Chapter 9: The Demon Face of Wanluo

The man's expression suddenly changed, and he forcefully stopped his hand

Hmph, these three bastards want to trick me, today I will let you open your eyes...

Storage Ring, made of Thousand Hammer Gold, with a space of one cubic unit

Lower-tier flying sword, made of refined steel, inscribed with a formation, with low spiritual energy

What appeared was a greenish ghost face mask, the material of which was unknown. It bore some marks from knives and axes, and there was a notch at the top of the head, discarded like a piece of waste in the corner, already covered with a layer of dust

The big rat spirit began to laugh, seemingly unaware of the purpose of this mask, even misnaming it.

The purple copper flying sword, inscribed with three magical formations, has all been damaged

Is this treasure really that good? My senior brothers wouldn't deceive me, would they

The large rat spirit looked at Fang Xing with a smile, saying with ill intent: "This little junior brother is quite young, but has a fierce temper. Well, we were just joking with you earlier. You can go in now and choose a magical artifact, but make sure to keep your eyes sharp..."

Haha, haha, why did we start arguing as soon as we met? This is not good...

The three members of the Great Rat Spirit stood in front of a finely crafted flying sword, which they had deliberately hidden behind a pile of magical artifacts, feeling somewhat anxious. They were afraid that this young man might strike it rich and actually choose that flying sword.

This junior disciple, every disciple who enters the Artifact Pavilion has only the time of one incense stick to make their selection, I have lit it for you...

Upon entering, I was immediately taken aback; this was not a hall of magical artifacts, but clearly a general store.

The man understood the meaning, and at the moment of lighting the incense, he deliberately broke off a small piece before inserting it into the incense burner

The junior disciple put it on, and it was truly impressive!

They have also encountered those who were reluctant to part with their spirit stones, but these individuals were all thoroughly deceived by them

Fang Xing ignored the small actions of the big rat spirit and focused on selecting items for himself. Wherever his gaze fell, he understood the quality and characteristics of the magical tools with utmost clarity, making it seem effortless. Just as the plump Daoist had said, many magical tools that appeared quite good were deliberately placed in plain sight, but their internal formations had already been damaged. If he were to choose them, he would end up with a pile of scrap metal.

Although the novice disciples all adhere to the rules and tacitly receive that piece of spiritual stone, this matter cannot be made public

Upon seeing his appearance, Fang Xing immediately knew that a confrontation was imminent. He stepped back and chuckled softly, saying, "Are you trying to extort a bribe and still want to fight with me? Is there no code of conduct left in the Daoist community?"

He looked at the young lad in front of him, who, despite his young age, had the demeanor of a seasoned veteran, and he truly feared that he might let the matter slip out

Fang Xing deliberately pretended to be indecisive and picked up the mask

The large rat spirit and his two junior disciples, upon seeing Fang Xing's dazed expression, immediately broke into cold laughter

Fang Xing was filled with excitement as he learned more about the function of the mask, and his heart instantly blossomed with joy. It turned out that this Wanluo Ghost Mask was actually a transformative magical artifact. Once worn, it could alter one's appearance, voice, aura, and even height. The thirty-six formations represented the thirty-six transformations that the Wanluo Ghost Mask possessed, allowing it to transform into thirty-six different individuals

Fang Xing cupped his fist in greeting, ignoring the underlying meaning in the words of this great rat spirit, and dove headfirst into it

The large rat eloquently urged Fang Xing, hoping to persuade him to choose a flag that appeared quite impressive.

However, if it were a usual day, the disciples who came to select the magical tools would offer substantial bribes, and these disciples guarding the pavilion would not only directly forget about the matters of this incense time, but would also provide guidance based on the bribes given by the visitors

Another person beside him also said so, appearing very agreeable

The big rat spirit chuckled and said, gesturing for the man beside him to select the driest incense stick to light.

After all, the cost of a single attempt by the craftsmen who can repair the magical tools is quite substantial, making it more economical to purchase a new one instead

The great rat spirit was exceptionally swift, quickly extracting a blank jade tablet from a pile and rapidly inscribing a divine thought within: "On the first day of the eleventh month of the Gengzi year... the outer sect disciple Fang Xing receives... one low-grade magical artifact..."

Haha, Junior Brother has taken a liking to this mask? Indeed, it has great taste, for this mask is... well, it is the Nine Nether Ghost Fire Thunderbolt Divine Mask... Once worn, it grants the power of gods and demons, with boundless might... Haha...

It seems that this item is the most useless thing in the Artifact Pavilion, yet upon seeing it, Fang Xing suddenly flashed through several pieces of information in his mind: Wanluo Ghost Face, containing thirty-six formations...

