Fellow Daoist Entrusts His Child: Immortality Begins with Nurturing a Demoness

Chapter 18 The Inheritance of the Soul Banner, Before the Passing of Life

Unable to sleep all night, Luo Fanchen spent the next day practicing breathing exercises in a side room until he was awakened by a knock on the door. Only then did he slowly open his eyes and finish his practice.

"Uncle Luo, it's me."

Outside the door, Qiuyun's voice was tinged with shyness, gentle as water.

Luo Fanchen yawned wearily and got up to open the door.

Last night, after he left, he returned as usual, hiding his presence and waiting quietly outside the window to listen to the sisters' late-night conversation.

Mo Xue, unusually, scolded Qiu Yun sternly as the eldest sister. After the scolding, the two little ones huddled together, wiping away tears for half the night, sobbing and saying things like Uncle Luo was a good person and that their sister could follow him without worry.
Only after confirming that he had completely gained the two sisters' trust did he return to his room to refine the snake soup.

Pushing open the door, a wooden tray appeared on the floor, with a storage bag and a bowl of steaming meat porridge sitting quietly on it.

His eyes widened slightly, as if he sensed something. Then he looked at the end of the corridor and saw a small head timidly peeking out.

The girl clung to the corner of the wall, her beautiful eyes blinking rapidly. When she sensed Luo Fanchen's gaze, she lowered her head in embarrassment, her face flushed red. Clearly, she didn't yet have the courage to talk to him.

"Qiuyun, is there something you need?"

Luo Fanchen smiled gently, his voice warm. Although Qiu Yun was avoiding him, he could clearly sense the kindness in the girl's eyes.

"Uncle Luo, may I come in and talk?"

Ling Qiuyun's voice was timid, and Luo Fanchen looked the girl up and down with great interest.

Her hair was piled high, and she wore a dignified and appropriate green herringbone dress.

Ling Qiuyun noticed Luo Fanchen's gaze and couldn't help but recall her submissive behavior at Uncle Luo's feet last night. Her pretty face burned even hotter, and she wished she could find a crack to crawl into.

Her lips moved silently, as she was about to take her leave, but Luo Fanchen had already opened the door and gestured with his lips towards the inside: "Come in."

Ling Qiuyun hesitated, her fingers twitching. She wanted to run away but felt it would be impolite. Her beautiful eyes were glazed as she slowly moved her feet.

When she came to her senses, Luo Fanchen had already led her into the room, where she sat awkwardly at the table, her thin shoulders tense.

Luo Fanchen chuckled. He took a sip of the meat porridge, which was made from very ordinary mortal grains, but its salty and fragrant flavor was appetizing.

"The craftsmanship is good."

"It's a rough craft, but if you like it, Uncle Luo, I'll make it for you every day from now on."

Ling Qiuyun's eyes brightened slightly, her delicate hands pressed tightly against her thighs, trembling with fear. Luo Fanchen gently shook his head, his expression helpless.

"Relax, I won't eat people. You came to me because of your heart condition, right?"

"I know my own body is ailing, so please don't tell my sister, Uncle Luo, so as not to cause her any more worry."

Ling Qiuyun forced a smile, but her fingertips, hidden in her sleeves, were twitching, and her eyes lacked spirit.

"Is this a good idea? Won't Mo Xue be sad?"

"Therefore, I will need Uncle Luo's help in the future. I am very relieved that my sister has Uncle Luo's protection."

Ling Qiuyun avoided eye contact, her gaze lingering on her tangled fingertips. Her pretty face showed a mixture of gratitude and embarrassment.

Knowing she was terminally ill, she didn't want to talk much and changed the subject before Luo Fanchen could persuade her.

"I have another matter to discuss with Uncle Luo. I wish to entrust the opportunity of the Soul Banner left by my father to Uncle Luo."

Ling Qiuyun murmured, her delicate hand reaching into her breasts. After a while, she pulled out an irregularly shaped black jade pendant. Its smooth surface seemed to have a deceptive effect, and he hadn't noticed it at all until the girl took it out herself.

Ling Qiuyun held the pendant in both hands and solemnly handed it to Luo Fanchen, along with a piece of old gold paper.

The paper scroll was made of human skin and covered with intricate blood-red patterns, resembling a blood pact.

"This pendant contains the soul banner inheritance, and the scroll is the blood pact left by my father, which records the exact location of the mansion."

"My daughter's aptitude is poor. She will try her best to decipher the blood pact in the remaining time, but I'm afraid she can only unravel a small part of it."

Ling Qiuyun's voice was gentle, and her pretty face showed a hint of lingering affection, which calmed her down.

"After my daughter leaves, her remains can be refined into essence blood by Uncle Luo."

