemmed from our frustration with his incompetence. What could have been a slow, careful, and secure process was complicated by his actions, drawing unwanted attention and making our escape increasingly difficult."

Jin Fu nodded repeatedly, though it was unclear how much he believed, and then countered, "Then what is your purpose in refining the 'Death-Defying Incense'?"

Shi Chun did not mince words with the old rat leader. He directly retrieved several dormant magic artifacts, placing them before Jin Fu. "Clan Leader," he said, "please examine these."

Jin Fu, unsure of Shi Chun's intention, nevertheless picked up the Boundless Banner and similar items, inspecting each one with a spell. After examining them, he asked in surprise, "Are all the artifact spirits dormant?"

"Exactly," Shi Chun confirmed. "We need the 'Death-Defying Incense' to awaken these artifacts. Our own strength is too weak; we need such items for support. Without them, any undertaking becomes incredibly difficult. For instance, had our secret infiltration been discovered, neither of us would have known how to escape."

As they discussed their clandestine arrival, Jin Fu set aside the dormant artifacts and tentatively asked, "Our ancestor must have possessed an artifact for entering and exiting the 'Big Dipper Spirit-Repelling Array.' Benefactor, have you seen it?"

Shi Chun adopted a forthright demeanor. He first collected the artifacts from the ground, then directly produced the golden command arrow, handing it to Jin Fu for examination. "It was precisely with this item that we secretly ascended the mountain."

Jin Fu took the command arrow, examining it closely in his paws before tracing its intricate patterns. His paws trembled slightly. He then cast a quick spell, and a golden light instantly erupted from the arrow, forming an ethereal golden wave that enveloped both of them. Once the golden light receded, Jin Fu's emotions visibly surged with excitement again. If the jade tablet and will could possibly be counterfeit, then this item was undeniably ironclad proof.

After cherishing the command arrow for a while, he sighed wistfully, "With this treasure, entering and exiting the 'Big Dipper Spirit-Repelling Array' is no longer a concern. If Benefactor can access the array's core, this artifact can be used to retract the entire 'Big Dipper Spirit-Repelling Array.' Once that obstacle is removed, my clan might be able to escape this mountain on our own."

"What?" Shi Chun asked, surprised. "This command arrow can retract the ancient grand array of this divine mountain?"

Jin Fu nodded. "Yes, this treasure is the key to activating and deactivating the grand array. If you locate the array's core, insert the command arrow, and cast a spell to reverse its flow, the grand array will retract and coalesce onto the arrow. Then, by holding the arrow and casting a spell to realign its flow, the grand array will redeploy on the spot. If Benefactor can find a suitable opportunity to retract the grand array, removing the obstacle, my clan might finally have a chance to escape on our own." That last sentence was his true intention, meant to provide Shi Chun with a new course of action.

Shi Chun understood the implication of his words, but still questioned, "Clan leader, are you saying that the 'Big Dipper Spirit-Repelling Array' is not fixed here, but can be carried and deployed anywhere?"

"Precisely," the clan leader affirmed, holding the command arrow with both paws and offering it back. "Though it is an ancestral relic, it is now the Benefactor's property."

Shi Chun had no intention of returning it. Without ceremony, he took it back into his hand, examined it, then cupped his hands and said, "This item is precisely what we need for coming and going. Great individuals do not concern themselves with minor details, so I will not be coy." With that, he put it away, then fixed his gaze on Jin Fu, awaiting a response.

Jin Fu naturally knew what he was waiting for. "The refining method originates from the Phoenix clan," he began. "The critical component now is the 'Soul-Reversing Tree.' Mature Soul-Reversing Trees are exceedingly rare, making the chances of finding one very low. Knowing the refining method is useless without the tree itself."

"Clan leader," Shi Chun replied, "things must be done one step at a time; there's no rush. Once I know the refining method, I can look for opportunities to devise a plan. Since A Xun was able to refine it, there must be a reason."

"The 'Death-Defying Incense' requires only two ingredients for its refinement," Jin Fu explained. "One is the core of the 'Soul-Reversing Tree,' and the other is 'Divine Wandering.' The black tree core and 'Divine Wandering' are combined using an artifact-melding technique, then melted with rootless fire. It's said that three hundred catties of the black tree core can yield one liang of incense. Once a unique, potent aroma fills the air, it is complete. Of course, this knowledge has only been passed down to me by word of mouth; I've never witnessed the specific refining process, and Huang Yingying also learned it from me."

