Chapter Fourteen: The Yin-Yang Banner is Forged

As the mountain gate appeared before him, Zhang Xiao felt a jolt run through his body. A wisp of his own spirit emerged from the armored corpse, revealing his true form. There was no need to maintain the Corpse Armor spell within the sect’s bounds. With a twist of his palm, Zhang Xiao retrieved the spirit-treasure coffin from his bone ring, allowing Iron-Armored Corpse No. 1 to return inside. He put the coffin away and strode directly into the mountain gate.

With the great sect competition fast approaching, every disciple was desperately seeking ways to improve their strength. The air was alive with the sounds of sparring; some were even willing to trade spirit treasures for offensive spells. Zhang Xiao did not return to his bamboo hut but went instead to the Hall of Hundred Tools—a place dedicated to disciples’ alchemy and refinement. Though the Hall of Thousand Mechanisms was also a grand hall for crafting in Mount Mao, that place was not open to ordinary disciples.

To his surprise, there was not a soul outside the Hall of Hundred Tools. Logically, with everyone eager to grow stronger, refining spirit treasures should have been a priority. Perplexed, Zhang Xiao nonetheless strode forward. Upon entering, he saw a Daoist priest in a robe sitting cross-legged with eyes closed, resting.

“Senior, I have come to refine a spirit treasure,” Zhang Xiao explained respectfully to the hall’s overseer. Ever since a young acolyte under his own master had seen through his cultivation outside the Hall of Thousand Mechanisms, Zhang Xiao dared not underestimate anyone in the Mount Mao sect.

The Daoist opened his eyes and glanced over Zhang Xiao. “Not bad, you’ve reached the Qi Refinement stage. Since you meet the requirement, follow me.” With that, the old Daoist rose and led the way. Zhang Xiao hurried after.

The Hall of Hundred Tools was built into the mountain, containing four refining chambers aligned to the elements of Heaven, Earth, Universe, and Cosmos. Each chamber was a stone room with a bronze furnace connected directly to the earth’s fire below. The old Daoist brought Zhang Xiao to the chamber marked “Earth,” tossing him a token. “Only those holding this token may enter. Otherwise, unless three or more Nascent Soul cultivators act together, no one can force their way in or disturb you.”

Zhang Xiao quickly thanked the old Daoist, who nodded and left without another word. Examining the token, Zhang Xiao could not discern its material—neither wood nor metal, yet hard as iron when he tried to bend it. Pressing the token to the stone door, a ripple spread across the surface and an opening just wide enough for one person appeared. Zhang Xiao slipped inside, and as the ripples faded, the entrance sealed behind him.

Inside, aside from the large bronze furnace, there was a separate small room for resting. Zhang Xiao sat before the furnace, flipping his palm to produce a stone staff—the very weapon once wielded by the Stone Staff Ape.

Mountain Ridge Staff: Seven hundred catties in weight, forged from mountain ridge stone by the Stone Staff Ape, incredibly sturdy—a lower-grade spirit material, suitable for crafting components.

Zhang Xiao nodded in satisfaction. “Perfect for making a banner pole.” He then took out the corpse of the Silver-Armored Spider from his bone ring. The value of this creature’s body was incalculable. Drawing an iron knife, he struck the spider’s carapace; with a shower of sparks, the blade snapped, leaving not a mark on the silver armor.

Delighted, Zhang Xiao chuckled. This silver armor would make excellent material for a suit of armor. The iron knife was useless, so he summoned the Iron-Armored Corpse. Its claws were razor-sharp, but even they could not scratch the spider’s silver shell.

Fortunately, the Silver-Armored Spider had already been battered by the Silver Ape, leaving several cracks. Working along these broken edges, Zhang Xiao carefully removed the silver armor and discovered, within the spider’s abdomen, a silk pouch packed with over ten catties of spider silk. Of its original eight claws, though three had been shattered by the ape, the remaining five were intact—prizes Zhang Xiao gladly kept for future use.

Before long, the once-formidable Silver-Armored Spider was reduced to a pile of scraps. Zhang Xiao tossed the remnants into the furnace, then produced the crystal staff of the Silver Ape. It was so heavy that it nearly knocked him off his feet; had he not released it quickly, it would have cost him dearly.

Mountain Crystal Staff: A top-grade material weighing three thousand four hundred catties, the very essence of a mountain, peerless for forging weapons of unmatched might.

Zhang Xiao’s eyes shone at his good fortune, though he set the staff aside for now, saving it for a future treasure.