"As your cultivation progresses greatly in the future, you may be able to break the blood pact through your essence and blood and find the remaining opportunities."

After speaking, Ling Qiuyun gently brushed her hair behind her ear and pointed to the black jade pendant.

"This is the inheritance of the Soul Banner, which records the methods of refining and improving the Soul Banner. However, refining the Soul Banner is difficult, and the materials consumed are harmful to nature and extremely precious. If Uncle Luo wants to comprehend it, it would be best to use the one your father had."

"You are the master of the Soul Banner, how should I use it?"

Luo Fanchen smiled as he accepted the jade pendant, gently stroking it. A cool sensation lingered around his fingertips, clearing his mind somewhat.

This object is clearly extraordinary; it must be some kind of magical treasure.

Upon hearing this, Ling Qiuyun's oval face flushed slightly, and her voice became stammering again.

“There are two methods. First, when you cultivate the Soul Banner, my daughter will assist you with her true essence. This method can barely imprint some of Uncle Luo’s soul mark in about a month. After that, you can formally recognize him as your master by offering your blood essence for more than a year.”

"Secondly, the refining can be completed within a month, if Uncle Luo wishes."

"No need, let's do it the first way."

Luo Fanchen waved his hand gently. Given Qiu Yun's health condition, dual cultivation would likely kill the young girl, and Mo Xue would definitely go berserk.

It's not worth breaking ties with Mo Xue for a soul banner.

"Then I will teach Uncle Luo the method. Also, this method is insidious and dangerous. Uncle Luo must remember to maintain your original mind when practicing this method."

Ling Qiuyun's eyes brightened slightly, and a faint smile appeared on her lips as she admired Uncle Luo even more.

She bit her fingertip, condensing her true essence into a drop of blood, and placed it on the black jade pendant. A mist of blood appeared, and countless densely packed human faces surged onto its surface, struggling to transform into blood patterns and revealing small characters.

"Uncle Luo, hand."

Ling Qiuyun's spirits visibly weakened, her pretty face turned slightly pale, and even a single drop of her essence caused her to gasp for breath.

Luo Fanchen belatedly reached out his hand, and the girl clenched the blood crystal, her slender fingers unfolding, slowly interlocking her palms with his.

The moment their index fingers intertwined, Luo Fanchen felt a chill run down his spine, as if he had plunged into an icy river. He heard the murmurs and cries of countless wronged souls in his ears, and his Dao heart trembled violently, yet inexplicably calmed down in an instant.

Thousands of seal characters flooded my mind. Although they were not techniques, they were profound and mysterious. I understood them without needing to memorize them.

This item has the miraculous effect of transmitting power like a jade slip, and is even more powerful than that.

At the same time, Ling Qiuyun held her breath and concentrated. She used her true essence to summon the Soul Banner. Amidst the raging yin wind, she suppressed the fierce soul on Uncle Luo's body and was ready to take away the remnant soul at any moment to interrupt the inheritance.

Before his eyes, hundreds of blood-red lines spread across Luo Fanchen's skin, and the misty blood-red light was like magma eroding, each flash taking away a bit of life force.

This method seems to lack a technique for maintaining one's state of mind, making its transmission extremely dangerous. It requires the assistance of a soul banner and must be interrupted at appropriate times. It takes more than a hundred attempts to comprehend the complete transmission, and it was through this method that she came to understand the soul banner technique.

Uncle Luo should be able to resist the obsession and the temptation of the remnant soul.

Seeing Luo Fanchen panting heavily and covered in cold sweat, Ling Qiuyun knew that Uncle Luo had reached his limit and urged the Soul Banner to forcibly terminate the inheritance.

The soul banner whistled, and the next moment, the blood patterns on Luo Fanchen's body immediately dimmed and faded at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"How can it be"

Ling Qiuyun was slightly taken aback. Looking at the black jade in her palm again, she saw that the seal script on it had completely disappeared and lost its luster.

"Once? Uncle Luo mastered the Soul Banner technique in one go?"

The girl's pretty face was blank. She wanted to wake Uncle Luo, but was afraid of disturbing him. She stood there worriedly.

What exactly did Uncle Luo go through to make his Dao heart so unwavering that even the devouring of ten thousand souls could not shake his will?

My father was tormented to the point of collapse several times over the method of passing on this Soul Banner. His spirit was eroded by negative emotions, and he fell into the demonic path. Only with his strong obsession was he able to piece together a part of the method of passing on the legacy.

"Uncle Luo might achieve something great."

Ling Qiuyun murmured to herself, seeing Luo Fanchen's serene expression and peaceful true energy, and was completely relieved.

She did not disturb Luo Fanchen. After leaving the soul banner and storage bag, she quietly tidied up the dishes and left, closing the door behind her.