Shi Chun silently noted the key details Jin Fu provided, while also asking for clarification. "What exactly is this other material called 'Divine Wandering'?"

"It's said to be refined by collecting and fusing the spiritual essence of one hundred and eight different beings from the heavens, earth, and humanity," Jin Fu replied. "Anyone who can refine artifact spirits should know how to do this; there are quite a few variations, and it appears to involve considerable bloodshed. I don't know the specifics, but essentially, flying creatures, crawling creatures, swimming creatures, and even humans—some must be sacrificed."

Alright, Shi Chun decided to ask Xiao Sheng later. Conveniently, Xiao Sheng hailed from a sect specializing in artifact spirit refinement. In any case, he would attempt it first and see if it proved successful. He wasted no further words. Having achieved his objective, he prepared to depart, immediately bidding farewell. "Clan leader," he said, "it's not advisable to linger here. Gao He and I must slip out before dawn. Our discussion today, particularly concerning the demon tome, must not reach a third party, otherwise, any unforeseen incident could lead to immense regret."

"Since Benefactor's concerns have been clearly stated," Jin Fu replied, "this old man will certainly obey!"

Shi Chun immediately ceased lingering. After standing and bowing in return, he turned and departed. Jin Fu swiftly crawled after him.

Shortly after, they spotted Wu Jinliang, Huang Yingying, and a group of large rats keeping their distance. Shi Chun never removed his face covering. As he passed Wu Jinliang, he called out, "Let's go," and turned back, gesturing with his palm to indicate that the rat clan need not see them off, pointing outside to imply it was inconvenient. Jin Fu was extremely cooperative, immediately halting his kinsmen who had started to follow, quietly watching the two depart.

Once the lookouts outside confirmed their departure, a group of rats immediately surrounded the clan leader.

"Clan leader, how did it go?"

"Did Elder Gao and his companion find a way to get us out?"

"Clan leader, Elder Gao seemed a bit displeased; he even kicked Uncle Sixteen several times."

The large rats chattered excitedly.

"Quiet down!" Jin Fu scolded. "Remember, Elder Gao said we've already been targeted. So, everyone should keep this matter to yourselves; the outcome will take time. Pretend Elder Gao and his companion never came, and no one is permitted to discuss this again. Violators will be shared among the clan for sustenance!" This was no idle threat. When the Divine Mountain was in a foul mood, causing the entire clan to starve and face death, they would resort to drawing lots or some other method to decide who would sacrifice themselves, offering their flesh to ensure the survival of others.

The scene instantly fell silent. They exchanged glances, their vision in the darkness being adequate.

Jin Fu, laden with worry, turned and departed. Huang Yingying, putting on a show, pointed at the assembled rats, then followed suit. Upon reaching the clan leader's lair, Huang Yingying knelt before him and quietly asked, "They left without obtaining the refining method?"

Jin Fu calmly replied, "I have already given them the refining method."

"Ah?" Huang Yingying gasped in surprise, then propped herself on her hands, anxiously asking, "Clan leader, that was their only request! Now that we no longer possess what they desired, how can they wholeheartedly strive to rescue us?"

Jin Fu remained calm. "Wang Ping is the true decision-maker," he explained. "He's clearly a shrewd individual, decisive and bold. You don't need to worry about them breaking their promise; they have already tied themselves to us and will find a way to save us."

Huang Yingying looked perplexed and very doubtful. "Tied themselves to us?"

Jin Fu longed to tell him that their ancestor had intervened across time and space. Beyond the allure of the treasure, wasn't a clan capable of producing a second supreme being of the demon realm worth aligning with? Moreover, Wang Ping had acted decisively and directly, unhesitatingly placing more leverage into their hands in exchange for what he sought. However, he kept his promise and did not reveal the full truth. He simply stared at Huang Yingying and sighed, "The demon bones of our entire clan have been damaged. You possess the best root bones, the finest talent, and the highest cultivation among us all. I hope you get this opportunity, otherwise, we'll have to wait for a chance in the next generation."

Huang Yingying looked utterly bewildered, not understanding what he meant, nor what kind of spell or illusion the tall man and his companion had cast upon the clan leader.