A max-level player in Jade Dynasty: Awakening the Innate Dao at the start.

The water in the pool was as black as thick, unyielding ink.

Zhang Xiaofan stood three zhang away from the edge of the pool, and the Bloodthirsty Bead in his arms suddenly began to heat up.

It wasn't just slightly hot; it was scalding hot, like a red-hot iron being branded onto my chest through my clothes.

On the dark red surface of the bead, the vein-like patterns glowed with an eerie, blood-red light.

It flickered on and off, like some living thing breathing.

He had just reached into his pocket when the bead made a "buzzing" sound.

It actually broke free on its own and hovered in mid-air.

The protective barrier that the monk Puzhi set up before his death failed the moment it came into contact with the malevolent energy in the pool.

Like a fragile spider web torn apart by a gale, it shattered into countless points of light with a "crack" and dissipated into the air.

The Bloodthirsty Bead has been completely unsealed.

A dark red light suddenly burst forth, turning the black mist within a three-zhang radius around it into a blood-red hue.

A deep, resonant hum, like a wild animal grinding its teeth, emanated from deep within the bead.

That was the ferocious aura left behind by the wicked old man eight hundred years ago, which has finally broken free of its restraints and is now baring its fangs and claws.

Zhang Xiaofan did not hesitate.

He reached out and grabbed the Bloodthirsty Bead.

The moment the bead touched, a chilling, malevolent aura shot up the arm and straight to the head.

Countless bloody illusions flashed before my eyes—mountains of corpses and seas of blood, severed arms and legs, and countless vengeful spirits wailing.

A sharp hissing sound rang in my ears, like fingernails scraping against a metal plate.

He took a deep breath, and the golden light of the Great Brahma Prajna in his dantian suddenly trembled.

"Om—"

The sound of Buddhist chants exploded deep within my consciousness.

Golden Buddhist light surged from his palm, flowing back along his meridians and forcefully suppressing the malevolent aura.

The Bloodthirsty Bead trembled in his hand, like an enraged venomous snake, yet it could not break free from the shackles of the Buddha's light.

Zhang Xiaofan gripped the bead tightly, then leaped into the black pool.

"Thump."

The splashes were small, and the pool water was sticky, like melted asphalt.

The moment I jumped in, a bone-chilling cold seeped into my body through my pores.

It wasn't just ordinary cold; it was the kind of chilling cold that could freeze your very soul.

The surrounding light suddenly dimmed, and the water above quickly closed in, cutting off the last bit of sunlight.

It sank.

He channeled his magic power, and a bluish-gold aura spread out three feet around his body, forcing back the sticky black water.

Where the eyes can see, there is only endless darkness and the occasional pale green phosphorescence that drifts through the darkness like will-o'-the-wisps.

The deeper you sink, the stronger the malevolent energy becomes.

It felt like countless cold hands were pulling at my body, trying to burrow into my bones.

Whispers sounded in my ear, not just one sound, but a mixture of thousands upon thousands of sounds—

Wailing, cursing, sneering, pleading... layer upon layer, tearing one's mind apart.

Zhang Xiaofan closed his eyes and focused his mind on his dantian.

The Qi vortex of the Taiji Xuanqing Dao accelerated its rotation, and the azure true essence surged like a river, protecting the meridians.

The golden light of the Great Brahma Prajna was as stable as a rock, and the Buddha's light it emitted was like a golden bell, keeping out those evil sounds and ghostly words.

The combined practice of Buddhism and Taoism showed its power at this time.

If he had only practiced Taoist techniques, he would probably have been invaded by evil energy and become mentally confused by now.

If one were to cultivate only Buddhist techniques, there might not be enough magical power to sustain one in this hundred-foot-deep pool.

They sank a hundred feet down until their feet touched the bottom.

The bottom of the pool was wider than I had imagined, like an overturned pot.

Right in the middle, a large, crooked, black rock protruded from the silt; the rock was about ten feet tall.

The surface was covered with honeycomb-like holes, and a dark red, sticky liquid was seeping out of each hole.

A stick was stuck on top of the rock.