"Hiss, whoosh—"

Two hours later, Luo Fanchen suddenly awoke, his body ice-cold and trembling uncontrollably. He tilted his head back and swallowed a Qi-gathering pill, then practiced breathing exercises for a long time. After circulating his true essence through the Small Heavenly Circuit three times, the cold sensation gradually subsided.

"A truly vicious method"

Luo Fanchen sat up, his expression grave.

He has fully inherited the Soul Banner tradition. This method is called the Great Sage Supreme Man Banner Method, which is divided into banner making, sublimation, and commandment of the Three Cardinal Guides.

The method of making the banner is the method of refining the life soul banner. Once the banner is completed, it is a first-grade low-grade magic weapon. The amount of resources consumed and the cruelty of the refining process are far greater than those of the Heavenly Demon Spirit Puppet.

Sublimation is the condition for upgrading the Soul Banner's grade, as well as the required magical treasures; this is the most crucial aspect of the Soul Banner's growth potential.

For example, a first-grade low-rank soul banner requires the five internal organs of twelve pairs of vicious people, mixed with three human skins, the heart of a cultivator, supplemented with mystic crystals and ink sand, and tempered with the essence and blood of a thousand living beings to be upgraded to a first-grade mid-rank banner.

Mystic Crystal and Ink Sand are both mid-grade first-tier forging materials.

The best blood essence is taken from human blood, and the conditions for the offerings become more stringent and the quantity requirements increase as time goes on.

Luo Fanchen glanced at the requirements for upgrading to the second-tier lower grade. It already required the heart of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, the essence blood of a demon beast, and three kinds of magical treasures with a total value of no less than Foundation Establishment spiritual items. Furthermore, it required the souls of ninety-nine cultivators with spiritual roots from the year, month, and hour of Yin.

"This method carries heavy karmic burdens. Without a way to transform these burdens, one will inevitably develop inner demons and suffer the backlash of karma."

Luo Fanchen was quite annoyed and paced back and forth.

Humans are all subject to seven emotions and six desires, as well as karmic consequences and karmic obstacles. Although the karmic burden of mortals is only one-thousandth that of cultivators, it can still implicate cultivators.

If a cultivator kills excessively, they will suffer karmic retribution, have their mind distorted, and develop inner demons.

Therefore, the bottleneck of a demonic cultivator's major realm is several times that of an ordinary cultivator, and breaking through a realm inevitably brings a great calamity. Only the three major demonic sects have corresponding methods to resolve karma and avoid calamities, and can be called orthodox demonic cultivators.

The Soul Banner inheritance has no way to avoid calamity. If he forcibly refines this banner, he will be burdened with karma in the future, and he can forget about building a foundation in this lifetime.

"Besides the Soul Banner, I have no other means of fighting the enemy."

Luo Fanchen stood with his hands behind his back, his mind undecided.

In his battle with Ling Youdao, his lack of combat skills was exposed.

If Ling Youdao hadn't still harbored some goodwill, he probably would have perished together with him. The Soul Banner was the only powerful killing technique he could access.

"There's no rush to advance to the next level. A first-grade low-level rank is enough for me until the late stage of Qi Refining."

Luo Fanchen pursed his lips, gazing at the soul banner that was flying on its own without wind, his eyes lingering on its twisted and ferocious blood-red ghost patterns.

He couldn't bear to sell the Soul Banner; for a low-level cultivator, there was no more perfect magic weapon than the Soul Banner.

This banner combines killing and functional purposes, and it has seven commonly used methods of issuing commands.

Mars, Heart Sacrifice, Bone Devouring, Placenta, Human Face, Soul Hook, Evil Control, Placenta.

These correspond to the following: illusion array, memory extraction, soul devouring, soul containment, appearance transformation, soul-stealing, commanding hundreds of ghosts, and the ultimate killing move condensed from refining souls.

Furthermore, when the Soul Banner is infused with spiritual power, one can cultivate Qi and fly through the air; the banner itself can also be engraved with independent array patterns.

"If a spirit-gathering array could be engraved, wouldn't it mean that in the future, there would be no need for spirit stones to maintain it, and only soul power would be needed to use the spirit-gathering array?"

Luo Fanchen murmured, his eyes slightly brightening, as he fondled the Soul Banner while attempting to inscribe array patterns.

Although not the master of the Soul Banner, it is certain that the Soul Banner can be engraved with a spirit-gathering array, which will save a lot of spirit stones in the future.

He continued to sense the inside of the Soul Banner. It was a low-grade first-tier Soul Banner, capable of holding about a hundred dead souls, ten vengeful ghosts, and one main soul.

The main soul must have cultivated power during its lifetime, retain self-awareness, and have some of the permissions to use the soul banner.

"Main Soul. Retain Consciousness."