Organizing his materials, Zhang Xiao placed his hand on the furnace, summoning a wave of heat from the earth’s core until the furnace glowed red-hot. He fed the mountain ridge staffs inside, and one by one, they shrank and melted into liquid. Quickly, he drew the molten stone out, casting seals into the white-blue liquid. With each seal, the color shifted toward bronze. He returned the mixture to the furnace, took out some Sunstone, chipped off a piece the size of a fingernail, and dropped it in. More seals followed, and the pole for the banner gradually took shape.

Next, he slit open the spider’s silk pouch and, with nimble fingers, wove the silk into a banner. He then chipped a fragment from the Lunar Stone, ground it to powder, and dusted it evenly over the banner’s surface. Banner and pole were joined and returned to the furnace.

Fourteen days passed. During this time, Zhang Xiao continuously inscribed seals according to the method for crafting the Yin-Yang Hundred Ghost Banner. The once silver banner and bronze pole fused into one; black and white swirled across its surface, and waves of spiritual energy emanated from it.

Seeing the spirit treasure had taken shape, Zhang Xiao bit his tongue and spat a mouthful of blood onto the banner. Only when the blood formed a yin-yang sigil did the treasure reach completion. Extinguishing the flames, he retrieved the banner from the furnace. Seven feet in length, the banner shimmered with ever-changing black and white, dizzying to behold.

Gripping the banner, Zhang Xiao infused it with spiritual power and swept it through the air. Dozens of black shadows surged forth, filling the stone chamber with the wails of ghosts. Another sweep, and over a dozen white figures leapt out, each one exuding murderous intent—the interplay of black and white was mesmerizing and bewildering.

Though not as powerful as the original Yin-Yang Hundred Ghost Banner, its might surpassed most high-grade spirit treasures. “From now on, you shall be called the Yin-Yang Banner,” Zhang Xiao declared.

At that, the banner flashed with spiritual light and its attributes became visible. Only then did Zhang Xiao understand: though crafted after the Hundred Ghost Banner, his materials and methods fell short, requiring a new name to reveal its properties.

Yin-Yang Banner: High-grade spirit treasure. Can summon twelve yin souls and twelve yang souls with each sweep. Requirement: Qi Refinement stage.

Zhang Xiao put away the Yin-Yang Banner, left the chamber, and returned the token to the old Daoist at the entrance. The Daoist glanced at him and said, “Not bad. It seems you made quite the progress. What treasure have you crafted? May I take a look?”

“Senior, I have just refined a spirit treasure and seek your guidance.” Zhang Xiao dared not be disrespectful, not knowing the old Daoist’s true status. He presented the Yin-Yang Banner.

Examining the banner, the old Daoist gave it a casual wave. Twelve yin souls emerged, larger and more malevolent than those Zhang Xiao had conjured, their passage blighting all living things. Another wave, and twelve yang souls appeared, each a blade of pure killing intent, shredding everything in their path.

“Impressive. Though not as powerful as the true Yin-Yang Hundred Ghost Banner, this is a rare spirit treasure. Still, both this and the original are instruments of killing and require a vast number of vengeful souls to nourish them. Without such offerings, their power cannot be increased.” With that, the old Daoist withdrew his power and returned the banner.

“My thanks for your guidance, Senior,” Zhang Xiao said.

“Go now. The competition is near. After so many days forging treasures, you should focus on restoring your strength,” the old Daoist replied, turning away.

“To nourish the banner with vengeful souls…” Zhang Xiao pondered these words. The method for crafting the Yin-Yang Hundred Ghost Banner stated that to unleash its full power, one must offer the souls of millions. Otherwise, the summoned ghosts would be mere illusory spirits.

But to slaughter so many for the sake of a treasure was abhorrent to Zhang Xiao, who, though far from a saint, would never commit such evil lightly.

“Senior brother, Master requests your presence at the Hall of Thousand Mechanisms.” Just as Zhang Xiao was about to return to his hut to cultivate, a young acolyte—the one serving the ethereal Daoist—came looking for him.

“The Hall of Thousand Mechanisms? Perhaps Master wishes to see my new spirit treasure?” Following the boy, Zhang Xiao learned he had been awaited for three days, suggesting that his master’s summons was no simple matter.

Upon entering the Hall of Thousand Mechanisms, Zhang Xiao discovered not only the ethereal Daoist present, but also the sect leader, Daoist Kongxuan. Daring not to be remiss, he stepped forward and bowed deeply. “Greetings, Sect Leader. Greetings, Master.”

With a gesture, Kongxuan lifted him with a wave of spiritual energy. “Enough, no need for formality. You are unlike other disciples. Having joined earliest, your cultivation is now the highest among them. Today, it is not your master who summoned you, but I.”

Zhang Xiao was puzzled. Why did the sect leader summon him here instead of the main hall? “May I ask the Sect Leader’s purpose in calling me here?”