Although the items in this Magic Tool Pavilion are all low-grade magical tools available for the outer disciples of the Qingyun Sect, there are still two to three thousand pieces. Recently, the Qingyun Sect recruited disciples and selected a large number of items of decent quality. As a result, what remains now is mostly of inferior quality, or directly damaged and unusable. Some of the better items have also been hidden in places that are difficult to see.

They do not believe that this insolent young man can acquire anything of value

The man beside the large rat spirit was taken aback, and then his anger surged. Those who held positions in the Artifact Pavilion were certainly not comparable to the likes of the plump Daoist, who was merely a minor official; they had either connections or had spent a considerable amount of money to gain entry. Holding the source veins of magical treasures, their disciples treated them with utmost respect. It was precisely because of this that they developed their arrogant and overbearing personalities

This is actually a mid-level magical artifact with thirty-six formations, and the formations are mostly intact

It is a pity that all seven magical arrays have been damaged, rendered utterly useless, with only some residual fire energy remaining. This great rat spirit harbors ill intentions; if it were to truly take that flag and use it on the spot, its power would be extraordinary. However, once it is taken out of this magical artifact pavilion, it can no longer be wielded, much like the sword talisman of the plump Daoist.

However, Fang Xing only took a glance before making a decision.

What suits oneself should be certain tools that can assist oneself

Since the three senior brothers have all said so, I will choose it!

However, Fang Xing did not rush to make a selection. He was contemplating that with his current level of spiritual power, even if he chose a good flying sword, it would likely not be sufficient for it to fly more than ten zhang. If used for combat, it would be less effective than the short knife in his hand. Therefore, what he urgently needed was not these weapons, nor items like storage rings.

Rows of wooden racks, each displaying flying swords, talismans, spiritual tools, and other items, create a dazzling spectacle at first glance. Each piece appears to be quite extraordinary, with some labeled with names and brief descriptions, while others are simply a chaotic assortment of talismans, flying swords, treasure vases, and even compasses, making it difficult to discern their quality.

The big rat spirit said with a grin, continuously urging Fang Xing to accept the mask

Cough, junior apprentice, the time is running out, you should make your choice quickly. If you find it difficult to decide, I can recommend something for you. Look over here, these are all good items. For example, this flag, when infused with spiritual energy, can unleash intense fiery intent. If you are in a confrontation, waving this flag can send forth a fire dragon, truly a remarkable item

This is simply an essential tool for committing murder and robbery

Fang Xing made a decision in an instant

However, it was at this moment that Fang Xing's eyes suddenly brightened as he noticed a magical artifact near the Fire Flag

It is well noted, I will record this immediately

Should I just choose one of these flying swords or storage rings

The dry incense burns quickly, and with that man secretly breaking off a small piece, Fang Xing barely had the time of a full stick of incense, at most only two-thirds of that time. He was afraid he wouldn't even have time to look, let alone make a selection

Fang Xing scrutinized the mask in his hand, appearing to be in a difficult position to make a choice

The other two individuals also burst into laughter, repeatedly urging Fang Xing to make his selection quickly

Indeed, junior apprentice, why not take it back first and use it for a few days? If it really doesn't work out, bring it back and I will exchange it for you again

Thank you, senior brother

How could that be? This mask is perfectly suited for Junior Brother. With it, Junior Brother's cultivation will advance by leaps and bounds, and it won't be long before he excels in the outer sect. It is even possible that he could break through to the fourth level of true energy and become an inner sect disciple, which might only take a year or two...

Haha, not bad, not bad, very suitable for this junior brother!

Fang Xing came to his senses, a cold smile forming in his heart, and he slowly walked forward

In a moment of anger, the man took a step forward, intending to slap the young man away.

You... do you dare to insult me

But who would have thought that today, after merely reprimanding a novice disciple, he would dare to curse so vehemently

No matter how excellent a magical instrument may be, if the internal magic array is damaged, it becomes nothing more than scrap metal. For these magical instruments, the internal magic array is often more valuable than the material itself. Once it is damaged, it is hardly worth the effort to seek someone to repair it

At this point, Fang Xing finally understood why every newly admitted outer sect disciple willingly bribed these few individuals. It was because there were simply too many magical artifacts here, and from their appearance, it was impossible to discern which ones were good and which were bad, let alone understand their functions. If one were to blindly pick any item from among them, the likelihood of making a mistake would be exceedingly high

Fang Xing was contemplating, as he had already seen several magical artifacts, all of which were quite impressive

That flag is indeed remarkable, as it contains seven magical formations, making it a rare find within the Artifact Pavilion