Luo Fanchen was slightly taken aback. He slowly opened his palm, and the lingering fragrance of autumn seemed to remain between his fingers.

There is no cure for Qiuyun's illness, but if the Soul Banner is used, could it preserve the girl's soul? Once Moxue joins the Daoist sect and her cultivation greatly increases, perhaps there will be a chance for her to return to life.

Without hesitation, Luo Fanchen guided Mo Xue in her cultivation over the next few days while simultaneously working with Qiu Yun to refine the Soul Banner.

The progress was surprisingly fast, perhaps because he and the Soul Banner had a high compatibility. The refining process, which was originally estimated to take more than a year, was shortened to three months. Qiu Yun was amazed and hesitated to speak several times.

"Uncle Luo, you're actually a prodigy of the Lost Demonic Sect, right?"

"Have you ever seen a prodigy with all five spiritual roots?"

On the soft, warm bed in the side room, Ling Qiuyun lay wearily in Luo Fanchen's arms, her eyes crinkling with a playful smile, the shyness of the past gone from her brows.

Luo Fanchen shook his head helplessly, gently covering the girl's thin, bony body with a goose down quilt, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Over the past two weeks, Ling Qiuyun's health has deteriorated rapidly. Three days ago, she lost the strength to get out of bed. Her once beautiful and fair body has become emaciated, her skin is dry and sallow, and she is listless all day long, only waking up for three hours at a time.

She no longer had the energy to be embarrassed, and refining the Soul Banner required Luo Fanchen to come to her bedside to absorb her true essence.

"Let's tell Mo Xue. It's not fair to her if we keep it from her until the end."

"My sister will be sad if she sees me like this."

Ling Qiuyun's eyes were lifeless, and she rested her head weakly on Luo Fanchen's shoulder, her thin chin slightly uncomfortable.

She seemed to accept her fate with equanimity, yet she couldn't help but feel a lingering attachment to the world.

"Although Uncle Luo has five spiritual roots, his Dao heart is firm and his will is as strong as steel. He will surely achieve success in foundation building in the future."

The girl's lips moved, and she struggled to speak, her words disjointed and incoherent.

Luo Fanchen hesitated, his eyes fixed on the Soul Banner. Ling Qiuyun seemed to notice, so she forced a smile and changed the subject.

"Uncle Luo is encountering difficulties in refining the Soul Banner?"

"It's not difficult at all."

Luo Fanchen shook his head; he had indeed recently hit a bottleneck in his refining process.

The longevity technique he cultivated was of too low a grade, and his true essence was too coarse and empty to meet the needs of the soul banner. If he were to use a slow and steady approach, it would probably take another month to carve a simple mark and attempt to contain the main soul.

Autumn Charm obviously won't last until then.

Switching to a different cultivation method? There are some risks involved. The Shaoyang Transformation into Wood Qi Cultivation Technique is exquisite in its circulation, and at the very least, it is a closely guarded secret of aristocratic families.

The jade slip itself has no restrictions, but there is a high probability that there will be a way to detect the identity. If the theft of the technique is discovered, there will be no peace.

"If my crippled body can help Uncle Luo, you may take as much as you wish."

In the time it took to say a few words, Qiuyun's breathing became rapid, her small mouth panting softly, and her brows furrowed.

After a long pause, the girl continued haltingly, "I will leave a will to bind you, elder sister. If you ever enter the Taoist sect, you must take you as your master, help you build your foundation, and guide you into the Taoist sect for cultivation."

Why bother?

Luo Fanchen instinctively refused. He was of poor talent and naturally felt inferior in the face of such a behemoth as the Daoist sect.

Ling Qiuyun shook her head and affirmed, "Uncle Luo is a good person. My sister and I should repay him with the greatest gratitude. Besides, Uncle Luo will not be any worse than Mo Xue in the future."

"You think too highly of me."

The girl's sincere praise made Luo Fanchen feel somewhat embarrassed.

With only five spiritual roots, how could he possibly be compared to someone with a superior spiritual root? Mo Xue will probably surpass him in cultivation within five years.

Ling Qiuyun's eyes were gentle, her forehead resting against Luo Fanchen's chin, her eyes filled with longing.

"Uncle Luo, I'm actually lying. I do hate you for killing my father."

"It's ok."

"Uncle Luo, I'm sorry. I was petty and shouldn't have doubted you."

"."

Luo Fanchen remained silent. Ling Qiuyun's brows and eyes slowly closed, and she murmured as she succumbed to exhaustion and fainted: "Uncle Luo, where do you say people go after they die?"

After the girl completely lost consciousness, Luo Fanchen covered her with a blanket with a heavy expression, loosening and then tightening the jade slip in his hand that was used for transmitting power.

(End of this chapter)