It was jet black, about five feet long, and covered with crooked, dark red lines that looked like veins.

The patterns were now flashing with a faint blood-red light, flickering on and off, echoing the Bloodthirsty Bead in Zhang Xiaofan's hand.

Soul-capturing staff.

As soon as Zhang Xiaofan took a step forward, the Bloodthirsty Bead in his hand suddenly began to vibrate violently!

"boom--"

A dark red light burst forth from inside the bead, like a blood moon rising from the bottom of the water.

Almost simultaneously, the blood-red patterns on the Soul-Seizing Staff also burst forth with a dazzling light.

The two ferocious objects, ten feet apart, actually floated up on their own, breaking free from Zhang Xiaofan's hand and the restraints of the stone.

The next instant, they collided!

There was no sound, but the water in the pool seemed to be stirred by an invisible giant hand, and suddenly it boiled!

The black waves churned and formed a huge whirlpool, stirring up all the silt and pebbles from the bottom of the pool.

The two balls of blood-red light collided wildly at the center of the vortex, each collision unleashing a visible crimson shockwave.

The surrounding water was forcibly pushed aside, creating a brief vacuum.

Zhang Xiaofan activated the protective aura around himself, stabilizing himself in the turbulent water.

As he watched the two bursts of blood collide, the records in the "Record of Extraordinary Treasures" flashed through his mind:

"The Bloodthirsty Beads were crafted by a ruthless old man eight hundred years ago."

Nourished by the lifeblood of tens of thousands of people, it is extremely ferocious and can absorb people's lifeblood and souls...

"The Soul-Capturing Staff, its origin is unknown, legend says it was forged from Nine Netherworld Iron."

It possesses a soul-stealing power, and has once activated the passage to the underworld, causing widespread devastation...

Each of these two items alone is extremely malevolent and evil.

Now that they've met, it's like two ferocious beasts that have been imprisoned for a thousand years.

They caught each other's scent, and their ferocity erupted completely, a fight to the death.

The collisions became increasingly intense.

The blood-red light turned the entire bottom of the pool a deep crimson.

The water evaporated at high temperatures, forming large bubbles that rose up with a "glug-glug" sound.

The large rock began to crack, and the broken stones were drawn into the vortex and instantly pulverized into powder.

It's now!

A fierce glint flashed in Zhang Xiaofan's eyes, and his body transformed into a streak of azure-gold light, shooting straight towards the center of the vortex!

He stretched out both hands, his left hand grabbing the Bloodthirsty Bead and his right hand grabbing the Soul-Capturing Staff.

The moment of contact—

"laugh!"

A sharp pain shot through my palm.

The patterns on the surface of the Bloodthirsty Bead seemed to come alive, spinning wildly.

The skin and flesh were cut open, and the blood that had just flowed out was absorbed by the beads.

The Soul-Sucking Staff emitted a terrifying suction force, not only drawing his blood...

Even the soul was trembling, as if it were being torn out of the body.

Double the pain.

On his body, both hands were torn open, and blood was being devoured by the two ferocious creatures.

My bones were creaking, and my arm was so swollen and painful it felt like it was going to burst.

Mentally, the Bloodthirsty Bead emanated boundless killing intent, and blood-red illusions appeared one after another before his eyes.

Countless voices roared in my ears: "Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The Soul-Capturing Staff exudes a chilling aura of death, as if countless wronged souls are weeping in one's ear, trying to drag the person into the deepest hell.

Zhang Xiaofan bit the tip of his tongue.

The excruciating pain brought him back to his senses.

He frantically channeled his magic power, and blue and gold light burst forth from his body, forcefully withstanding the backlash from the two ferocious creatures.

Blood gushed from the wounds on both hands, like two blood snakes, coiling around the Bloodthirsty Bead and the Soul-Capturing Staff.

Blood Refinement!

Using his own life essence as a catalyst, he forcibly fused the two ferocious creatures, making them recognize him as their master.

This is the oldest, most domineering, and most dangerous method of refining treasures.

If you fail, your life essence will be drained, your soul will be taken away, and you won't even have a chance to be reincarnated.

But Zhang Xiaofan had no choice.

Time passed slowly and painfully.

A quarter of an hour, a quarter of an hour...

Half an hour later, the blood-red light on the Bloodthirsty Bead and the Soul-Seizing Staff began to subside.

The trembling of the two ferocious objects gradually subsided, and the blood-red patterns on their surfaces ceased to flicker.

Instead, it gradually faded, eventually turning into a dark, almost black, deep red.

They began to merge.

The Bloodthirsty Bead slowly embedded itself into the tip of the Soul-Sealing Staff, and the crooked lines on the staff extended outwards.

The beads were wrapped and intertwined, eventually becoming one.

The stick trembled slightly, emitting a low hum, as if it were unwilling, or as if it had submitted.

The fusion is complete.

A short stick, entirely black with a dark red bead embedded at the top, lay quietly in Zhang Xiaofan's hand.

The staff was now warm, no longer icy, and its menacing aura had completely subsided.

Like a sleeping volcano, its surface is calm, but beneath it lies the power to dry up the ocean.

Soul-Devouring Staff.

Or rather, it's still just a prototype, something that looks like a fire poker.

Zhang Xiaofan gripped it tightly, feeling the throbbing sensation transmitted through the staff, a sensation connected to his very blood.

He exhaled a breath of stale air, which caused ripples to spread across the pool.

It became.

One month later.

In the kitchen of Dazhufeng, the stove fire was burning brightly.

The wok was heated to a high temperature, then the hot oil was poured in, sizzling loudly.

The chopped wild mushrooms slid into the oil, instantly releasing a rich, caramelized aroma.

Zhang Xiaofan held the pot in his left hand and the spatula in his right.

With a flick of the wrist, the wild mushrooms in the pot tumbled and were heated evenly.

Outside the window, sunlight streamed through the bamboo leaves, casting dappled shadows on the stove.

At the kitchen doorway, a large, sturdy yellow dog with a tan coat was dozing off.

My ears twitch occasionally to shoo away a fly that landed on my nose.

Next to it, Little Gray squatted down, its paws gripping a corncob, making a "crunch crunch" sound as it gnawed on it.

The dog and the monkey got along remarkably well.

"Xiao Fan!"

The figure in red darted into the kitchen with a "whoosh".

Today, Tian Ling'er wore a light pink short-sleeved shirt and a matching pink skirt.

A red silk sash was tied around her waist, clearly outlining her slender waist.

Three years have passed, and her figure has fully matured.

Her chest was full, her waist slender, and her legs long and shapely. Just standing there...

Like a camellia covered in morning dew, it was dazzlingly bright.

She leaned closer to the stove, her nose twitching. "It smells so good! What are we having today?"

"Stir-fried wild mushrooms with cured pork, steamed sea bass, and your favorite osmanthus-flavored glutinous rice lotus root."

Zhang Xiaofan didn't even look up, continuing to stir-fry.

Tian Ling'er's eyes lit up, and she reached out to grab the freshly cooked cured meat from the pot.

"Smack."

Zhang Xiaofan gently patted her hand away: "It's hot."

"Stingy!" Tian Ling'er pouted, but the corners of her mouth were curved.

She leaned against the stove, watching Zhang Xiaofan's skillful movements, and suddenly said:

"After Sixth Brother went down the mountain, the food he ate was simply inedible. Luckily, you were there."

Zhang Xiaofan didn't reply, but simply put the stir-fried dishes into a plate.

The cured pork belly, with its alternating layers of fat and lean meat, was stir-fried until glossy and fragrant, infused with the aroma of charred wild mushrooms.

The sea bass was steamed to perfection, the flesh was snow-white, and it was drizzled with sauce and sprinkled with chopped green onions and shredded ginger.

The glutinous rice lotus root is soft, sticky, and sweet, with the sweet aroma of osmanthus honey mixed with the fragrance of glutinous rice filling the kitchen.

Tian Ling'er took a deep breath, and her stomach growled.

Her face flushed, and she quickly covered her stomach.

Zhang Xiaofan's lips curled slightly.

Three years.

Cutting bamboo, cultivating oneself, cooking, eating.

Day after day, life was as uneventful as a mountain stream.

But it was precisely these ordinary days that made him, in this unfamiliar world,

I found a kind of real warmth that I could hold in my hands.

Tian Ling'er, Master, Mistress, Senior Brothers...

They are all important people.

"Xiao Fan, your senior brother is looking for you!"

Song Daren's voice came from outside, sounding somewhat hurried.

He ran into the kitchen, saw the table full of dishes, his Adam's apple bobbed, but he still said:

"Quickly, Shoujing Hall. People from Dragon Head Peak have arrived."

Zhang Xiaofan paused, his shovel still in his hand.

Dragon Head Peak.

Qi Hao. Lin Jingyu.

The plot of the original work flooded into my mind like a tidal wave—

Lin Jingyu, at the fifth level of the Jade Purity Realm, publicly defeated "Zhang Xiaofan" in front of the Shoujing Hall.

Tian Ling'er stood up for him, but was easily suppressed by Lin Jingyu.

Then Qi Hao "just in time" stepped in to "rescue" her, displaying his gentlemanly manners and winning Tian Ling'er's favor...

That "old guy" who has cultivated for a hundred years but still looks like he's in his twenties,

He approached Tian Ling'er, who was only fifteen years old, with a gentle and refined face.

Pervert.

Zhang Xiaofan put down the shovel and took off his apron.

"Who's here?" he asked, his voice calm.

"Qi Hao and Lin Jingyu."

Song Daren said, "They said they were ordered by Uncle Cangsong to deliver some things and, incidentally... exchange ideas."

communicate with.

Zhang Xiaofan wiped his hands clean and walked out.

Tian Ling'er followed:

"Senior Brother Qi Hao? I've heard of him. He came in second place in the last Seven Veins Martial Arts Tournament. He seems pretty good."

Lin Jingyu... is that the one who went up the mountain with Xiao Fan?

"Mm," Zhang Xiaofan replied.

Once outside Shoujing Hall, you could already hear the sounds coming from inside.

Tian Buyi's voice was low and deep, carrying his usual impatience:

"...Senior Brother Cangsong is very kind."

Another gentle male voice rang out, unhurried and slow, like a clear spring in a mountain stream:

"Uncle Tian, ​​you're too kind."

My teacher often said that the seven meridians are interconnected and should be moved around more often.

Qi Hao.

Zhang Xiaofan stepped over the threshold.

The hall was well-lit. Tian Buyi sat in the main seat.

Su Ru sat next to him; both of them were dressed in formal Taoist robes.

To the left of the lower seat, there are two people standing.

A woman dressed in a moon-white long robe, who looked to be in her early twenties...

Her face was like jade, her eyebrows and eyes were gentle, and a perfectly timed smile played on her lips.

Standing there, he was like a jade tree facing the wind, elegant and graceful.

Qi Hao.

The other was a boy, about fourteen or fifteen years old, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and a tall and straight posture.

He was dressed in a light blue outfit and had a sword at his waist.

He stood ramrod straight, his eyes sharp, like a newly drawn sword, its edge fully revealed.

Lin Jingyu.

Three years had passed since I last saw him. He had shed his childishness and was now like a polished piece of jade, dazzling and radiant.

His gaze swept over Zhang Xiaofan as he walked in, and his pupils contracted slightly.

Zhang Xiaofan was also looking at him.

The fifth level of Jade Purity Realm.

He is indeed a genius. He has cultivated to the fifth level in three years, which is top-notch even in the entire Qingyun Sect.

pity.

Zhang Xiaofan shifted his gaze to Qi Hao.

The eldest disciple of Dragon Head Peak was also looking at him, his gentle eyes scrutinizing him as if he were examining an... interesting object.

The hall was quiet for a short while.

Tian Buyi coughed:

"Xiao Fan, Ling'er, come here. Greetings to Senior Brother Qi Hao and Junior Brother Lin Jingyu from Dragon Head Peak."

Zhang Xiaofan bowed in greeting.

When she looked up, her gaze met Lin Jingyu's.

Something in the air seemed to tense up.